SUMMER 2014
Sustainability
The joy of seed saving Building a root cellar
The log cabin all grown up
CONTENTS Simple but elegant
The log cabin all grown up By JANE BOLLINGER
6
Building a root cellar Store garden vegetables into fall & winter By BILLY TEMPLETON
22
Knotweed out of control What’s a homeowner to do? By J.C.B. Huggard
DEPARTMENTS
FEATURES
4
From the editor,
8
TASETMAKER: Joncy Bennett’s wabi-sabi life A work in progress By CASS COLLINS
12
GARDENING: The joy of seed saving By ADRIANNE PICCIANO
18
ASK THE EXPERT: Do-it-yourself solar By JACK BARNETT
22
GETTING GREENER: Green Outlet Committed to the environment and the community By ISABEL BRAVERMAN
30
THE LAST WORD: Country dog, lucky dog By JOHN HIGGINS
It’s time for the annual sustainability issue of Our Country Home, in which we highlight stories about what’s happening in the Upper Delaware River region to help build more sustainable life styles, more resilient communities and living local economies. Sustainability involves being caretakers of our existing natural resources, and increasingly it means turning to renewable resources. It involves living with a lighter footprint on this earth. It involves increasing our individual self-sufficiency so we are less dependent on far-away resources for the necessities of life. It involves building stronger local communities. For the featured house in our sustainability issue, what could be more appropriate than profi ling a log home? We chose this house not only for its sustainable features—to start with, properly built, modern log homes are exceedingly energy efficient—but also to highlight the idea that supporting local businesses helps build sustainable local economies. The local business that manufactured this house is Estemerwalt Log Homes of Beach Lake, PA. Their story and the story of this house emphasize sustainability on several levels, starting with the trees that were harvested locally, the company’s environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, and extending through to the sustainable choices made by the homeowners, including heating and cooling with a geothermal system. Also in this issue you will fi nd the story of a family of homesteaders in Grahamsville, NY who have taken vegetable gardening one step further by building a root cellar to store some of what they grow. They are able to store root vegetables for many months after harvest. Meet an artisan/wood craftsman who creates exquisite furniture in a country barn, turned woodworking studio in Calicoon Center. Writer Cass Collins discovers that his humble lifestyle is a “work-in progress.” The Dirt Diva (her real name is Adrianne Picciano) offers a guide for beginners for saving seeds from your garden, and she explains the importance of seed saving in propagating your most treasured varieties vegetables. For the handy do-it-yourselfer, here’s a project: install your own solar PV panels, and after your success, sit back and watch your electric meter roll backwards. We have the story of one couple’s project and how they learned to do it. If you’re a property owner, perhaps you face the challenges of trying to eradicate (or at least control) knotweed, a noxious weed that’s out of control” in the Upper Delaware River Valley. We lay out a plan that may work for you. Perhaps reusing and recycling is your thing? We’ll introduce you to a green business that’s giving second life to perfectly good, used furniture, appliances and home furnishings AND keeping it all out of the landfi ll. We hope our stories of how people are living more sustainanabily here and now inspires you to try your own hand at it. We also invite you to share your experiences of li9ving more sustainably with us. Jane Bollinger Section editor
Our Country Home, a special publication of The River Reporter, is published by Stuart Communications, Inc. Entire contents ©2014 by Stuart Communications, Inc. Mailing Address: PO Box 150, Narrowsburg, NY 12764 Phone: 845/252-7414 • Fax: 845/252-3298
Cover photograph by Amanda Reed
2 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
Have a comment or idea for the magazine? Contact: Jane Bollinger at 845/252-7414, ext. 29 or jbollinger@riverreporter.com
Publisher: Laurie Stuart Section Editor: Jane Bollinger General Manager: Breann Cochran Production Manager: Amanda Reed Staff Writer: Isabel Braverman Ad Sales Associates: Eileen Hennessy, ext. 35, eileen@riverreporter.com Joanne Geraine, ext. 32, joanne@riverreporter.com Would you like copies for your place of business? Contact: Breann at 845/252-7414, ext. 21 or breann@riverreporter.com
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 3
Simple but elegant The log cabin all grown up By JANE BOLLINGER Building a new house is always an adventure, and for Paul Plumadore and Jim Tindell of Milanville, PA building their home on River Road has been the adventure of a lifetime. Plumadore had been coming to Milanville since 1983, weekending in a “funky little cottage” on the property. But everything changed in 2007, after a two-decades- long dispute over his inheritance of the riverfront parcel was fi nally resolved, and Tindell, who’d long been saving money to invest in real estate, made an offer. “It was then that we decided to invest right here where we already were,” Plumadore said. “The question was: build what?” What they decided on was a log house, and for this, they turned to a well-known Beach Lake, PA company that specializes in custom-built log houses, Estemerwalt Log Homes. “We wanted to create a house that was something between a rustic log cabin feeling and something more modern,” Plumadore explained. Tindell joined in, “It’s laid out a bit like a barn. Having it look like a barn was a conscious decision.” From day one, the design process was defi nitely a collaboration. As Plumadore tells it, he sketched the original floor plan and took it to Kurt Propst and Elizabeth
Reece, Estemerwalt’s principles, who represent the fourth and fi fth generations respectively in the family-owned lumber business. “They kept making drawings for us,” Plumadore recounted. “We kept tweaking.” Still holding down jobs in New York City, they spent weekends in the country planning their house. “Paul loved the process,” Jim reported. “Mondays he’d be there at Estemerwalt—every Monday.” “It was the most fun I ever had in my life,” Plumadore said. “I loved it. I was involved in every single step of the design.” The main living quarters are laid out entirely on the ground floor, including master bedroom and full bath, kitchen, living room, screened-in porch, mudroom and garage. Offices and media room are upstairs, and perched on top of the house—from the outside it looks like a square tower—is a sitting room/observation point that overlooks an extensive flower garden and the open field that extends all the way to the Delaware River. By way of explanation, Plumadore confessed, smiling, “I always wanted a tree house.” “You can see the river from here,” he said, “or watch the eagles. It’s like an observatory, especially in winter when there’s a snowstorm, or when there’s lightening. It’s great to observe the sky.” The house has no basement; given
In this photograph, a piece of modern sculpture frames a three-story tower, with a small observation room on top that opens to a grand view extending all the way to the Delaware River. The tower houses the main stairwell. By moving the stairs to an exterior/perimeter wall, the homeowners gained space in their living quarters. The second story exterior is shingled with cedar.
Paul Plumadore, left, and Jim Tindell sourced this big boulder from a local quarry and had it custom cut to create a garden bench.
4 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
its proximity to the river, building on a concrete slab seemed the best course of action. Another big decision was not to extend rounded logs to the interior walls, opting instead for flat surfaces. Construction began in 2011, and it took a two-man team, headed by Garry Sheard of Boyds Mills Builder’s, two years to complete both the log construction and interior woodworking. As construction progressed, Plumadore and Tindell, still weekenders, described the anticipation they felt each time they arrived at the close of the workweek to discover what progress had been made. “They were always here working,” Plumadore said, offering not only enthusiastic praise
for their work ethic but also their fi ne craftsmanship. As construction neared an end, the homeowners decided to tackle the indoor fi nishing work themselves. As with many house construction projects, they found they had exhausted their budget by that point. “All the staining and polying was done by us,” they explained, Plumadore adding, “We should never have thought of pickling,” a whitewashing technique they used on the flat, wooden interior walls. In a log house where one might expect to see mostly rustic décor, the homeowners Continued on page 16
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 5
TRY THIS
Build a root cellar
For storing root vegetables long into fall and winter By BILLY TEMPLETON Up from Michael Denman’s self-dug pond, on his land in Grahamsville, NY, a great blue heron swoops low in an attempt to pilfer his brown trout before it recognizes the humans below, abandons its landing and disappears into the woods. We follow a trail around the water, trod many times by his daughter and her horse, Oreo, over to the chicken coop and up stone steps to a gate and arbor overflowing with a massive trumpet vine that leads into the Denmans’ terraced gardens. Standing there, amidst the orange trumpet flowers, the hum and chirps of ruby-throated hummingbirds and buzz of bumblebees sound as if they are being fed through a sound system. Each of the three tiers of raised-bed gardens has been carved into the sloped landscape by Denman and then reinforced with a series of stone walls. As we walk around beds of carrots, cabbages, sunflowers and lettuce, Denman leads me along a narrow path aside the greenhouse to a small wooden door set between two rock walls and tucked under a giant slab of stone. This small, dark room is Michael Denman’s pride and joy—his root cellar. In the early 1990s, Denman purchased a few acres of land just south of Denman Mountain, where his ancestors lived for generations, and he began work building his own home and laying the foundation for a modern-day homestead. Soon after he purchased the land, Michael got married. With his wife, Kathy, the two began designing and working to create their dream home. Much of their property consists of a steep slope, but rather than attempt to work against nature, the Denmans decided to utilize as many of these unique characteristics as possible. Digging a root cellar into the side of the hill was one of the fi rst projects they completed. Underground storage facilities have existed in one form or another ever since food has been harvested with surplus. Some experts claim that Native Australians were the fi rst to bury their yams to keep them fresh over 40,000 years ago. Modern root cellars like the Denmans’ have come a long way since then. Although his structure is built into the earth, Denman has constructed the room out of reinforced concrete to ensure a secure, well-insulated structure that does not suffer from leaks or drainage problems. In order to effectively store food in a root cellar, three important factors must be considered. First and foremost, cellars
6 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
Photos by Billy Templeton
The Michael Denman family of Grahamsville, NY built their house at the top of a hill and then terraced the slope for an extensive vegetable garden.
