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Saturday, April 11, 2015 An Advertising Feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal

Jamie Hancock Garden Column – 2 Harvesting the power of the sun – 3 Finding college scholarships – 6 Picnic Time – 8 Mastering the backyard fire pit – 10 Linda A Ditch/Special to The Capital-Journal

2 | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

Fighting the mole Jamie Hancock

jamiehan@ksu.edu “Gee whiz, Mr. Wilson, look at all the holes in your yard!”

No, Dennis the Menace is not digging holes in your yard. The neighbor’s dog is not out at night. And, you are not being investigated by the IRS for hiding assets.

Although dealing with the IRS might seem easier than dealing with the critters making a board game out of your lawn. It might be just me but, doesn’t it seem a little coincidental that taxes and moles show up about the same time each year?

I can’t help you with your taxes (although Cindy Evans in the Extension office can) but, I can help you with those pesky moles.

Moles are small mammals that spend most of their lives underground. They look similar to shrews and mice but, are not rodents. The Eastern mole that lives in Kansas has enlarged paddle-like forefeet and prominent toenails, which enable the mole to literally swim through the soil. They can tunnel from 75 to 200 feet in a day. The maximum distance ever recorded is 300 feet. This makes the homeowner think he has a yard full of moles. Generally, there will be only 2 or 3.

Moles have high energy requirements.

Because they dig 22 hours a day they feed actively day and night year round. They eat mature insects and snail larvae, spiders, small vertebrates, earthworms and occasionally take small amounts of vegetation.

Earthworms and grubs are favorite foods.

Moles prefer loose sandy loam soils and avoid heavy, dry clay soils. Mole activity in lawns or fields usually shows up as ridges of upheaved soil created where the runways were constructed as the animals moved foraging for food. Some of these tunnels are used as travel lanes and some may be abandoned immediately. Mounds of soils may be created as moles dig deep, permanent tunnels and nest cavities.

Moles in the natural environment cause little damage. They are seldom noticed until they show up in your lawn or golf course.

In fact, they are often in your yard but undetected because their tunnels are deeper for winter. Moles contribute significantly to soil ecosystems. Their tunnels aerate and mix soil layers, provide drainage and

allow nutrients to reach plant roots, they also eat large numbers of insects and other pests.

Chemicals Because moles feed largely on insects and worms, the use of insecticides to control these organisms may reduce the food supply, causing them to leave the area.

However, chemicals used to kill grubs also kill the beneficial earthworms and can leave your yard very unhealthy. Additionally, before leaving the area the moles may increase their digging in search of food, thereby increasing damage to your yard.

Poisons Repellents, such as mothballs or flakes, have not been shown to be substantially effective.

Poison grain baits seldom work since moles normally hunt by vibration and grain does not move. Most fumigants are Restricted Use Pesticides and require a professional to administer. Plastic worms treated with poison have only shown a14% effectiveness in trials in Douglas County in 2006.

Trapping According to K-State’s publication C-701, Controlling Nuisance Moles, trapping is the most successful and practical method of getting rid of moles.

There are two excellent mole traps on the market. Each of these, if properly handled, will give good results. They are: ‘Out O’ Sight’ and ‘Harpoon’. These traps can be set without exciting the animal’s natural suspicions by introducing anything into its burrow. The traps are sprung by the mole following natural instincts to reopen obstructed passageways. Success or failure depends largely on the operator’s knowledge of mole habits and the selected trap. n Set the trap in the correct spot! Straight line burrows are often the most active. Using a screwdriver, make probe holes 1” in diameter in the runs. Mark the holes with a flag or rocks. If the hole is plugged within 24 hours it is an active run and is the correct spot for a trap. n Dig out a portion of the burrow, determine the tunnel depth, replace the soil, packing it firmly beneath where the trigger-pan of the trap will rest. Be sure the tines when set will reach the bottom of the tunnel. Snap the trap 1-2 times to make the trap fire faster through the soil before leaving a set trap. n Once the trap is set make a small hole in the tunnel on either side of the trap like you did before to let sunlight in. When the mole tries to repair the hole he will set off trap.

