ISSUE 116
NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2021
@home
WITH COLDWELL BANKER TOMLINSON
Steve and Lodi Jackson: Planting Their Hopes in Green bluff Article by Cody Kerr, REALTOR®
B
y purchasing the property formerly known as Cannon’s Edge, the new owners of The Ridge at Green Bluff, 7607 E Green Bluff Rd, have brought a rich farming history, love of community, and touch of hard work to our region. Meet the Jacksons – Steve, Lodi, Conner, Taylor, and Dalton. Farmers, educators, business owners, spunky students, passionate supporters of family and community, this family of five is full of life, and the two that started the whole bunch are Steve and Lodi. Both come from farming backgrounds, which imbued them with values that form the foundation of their careers, far as they may have wandered from farming. Steve’s life skills, for example, provided the foundation of a 30-year career as a supervisor criminal investigator for the Veterans’ Administration. His partner in life and in business is Lodi Jackson, who grew up on a 7,000-acre Idaho cattle ranch, where she earned the title of “Cattle Queen.” A Master’s in Education soon followed, however, leading her to serve the special needs community. After pausing from public service to raise a family, she started her own business as an education consultant to “help kids find the best way they can learn.” With their shared experience of hard work, community values, farming, and a bit of redneck ingenuity and duct tape, the Jacksons felt that Green Bluff was a natural fit. At the outset, the farm needed a little TLC, such as restoring the orchard of 200 fruit trees to health. Along with land stewardship, the Jacksons are determined to make a positive impact on the lives of others, which is why they
have transformed their property into a full-service event venue in addition to their farming enterprise. They are just as serious about providing a valuable venue as they are about offering superior produce. The Jacksons will put their long history of accomplishment in management and business to work in supporting every stage of your wedding, anniversary or corporate meeting. They’ll be there for you after you book your event. No worries about the details: they will listen to what you want, take care of your needs, and make it happen. The Jacksons intend The Ridge at Green Bluff to be not only a working farm and event venue, but a place for community nights where folks can come for free movies and/or sports watching. Aware of the wealth of knowledge already to be found in Green Bluff, Steve and Lodi are hoping to fertilize their farm with the wisdom of the existing Green Bluff pioneers and hard-working community members with boots on the ground and hands in the dirt. Upon their first visit to Green Bluff they said, “This is where we need to live. We feel like we can breathe here.” It brought them peace, imparted clarity to their goals, and made them feel as though they were “on top of the world.” It is important to preserve farming communities like Green Bluff, more and more of which are disappearing in the name of development. Not all land has to be developed into more space for houses. There is a way to “develop” farmland by finding new ways to use it to meet the needs of the community. Farms are the lifeblood and heritage of our American history, and with their rich farming legacy, the Jacksons intend to preserve that heritage in Green Bluff.
His pilot qualifications included 3,500 hours of commercial flying. He held every available flight and instrument rating and remained current in his ratings by passing an extensive FAA-administered, proficiency flight check every six months, with hand controls.
A history of challenge air
R
ick Amber founded Challenge Air with the belief that, "every disabled person should see the world from a different view ... out of their wheelchairs and in the sky." This belief of Amber's came from his own experience. As a fighter pilot and training officer in the US Navy from 1967 to 1971, Amber lost the use of his legs when his jet crashed during a landing attempt on the aircraft carrier USS Hancock. He was returning from his 109th combat mission over Vietnam, in high seas, when the ship's landing system failed. At twenty-six years old, Rick was a quadriplegic and bound to a wheelchair. Rick was born in Dallas, Texas July 17, 1944. Rick graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1967. After his accident in 1971, Rick came back to Dallas and received a Master's of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Texas - Dallas (1978) and Bachelor of Fine Arts from SMU (1984). While working toward his later degree Amber's love of flying rekindled his desire to return to the air. In 1993 while teaching math and science at Greenhill School in Dallas he was asked to design a curriculum for an aviation class. It was then that he realized how much he missed flying .... but, being in a wheelchair didn't stop him. Rick began teaching ground school in the evenings in exchange for the flying hours he needed to become certified with the FAA. In less than one year, Rick earned his license as both a Commercial Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor.
Rick had many athletic interests and accomplishments. In 1993 he won the USTA (U.S. Open) National Wheelchair Tennis Championship, Men's Singles Division. Not soon after that event Rick's work with children began in earnest. While teaching wheelchair tennis to newly challenged youth Rick realized he was in a unique position to share his love of flight with "kids on wheels." Rick invited a small group of physically challenged children to the Addison Airport, a suburb of Dallas, to take them soaring over the city's famous skyline. After experiencing their attitude change about their disability to see a pilot in a wheelchair fly an airplane, the idea of Challenge Air was born. In 1993, Rick purchased a Cessna 177B Cardinal airplane and modeled a set of hand controls to work the brake and rudder pedals. Amber got Challenge Air's status as a nonprofit organization established. Shortly thereafter, Rick began to fly special needs children at community events nationwide. In May 1997, Rick passed away with cancer. Today his legacy lives on through the board, staff, volunteers and thousands of volunteer pilots who continue the mission of building self-esteem and confidence in children with special needs. Challenge Air for Kids & Friends, a national children's nonprofit organization, is recruiting volunteers, pilots and special needs children between the ages of 7-21 for its "Fly Day" event on Saturday, August 14th. Highlights of the day include: an educational ground school, a 30-minute flight, face painting, clowns, cool static aircraft, lunch, service animals and much more! To register as a day-of volunteer, volunteer pilot or as a participant (first come, first served and free for all children with special needs) log on to www.challengeair.org.
