Spring
Home & Garden
April 2018 “Living far away, it was nice to have a good contractor you can trust and rely on getting your project done right. Charles and his crew were quick and they made us feel comfortable. Charles Construction was the right choice and we were pleased with or new lake home.” We are proud of our uniquely constructed projects.
• New Homes • Additions • Remodeling Call Chuck for a free estimate 320-894-6254 Spicer, MN
LICENSE # BC632800
www.charlesconstructionllc.com YOU DESERVE THE BEST RESULTS!
001697300r2
D2 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
OPEN HOUSE
April 28th
from 7:30am - 4:00pm Stop in to win: Metallica VIP Ticket Packages, a GE Dishwasher, a Toro Snowblower, and MORE!!!
FREE FOOD
Shredded Turkey with BBQ Sauce, Chips & Beverage
Halvorson Co. of Spicer Inc. 138 Lake Ave N, Spicer, MN 56288
Store Hours: 7:30-5:30 Mon-Fri, 7:30-4:00 Sat, 10:00-4:00 Sun.
001717636r2
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D3
A can of paint is all it takes for a brand new look
By Shelby Lindrud slindrud@wctrib.com ith a bit of paint – and imagination – an old piece of furniture can be transformed into a fresh new designer piece. Reusing, refurbishing and repurposing furniture and other items has become one of the top home decor styles in the country, with entire stores devoted to the practice. One such store is Distressed Treasures of New London, where co-owners and sisters Tammy Parker and Deb West not only sell their own creations, but teach others how to do it themselves. “We took our passion for redoing furniture and home decor and turned it into a business,” Parker said. “We loved the idea of taking something old and giving it new life, turn it into something modern.” Parker and West started refurbishing furniture for themselves and family about five years ago and the popularity of the style has only grown. “You can take something bland in your house and make it a stand out,” West said. The first step is to find the piece of furniture or object that needs a fresh look. “Almost everybody has something in their house. Even a brass lamp can be painted,” West said. Parker said a lot of pieces they redo are decades old, maybe even family heirlooms, but are no longer
W
in style. But, instead of throwing the piece away, refurbishing can give it another life while keeping some of its history intact. “The younger generation want to have some history to it,” Parker said. “A lot of people want to recycle, keeping things instead of throwing it away.” The right piece can also be found in thrift stores, or at garage sales and antique fairs. Parker and West also purchase from auctions. “Wherever we can rummage and find stuff at,” Parker said. When you are ready to paint, the type of paint is important. At Distressed Treasures they recommend Annie Sloan, a brand of chalk paint. It is called chalk paint because of the matte finish it has. However other paint can be used, just make sure to read the instructions on how to prep the piece. Parker said in this region neutral colors are very popular, as is nautical. However, with dozens of different colors to use – the only limit is a person’s creativity. “It is fun to be able to experiment with colors,” Parker said. One new trend is a layered paint look, where one color peaks through a second layer of a different color. One tip the sisters give those trying to paint for the first time is – pick a smaller piece. “Lot of people will pick a really big project,” Parker said, but starting small gives you a chance to get a feel
Erica Dischino / Tribune
Repurposed furniture pieces are for sale April 6 at Distressed Treasures in New London. Co-owners Deb West and Tammy Parker paint recycled pieces of furniture themselves. for the process. It can be daunting to start painting, but Parker and West tell people not to worry and just have fun. “They are always afraid until they do the first piece,” West said. “You can’t screw it up, you don’t have to be crafty.” If for some reason you don’t like the finished product, all it takes is a new can of paint. “You can always change it,” Parker
Give us a call for all your construction needs.
001716959r1
320-235-7906 • www.mkchinc.com
said. For those who might need a little push or encouragement to start painting or creating individual pieces, Distressed Treasures offers classes ranging from furniture painting to sign making and even macrame. “People who take our classes tend to come back,” Parker said.
PAINT: Page D4
D4 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
PAINT From Page D3
Distressed Treasures will also do custom work for those who want the look of repurposed furniture but perhaps don’t have the time to complete a project.
REFURBISHING
The refurbishment movement can also mean changing the use of an item. A dresser can be turned into an entertainment center by removing drawers and adding shelves. Or an old barn door can become a one-of-akind headboard. Old ladders are very popular, either to be used as an art piece or to be used to display quilts and blankets. “They are usually unique,” West said. Refurbishing and repurposing can save a lot of green, both environmentally and financially. It keeps older furniture and items out of the landfill, furniture that can be much better quality than what people today can buy in the store,
Parker said. “We would rather it be redone than take it to the dump,” Parker said. Taking a brush to an entertainment center or kitchen cabinets can also save thousands of dollars. A kitchen redo can cost upward of $40,000, or you can have a fresh new look for the cost of a few cans of paint. “You can make it look awesome,” West said. One of the reasons Parker and West think repurposing has stuck around is because people want more of a say in how their homes look, to personalize it to their tastes. It also goes with people being more aware of what goes in their environment. People are also making their own lotions and candles made from ingredients found in nature. “People are getting into making their own. People like things more pure,” Parker said. And in the end there is nothing like the feeling of putting your finished product in a place of pride in your home and getting to show it off. “People like to take that pride, that they did that,” Parker said.
Erica Dischino / Tribune
Cans of paint used for repurposing furniture sit behind models with the paint color samples on them at Distressed Treasures in New London.
Erica Dischino / Tribune
Deb West, left, and Tammy Parker, co-owners of Distressed Treasures, pose for a photo April 6 at their store in New London.