HANCOCK continues on 5A

At Home | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | 3

Harnessing the power of the sun

By Todd Epp Special to The Topeka Capital-Journal

might run a few appliances or a space heater on a cold day if the power is out.

But you’re dealing with Freddy Kilowatt.

And Freddy can bite. Hard.

So unless you’re a licensed electrician and extremely handy, you’ll probably want the pros to do the installation for your home.

Thus, hiring a local company that specializes in solar power to help you find the right solution and properly install it is probably the most prudent approach.

Nearly two-thirds of the Topeka-area’s days have sun—211 on average, according to currentresults.com—with 114 rated sunny and 97 rated partly sunny. That makes Topeka the least sunny area in the state, according to Current Results, with Wichita at sun-filled 225 days, Dodge City at 241 and Goodland the sunniest at 260 days.

Bottom line, however, is that Kansas and the sun are a good fit for generating solarpowered electricity.

Aron Cromwell of Cromwell Environment in Lawrence says Kansas is one of the

The sun is free; the problem is converting it to energy for your house isn’t.

Solar-powered electricity isn’t unique in the Topeka area. The Colmery-O’Neill VA Hospital recently installed over 2,600 solar panels on its grounds to help generate green power.

And if you travel in Italy, you’ll see solar panels on almost any long, flat surface, such as parking garages or even stand-alone panels along their equivalent of their Interstate highways.

For a mere $13,000 or so, you can walk into (or order online) your local Costco or Home Depot and buy photo-voltaic solar collectors for your roof. On a sunny day, it might actually be enough to run your air conditioner and you could get federal tax credits.

For $3,000 or so, again, at some of the local big box stories or their websites, you can get a portable solar-powered generator. Think gas generator powered by the sun. That SOLAR continues on 4A

Photo provided by Cromwell Environmental

Solar panels installed on a Topeka home by Cromwell Environmental of Lawrence

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Solar: Solar panels offer tax credit Continued from 3A best states in the country for solar electric power.

Smalley Energy in Topeka, a solar installer that typically only installs wall, ground or pole mounted systems, says the average peak sun hours in Kansas are 4.5 hours, which is good. With new technology such as microinverters and double tracking systems, Bill Smalley says his collectors can maximize exposure even with shadows covering some of the collectors or cloudy days.

So how many panels do you need?

Smalley says that depends. He suggests you start small with a portable unit that could run a furnace or a refrigerator for several days and see what you think.

“If you want to produce 20 kWh daily, you

would need approximately 12-14 panels,” Smalley Energy notes on its website. They add that pricing depends on the number of panels and other factors. Smalley says that six panels will normally offset operating a 3-ton air conditioning unit, which is enough to cool a “typical” middle class home—about 1,500 to 2,000 square feet in size.

So, is it worth the expense to go solar, particularly to generate electricity? According to Cromwell Solar in Lawrence, it is.

“Anyone with a sunny south, east or west roof or open space for a ground mounted system should investigate what their savings could be,” suggests Cromwell.

The Cromwell website also notes that the cost of solar energy is actually less than coal energy, with rate increases in the price of conventional electricity averaging near 10

percent a year and solar equipment is at historically low prices.

Cromwell says they will handle any building permits, etc., and offers a free consultation to homeowners. He also offers a lease program, where the homeowner uses the energy savings to pay for the solar panels. This is common in other solar-friendly states like California and Arizona, according to Cromwell. Their lease partner is Mid America Bank in Lawrence.

Besides the possibility of a 30 percent federal income tax credit, Midwest Energy also offers qualifying residential and small commercial electricity and natural gas customers low-cost financing for energy efficiency improvements with no up-front costs. Before embarking on a home solar project, however, talk to them to see if you qualify.

Smalley says a number of his customers are going completely “off grid”—in other words, they are self-sufficient in generating their own power. Both Smalley and Cromwell say Kansas allows for the homeowner to sell power back to the electric company.

The process is fairly complicated, so be sure to talk to your utility first before getting into the backyard power business and sticking it to Freddy Kilowatt’s corporate overlords.

