HomeFront Spring 2016

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home&garden solutions&projects

Make Spring an organizing season New for 2016

garden

trends

Native knowledge

Bird Valley of the

Leader-Telegram Magazine Spring 2016

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

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local food

Farmers Markets

Eau Claire Downtown Farmers Market

Harvest schedule

300 Riverfront Ter, Eau Claire WI 54701 Located in the North portion of Phoenix Park, next to the Madison Street Bridge Open: 6/3/2016 through 10/31/2016 Saturdays in May 7:30am - 1:00pm Days & Hours: Wednesday 7:30am-1:00pm; Thursdays Noon to 5:00pm; Saturdays 7:30am - 1:00pm 715-563-2644 ecdowntownfarmersmarket.com

apples May - June asparagus Aug - Sept basil July - Sept beans July - Oct beets aug blackberries July - sept blueberries June - aug bok choy June - sept broccoli July - Nov cabbage June - Oct carrots Aug - Nov cauliflower July - sept corn July - sept cucumbers July - Oct eggplant Aug - Nov garlic Sept - Oct grapes July - sept green beans May - July green onions Aug - Oct

leeks Aug - Oct lettuce June - aug melons Aug - Sept onions Aug - Oct parsnips Oct - Nov peas June - july peppers July - Sept potatoes July - Oct pumpkins Oct radishes May - july raspberries July - sept rhubarb May - June spinach May - july squash July - Oct strawberries June - july tomatoes July - Oct turnips Aug - Nov wax beans July - sept zucchini July - aug

Eau Claire Farmers Market

3310 E. Hamilton Ave and 2717 Birch St, Eau Claire, WI Open: June 4, 2016 through mid-October Days & Hours: Tuesday & Saturday 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. on East Hamilton Wednesday 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. on Birch Street 715-497-5207 farmermarketec@gmail.com Eauclairefarmersmarket.com

Eau Claire Festival Foods Sunday Market

Eau Claire WI, Festival Foods Parking Lot Open: June through October Days & Hours: Sunday 8:00 am - 2:00 pm 715-838-1000 kharrison@skogensfest.com

Chippewa Falls Farmers’ Market

Market Lot, 53 E. Central St., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 Open: 6/16/2016 through mid-October Days & Hours: Thursday Noon-6:00pm www.chippewafallsmainst.org

HomeFront

Spring 2016

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Spring Organizing

7

Native Knowleadable

Garden Trends 2016

14

Panto Colors of ne’s the Year

Rose Qu & Serenai rtz ty Home Front Editor Dan.Lyksett@ecpc.com 715-830-5926 or 800-236-7077 Graphic Artist Angela Rediess

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Sales Director Kathy.Hayden@ecpc.com 715-833-7420 Magazine Advertising & Distribution Coordinator Catie.Carlson@ecpc.com 715-830-5823

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Bird of the Valley

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

Next issue: August 2016 Published three times a year by the Leader-Telegram Advertising Department.

P.O. Box 570. Eau Claire, WI 54702-0570.

Copyright 2016 Eau Claire Press Company.

All rights reserved.

Available online at www.leadertelegram.com

cover shot

20 Native

Knowledgeable

in this issue

Steve Betchkal Bird of the Valley PG 31

Heather Rothbauer-Wanish Spring Organizing PG 7

Jennifer Schmidt Native Knowledge PG 20

Nancy Skelley Garden Trends PG 14

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your Mai Bird of lt in your ballotcounts! he Valley for You cou on page 38. ld win.

local writers

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MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO BE HEALTHIER

By James Peters, United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley

The latest County Health Rankings (countyhealthrankings.org) show a continued increase in unhealthy weight in adults (32 percent in Eau Claire County and 29 percent in Chippewa County). Twenty-one percent of area adults are physically inactive, which is a contributing factor to unhealthy weight and increased risk of chronic disease.

These health risks include heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

GO Chippewa Valley is a website offered by HSHS Sacred Heart St. Joseph’s that offers health assessments, tips and regimens to keep our community healthy. They suggest the following: To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderateintensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.

To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood: Engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week.

To sustain weight loss in adulthood: Participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderateintensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.

To keep yourself motivated, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests the following: Tips to keep motivated: Don’t fall for “all or nothing” thinking. To condition your heart and lungs, regular exercise does not have to take more than 30 to 60 minutes, three or four times a week. If you don’t have 30 minutes in your schedule for an exercise break, try two 15-minute periods or even three 10-minute periods.

Focus on the benefits, such as burning calories, finding more energy and stamina, lowering risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases, building muscle strength, and losing weight.

Do what you enjoy. If you dislike organized sports,

choose an easy activity that you enjoy such as walking, dancing or swimming.

Make goals you can keep. If your long-term goal seems difficult to reach, break it down into shorter, more manageable goals. For example, if you want to walk a mile a day, begin with a quarter mile, and work your way up. By setting short-term goals, you’re less likely to get discouraged.

Focus on your progress. As you start feeling more fit, remember how you felt when you were just starting out and feel proud of what you’re accomplishing.

Be flexible. If your current routine is losing its appeal, look around for other activities you might enjoy.

Consider getting friends or family members involved so you can encourage each other.

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To learn more ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle and get connected to additional resources, visit www.uwgcv.org/ health. Working together, we can make sure the Chippewa Valley will be stronger.

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

spring clean As spring arrives, many people begin to think about spring cleaning and re-organizing their home. What better time of year to clean out the basement, sift through the closets and arrange those over-stuffed drawers? If that organizing or deep cleaning seems overwhelming or causes panic for you, it’s good to know there are professionals in the Chippewa Valley that can help you with bringing order to your house.

Make Spring an organizing season h eat H By

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Ashley Kosarek of AMK Cleaning has some advice for the homeowner looking to perform some spring sprucing-up.

Her first tip: When it comes to cleaning, it’s easiest to keep things accessible.

“I recommend having a vacuum and mop on each level of a home for easy access and do the same with cleaning supplies,” Kosharek said.

She also suggests staggering the rooms being cleaned.

“Sometimes it’s easier to just clean one room at a time while using it rather than doing a complete overhaul of the whole home on a day off or busy weeknight,” she said.

Cont. on page 8

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spring clean Cont. from page 7

She also suggests staggering the rooms being cleaned. “Sometimes it’s easier to just clean one room at a time while using it rather than doing a complete overhaul of the whole home on a day off or busy weeknight,” she said.

