redoux home • garden • living
february | march 2013 • free
mississippi, st. croix + cannon river valleys
reinventing your indoor space bolster your immunity
fortify yourself against the flu
interiors
the right rug ties it all together
in the garden
don’t let winter’s chill keep you from exercising your green thumb
on the table
spice-crusted pork tenderloin
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PUBLISHER Nichole Day Diggins | Flying Pan Productions EDITOR Elizabeth Child COPY EDITORS Jodi Ohlsen Read Linda Day Dunlap CONTRIBUTORS Dawn Bennett Elizabeth Child Linda Day Dunlap Leah Diggins Dori Haugen Andy Rose Marianne Shedesky-Buckman ART DIRECTOR / DESIGN Nichole Day Diggins SALES Dori Haugen Linda Day Dunlap REDOUX HOME • PO BOX 148, Northfield, MN 55057 p: 507.301.9710 e: info@redouxhome.com All rights reserved. Copyright 2012. Copies of this publication or its contents may not be made for promotional purposes. For article reprints, contact REDOUX HOME at info@redouxhome.com. to advertise: 507.301.9710 www.redouxhome.com Distributed in the Mississippi, St. Croix and Cannon River Valleys: Northfield • Cannon Falls • Red Wing • Lake City • Hastings • Hudson • Stillwater • Stockholm • Pepin • Maiden Rock • Bay City
It’s citrus time! Open Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.–9 p.m. & Sunday 10 a.m.–7 p.m. 516 Water Street S, Northfield • 507-650-0106 • www.justfood.coop
february | march 2013 features 06
bolster your immunity Fortify yourself against the flu.
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in the mix
Red Wing’s Sturdiwheat makes natural, nutritious products – just add water.
departments
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editor’s note
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living well
The understated science: Homeopathy is making a comeback.
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on the table
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FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
The other white meat: Lean pork tenderloins welcome robust spices.
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interiors
Design & Function: The right rug ties it all together.
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in the garden
How to grow a miniature garden.
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in the garden
Homegrown tomatoes – garden fresh, any season.
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inspirations Metal roofs alternative.
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the
environmentally-friendly
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editor’s note
Bio-clock Reset.
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I am a creature of the sun so when the light starts nudging me out of bed in spring, I start craving plants and flowers. I’m jumping ahead of myself, of course. Fortunately, there are clever ways to staunch my craving.
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FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
In this issue, learn how to make miniature gardens indoors to placate your summer dreams. The possibility of creating a Lilliputian garden party delights me, provided my miniature guests can endure the moisture. Leah Diggins tells us how to dig into summer freshness by growing tomatoes year-round. Get ready to enjoy Italian brochette straight from your indoor garden when others are barely uncovering their gardens outdoors. This issue also features some comfort foods for the last of the winter season – Sturdiwheat baked goods with spicecrusted pork tenderloin, anyone? With the coming warmth, I hope the flu and cold season is on the wane. So many of my friends and family have suffered that I decided to include research I’d done on integrative prevention and treatment of the flu. It just so happened one of Redoux’s friends, Dawn Bennett, had some homeopathic advice for us, too, creating a definite clip-and-save on combating the flu. We’re also entering the home fix-it season. Learn why so many environmentally-conscious home-owners are refitting their homes and out-buildings with metal roofs. Now that our bio-clocks are resetting, the possibilities for home and garden projects are infinite and inspiring. Elizabeth Child, editor editor@redouxhome.com
COMING IN SPRING! REDOUX (home•garden•living) Southeastern Minnesota/Mississippi River Valley Integrative Health and Healing Guide is a comprehensive NEW online guide to contemporary health and healing that includes complementary and traditional practitioners. Reach out to clients who want choices. Be part of the integrative health community in your area! Learn about affordable pricing options for a listing and how to make your listing stand out with a description and logo at redouxhome.com today. Deadline for listing: March 31, 2013 Release date: April 2013 To list your health business or organization, contact Elizabeth Child, editor: editor@redouxhome.com.
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
Pratt-Taber Inn
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Fighting Influenza, Naturally:
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FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
Fortify yourself against the flu
By Elizabeth Child Got the flu vaccine? You’re as safe as you can be, right? And, it’s all anyone can do to be protected from the flu, right? While the Centers for Disease Control still recommends that everyone get a flu shot, it isn’t always the only answer. The flu shot may protect many, but it isn’t 100 percent effective in all cases. Each year, scientists have to predict which strains will be most prevalent well before winter so drug companies can produce the vaccine in time for the season opener. But, there are many more strains of flu that may not be covered by the current vaccine. Plus, there is a lag time of approximately two weeks after getting the vaccine before it is fully effective.
