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MARCH/APRIL 2019 A LWAY S L O C A L , A LWAY S B E AU T I F U L

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E N T R Y WAY

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Décor

3 D L A SER EN GR AV IN G

Spaces HIS AND HERS BASEMENT REDO

Neighborhoods T H E R E V ERSI B L E PR O B L EM W I T H FA R N A M S T R EE T

A rchitecture S A I N T B A R N A B A S C H U R C H A C Q U I R E S O F F U T T-YO S T H O U S E

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At Home A S U R P R I S E F A M I LY R E U N I O N

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Transformations

“The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” —Marie Kondo

here is an apocryphal quote often attributed to Buddha, “You can only lose what you cling to.” Whether Buddha actually said those words or not, it’s a truism that makes sense with spring cleaning season upon us. More recently, there is another Asian philosopher with ample advice for the season of decluttering—her Netflix series is titled Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.

Long before this Japanese organizing consultant became a televised phenomenon in 2019, she perfected her KonMari Method, a “life-changing” method for organizing. Her books teach that reorganization is an investment in ourselves. With more than 5 million copies sold worldwide, The LifeChanging Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo goes far deeper than seasonal cleaning. I couldn’t resist sharing a few more of her quotes. “Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle,” Kondo writes in The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. And from the same book, “The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” With the KonMari Method in mind, let sparks of joy inspire your spring cleaning (and change your life). Do you have an interesting decluttering story? As always we love your feedback, and we welcome ideas for home and home-related articles to feature in future issues.

R E D E S I G N A F T E R T H E G R E AT F L O O D

ON THE COVER

Tricia and Jeff Hultgren's renovated basement balances feminine and masculine energy with lots of room for shared passion. Photo by Bill Sitzmann. Story on page 8.

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March/April 2019

3D Laser Engraving From Chocolates to Wall DĂŠcor

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DÉCOR story by Sandra Martin

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

or John Shartrand and his wife, Nicola, creativity is a family affair. To begin with, they have owned and operated Nicola's Italian Wine & Fare in the Old Market area for the past 16 years. About two years ago, they opened their bakery, Stay Sweet, Nicola’s, in Council Bluffs. After their purchase of a 3D laser engraver nearly a year ago, the couple's creative efforts know no bounds. Shartrand explains that he originally bought the machine to engrave chocolates and other edibles for their bakery, but quickly realized its many capabilities beyond food. “It's really awesome,” he says. “It can pretty much do anything you can think of.”

March/April 2019

DÃ‰COR

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I can laser deep into the product for a 3-D effect, or etch just the top layer, down to a depth as fine as a human hair.” Judging from the displays of his work on the walls and countertops of their bakery, Shartrand has thought of a lot of applications. Primarily, of course, are products he makes from wood, which he cuts by hand to create signs, cutting boards, magnets, and coasters custom-designed with names, logos, sayings, and artistic details. But that's just the beginning. In addition to wood, he can engrave on paper, cardboard, draft board, ceramic, slate, acrylic, glass, leather, and even Christmas ornaments. “Ceramic tiles, especially, make wonderful personalized wedding gifts,” he says, “engraved with a couples' favorite saying or their wedding date.” He can also engrave a photograph of a loved one as a memorial to someone who has died. Shartrand begins his process by designing an image on his laptop, using Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. He then uploads it into the machine, along with the object (tile, board, etc.) to be engraved. An inner camera allows him to position and resize his design to f it. “The laser is very precise,” he explains. “I can laser deep into the product for a 3-D effect, or etch just the top layer, down to a depth as f ine as a human hair.” Shartrand's woodworking hobby came about by chance when he saw a Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the machine made by Glowforge

Pro. “I believed in it,” he says, “so I contributed, though it took about three years for them to test it and begin production.” While he waited for his to arrive—“it seemed like it took forever because we were so anxious to get it,” Shartrand says—he watched instruction videos and checked to see what other owners were doing with it. He explains that some owners use the engraver to earn their living, but since he has other sources of income, he can just enjoy it. “My wife and I are so busy, between the restaurant, the bakery, and our two kids, that it's great to be able to use it when I want to, and walk away from it if I need a break.” “I'm having fun coming up with ideas,” he says of his relatively new hobby, adding that he gets a lot of inspiration from Nicola. “I usually run my ideas by her f irst. She used to work as a graphic designer and is very creative.” “We're a good team,” Shartrand says. “We work well together. Actually, I don't even think of it as work…I think of it as fun!” Visit @etcheddesignsomaha on Instagram and Facebook for more information.