This greenhouse enables these homesteaders to start their gardening season early. They extend the season at the other end by storing their harvest in a root cellar that Michael Denman built into the hill at the edge of the family’s vegetable garden.
Homesteader Michael Denman, framed by stone walls on each side and a huge stone slab above, stands at the door of the root cellar he dug into the hillside in his vegetable garden. Denman has helped other people build root cellars, too.
must be able to keep food cool enough to store properly in the warm months and prevent freezing when the temperature drops. The temperature inside the cellar should range between 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, it is important to consider the humidity, as most vegetables require a higher level to avoid drying out. Maintaining 85 to 95% humidity is ideal for most storage. Michael solved this problem by allowing a certain amount of ground water to enter the bottom of his structure. Many choose to keep the floor of the cellar bare, as the dirt does an excellent job maintaining the temperature and humidity. Finally, air circulation is a necessity in root cellars. Almost all underground structures have at least one air vent that allows air to circulate. This aids the process by allowing a certain amount of airflow to regulate the temperature in the insulated room, while also providing a means to release unwanted gases. Although root cellars have historically been associated with homesteaders, large farms are increasingly fi nding that this low-maintenance strategy for preserving fruit and vegetables is both cost efficient and effective. Without using a single watt of electricity, an entire harvest of carrots, onions, or apples can be stored until well after the fi rst of the year. And it is because of the cellar that many farms are now able to offer produce to their customers throughout the entire year. Winter farmers’ markets now take place in both Sullivan and Wayne counties. Some farms are now even offering winter Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares of storage vegetables to consumers. At the Anthill Farm in Honesdale, PA, farmer Sky Ballentine has invested in a large, two-room root cellar, which has allowed him to expand his business and explore new markets. Winter squash, beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, potatoes, garlic, onions and apples are just some of the produce being preserved on the farm. Properly storing each type of fruit or vegetable can be a challenge. “Different crops have different needs and most of the storage crops are alive, so we are dealing with live plants,” says Ballentine. Some plants are uprooted and hung allowing the vegetable to continue ripening. Having two separate rooms allows for different levels of humidity and temperature ranges. It also allows farmers to keep certain produce like potatoes separated from those that would cause faster rotting, like apples, which emit ethylene gas. Continued on page 7
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This year, Ballentine will be selling his produce throughout the winter through a new buying club, The Lackawaxen Farm Company. This model will allow customers to purchase locally grown produce online and have it delivered to one of several drop-off points throughout the region. One of the challenges of living in the northern climate is fi nding locally grown produce throughout the year. Too often, gardeners or farmers’ market shoppers are forced to purchase produce from halfway around the world during the winter months. Thankfully though, options like winter markets and local buying clubs (thanks in large part to the lowly root cellar), residents of northern areas now have more options for fi nding locally grown winter food. The art of root cellaring does not always mean burying concrete structures underground, and can involve much creativity. It can just as easily mean digging a hole in the yard and nestling in a can full of rutabagas, or storing a box of potatoes in the basement. In their effort to maximize the potential of their property, the Denmans have built an additional raised-bed
garden on top of their cellar. Currently, they grow potatoes and sweet corn in that space. The preservation of food can be simple, inexpensive and effective as long as the temperature and humidity are held and pests, such as mice and voles are held at bay. Burying hardware cloth around the location where vegetables are stored is one effective measure used to keep out unwanted vermin. Root cellars are also extremely versatile. Because of the darkness and their consistent cool temperatures, they make an ideal location to ferment food (a time-honored food preservation method) and to store beer and wine. As the sun sets on the opposite horizon of Denman Mountain, Michael plucks a few carrots from one of the raised beds, walks over to a spring flowing from a pipe into the upper level of the garden, washes and hands them to me. “A snack for your ride home,” he says. And though there is nothing quite like a fresh carrot washed in cold spring water, I’d be willing to bet that those carrots will taste just as fi ne during the dead of winter.
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 7
TASTEMAKER
Joncy Bennett’s wabi-sabi life A work in progress
By CASS COLLINS Joncy Bennett’s home/studio is a study in wabi-sabi, the Japanese aesthetic devoted to the acceptance of imperfection and impermanence. It is hard to ignore the contrast between the skilled perfection of his handmade furniture and the modest aesthetic of his home in Callicoon Center, NY. For Bennett, life is “a work in progress,” and he has his priorities straight when it comes to what gets attention. When we fi rst met, his wedding day was just three weeks away and Bennett had three projects in various stages of fi nish. He was determined to get them done before departing for his honeymoon in Greece. One gets the sense he is on target to meet all his goals. The “love of his life” is one Tina Del Purgatorio, a social worker in one of Bedford-Stuyvesant’s junior high schools in Brooklyn. Her initials, in a Gothic font, are the only visible tattoo on Bennett’s lean and muscular frame. The job is one she loves, he says, and that makes it easier to imagine her enjoying the rough and tumble nature of Bennett’s studio/home on the Callicoon creek. It is not clear at fi rst that anyone lives at the Bennett address. Across the road stands a sturdy farmhouse. But Joncy (his name is from the town in France where he was conceived) claimed the barn as his home as soon as he set foot on the land. Randy Florke, a designer and realtor and owner of The Rural Connection (theruralconnection.com) whom Bennett met on a job in Brooklyn, showed him the property in 2003, when he was looking for studio space outside the city, with its increasing property values. “I was here for a half minute before I knew it was mine,” says the craftsman. “I had an accepted offer before I was back in the city that day.” At the time, Bennett was single and looking for work space for his growing business, building bar and restaurant interiors in places like SoHo and Brooklyn. He had grown up in a converted carriage house on Downing Street in Greenwich Village in an artistic family who always spent summers and vacations in the country. His parents had restored an old schoolhouse in Columbia County. His father, John Bennett, is a sculptor and painter, and his mother, Karen Lee Grant was the advertising creative director for Ralph Lauren for many years. “I derive a lot of inspiration from nature,” says Bennett, and his work affi rms it. A shelf in his living room is home to a dozen or so mirrors of varying sizes framed in spalted maple, a natural process that causes streaks of black and brown to form along fungal pockets in the wood. Next to the tightly grained light maple, natural abstract designs are created. The mirrors are not for his own introspection. Bennett just hasn’t thought of the right way to market them, since all are priced the same in his mind, no matter the size. “I bought this place for the solitude,” Bennett says, as Jesse, one of two kittens he named for the lead characters in the television series ‘Breaking Bad,’ rubs against his arm for attention. “I spend about 50% of my time here. People ask, ‘What are you going to do when you’re married?’ I say, ‘the same thing we do now—until we have kids,’” whereupon his voice drifts off. The couple has an apartment in Washington Heights, which makes Joncy’s ride upstate pretty smooth, while Tina still has to do Continued on page 10
8 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
Joncy Bennett specializes in furniture made from American woods and uses ecologically friendly finishes. Here is his sketch, right, of the table seen above. Location photos by Cass Collins
Arti Artisan/wood craftsman Bennett derives his inspiration from nature. He practices forest stewardship on his own forest land. fore
This humble barn serves as studio working space and parttime home for master wood craftsman, furniture maker Joncy Bennett.