Clean Living You can enhance your ability to avoid a bout of flu by eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of sleep and exercise, and lowering stress. Each step, alone or all together, can boost your immune system. But, you can’t avoid germs unless you live in a bubble. The unfortunate truth is that you touch about 10 surfaces a minute—and all are potential germ carriers, according to experts. So, wash your hands often. Suds long enough to say the alphabet (and invest in hand lotion to keep your hands from drying out). If there isn’t a faucet nearby, substitute hand sanitizer.
In addition, homeopathic immunization may be another route to combating the flu. Homeopathy is credited with successfully combating the flu pandemic of 1918. Homeopaths can provide an oral dose of an infinitesimal amount of the virus material that does not contain the additives. Homeopathy practitioners also use herbal remedies, including those detailed below. (Learn about homeopathy, page 11.) Herbal Treatments If you get the flu despite your best efforts to stay healthy, various natural herbal remedies may speed your recovery. They include taking gelsemium, aconite, laryx, elderberry or astragalus, all highly recommended by Twin Cities Naturopath Dr. Helen Healy. Of these, elderberry received one of the best endorsements by the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database for reducing flu-like symptoms based on scientific testing. Certified homeopathy practitioner Dawn Bennett says gelsemium is her number one recommendation. Note that most herbal remedies work best when taken at the first sign of flu and help combat other respiratory illnesses such as colds, as well.
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
What else can you do to bolster your body’s immunity? Vaccines are just one defense in a hard-charging flu season. Conventional and complementary medicine can work handin-hand to help prevent and treat the flu. Considering that this year’s flu season came on fast, prevention and treatment from all camps is welcome.
D for Defense And there’s more that you can do to prevent the flu: Vitamin D. A study released in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 found that Vitamin D supplements were more effective at preventing the flu than the flu vaccine at that time. The randomized, double-blind study showed that the risk of contracting the flu was cut in half in children who took a supplement of 1200 IUs (international units) of Vitamin D daily. The risk of getting Influenza A was decreased by 42 percent. Why not add a daily dose of Vitamin D to your diet? In the Upper Midwest, many of us could use a boost of the sunshine vitamin in winter regardless.
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Tea Time In addition, results of a double-blind study showed that echinacea tea may reduce the symptoms of flu and cold when taken at the onset of the illness. The scientists tested teas with plant parts including the root and the aerial parts of the echinacea plant. To be clear, the efficacy of the flu vaccine seems to be improving every year as experts research virus strains and get better at guessing which ones will affect most people in the coming flu season. But adding alternative prevention and remedies—which are typically safe with no side affects—is a no-brainer this season. (It is also a good idea to let your physician know about any herbs, vitamins or other supplements you are taking.) Like most commonsense advice including handwashing and getting a good night’s rest, many of herbal remedies have not been subject to rigorous scientific inquiry, but they have withstood the test of time. Elizabeth Child, editor of REDOUX, is in the process of earning her Health Coaching Certificate and has studied the flu from a Western and complementary medical viewpoint.
Germ Quiz
1. How many germy surfaces (doorknobs, light switches, shoppingcart handles, counters, toys, keyboards, ATMs, etc) can you touch in one minute? – An often quoted statistic is 300 in half an hour or 10 in one minute. In one minute, you could pick up germs left by others that can get you sick from 10 surfaces. 2. How often do we wash our hands?
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– One survey says six times a day. That may be optimistic. Since we are awake approximately 16 hours a day, that translates into once every 2.5 hours. Your palms touch 1500 potentially germy surfaces between washings.
3. How long do germs live on hands? –Depending on the germ, anywhere from two to 24 hours.
323 1⁄2 Main
651-388-6099 FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
4. True or false: getting germs on your hands is how you get sick. – Not unless you have open sores on your hands. Touching your face with your hands and transferring germs to your mouth, nose, eyes and ears is how germs get inside us and make us sick.
Red Wing
5. How many times do we touch our face? Sixteen times in an hour or once every three minutes. From the article, Test Your Germ Smarts, by Margaret Back, retrieved from: divinecaroline.com
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Influenza virus
living well
The Understated Science
Homeopathy is making a comeback
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By Dawn Bennett Classical homeopathy is one of many inexpensive and effective methods used to combat colds and flu. Homeopathy is used in most countries as an adjunct or complement to “traditional” or “conventional” medicine – though it was at one time common. In fact, homeopathic hospitals here in the United States were the most common hospitals through World War I. Homeopathy has a strong history of success in pandemics. For example, 24,000 cases of flu during the 1918 pandemic were treated with conventional medicine with a mortality rate of 28.2 percent. But 26,000 cases were treated with homeopathy with a mortality rate of just 1.05 percent. Today as hospitals are admitting more and more people with the flu, homeopathy may just help you stay healthy at home and work.
