Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
15
H e & Garden RY T N U O C S R E IN SIST
WELCOME TO SISTERS, SPRING! LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES Juniper Composting organic fertilizer FIREWOOD
SPRING CLEAN UP
$200/cord
Preventative fire-fuel reduction
DELIVERED
TREE AND SHRUB PRUNING Hauling fuels debris, staging for fall burning Specializing in Sisters Properties
541 977 6711 alpineland@aol.com Vernon Stubbs
No Job Too Big Or Too Small!
MAHONIA GARDENS
is a one-acre market garden in Sisters utilizing organic & sustainable practices. Produce available at THE STAND, Central Oregon Locavore & Agricultural Connections.
2021 CSA is a membership at THE STAND!
www.MahoniaGardens.com THE STAND Open Daily, May through October
254 E. Adams Ave. • 541-420-8684
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that our home place matters — a lot. Now more than ever, we want to make our living space truly our own. We are ready to go. It’s time to get the yard in shape; time to turn the yard into a nice place to safely gather; time to stop thinking and start doing. With materials hard to come by and prices on the rise, it pays to plan ahead with the help of experienced professionals who can
help you make the most of your home-improvement plans. They can help you choose the right project — then help you get it done … or help you do it yourself. Sisters’ dedicated service professionals and skilled tradesmen can help you make your home safer, more functional, more livable — and more beautiful. Rent the tools for the job or hire folks who have the best equipment and the expertise to put living well in Sisters within your reach.
MAHONIA GARDENS — THE STAND The Stand — Mahonia Gardens’ self-serve fresh produce stand at 254 E. Adams Ave. — is set to open for its second season on May 1. The Stand features only local products — carrots, beets, arugula, spinach, lettuce — mostly grown at Sisters’ own Mahonia Gardens, but also featuring other local growers. “Eggs were super popular last year, and we have new sources for pasture-raised eggs,” proprietor Benji Nagel reported. “We’ll have a steady supply of pasture-raised eggs.” Patrons will also be able to enjoy organic berries from farms in the Willamette Valley, flour, honey, flowers, and more. “Any food that we bring in from other sources is produced with organic/sustainable practices,” Nagel notes. “Even more, we know personally and have relationships with the growers.” The Stand operates on a self-serve basis, seven days a week, and it’s open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in May
through October. Mahonia Gardens’ CSA this year will operate as a membership through The Stand. Visit http:// mahoniagardens.com/csaprogram to learn about membership benefits or sign up.
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Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
O
ne home project that’s easy to undertake and will enhance quality of life for your family, your neighbors and the whole Sisters community is an assessment and upgrade of your exterior lighting. The right kind of lighting, properly used, helps preserve Sisters’ night sky. In a recent letter to The Nugget, Paul Bennett made an appeal to citizens of Sisters: “If you’re used to leaving your porch light on all night, ask yourself, why do you do this? Do you think it makes the world a safer place? There is no proof to this kind of thinking. Actually, they have done tests to show that criminal activity actually increased when more light was present. Do you think your neighbors appreciate your lights being on all night? They don’t. Yes, they can pull their blinds but some people — like me — enjoy looking out their window at the stars, as well as waking up by the morning light. “Be a thoughtful neighbor, as well as a friend to the monarch butterfly and all other living things on earth. Please turn off your porch lights!” Light pollution is annoying to neighbors, harmful to wildlife — and its wasteful and expensive. Scientific American reports that, “Americans … squander a lot of electricity keeping things lit up at night while most of us sleep. This light blocks our view of the night sky and stars, creates glare hazards on roads, messes with
our circadian sleep-wake rhythms, interrupts the patterns of nocturnal wildlife, and is by and large annoying. It also takes a financial toll: The federally funded National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) reports that poorly-aimed, unshielded outdoor lights waste $2 billion (17 billion kilowatt-hours) of energy in the U.S. each year.” According to the McDonald Observatory’s Dark Skies Initiative, “We can reclaim vast amounts of energy currently wasted inadvertently into the night sky ... by using light fixtures that are shielded to reflect light down where it is needed, as well as using the smallest number of lights and lowest wattage bulbs necessary to effectively light an area.” DSI asserts that, “Leading by example through the installation of downward-pointing outdoor light fixtures is a great place for home and building owners to start. Once people see it in action, and understand its implications for cost savings and enhanced visibility, they are far more likely to adopt good lighting practices on their own.” Downward-directed light, shielded by a fixture and using lowwattage bulbs is the most fundamental form of dark-skies-friendly lighting. For security and to illuminate areas you might need to access in the dark (your trash can for example) a motion sensor light that comes on when you need it then goes off is
PAINTING IS OUR PASSION!