HAUG-KUBOTA Your Orange Equipment Headquarters! E Hwy 12 – Willmar 320.235.2717
www.haugkubota.com 001715115r1
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D5
Tips for growing healthy tomatoes By Lavonne Swart and Sue Morris Master Gardeners Just in time for spring the Minnesota Horticultural Society magazine, “Northern Gardener” comes out with more information on growing tomatoes. The information was called new and some of it was new and very informative. The authors were Joey and Holly Baird who live in Wisconsin and grow over 100 varieties of tomatoes. Their first statement was to not plant tomatoes until the soil where the roots will be is 55 degrees. If planted any earlier, they will just sit there and not grow, so use a garden or meat thermometer before planting. Use cornmeal to prevent early blight. Early blight is a fungus that overwinters in the soil and infects tomatoes at the bottom leaves, turning them yellow as they begin to wither near the bottom and moving up the plant. They suggest placing a handful of whole grain cornmeal spread around the transplant. This stops the splashing and is 80 to 90 percent effective. If stems and leaves are removed to 6 or 8 inches above the soil, it becomes 100 percent effective. They plan to include corn gluten meal this coming year as it is a weed and feed. This meal stops germination of seed and contains a small amount of fertilizer. The best fertilizer is a 5-5-5, and most in the market are higher than that. Too much nitrogen causes lush leaves and less fruit. The Bairds use a Minnesota product called Sutane, made from turkey droppings and pine bark making an organic blend that is 4-6-4. They also plant their transplants about 2 feet apart in rows and stake them at the same time. The Bairds call this staking the Florida method. It involves a stake at both ends of the row with twine going around both sides of these plants. As the tomatoes grow, more twine is added and sometimes lightly tied to the plant. It also keeps them off the soil and works well for vining plants as well as the tall ones. The Tomato Horn Worm seems to
be their biggest pest. They are hard to see and can do much damage as they grow. They encourage birds to help by moving bird feeders close by. Evidently their eyes are better than ours. This ends the new information as found in “Northern Gardener” Joey and Holly Baird. Now we’ll add some information we’ve come across in the past. When growing tomatoes in pots, plant only one plant in the container. If planting peppers or egg plants you can grow more plants in these containers. Another hint is to pick the first fruit when nearly ripe. It encourages the plant to continue to produce more fruit.
BEES
Several years ago the topic for the evening at the Kandiyohi County Horticulture Society was bees. The speaker was a man from Litchfield. He was very interesting
and informative. When thinking of this meeting, several things come to mind. Bees all have their jobs to do and do them well. Some are the worker bees, some searchers, some door keepers. They crawl out of the hive onto the ground where the dead bee becomes food for ants. The Master Gardener site has more information which we’d like to pass along. Bees start the winter in the bottom of the hive and move up after they have eaten the honey. This honey that was left after harvest keeps them alive and warm. By now they have probably eaten through the middle box and are in the top of the hive. After that they are at the top of the hive and very little honey is left. And our weather outside will leave us with only a few flowers for honey to feed themselves and the new bees they are raising to replace themselves. That means now beekeepers do a reversal, which means putting the top hive on the bottom and cleaning
thoroughly the pile of dead bees that have been accumulating. These bees are older bees that have died. Bees also need to be fed a substitute pollen and sugar syrup mix until flowers start blooming in earnest. Once flowers are blooming the bees will use the preferred pollen – this poor mix will keep them alive but is better than starving. This is a perilous time for bees
TOMATOES: Page D6
001718944r1
Bees have an important job to do
D6 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
From Page D5
as they are more active when the weather warms and this is the time of year they brood and is when they are raising new bees. The queen does not lay eggs during the winter as the cold and care required would be too hard and young bees require a warmer temperature than adult bees. These bees will expand the colonies and expand the population from its winter low. It takes about 3 weeks for the eggs to hatch. Fellow master gardeners Theresa Rooney and Jo Ann Sabin are frequent writers on our list-serve. We appreciate their knowledge and would like to pass on their thoughts on this topic. Did you know that honey bees are the only bees that live as a group all year long? That is why they are the only bee that makes and stores excess honey, because they need food they can eat all winter. We call honey bees superorganism because, even though each little bee lives only four to six weeks, the colony continues to live a multitude of years. This is because the queen lays eggs and the bees raise the brood all spring and summer, shutting down the brood machine as winter approaches. During the winter they hunker down in a big ball, eating their stored honey and keeping each other warm, and especially keeping the queen warm so she can start laying eggs again as spring approaches. When you hear about bees dying they are referring to whole colony (the superorganism that lived year after year) dying after a year or two. It used to be that only 15 percent of the colony died each year. Now the mortality rate in some areas is 40 to 80 percent. Minnesota’s rate is higher than the national average because of our brutal and unpredictable weather. Because more people are becoming interested in bees and because many are replacements, the price for a starter package of a queen and several pounds of worker bees has risen from $35 to $120. Again we thank these gals as well as others for the wonderful information we receive as we pass on this last bit
of information. Native solitary bees (all 400 plus kinds in Minnesota) all die in fall, but the female native bees have laid eggs and these bees emerge in spring. The only exception is Bumblebees, the other “social” bee. Unlike honey bees, all the bees die in the winter, except the newly mated queens who find a sheltered place to hibernate. Because she is hibernating, she needs no honey. Therefore they do not make and store honey either. The queen wakes up in the spring and starts a new colony. And remember bees like feeding on dandelions. They are one of the first “flowers” to bloom in the spring, so when someone mentions them in your lawn, simply say you are looking out for the bees. The same goes for the white clover in lawns.
1025R
UP TO WITH
9001
$
OFF
PURCHASE OF 2 IMPLEMENTS
1025R COMPACT UTILITY TRACTOR • 23.9-hp (17.8-kW) Tier 4 diesel engine • Quik-Park™ Loader and AutoConnect™ Drive-over Deck compatible • Covered by a 6-year powertrain warranty**
OUR WORK ETHIC RUNS IN THE FAMILY.
15% OFF2 SELECT CUT, RLE AND GATOR™ UV ATTACHMENTS
POLYBUILT, INC. X350 SELECT SERIES™ LAWN TRACTOR
XUV590M
Escapable Egress Window Well Covers
• 18.5-hp* (13.8-kW), 603-cc engine • 42-in. Accel Deep™ Mower Deck • 4-year/300-hour bumper-to-bumper warranty**
$300 OFF3
$200 OFF3
Haug Implement Co. | Haugimp.com E Hwy 12 - Willmar
(320) 235-8115
Three widths to fit your egress well: 42” 50” 67”
320.291.3532
See more at polybuiltinc.com or find them in stock at Bonanza Valley Lumber in Brooten, MN
• Four-wheel independent suspension • Quiet and comfortable operator station
100 Years: Growing Together Since 1918
The domed style is strong enough to keep out snow, debris and critters, yet easy to remove for safe escape!