Photo from joncybennett.com
Bennett’s fine woodwork can be found at restaurants in New York City. His medium comes from the forests of the Upper Delaware River Valley.
A handmade chandelier is one of several that light up the cavernous spaces of his barn/home/studio.
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TASTEMAKER Continued from page 8
battle with public transportation for her daily trip to the far reaches of Brooklyn. Bennett’s work in progress on the day we met included an American walnut gun rack he designed for a collector. The precisely cut and fi nished pieces of the yet-to-be assembled cabinet temporarily adorn the dining table in Bennett’s home, next door to the studio. He uses a finishing process developed by Sam Maloof, the famous woodworker and chairmaker. It is a three-part mixture of wax and oil that lets the grain and natural color of the walnut glow. “When I started making furniture,” says Bennett, “I built the piece fi rst, then fi nished it. Now I fi nish fi rst, then build.” By “build,” he really means “assemble,” because every component is precisely cut and joined, using an age-old mortise and tenon process. A schoolhouse blackboard in his studio charts the day’s work like an assignment. Bennett learned his study skills at some of the best public schools in New York City, including P.S. 41, Wagner Junior High and Bronx High School of Science. At the University of Colorado at Boulder, he studied studio art, philosophy and geography before apprenticing to a cabinet-maker. This is a well-rounded man who takes his work seriously. Recently, Bennett built a solar kiln on his adjoining property to dry lumber for his work. It has the appearance of an ordinary workshed until you get close and see the fans spinning through a translucent roof. Gianni Piperno, a local retired scientist and friend to Bennett, has 420 acres of hardwood butternut, maple, ash, cherry and poplar that he and Bennett harvest together. Bennett has begun to practice stewardship on his own acreage and already sees the improvement that proper amounts of light and air bring to a forest. Bennett clearly relishes his work. “I’m a project person,” he says. “I like the problem-solving… It’s always challenging and very rewarding work. I love doing it. I’ll always do this. There’s no retirement.” He clearly has the ability to multi-task, as he juggles preparations for his wedding along with three work projects and plans to improve his living quarters. The barn adjoins an old stone silo that Bennett envisions as a pool someday, with a stone patio. He calls this his “wildest idea,” and the one whose “concept changes the most” over time. His upstairs sleeping quarters are dramatically rustic. The vaulted ceiling is home to giant wooden chandeliers he built, but his summer bedroom, off in a corner, is nothing fancy—it’s a place to sleep. Two cube structures, eight feet per side, live on this upper level too, that also shares room for lumber storage. The cubes are sleeping rooms on wheels. Bennett designed them to roll out over the central staircase in winter, drawing heat from the wood stove below. In summer,
10 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
The headboard of this bed is made from reclaimed barn wood. The frame and end tables, suspended from the headboard, are dyed ash. they are rolled back into corners of the barn and serve as guest quarters, just another of the works in progress, Bennett explains, noting the unfi nished chipboard exteriors. The living quarters in the barn are designed to be adaptable to the seasons. In the summer, a porch next to the kitchen, with a view of the creek below, becomes an extension of the living space. In winter, sliding panels of glass yield a greenhouse. “I use everything,” says Bennett, “There’s no waste, ever.” His crafted furniture is spare and modern with occasional dis-
This modest bed, also handmade, is where Bennett lays down his own head to sleep after a day’s work in his studio.
tinctive accents but no hardware. A kitchen island is made to open and close without knobs or handles to disturb its smooth facade. Other pieces in Bennett’s portfolio use minerals like 300-million-year-old Himalayan salt. A piece of the pink translucent mineral sits on a window sill in Bennett’s living room. The man who was looking for solitude a decade ago may fi nd less of it in the future, as both his business and his family grow. But that’s all part of the exciting and varied ‘work in progress’ that is Joncy Bennett’s life. Contact: joncybennett.com or 917/371 3222
This odd-looking cube, which can easily be moved from place to place, serves as a guest bedroom.
A blackboard in Bennett’s studio charts his day’s work. The pieces of a custom-made gun rack cabinet lie on a table, above left, awaiting assembly. The finished display case next to it, right, is also for a gun collection. It is made of American walnut, the drawers and back are lined with velvet, and Bennett also fabricated the brass hardware on the cupboard doors.
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*$0 down, 0% A.P.R. Č´ nancing for up to 60 months on purchases of new Kubota ZG (excluding ZG100/Z100/Z700), ZD (excluding ZD331LP-72/ZD331-60), BX, B, L, M (excluding M108S/M96S), TLB, ZP, DM, RA and TE, K008, KX, and U Series equipment available to qualiČ´ ed purchasers from participating dealers’ in-stock inventory through 9/30/2014. Example: A 60-month monthly installment repayment term at 0% A.P.R. requires 60 payments of $16.67 per $1,000 Č´ nanced. 0% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental customers. 0% A.P.R. and lowrate Č´ nancing may not be available with customer instant rebate oÎ?ers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. OÎ?er expires 9/30/2014. See us for details on these and other low-rate options or go to www.kubota.com for more information. Optional equipment may be shown.
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www.CreativeEarthLandscape.com A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 11
GARDENING
The joy of seed saving By ADRIANNE PICCIANO (aka The Dirt Diva) Gardeners and small farmers are the guardians of disappearing seed varieties. We have the ultimate freedom to decide what to grow in our gardens. Whereas commercial growers need to give consideration to yield, mechanical harvest and transport, we can select our varieties based on excellent taste, tenderness and eye appeal. Stone-age people domesticated food plants by saving and replanting seeds. Immigrants from all corners of the world came to the USA with their family’s treasured garden seeds sewn into their hat bands and skirt hems to ensure continued enjoyment of foods from the old country. For centuries, farmers have grown crops using seed saved from the previous year’s harvest. What can I save seed from? As long as you are observant, you can save seeds from many kinds of plants. Vegetables, herbs, flowers and trees all produce seed that a person can save for planting in future years. Ornamental flowers are a great place to start. Seed heads result when faded flower heads are left on the plant. Most gardeners snip off the spent blooms (called deadheading) to keep the plant looking neat and attractive. If you left a few of the old blooms on, you’d be able to harvest seed from those heads when the time is right. Herbs are second in their ease of seed harvest, because the seed head is often obvious. If you let your basil, dill, cilantro, oregano, or chives get a little past prime eating stage, they’ll make flower heads, which will then produce seed if left on the plant. Some vegetables are easy to save seed from, and some are more challenging. Beginner level vegetable seed savers can start with peas, beans, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and lettuce. For other vegetables, obtain a book on the topic that will guide you through the growing, harvesting, cleaning and seed-drying process. See my reference list at the end of the article for such a book. When is the time right to harvest seed? On plants grown for flowers, look for dried, brown pods, pouches, or pockets and shake the suspected seed container and listen for a rattling sound. Columbine, Baptisia, Sweet Peas, Love in a Mist and Poppies behave this way. Sometimes the ripe seeds are simply dangling, brown and dry where the flowers were, as in the case of dill, calendula, Echinacea,
12 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
Photos by Adrianne Picciano
This exemplary open-pollinated tomato variety called “Sioux” has been cut open to reveal its seed cavity.
Author Adrianne Picciano examines parsnip plants going to seed.
daisy and sunflower. Sunflower seeds are arranged in a mesmerizing spiral within the center of the flower and are ready to harvest when they begin to fall out on their own. To collect seeds that are not encased in a pod or pouch, you must be observant and be ready to collect those seeds into a paper bag before they fall on the ground, or get eaten by birds. On vegetable plants where you eat a fruit containing seeds, like tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and tomatillos, the time is right when the fruit is so ripe it practically falls off the vine. This is very important, as it ensures ripe seeds. Select almost over-ripe, “poster child” seed-bearing fruit from healthy plants for your seed-saving endeavors. With vegetable plants where you actually eat the seeds, like peas, string beans, or soybeans (Edamame), let the pods mature on the plant to the point of drying, way past eating stage, before you harvest them for seed, or pull up the plants and hang them upside down to dry inside if frost threatens. With vegetable plants where you eat the leaves, as with lettuce, arugula, or mustard greens, you must decide ahead of time that you’ll leave a few plants for seed producing, to let them get over mature to the point of sending up a vertical stalk, which will produce flowers and eventually seed pods. What’s the difference between heirlooms, hybrids and open pollinated varieties? If you are going to save seed for future planting, then you want to plant crops and buy your seeds from the fi rst two categories below: 1. Open-pollinated (OP): These are varieties resulting from pollination by natural agencies, such as the wind or insects, without human intervention. The offspring of open-pollinated seed varieties will resemble their parents. Some OP plants cross-pollinate, like cucumbers, corn and melons, making them difficult to save seed from. Others are self-pollinating, like tomatoes and lettuce, among others. 2. Heirloom: An open pollinated variety that has been passed down from generation to generation, usually a long-time family favorite desired for its taste or appearance. 3. Hybrid: Varieties resulting from the cross pollination of genetically different parents, done in a controlled environment by a plant breeder. Hybrids are usually bred for very specific characteristics, like disease resistance, or good shipping Continued on page 14
A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 13
Ripe seeds cling to seed heads snipped from the tops of dill plants.