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED 22 Years Experience • Competitive Rates Interior/Exterior Painting Remodeling • Decks • Repairs Residential & Commercial Building Maintenance ccb#191760
541-588-0083
Keep Sisters
night skies dark Jim Cornelius | Editor in Chief
From Rimrock Ranch northeast of Sisters the light dome from Bend can be seen reflecting off a cloud low on the horizon (lower left corner of photo). PHOTO BY JIM HAMMOND
better than a light that is always on. Both the City of Sisters and Deschutes County have “Dark Skies” ordinances. The City’s reads that: “All nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures shall have directed shielding so as to prevent direct light from the fixture from shining beyond the property limits where the fixture is installed. This means that a person standing at the adjacent property line would not see the light emitting source.” That ordinance is not easy to enforce; staff could spend every night out being the light police. As local astronomer Ron Thorkildson noted, “While Sisters still has amazing stars at night, many individuals and businesses have
installed light fixtures that contribute to light pollution. When such light fixtures are replaced by lamps with shields, glare into the sky is reduced, money and energy are saved, and the light is directed where it is needed. “While many members of the Sisters community value being able to view the multitude of stars in our dark skies, our community is growing. With new developments occurring in the area, it is important to recognize the resource our community has in our dark skies, and that we need to be deliberate in the engineering of our lighting.” Thorkildson made those observations back in 2015. With Sisters’ current rate of growth, the issue only becomes more acute.
Organic turf maintenance Flower bed maintenance Spring cleanups • Irrigation startups Planting • Mowing and pruning
LCB#9583 LCB LCB#95 C #9583 83
• Make friends, not enemies. Your neighbors probably don’t even realize their lighting is bothersome. • Stay positive and don’t argue. Be tactful and understanding about your neighbor’s right to light their property. • Suggest alternatives to their current fixture. Ask them to move the light, shield it, or add a motion sensor so it’s activated only when needed. Offer to help get this done. • Be informative. Talking to your neighbor is an great opportunity to be an advocate for good lighting. There are many reasons to use darksky-friendly lighting. Read up on the issues regarding light pollution. IDA also has a number of educational resources that can be useful. • It’s useful to know the local
costs of electricity (cents per kWh) and the local lighting control ordinances. This information is available on most city websites, from your regional utility company, and on your utility bill. IDA also has this useful guide to help you find out if there is a lighting ordinance in your town. • You may also want to compile a list of local businesses or homes in the neighborhood with good quality lighting as an example of effective security measures that are dark-sky friendly. • Having a list of shielded light fixtures to provide as alternatives to your neighbor’s current lighting is also recommended. Use IDA’s Fixture Seal of Approval database to find dark-sky-friendly fixtures and devices.
HOME CUSTOMIZATIONS Chris Patrick of Home Customizations brings artistry to everything he does. While a remodel can add value to your home, Chris finds that most customers are motivated by a desire to make their living space feel truly their own. “A lot of the work we do is aesthetic,” he says. “It appeals to the customer’s sense of what makes their space sacred to them, to feel like their own.” Achieving that goal requires a lot of dialogue and communication, to ensure that the customer’s vision is truly realized. And that is a real expertise of Home Customizations. Strong communication and a commitment to getting the work right allows Patrick to note that almost all of his business comes from repeat customers and referrals from satisfied clients.