March/April 2019

S PAC E S

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HIS & HERS

BASEMENT REDO A Livable Foundation for Family

March/April 2019

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S PAC E S story by Tyler Schuster

photography by BIll Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

lassic femininity with a masculine twist. That was the vision for Tricia and Jeff Hultgren’s basement renovation last year. The “his and hers” vibe is immediately apparent to those stepping down the cream-colored, carpeted spiral staircase, descending into the lower level of the Hultgrens’ home in the Shadow Ridge neighborhood of West Omaha. There is a luxurious bar area equipped with exquisite white marble countertops, dark hand-painted cabinetry, and bright lights hanging from the ceiling. There is double wall shelving lined with various types of liquor and assorted Moscow Mule mugs— the signature of a top-shelf home bar. The bar area is one of many focal points in the renovated basement, and it embodies the purpose of the remodeling effort: to f inally have a space to live and entertain in. “We would never entertain before because the space was ugly,” Tricia says. “But now we can have things going on down here.” Aside from the aesthetic appeal of a renovation, the Hultgrens wanted to enjoy the basement area of the home. The space, which once provided a glorif ied playroom for their two sons and a workout area for the couple, is now a focal part of the 18-year-old home. To tackle this project, the homeowners enlisted help from interior designer Janine Dunn, owner of Interior Spaces. Having worked on other spaces within the Hultgrens’ home, they already had a working relationship based on mutual trust. That trust and collaboration led to a $200,000 facelift.

March/April 2019

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“WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL IS THAT WE WORKED WITH THE BONES OF THE HOUSE AND DIDN’ T MOVE ANY WALLS.” —Janine Dunn

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Tricia says the “ugly, orangey-maple wood, topof-the-line 2000s” space became a much more livable part of their home. “It was very dark before, and we lightened everything up. What makes it special is that we worked with the bones of the house and didn’t move any walls,” Dunn says. “Tricia has classic feminine taste, and Jeff wanted it to feel more masculine. I think we did a great job of achieving both.” The former playroom and home gym remain, but they received a serious upgrade. Likewise for the modern centerpiece of the basement— an entertainment space with a whopping 75-inch f lat-screen TV over a gray, stacked stone backdrop. Below the enormous TV is a f loating f ireplace mantle with hand-painted shelving that matches the bar. The shelves are lined with various pieces of home décor that look spectacular in the natural light pouring in from the basement windows’ plantation-style shutters. “It’s my favorite part,” Tricia says. “I love the lighting, the bar, and the lights, but that wall is the wow factor.”

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Five months, a small fortune, and hours of planning have given the Hultgrens a space where they are proud to host guests and— more importantly— live in. From Jeff ’s framed golf pin f lags (collected at courses they’ve visited nationwide), to the Iowa State memorabilia (reminding the couple of when they met during undergraduate studies), down to the gold-and-black tile of the nearby bathroom, this renovated basement gives a personal foundation to the family home.

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Five months, a small fortune, and hours of planning have given the Hultgrens a space where they are proud to host guests and—more importantly—live in. “You take pride in a renovation,” Tricia says. “You take a lot of joy and pride in that.” Search for “Interior Spaces” on Facebook for more information about the designer responsible for this renovation.