The Kansas Energy Information Network’s website at kansasenergy.org can also point homeowners interested in solar energy to a number of resources, including Kansas companies that install solar devices, private and governmental studies and tax information.

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Hancock: Trapping moles yourself Continued from 2A n If the trap fails to produce after two or three days, if can mean (1) the mole has changed its habits, (2) the runway was disturbed too much, or (3) the trap was improperly set and detected by the mole.

In any event, move the trap to a new location.

The mole seems to possess a natural

shrewdness and ability to sense danger and can be somewhat challenging to trap.

Be patient and diligent the same as when dealing with the IRS. Note: The Master Gardener Plant Sale Extravaganza is May 2nd in the Extension Office parking lot 1740 SW Western (behind the Expo Centre). There are new hours this year 9-noon. They will be selling annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets for

Mother’s Day, patio pots, milkweed for Monarchs, gently used gardening tools, and much more. See www.shawnee.ksu.edu for more details.

Note: Jamie Hancock will be speaking at the Topeka/ Shawnee County Public Library on April 16 at 7:00 p.m. Her topic will be “What can I grow in Kansas?”

The weather in Kansas sees all of the extremes. Jamie will help you become a more successful gardener by sharing with you plants researched to grow well in our

crazy Kansas weather.

Note: Master Gardener, Phil Roudebush will speak at the Topeka/Shawnee County Public Library on April 23 at 7:00 p.m. His topic will be “Growing Tomatoes!”

Phil will teach you the basics of how to grow tomatoes and what to watch out for.

Jamie Hancock is a horticulturist with Kansas State Research and Extension in Shawnee County.

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Finding college scholarships

By Shanna Sloyer Special to The Capital-Journal

With graduation season rapidly approaching, parents and students alike have college costs on the brain. In the past 30 years, average tuition and fees for a public four-year institution have risen by 225 percent, according to the College Board. After room and board, books and living expenses, it’s become increasingly difficult for today’s college students to make their way through school on a part-time job without some additional assistance.

College scholarships have become an essential piece of the financial puzzle, with free money out there for anyone who takes the time and puts in the effort to apply. Artists, athletes, writers, and mathletes have all been awarded thousands of dollars to help offset their educational expenses. Here are some tips to get started:

1. Apply early and apply often

The sooner your application reaches the scholarship committee, the greater your chance of being selected. Avoid missing deadlines and sending applications after the due date. Late applications generally go to the bottom of the pile. The more applications you complete and submit, the more opportunities you open up for yourself.

2. Diversify

Apply for a wide variety of scholarships in different denominations, both large and small. Consider national scholarships as well as local scholarships. Thousands of dollars go unrewarded each year due to lack of applicants. You may be only one of a few applicants for a smaller, lesser-known scholarship. Don’t pass up opportunities to apply because you don’t think you have a shot. Several smaller scholarships can be more lucrative than being awarded one large lump sum.

3. Have a plan

Use scholarship search engines to begin gathering information about scholarships available to you. CollegeBoard. com, Fastweb.com, and Scholarships.com are good places to start. Also, check with your school guidance counselor for local scholarships that may not be posted online. Make a list of scholarships that you qualify for and their due dates. Put them in order by date, and focus on earlier due dates first.

Ideally, students should begin the process as early as the summer between junior and senior years. Don’t throw in the towel if you’re behind though. There are still scholarship dollars out there for graduating seniors and for non-traditional students.

Stock Photo/Brandpoint

Stuck on Prom Scholarship Contest - One of the entries of the duck tape dress construction.

4. Zero in on the specific

Zero in on scholarships whose criteria are unique to you. For example, if you’re a descendant of the Cherokee Nation or a talented piano player, search for scholarship opportunities available to those populations of students. If you have a stellar GPA, focus on applying for academic scholarships. If your GPA is only average, but you’re an avid volunteer, look for scholarships for students who participate in community service organizations on a regular basis.