With 25 years as a family business in Sisters, The Garden Angel knows the needs and desires of Sisters Country residents. People here want to have a beautiful lawn and landscape –and they want to take care of the natural environment they love. Kalin Emrich can tell you that using organic, native plants and materials in your landscaping can yield beneficial results for everyone. Your landscape will be hardier over the long term, with less problem with disease and pests. It all starts with the soil. The Garden Angel knows how to feed your soil, make it more productive and retain more water, which is especially critical in current drought conditions.
• Don’t dismiss their need to feel safe. Remember that home is a place where everyone wants to feel relaxed and safe. • Explain that light trespass is a form of light pollution, but we strongly advise that you don’t threaten legal action. The idea of a lawsuit can create bad feelings among the whole neighborhood. • Remember that everyone wants the same thing: a chance to relax in his or her own environment. Work together to create an atmosphere that benefits the community It’s not difficult or expensive to each do our bit to make Sisters more dark-skies-friendly. It just requires a little awareness and effort to help each other (not) see the light.
SEPTIC SYSTEM FAILING? Restore Your Septic, Don’t Replace It!
• No excavation • One-day service • Rooter & jetting service • SAVE THOUSANDS $$$
From major projects like full bathroom remodels to small but significant work, like plaque-mounting a shed-elk-antler set, Home Customizations is committed to enhancing Sisters homes.
THE GARDEN ANGEL A NATURAL APPROACH TO LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Maintaining dark skies really requires voluntary compliance from people who want to be good neighbors and good stewards of Sisters’ natural environment. In many cases, that’s a matter of education. As the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) notes, many people may not even be aware that their lighting is creating a problem for their neighbors and community. The IDA website (www.darksky. org) offers advice on lighting — and how to productively approach your neighbors about theirs. “We suggest taking the following steps to educate your neighbor, and by extension your community, about the value of dark-sky-friendly lighting,” IDSA states.
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
You don’t have to choose between laudable goals. Emrich says, “You get two birds with one stone — you get to be a great steward and you get to have a great garden and lawn, too.”
Drainfield Restoration Services, Inc.
C&C NURSERY
541-388-4546
& LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE C&C Nursery & Landscape Maintenance has been keeping Sisters green for over a decade. They handle all aspects of landscape maintenance — mowing, thatching, edging, aerating, fertilizing, needle cleanup and more, for residential and commercial clients. C&C, located at the corner of Pine Street and Hood Avenue, is noted for providing cold-hardy, deer-resistant shrubs and perennials. You’ll find quality, colorful annuals, deck planters, and gorgeous hanging baskets — Sisters’ symbol of spring and summer. Come to C&C to find butterfly-, bee-, and hummingbird-attracting plants; succulents, ornamental grasses, and topiary shrubs. You’ll find everything you need to make your landscape exceptional — ground cover, fruit trees, and bushes; hardy flowering and shade trees and conifers — and there are veggie starts. Chad and Cathy Stadeli know Sisters Country well, and can provide expert advice on how best to make your plant selections work for you in our tricky climate.
Since 1995 • CCB#88891
For free septic tips visit:
www.RestoreYourSeptic.com
IN AN EMERGENCY, YOU AREN’T UP A TREE... RE!
WE A
• 15 YEARS TREE/ ARBOR EXPERIENCE • Family Owned & Operated
• FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING • 24-Hr. Emergency & Storm-Related Service
• INSURANCE CLAIMS • Free, Accurate Estimates
CALL US TODAY
541-815-2342 CCB#215057
• SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS • Snow Removal (Roofing, Snowblowing)
ALL YOU NEED We are allll you need! W d! Let us handle the work while you sit back and relax. No job is too big or too small, if you need it done we will do it! FFER WE O We handle yard work of tic Holiscare all types: tree removal, yard ices! high-risk timber work, ser v vacation home maintenance, roof & gutter cleaning, and more.