001716566r1
TOMATOES
Hwy 24 - Litchfield
(320) 693-2438
1Offer valid on purchases made between March 1, 2018, and April 30, 2018. $300 off is in addition to low-rate financing offer on 1025R Tractors. Save $600 on all new 1025R Tractors when purchased with two or more qualifying John Deere or Frontier Implements. Available at participating U.S. dealers. Some restrictions apply, so see your dealer for details and other financing options. 2Offer valid from March 1, 2018, through April 30, 2018. Receive 15% off the purchase price of one or more field-installed light kits for Gator Utility Vehicles, material-collection systems for residential lawn equipment and field-installed Quick-Hitches and ballast boxes to be applied to the total before applicable taxes, shipping rates and delivery charges. Maximum discount of $200. Not applicable on factory-installed attachments/packages and cannot be combined with any other attachment offers. Offer excludes material-collection systems for commercial Z900 Series, Quik-Trak™ and commercial front mowers. Offer is valid at participating John Deere dealers in the U.S. 3Offers valid from March 1, 2018, through April 30, 2018. Get $300 off a new Gator XUV590M Utility Vehicle. Get $200 off a new X350 Select Series Lawn Tractor. Offer, prices and savings are in U.S. dollars and available in the U.S. only. Ask your dealer for details. *The engine horsepower and torque information are provided by the engine manufacturer to be used for comparison purposes only. Actual operating horsepower and torque will be less. Refer to the engine manufacturer’s website for additional information. **Term limited to years or hours used, whichever comes first, and varies by model. See the Limited Warranty for New John Deere Turf & Utility Equipment at dealer for details.
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D7
Playing catch-up Late spring can still result in successful growing season T
his spring hasn’t exactly been a gardener’s dream come true. A snowblower and jackhammer were required to plant potatoes on Good Friday. Any tulips brave enough to peek above ground saw their snowy shadow and swiftly returned from whence they came.
DON
KINZLER Growing Together
There’s no need to panic, though. Weather patterns change, and a seemingly late spring can be quickly overcome if consistent warm weather gets our yards and gardens back on track. But what if upcoming days don’t warm sufficiently to compensate for past weeks of lingering cold? We can work with Mother Nature to normalize the upcoming growing season. Here’s how:
Michael Vosburg / Forum News Service
Although spring is late, we can work with Mother Nature for a successful growing season. Lawns aren’t usually harmed by a delayed spring, although extended snowcover can leave grass more matted than usual. Rake lawns thoroughly after they’ve dried enough to kneel without leaving a wet spot on the jeans. As snow disappears, watch for the meandering winter trails left by voles on the lawn’s surface. Grass will usually recover after raking damaged areas.
•
• Rather than force-feeding lawns
•
by applying fertilizer too early, university research consistently recommends waiting until grass is well-growing and ready for nutrition with Memorial Day being the target date. Established trees and shrubs will probably be fine, as the consistent
GROWING: Page D8
Savoie Interior Design
YOU IMAGINE IT. WE COVER IT.
001708170r2
Time for a Fresh Outlook? Spring window treatment sale ON NOW
Covering Minnesota and Beyond 1260 10th Street North, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 320.255.1733 | 800.467.1744 www.gjawning.com
Call for your In-Home Consultation
320-231-2692
001708360r2
Deanna Savoie
Unique new styles available to update YOUR home!
D8 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
GROWING From Page D7
cool weather with generous snowcover is less damaging than yo-yoing between too-warm and too-cold. As snow disappears and temperature outlooks moderate, remove winter’s protective mulch from roses and perennial flowers. Cut back tops of perennials and ornamental grasses before basal growth begins. Prune roses. Fertilize perennials, roses and young trees and shrubs in May with a well-balanced, all purpose granular fertilizer with an analysis such as 10-10-10. Extra nutrition will stimulate increased growth and vigor. Extended winter reminds us that it’s wise to let spring arrive without rushing our gardening efforts. The prime 10-day gardening window for much of the region is May 15 to 25, to install
•
annual flowers, plant vegetables and pot up containers.
• A major concern of a late spring is cold soil, which can have a
•
noticeable effect on vegetable gardening. Monitoring soil temperature will be important.
• Crops requiring warm soil will
languish if planted too early in cold ground, before soil temperature
•
reaches 55 to 60 degrees, including tomato, pepper, eggplant, sweetcorn, melons, squash and
•
•
•
• Dave Wallis / Forum News Service file photo
Clear plastic warms the soil for speedier tomato growth.
pumpkin. Delay planting until soil temperature has warmed to the required threshold and when air temperature frost is less likely. Cool season vegetables like spinach, kale, lettuce, radish, onion, pea, parsnip, carrot, broccoli and cabbage grow fine when soil temperatures are 40 to 45 degrees. Garden soil warmth can be enhanced by rototilling or cultivating as soon as soil is workable. Soil can be warmed dramatically by laying down clear plastic mulch over the soil several weeks before the anticipated planting date of tomatoes, peppers and melons. Weight the edges of four-foot plastic squares with soil. When planting, cut an x-shaped slit in the plastic, install transplants and seal the opening with soil. Plastic can be left in place until fall. Monitor soil temperatures at the 2-inch depth and apply crabgrass preventer to lawns just before soil reaches 50 to 55 degrees. If applied
Carrie Snyder / Forum News Service file photo
This rototiller has been gardens for 55 years.
preparing
too early the product can lose effectiveness. Don Kinzler, a lifelong gardener, worked as an NDSU Extension horticulturist and owned Kinzler’s Greenhouse in Fargo. Readers can reach him at forumgrowingtogether@hotmail.com. He also blogs at http://growingtogether. areavoices.com.
Experienced Knowledgeable Professional!
An outdoor oasis creates curb appeal!
Your Kitchen Is Our Business. 313 W 5th St. Willmar, MN Mon.-Thurs. 9am-5pm, Fri. 9am-NOON, Sat. & Evenings by Appt.