SEED SAVING Continued from page 12
quality. The offspring of hybrid plants will not resemble the parents, and seeds will often be sterile (not producing offspring). Hybrids are not good candidates for seed saving. How to tell if a seed or plant is a hybrid? Does F-1, or F-2 accompany its name in the seed catalog description or seed packet? Then it’s a hybrid. Those Early Girls, Big Boys and Sweet 100 tomato plants you bought at the garden center are most definitely hybrids, as are most garden center veggie transplants. What equipment do I need? Once you’ve picked your seed heads or fruits containing seeds, you’re ready for processing. Equip yourself with seed cleaning screens (screens of varying size openings to separate chaff from the seed), a drying screen (to spread your harvested seeds out to dry), a regular mesh kitchen sieve and an old pillowcase. Seed storage containers can be regular envelopes, or airtight glass or plastic containers. See the resource list (at right) below for where to buy seed cleaning screens. Here are some tips on successful seed cleaning, drying and storing: Seed cleaning is basically divided into two methods: dry processing and wet processing. Dry processing is what you’ll do for most flowers and for crops that produce seeds in a pod. This type of seed is usually left to fully mature and dry (turn brown) in the garden. The pillowcase is used to collect the seed heads, and one can gently roll the contents in the closed bag around with your hands to open the seed heads and release the seed. Then the contents are emptied out onto your seed-cleaning screen, where the chaff is separated, and fi nally transferred to your drying screen. Wet processing is the way to go when you’re harvesting seeds that are encased in the damp flesh of a fruit, and is a threestep process that involves removal of the seeds from the fruit, washing to clean the seeds and fi nally, drying. The kitchen
14 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
sieve, cleaning screen and drying screen all come in handy here. Check out my reference list below for a great how-to book on both processes. Seeds must be absolutely dry before storing. You can achieve this by air drying in a place out of direct sun for about a week on an old window screen with a fan set up to circulate air. Never dry seeds in a dehydrator or an oven; it’s just too hot in there. Once your seeds are dry (brittle stage, when attempting to break with your fi ngernail), store your seeds in a location that is dry, dark and cool (50 to 60 degrees). Glass or plastic jars with air-tight lids are best. Be sure to label with the date and name of the variety for next year’s garden season, and pat yourself on the back for making strides to become more self sufficient. Here are some helpful resources for the novice or advanced seed saver: For a comprehensive guide on how to save, clean and store every kind of vegetable and herb seed, pick up a copy of “Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth. For open pollinated and heirloom seeds, from nearest to most distant: Hudson Valley Seed Library (Accord, NY) seedlibrary.org High Mowing Seed Company of Vermont, highmowingseeds.com, or by phone at 802/472-6174 FEDCO Seeds of Maine, fedcoseeds. com, or by phone at 207/426-0090 Seed Savers Exchange of Iowa, seedsavers.org, or by phone at 563/382-5990 For seed-cleaning screens: Hudson Valley Seed Library, seedlibrary.org, or by phone at 845/204-8769 and Horizon Herbs, horizonherbs.com, or by phone at 541/846-6704 [Adrianne Picciano, aka The Dirt Diva, is a Sullivan County-based professional gardener who loves spreading the word about the joy of seed saving, or saving seed from your garden’s plants.]
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 15
LOG HOME Continued from page 4
In some log houses the rounded logs extend to the interior of the house. Here the homeowners opted for flat wooden surfaces. The kitchen, with its modern appliances, celebrates a mix of lightand dark-colored wood.
The home’s main living area has an open floor plan, extending from the kitchen (where the photographer was standing to take the photo), to the dining area with a cathedral ceiling and crystal chandelier, to the living room with its modern stone fireplace. The door at the left gives onto a screened-in porch. The stairs to the right ascend to the upper floors—two offices, a sitting area and a guest bedroom on the second floor, and one more flight up sitting atop the house is an observation room with a magnificent view.
The master bedroom, on the ground floor, features a mix of modern design and artwork as well as antiques, like the mirrored armoire on the left. This eclectic mix of the old and the modern can be seen throughout the house. The screened-in porch expands the couple’s living space to include the outdoors during the summer months.
16 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2013
chose an eclectic mix of modern furnishings and antiques (the business the two men were in for many years). “My mom always said, ‘As long as it doesn’t fight, you can put all sorts of things together.’” Among the home’s modern features are the large windows that overlook the backyard and bring the beauty of the extensive flower garden right into the living space. The garden, they confess, is a lot of work, but its impact on the look and feel of the home is not to be minimized, particularly when everything is in summer’s full bloom. An unusual stone fi replace, inspired by a picture in a magazine, adds another modern touch. Its large slabs were customcut from a boulder quarried in Lakewood, PA. (Another custom-cut boulder in the backyard provides a stone bench for sitting in the garden.) As for environmentally friendly features, there are many. Log construction, done right, is energy efficient, helping hold heat out in the summer and heat in during winter. The house is heated and cooled by a geothermal system, and the concrete floor (attractively studded with pieces of recycled glass and mother of pearl) is radiant-heated. In summer, the concrete slab and floor transfer the coolness of the earth indoors with minimal necessity for turning on the air conditioning. Building a log home When we fi rst set out to fi nd a log home to feature in this issue of Our County Home, we went to talk to Kurt and Elizabeth Reece at Estemerwalt Log Homes, a company that traces its beginnings to the 1880s, when founder Peter Propst opened the Propst Lumber Company in the Lackawanna Valley in Archbald, PA. Later, in the 1920s, Peter purchased the property in Berlin Township, and on it was a beautiful lake, which he christened Estemerwalt—a combination of the names of his three children: Ester, Emory and Walter. In successive generations, Emory ran the family business, followed by his son Robert, who moved the lumber company to its present Beach Lake location. Today, Robert’s son Kurt is company president and Kurt’s daughter, Elizabeth Reece, is director of marketing. Kurt is the one responsible for changing the company’s name to Estemerwalt and for launching the log home business in the 1980s. “In our fi rst year, we made and sold 10 log homes,” Kurt said. “Now, in a typical year, we make between 30 to 50.” Their choice of logs is always Eastern White Pine, a renewable natural resource, harvested regionally. “A 50-mile radius from Beach Lake takes care of our needs easily,” he said. “We are in a great area for this species, and in the East, it’s the best for what we do.” Estemerwalt starts from 11 different basic sizes and shapes of log houses, but, make no mistake, these are not prefab homes. “We never make two houses alike,”
Kurt said. “Each one is unique. Every wall is unique.” Everything is based on the customers’ wishes. “When people come to us, they usually show up with drawings or maybe photos from a magazine,” he explained. “What we do then is sit together and we create a preliminary drawing. After that, we make alterations based on what they want. One thing I do have to say about our customers: they are some of the most educated homebuyers there are. They also have a real desire for a log house; often it’s an old dream and they’ve been waiting to do it for years. Some others are fi rst-time buyers.” Next comes custom cutting the logs. Estemerwalt employs about 20 people within its sawmill and log home production facilities. One piece at a time, they assemble a package of pre-cut logs produced to the fi nal plan’s exact specifications. The next step is selecting a contractor. (Estermerwalt does not do the actual construction.) “The last thing you want to hear from a contractor is ‘I never did one, but I’d sure like to try,’” he laughed. Thus, the company has a tried and tested group of contractors in different parts of the state and the country who have been building log homes for years. “We know who the good people are; they are the ones who will not embarrass us with our customers,” he added. Next comes the permitting process. “At this point our original five pages of simple drawings turn into 15 to 20 pages of specifics—everything that will be needed to pass local and international building codes. After that the subs [subcontractors] put in the foundation, and then the main contractor takes over.” Once a log home is fi nished, the wood fi nish needs very little maintenance. “You’ll never have to paint another wall, never fi ll another nail hole,” he said. “The inside maintenance is next to nothing.” “Is there something different about log houses?” I asked “The one thing I’ve heard, and I’d say I agree, it’s like coming home to a vacation.” Speaking of his own log home, he said,
“That home feels different from any other I’ve lived in.” As for being environmentally friendly, today’s log homes are very energy efficient—the thickness of the wood itself acting as substantial insulation. Modern log homes hold in the heat in winter and keep it out in summer. And then Kurt said something about carbon emission that surprised me. If you cut down a mature green tree and dry it in the kiln, and build a house that’s going to last 100 years or more, the carbon will stay locked up for 100 years. Green thinking also plays a leading role in how the Propst’s run their company. “We have no byproducts,” Kurt said, referring to the manufacturing process. “We burn sawdust in the kiln or sell it for animal bedding, and the bark is sold for landscape mulch. There’s no waste. And the only other energy we need is electricity and some diesel fuel for the heavy machinery.” Finally, we talked about shopping locally. “I am a truly buy-local person,” he remarked. “The better my neighbors do, the better we all do. Perhaps because we see ourselves as small local business, I feel strongly that everyone should buy local.” When Paul Plumadore and Jim Tindell began their house-construction project, they, too made the conscious decision to shop locally. “We wanted everything about the project to be as local as it could be,” and so they sourced both materials and labor locally. They had only praise for everyone involved—contractors and subcontractors alike. Simply elegant is the only way to describe the log house that Plumadore and Tindell have created with the help of many local contractors and businesses. The design of their country home lets them live close to nature—it’s right out their back door. Its many sustainable features reflect their concern for the environment. And their selection of modern and antique furnishings all mixed together makes this house unique and an expression of their own country lifestyle.