541-419-5122 541 5 41 4 1-4 419 19 1 9-5 9 -51 122 12 22 2 2 www.allyouneed.work CCB# 218169
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16
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
O
ne home project that’s easy to undertake and will enhance quality of life for your family, your neighbors and the whole Sisters community is an assessment and upgrade of your exterior lighting. The right kind of lighting, properly used, helps preserve Sisters’ night sky. In a recent letter to The Nugget, Paul Bennett made an appeal to citizens of Sisters: “If you’re used to leaving your porch light on all night, ask yourself, why do you do this? Do you think it makes the world a safer place? There is no proof to this kind of thinking. Actually, they have done tests to show that criminal activity actually increased when more light was present. Do you think your neighbors appreciate your lights being on all night? They don’t. Yes, they can pull their blinds but some people — like me — enjoy looking out their window at the stars, as well as waking up by the morning light. “Be a thoughtful neighbor, as well as a friend to the monarch butterfly and all other living things on earth. Please turn off your porch lights!” Light pollution is annoying to neighbors, harmful to wildlife — and its wasteful and expensive. Scientific American reports that, “Americans … squander a lot of electricity keeping things lit up at night while most of us sleep. This light blocks our view of the night sky and stars, creates glare hazards on roads, messes with
our circadian sleep-wake rhythms, interrupts the patterns of nocturnal wildlife, and is by and large annoying. It also takes a financial toll: The federally funded National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) reports that poorly-aimed, unshielded outdoor lights waste $2 billion (17 billion kilowatt-hours) of energy in the U.S. each year.” According to the McDonald Observatory’s Dark Skies Initiative, “We can reclaim vast amounts of energy currently wasted inadvertently into the night sky ... by using light fixtures that are shielded to reflect light down where it is needed, as well as using the smallest number of lights and lowest wattage bulbs necessary to effectively light an area.” DSI asserts that, “Leading by example through the installation of downward-pointing outdoor light fixtures is a great place for home and building owners to start. Once people see it in action, and understand its implications for cost savings and enhanced visibility, they are far more likely to adopt good lighting practices on their own.” Downward-directed light, shielded by a fixture and using lowwattage bulbs is the most fundamental form of dark-skies-friendly lighting. For security and to illuminate areas you might need to access in the dark (your trash can for example) a motion sensor light that comes on when you need it then goes off is
PAINTING IS OUR PASSION!
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED 22 Years Experience • Competitive Rates Interior/Exterior Painting Remodeling • Decks • Repairs Residential & Commercial Building Maintenance ccb#191760
541-588-0083
Keep Sisters
night skies dark Jim Cornelius | Editor in Chief
From Rimrock Ranch northeast of Sisters the light dome from Bend can be seen reflecting off a cloud low on the horizon (lower left corner of photo). PHOTO BY JIM HAMMOND
better than a light that is always on. Both the City of Sisters and Deschutes County have “Dark Skies” ordinances. The City’s reads that: “All nonexempt outdoor lighting fixtures shall have directed shielding so as to prevent direct light from the fixture from shining beyond the property limits where the fixture is installed. This means that a person standing at the adjacent property line would not see the light emitting source.” That ordinance is not easy to enforce; staff could spend every night out being the light police. As local astronomer Ron Thorkildson noted, “While Sisters still has amazing stars at night, many individuals and businesses have
installed light fixtures that contribute to light pollution. When such light fixtures are replaced by lamps with shields, glare into the sky is reduced, money and energy are saved, and the light is directed where it is needed. “While many members of the Sisters community value being able to view the multitude of stars in our dark skies, our community is growing. With new developments occurring in the area, it is important to recognize the resource our community has in our dark skies, and that we need to be deliberate in the engineering of our lighting.” Thorkildson made those observations back in 2015. With Sisters’ current rate of growth, the issue only becomes more acute.