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Farnam

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NEIGHBOR HOODS story by Kara Schweiss

photography by BIll Sitzmann + Provided

design by Mady Besch

The Reversible Problem with Farnam Street ARGUMENTS TO #FIXFARNAM IN DUNDEE

n weekdays, the stretch of Farnam between Saddle Creek Road and Happy Hollow Boulevard becomes a one-way street for two, two-hour periods: eastbound 7-9 a.m. and westbound 4-6 p.m. Numerous “Do Not Enter” and oneway reminder signs are posted prominently throughout the mile-long route. Signs are not enough, says 30-year Dundee resident Jim McGee, a retired state traff ic agency employee. A social media

“I’ve seen police cars do it. I’ve seen delivery trucks to it. I’ve seen people who’ve lived in this neighborhood do it. They just forget, you know,” he says. “There are driveways and streets you can access Farnam from, and people that are pulling out onto Farnam don’t know it’s one-way at that time.” With the exception of a few businesses like KPTM-TV, Holland Basham Architects, and Rathskeller Bier Haus, the section of Farnam within the Dundee-Happy Hollow

“Farnam’s reversible lanes were implemented during a time when safety and neighborhood preservation were not priorities. The economic value of historic neighborhoods wasn’t recognized.”

—Jim M c Gee search (#FixFarnam) reveals anecdotes of near-misses and photos of vehicles heading the wrong way during the oneway period or that jumped a curb to avoid oncoming traff ic. Even conscientious drivers misjudge the time of day, McGee says, and end up in hazardous situations.

Historic District is residential, with some of the homes now a century old and others representing architectural trends throughout the f irst half of the 20th century. “Farnam’s reversible lanes were implemented during a time when safety and neighborhood preservation were not priorities,” McGee says. “The economic value of historic neighborhoods wasn’t recognized.”

March/April 2019

Peter Manhart, president of the Dundee-Memorial Park Association, lives in the neighborhood close to his childhood home, where his mother still resides. He calls the switching one-way designation of Farnam Street “nonsensical.” “We’ve dealt with this our whole lives,” he says. “We don’t know of one neighbor, ever, who thinks this is a good system.” City engineer Todd Pf itzer, who’s worked for the City of Omaha for 12 years, says he can’t answer for his predecessors, but it’s been long understood that one-way hours were established in response to downtown commuter traff ic patterns. “I’m assuming it’s for the same reason it’s still needed today, to carry the eastbound capacity in the morning and the westbound capacity in the afternoon,” he says. Manhart says that downtown workers commuting en masse during f ixed hours may have ref lected the scene in 1958 but doesn’t f it today’s workforce. “People are not rushing to get to work right at nine o’clock all at the same time. Employers are much more f lexible than they’ve ever been, and so many people work from home,” he says. McGee says taking Dodge (a major artery one street north) is the better— and far more popular choice—for commuters on any given day. “Under perfect conditions, the reversible lanes [on Farnam] probably only carry a thousand cars and trucks. Most people totally avoid using them,” he says. “I believe traff ic is down from 15 years ago on Dodge; there’s plenty of capacity on Dodge to move.”

NEIGHBOR HOODS

He adds, “The reversible lanes have added single direction ‘capacity’ but the practice is not standard and is confusing to many. Minor collisions occur nearly every day. Distracted motorists are an added factor today.” Pf itzer says studies show safety is not signif icantly compromised on Farnam and that the f lexible one-way designations are necessary to accommodate traff ic. “It’s no more dangerous than other comparable streets. We’ve compared it to streets with similar traff ic, volumes, similar speed limits, similar conditions. And it doesn’t have any tendencies to being a higher risk or more dangerous corridor than it should, frankly. And certainly the benef its of being able to move the traff ic at peak times of the day are great,” he says, adding that his department considers safety, too. “We don’t currently have the capacity on Dodge Street during those times; if we take Farnam Street away we are going to experience excessive delays, additional delays, on Dodge Street. And additional delays always lead to additional safety concerns.” McGee says differences of opinion are to be expected. “Perhaps the traff ic engineers aren’t the best people to be deciding the future of a historic neighborhood. I’d like to see Farnam taken out of the deck of options of westbound traff ic. I mean, face it, it goes right back to westbound Dodge [merging at Happy Hollow Boulevard] in the f irst place,” he says. “The ideal solution for Dundee would be to return Farnam to its historic design, which ended at Happy Hollow.”