An Estemerwalt Log Home under construction.
The company uses Eastern white pine harvested within 50 miles of their manufacturing plant to build its log homes. Logs, like those on the right, have been processed and await construction.
Local and regional subcontractors and vendors whom the homeowners recommend:
Builder: Garry Sheard, Boyd’s Mill Builders, Milanville, PA 570/729-1211 Geothermal installation: T.E. Spall & Sons, Carbondale, PA 570/282-3000 www.thecomfortdoctors.com Quarry: Gustin Stone Supply, Lakewood, PA – 570/798-2460 Ironwork: Robert Kuda, Milanville, PA 729-8357. Kitchen installation: Narrowsburg Kitchens, Regina Moran, 570/253-6600 www.dirlams.com/kitchen.html Solatube installation: Dennis Kouch, Jermyn, PA 570/241-4997 www.solatube.com Electrician: Dan Turner, Damascus, PA 570/224-6104 Architects and Logs: Estemerwalt Log Homes, Beach Lake, PA 570/729-0733 www.estemerwalt.com Industrial glass installation: Sharp Glass, Beach Lake, PA 570/729-8076 Tilework: Mike Brauser, Milanville, PA 570/729-7664 Plumbing supplies: Roche Supply, Honesdale, PA 570/ 253-3466 Electrical fixtures: Friedman Electric, Scranton, PA 570/343-2461 www.friedmanelectric.com Internet and sound system: Cronk’s Electronics, Thomas Cronk, Liberty, NY 845/292-5437 www.cronks-electronics.com
The walls of log homes have interlocking pieces that keep the structure airtight without having to maintain caulking between the logs.
Summer living for homeowners Paul Plumadore and Jim Tindell includes tending a vegetable garden, and later enjoying the fruits of their labors.
A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 17
ASK THE EXPERT
Do-it-yourself solar By JACK BARNETT Do-it-yourself (DIY) solar systems are starting to pop up across northeast Pennsylvania, after a series of free public forums hosted by the non-profit group Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support (SEEDS). SEEDS held a series of three workshops in April 2013, plus another session over two evenings in June this year. More than 40 people attended each session to learn how to self-install a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on their homes. For decades, solar PV has been easiest way to generate your own electricity, supplementing the utility-supplied electricity and greatly reducing your home’s electric bills. But over the past six years the prices for PV panels have dropped nearly 80%, so solar is now affordable for many more people. And for those who are comfortable using wire-strippers and driving lag-bolts, while also climbing on a roof, it’s even more affordable by doing the installation yourself. This year’s workshop was taught by Blair Buselli of Shekinah Solar and Buselli Plumbing Heating & Electric of Beach Lake, PA, a nationally certified solar installer and electrician licensed in both NY and PA. Blair actually got into the solar business after attending a professional solar installer training class hosted by SEEDS back in 2008. Since then he and the family business have installed over 30 systems, both solar hot water and PV, across our region. This year’s DIY workshop covered all the basics of a residential PV installation, using the newer micro-inverter technology that simplifies compliance with electrical safety and building codes and therefore is much easier for the DIYer. The workshops covered topics such as safety issues, design and permitting, applying for interconnection with the utility, attachment methods for various roof types, installing the inverters, bonding and grounding, installing the panels, making the connections at the circuit-breaker box, commissioning the system, and then ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Buselli showed several videos recorded during an actual PV installation, as well as a training segment of an asphalt roof to demonstrate many of these concepts to the audience. During this year’s session, there was also a brief segment on the economics of solar energy and how to calculate the rate of return if you are considering an investment in a PV system. New York residents are eligible for state renewable energy incentives that can pay for nearly a third of the cost, but require a certified and licensed installer. Therefore Sullivan and Orange county residents usually fi nd it makes better sense (and cents) to hire a professional installer instead of DIY. Since the Pennsylvania Sunshine program is unfunded this year, there are no state incentives currently available for PA homeowners. However, PA and New York residents and businesses can benefit from a federal income tax credit of up to 30% for the cost of renewable energy systems (but not DIY labor), currently available through December 2016. According to SEEDS Executive Director Jocelyn Cramer, as a result of the SEEDS forums held so far, at least four orders have been placed for solar installation kits, which include all the hardware needed for a basic 14-panel PV system. Buselli charged around $8,000 for this year’s kit, which, when properly installed on an unshaded, south-facing roof or other structure, should generate approximately 3500 kilowatt-hours or more of electricity annually for the homeowner. SEEDS members Kathy Dodge and Pete Snyder of Lake Ariel, PA placed their order for a DIY kit last year and completed their installation earlier this summer. Snyder estimated it took him and his helpers about 60 hours to install the system on the metal roof of their studio. The steep roof and his choice to orient the Continued on page 20
18 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
Pete Snyder tackles a do-it-yourself solar PV installation after learning the ropes at a sustainable energy workshop.He estiamtes it took him and a couple of helpers about 60 hours to complete the project.
The steep roof on this small studio building and the decision to orient the panels with their long sides horizontal made the installation a bit more complicated than many others.
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DIY SOLAR
What does a Solar PV System cost?
Continued from page 18
panels in landscape (long-side horizontal) meant it was a more complicated installation than many. Each site and installation will be different, with various layouts and challenges. In addition, townships will have different permitting and inspection requirements. And the utilities may have differing requirements for approving the system, but all will require an electrical inspection, at minimum. After the installation was fi nished and commissioned, Dodge said, “It’s exciting to see the electric meter counting backwards, knowing that’s money we won’t have to pay to the utility.” NY and PA, like most states, require their utilities to provide “net-metering” for small electricity producers such as residential PV systems. Net-metering means when the sun is shining and electricity is produced by the PV panels (measured in kilowatthours or kWhr) that the home can’t use right then, the utility will take the excess, sell it to the neighbors, and provide the PV owner with a credit for each kWhr. Then at night or on cloudy days, the PV owner can use those kWhr credits to get electricity from the grid without having to pay for them. This eliminates the need for expensive, heavy, toxic and high maintenance batteries or electricity storage for most PV systems. PV system owners also get the comfort
Site quality | orientation & shading System sizing | usually limited by: physical site issues, max of 110% of annual electric usage or available budget Cost approximations/rules of thumb NE PA 2013-14 costs for an “average” professionally installed ‘basic’ PV system: $4 to 3.50/wattdc With DIY labor: ~$2/wattdc for just the ‘basic’ materials Dont forget permit and inspection costs To be certain | Get one or more installation estimates from a certiȴed solar PV installer Look for North American Board of Certiȴed Energy Professional (NABCEP) dc - Direct Current
of knowing most or all of their electricity is being cleanly produced without the environmental damage, pollution and carbon emissions from the mining, drilling and burning of fossil fuels, or the concerns of nuclear power. There are no moving parts in solar PV systems and the components are often warranteed for up to 25 years. Many systems installed in the 1970s are still producing electricity for their owners. So while the payback period for a professionally installed PV system can be 15 or more years, the system will most likely be producing power for decades and protecting its owners from rising electricity prices far into the future. Cramer said, “SEEDS is all about sustainable energy, but the least costly kWhrs are the ones never used. So energy conservation is always our fi rst recom-
"YOUR PLAN FOR SUCCESS"
mendation to homeowners and businesses.” Several other SEEDS forums this past year have been about building high-performance homes, heating systems, and how best to weatherize buildings to save as much energy as possible. This year SEEDS received a grant from the John and Helen Villaume Foundation to purchase a solar hot water system for installation on a Habitat for Humanity home in Wayne County. Since there was no new Habitat construction project this year, SEEDS volunteers visited several current residents of past Habitat homes and selected the best solar site. The Busellis donated their labor for the installation, and the sun will be fueling up to 50-80% of the hot water used in the home over the coming years. To learn more, visit the SEEDS website at seedsgroup.net/ or call 570-245-1256.