AMK Cleaning offers cleaning services for the residential, commercial and new construction industries. “We offer a custom-tailored cleaning plan specific to each client and their needs,” owner Ashley Kosharek said. “We want our clients to have a relationship with their cleaning team as if they had hired an individual to perform services, but with the added security, insurance and availability that a cleaning service offers.”

One of the common things Kosharek sees is that her clients don’t make a plan when it comes to organizing or cleaning.

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

“Without a plan, it’s hard to figure out where to start,” she said. “The job then becomes overwhelming and then our fight or flight response comes in and we may just avoid the task altogether.”

With the current trend toward green products, Ashley also recommends eliminating as many harsh chemicals as possible. “There are many cleaning products out there and they can help make cleaning easier. But, people also need to remember that cleaning is less about the products you use and more about the ‘elbow grease’ put into the task,” she said.

Kosharek has been operating AMK Cleaning, based in Eau Claire, for approximately four years.

“I always knew I wanted to be in business and I had tried my hand at many things, but nothing quite felt right,” she said. “Before owning my business, I worked for and with many small business owners helping them manage and build their businesses, learning many skills this way.

Looking back, I now realize that working for these small business owners was my working education preparing me for where I am today.”

In the cleaning business, Kosharek and her team work with many clients that also need organizing advice. She recommends first deciding on a room and then start sorting.

Cont. on page 10

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Windows play an integral role in your home. Beauty, comfort, and increased energy efficiency are all excellent reasons to replace your old windows. Plus, when windows are leaky and don’t work properly, they can be frustrating to operate.

Window shopping, however, can be trying for some consumers, especially considering the maze of choices.

The experts at Renewal by Andersen® offer consumers these window-shopping tips to simplify the process:

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Work with trained window experts. Trained window professionals at Renewal by Andersen’s various dealers will help you understand a window’s performance, answer questions about energy efficiency and provide sound advice about your window replacement project.

For Applications, Contact the Housing Authority of the City of Eau Claire (715) 839-4943

Tours Available Call for an Appointment

Choose high-quality windows with a reliable warranty. Carefully read the warranty information before you purchase your windows. Consider asking the following questions about the warranty: How long does it last? Does it include installation? What is excluded from the warranty? Is it fully transferrable?

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Choose windows that are custom-made to exact measurements. To maximize performance and provide long-term efficiency, a replacement window must fit well in the opening. Choose replacement windows that are custom-built to precisely fit each window opening in your home.

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HomeFront

Spring 2016

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Shopping for Replacement

Article submitted by Asher Lasting Exteriors.

Windows

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Leader- Telegram 9

spring clean

Cont. from page 8

“Begin with a ‘Yes’ pile, a ‘Maybe’ pile, and a ‘No/ Donate’ pile,” she said. “This allows you to quickly sort through where your attachment lies with the item. A good theory is asking yourself if you’ve used it in the last six months or if you plan to use it in the next six months. If the answer is ‘no,’ then the item can go to the No/Donate pile.”

After people utilize this system and see how much stuff they still have left in the Maybe or Yes piles, it becomes easier to make another No/Donate pile.

Nancy Rothwell, a well-known organizer in the Chippewa Valley and beyond, started Straighten-Up Organizing in 2003. After helping several friends with organizing, she realized that she could charge for her services and build a career doing what she loved. “I was fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom at that time and my son was starting kindergarten, so the timing was perfect,” Rothwell said.

As a professional organizer, Nancy works with clients to enhance their lives by developing custom organizing systems and teaching organizational skills. “Clients often have busy schedules and quickly become frustrated by their own lack of organization.

I help people de-clutter, sort, and organize their belongings to help make sense of and maximize the utilization of their possessions,” she said.

Cont. on page 12 802444 4-9-16

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

Is your xxxxx xxxxx

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Keeping you Cool?

We offer air-conditioning…

Confused about which window treatment is right for you?

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I hear this question often. And, because windows vary so much in style, construction and function, they always end up playing an extremely important role in every decorating plan.

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How is the window being used? Do you need to block outdoor light? Is privacy your priority? Or, do you have a beautiful view that needs capturing?

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2. Focal points.

Are your windows a natural dramatic architectural feature of your room? If so, you have a built-in focal point, and should plan your treatments accordingly. If not, then consider working with a professional decorator to make your window treatments true show stoppers!

3. Style.

What’s yours? Casual? Formal? Traditional? Contemporary?

Window treatment designs vary greatly by design style, so think about the ultimate style and feeling you’d like to incorporate into their design.

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Spring 2016

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spring clean Cont. from page 10

As Rothwell’s business has grown, she has found herself working with clients that have large closets, but the system inside is inappropriate for how they want to use it. Fortunately, she knows exactly where to turn for assistance.

Bryce Rothwell, Nancy’s husband, started Not Just Closets in 2008. “At the time I started my business, I had worked for the same company for 20 years and was looking for a new adventure,” Bryce Rothwell said.

Bryce Rothwell works with clients to create and install storage solutions for all areas of their homes, including closets, pantries, laundry areas and garages. “We go to the client’s home to meet in-person, measure the areas, and create an instant 3D visual design after discussing how each area will be utilized. Designs are specific to each individual client,” Bryce Rothwell said.

While Nancy Rothwell loves organizing, she realizes that some people may cringe at the idea.

“Getting organized can be a fun project when you work with a professional rather than by yourself,” she said.

For those getting ready to move to a new home, Nancy Rothwell also offers some suggestions. “Get rid of the things you no longer need or use before you move,” she said. “When you are packing, organizing your belongings in bins makes it easy for unpacking as well as having ‘storage’ ready to go into storage rather than having to unpack and then put into storage.”

Rothbauer-Wanish is a freelance writer fromm Colfax and owner of Feather Communications.

Tips for Organizing from Nancy Rothwell

• Get rid of ANYTHING you no longer need and use • Sort ‘like’ items together and containerize • Only have one location in your home/business for ‘like’ items • ‘Store’ items you don’t use in everyday life (photos, holiday

decorations, off-season clothing, etc.)

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

Chippewa Valley Home Builders Association presents

sponsored content

42nd Annual

www.cvhomebuilders.com

JUNE 11 - 18th

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Estate Management Checklist Do you have a will?

A will enables you to specify who you want to inherit your property and other assets. www.kurthheatingandcooling.com

Do you have healthcare documents in place?