It’s highly unlikely the city would ever sever the connection from Farnam to Dodge near Elmwood Park, he says. However, “the simplest and safest solution is to return Farnam to a full-time twoway street…It isn’t that hard to do since it is actually two-ways 20 hours a day.” An online petition to change Farnam to 24/7 two-way was posted by the DundeeMemorial Park Association on the website change.org three years ago and garnered 535 supporters. Residents of the area like McGee and Manhart regularly remind city government of their point of view. “They know who to contact, trust me,” Pf itzer says. “All we want is the street to go back to the way it should have always been,” Manhart says. Forthcoming changes affecting the area—from the bus rapid transit system in the works to redevelopment at the former Omaha Steel Castings site west of the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus—may actually bring the issue of changing Farnam (or rather, changing Farnam back) to discussion again soon, Pf itzer says. “There are a lot of things going on that could drastically change travel patterns in the area and just the landscape of things to come,” he says. “Let some of these things happen that will undoubtedly change some of the transportation patterns, and then look at it with a fresh set of eyes and see if it’s prudent to make those changes.” Visit dundee-memorialpark.org for more information about the DundeeMemorial Park Association.

OmahaMagazine.com

A 1937 city atlas of Omaha shows how Farnam and Dodge streets were not designed to merge (image courtesy of UNL Center for Digital Research in the Humanities and the Omaha Public Library).

March/April 2019

OmahaMagazine.com

A RCHITEC T UR E story by David Williams

photography by Bill Sitzmann

design by Mady Besch

Saint Barnabas Church Acquires Offuttâ€“Yost House A Congregation for Historic Restoration

March/April 2019

he workmen kneel below a ladder—as if in prayer, as they try to coax a jammed pocket door back to life after a decades-long slumber—inside the mansion at 140 N. 39th St. in the heart of Omaha’s historic Gold Coast neighborhood. Now that the nearby Saint Barnabas Catholic Church has acquired the Offutt-Yost House, its restoration effort is revitalizing one of the city’s most enduring and endearing gems (located across the street from the Joslyn Castle).

The Offutt-Yost House was built in 1894. Casper and Anna Yost commissioned architect Henry Ives Cobb to design the mansion as a wedding gift for their daughter, Bertha (Yost), who married Charles Offutt in 1892. The grand structure cost $15,000. Charles and Bertha’s son, Jarvis, was the f irst Omahan killed in World War I. Offutt Air Force Base is named in his honor. Major renovations were completed in 1976 when the home was featured as the showcase project of the Omaha Symphony Guild’s annual fundraiser. In its most recent prior incarnation, the space operated for many years as the Cornerstone Mansion Bed & Breakfast. The home now acts as the Saint Barnabas Parish House, providing space for educational, devotional, outreach, fellowship, and administrative activities. The 6,000-square-foot home also serves as the church rectory. It is somehow f itting that the Rev. Jason Catania, in his role as a humble servant of Christ, will be using the narrow back-of-house stairs to reach his simple lodgings in what was once the servant’s quarters.

A RCHITEC T UR E

“Saint Barnabas has been in Omaha for over 150 years,” Catania says. “And we’ve been in our present church a couple doors down for over 100 years…almost the same amount of time that this old house has stood…so our shared histories, our shared commitment to this neighborhood and to the larger community, have run along parallel lines. We are proud to become the new stewards of this historic property.” The mansion exudes an impenetrable and fortress-like weightiness of presence in its historic neighborhood. The edif ice is a showcase of tranquil dignity. It is awe-inspiring to passersby, with a foreboding “otherness” that transcends mere mortar and stone. The Offutt-Yost House is the stoic yin to Joslyn Castle’s audacious yang across the street. The Joslyn Castle—with voluptuous curves (and turrets!)—stands in stark contrast to the impassive, stockade-like blockiness of this neighbor designed by American architect Henry Ives Cobb. Cobb’s residential masterpiece in Omaha is generally considered to be an example of the Chateauesque style, a subset of the Renaissance Revival movement. Its elaborate entrance, however, is decidedly Tudor. Cobb is especially known for his work in the Gothic Revival and Beaux-Arts styles during his decades living and working in Chicago. The Massachusetts-born architect studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. After university,