Blair Buselli teaches a recemt DIY solar PV installation class for SEEDS, a local non-profit that promotes sustainable energy.
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20 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
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The River Reporter’s 19th Annual THE BEST BALLOT IS BACK!
We have revamped our ballot and it’s better than ever! We ask that you simply vote for the people, places or businesses that you think are the BEST. Thank you for your participation and we look forward to receiving your votes. If there is a category that we are missing, let us know! We will publish our 2014 WINNERS in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards “BEST” supplement in January 2015.
Good Luck to all!
BEST PLACES FOR FOOD & DRINK
2014 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
BEST BUSINESSES & SERVICES Auto Service Station _________________
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Pet Boarding/Pampering ______________
Child Care Provider__________________
Pet Grooming /Groomer ______________
Christmas Tree Farm _________________
Pharmacy _______________________
Eye Care Center ____________________
Photography Studio _________________
Elder Care Facility __________________
Plumbing & Heating Supply ____________
Emergency Room ___________________
Rehabilitation Services________________
Engaging Facebook Page ______________
Recycle & Transfer Station ______________
Fitness Center _____________________
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 21
Knotweed out of control What’s a homeowner to do?
By J. C. B. HUGGARD Knotweed is more than a nuisance. It’s an epidemic in these parts. Dense stands of this noxious, invasive species crowd along roadsides and waterways, affecting ecosystems by pushing out native plants and limiting plant and animal species diversity. Along streams and rivers, it overwhelms native plants that help stabilize riverbanks, increasing the risk of erosion and flooding. Every day on my way to work, I drive past a wellestablished and extensive stand of knotweed on Route 652 east of Beach Lake, PA. There, this summer, I have followed the progress of one very determined man who is battling knotweed on the shore of a lovely large pond. It’s an uphill fight, but one patch of knotweed seems to be diminishing. Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum, also called Fallopia japonica) and giant knotweed (Polygonum sachalinense) have their origins in Japan and East Asia and were introduced in the U.S. as ornamentals in the late 1800s. Knotweed is a tall-growing (six to 10 feet), hollowstemmed, non-woody (herbaceous), perennial plant that seems to be spreading nearly everywhere in our region. Chances are, if you’re a landowner, you may have a stand of knotweed on your own country property and you’re wondering how to get rid of it. Getting rid of knotweed is not for the faint of heart; it requires persistence, persistence, persistence. Following a burst of growth in early spring (March or April), knotweed’s flowers emerge in July and its seeds mature in August and September, though seeds are not the primary way knotweed spreads. More insidious are its rhizomes (underground stems), which spread easily in soil, and are so determined that they can push through asphalt, concrete retaining walls and building foundations. Even a very small piece of rhizome that is moved to another site will produce a new plant. Soil in which knotweed has grown should be treated as contaminated. To control knotweed, you must control the plant’s rhizome system. Any control efforts need to target what’s going on underground with the rhizomes—you need to target what you cannot see. So, here’s the ecology-minded homeowner’s dilemma: whether to use an herbicide or not “And that’s the thing,” according to Jamie Myers of the National Park Service, a biologist for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River and a licensed herbicide applicator. “You can’t kill knotweed completely without using herbicides, but you can do a pretty good job of controlling it.” The literature shows that repeated cutting once a week at a minimum will control the plant. Like any treatment, it depends on how much you have. If you have a brand new infestation that’s just getting established, then you can go and cut it and it won’t require that much effort. If you’re looking at acres and acres, that’s not really feasible. “You can’t just run over it with a lawn mower. You want to use a weed whacker with a metal blade or a machete. Keep in mind, you want to make just one pass through each stalk. If you mince up the plant, that will just help it spread. Another method that has some rate of success [without using an herbicide] is to do a cutting and cover with plastic.” Clear may work better than black plastic. Here are two information sources prepared by Penn State that do rely on herbicides for eradicating knotweed. This choice is offered very reluctantly by The
River Reporter, because unfortunately the herbicide of choice, recommended as most effective is glyphosate, e.g. Monsanto’s Roundup™ (or Rodeo™, which is the version of Roundup™ recommended for application near aquatic habitats) (http://tinyurl.com/mrmjm5l and http:// tinyurl.com/l4tnnkz). These two information sheets recommend using as many control methods as possible and establishing a planned program of control, maintenance and establishing new vegetation.
Control phase: cutting and treating • Late (single) cut & treat with herbicide: June 1, cut away foliage; re-growth will come back only two to four feet tall Between August 1 and the killing frost, treat with glyphosate application (Note: If you do not cut the knotweed by June 1, treat with glyphosate between July 1 and first frost)
• Multiple cut & treat with herbicide: A big decision in fighting knotweed is whether to use an herbicide. If using, a special kind of aquatic herbicide must be used near any body of water and some states require permitting in advance.
Cut twice in the spring Follow with a glyphosate application between August 1 and a killing frost.
Maintenance phase: additional treating Apply after August 1; if treatments are successful, then apply maintenance program on a two-year cycle. A conversation with Jamie Knecht, watershed specialist at the Wayne County Conservation District, led to another method of using glyphosate. “We use the product called Rodeo™, which is the aquatic version of Roundup…. Our preferred method of using it is through injection. This way the product is injected directly into the plant stalk itself, and when the plant translocates the sugars that it produces down into its rhizomes, it also moves the Rodeo™ and is killed that way. This injection method is low-impact and very effective. The National Park Service uses this methodology on their sites as well. We completely understand that people have concerns about using Rodeo™; some of the landowners we talk with do as well [because] most of these sites are so close to water resources.”
Re-vegetative phase
One man’s heroic efforts to prevent knotweed from establishing itself on this lovely large pond near Beach Lake, PA are a never-ending project. But his persistence may be paying off if the brown stubble of knotweed plants seen here is any indication.
Roadside sites where knotweed has been killed will revert to crown vetch after a few seasons. Trying to reestablish grasses does not always work well (works better after giant knotweed than after Japanese knotweed). But establishing new vegetation is a vital step in gaining control over knotweed. Suggestions for what to plant include: Fast-growing trees (dogwoods, willows, birches, alders, poplars including tulip poplar, sycamore, sourgum or black gum or sweet gum, aspen, black locust, blackcherry, pin oak, white pine or silver maple), shrubs (viburnums, shadbush, bayberry, chokeberry, box elder, sweet pepperbush), herbaceous vegetation (black-eyed susan, black cohosh, wild ryes such as Virginia wild rye or riverbank wild rye, blue stems, swithcgrass, Indian grass, Joe-Pye weed, New York ironweed, or fowl blue grass). This information was developed for a workshop and was prepared in 2003 by DRIPP (the Delaware River Invasive Plant Partnership). Continued on page 24
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 23
KNOTWEED Continued from page 22
Disposal of plants Once knotweed has been cut, it is essential to dispose of it properly to prevent new infestations. Knotweed can be burned or buried, but it cannot be composted while “green.” If you pile it up, make sure it dries out thoroughly, but you must monitor the pile to make sure it doesn’t re-sprout or get blown into new areas or washed into a stream or pond. Placing plant remains on plastic or some other impermeable surface is recommended. If the plants are buried, some sources recommend to bury them at least 10 feet deep.