Healthcare documents spell out your wishes for health care if you become unable to make medical decisions for yourself. They also authorize a person to make decisions on your behalf if that should prove necessary.

Do you have financial documents in place?

Certain financial documents can outline your financial wishes. If you become unable to make decisions for yourself, these financial documents can be structured to empower a person to make decisions on your behalf.

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Have you filed beneficiary forms?

In some cases, naming a beneficiary for bank accounts and retirement plans makes these accounts “payable on death” to your beneficiaries.

Do you have the right amount and type of life insurance?

When was the last time you assessed your life insurance coverage?

Have you taken steps to manage your federal estate tax?

If you and your spouse have more than $5.43 million in assets ( for 2015), you may want to consider taking steps to manage federal estate tax, which will be due at the second spouse’s death.

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Have you created a letter of instruction?

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Spring 2016

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outdoor spaces The air is warm, the sun is bright and gardeners can’t wait to get outdoors and get dirty. While the urge seems to be the same every spring, the face of gardening is changing along with our busy lives.

Fewer people are gardening in the traditional way, but people are finding new and creative ways to keep on growing.

“Small-space” gardening continues to increase. People are gardening in urban settings or in smaller yards where there is not room for a traditional garden plot. Pots of various sizes have always been a “go to” for small space gardeners.

Container gardening is easy, portable, and can provide the gardener with both flowers and vegetables. One current and very attractive trend is the combining of flowers and vegetables or herbs in one container. This makes for a planter which is both showy and functional.

Pallet gardening takes the container gardening trend to new heights. Pallets allow for gardening in a vertical space, which can almost become a piece of garden art. A pallet can be mounted on a wall or a stand can be created which allows it to stand vertical. It is then lined with sturdy landscape fabric and filled with a light, soil less potting mix. Holes are cut in the fabric, between the pallet slats to allow for planting and, voila, you have a pallet garden. Both flowers and vegetables can easily be grown in this unique vertical gardening space.

Pallets aren’t just for growing in the garden and outdoor space; pallets are being made into all types of outdoor furniture and accessories from outdoor seating to wine holders and outdoor bars. It’s a great low cost way to recycle.

With a little imagination and some skill with tools and a saw, it seems that pallets can be made into almost anything. I’ve seen this trend recently at the Minneapolis Home and Garden show where pallets made from “designer” woods were made into any number of outdoor accessories.

Earth Boxes and other container systems have been around for quite a while, but they remain quite popular among small space gardeners for their ability to allow gardeners to produce a large amount of vegetables in such a small space. Earth Box gardeners can produce a plot size yield of tomatoes for example, in just a couple feet of space. My Earth Box has helped me produce over 100 tomatoes from just two plants. The initial investment on these boxes is about $75 to $90, but they can be reused year after year. They are also easily portable, giving gardeners even more options.

Straw bale gardening has caught on big time over the last couple years as well. In this method of gardening, a straw bale serves as your gardening space.

Plants are planted directly into the bale which is previously “conditioned” to provide a nutrient-rich growing environment for plants. Information on this method is available online, but local garden centers are also offering growing seminars to promote this interesting new method of gardening. Check out your favorite local garden center for more information.

By Nancy Skelley

New for 2016

garden

trends 14

HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

outdoor spaces

No discussion on new gardening trends would be complete without talking about miniature gardening.

Whether it involves fairy gardens, or just gardens with miniature plants and accessories, this trend has definitely taken the gardening world by storm over the last few years. It allows the gardener to let his or her imagination run wild and is also a great way to introduce children to the garden by allowing them to create their own miniature world with plants.

Miniature gardens can be grown indoors or out, in almost any type of container, and using a wide variety of plants, from miniature evergreens to annuals and even vegetables.

Miniature gardens lend themselves particularly well to another new trend in gardening, repurposing.

Repurposing involves using old household or other items in a new and creative way. This could be as simple and basic as using an old tea kettle or even an old boot as a planter, repurposing a hub cap or a length of garden hose into a decorative wreath for the yard or garden, or even creating a whimsical fairy garden in an old rotting stump in the yard. The possibilities with this trend are endless, and it’s a great way to keep old items with some life left in them out of the landfill! If you’re having trouble with ideas, Pinterest is a rich source of ideas for this trend.

In the realm of traditional gardening, bee friendly gardening is a growing and very important trend. With the undeniable decline of bee populations in many areas, gardeners are becoming increasingly aware of the need for creating friendly, pollinator-filled habitats for bees. Flowers, fruits and vegetables can be found in these beautiful gardens and organizations all over the United States can help with planning a bee friendly or pollinator garden. Locally, Partnerships for Pollinators through the UW-Eau Claire can help provide information for gardeners wanting to participate in this growing gardening trend.

In landscape gardening, people are still going crazy for hydrangeas! These beautiful garden shrubs range in color from white to pink to blue to purple and many shades in between. They come in an array of different sizes to fit most any garden or landscape, and most are easy to grow. Bloomstruck, a Bailey Nurseries introduction is a unique purple hydrangea that also offers the gardener great fall color, with rich burgundy red leaves. This showy plant does require a bit of maintenance, regular fertilization, good winter Cont. on page 17

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Spring 2016

Leader- Telegram 15

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One thing we’ve learned in our more than 30 years of building mowers for landscape professionals is that stamped steel decks just don’t cut it when it comes to the demands of mowing sun up to sun down. That’s why every zero-turn mower we build comes standard with a heavy-duty fabricated steel cutting deck.

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Thursday, April 21, 2016 2:00-3:30 p.m. or 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Raw productivity is one thing, but when you add in landscaping, lawn furniture and kids’ areas, the maneuverability of a mower quickly becomes an important component of real-time productivity. As a result, maneuverability is one big reason more landscape pros choose zero-turn riders. A zero-turn rider isn’t just able to mow more quickly in a straight line, it can also mow closer to landscaping with greater control thanks to its ability to turn-on-a-dime. You’ll finish mowing quicker and reduce the time spent completing trim work – a true win-win situation.

Chris Hasenberg is a financial advisor with an office in Eau Claire. Over the last 20 years, Chris has counseled thousands of families on estate preservation techniques. Chris has assembled and utilizes a team approach to providing you with an entertaining and informational presentation.

Don’t miss one of Eau Claire’s estate preservation educators.