What is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is a system of medicine founded in the early 19th century by German physician Dr. Samuel Christian Hahnemann (1775-1843). Classical homeopathy rests on three principles: •
The law of similars states that a disease is cured by a medicine that creates symptoms similar to those the patient is experiencing.
•
The principle of the single remedy states that a single medicine should cover all the symptoms the patient is experiencing: mental, emotional and physical.
•
The principle of the minimum dose has two parts. First, the homeopathic physician prescribes only a small number of doses of the homeopathic medicine and waits to see what effect the medicine has. Second, the medicine is given in an infinitesimal dose.
Homeopathy and the flu Let’s take a look at a few homeopathic remedies commonly and successfully used to combat colds and flu: Arsenicum Album: This remedy has been very effective in this year’s flu. Often it is used when a person feels cold with burning pains. You may be restless or have emotional symptoms of anxiety. Arsenicum is also used for food poisoning, or for colds and flus that have symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, and a general aversion to food. Gelsemium: This remedy is considered the number one homeopathic flu remedy and is handy to keep around for times when you feel fatigue, heaviness and dullness. Your legs may feel weak and shaky so you want to be in bed. You may also have chills that run up and down the spine and a sore throat and/or bursting headache. Causticum: This is a great remedy for the flu when the chest is involved. The big keynote for this remedy is that the person will have a cough with mucus and will cough repeatedly until the mucus is dislodged and the coughing stops.
Is it FDA approved? Homeopathic remedies are made in Food and Drug Administration-approved homeopathic pharmacies, and can be safely used in conjunction with conventional medication; there is no known interaction.
Learn more: •
Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines by Stephen Cummings & Dana Ullman.
•
Prescription for Natural Cures by James F Balch & Mark Sengler
Find a qualified practitioner: •
The Minnesota Homeopathic Association’s Find a Practitioner link: minnesotahomeopathicassociation. org/find-a-practitioner
•
The Council for Homeopathic Certification: homeopathicdirectory.com
Dawn Bennett, CCH, RSHom (NA) is Owner / Massage Therapist / Certified Homeopathic Practitioner at Body Kneads Massage and Wellness Center, 316 Bush Street, in Red Wing, bodykneadswellness.com
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Homeopathy is not only used for acute illnesses such as the cold and flu. It has a strong history of working with emotional issues such as anxiety, Attention Deficit Disorder and depression. It is also very effective for conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and pain from arthritis.
Remedies can help with allergies and temperament issues in children. Homeopathy works gradually to help the body heal and is not intended as a quick fix.
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
Belladonna: This remedy is best when the flu comes with sudden high fever, red face and dilated pupils, and you experience a dry and burning heat instead of profuse sweating. Symptoms are intense and concentrated in the head, although you may have tenderness in the abdomen. Symptoms may also incude sore throat, bright red tongue, white spots on tonsils or constriction in the throat when attempting to swallow.
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In the Mix Red Wing’s Sturdiwheat makes natural, nutritious products – just add water. By linda day dunlap
The ease of making Sturdiwheat cakes and desserts make the mixes a must for any kitchen. You can be a hero for your hungry family in minutes. Just add water and get cooking!
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It wasn’t long before he’d devised recipes for a hot cereal and a pancake mix, and had patented his grinding and wheat-screening process. Kaehler’s pancake and waffle mixes were called Sturdimix, and eventually V-10 Protein Mix–a complete protein created by marrying selected parts of the wheat with soy and adding wheat germ. He prided himself on the strengthbuilding qualities of the wheat layers and soy grits in the breakfast foods he developed.
In addition, Sturdiwheat’s Wild Rice Bread was developed by Arlo “Ole” Jenson, a retired CEO of Red Wing Shoe Company, using native wild rice. Even the distinctive Sturdiwheat label is local, designed by former Red Wing artist Lisa Dapas. The test kitchens where new mix recipes are continually developed, are in downtown Red Wing.
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
Like many inventions, Red Wing’s Sturdiwheat bread mixes arose from failure. The lightweight, healthful mixes for pancakes, waffles, crepes, breads and desserts got their start in 1939 when a part broke on the portable mill Arnold Kaehler was using to grind wheat on local farms. Kaehler and other locals thought the accidental grind was more flavorful than usual, so Kaehler began experimenting with it at home.