HOME RECIPES Christy Kerr’s Rhubarb Soda Ingredients 6 cups (about 2 pounds) rhubarb (ideally from Greenbluff), cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 cups sugar or maple syrup or honey 2 cups water Sparkling water
Instructions 1. Wash the rhubarb in cold water, trim the ends, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. 2. Combine all the ingredients in a large heavy saucepan and stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 3. Once mixture is cool, separate the liquid from the rhubarb pulp by straining liquid into another container by using a fine-mesh strainer or cheese cloth (you can save the rhubarb pulp as it is delicious on vanilla ice-cream!). 4. Seal syrup in a jar or pop-top bottle and refrigerate. 5. When ready to serve, mix 1 Tbsp Rhubarb Syrup (or more to taste) with Sparkling Water and enjoy over ice!
Green Bluff Growers Spotlight
T
he Green Bluff area is known for its beautiful scenery and fertile soil, which allows local farmers to grow a wide variety of delicious, high-quality produce throughout the year. Many of the best local farms and fruit stands are part of the Green Bluff Growers' Association, a local organization dedicated to sharing all that local farms have to offer. And it's not just about great food! They also host many fun, family-friendly activities available at local farms throughout the year. Get to Know Green Bluff and the Growers Green Bluff is a scenic community located just 15 minutes north of Spokane homes for sale, in the beautiful foothills of Mt. Spokane. The fertile land of Green Bluff has long been a major attraction for farmers, and a large number of those farmers formed the Green Bluff Growers' Association in 1902. For more than 100 years, the Green Bluff Growers have offered fresh, delicious produce to the community, and the many visitors who come to experience these wonderful farms. Family Fun on the Farm in the Spring/Summer While there is much to experience all year long, spring and
summer are especially good times to experience some fun on the farm. Start by sampling fresh strawberries, which are typically available to be harvested from the middle of June through early July. Next up is the famous Cherry Pickers Trot during the cherry season in July, when you can go for a run/stroll through local orchards and find fun family activities on the farms. Summer wraps up with peach season in August, the perfect time to find out why Green Bluff peaches are so well-known for their quality. Stop by a local farm to find juicy, ripe peaches prepared in nearly any way you can imagine. Shop at Green Bluff Produce Stands or Pick Your Own on the Farms When you're in the mood for fresh produce, the Green Bluff Growers offer a variety of ways to find what you seek. Many local produce stands are also part of the Green Bluff Growers, making it easy to quickly pick up fresh produce for your next culinary creation. If you enjoy picking your produce almost as much as you enjoy eating it, then try a visit to one of the many Green Bluff farms that offer pick your own produce. Article contributed by Delta Media Group
Coldwell Banker Tomlinson 4102 S Regal St, Suite 201 Spokane, WA 99223
@HOME WITH
ISSUE 116 | JUNE 2021 ©2021 Coldwell Banker Tomlinson. All rights reserved. Each office is independently owned and operated. If you currently have an Agent assisting you with the purchase or sale of property, this is not a solicitation for business.
SPOKANE & Coeur d'alene REAL ESTATE MARKET STATISTICS May 2021 snapshots Spokane County
Coeur d'Alene
Average Sales Price
Median Sales Price
Average Sales Price
Median Sales Price
$404K
$375K
$611K
$490K
Up 30.6%
Up 29.4%
Up 54.2%
Up 42%
Current Listing Inventory
Average Days On Market
Current Listing Inventory
Average Days On Market
236
7
554
68
Down 60.5%
Down 41.7%
Down 49.3%
Down 30.6%
Closed Sales
Annual Residential Sales
Closed Sales
Annual Residential Sales
636
2,767
406
1,732
Up 23.3%
Up 8.1%
Up 26.5%
Up 17.7%
May 2021, as compared to May 2020. The information in this report is compiled from a report given by the Spokane Association of REALTORS® and to the best of our knowledge is accurate and current.
May 2021, as compared to May 2020. The information in this report is compiled from a report given by the Coeur d’Alene Association of REALTORS® and to the best of our knowledge is accurate and current.
The secret is out! Coeur d’Alene has been named the Wall Street Journal’s #1 emerging market in the United States and it shows. The pandemic has escalated the work-at-home trend which in turn has allowed those wanting to make a location change become a reality, and statistics show that the bulk of those relocating to our beautiful area are coming from Orange County, CA. The major factors driving rising values are excessive demand and the lack of inventory, and builders are unable to keep up because of the crippled supply chain and the increasing cost of materials. According to statistics pulled from the Coeur d’Alene MLS, properties prior to this “announcement” had seen an average increase in values at 15% year-over-year since 2015, 23% in 2020 and in the first 6 months of 2021 values have risen 28%. With signals suggesting buyer demand remaining elevated, and tight inventory continuing to invite multiple offers and higher prices, it’s always best to have the guidance of a REALTOR®. Article by Julie Kuhlmann, REALTOR®
CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR FOR DETAILED MARKET INFORMATION.