There’s no limit to the number of scholarships you can apply for, so your success will be determined by the amount of time and energy you’re willing to devote to the scholarship application process. Every little bit helps to reduce out-of-pocket costs and ease the financial pressures of paying for college. Apply for enough scholarships, and you might even be able to skip Ramen noodles for the occasional burger and fries.

COLLEGE continues on 7A

Unique Scholarship Opportunities Continued from 6A

Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest

Students who enjoy art and fashion design, or anyone who is a duct tape enthusiast should enter the annual Duck brand Stuck at Prom Scholarship Contest. With more than $50,000 in scholarship prizes up for grabs, this one-of-a-kind opportunity emphasizes originality and imagination by challenging students to create their own unique Duck Tape prom wear. Duck brand has a history of “sticking” by students, awarding more than $300,000 in scholarships over the past 15 years. The contest is open to high school students in the U.S. and Canada who plan to attend prom in 2015. For more details and contest rules visit StuckatProm.com.

Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Scholarship Trivia whizzes can finally use their knowledge of random facts for financial gain when they register for one of the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation, Inc. online scholarship quizzes. Throughout the year, the foundation offers quizzes that test general knowledge across a variety of subjects including music, books, and movies. Prize amounts range from $250-$2,500. Parents can register to play too. These scholarships are available to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in the United States. Visit cksf.org for full details on how to register.

Tall Clubs International Scholarship

It’s a tall task to apply for this scholarship. The Tall Clubs International Scholarship is available to students of above-average height, who plan to start college in the fall. Tall Clubs International (TCI) defines aboveaverage height as at least 5 feet 10 inches tall for women and at least 6 feet 2 inches tall for men. Those of elevated stature could win a $1,000 prize. To apply, contact the local TCI Member Club to request sponsorship or visit www.tall.org.

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Create-a-Greeting-Card Scholarship

Students with a knack for finding the perfect words can design their own greeting card and enter for the opportunity to win a $10,000 prize. The annual Create-a-Greeting-Card Scholarship from The Gallery Collection not only offers funds to the winner, but the art, photo, or graphic design piece will also be produced and sold as a real greeting card. Greeting card designs must be appropriate for business and consumer use. Visit www.gallerycollection.com for more information.

Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarships

If you’re passionate about the food you eat, you’re already winning with a healthy body, and now you could win scholarship dollars as well. The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) awards $20,000 in scholarships annually to students who are active in promoting vegetarianism in school or the community. If you can demonstrate a strong commitment to being a vegetarian and to making the world a better place through diet and lifestyle, this scholarship is for you. The application requires an essay that addresses various challenges and success experienced as a vegetarian.

The top prize is a $10,000 scholarship, and the two runners up receive $5,000 scholarships. Application details can be found at www.vrg.org.

Picnic Time 8 | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

By Linda A. Ditch

Special to The Capital-Journal

As the temperatures rise, so does the yearning to be outside. Why not spend the next mealtime at your favorite picnic spot, be it a neighborhood park, a sunny lakeside location, or even your own backyard?

With a little advance preparation, dinning alfresco is a snap.

There are three key elements to a great picnic—food, location and transportation.

What food is served, as well as the location of the picnic, will dictate how the meal should be packaged for transport. Once the food is chosen and the venue is set, how to pack the food will fall into place.

A picnic kit

To be ready for outdoor dining on short notice, assemble a picnic kit to keep at the ready. The kit itself can be anything that fits your lifestyle: a traditional basket, backpack, tote bag, cooler bag, or a cooler or suitcase-on-wheels. Just be sure to keep in mind your picnic location. You don’t want to find yourself wheeling a picnic kit over rocky terrain or carrying a heavy basket up a remote hillside.

Add the basics: A blanket, sheet, or

tablecloth to sit on and a plastic tarp in case of dampness. Include dinnerware, such as heavy-duty paper plates, napkins, and plastic utensils, which are available in many fun colors and designs. For the environmentally conscious, pack reusable plastic dinnerware and cloth napkins. Just tote everything back home to be washed.

Other not-to-be-forgotten items

include serving utensils and a sharp knife, cutting board, bottle opener, and corkscrew. Hand wipes and paper towels help keep things clean, and include a bottle of water if there isn’t a water supply nearby.