Old-world comfort foods Kaehler’s company broadened into other ventures, but in 1995 Suzanne Blue bought Kaehler’s recipes and trademarks. Sturdiwheat continues to be a Red Wing venture today selling locally-sourced syrups, preserves, gourmet coffee and even frozen lingonberries. Sturdiwheat can be found in eleven stores in Red Wing as well as in grocery stores and specialty shops throughout Minnesota and 17 other states and also online. Recent additions to its local flavor profile come from bread guru Ruth Raiche (formerly of the Jenny Lind Bakery in Stockholm, WI, and Smoky Row Café in Red Wing). She developed six new bread mixes that work perfectly in a bread machine or in a conventional oven, plus some quick bread mixes. Today you can also buy dessert mixes such as Danish aebleskiver, apple crisp and bread pudding.
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Sturdiwheat Corn Cakes Ingredients Sturdiwheat Corn Cake Mix Water Corn (fresh, frozen or canned; use paper towels to dry the corn if wet) Sweet red pepper, poblano pepper or regular green pepper, medium diced Eggs (2 per person) Salsa (homemade or purchased) Sour cream Prepare a cup or two (depending on how many people you are serving) of Sturdiwheat Corn Cake Mix as directed on the package. Add corn and peppers. Let sit for several minutes. Fry the corn cakes as you would a regular pancake. Place in the oven to hold while the eggs are prepared. Baste eggs (or scramble, or fry). Place Corn Cakes on a plate with two eggs, and dress with sour cream and salsa. Serve with salt, pepper and your favorite hot sauce.
Try our delicious pancakes! RED WING, MN
Sturdiwheat
Pancake Mix 1-800-201-9650 www.sturdiwheat.com pancakes@sturdiwheat.com
Locally made in Red Wing, MN
All Natural!
Jenny “Ruth Raich” develops new products that you can make fresh at home. To date, she has created six yeast bread recipes: Garlic Basil, Cardamom,
Caraway Rye, and Whole Wheat. They can be made by hand or bread machine by just adding water. The goals she wanted to accomplish while
developing these breads were: ease in preparation, good flavor and texture, and the use of healthy
ingredients. All the breads contain Sturdiwheat’s complete protein cereal, which you can buy and
eat as a hot cereal, or use to replace some of the flour in your favorite cookie or muffin recipe. The
combination of soy and wheat is what makes this
cereal a complete protein and therefore so nutritious.
For more information about Sturdiwheat, and for recipes, health information and to buy Sturdiwheat online, visit sturdiwheat.com. Sturdiwheat pancake mixes, bread mixes, hot cereal, dessert mixes and other quality wheat products can be found throughout the Midwest. For a list of stores in your area that carry all-natural Sturdiwheat products, go to: sturdiwheat.com/store-locator
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
Sweet Limpa Rye, Golden Grain White, Dark
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on the table
The Other White Meat Lean pork tenderloins welcome robust spices Are the mid-winter blahs affecting your cooking? Would you like to spice up a romantic fireside dinner for two or serve up a great tasting healthy dinner the entire family can enjoy? Pork tenderloin is a great comfort food, has a nice texture and is very low in fat. Unfortunately it’s not the most flavorful of the pork cuts. Add spice with peppercorns and coriander seed – popular for flavoring since ancient times. Tellicherry peppercorns are considered the most robust of the peppercorns while coriander seeds have a sweet citrus taste with a light balsamic aroma. Spices get their flavor from their oils, so this recipe uses the simple technique of dry-frying to bring out those oils and create a richly spiced crust that adds flavor and an aromatic crunchiness to the pork. With limited ingredients and few steps, it’s an easy recipe to make, but remember to plan ahead for the one- to three-day marinating process.
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Directions In a small sauté pan, toast the peppercorns and coriander seeds over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool then pour into a mortar. Add the garlic and 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil and pound with a pestle to form a coarse moist paste. Trim any silver skin from the pork tenderloins so it doesn’t toughen when cooked. Put the pork and spice paste in a heavy-duty zipper plastic bag, remove the air and seal shut. Massage the bag to coat the pork evenly with the spice paste. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate, turning and massaging occasionally for one to three days. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Serves 4
Ingredients 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound) 2 teaspoons Trade Winds Spice Company Black Tellicherry Peppercorns 3 tablespoons Trade Winds Spice Company Coriander Seeds 3 cloves garlic, pressed 2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ - 1 teaspoon Trade Winds Spice Company Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 425°F. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Remove the pork tenderloins from the bag and sprinkle lightly with salt. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the hot pan, reduce heat to medium and carefully add the pork. Brown the tenderloins on all sides, being careful not to scorch the crust. Place tenderloin in oven for approximately 20-25 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 135°F (internal temperature will rise a few degrees as the meat rests). The tenderloin should still be juicy inside. Note: If you like your pork without any pink inside, let the internal temperature go to 140°F. Remove the tenderloins to a warmed platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut tenderloin on the diagonal into slices 3/8” thick. Recipe by Vienette Olson, Trade Winds Spice Company 423 South Main Street, Stillwater, MN 651.351.0422 • TradeWindsSpice.com
Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant, although the flavor of the seed is distinctly different from the leaves. When crushed, the coriander seed has a lemony citrus flavor with balsamic overtones. Seeds can be roasted or heated in a dry pan briefly before grinding to enhance the aroma. Ground coriander seed loses flavor quickly and is best ground fresh. A self seeding annual, coriander grows wild throughout the world. It is believed that it was cultivated in Greece since at least the second millennium BC. Coriander was brought to North America in the 1600s and was one of the first spices cultivated by early settlers. Find out more at Trade Winds Spice Company in Stillwater.