320.231.1620 310 Cty Road 9 SE, Willmar, MN Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9:30-5. Sat. 9:30-3 Like us on Facebook! 001699651r1
001718881r1
320.231.1230 Bruce Dexter CKD, Certified Kitchen Designer 42 Years Alicia Molenaar, CKD, Certified Kitchen Designer 20 Years
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D9
You can’t fool me M
y wife and I both enjoy gardening. She is more into the flowers and shrubs where I like to raise vegetables. It is not a good thing when we go to the greenhouses together. Along with the flowers she “needs” she usually finds some interesting vegetables I should plant. I am not saying this is a bad thing, because I am just as guilty as WALTER she is. I find all the SCOTT vegetables I need, plus a few others that look interesting, and go help her find flowers she did not know she needed. The greenhouse owners love to see us drive up. Not only do we buy much more than necessary, we buy them too early. I have always been one of the opinion, if you have veggies, they need to be planted. This line of
thinking rarely turns out well. On a random weekend in April, one of us will say to the other, “we should go to the greenhouse, just to see what they have.” Much to our surprise, they have all sorts of things we cannot live without. For our use, we need three or four tomato plants. Since they have interesting varieties, I buy four plants of at least three varieties. My wife will always find one more type we need, so we have 16 or more tomato plants. We do the same thing with peppers. There are so many different kinds, a person feels obligated to try several. I usually do not remember from one year to the next which variety of which vegetable was the best and need to buy it again. I do remember though not to buy Carolina Reaper or Ghost Peppers. They are too hot to have any use at all. My wife, being a woman, reads
Ready, Set, GROW! Now is the time to upgrade!
the planting directions on her flowers and waits patiently until the proper time to plant. I, being a guy, think of directions on vegetables as something for people who do not know what they are doing. The sooner I get things in the ground, the sooner we will have tomato sandwiches and stuffed peppers. While my wife might wait two or three weeks before she puts the delicate little flower plants out to face the world, I wait five or 10 minutes. It toughens up a tomato plant and makes it hardy to face the rigors of chilly nights. It also makes them dead to get frozen. A few weeks later, when I am sure all chances of frost are passed, we go make the same mistake of buying too many tomato and pepper plants to replace the ones that died. I know the greenhouses count on me, and many others, to buy their
vegetables twice. This year, I will not be fooled. It is not because I have suddenly developed patience or learned from prior mistakes. The fact of the matter is even I am wise enough to know, a person cannot plant greenhouse plants if you need to scrape the snow off the garden first. That is the way it has been this year. I just start to get that uncontrollable urge to plant stuff when it snows again. It might be a costly year for greenhouses as I will most likely wait until the ground is warm and the sun is shining. I will not be fooled into thinking two warm days in a row means spring is here to stay. It is possible though, at the rate we are going this year, my little plants might get frozen off in June and I will still have to replant. Walter Scott is an outdoors enthusiast and freelance writer from Drakesville, Iowa
TIRED OF HARD,
ORANGE, SMELLY Water?
WE CAN FIX THAT!
• • • • • •
Call us Today!
On Demand Water Softeners Iron & Odor Filters Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Systems We service ALL BRANDS Service, Sales, Rentals Salt Delivery Home or Business
33 Years Experience & 22 Years in Business!
MN Licensed, Bonded & Insured JASMINE VIKSE REALTOR® 320.894.3862
JANE VIKSE BROKER®/OWNER 320.979.0632
JALANNY RUPP BROKER/AGENT 320.894.4512
145 Lake Ave. N, Spicer • 320.796.1000 | 1425 1st Street S, Willmar • 320.262.5474
264 Manitoba St W, Spicer Phone: 320.796.6020 • Cell: 320.894.3095 Find us on www.kandiwater.com
Locally Owned Dale Sweep, Owner
D10 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
Engage kids’ love of nature through bird feeding Ditch their devices and get them outdoors
Is it difficult to pry your kids away from their electronic devices to get them outdoors? From tots to teens, today’s kids love their electronics. After all, where could you find anything to compete with the bright sights and sounds of their favorite video game? The answer may be no farther than your backyard and the brightly colored songbirds visiting during warm weather. Interacting with nature helps kids in many ways, from helping them understand science concepts and care for the environment, to lifelong physical and mental health benefits. One of the easiest, most enjoyable ways for children to interact with nature is to feed wild birds right in their backyard. “Feeding birds, planting gardens, anything you do with children that’s nature-oriented helps them understand their connection to the natural world,” says Elaine Cole, president of Cole’s Wild Bird Products. Cole learned her own love of wild birds by feeding them with her father, company founder and birding expert, Richard Cole. Cole’s offers some tips to help engage kids’ love of nature through bird feeding: Get kids off the couch, ditch their devices and introduce them to their backyard. Tell children what type of location is best for a birdfeeder then let them hunt for the spot. Choose a location where a feeder can be seen from indoors (so they can enjoy watching their feathered friends), yet is safe from predators. Let math and critical thinking
•
•
•
•
001697313r2
•
skills come into play by measuring the distance from the door to the feeder and from the feeder to the nearest shrubs where predators could hide and trees where birds can shelter. Take the opportunity to teach the importance of good nutrition — for the child and the bird. Explain how good nutrition helps living creatures stay healthy and energized. Help them understand the nutritional value of food they eat by explaining what birds like to eat and how birds need a healthy diet of nutritious food options like a wild bird feed to support their health and well-being. Help kids understand wild birds have food preferences just as they do. Talk about how some birds like to eat bugs, grubs and worms, while others prefer berries and some like seed. The feeder you choose will influence the kind of birds that visit. Many types of birds will visit a bowl feeder, and its open shape makes it quick and easy for kids to fill with any type of feed and clean. Giving children the task of filling and cleaning feeders can teach them responsibility and basic life skills, plus they’ll take ownership of the feeder and nurturing backyard birds. You can also use bird feeding to help kids understand concepts of
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL INTERIOR DESIGN Carla Kahle Miller, Interior Designer • Tel/Fax 320.796.2888 • DesignWestLtd.com
•
finance, including spending their money wisely. Try an experiment with them; buy a bag of cheap birdseed, fill the feeder and watch what happens. Fewer birds will visit and a mound of waste — the filler in cheap feed — will pile up under the feeder. Then replace the cheap feed with a seed mix and observe results. Kids will see plenty more birds visiting and less waste under the feeder. The experiment can help teach kids that not everything low priced is a good deal. Ultimately, feeding wild birds should be fun for families. Here’s some types of bird feed that should appeal to children’s interests: Suet — While today’s high energy suet comes in different, convenient forms, like Nutberry Suet, and Suet Kibbles, kids will love the idea of serving up a big hunk of fat, in the form of a suet cake. Kids can stick it directly on tree bark and
branches, which they’ll find fun.