Organic turf maintenance Flower bed maintenance Spring cleanups • Irrigation startups Planting • Mowing and pruning
LCB#9583 LCB LCB#95 C #9583 83
• Make friends, not enemies. Your neighbors probably don’t even realize their lighting is bothersome. • Stay positive and don’t argue. Be tactful and understanding about your neighbor’s right to light their property. • Suggest alternatives to their current fixture. Ask them to move the light, shield it, or add a motion sensor so it’s activated only when needed. Offer to help get this done. • Be informative. Talking to your neighbor is an great opportunity to be an advocate for good lighting. There are many reasons to use darksky-friendly lighting. Read up on the issues regarding light pollution. IDA also has a number of educational resources that can be useful. • It’s useful to know the local
costs of electricity (cents per kWh) and the local lighting control ordinances. This information is available on most city websites, from your regional utility company, and on your utility bill. IDA also has this useful guide to help you find out if there is a lighting ordinance in your town. • You may also want to compile a list of local businesses or homes in the neighborhood with good quality lighting as an example of effective security measures that are dark-sky friendly. • Having a list of shielded light fixtures to provide as alternatives to your neighbor’s current lighting is also recommended. Use IDA’s Fixture Seal of Approval database to find dark-sky-friendly fixtures and devices.
HOME CUSTOMIZATIONS Chris Patrick of Home Customizations brings artistry to everything he does. While a remodel can add value to your home, Chris finds that most customers are motivated by a desire to make their living space feel truly their own. “A lot of the work we do is aesthetic,” he says. “It appeals to the customer’s sense of what makes their space sacred to them, to feel like their own.” Achieving that goal requires a lot of dialogue and communication, to ensure that the customer’s vision is truly realized. And that is a real expertise of Home Customizations. Strong communication and a commitment to getting the work right allows Patrick to note that almost all of his business comes from repeat customers and referrals from satisfied clients.
With 25 years as a family business in Sisters, The Garden Angel knows the needs and desires of Sisters Country residents. People here want to have a beautiful lawn and landscape –and they want to take care of the natural environment they love. Kalin Emrich can tell you that using organic, native plants and materials in your landscaping can yield beneficial results for everyone. Your landscape will be hardier over the long term, with less problem with disease and pests. It all starts with the soil. The Garden Angel knows how to feed your soil, make it more productive and retain more water, which is especially critical in current drought conditions.
• Don’t dismiss their need to feel safe. Remember that home is a place where everyone wants to feel relaxed and safe. • Explain that light trespass is a form of light pollution, but we strongly advise that you don’t threaten legal action. The idea of a lawsuit can create bad feelings among the whole neighborhood. • Remember that everyone wants the same thing: a chance to relax in his or her own environment. Work together to create an atmosphere that benefits the community It’s not difficult or expensive to each do our bit to make Sisters more dark-skies-friendly. It just requires a little awareness and effort to help each other (not) see the light.
SEPTIC SYSTEM FAILING? Restore Your Septic, Don’t Replace It!
• No excavation • One-day service • Rooter & jetting service • SAVE THOUSANDS $$$
From major projects like full bathroom remodels to small but significant work, like plaque-mounting a shed-elk-antler set, Home Customizations is committed to enhancing Sisters homes.
THE GARDEN ANGEL A NATURAL APPROACH TO LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
Maintaining dark skies really requires voluntary compliance from people who want to be good neighbors and good stewards of Sisters’ natural environment. In many cases, that’s a matter of education. As the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) notes, many people may not even be aware that their lighting is creating a problem for their neighbors and community. The IDA website (www.darksky. org) offers advice on lighting — and how to productively approach your neighbors about theirs. “We suggest taking the following steps to educate your neighbor, and by extension your community, about the value of dark-sky-friendly lighting,” IDSA states.
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
You don’t have to choose between laudable goals. Emrich says, “You get two birds with one stone — you get to be a great steward and you get to have a great garden and lawn, too.”
Drainfield Restoration Services, Inc.
C&C NURSERY
541-388-4546
& LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE C&C Nursery & Landscape Maintenance has been keeping Sisters green for over a decade. They handle all aspects of landscape maintenance — mowing, thatching, edging, aerating, fertilizing, needle cleanup and more, for residential and commercial clients. C&C, located at the corner of Pine Street and Hood Avenue, is noted for providing cold-hardy, deer-resistant shrubs and perennials. You’ll find quality, colorful annuals, deck planters, and gorgeous hanging baskets — Sisters’ symbol of spring and summer. Come to C&C to find butterfly-, bee-, and hummingbird-attracting plants; succulents, ornamental grasses, and topiary shrubs. You’ll find everything you need to make your landscape exceptional — ground cover, fruit trees, and bushes; hardy flowering and shade trees and conifers — and there are veggie starts. Chad and Cathy Stadeli know Sisters Country well, and can provide expert advice on how best to make your plant selections work for you in our tricky climate.