Local Artisan Cheese Day at ferndale market Saturday, Feb. 16th 11am-2pm
Sample the best in delicious cheeses and butters from local cheesemakers and meet the people behind these great products! Come in out of the cold for complimentary samples of everything from cheddar to gouda.
interiors
Design & Function: The right rug ties it all together By Marianne Shedesky-Buckman I love rugs. As an Interior Designer for 10 years, I have found that rugs do so much to change the look and personality of a room – any room. And thanks to manufacturing processes and materials, they don’t need to break the bank. Choosing the right rug for your home requires planning. A rug is a functional part of a room and has many jobs. Rugs protect, hide flaws, warm up the floor, create a look and feel as well as diminish noise. The choices are virtually endless when it comes to selection. Since the 1980s, handmade rug prices have decreased – so purchasing original artwork for your floor is more affordable than ever. The choices are so vast that I decided not to carry rugs at my Hudson, Wisconsin, store CocoBello. Instead, I help clients select the perfect rug from three different world-wide FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
Measure Twice, Cut Once Before you shop, be sure to measure the floor space for a rug as well as the large pieces of furniture. The rules on how to judge rug size have changed. Years ago, chair legs were either all on or all off the rug. Now, either two or four legs on is okay. Sounds simple, but from a designer’s perspective, these more flexible rules of thumb provide more options for transforming your room with seatings and settings. So, have your measurements with you when shopping for a rug. Remember, rug dimensions will fluctuate up to 5 percent from rug to rug regardless of the stated measurement. Typically it’s the length of the rug that will vary. If you’re looking for a five foot by eight foot rug, you
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Foot-friendly fibers First of all I ask clients, what do you want the rug to do? Absorb moisture and protect the floor in an entry or anchor the furniture in your living room? How much traffic will the rug get? Medium traffic areas include the dining room and home office. Low traffic areas include bedrooms and formal living rooms. If the area gets a lot of activity, investigate a wool or nylon fiber rug. Both fibers have great resilience, clean up easily and are slow to burn – considerations if
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vendors who specialize exclusively in rugs.
you have small children in the home.
may find that the rug is five feet by seven feet and six inches instead.
Color Coordination A rug is a perfect foundation for interior design because it helps homeowners determine the color and feel of the room from which they can add other design elements. When shopping, bring items that reflect the color of the room – paint chips, pillows, fabric swatches, etc. Try to find an area rug locally if possible, or get the help of a professional who knows rugs and the colorways (color options for specific patterns). If you want to purchase rugs on the Internet, beware. No matter how gorgeous the rugs look online, colors vary widely due to the pixels of your computer and the quality of the vendor’s photography. And keep in mind that rug colors tend to become more intense with size. A small orange rug may be a nice accent, but do you want to saturate your room with it? Last but not least, learn about rug construction before you invest in your floor covering. The construction of the rug goes hand-inhand with its durability and price. From the front, a hand-tufted, hand-knotted and machine-made wool rug can look very similar. Look at the backside for how a rug is made. The back will show one of three constructions: Hand-knotted – Weavers individually tie thousands of knots to create the design, which can also be seen clearly on the back of a hand-knotted rug. These rugs have edges that are hand finished and have “imperfections” in color and design. You can often see where the knots have been tied off. Hand-tufted – These rugs are made by hand with a tufting gun that is put into a pre-marked canvas. A hand-tufted rug can be easily identified because it always has a cotton backing glued to the scrim on the underside, which protects the floor.