Also, don’t forget a garbage bag, insect repellent, and sunscreen.

Once you have the kit loaded, it will be ready to grab whenever the urge to eat outside strikes. All you’ll need is the food.

However, if you want to enhance the expe-

rience, consider adding: n For a romantic picnic for two, pack candles with holders and matches, flowers and a vase, wine glasses and a small radio or CD player to set the mood. n For a picnic with kids, don’t forget items such as outdoor games and sporting equipment, bubbles, and coloring books and markers. Consider creating a scavenger hunt by having the children look for a list of items found in nature.

Apple and Brie Sandwich Serves 2

4 slices good multigrain bread 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced 1 small bunch watercress (optional)

2 tablespoon bottled mango chutney 6 slices brie cheese

Spread mango chutney on each slice of bread and layer with apple, brie and watercress. Cut in half and serve.

Picnic cuisine

For a picnic, the rule of thumb is to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Start by picking food that taste just as good cold as hot. (One of the reasons fried chicken is a popular picnic staple.) Also, keep the menu simple. Nothing too fussy.

Some simple food choices include artisan cheeses, fresh-baked bread, local fruits and vegetables, olives, and pickles.

Of course, sandwiches are a mainstay of picnics. To keep the bread from getting soggy, pack the ingredients separately and then assemble the sandwich at the site.

The same goes for a salad; do not add the dressing until it is time to eat. Plus, while mayonnaise is a well-known picnic no-no, vinegars and citric juices are acidic enough to help retard bacterial growth.

The easiest way to keep foods at the correct temperature is to wrap the containers in a towel, cloth, or newspaper. The wrapping keeps hot foods warm and cold items can be wrapped with an ice pack to keep in the chill. Sturdy plastic containers with tight-fitting lids will minimize spills and keep the food from begin crushed during transport.

Insulated thermos containers are also good for keeping foods at the right temperature. Preheat them with boiling water for hot dishes, or fill with ice water to chill before adding cold edibles.

With a little forethought, it is simple to enjoy a meal under your favorite shade tree or while gazing up at the nighttime sky. So, what are you doing still indoors?

Pasta Caprese

This dish is served warm or at room temperature, not hot—perfect for a picnic.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 to 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste 1 garlic clove, finely minced 1 small shallot, finely minced 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 pounds ripe cherry tomatoes or large tomatoes cut into 1/2 inch dice 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 pound penne pasta 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon sugar, to taste In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper.

Gently fold in the tomatoes and mozzarella cubes. Set aside for no longer than 45 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean (a bit salty), and then add the pasta. Cook to al dente and drain.

Gently toss the warm pasta with the tomato mixture and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the basil and any additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and sugar, to taste. Serve.

At Home | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | 9

Iced Tea Sangria

This is a lovely grown-up drink for a hot day. To make it kid friendly, leave out the wine and add extra brewed iced tea.

4 cups brewed iced tea (I used a black tea.)

2 cups white wine 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste Fresh or frozen fruit of choice In a large container, add the tea and wine. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, and then add the fruit. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is even better. Serve over ice.

Lemondoodles

Similar to snickerdoodles, these cookies are a bit crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and bursting with lemon flavor. Almost like lemonade in a cookie.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen

Honey Fruit Salad Dressing The dressing tastes wonderful on top of any fruit mixture.

2/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon celery seed 1/4 teaspoon salt 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1/2 lemon) 1 teaspoon grated onion 1/3 cup honey 1/2 cup canola oil Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk well to combine, adding the oil last. Pour over a mixture of fresh fruit and serve.

1 cup butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 large eggs 3 teaspoons lemon zest 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda Sifted powdered sugar, for rolling Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice until blended, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Slowly stir in the powdered ingredients until they are just blended. Don’t over mix.

Sift the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and then roll the balls in the powdered sugar. Place 1 1/2-inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies just begin brown on the bottom. Don’t over bake. Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, and then finish cooking on a rack. Store in an air-tight container.