Since 1995 • CCB#88891
For free septic tips visit:
www.RestoreYourSeptic.com
IN AN EMERGENCY, YOU AREN’T UP A TREE... RE!
WE A
• 15 YEARS TREE/ ARBOR EXPERIENCE • Family Owned & Operated
• FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING • 24-Hr. Emergency & Storm-Related Service
• INSURANCE CLAIMS • Free, Accurate Estimates
CALL US TODAY
541-815-2342 CCB#215057
• SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS • Snow Removal (Roofing, Snowblowing)
ALL YOU NEED We are allll you need! W d! Let us handle the work while you sit back and relax. No job is too big or too small, if you need it done we will do it! FFER WE O We handle yard work of tic Holiscare all types: tree removal, yard ices! high-risk timber work, ser v vacation home maintenance, roof & gutter cleaning, and more.
541-419-5122 541 5 41 4 1-4 419 19 1 9-5 9 -51 122 12 22 2 2 www.allyouneed.work CCB# 218169
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Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Spring Cleaning: Imagine the possibilities By Katy Yoder | Correspondent
It was getting bad. When I walked by the doorway of my home office, I looked the other way. After years of shoving papers into drawers and filling the closet with wayward objects, I was stuck. Old photographs, unhung artwork, writing samples, tax and medical records were all jumbled together. The room doubles as a place for guests to stay. Usually, the imminent arrival of a houseguest got me tidying up so there was a place to hang a few clothes, put luggage on a chair and have a spot on the desk for a book, cup of water, and reading glasses. But COVID-19 quarantined any chance for visits, so the room accumulated more orphaned possessions. Somehow, I still wrote a book in the clutter, using the bed as a flat surface for laying out photographs and chapters. I got it done, but in retrospect, I saw how working in such disarray made the work harder than it had to be. With the stirring of spring, I decided to do myself a favor and make a more inviting space for the final phase of my next book. There’s time when I sit at my desk waiting for the computer to
What could you create in an organized and inviting space? start, or the printer to warm up, that could be used for something other than checking Facebook posts on my phone. That’s how it started: just a few minutes pulling out a pinch of papers from a longignored file drawer that became a boneyard for documents. It created a new habit when I had a few spare moments. I began to increase the time I spent sifting through drawers. Each drawer had a story to tell. Some went back 10 and 20 years. Old insurance records, receipts from the veterinarian, letters from
our daughter’s school, and unread articles, all lay forgotten in crinkled repose. I found the missing school pictures I needed to finish a montage of our daughter from kindergarten to high school graduation. There were cards and medical records from 2008 when I was hospitalized for complications from H1N1. I found old holiday cards and getwell cards from 2014 when I was going through cancer treatments. I found the paperwork for the fundraiser dear friends organized when we were struggling under the cost
of surviving cancer. I found another folder with the paperwork for a fundraiser I helped with for another cancer survivor a few years ago. So many stories and memories. Seeing reams of paper from hospital stays, insurance documents, and doctor’s visits opened me up to remembering the hardest and most blessed moments in my life. There were memories of joy, sorrow, and drudgery. Putting it all in its place was triggering, reenergizing, and comforting. I was finally facing the clutter and disarray in my life and doing something about it. As the room transformed and the bags filled with recycling, shredding, garbage, and giveaways, I felt lighter. The space began to feel inviting. A place of comfort where I felt inspired instead of quelled. A place with enough space to create, stretch out, and imagine possibilities. The stack on my desk is smaller and more manageable now. I keep up with it and choose to recycle items right away instead of keeping them around for years for no good reason. It feels liberating; like all the possibilities emerging this spring have found their way inside our home.