Machine-Made – These rugs have an over-stitch pattern across the back of the entire rug, which blurs the overall design and colors. The fringe is sewn on instead of being an extension of the warp strings. Machine-made rugs made of wool can be equally as durable as handmade rugs, with patterns rivaling many handmade rugs. However, they rarely increase in value with age. Machinemades can also be constructed out of synthetic fibers, which have come a long way in recent years. For example, the outdoor rug category has exploded. Some rugs for the outdoors look like they belong in the living room. With all–weather durability and easy clean-up, these rugs are fabulous for family and kid areas. All images are provided by Jaipur Rugs. Marianne Shedesky-Buckman is owner and senior designer at CocoBello & CocoBello Interior www.cocobellodesign.com. She can be reached at 715.381.3433.
in the garden
How to Grow a Miniature Garden Put a little bit of summer in a jar
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by andy rose Don’t let winter’s chill keep you from exercising your green thumb. Fairy gardens, dish gardens and terrariums are fun, creative ways to bring your summertime passion in for the winter. Here are some tips to keep in mind when planting your gardens:
Containers: Miniature plants have shallow roots, so choose a shallow container for your gardens. For terrariums, plant your plants in a minimum of soil at the bottom of the container. Indoor plants like to experience periods of dry conditions between waterings. Choosing a pot that is too deep or planting in too much soil will create an environment in which the soil stays persistently wet. Plants that stay too wet tend to develop weak root systems and are prone to root diseases.
Drainage: Most dish garden and terrarium containers have water-tight bottoms. It is important to place a layer of horticultural charcoal or gravel at the very bottom of the container. Doing so helps keep the soil and roots held above any standing water that may accumulate from an accidental over watering.
Soil: Choose a light-weight potting mix like Miracle Gro. Lighter mixes dry more evenly and help prevent root rot. Light: Most plants can adapt to lower light conditions such as an office setting or away from a window. Just keep in mind that plants in low light grow more slowly and require less water than those in brighter spots. If a brighter spot is available, however, all houseplants prefer as much light as they can get, but they should not be placed in direct sunlight.
Water: Water your garden sparingly – just enough to moisten (but not waterlog) the soil. Let the garden dry out well between waterings. Watch for the soil to shrink away from the glass of your terrarium or for your plants to just begin to wilt. Ferns like a little more water than most other plants. If your garden has ferns, keep the area around them a little wetter than the rest of your plants. Fertilizer: Don’t forget to feed your little ones. Look for a plant food that is specifically labeled for houseplants. Add fertilizer to your water about every third time you water. Upkeep: Some plants will grow faster than others. Keep everyone in their place by pruning regularly. Remember, plants would prefer to be pruned lightly and often rather than a major chop. Be Creative: Choose plants with different colors and habits. Add depth in your gardens by creating retaining walls or paths with decorative stones. Add interest with miniature accents and figurines. Use moss to cover the soil in between plants. Plant Selection: Here are some indoor plant varieties that work well in miniature gardens: Red and White Fittonia English Ivy Emerald Ripple Peperomia Cacti and Succulents Button Fern Neantha Bella Palm Ardesia Rabbits Foot Fern Pteris Ferns Cryptanthus Baby’s Tears Waffleplant Pilea Baby’s Tows Aluminum Plant Strawberry Begonia Selaginella Podocarpus Creeping Fig Hypoestes Miniature African Violets Venus Fly Traps and other carnivorous plants With the exception of cacti and succulents, all of the above can adapt to lower-light environments. Andy Rose, Owner of Rose Floral & Greenhouse 14298 60th Street (next to Famous Dave’s BBQ on Hwy 36) Stillwater, MN 55082 800-272-0715 • www.rosefloral.com
in the garden
Homegrown Tomatoes!
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Garden Fresh Any Season
BY LEAH DIGGINS Miss fresh garden tomatoes? Wish you could enjoy them yearround? You can! Growing tomatoes indoors is a relatively easy task once you get the basics down. You can grow tomatoes indoors by utilizing natural light and/or artificial light or with the use of a greenhouse. It is recommended that the variety of tomatoes grown indoors be the smaller varieties such as cherry tomatoes or plum tomatoes. These tomatoes require less light and mature more quickly than larger tomato varieties. Another thing to keep in mind is that most vegetables grown indoors will not have the size or yield of those same varieties grown outdoors. However, various varieties will perform fairly well if lighting, pollinating, watering, fertilizing and temperature requirements are met.
light, will be needed.
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remain soggy.
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Soil requirements when growing tomatoes indoors are different from those when gardening outdoors. Garden soil is not recommended as it will likely harbor diseases and insects that are more difficult to control when growing indoors. A good potting mix is recommended. (Note: This is different than potting soil–other ingredients are used including peat moss, compost, vermiculite, perlite and sand.) These ingredients are less heavy than potting soil and promote better drainage. The best mixes will hold moisture but the soil doesn’t
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
Sunlight is the most important factor when growing tomatoes indoors. You must have a south facing window available to make the most of the natural light, with a minimum of at least six to eight hours of sunlight and preferably up to 12 to 16 hours. If this is not possible it is likely that supplemental lighting, such as a simple grow
in the garden
The tomato plants will need to be watered daily, or every other day, due to the confined growing space and the lack of indoor humidity, especially during the heating season. Because frequent watering can deplete nutrients, a supplemental feeding every two weeks will be necessary. Many people prefer to use organic, environmentally
friendly fertilizers to encourage the maximum growth
as well as increasing resistance to disease while raising their tomato plants indoors. To keep your pets and family safe there are many organic and non-toxic
fertilizers, including those which incorporate fish and seaweed sourced nutrients. To control pests without chemicals there are commercially available beneficial
insects which serve as natural predators to control the infestation of damaging insects. Additionally insecticidal FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
the end of summer and the disappearance of fresh
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can be used to spot treat heavily infested areas.