• Seeds — Many songbirds prefer
seeds. Serving high-quality seed, like black oil sunflower can help attract songbirds. Learn more about seed mixes and birds who love them. Dried mealworms — The early bird may get the worm, but birds, such as bluebirds, flickers and nuthatches, prefer a tasty treat like dried mealworms. Kids will get a kick out of filling up feeders with something yucky-looking for their feathered friends. “My dad got me hooked on bird feeding by challenging me to identify as many birds at the feeder as possible,” Cole says. “I did the same thing with my kids. My dad recently gave my 10-year-old daughter, a birding journal. She loves to identify all the birds she knows and anything interesting about them.” “Kids taking part in attracting birds to their backyard is great fun; they’ll love getting out of the house, taking charge of their new feathered friends and they’ll learn a lot of good lessons through the process.” - Cole’s Wild Bird Products
•
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D11
Darling DIYs make the backyard an extension of the home
By Alexandra Floersch Forum News Service When updating a house, many homeowners decide to update the kitchen, swap out furniture, change bedding and keep up with trends in paint color and wall decor. But if the home is a canvas, many residents forget to paint the edges – their outdoor space. Paula Otto and Mary Sue Ohlhauser, owners of Burlap Boutique in south Fargo, say backyards are an important part of the home. “To me, my backyard is my place to escape because I’m too busy to get any place else,” Otto says, laughing at the thought. “Mine is an extension of our home,” Ohlhauser adds, “almost like another huge room that we want to entertain
with.” While decorating and furnishing outdoor spaces may seem like a daunting task, Otto says it doesn’t have to be. The avid DIYer of five years says homeowners can repurpose pieces they already have. “One thing – when you talk about decorating – that it took me a long time to figure out is that I can do whatever I want in my own home,” Ohlhauser says. That mindset has inspired the two women to create their own unique pieces rather than buying them. Otto and Ohlhauser shared these tips for DIY home projects to make the outdoor space around the home more inviting.
DIY: Page D12
Shutterstock
We appreciate your business
MURDOCK
WILLMAR
CLARA CITY
ST. CLOUD
LITCHFIELD
304 US Hwy 12 104 1st Street SW 1106 Lincoln Ave 56378 61448 US HWY 12 (CORPORATE OFFICE) Murdock, MN 56271 Clara City, MN 56222 Sauk Rapids, MN Litchfield, MN 55355 3101 3rd Ave. SW Phone: (320) 875-2641 Willmar, MN 56201 Phone: (320) 847-2438 56379 Phone: (320) 693-2411 Toll-free: Phone: (320) 235-5200 Fax: (320) 847-3001 Phone: (320)-252-2110 Fax: (320) 693-3843 (888) 875-2641 Fax: (320)-252-1899 Toll-free: (800) 520-2466 Fax: (320) 875-2295 Fax: (320) 235-6163
001697297r2
320.235.5200 | www.dooleypetro.com
001697317r2
D12 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
DIY From Page D11
Making old new again
The list for what to repurpose is endless: old lockers, doors, chairs and church pews; a potting bench made from scraps and shelving constructed between two old ladders; furniture made of reclaimed wood. “We sell a lot of chairs for outside or porches,” Ohlhauser says. With a coat of paint, an old chair can turn into new decor. “If they’re shoddy, you just set a planter on it.” Mixing modern and contemporary with rustic, antique style isn’t against the rules. “You don’t have to go spend a hundred dollars on a beautiful ceramic pot. (Flowers) look really nice in an old galvanized bucket, too,” Otto says. Sometimes you need to be clever. A farmhouse table, painted with outdoor paint, is a great alternative to a picnic table for outdoor space. The solid structure also withstands blustery Fargo winds. “It weathers so well. It wears with the sun and everything. It just ages more with the elements,” Otto says.
Tools and techniques
Colored chalk paint. “On 90 percent of projects that we do, we are using chalk paint,” Otto says. And it’s not just the typical black paint most think of; today, chalk paint comes in many colors. She says one of the benefits is that’s “easier to distress than a regular latex paint.” The paint also seems to cover more thoroughly. “If you have imperfections in your wood and on your surface, the chalk
COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL • AGRICULTURE
paint tends to fill in those surfaces more so you don’t have to do so much priming,” Otto says. In fact, Ohlhauser says using chalk paint sometimes feels like you’re cheating. For raw furniture, the women use chalk paint to cover the bottom, like the legs of a chair or table, and then stain or coat the top with polyurethane. For a more rustic look, Otto has the perfect technique: paint wash. “You just don’t layer your paint on so heavy. I water it down,” she says. Wax vs. polyurethane. Whether you use wax or polyurethane to finish something depends on how you use the product. “If it’s something that’s going to have a lot of wear and tear, as far as tabletops and things like that, I prefer to use a poly acrylic coat,” Otto says. “Wax is fine, but if you have it in a place where it’s getting a lot of sunlight, that wax eventually wears off and you need to wax that piece again.” Various power tools. For DIY projects, a power sander is a musthave tool, Otto says, because it makes distressing furniture a breeze. For most projects, a miter or chop saw, skill saw or reciprocating saw are required, as well as a power drill. DIYers shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help if they’re not comfortable using those tools.
Try and try again
With any outdoor DIY projects, don’t fret. “It’s only paint, you can always change it.” Otto says. Giving the project time is always key. “It doesn’t always turn out the way you envision it’s going to be. You gotta be patient,” Otto says.