431 E. Clairemont Ave., Suite A • Eau Claire, WI 54701 (715) 839-1006

Bottom Line: Choose the tools the pros use

When compared head-to-head, it’s clear a zero-turn riding mower offers the most compelling combination of productivity, maneuverability and quality of cut available today. When it comes to durability, Exmark scores big with true commercial-duty frames, cutting decks, drive systems and engines designed to stand the test of time.

Bottom line: an Exmark zero-turn riding mower very well could be the last mower you need to buy.

See full article and comparison at, https://www.exmark.com/ Exmark-Advantage/Zero-Turn-vs-Lawn-Tractor.

www.chrishasenberg.com

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. Insurance offered through Investment Management Associates, which is not affiliated with Royal Alliance Associates, Inc.

Fabricated decks are stiffer, stronger and more durable than stamped decks, even reinforced models. And with features like no-maintenance sealed bearing spindles and hex-style blade drivers, the Exmark durability advantage extends to the components as well as the cutting deck itself.

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This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal or investment planning advice as individual situations will vary.

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outdoor spaces

Cont. from page 15

mulching and a bit of patience, but is definitely worth the trouble. It seems to outperform its predecessors, Endless Summer and Twist and Shout, putting on a great flowering show all summer long!

For those who don’t want to put in that much work, but still want the flower show, Limelight or Little Lime hydrangea produce abundant greenish blooms all summer and require much less maintenance. Vanilla Strawberry hydrangea should be on everyone’s favorite plant list. This lovely hydrangea grows to about 6 feet and is covered from July til frost with large panicle shaped blooms that start out white and blush to an outstanding strawberry pink. It is remarkably easy to grow and is definitely a great addition to any landscape or garden.

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In regard to container plants, low maintenance is the trend. For indoors, air plants are very popular.

You can’t get much easier than that! Tillandsia, or Air Plants need little other than light and occasional misting to grow and can be grown in interesting wall mounted, hanging or traditional containers. These plants are great for even those with the brownest of thumbs.

Succulents are also continuing to gain popularity.

Whether they are grown in containers or in the ground, indoors or out, succulents are easy to grow and very popular. Many are even great for miniature gardens. The varieties and colors of these plants are virtually endless and go far beyond cactus. They do require a high light situation, but are xeriscape plants, requiring little water. Many varieties, such as Midwest-friendly sedums, boast beautiful blooms, and others are just plain interesting plants.

Cont. on page 18

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The Potting Shed, the area’s boutique garden center, next to Charter Communications!

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outdoor spaces

BARE ROOT

TREE SALE

April 22-24

SAVE 20% VARIETY OF FRUIT TREES: PEAR • PLUM • CHERRY • PEACH

60+ VARIETIES OF APPLE TREES

LANDSCAPE SHRUBS & PERENNIALS SHADE & ORNAMENTAL TREES FLOWERING CRAB TREES

BERRY BUSHES:

Cont. from page 17

The Pantone colors of the year are Rose Quartz and Serenity, a warm rosy tone and a cool tranquil blue.

As usual, these tones are also finding their way into the garden, in the form of pottery, accessories and even plants. When creating an outdoor living area, using these tones as accent colors really can help create a relaxing space. The rose and blue colors are fairly easy to come by in plants, begonias, petunias, roses and the ever popular hydrangea can provide the rose tones, while ageratum, salvia, catmint and delphinium can provide those soft, tranquil blues. What this does for the gardener is create and extremely beautiful and soothing color palette for the garden, mixing both annuals and perennials in combinations that can provide color all summer long.

• RASPBERRY • ELDERBERRY • BLUEBERRY • GOOSEBERRY • LINGONBERRY • JOSTABERRY • GOJIBERRY • CURRANTS • HASKAP (HONEYBERRY) • BUSH CHERRY ORGANIC & HEIRLOOM TOMATOES ORGANIC HERBS

ORGANIC GROWING SUPPLIES

Whatever your gardening dreams may be this year, the new trends are interesting and fun and could guide you to your best year of gardening ever!

Skelley is a Master Gardner and freelance writer from Eau Claire.

13941 98th Ave. Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

715.723.8001

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sponsored content

Discovering Classic & Heirloom Apples Growing apples typically requires you to have a certain respect for one of my favorite sayings, “What you learn when you know it all, makes all the difference.” While growing apples is one thing, discovering the oldest varieties takes us on a journey that is unknown to most of us. Don Albrecht here from Albrecht’s Nursery & Orchard in Chippewa Falls. I find and collect varieties of apples that have been flying under today’s radar. While there is not room here for all the good stuff, I will rattle off just a few of the varieties that we sell, and share a few highlights of said varieties.

Newtown Pippin –

Year 1720. A seedling is born in the orchard of Gershom Moore in the area of Broadway and Forty Fifth St., Newtown, New York, which is now Elmhurst, Queens. Benjamin Franklin had received a shipment of Newtown Pippin while he was in London in 1759. George Washington grew this apple at Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson at Monticello, grew these. Queen Victoria was eighteen years old when she had her first Newtown.

Esopus Spitzenburg – Esopus,

New York 1700s. Thomas Jefferson had a taste of this apple and he assumed that it was destined to become a long part of his Monticello Orchard. Not eaten fresh, but after it mellows a month or two, the flavor is exquisite.

Summer Rambo – France, early in the 1500s. 1535 it was recorded in Rambures, France by the Somme River, and has since been a favorite. The name had been changed from Summer Rambour, and is one of a dozen Rambour varieties. David Morrell, author, 1968, was trying to name the main character of First Blood, his novel about a Vietnam Vet. When his wife came home with apples from the local farm stand, he had one of those apples, loved it, and had asked what it was. Rambo, she had said. And so it was.

Smokehouse –

Recorded in 1837, near Mill Creek, Pennsylvania, on the farm of William Gibbons. One of the top flavored apples right off the trees. The original tree grew right next to William’s smokehouse, hence the name.

While I could go on and on, I will leave you with just one more. It is the year 1865, when a Quebecois woodsman named William Springer, was traveling by wagon along with his family from Quebec to Wisconsin. He was hoping to make a new life on a new farm. It is said that he had stopped along the shores of Lake Erie and bought some apples. It is also stated that these were Alexander apples, which come from Russia. The Springers continued on to that farm, along the Wolf River, where he had planted some seeds from those apples. One of these seedling trees became well known for the apple with immense size. In 1875 this apple came to be known as Wisconsin’s apple, the Wolf River.

Article provided by Albrecht’s Nursery & Orchard.