redouxhome.com
soap, botanical insecticides as well as horticultural oils Pollination is something we take for granted when growing tomatoes outdoors. When growing tomatoes
indoors, however, your plants will need to be pollinated manually. This is typically done using an artist’s brush which will distribute pollen from one flower to the next.
Every tomato lover dreads the dry spell created by
tomatoes. Buying from a grocery store out of season Learn more: Visit tomatodirt.com to learn more about indoor tomatoes. To watch a pollination technique using an electric toothbrush visit: youtube.com/watch?v=tsAGr5qoQzQ
never matches the exquisite taste of a fresh tomato.
Try your hand at growing tomatoes indoors this year to enjoy fresh tomatoes year-round!
Leah Diggins is a writer and artist living in Rapid City, SD
A River of Art
Tour Wisconsin’s Mississippi River Valley for one-of-a-kind galleries, restaurants and shops Think spring and mark your calendars for May 17, 18 and 19. The twice-a-year Fresh Art Tour in the picturesque Lake Pepin and Chippewa Valley regions of Wisconsin is just around the corner. The woods are sure to be filled with trillium and other wildflowers – it is an ideal time of year to come to this area. The Fresh Art Tours bring visitors to a section of the beautiful Great River Road National Scenic Byway in Wisconsin. The Great River Road was established in 1938, under the Roosevelt Administration, and it is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2013. Traveling along the river you will discover the scenic winding roads, charming small towns and talented artists and craftspeople on the tour. This May is the 13th annual Spring Fresh Art event, which will feature 15 studios and galleries from Durand, Wisconsin on Highway 10 to Maiden Rock, Pepin and Stockholm on Hwy 35. Three of the sites along the way will also exhibit the results of Go Paint! – an outdoor painting event which will begin that week. Visitors will have an opportunity to try their hand at outdoor painting and vote on their favorites. Both the spring and the Fall Fresh Art Tour (the first weekend in October) have grown in popularity with hundreds of attendees returning year after year, bringing friends and family to share the experience. For more information visit freshart.org.
FREE In-Home Consultation
507.581.5291 www.BudgetBlinds.com
inspirations
Metal Roofs—the Environmentally Friendly Alternative
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redouxhome.com FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013
by dori haugen It seems that everywhere you go, you see more metal roofs on peoples’ houses, garages and out-buildings. Kelly Holt of Kelly Standing Seam Roofing in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin, explains their appeal and what makes them so environmentally friendly. How long have you been in the roofing business? I have been in the roofing business for 17 years. My family and I have been installing steel standing seam roofs for the last 14 years on all types of structures in the residential and commercial industry in both Western Wisconsin and Southeastern Minnesota. In 2010 we acquired our own roll forming equipment which allows us to fabricate the roofing products on site rather than ordering and then shipping the products in. This helps us reduce waste, costly shipping fees and other related expenses which in turn reduces the overall cost to the homeowners. Why do you prefer metal roofing over conventional shingles or other materials? Initially steel metal roofing systems are more expensive than conventional asphalt shingles. However, longevity is one of the biggest attributes many homeowners want. Most asphalt shingles are designed to last 20 to 30 years or so, and in some instances 15 years. On the other hand, metal standing seam roofs are designed to last 100 years or longer and are generally warrantied for around 50 years. Actually, many standing seam roofs throughout the country are 100 years old or older and still performing their duty. A critical factor for many homeowners is the durability of the steel roofing material. Steel standing seam roofs are not only designed to prevent leakage, withstand high winds and large hail, they also are fireproof and do not support the growth of algae.
