Country Minute - Spring 2010

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SPRING 2010

The key to building a home is knowing your options Construction of a home can be a wonderful experience, the creation from a dream to reality. It can also be very demanding and stressful.

When building a new home, there are many factors to consider. The first, of course, is whether to hire a general contractor or build it yourself.

When you hire a general contractor, the cost may be higher but the hassle should be less. Ask yourself “What is important to you?”

The general contractor will walk you through the necessary steps as well as hire the essential sub-contractors for

the project. Be aware of what your general contractor’s roll is, as well as what he will sub-contract.

You can verify your contractor’s current licensing by visiting: www2.dleg.state.mi.us/colaLicVerify/ in Michigan, or apps.commerce.wi.gov/ SB_Credential/index.jsp in Wisconsin.

Check with the local Home Builder’s Association (HBA) for additional references and information.

Without a general contractor, you may be able to save money by working on the project yourself and hiring your own sub-contractors. Ask yourself “Is the money you could

Starting Your First Vegetable Garden You’re ready to try out your green thumb but just don’t know where to start? Here are some planning guidelines to help.

Initially, think small, an 8’ X 10’ plot is a good starting point.

You may get overwhelmed with a big garden starting out. The location should get as much sun as possible throughout the day.

You will need to work up the soil. If you don’t have a rototiller, you can rent one or borrow one from a friend or neighbor. Till the sod and all to avoid a recess in the soil that results in poor drainage. Next you’ll want to test your soil to determine if it’s clay, sand or a sandy loam. Sandy loam offers the best nutrients and drainage. You can determine the soil type with a squeeze test.

Take a handful of dirt and squeeze it in a ball, then watch to see if it crumbles Continued on page 2...

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save worth the stress you could gain?”.

Are you able to take time away from your current employment to either work on the project or manage the work on the project?

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The Country Minute is brought to you by your local country living lender.

Buying meat local– Custom cuts can stack in your favor

Have you been considering the option of purchasing your meat from a local farmer and having it custom processed? If so, here are a few things to consider: • Beef can normally be purchased from the producer in whole, half or quarter portions of the animal; pork and lamb are traditionally sold as a whole or half.

• The total take home packaged meat varies based on animal size and selected meat cuts. On average, a steer weighing 1,200 pounds would provide around 500 pounds of processed beef. A 250-pound pig would average 130 pounds of take home meat. Sheep, weighing around 125 pounds, would provide around 45 pounds of packaged meat.

• By custom processing your meat, you can select which cuts you want and how you want it prepared and packaged. Once you consider what style of meat your family normally eats, you will be ready to make your

order. There are several online resources to assist you in better understanding the type of meat cuts available.

• Cost of the meat and processing will vary based on the producer and the processor. Be sure to check with both before determining if this is the right option for you.

• One last thing to consider is freezer space; bringing home a large quantity of meat at one time will require additional real estate in your freezer.

Ensure you are adequately prepared before making the purchase!

Source: http://ars.sdstate.edu

...Starting your Garden continued when you let go. If it does, you have sandy loam. If you’re not sure, take a sample down to your local county extension office for expert analysis.

To improve nutrients in sandy or clay soil, you can mix in topsoil or compost. The best compost for improving clay or sandy soil is composted livestock manure.

Compost should be applied in the spring and the fall.

Don’t be too anxious, it will take a few seasons to properly improve a poor soil type.

For planting, you can purchase seeds from a store or order them through a seed catalog. Invest in quality seeds with a reliable brand name for optimum

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success. Crops that are easy to grow and can be planted early in the season include onions, peas, beets, rutabaga and zucchini squash. Tomatoes and peppers are tender crops that need to be started indoors about eight weeks prior to planting time. Be sure to wait until after the last expected frost to plant tomatoes, squash and beans to avoid freeze damage. You may also want to add a wire fence around the garden to help keep out deer, rabbits and other wildlife that may feed on your crops.

Most vegetables require rows to be spaced 20 inches apart.

For tall peas, tomatoes and corn, rows should be at least 24 to 30 inches apart. Corn should be planted along the north side of your garden so it doesn’t shade the rest of your crops from the sun.

Water plants gently after planting until the soil is moist one inch below the surface, and then regularly when the soil appears dry on the top. You can also fertilize your plants with a granular or water-soluble fertilizer.

A 15-15-15 or 20-20-20 fertilizer provides equal parts nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium that plants need.