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Staff photo by Marisa Wojcik

By Jennifer Schmidt

Native knowledge

garden native

sponsored content

garden native

For Gayle Kleppe and Beau Wold, restoring their wooded 20 acres south of Eau Claire to native plants has been a labor of love.

A journey more than 25 years in the making, they’ve poured their heart and soul into their endeavor – and dug into their pocketbooks to finance it – but they say their investment has paid dividends by way of butterflies, wildlife and bountiful beauty all year long.

“I think nature’s given us back what we have invested in time and money,” said Kleppe, 66, who’s worked hand-in-hand on the project with her husband of 27 years, Beau Wold.

Idea was planted When the couple bought their land, which they’ve named Prairie Oak Haven, 15 acres of it was wooded and five acres was open.

The previous owner tried to grow a horse pasture on the open land, “but with as much sand as what was there, nothing grew but sand burs,” said Wold, 61.

They debated what to plant on their empty open land.

“We could’ve planted trees, but that didn’t make a lot of sense because we already had a lot of trees,” Wold said. “We wanted to figure out something to do with it that would be a little different.”

They called on Wold’s college roommate, Paul Dye, who works for The Nature Conservancy, for advice. During a visit, Dye noticed a small area in back that resembled a prairie remnant.

“Because some of the indicators were there, he encouraged us to start burning that and see what came out of it,” Wold said, explaining that controlled burns bring many ecological benefits, including managing weeds and releasing nutrients important to future plant growth. “We did that and saw lots of things that really started to flower that had

been sitting there vegetatively but hadn’t really been producing flowers. That got us thinking about taking the rest of the land and planting it prairie.”

adding how she personally appreciates getting to see how the land evolves year after year. “It’s impressive what they’ve done and how they’ve maintained it.”

They’ve been working on their land since 1988, incorporating sand prairie, woodland edge and wetland restoration projects.

Throughout the process, they’ve collected seeds and grown their own transplants, many years 1,000 to 5,000 plants a year.

Nina Logan, who lives in Kleppe and Wold’s neighborhood and is an active Master Gardener, agrees.

The couple has shared their experience with native plants at various Master Garden events, and members of the group have also come out to see their work.

Others take note Susan Frame, a horticulture instructor at Chippewa Valley Technical College, has brought her sustainable land use class to the couple’s land multiple times for field trips. Prairie planting is among the topics covered in the course, and seeing one firsthand helps drive home points learned in the classroom.

“They’re so knowledgeable,” said Logan, who has a 1/8-acre patch of prairie on her own land.

“There’s no question they can’t answer. If they can’t answer it, they’ll find the answer for you — both of them. It’s a teamwork between the two of them.”

“We’re able to go over the basic components of what a prairie is, where they grow, why you want to grow them, that type of thing,” Frame said. “One of the things we promote as a technical college is the hands-on training and learning that we get to do. Unless you actually get out there, you don’t have any concept of what’s involved in the process and what it actually looks like.”

Frame said the tours made an impression on the students — and herself.

“Their passion for their prairie is very impressive,” she said,

HomeFront

Going native explained So, what’s a prairie — and what exactly are native plants?

By definition, a prairie is a plain of grassy land without many trees.

Native plants, in turn, are plants indigenous to an area.

“Usually the way people refer to it is the vegetation that was here before the white man came — the pre-settlement vegetation,” Wold said.

But knowing what types of plants were originally on their land and deciding what to plant was no small feat. It required considerable research into what was native to the area — and then Cont. on page 23

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sponsored content

Gardening @ Your Library Article & book photo submitted by Indianhead Federated Library System.

Gardening is good for your health and the environment. From novice to master gardener, if you have questions about planting spring flowers, growing summer vegetables, pruning trees, building a trellis, starting a container garden, and/or landscaping, your local public library has the resources to help.

Not sure where to start, ask a librarian to help you dig up the gardening resources at your local public library so you may:

r • Grow herbs foes s to hn es fr ng di ad u. en m er your dinn erfly• Create a butter of rn co ly friend . rd ya e th ld of • Explore the workids. ur yo soil with

• Rake in the r vegetables fo and summer salads fall canning. s at • Cultivate friendgarden ity un m m a co project. stay • Use a trowel to in shape.

ur • Add color to e.yo ac sp r outdoo of • Design an oasiyos ur relaxation in backyard. g • Hold a gardenin e th in m progra library’s meetingyour room and share passion.

Also, two local public libraries have found a new way to serve local gardening communities. The Menomonie Public Library began in March this year, and L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire brings back for a second year in April their free seed libraries. “Check out” seeds, plant, grow, enjoy, and “return” harvested seeds to the library for others to plant, grow, and enjoy. Examples of the seeds available are arugula, herbs, beans, lettuce, and sunflowers. For additional information on the types of seeds available, look to the library’s website or ask at the information desk of the library.

Start your season with a visit to your public library.

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e just the

Beginning 789921 11-14-15

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

garden native

“Our land supports lots & lots of animals, insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.”

Staff photo by Marisa Wojcik

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city of Eau claire Housing Division Housing Rehabilitation Program The City of Eau Claire Housing Division is taking applications for the Housing Rehabilitation Program. The Rehabilitation Program is federally funded and offers loans up to $20,000. This program is for homes in need of repair, not for extensions or cosmetic renovations.

For eligibility information and application call chris at (715) 839-8294.

The hearing impaired may contact this office by TDD at (715) 839-4943.

If there are other specialized needs due to handicap, i.e. sign language interpreter, wheelchair accessibility, reader, please contact this office.

Above photo: Gayle Kleppe and Beau Wold have spent over two decades restoring their land south of Eau Claire to native prairie grasses. They’ve titled thier prairie habitat, Prairie Oak Haven.

Page 20&21: Last season’s prairie grasses still stand in front of the 3/4 acre pond, still frozen and snowcovered, on Kleppe and Wold’s land.

Type of Work: • Roof and window replacement • Plumbing repairs or upgrading • Electrical repairs or upgrading • Carpentry repairs

• Heating system replacement • Energy saving repairs • Siding repairs or replacement

Eligibility Requirements: HUD income Guidelines: Family SizE max. incomE • City of Eau Claire resident 1 $36,900 • Assessed value not to exceed $146,500 2 $42,200 • Property a minimum of 25 years old 3 $47,450 4 $52,700 • Owner Occupied (at least 1 year) 5 $56,950 • Good Credit History 6 $61,150 • HUD income guidelines apply 7 $65,350

HomeFront

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Spring 2016

$69,600

802059 4-9-16

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garden native Cont. from page 23

fitting the plants to soil type and water conditions.