Cobb joined the Boston architecture f irm Peabody & Stearns. In 1882, he moved to Chicago. His work on the Lake Shore Drive residence of businessman and realestate tycoon Potter Palmer was among his f irst major projects in the Midwest. At the cusp of 30 years old, Cobb started his own Chicago practice in 1888. He gained national prominence with commissions to build The Newberry Library, Chicago Opera House, 18 buildings for the University of Chicago, and other notable structures (some of which no longer exist). He moved to New York City in 1902, where he continued his practice and designed several skyscrapers. He died in New York in 1931. Cobb’s work on the Offutt-Yost House produced a structure that seems so grounded to the earth, so anchored to the soil, that it is easy to imagine a subterranean root system—like that of a mighty oak—with meandering tendrils sprawling throughout the Gold Coast area. Rumors suggest that underground tunnels once connected to the mansion in exactly such fashion. According to online articles published by the local architectural website My Omaha Obsession in 2016, a descendant of the Offutt-Yost family claimed that a basement tunnel once connected the residence with the nearby Joslyn Castle.

OmahaMagazine.com

Now that the nearby Saint Barnabas Catholic Church has acquired the Offutt-Yost House, its restoration effort is revitalizing one of the cityâ€™s most enduring and endearing gems.

"Saint Barnabas has been in Omaha for over 150 years,” The Rev. Catania Says. “And we’ve been in our present church a couple doors down for over 100 years… almost the same amount of time that this old house has stood…so our shared histories, our shared commitment to this neighborhood and to the larger community, have run along parallel lines. We are proud to become the new stewards of this historic property.”

A RCHITEC T UR E

Paul Koenig, who operated the former Cornerstone Mansion Bed & Breakfast with his wife (1996-2000), posted in the blog's comments that he had heard rumors of the tunnels. Koenig added that there was no sign of any tunnel when they purchased the bed and breakfast from its founder, Jeannie Swoboda, who established the B&B in 1986. Just like that stubborn pocket door that wouldn’t budge for the renovation workers getting the Offutt-Yost House ready for Saint Barnabas Church over the winter, there are other speculations that have stuck with the property through the years. “The underground tunnel may be mythical. We’ve looked for it as well, and we can’t f ind any evidence that it has been f illed in,” Catania says, adding that he has heard rumors that a stainedglass door in the residence was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The doors are all original, and he says there is only one stainedglass door in the home—but it needs some repairs. The source of the stained-glass door has not been verif ied, he says. The Offut-Yost House is also rumored to be haunted. "Mr. Offutt did commit suicide in the house," Catania says, "and as a matter of course we did bless the house shortly after we moved in.” Visit saintbarnabas.net for more information about the church that has acquired the Offutt-Yost House.

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March/April 2019

P o rc h P i rat e s ,

Ahoy!

S m a r t T h i e v e s Av o i d S m a r t H o m e s

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F E AT U R E story by Charlie Litton

photography Provided

design by Mady Besch

f you had a package stolen from your front porch

over the holiday season, you weren't alone. About 30 percent of Americans suffered the same fate at the hands of so-called "porch pirates." One NASA engineer went viral online with a video documenting how he invented a glitter bomb armed with fart spray to bedazzle and be-stink would-be thieves. It was joyful to watch, but most of us don't have his experience building Mars rovers—or a handful of iPhones and custom circuit boards laying around—or even a soldering iron, for that matter. Most civilians must rely on more modest security solutions. But the available options have become increasingly high-tech and convenient for nonengineers. Hence, the booming market for smart home security devices. Having a package stolen from the front porch is aggravating, but it doesn't quite rise to the level of burglary—i.e., someone kicking down the front door and looting the place. The good news is burglaries in the United States dropped by 7.6 percent from 2016 to 2017. In Omaha, the rate remained relatively f lat during that same time frame, though burglaries decreased by 11 percent during 2018 (according to statistics from the Omaha Police Department). The FBI also reports that burglaries are three times more likely in homes without a security system. Local retailers have an extensive selection of smart home and security measures that can get you started with something like a doorbell camera for about $100. A more complex solution—

A workable solution, professionals say, should f it just about any budget.