10 | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

stock photo/metro creative connection

Mastering the backyard fire pit

By Dustin Lemmon Special to The Capital-Journal

Sitting next to a bright crackling fire on a cool spring night can make for a relaxing evening with family, friends and neighbors, especially in the comfort of your own backyard.

Of course if you don’t want that relaxation spoiled by a blaze that’s raging out of control and wailing sirens rushing to your house, it’s best to take some precautions before lighting your fire.

Whether you build your fire pit yourself, choose to buy a kit or hire someone to build it for you, safety is key.

Topeka Fire Marshal Mike Martin said the city requires all recreational fires to be at least 25 feet from the nearest structure or combustible material, and for all fire pits to be no more than 32 inches in diameter and the pile no more than two feet tall.

Such fires are to be for recreation or cooking only and not for disposing yard waste or other materials, he added.

“As with any open burning within the City of Topeka, the fire department reserves the right to extinguish any fire that is causing a nuisance or emitting large amounts of smoke,” Martin said. “Recreational fires must use only clean untreated wood… and fires must be constantly attended and have some form of extinguishment available.”

Know your fire pit options

If you want some ideas for the perfect fire pit you’ll find no shortage of options online. Models range from affordable metal bowls and stands that are portable, but might lack longevity, to permanent brick structures that serve as an attractive backyard centerpiece.

Tyson Scott owner of Heartland Masonry Inc. of Topeka, said it can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 to have professional masonry work done on a fire pit. He said fire pits with see-through glass have become quite popular of late.

FIRE PIT continues on 14A

At Home | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | 11

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CONTACT US At Home Living is the #1 Real Estate Source in Topeka. As we go through 2015 if there is a topic you would like At Home Living to cover – please let us know.

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14 | Saturday, April 11, 2015 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | At Home

Fire pit: Use seasoned firewood for a clean burn Continued from 10A “Everyone seems to like it until they see the price,” he said of the glass option, noting those pits are on the higher end.

When someone comes to him wanting a smaller, cheaper option, Scott said he often encourages them to do the work themselves. He will refer them to Capitol Concrete Products of Topeka, a company that sells a $350 home fire pit kit.

Doug Persing, dispatcher and inside sales at Capitol Concrete Products, said the round pit is 32 inches in diameter and comes with a steel ring to protect the Pyzique stones. Pyzique Wall Systems Inc. is a company in Jefferson City, Mo., that produces the stones used by Capitol Con-

crete Products, Persing explained.

If you decide you are up for the challenge of building your own fire pit, there are a few things to consider before getting started.

First, make sure you choose a level area in your yard for the pit. Keep the proximity of nearby trees in mind as well as your house or garage. Second, choose the right material. Perhaps it should go without saying, but you don’t want a fire pit made out of something flammable. For additional protection, consider purchasing a steel ring to line the interior.

You will also want to think about size and shape. Round fire pits work well because they’re easy to access and huddle around. As for the size, a pit that is 32-

inches in diameter will give you enough room to fit larger pieces of wood, but will also be small enough to easily manage.

Before constructing the walls of your pit, you might dig down a few inches.

Keeping your fire low to the ground will help prevent burning ash and embers from getting away and spreading a fire. The walls of the pit do not need to be that high, but you will want to consider drainage options so your pit doesn’t become flooded and unusable.

“You want to build it on dirt so the water will drain through,” Persing said, noting some people do build fire pits on patios, but still need to provide drainage.

You might also want to put sand or gravel around your fire pit. Not only is this an

additional safety feature, but if you have people gathering there often any grass will become trampled and die off, leaving a muddy mess behind.

Once you have your fire pit finished, you will need to find some seasoned firewood, which is easier to start, and burns cleaner and hotter than freshly cut wood. Fresh wood contains a lot of moisture and will need to be given time to age and dry out.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, you might consider using your fire to cook dinner. Not just hotdogs or marshmallows on a stick, although those are fun, too, but a real meal. With a tripod and a kettle you can cook a thick beef stew or smokeflavored bean soup. Many great campfire recipes can be found online.

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