“We did a lot of reading,” said Kleppe, a former Master Gardener. “We also started working with a nursery in Winona, Minnesota, and they were a great resource for us.”

Given their land’s sandy soil, they started looking for plants growing naturally in sandy soils elsewhere, such as ditches, along power lines, beside railroad tracks and in cemeteries.

Contributed photo.

Beau Wold built this 10-foot-by-14-foot greenhouse that he and and his wife, Gayle Kleppe, use to grow vegetable and herb bedding plants and also start some native plants, grasses and forbs.

Wold appreciates the plants’ extensive root systems – many go down 12 feet or more – which enhances their access to water and nutrients.

As such, the plants don’t require watering or weeding.

Buy 5 windows or doors & save $125 on each unit

“They don’t have to be coddled,” he said. “Once they’re established in the right place, they take care of themselves.”

Plus! NO PAYMENTS & NO INTEREST Until 2017

Both Kleppe and Wold adore the variety of plants that now flourish on their land. Something different flowers about every two weeks.

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Advantages abundant Kleppe and Wold noted a number of benefits to using native plants in their landscaping.

One of the biggest for Kleppe is that, once their plants were established, they’ve provided an ideal “creature” habitat. The couple videotaped their land as they were prepping it for their first planting. Years later, they videotaped the plants again.

“One thing that was just shocking to us was the ‘music’ of the insects,” Kleppe said. “Our land supports lots and lots of animals, insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.”

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“After a while you kind of develop an eye,” Wold said. “You know what species indicate that you’re seeing an original prairie remnant.”

“When you nudge nature in the right direction, it really reinforces for you that you’re doing the right

2309 W Cameron St, Eau Claire 802377 4-9-16

24 HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

garden native thing by the way it responds,” Wold said, noting that the more he’s dug into the project, the more impressed he’s been.

“There are a lot of really interesting and beautiful native plants growing in this area. We haven’t felt the need to grow something that is not native,” he said. “There are so many beautiful native plants that provide so much enjoyment the whole year, including winter. More and more I’ve felt less and less reason to plant anything else.”

Kleppe said she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We want to be land stewards,” she said. “We only have 20 acres, but we want to leave it better than when we received it, or improve it from its condition when we purchased it. It’s our responsibility.”

Contributed photo.

Periodic burning helps invigorate native plants while warding off invasive nonnatives.

Schmidt is a freelance writer based in Tilden.

Cont. on page 26

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$5 OFF Any live goods purchase of $25 or more Expires April 30, 2016

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Fairy Garden Accessories Expires April 30, 2016 Spring 2016

Leader- Telegram

25

garden native

Wild Indigo Seed Pod (Baptista)

Beau Wold holds seed pods for wild indigo (Baptista) at his home south of Eau Claire.

Wold and Kleppe collect seeds from plants and grasses from the previous season in order to plant more in the springtime.

Purple Coneflower

(Echinacea purpurea)

Ironweed

Goldenrod

(Vernonia fasciculata)

(Solidago)

Staff photos by Marisa Wojcik Cont. from page 25

Why Native Plants?

Gayle Kleppe and Beau Wold cite the following benefits to using native plants on their land: • Increased biodiversity • Habitat for birds, butterflies, insects, amphibians, reptiles and small mammals • Less long-term maintenance – easy to grow through adaptations to local conditions, seldom need for watering or mulching and no continuous mowing

• Superior erosion control • No pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers • Storm water filtration • Groundwater recharge • Greater resistance to weeds • Increased soil organic matter Cont. on page 28

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Phone: (715) 644-3555 • Cell: (715) 613-3539 Fax: (715) 644-3556

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sponsored content

WHAT IS THAT STUFF ON MY HOUSE?

Those first few warm, snow-less spring days each year bring homeowners out into the yard, to imagine the summer to come, full of picnics, yard games, gardens and lawn care.

Suddenly the outside of the house is in full view and the home place looks a bit dimmer than we remember.

For the first time in months we notice the accumulation of dirt, bugs and soils that sit on our homes, discoloring siding, roofing materials and patios.

It’s only natural to wonder what that junk is and how it got there.

may be present here as well. The roof streaks are much the same, mostly dirt that has been captured by the aggregate on the asphalt shingles that allows mildews and other biological growth to thrive.

The doorways have spider webs hanging from the porch lights. What are those brown spots on the siding?

There is green stuff on the shady sides of the house. The deck is slippery underfoot when it gets wet. The sidewalk is black and when we look at the roof from the street we see black streaks, even some moss. There are dots that look like tar on the siding above the mulched shrubs, and the gutters are all black.

Sidewalks may turn green or black due to dirt and mildew growth which will also make the wood on your deck slippery when wet.

So what is that stuff? How do we get rid of it?

Let’s start with the entry doors and lights. Bugs like lights, spiders like bugs, birds like spiders, so where there are night lights there will be bugs and their droppings, spiders and their webs and droppings as well as bird droppings. Some of this crud can be rinsed away with a garden hose, a mop and soapy water or a scrub brush and elbow grease.

The dirt on the siding might rinse off but the more there is the less likely the average homeowner will have the time or inclination to remove it all. The green stuff is mold and mildew that is feeding on the dirt and lawn fertilizer lying on the surface of the siding.

Those black spots that feel like tar may be artillery fungus spores, the “seeds” of a fungus that lives and grows in mulch. We may think these are the same thing as shotgun spores but there is a difference. The shotgun type grow in fresh horse manure. Most likely this is not the problem you are facing.

The black soiling on the downspouts, gutters and metal fascia is a combination of dirt and mildew. In extreme cases some lichens or moss

All these contaminants can be removed but doing so safely and without damaging any of the home’s surfaces requires training, proper equipment and the ability to match the cleaning agents, application and removal methods with the materials being cleaned. What appears to be a massive and complicated procedure for a “Do It Yourselfer” is often not that difficult for a professional, whose expertise ensures quality work at an affordable price. That professional can also draw the homeowner’s attention to the most likely places for the dirt to appear again as well as provide tips on how to spot clean small areas in the future that can help keep the siding, decks and sidewalks looking better longer.

In most cases a cleaning professional will be able to give the homeowner a free, itemized estimate stating the specific scope of the work as well as pricing information. The price quoted should not be exceeded as long as there are no changes or requested additional services.