Can any type of home have a metal roof? Any type of home or structure can have a metal roof installed as long as it has a pitched or sloped roof. Metal sloped roofs have the ability to shed heavy snow loads rather than having snow build up to unsafe levels, which can lead to structural damage of the home. In what ways does metal roofing contribute to the sustainable building movement? The sustainable building movement advocates re-use, recycling, using recyclable materials and minimizing waste. Not only are metal roofing systems 100 percent recyclable, they can be made from recycled steel, and the installation process creates minimal construction waste. Are metal roofs LEED and Energy Star certifiable? Metal roofs are energy efficient and qualify for points in the Energy Star and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System programs. The LEED program offers financial incentives for building environmentally sound buildings. Wht are they called cool metal roofs? Depending on the reflective color coating used (such as Kynar 500 or Hylar 5000 hl-R coatings), cool roofs reflect heat away from a home rather than absorbing it.
Are metal roofs noisy? A metal roof is no noisier than any other conventional roofing product as long as it is properly installed. When installed on the permanent roof decking, it disperses noise as efficiently as any other roofing product. In addition, the embossed textures of new metal roofs help to disperse rain, reducing noise even further. Will hail damage a metal roof? Our 24 gauge galvanized steel standing seam roofs carry the industry leading Class 4 Hail-resistant Rating. That means that hailstones as large as 2.5 inches won’t affect the performance or durability of your roof.
Longevity and durability of metal roofing systems. When you consider all of the benefits or disadvantages of an asphalt shingle roof compared to a permanent environmentally friendly metal roofing system, longevity and durability outweigh the lower costs of a traditional shingle roof.
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MORE INFORMATION Have a question about roofing? Need help figuring out which roofing material is best for you? Want to know something specific about Kelly Standing Seam Roofing LLC? Ask away! Contact Kelly Holdt at metalroofswi@yahoo.com or 715.495.9038.
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2013 redouxhome.com
Are they more or less expensive than shingled roofs? On average metal roofs are more expensive than traditional asphalt shingled roofs. Depending on the roof pitch size and current condition, the expense for roof replacement will vary. An onsite evaluation of your roof is needed to give you an accurate cost quote.
bazaar riverwalk art & antiques
SHEPHERD’S WAY FARMS PINNACLE PERFORMING ARTS INSPIRING. DYNAMIC. INCLUSIVE. FUN. At Pinnacle Performing Arts, we strive to help each child reach the peak of their potential. Our professional instructors know how to encourage performers and bring out the star in every student. At Pinnacle, every day is an adventure - and it’s all about the climb! CHECK OUT OUR NEW DANCE / THEATER / PERFORMANCE / COMBO CLASSES ON OUR WEBSITE: PinnaclePerformingArtsCenter.com • 507.301.3337
Minnesota Artisan Sheep Cheese Shepherd’s Way Farms, a local family-based sheep dairy, produces award-winning artisan cheeses on the farm, just outside Northfield. Find Shepherd’s Way cheeses at Just Food Co-op in Northfield, or other local coops, specialty cheese shops, or Byerly’s, Lunds & Kowalski’s. shepherdswayfarms.com 507.663.9040
Original art, handcrafted and repurposed items, antiques, primitives, ephemera, vintage finds, greeting cards, home decor, refinished furniture and more! All cleverly created or selected and affordably priced! Open Daily! Hours vary seasonally. Please call or check our website for current hours.
715-425-0149
riverwalkartandantiques.com River Falls, WI
Structural Integration Rolfing & Yin Yoga The Rolf method of structural integration helps you find stability and alignment to increase flexibility, decrease pain and create a sense of peace.
SHANTI TATTOO STUDIO & PERMANENT COSMETICS Look your best ALL day, every day! Eyebrows • Eye liner Lip liner • Full lip shade Beauty marks • Licensed • Professional • Sterile equipment • Friendly Call now for your FREE consultation: 507.301.2927 shantitattoostudio.com 103 3rd Street W, Northfield
LINDA DAY CLAY
Handmade functional pottery. Custom clay pieces for all occasions. Linda Day Clay Arkansaw, WI daydunlp@nelson-tel.net Tel: 715.285.5692 www.lindadayclay.com
Call for individual sessions in:
Experience gets results
• Structural Integration (Rolfing)
Reiland Team Paul & Juliette Reiland and Erik Severson 952-292-5999 reilandteam.edinarealty.com
• Yin yoga Daniel Martin Certified Guild for Structural Integration practitioner and yoga instructor Northfield Buddhist Center 313 ½ Division St., Northfield 507.664.9418
President’s Circle 2010, 2011 and 2012
Schmidt Homes Remodeling Showroom, Northfield MN
As Northfield’s premier kitchen and bath cabinet
dealer, The showroom at Schmidt Homes Remodeling, Inc. is your #1 choice for all your needs. With a combined 40 years of experience in the cabinet & remodeling industry, Schmidt Homes Remodeling gives you the best kitchen and bath cabinet selections, prices and quality. Schmidt Homes Remodeling can turn your kitchen or bathroom into something remarkable!
See for Yourself:
www.SchmidtHomes.com