Bio-control Finally, biologists have been testing under carefully controlled conditions whether biocontrol of knotweed is possible. They are looking at a bug called a psyllid, a tiny sap-sucking insect related to aphids (Aphalara itadori). This bug from Asia loves knotweed, but the issue is whether it also will eat our native plants and produce unintended consequences if it is released widely. The history of biological control tells us of many past mistakes where the “control” caused more trouble than the original target.
[Editor’s note: Once you have weighed all appropriate weed management options for the situation on hand, and a decision has been made to use herbicide, there are still several important factors to consider involved in using herbicides safely and effectively. This includes reading the label of the herbicide you are using completely, following the label for dosage, intended species and wearing the required personal protective equipment (PPE). Also be sure to check your state’s registered use pesticide list. Find the New York State list at http:// tinyurl.com/3ah66k. Pennsylvania uses the National Pesticide Retrieval Information System at http:// state.ceris.purdue.edu/ (click on the map of Pennsylvania and follow the instructions). Note: Pennsylvania also requires permits from its Department of Environmental Protection AND its Fish and Boat Commission (FBC) for stream bank application of pesticides; you can find the permit on the FBC website at http://tinyurl. com/n7pdzz2).]
Top 10 tips for controlling knotweed 1. 2. 3. 4.
Know how it spreads Don’t dig it up. (You won’t get it all.) Replant with native or non-invasive plants Cut repeatedly. (Bag and properly dispose of cut stem fragments; stems in water or on damp soil may produce viable plants within six days; if cut stems cannot be burned, recommendations include carefully sealing them in plastic bags or spreading and drying them in the sun, away from water or exposed soil. (Remember, even moist stalks in the center of a pile can re-sprout.) 5. Cover and shade it (clear plastic may work better than black plastic) 6. Decide if you will use herbicide 7. Avoid experimenting with household solutions 8. Support research for natural controls 9. Keep learning and teaching 10. AVOID PLANTING IT! [Note: These tips were prepared by the Delaware River Invasive Plant Partnership for a workshop. It was re-posted in the Internet by beaverkillfriends.org/ Pages/NewsKnotweedTips.html]
OSBORNE’S
Two tiers of knotweed are seen here in this well established roadside stand. Close to the road, it has been cut back, but behind it, the knotweed has grown to its full height. Knotweed is problematic for highway departments and often block drivers’ vision at intersections.
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GETTING GREEN?
Green Outlet: Committed to the environment and community By ISABEL BRAVERMAN Married couples Mary and Jack Dinan and Lauren and Roy Schlagenhaft decided to open their business three years ago because they saw a need for it in the area. The business is Green Outlet in Honesdale, PA—a store that sells new and used furniture, appliances, décor and more. Amid the many chairs and tables in rows around me, and light fi xtures hanging above my head, I recently sat down with the two women of the fourperson team to talk about their store. It felt like a wonderland of home furnishings, an interior decorator’s dream. “We felt that Honesdale could use this kind of a store, that it was a good idea [because of the trend] to repurpose and recycle. There were some similar stores leaving, and we thought there was a need,” said Lauren. Most of the items in their store are recycled. They buy things from individuals and contractors, as well as from closeouts, discontinued items and estate sales. Mary said they source from a wide array of places and avenues. They have dressers, kitchen and dining room sets, washers and dryers, bathtubs, mirrors, and small things like tins, plates, boxes; the list goes on. “You could buy a tiny thing for 50 cents here, or you could buy a kitchen. We have something for everybody,” said Mary. True to its name, Green Outlet is a green business. I asked Mary and Lauren about how their store is sustainable, and they both said it’s because the things in their store would have otherwise ended up at the dump/in the trash. “Things that normally would get thrown in the dumpster have a chance at being reused,” said Lauren. “I can’t imagine how much we’ve actually saved from being tossed in a landfi ll.” The pair also said that a lot of people who come to their store buy things to repurpose. Mary said someone came in recently looking for a countertop and instead bought a table to make into one. “We love when people are clever about things. It’s heartwarming,” she said. Lauren added, “Some of our customers are extremely clever, and it’s great. They bring us pictures of things they’ve done. It’s very cool.” They said that if you are looking for something specific, they will take your name and contact you if anything comes Continued on page 28
26 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
Walking into Green Outlet in Honesdale, PA is like entering a wonderland of tables, dressers, lights and much more.
At Green Outlet you can get a whole new kitchen set, complete with cabinets and countertops.
TRR photos by Isabel Braverman
Green Outlet in Honesdale, PA offers a wide variety of new and used appliances, including washers and dryers and stoves.
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GREEN OUTLET Continued from page 26
up. They also make a point of stocking the store with items they know people want. Not only do they have a wide variety of things to sell, they also get a variety of people who come into the store, from locals to visitors to second-home owners and even people from far away. In fact, during my visit, there was a couple from Long Island whose home was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Their daughter lives in the area, and so they have been coming to Green Outlet frequently to refurnish their house. “We sell to spectrums of people, everyone from someone who needs to furnish their fi rst house to collectors, to antique dealers,” said Mary. Lauren and Mary said one of the benefits of buying used furniture and appliances is that they are unique (you won’t fi nd it anywhere else). They pride themselves on featuring top quality and offering good value (not as expensive as something new). “We have a lot of customers who will check here fi rst before they go to the big box stores,” said Lauren, adding, “Most of my house is from here; there are not many items that I didn’t get from here.” Both women said they have seen a lot of wasted items and materials over the years. “I personally have seen an awful lot of waste” said Mary. “I think when you come to a certain age you want to try to contribute to society in some way. This is my personal feeling of contributing; I feel like I’m doing a good thing. I’m serving the earth and I’m also serving the community, and that’s important to me.” [Green Outlet is located at 45 Brown Street in Honesdale (the green building near Agway). It is open every day, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Its website is kept up to date with photos and prices of what’s in stock. It also has a Facebook page. Visit www.greenoutletonline.com, or call 570/253-1275.]
Green Outlet in Honesdale, PA is located on Brown Street, next to Agway. The store is open seven days a week.
28 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
In addition to furniture and appliances, Green Outlet in Honesdale, PA also offers smaller items like plates and bowls and home décor.
Green Outlet has many unique light fixtures for sale.
You could go to Green Outlet and buy a whole new bathroom with a new or used sink.
Green Outlet has a lot of items for kitchens and dining rooms, like these table sets.
These dressers are a collector’s item.
6XOOLYDQ AYHQXH, 6XLWH /LEHUW\, NY 12754
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PERFECT COUNTRY CAPE
Gracious gardens surround this privately set home. b 3-bdrm, 2-bath. Renovated and ready to move in. bStone patio to benjoy outdoor living. Garage and out buildings. bWalking distance to Toronto Reservoir public boat launch and just minutes to beautiful Bethel Wood Performing Arts Center.
Asking $149,000 b b b MLS# 39364
THREE SEASON VACATION HOME
Relax on the deck while listening to the babbling brook right in your backyard. b3-bdrm 1-bath home can easily be converted for year round use. bAn easy walk to community pool. bWell maintained turnkey home.b
ASKING $89,900 b b b MLS# 38754
BEAVER MOUNTAIN LOG HOME
Situated bon 2 secluded acres overlooking a serene pond. 3-bdrm 1.5-bath. bSave energy with bwood stove in the living room and a pellet stove in the partially ȴnished basement. Screened sun room, rocking chair front porch and back deck provide for ample outdoor fun. Long driveway, sprawling lawns and fruit trees complete the picture.
ASKING $249,000 b b b MLS# 38558
bOVERLOOKING LAKE PARADISE
Cozy cottage nestled in the woods. Relax on the porch while enjoying mountain views and the sound of the waterfall in your side yard. 2-bdrm, brenovated bath and kitchen. bTownship has 2 community pools just minutes away. no HOA fees and low taxes!
Asking $65,000 b b MLS #39272
MORNINGSIDE LAKEVIEW YEAR ROUND HOME
Rights to put dock on lake. Master Suite w/sliders onto huge wrap around deck w/gazebo. bStone ȴreplace in great room and wood stove in basement heat entire house. Community beach and boat launch for small yearly fee. Pool, clubhouse w/entertainment, tennis etc. for annual fee. 3-bdrm. 2-bath. Fully furnished so just bring your toothbrush.