Realtors and property managers know that appearances are important when selling a home or filling rental units.

Curb appeal is unlike every other first impression because it is noticeable over and over, to occupants, owners and visitors. Yet more importantly, proper cleaning of a home’s exterior is also a vital component of ongoing, proper maintenance of any property. Longer life and lasting good looks are a direct result of the care given to preserve the integrity of the materials that protect your home, family and belongings.

Consult an experienced contractor with a proven record of quality when you want superior results on your investment. Ask someone who knows.

Call Sparkle Wash of Eau Claire at 715832-4270 for a Free Estimate today.

Excel Steel Fab LLC 219 Urquhart Rd, Stanley, WI 54768 Email: jim@excelsteelfab.com Email: excelsteelfab@yahoo.com

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Article & photos provided by Sparkle Wash of Eau Claire.

801177 4-9-16

715.832.6062

www.libertyexteriors.com 801878 4-9-16

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garden native Gayle Kleppe runs her fingers through switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in their native short grass prairie.

Staff photos by Marisa Wojcik

Greenhouse Open House Friday, Saturday, Sunday April 22, 23 & 24

Cont. from page 26

Dotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata)

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Cont. on page 30 802365_4-9-16

28 HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

Are bacteria and fungus lurking in your bathtub?

sponsored content

Don’t Replace It, Perma Glaze It!

Don’t Throw Away Money!

BEFORE

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• Fiberglass Repair • Custom Colors • Stonefleck Kitchen & Bath Countertops

With temperatures rising and energy costs soaring, there are a variety of steps you can take to cut the expenses of cooling your home. “Cooling and heating equipment use more energy than any other appliance. This inevitably shows up every month on the energy bill, but it’s important to remember that energy costs can be controlled,� said Greg Mericle, of Hurlburt Heating & Plumbing.

AFTER

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Annual Maintenance 715-839-TUBB (8822)

One step to control energy costs is to schedule annual maintenance checks to make sure your unit is running efficiently. Most cooling systems require very little owner maintenance. However, operating dirty cooling equipment can result in an unnecessary loss of efficiency and can damage the furnace.

You play a vital role in making sure your cooling system continues to operate at peak performance.

802014 4-9-16

Custom-Cut Acrylic Tub/Shower Surrounds

You Design It, We Build It

High Efficiency Cooling Equipment

If you’re in the market for a new cooling unit, consider purchasing a high efficiency model. They can help reduce your energy costs as well as conserve our natural resources. When selecting an air conditioner or heat pump, pay close attention to the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). This is a measure of cooling efficiency for air conditioners. The higher the SEER, the higher the savings. The minimum SEER rating is 13.

Pollen season is here.

BREATHE EASY.

Zoning

Zoning can drastically lower your heating costs. With zoning, you no longer have to pay to heat or cool areas of your home that are rarely used. You won’t have to heat or cool the whole house just to make one room comfortable. Zoning divides your home into separate comfort areas, which are heated or cooled based on your needs, saving you money and making your occupied areas more comfortable.

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Also available:

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Programmable or setback thermostats can make a big difference in energy consumption. These thermostats deliver maximum comfort, efficiency, and energy savings. Programmable thermostats are used to achieve the temperatures you want throughout your home. For example, if you’re going to be away, you can set the whole house at an energy-saving temperature to avoid heating or cooling an empty house.

To find out more about reducing your cooling costs, call Hurlburt Heating & Plumbing at 715-283-4422. Hurlburt Heating & Plumbing has been providing service in the Chippewa Valley area since 1959.

Article & photos submitted by Hurlburt Heating & Plumbing.

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garden native Cont. from page 28

Tips for Others Interested in using native plants in your own landscaping? Here are a few of Gayle Kleppe and Beau Wold’s top tips:

• Identify your soil type and your moisture, and figure out what can grow. “You have to fit the plants to the site. Otherwise you’re going to end up with something that you’re going to have to water all the time,” Wold said.

• Start out with a small patch or experiment with a rain garden growing at a downspout or other area where there’s more moisture than usual. Certain plants grow well there. “These can be nice ideas for people that have a city lot or smaller yard,” Kleppe said.

• If your goal is to create a low-maintenance area, plant a combination of grasses and flowers. Grasses help hold up the flowers, and planting the whole community keeps weeds and non-native species out.

• It doesn’t give them a chance to come in and get established,” Wold said.

• Realize that it doesn’t take many native plants to attract insects, butterflies, birds and tree frogs and that “there are ways to incorporate native plants in any size yard or property,” according to Kleppe.

Connect with the Couple

Contributed photos.

Both Gayle Kleppe and Beau Wold enjoy sharing what they’ve learned with others and are open to fielding questions and discussing their project with others. Contact them at prairieoakhaven@gmail. com.

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

For More Information

Follow the link below to view informative PowerPoint slides from a February 2012 presentation the couple offered at the master gardening winter seminar. https://goo.gl/VonDXY

local focus The state of Wisconsin has all kinds of official “symbols.” Wonder if you could name them all?

There’s the badger (animal), and the sugar maple (tree), of course.

The honey bee is the state insect.

The state dance is the polka.

Antigo silt loam is the state soil. There’s even a state muffin: cranberry.

So why not play along at the local level? The official root crop of the Chippewa Valley could be the horseradish. The tree could be the white pine. The official social symbol? How about the Downtown Eau Claire Farmers Market?

But what would be the best choice for official bird of the Chippewa Valley? I’ll come up with a list of finalists, and you make the call!

Bird Valley of the

By Steve Betchkal

HomeFront

Spring 2016

Leader- Telegram

31

local focus Cont. from page 31

While there is no such thing as a bird that’s exclusive to the Chippewa Valley, what we’re shooting for here I think, is ratified and distinctive — something that defines us as a region separate from others around Wisconsin. We’ll start building our list by subtraction.

Wild turkeys are an established part of the western Wisconsin landscape these days, but game birds won’t work. It’s bad form to shoot and eat the official bird. Sorry, Benjamin Franklin!

If we went by “Mr. Most Ubiquitous” the obvious candidates would be the red-winged blackbird, European starling, American robin, common crow or black-capped chickadee.

But red-wings, starlings and crows are a bit too vulgar and far too common anywhere in Wisconsin. Robins are already the avian representative for three entire states, and chickadees and eastern bluebirds are cute, but again, known to every corner of the state.