Pinterest has given birth to the DIY generation. With millions of ideas at their fingertips, homeowners are able to get inspired, find instructions and craft their own projects to fit their taste and style. One big trend in DIY is using old wooden pallets for virtually anything from a barbecue side table to a coffee table. Try your hand at this pallet outdoor bar (inspired by 1001pallets.com and awortheyread. com) Materials • 2 wooden pallets (can often be obtained for free from grocery or big-box stores) • 3 countertop patio pavers • Paint or stain (optional) • Cement glue Directions 1. With both hollow sides facing inward – creating a cubby-like space in between – match the pallets back-to-back. 2. Using zip ties, secure the pallets together, tying the inside boards in several places. 3. Paint or stain the pallet to your desired color. 4. Use cement glue to attach
Wade Skindelien • 320-905-7773 • www.thermosealinsulationmn.com 19768 County Rd. 9 NE • New London, MN • wskindelien@hotmail.com
the three paving stones to the top, side by side. (You can also substitute the pavers with a wood top.) Note: Depending on the stability of the bar, you may want to brace it against the home or secure it to a fence with zip ties. You can add eye hooks for hanging grill tools. Using a hand saw, you can also remove pieces of the pallet to create cubbies to hold wine bottles or other outdoor necessities.
We’re open for the season
Offering annual plants, perennials, shrubs, hanging baskets, unique potted containers, vegetable and herb plants, seeds
Gift certificates available year-round
CERTIFIED BIBS (blown-in-blanket) INSTALLERS 68% MORE EFFICIENT THAN BATTING
FREE ESTIMATES
001696718r1
DIY: Pallet Outdoor Bar
Custom container planting
Hours : Monday - Friday 9 am - 6 pm Saturday 9 am - 5 pm • Sunday Noon - 5 pm
7 Mi. No. of Hector or 7 Mi. So. of Cosmos on State Highway 4
320-848-6566
www.babesblossoms.com
001700322r2
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D13
Organic doesn’t mean safe
By Jeff Rugg Creators Syndicate Q: I have a friend who says he has switched to a non-chemical approach to lawn care. He says he went fully organic because it is safer. He wants me to switch, but I am not sure that I should. A: First, we need to remember that the word “organic” is not
synonymous with the word “safe.” The attempt of organic gardening and lawn care practices is to be safe, of course, but certain products may not be safe if not used properly. Safety depends partially on the product and the user’s ability to use it properly. The dosage greatly affects the safety of any product. In a gallon-for-gallon matchup, some organic products are more toxic to humans and pets than some synthetic chemical products. What some organically minded people are trying to say is that some synthetic chemical products are artificial substitutes that don’t work well within the ecological system. They are typically used to treat symptoms, such as killing a weed
in a lawn rather than treating the cause of the weed’s ability to grow in the first place. People want to use organic products (chemicals) that are an intrinsic part of the sustainable living system where they are applied. There are benefits to using an organic lawn care system. Notice I said “system” and not “product.” Problems are diagnosed not just for what they are but why they are. By looking into the history and conditions that caused the problem, it is often possible to bypass the short-term synthetic product use for a long-term sustainable change in the local environment that reduces or eliminates the problem. For instance, in many established lawns, a weed problem can be taken care of with changes to the soil, sunlight or moisture levels. Weeds tend to indicate that there is something wrong with one of the environmental conditions that weaken the grass to a point where weeds can grow. Fixing that condition can allow the grass to grow better than the weeds. A landscape that is based on a living organic soil won’t use or need
Buy it.
synthetic fertilizers that can kill microorganisms. Adding compost to a lawn on a regular basis helps supply nutrients and beneficial microorganisms. A soil full of organic matter acts like a sponge by holding more water until the plants need it without becoming too waterlogged when they don’t. This organic soil will need less additional water, and the water that does run off won’t be contaminated with synthetic products. Applying water deeply to a thick soil will allow the grass to grow a large, healthy root system. Mow the grass at the correct height, and leave the clippings on the lawn, where they will add to the organic matter and supply approximately half of the lawn’s fertilizer requirements. Grass plants in even the best caredfor lawns eventually mature and expire. Mowing prevents the lawn from reseeding itself, so regular overseeding or sprigging adds new young, vigorous plants to the lawn. Begin following these tips, and then pick up “The Organic Lawn Care Manual” by Paul Tukey to get the complete guide to organic lawn care. Email questions to Jeff Rugg at info@greenerview.com.
Build it.
Refinance it.
We have the people and the programs to meet all of your needs.
BANK
Personal Banker in Willmar Mortgage Loan Originator Personal Banker in New London Jeremy Schmidt NMLS#569279 Tracy Lundy Willmar Lisa Groff NMLS#580204 NMLS#522440
Banking with a Focus on New London 320-354-2011
Willmar 320-235-5900
Sunburg 320-366-3885
Apply online: www.lakeregion.com
001708367r1
D14 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
Will Braeburn apple seedling survive? By Don Kinzler
Q: When my daughter was a
toddler, we placed a Braeburn apple seed in a window to see if it would grow. I honestly thought this little experiment would last only a few days. Fast forward 10 years and we now have a 3-foot-tall Braeburn apple tree in our house that we’d like to plant outside. Is that possible in Fargo? — Kay Beckermann, Fargo A: First of all, congratulations on growing an apple tree indoors for 10 years from a seed. Now the challenge will be to plant it outdoors, as will be necessary. Braeburn apples are considered winter-hardy in Zone 5 and southward, so Fargo’s Zone 4 is not in its normal adaptive range. Because apples don’t grow true from seed, your seedling isn’t pure Braeburn, but is a hybrid having Braeburn as the mother and unknown
pollen carried by bees as the father. There’s a remote possibility that wherever the apple fruit from which you collected the seed was grown, that pollen from a hardier variety might have been carried onto the mother flower by bees, adding hardier genes to the seed that grew into your seedling. To give your seedling the best possible opportunity to thrive, given its borderline parentage, choose a sheltered microclimate in a protected location in the yard, in an area that attracts deep snowcover. Wrap the trunk each fall, and perhaps add a foot or two of mulch such as straw over the root zone. Good luck, and I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the success of your young tree. Q: When is the best time to apply crabgrass killer? We still have snow on the ground, but we want to get rid
of that grass. — Nadine Froderman, Reading, Minn. A: Crabgrass is an annual weedy grass that sprouts from seed each spring. Its germination is triggered by soil temperature, and the most common method of control is to apply a crabgrass preventer-type product before soil reaches the germination threshold, which is 55 to 60 degrees in the top several inches of soil. To be effective, crabgrass preventer is best applied before the soil temperature reaches 50 to 55 degrees, but not too early, as the product can lose potency over time. Q: What’s your opinion on growing berries in pots? I saw a website promoting four types that could be grown in containers: Jelly Bean Blueberry, Baby Cakes Blackberry, Shortcake Raspberry and Seascape Strawberry. — Faye Waloch, Gwinner, N.D. A: The varieties listed are short-growing types, that are being
promoted for growing in containers equivalent to 5-gallon buckets in size. With proper care, quality potting mix, fertilizing regularly and growing in full sun, these types can bear fruit in containers on decks and patios the first season if all goes well. However, it’s very difficult to get such plants to survive winter in containers, because pots left above ground are subject to temperatures more extreme than in-ground plants. If one wanted to try, the preferred way is to sink pot-and-all into a garden or flowerbed in autumn for temporary wintering. Of the four fruit types mentioned, strawberries are perhaps the most successful for container growing. If you have a gardening or lawn care question, email Don Kinzler at ForumGrowingTogether@hotmail.com. All questions will be answered, and those with broad appeal may be published, so please include your name, city and state for appropriate advice.