It is also important to weed your garden regularly. It is recommended that you pull the weeds and not spray them with weed killer as some herbicides are toxic for humans.

To get the full health benefits of your vegetables, harvest them when they are ripe and enjoy the experience of eating them fresh.

Source: backyardgardener.com

Easy ways to go Green Making small changes in your day-today habits can make big changes in both the environment and your pocketbook.

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth • BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags) when you go shopping • Wash laundry in cold water • Before trashing something, try passing it on to someone through freecycle.com, craigslist.com or donating it to a thrift store • Install compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout your home • Unplug before leaving or going to bed: TV, computer, printer and even cell phone chargers continue to draw energy even after you turn them off, so plug them into a power strip, and flip the switch when not in use • Recycle electronics, you can find a recycling resource in your area at mygreenelectronics.org • Fix leaky faucets, which can save up to 70 gallons of water a day • Wait for a full load to do laundry and dishes rather than washing just a few • Avoid aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking); it can lower your highway gas mileage 33% and city mileage 5%

...Building a Home continued Regardless if you employ a general contractor or take on the project yourself and retain sub-contractors, you will need to get references. Be sure to verify the information you are provided.

It is always recommended that you take the time to visit previously built homes, talk to those homeowners about the craftsmanship that was furnished, and ask about the collaboration within.

Discuss the process from beginning to end, such as what worked and what didn’t. Always keep in mind that this is your vision!

If you decide on a fully contracted project, require that your general contractor provide you with an itemized specification sheet. Become familiar with and fully understand the project cost, the timeline of construction, and the possibility of changes and penalties as well.

As the homeowner and borrower, it’s very important that you understand the procedures on a construction mortgage loan, including the process of the draws, the inspections, the

sworn statement, the waivers— full/partial, as well as funding. Don’t be afraid to ask until you completely understand.

In addition, you will need a building site. The site excavation cost can vary greatly depending on the soil and the terrain. When deciding on a particular future home site, have a perk test done.

This can be requested through the local county health department. Utility cost can also fluctuate depending on where there is utility access as well as local or association ordinances. These additional costs can significantly impact the overall cost and scope of the project, so be sure to understand all requirements.

Typically, the local HBA will host a Parade of Homes once or twice a year.

This is a great way to see the layout of a dwelling and essentially get a feel for what you might like. As a rule, the homes are fully finished, custom painted and possibly even furnished, providing you with great ideas.

For tips and advise on construction financing, contact your GreenStone financial services officer.

Recipe Corner This country style favorite will be the hit of your picnic Home Made Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS: 3 lbs white potatoes 1 Medium sweet onion 3 Hard-boiled eggs 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Miracle Whip® 1/2 cup of sweet relish 1/4 cup yellow mustard Salt and pepper to taste Paprika for garnish

DIRECTIONS In a large pot, bring potatoes to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through but still firm, about 20 minutes. Remove potatoes from water, let cool, peel and cube. Finely chop the onion and combine with potatoes in a large mixing bowl.

Chop and add the eggs along with remaining ingredients. Mix well, garnish with paprika and enjoy!

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Inside this issue: - Home Building Options - Starting a Vegetable Garden - Buying Meat from Your Local Farm

GreenStone Member notes...

Customers who receive The Country Minute do not receive GreenStone’s agricultural member publication, Partners. Therefore, the following is a snippet of news and feature stories found in the most recent issue of Partners.

More information and complete articles can be viewed at www.GreenStoneFCS.com by clicking on the “Partners” image found on the left side of the Web page.

A Transition from Auto to Ag John and Denise Burtka are putting a new face on the changes taking place in Michigan’s business arena—moving from a heavy emphasis on automotive to agriculture along the Pioneer Wine Trail.

John, an automotive engineer by trade, is now the owner of three wineries/tasting rooms and three vineyards in southern Michigan. For the Burtkas, the transition from the factory floor to the farm field was driven partly by a lifelong passion and partly by necessity.

GreenStone Receives Recognition GreenStone has recently been honored by two separate organizations for its success in serving its members. In November of last

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year, GreenStone was one of seven tricounty area businesses recognized by the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce at its annual Celebration of Regional Growth event. In January, GreenStone received the Michigan Agri-Business Association’s Outstanding Supplier Award.

Top Sales Staff Recognized GreenStone recently recognized its “best of the best” in sales performance for 2009 with Circle of Excellence (COE) awards. The COE program is a way to recognize and reward those lending and financial services staff members who are the top performers within the Association.