Pileated woodpecker I, for one, would be proud to have this bird serve. It fits the bill (again, pun intended) in many ways: it’s fond of big timber and wild country and can be found in town; it’s big and showy; it’s a bird that Milwaukee or Madison can’t claim (its range is more northwesterly); and it’s one of those birds that’s never predictable and always a pleasant (if not downright startling) surprise.

The Sandhill crane and bald eagle might be good choices. They’re big, popular marquee birds — species that draw the eye and the emotions — but again the eagle is already spoken for, and the crane mainly passes through during migration.

I’d love to nominate the purple martin as official bird, but it’s not by any means restricted to the west, and its population is too ratified in Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties.

Same with a few prairie species that bleed east into our area — lark and clay-colored sparrows.

The photogenic yellow-throated vireo would be a possibility, but you can find it as easily in La Crosse, Shawano or Madison as here. The eastern towhee is a fixture throughout Eau Claire, Dunn, and Chippewa County’s sandy oak and pine barrens, and it’s an attractive bird with black head and mantle, red eye, rusty flanks and white grace notes, but again not quite selective enough.

No, I think that the voting comes down to six local candidates who are just scarce enough, and charismatic enough to describe us.

Mourning warbler This shrub-hugging bird nests throughout much of northern Wisconsin, but it’s tricky to find. Not many people have actually seen it because of its secretive habits, but it’s a regular resident of Beaver Creek Reserve, where it’s ringing song is basic to the soundscape. When people visit here from Ohio or California, I make it a point to treat them to a glimpse of this gray-headed bird with bright yellow underparts.

Cont. on page 36

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

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HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

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local focus Cont. from page 32

Red-shouldered hawk Some people might be hesitant to choose a bird of prey as official symbol, but this snake-andfrog eating, forest-loving hawk loves our big rivers. It’s a handsome hawk, with — as the name implies — rusty red on the shoulders, and it’s somewhat secretive and not often identified. It’s threatened in the state, too, so it would be a good bird to “take under our wing.”

Pine warbler Like the nuthatch, this rather obscure and certainly uncommon little 5-inch bird prefers tall conifers, so it only nests in the north of the state in some of our most pristine spaces, places like Beaver Creek, Irvine Park, Lowes Creek and Carson Park.

It’s truly a bird with close ties to our white pine heritage.

It’s a pretty bird, yellow below, greenish above, with white wing bars. Its song is a soft trill that is a “theme song” in the pine woods. And it spends our winters along the Gulf Coast, or in Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, so it travels a long way to get here.

Tufted titmouse Red-breasted nuthatch People know all about this bird because it frequents feeders. It’s petite and bluebird cute — with a slaty blue black, a rusty belly and a black line through the eye. Cousin to the white-breasted nuthatch, which is more common all over Wisconsin, the red-breasted only nests in the “conifer belt” of Wisconsin, so Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay don’t get to share it with us.

36 HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

While this cousin of the chickadee is rather common throughout the southeastern United States, its range “peters” out by northern Illinois (little side joke on the bird’s “peter peter peter!” song there in case you missed it). For some unexplained reason, however, the bird has established a stronghold in the Chippewa Valley, so we get to enjoy it while the rest of the state doesn’t.

The bird has got undeniable character; it’s pugnacious and energetic. And it’s adorable — with those black eyes and perky crest. That always helps with vote-getting. On any given morning, it’s one of the three birds I hear first — in addition to American robin and northern cardinal.

local focus

sponsored content

So, shall we make it official? We’ve provided you with the opportunity to vote for your favorite, the bird that will serve as the pseudo-official Poster Bird for our region.

Cleaning

Once the votes are in, meet me at the black sunflower feeder for our annual (insert your bird of choice here) Festival. I’ll bring the cranberry and horseradish muffins.

Tips

Betchkal is a freelance writer from Eau Claire.

Article submitted by AMK Cleaning Services.

1

Figure out where you want to have your storage. Is it a basement, closet, garage,

Vote for the Bird of the Valley, official ballot on page 38.

etc? First clean that area out and decide what kind of a storage/categorizing system you would like to create. Once that is ready, go room by room and sort.

Start with three piles: a ‘Yes’ pile, a ‘Maybe’ pile and a ‘No/Donate’ pile. This allows you to quickly sort through where your attachment is with the item.

A good theory is asking yourself if you’ve used it in the last six months, or if you plan to use it in the next six months. If the answer is no then it might be time to get it in the No/Donate pile. If you hem and haw over it put it in the Maybe pile. Don’t spend too long going back and forth. If you’re torn put it in the Maybe pile right away. Box or bag up the NO/Donate pile and haul it out to a vehicle to drop it off. Go through the Maybe pile again, you’ll be surprised how much easier it becomes to make another No/Donate pile. Continue this process through as many closets, rooms, etc. you want to go through. Then organize and store in the designated place for the home or room depending on how large a scale you want to tackle.

2 3 4

Keep things accessible. Have a vacuum and/

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or mop on each level of a home for easy access. Same with cleaning supplies.

Keep exactly what you need under each kitchen/bathroom sink including cleaning rags and garbage bag rolls so that when you’re ready to clean/empty trash it’s handy. Keep a container under the sink for recyclables. Stagger which rooms you clean. Life is busy. Sometimes it’s easier to just clean one room at a time while using it, rather than doing a complete over-haul of your home on a day off or busy weeknight.

Eliminate as many harsh chemical products as possible.

There are many natural/eco-friendly products out there. You can buy many over the counter or you can find many great recipes online/Pinterest to make your own economically.

Make a plan. Without a plan it’s hard to figure out where to start. The job becomes overwhelming and then our fight or flight urges come in and we just avoid the task altogether.

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HomeFront

Spring 2016

Leader- Telegram 37

local focus

Official ballot for the “Unofficial”

Bird Valley of the

Check the box next to the bird of your choice.

Pileated Woodpecker

Mourning Warbler

Pine Warbler

Red-shouldered Hawk

Red-Breasted Nuthatch

Tufted Titmouse

Fill out your ballot (one vote for your favorite bird) and all contact information. All ballots received by Tuesday, April 19, will be entered into a random drawing for a $50 gift card to Sammy’s Pizza in Eau Claire. Final voting results will be published in the Aug. 13 Home Front magazine.

Mail your ballots to: Leader-Telegram Attn: Dan Lyksett 701 S. Farwell St. Eau Claire, WI 54701

Name Address Phone # Email

38 HomeFront Spring 2016 Leader- Telegram

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