CROWS NEST
TREE SERVICE Tree Removal • Trimming Cleanup • Stump Grinding *FREE QUOTES* *Ask about Senior Discounts*
Special to Forum News Service
Braeburn apple trees aren’t typically adapted to growing in this climate, but it may be possible to successful grow one by following a few care tips.
18 Years
Experience!
Call TODAY! 320-212-3292
Opening Saturday, April 28th Mon.-Sat 9-7pm and Sun.12-6pm NEW second location in Spicer next to Mike’s Dock and Yard.
Annuals Perennials Vegetables
11505 County Road 1 NW, Pennock, MN 320.599.4545 www.creeksidegreenhousesmn.com
001705495r1
LOCAL PROFESSIONALS YOU CAN TRUST TO DO IT RIGHT
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D15
Modern Masterpieces New designs become tomorrow’s classics
By Christine Brun Creators Syndicate In the home furnishing world, you pay dearly for a known designer’s name just like when you buy haute couture. Would you consider paying $7,000 for one dining chair? Women pay thousands for one designer handbag, but you would need six chairs for the table, and the total would be a showstopper. I have worked with people on modest budgets who admire classic modern design and are willing to splurge on one exotic piece. Those buyers who can afford the highticket furniture items still shy away from spending too much. It is because they don’t want to commit. A dual-career power couple may not be confident about how long they will live in any one place and fear becoming bored with specific pieces. In other instances, buyers have been there, done that; they find they have evolved by the time they’re decorating their second or third home, and may not be swayed by labels. It is noteworthy that there are ways to introduce and own one or two special items with a moderate budget. First, research Design Within Reach. This is a furniture vender that features just fewer than 200 designers of worldwide fame and offers a wide range of price points. For example, you can purchase an
Eames Molded Wood Side Chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller for a range of $720 to $990 depending on the finish. The Min Bed designed by Luciano Bertoncini sells for between $695 and $1,200. Where can prices go from there? Hold on to your wallet, because the Parallel Wide Bed designed by Jeffrey Bernett, Nicholas Dodziuk and Piotr Woronkowicz ranges in price from $5,200 to $9,000. Next, visit the furniture section of the New York City Museum of Modern Art Design Store online. Don’t be put off by the fear that everything will be too costly, and do a little snooping. You can find a Painted Oak Stool for $85, or the classic three-tier Componibili storage system for $190 in red, black or white. This was designed by Italian architect Anna Castelli Ferreri, and the piece celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.
There are new designs that may become tomorrow’s classics in every genre from outdoor furnishings, to lighting, to accessories. The Roland Mid-Century-Styled Piano came to my attention recently, and it, too, is available at the online MoMA Design Store. This piano is elegant and petite at 55 inches wide, just a little over 13 inches deep and 30 13/16 inches tall. Handcrafted in Japan from all-natural wood, it is a collaboration between Roland Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of electronic musical instruments, and Japanese furniture designer Karimoku. This piano is
slim and ergonomically contoured, and it can slip into a small, refined interior like a piece of classic furniture. If you are on a very tight budget, do not forget to peruse any local consignment stores for excellent buys. Furnishings on the secondhand market are generally priced at half of retail cost. Then, they get marked down as time passes and they sit on the floor. Each consignment vendor has its own discount schedule, but one I visit in my community only keeps something on the floor for three months. You can find classic name brands in this way, as well as artwork and accessory items. Do not be shocked at the prices for designer brands in the secondhand market because classic items retain value. Do your homework so that you can recognize a name like Baker, McGuire or Knoll. Christine Brun, ASID, is a San Diego based interior designer and author of “Small Space Living.” Send questions and comments to her by email at christinebrun@sbcglobal.net.
“The ONLY Limitation is your Imagination”
L A N D S C A P E • HA R D S C A P E • I R R I G AT I O N
— COMPLETE GARDEN CENTER — 320-235-4320 Willmar, MN
FIND US ON FACEBOOK iandmlandscaping.com
WE EXTENDED OUR TREE SERVICES!!
Pick from thousands of plans or custom draw your own. 10 Years Experience
Homes built by Friendship, Highland, Dynamic!
TREE REMOVAL • TREE TRIMMING • STUMP GRINDING
800-364-8824
TJ GNIFFKE Certified Arborist
001718219r2
Custom Homes and Cabins Modular & Manufactured Homes 5745 Highway 29 South • Alexandria www.AlexandriaHomesInc.com
001713780r1
Call Us TODAY, We’ll TREE’T You Right! 320-235-4320 imtreeneeds@gmail.com
D16 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
BUSINESS Directory Atwater
Residential • Commercial • Agricultural
Sam Schultz, Owner
Family-owned since 1979
001570647r1
001717115r1
320.354.4945 doublejmasonry.com
Billy Stewart - Owner bjlre@tds.net
Commercial • Residential New Construction Remodel • Trenching Office: 320.796.6070 Cell: 320.894.9202
Atwater, MN
320-220-3345 320-295-2888
Amsden Lawn & Tree Service
001718820r1
Chad ~ 320.522.0821
Homes • Vacation Properties Commercial Buildings • Rental Properties Epoxy Floors
612.462.4155
GreenLakePaint.com
Fertilizer, Weed Control, Insect and Disease Control, Lawn Maintenance, and Tree and Shrub Health
320-796-0507
Willmar 001572550r1
•Spring Clean-up •Fertilizing & Seeding •Weed Killing •Tree Trimming & Removal •Stump Grinding •Lawn Mowing Fully insured ~ Free Estimates
001717694r1
Where the Grass is Greener!