NORTHWEST
MORTGAGE ADVISORS LOOKING TO REFINANCE OR PURCHASE A NEW HOME?
Let me put my finance and business management skills to work for you as your mortgage loan originator. Jenalee Piercey
Mortgage Loan Officer | NMLS#1778674
541-591-5405
411 SW 9th St., Ste. 204, Redmond
NW Mortgage Advisors is a direct lender with their own underwriting authority and a broad investor pool. NMLS# OR ML-#2891
FREE INSURANCE COMPARISON!
Auto • Home • Business • Life Get answers to your questions...
• Do you understand your policy? • Are you overpaying? • How can you save money by packaging options? Get to know your agent...
Jason Rybka 541-588-6245 257 S. Pine St., #101 www.farmersagent.com/jrybka
In a very competitive real estate market, local relationships and local expertise matter more than ever. It’s a seller’s market — and you need to be fully ready to go when it’s time to buy a new home. Jenalee Piercey (NMLS #1778674) and Northwest Mortgage Advisors are ready to help you. Piercey has a vast array of experience in finance, business management, and many years as an educator — but what is most important to her is relationships. She couples her abilities to communicate with her complete understanding of the finance world — resulting in a high level of customer satisfaction. She is now also licensed in Arizona as well as here in Oregon.
“My joy comes from assisting people in seeing their home-ownership dreams become a reality,” she says. “No matter what step they’re at in the process, it’s about the relationship and seeing them across that finish line.”
FARMERS INSURANCE – JASON RYBKA This is the time of year when home and landscape projects are at the forefront of our minds. While you’re thinking about home improvement, you’d best remember your homeowner’s insurance policy. Is that greenhouse you are so proud of properly insured? Have you added all your upgrades to your deck and fencing and other improvements? Farmers Insurance can help you make sure that everything you’ve done to add value to your home is properly protected. Fully understanding the details of your policy is critical. “When you get a quote, all the numbers are the same,” says Jason Rybka of Sisters Farmers Insurance. It’s what’s at the back end of the policy.”
He notes that “not all companies settle at replacement value,” which could be very costly in the event of a claim. Rybka and Farmers Insurance can give you peace of mind — so you can get on with improving your home.
C munity Garden going strong
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
T
ucked away in the northeast corner of Sisters, on a piece of land provided free-ofcharge by Benny and Julie Benson of Sisters Eagle Airport, is a patch of ground that each summer springs to life with vegetables, flowers, berries, and herbs all grown and tended by a dedicated group of community gardeners. From humble beginnings in 2006 on an East Adams Avenue lot provided by Habitat for Humanity for $1 a year, the Sisters Community Garden was established to encourage community connections through gardening. Everything needed to start a garden was donated; topsoil, fencing, irrigation, equipment, and five months of weekend labor by the garden founders. In 2012, the garden had the good fortune to move to its airport location at the instigation of Benny’s dad Marvin, who acted as garden manager for a number of years. The garden grew in size to cover 100-by-140 feet of fully fenced garden space, surrounded by earthen berms on the north and west sides to help mitigate the prevailing winds. The dirt for the berms came from the expansion of the airport runway. Aspen, tamarack, and pine trees planted on the berm serve as the garden’s “arboretum.” The garden contains 49 individual raised garden beds, with
Story and photo by Sue Stafford one dedicated to growing plants that attract pollinators, particularly Monarch butterflies. Jeff Tryens has assumed stewardship of this plot, planting two varieties of milkweed favored by the Monarchs for food and laying their eggs. There are also plans to plant butterfly-friendly flowers on the berm. There are six shared plots for fruit, herbs, and flowers. The garden also features a greenhouse containing 19 raised beds ($10 fee) for winter gardening (waitlisted), a garden shed for storage of tools, and the Back 40, an irrigated area behind the shed that is available for all gardeners to grow zucchini, pumpkins, and other vegetables that might be too large for a raised bed. It is available to all gardeners, first come, first serve. During the planting and growing