SPACIOUS RANCH INSIDE AND OUT
Custom ranch with quality additions. bCathedral ceilings w/lots of windows to let in the sun. Coal/wood stove for heat as well elec. & hot water baseboard. 2-bdrm, easily converted back to 3. Quiet community but just minutes to shopping, restaurants and more.
ASKING $99,000 b b b b MLS# 38823
Asking $299,900 b MLS# 38983
b3 PONDS, 71+ ACRES bAND A BARN
Magniȴcent home w/substantial addition highlighting an expansive great room & high-end kitchen. All renovations & upgrades to this 4/5 bdrm, 4-bath home were ȴnished with outstanding style and quality. bDon’t miss this amazing home.b
ASKING $375,000 b b b MLS# 37729
ONE-OF-A-KIND PRIVATE COUNTRY ESTATE
Designer owned and featured in Lifestyle Magazine this home is set next to a gorgeous natural waterfall and running stream. 3-bdrm 3-bath main house oers separate guest house, in-ground pool, 2-car garage, wet bar, sauna and 3-ȴreplaces all on 38 acres. This secluded home is a must see!b
ASKING $625,000 b MLS# 36754
LAKE COMMUNITY HOME OFFERS YEAR ROUND LIVING.
Sit on the deck, enjoy lake activities or relax in front of the bluestone ȴreplace. 2-bdrm 2.5-bath. b Walk-out ȴnished basement oers additional living space with a full bath and family room - great for guests. Property is surrounded by lakes, state land and close to world class trout ȴshing. b
ASKING $149,000 b b MLS# 36123
STREAM-FRONT CUSTOM BUILT RANCH
4- spacious bdrms, 2-bath home on 6+ acres with deeded lake rights to Amber Lake. bOpen ȵoor plan, updated kitchen, oak hardwood ȵoors throughout, ȴreplace, sliders to spacious deck for outdoor family gatherings. bCovered front porch. bDetached 4-car garage.bb
COUNTRY COTTAGE WITH LAKE RIGHTS
Move right into this completely renovated charming home with 2-bdrm, 1-bath, loft, large deck and screenedin porch. This home is the perfect low maintenance lake retreat. b
ASKING $85,000 b b MLS3 36059
CUSTOM RANCH HOME
3-bdrm 2-bath home with additional 1-bdrm 1-bath mother-in-law suite. Can add kitchen to make separate apartment-has own entrance. bbSituated on 3+ beautiful acres with great country views.b
ASKING $110,000 b MLS# 34970
ASKING $225,000 b MLS# 37117
A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 29
THE LAST WORD
Country dog, lucky dog! By JOHN HIGGINS When Pip and I moved here last summer, the fi rst thing we both noted is that we don’t need to “walk” our dogs anymore. Nope! Living as we do in the middle of nowhere, it’s as easy as opening the door and letting them roam. Mind you, I keep one eye on them as they walk about the property. NYC had many things but not coyotes or bears (the West Village notwithstanding). It also has subways, and often I would take my dogs to work with me, riding on the subway. Well, that is until I saw that my dog Willy looked so stressed out being on the subway, albeit safely tucked into my oversized attaché. I realized that the sounds, the smells and the crowds of people were overwhelming her. I felt awful. When we left NYC and moved to our country home fulltime, I noticed over the course of the long winter we all endured how much younger my partner Pip looked, and Willy appeared younger and happier, too. Recently, we added a new sweet dog to our family: Patrick Dennis. He’s two years old, a spaniel like Willy—a Cavalier—whom we rescued from a Pennsylvania puppy mill, where he was relied on to be the “stud” dog. But as it turns out, he really didn’t (ahem) perform, so the clock on his time there was ticking. At the rescue service, they were calling him Raider, but when he came to live with us, we changed his name to that of Auntie Mame’s nephew. It just seemed to make perfect sense. Patrick Dennis arrived smelling like a carton of cigarettes and something rather sour. Even at 11:30 p.m. when he arrived all the way from Pittsburgh via a dear friend who likes to drive, I
30 OUR COUNTRY HOME SUMMER 2014
immediately took him into the shower with me and soaped him up with a favorite dog shampoo. Why do dogs always look so sweet and pathetic when they’re wet (not unlike Audrey Hepburn at the end of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”)? When Willy (named after the late great model
Wilhelmina, who was my boss at my afterschool job in high school) cast eyes on him, we watched her perk up in a way we had not seen in two years since our last sweet hound, Bolo, passed away. (Bolo was a dog I loved so much that he is still my Gmail avatar.) In the brief time Patrick has been with us, Willy has taken over as his pal and guide. We think she is teaching him the ropes of life in the country. Now, this new sweet hound wakes
up next to Willy, has a breakfast fit for King Charles and spends the rest of the day being led around the property. I wish I could hear and understand what she might be saying to him. “There’s the guest house. The pool is divine….” I watched as she led him down the path to the old stable, which we have converted to a workspace and guest bedroom suite. (Sidenote: horses are lovely, but not as easy to care for as a dog. Or two.) They each jumped onto the oversized chairs in the shed row, taking turns beating down the oversize pillows (the way Lucille Ball stomped grapes in that vineyard episode). Satisfied with having pummeled each, Willy jumped down with Patrick right behind. Coming back to the main house, they stopped mid-meadow for what appeared to be a rest. Well, a rest that included what looked like the Watusi. How I wish I could roll around in grass like that. Such freedom! It struck me that dogs in the country lead such a different life than their counterparts in the city. Willy and Patrick are far from the maddening pace and safe and far from any traffic. They will occasionally roll around in some deer drops (yeesh!, that sickeningly sweet smell!), but that can be remedied easily in the outdoor shower during the summer months. Frequently I have found them at any one of their favorite destinations, taking a much needed nap in the sun, or shade, as befits their wants. Even now as I write this, I am looking at them side by side and deep asleep. As I work on my laptop, seeing them reminds me to breathe deeply, to look out and around at the abundant sky and to be deeply grateful for this new life, this life in the country.
845-796-1032
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Swinging Bridge Lake 9 Mile Lake Mongaup Valley New York For Sale 3 ½ acres with lake rights 1 acre walking distance to lake 845-701-6580
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE 31
NFL SUNDAY TICKET INCLUDED AT NO EXTRA CHARGE. ONLY ON DIRECTV.
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$
OW! ACT N 9*
99 9 $ 34
9mo.
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For up to 4 rooms
NFL SUNDAY TICKET INCLUDED
ONE HD DVR POWERS YOUR WHOLE HOME.
THIS SEASON INCLUDED AT NO EXTRA CHARGE†
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Offers valid through 10/1/14. Credit card required (except in MA & PA). New approved customers only (lease required). $19.95 Handling & Delivery fee may apply. Applicable use tax adjustment may apply on the retail value of the installation. Programming, pricing and offers are subject to change and may vary in certain markets. Some offers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. *BILL CREDIT/PROGRAMMING OFFER: IF BY THE END OF PROMOTIONAL PRICE PERIOD(S) CUSTOMER DOES NOT CONTACT DIRECTV TO CHANGE SERVICE THEN ALL SERVICES WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUE AT THE THEN-PREVAILING RATES. LIMIT ONE PROGRAMMING OFFER PER ACCOUNT. Featured package/service names and current prices: SELECT $49.99/mo.; CHOICE $66.99/mo.; Advanced Receiver fee $15/mo. In certain markets, a Regional Sports fee of up to $3.63/mo. will be assessed with CHOICE Package or above and MÁS ULTRA Package or above. 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VISIT directv.com/legal OR CALL 1-800-DIRECTV FOR DETAILS. ^GENIE HD DVR UPGRADE OFFER: Includes instant rebates on one Genie HD DVR and up to three Genie Minis with activation of the SELECT Package or above; ÓPTIMO MÁS Package or above; or any qualifying international service bundle, which shall include the PREFERRED CHOICE programming package. A $99 fee applies for Wireless Genie Mini (model C41W) upgrade. Whole-Home HD DVR functionality requires a Genie HD DVR connected to one television and a Genie Mini, H25 HD Receiver(s) or a DIRECTV-Ready TV/Device in each additional room. Limit of three remote viewings per Genie HD DVR at a time. Visit directv.com/genie for complete details. INSTALLATION: Standard professional installation in up to four rooms only. Custom installation extra. To access DIRECTV HD programming, HD equipment required. Number of HD channels based on package selection. Local channels eligibility based on service address. Not all networks available in all markets. 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