320.212.9603 Master Plumber Lic#PM058647
001548676r1
320-214-9562
Heating & Air Conditioning LLP
001547855r1
Experienced staff & the latest innovative equipment bring to you the highest quality & attention to detail you deserve
Est. 1987
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D17
BUSINESS Directory Mid State Painting
2286 County Road 4 NE Atwater, MN 56209
320-894-0287 001547142r1
Specializing in exterior farm buildings.
° New Construction ° Kitchen & Bath Remodels ° Tile & Stone ° Windows, Siding, Roofs ° Pole Buildings
Free estimates.
Restoring the past... Building the future.
320-287-0360 Lic. #BC712371
Commercial & residential. Interior & exterior. Jeff Stadther 320-579-0849
001549429r1
001551863r1
rbuerelectric@hotmail.com
Moser Construction 001716198r1
Call me for all your electrical needs!
320-852-7050
206 W 11th St,
tricountyfoam.com
001717312r1
001716845r1
001715442r1
• Gutter Cleaning • Pressure Washing • Tree Trimming
001715627r1
of Willmar
Call Dale 320-796-6020
Interior Design Showroom Downtown Willmar
320-235-6381
www.interiordesignstudio.net
001716751r1
YARD SMART Family Owned & Operated. Est. 2011
-New London, MN MIKE & LISA MUELLER
Celebrating 34 Years
WEEKLY LAWN MAINTENANCE
Residential & Commercial
800-658-2442
WATER SOFTENER We Do House Calls! REPAIR Service on ALL Brands!
Don’t be last on the waiting list. Schedule your Spring Clean-Up TODAY!
320.212.4752
320.354.5167
Redwood Falls
Experience makes the difference!
• Spring Clean-up • Dethatching • Core Aeration
001717076r1
If you want the best... Call Northwest, for all your drywall needs.
Taking care of all your Plumbing & Heating Needs. • Conventional Systems • In-Floor Heating • GeoThermal Systems • Ductless Mini-split Heating & Cooling
320-329-3663
001570638r1
D18 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
4 reasons for putting the right plant in the right place Spring planting season is in full swing, and as you spruce up your outdoor spaces, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute shares a few important reasons for putting the right plant in the right place. It’s more than selecting full-sun or fullshade varieties of foliage. By choosing the right plants for your climate and lifestyle, and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful green space your entire family will enjoy.
Know your climate zone
Do you have long, hot summers? Are you in an arid region or a wet one? Understanding your environment will help you select climate-appropriate plants that will thrive with minimal input from you. Check out the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to learn which plants, grasses, shrubs and trees are most likely to succeed in your location.
Understand your lifestyle needs
Your grass, flowering plants and trees expand the living space of your home. Without our living landscapes, our backyards, patios, fire pits and pool areas would be hotter and less enjoyable overall. Determine how you use your yard, and then plant accordingly. Do you need a shade tree to sit under during hot summer days? Do you travel a lot in the summer, or will you be home to care for your plants? Do you need a grassy area for your kids and pets to play?
more likely to withstand pet traffic. When pets are in the picture, you’ll want to keep resilient plants and flowers in heavily-trafficked areas of your yard and save the delicate varieties for raised planters on your porch or patio. Finally, know which plants are dangerous to your pets by downloading the ASPCA’s list of poisonous plants.
Plant for pollinators & wildlife
Your living landscapes aren’t only for your enjoyment. They are also
vital to pollinators (bees, butterflies and birds) and other backyard wildlife who rely on the certain plants in your backyard ecosystem for food and shelter. Planting nectar and pollen-rich flowers that are appropriate for your climate (see #1) will help nourish pollinators. Let a pile of grass clippings decompose on your lawn (rather than bagging) to shelter insects, worms and other backyard critters. Dead tree branches can create nooks for butterflies, bees, birds and other wildlife. -Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Plant for pets
Speaking of pets, you’ll want to keep their needs in mind when you’re mapping out your planting plans. Consider planting a hardy grass like buffalo or Bermuda, which is
Stop in today!
PLAN YOUR DREAM KITCHEN WITH US TODAY 100 NW 10th St. Willmar 320-222-3993
Quality at work for you.
001708345r2
Got Big Ideas... We Can Help! We look forward to working with you to Help make your BIG IDEAS Reality! Willmar : Cosmos : Litchfield : Hutchinson : www.hsbofmn.com : 320.231.1118
West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn. — Thursday, April 26, 2018 D19
D20 Thursday, April 26, 2018 — West Central Tribune — Willmar, Minn.
PRIZES
FREE DELIVERY PRIZES
FREE DELIVERY
FREE DELIVERY
R E M O T S U C N O I T A I C E R P AP AND WIN! S DAY April 21 - April 30 FREE DELIVERY PRIZES
PRIZES FREE DELIVERY
SPIN THE WHEEL
st
th
with purchase of $399
5 cu. ft. Chest Freezer
NOW $199.99 18 cu. ft. Refrigerator
ONLY $499.99 All Weber Grills ON SALE
Stainless 4-Piece Kitchen Package
Black Stainless 4-Piece Kitchen Package
All Big Green Eggs ON SALE
ONLY
3,199.99
$
TWIN Mattress Sets Starting At
199
ONLY
3,199.99
$
Plush Queen Mattress Set
All Ashley Furniture
30-50% OFF!
$
499
$
ENJOY FREE COOKIES, COFFEE, & POPCORN WHILE YOU SHOP! 12
MONTH 0% FINANCING*
001696475r1
HOURS
Monday–Friday ..... 8aM-6pM Thursday ............... 8aM-8pM saTurday ............... 9aM-5pM sunday ....hoMe wiTh FaMily
Willmar, MN 320-214-9784
Like us On Facebook
Voted #1 for Best Appliance Store and Repair and #1 Electronics Store!
Thank you for your support. We truly need and appreciate your business! Not just because we’re local, because we’re better! *OAC. See Store for Details
Owners Rick and Kelley Dahle