seasons, the garden is a busy place. Besides the gardeners tending their individual plots and participating in work parties for the good of the entire garden, the Life Skills class from the high school visits the garden each Tuesday afternoon to help with garden chores and tend one of two elevated gardens. Garden manager Bob Lawton reported a few plots remain available – large (20x4 feet) for a $35 fee and small (10-12 by 4 feet) for $25. A possible waiver of the fee is available upon request and review by the board. Application and release-ofliability forms are available on the garden’s website www.sisterscommunitygarden.org. Print out, complete, and return the forms, along with payment, to P.O. Box 434. In non-COVID years, the garden has hosted a Lunch in the Garden
25 Years Experience In Landscape Solutions
event on the Thursday of Quilt Show Week as part of the Sisters Garden Club Home and Garden Tour. The fences are hung with colorful quilts and diners sit among the garden plots, enjoying a tasty three-salad lunch with homemade bread and dessert while enjoying the mountain views. The lunch is the garden’s one fundraising event each year. With two years of no revenue from the lunch, the gardeners decided to “grow” some money by holding a plant sale at the garden on Saturday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will have available for sale six varieties of heirloom tomatoes as well as vegetable starts and an assortment of deer-resistant annuals and perennials. They are hoping to be able to once again host an evening of Music in the Garden on August 9, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. Each summer, gardeners donate surplus produce to area food banks. For the last several years VAST Church has had a plot in which single moms grow produce. Lawton said if they could find someone to coordinate the program, they could collect and transport vegetables to the Kiwanis Food Bank on a regular basis. The garden is located at 15860 Barclay Dr., southeast of the Sisters Eagle airport, off Camp Polk Road.
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Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Sisters Garden Club adapts to restrictions By Sue Stafford | Correspondent
For 33 years, the Sisters Garden Club has been helping introduce residents to the joys of gardening without a frost-free date and surrounded by critters who love to nibble what has been carefully planted by hopeful gardeners. The past year has been unlike any other for the members, with COVID-19 restrictions on in-person meetings and the cancellation last summer of the annual Quilts in the Garden Home and Garden Tour. Again, this summer, due to uncertainties regarding COVID-19, the Home and Garden Tour has been canceled. But, as their poster says, they will be back in 2022 with a grand Quilts in the Garden Tour of outstanding gardens and homes in Sisters Country. The tour began when Jean Wells Keenan, founder of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, suggested having a garden tour to provide another activity for the quilters to enjoy. Next year, 2022, the Garden Club will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the garden tour. The Sisters Garden Club was started in 1988 by 13 residents who wanted to help beautify the city and share the knowledge and love of gardening. Membership has reached as high as 100 in the best of times and
settled at 80 during COVID. Dues are $20 per year for individuals and $30 for families. For 2020-21, no dues have been collected due to inability to offer normal activities and meetings. They usually meet monthly to enhance and share their knowledge of gardening with each other by inviting speakers, providing
demonstrations, and discussing other interests for the home gardener. Over the years, the club has donated over $60,000 to local nonprofits and organizations whose missions align with that of the club. Previous giving has helped support the Sisters Community Garden, the Sisters High School greenhouse, the Sisters Elementary School garden
club, and Seed to Table, among others. The club’s board of directors has found ways to stay connected and engaged with their membership during COVID by providing monthly suggestions for reading and activities. One month, they sent packets of dwarf Teddy Bear sunflower seeds to be planted and enjoyed, encouraging members to share photos of their efforts this spring and summer. They are undertaking a fundraising project to partially mitigate the loss of revenue from the two canceled garden tours. Using a photo of the quilt created by local fiber artist and quilter Leotie Richards that adorns their poster, they are having a jigsaw puzzle made that will be for sale in a number of local outlets. Club president Larry Nelson told The Nugget that he has heard from a number of members that if not for gardening, this time of social isolation would have been more difficult. Yet, what they have missed the most is socialization with other members. When in-person meetings begin again, the public is welcome to attend club meetings. Visit www. sistersgardenclub.com to find the application for membership, the latest copy of the newsletter, and information on club activities.
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