Around-the-clock professional monitoring services will contact police when necessary. A more robust security system and service could also monitor f ire, health, water, and toxic fumes (such as carbon monoxide).

"Regardless of the size of the home or income level, we can f ind a solution that works for your home and family specif ically," says Don McGuire, a design consultant at Atronic Alarms in Omaha."Your necessity for security doesn't change whether you own or rent,” he adds.

However, more people are relying on self-monitoring systems that integrate into smartphones. They can keep an eye on that garage door that someone always forgets to close; check the thermostat; or see who's ringing the doorbell, no matter where in the world the homeowner might be at that particular moment.

one that integrates automated lights, thermostats, cameras, and the works— can run several thousand dollars.

For those more interested in a DIY project, several kits are available locally, including at Nebraska Furniture Mart, which also has the ability to customize and install security systems. "I like to joke with my customers that I can do anything from basic to bonkers," says Russell Weaver, electronics sales manager at Nebraska Furniture Mart. A basic doorbell camera installs on most homes' low-voltage doorbell wiring systems for about $100. But the DIY crowd should know what they're getting into. "Where people struggle with that is that they don't always know what they're getting," McGuire says. "Sometimes that works out, and sometimes it’s a disaster." A more complex system with a professional install will start at about $2,000, and might run another $20-$60 a month for a professional monitoring service. "It varies on what you're monitoring and all the bells and whistles," McGuire says. "You could pay more, but you don't need to. That's an acceptable range."

Weaver and McGuire agree that the smartest f irst step toward a smart and secure home is a conversation with a design consultant. "We're supposed to be consultants," McGuire says. "A salesperson pushes a product, a consultant helps you f ind what you need."

For more information about smart home security options, consider contacting: Atronic Alarms: atronicalarms.com 402-895-1800 Cox Homelife: cox.com 402-599-9250 Nebraska Furniture Mart: nfm.com 402-255-6319 SEi: sei-security.com 402-333-3233 This list is not exhaustive. Potential buyers should shop around to find the best fit for their personal home security needs.

March/April 2019

AT HOM E story by Tamsen Butler

photography by Sarah Lemke

HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM A FARMHOUSE IN GRETNA, JAPAN A Surprise Family Reunion Jennifer Bromm returned to Nebraska in January to visit her parents in person. From left: Jason (her husband), Chuck Arbaugh (her father), Jennifer with daughter Bailey, and Cindy Arbaugh (her mother).

design by Mady Besch

OmahaMagazine.com

retna native Jennifer Bromm has endured a whirlwind of assignments since joining the Army in 2013. After spending a year in South Korea, she spent three years in Germany and then moved on to Camp Zama, Japan.

“I have become somewhat accustomed to being far away from home and am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had,” says the active-duty member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Speaking from her current residence southwest of Tokyo, Jennifer admits to missing home and family. The holidays can be particularly tough. “Before we embarked on this military life, we did spend all holidays with our families,” she says. “My husband and I have been together for roughly 13 years, so we have had a lot of joint holidays. Our normal tradition was Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with mine. We would either go to church with the Bromms in Wahoo on Christmas Eve or in Gretna Christmas morning.” Christmas afternoons were usually spent at her parents’ home in Gretna, opening gifts and enjoying a traditional turkey dinner complete with cheesy potatoes, bean casserole, and an abundance of desserts. “Oh, those cheesy potatoes,” reminisces her father, Chuck Arbaugh. “Those are one of Jennifer’s favorite side dishes. They are pretty simple: cubed hash browns, Velveeta cheese, and corn f lakes.” When early November rolled around in 2018, Jennifer and her husband, Jason, couldn’t help but think about the upcoming holidays. It had been some time since they had been home for Christmas. “A couple years, at least,” her father says. Now that Jennifer and Jason have a baby girl, it’s easy for everyone in the family to feel their heartstrings stretched painfully over the more than 6,000 miles separating Japan from eastern Nebraska. Around this time, she heard that Telef lora—a U.S.-based f lorist company with aff iliates around the world—was looking to talk to military members who had been away from home for some time.

March/April 2019

NOW THAT JENNIFER AND JASON HAVE A BABY GIRL, IT’S EASY FOR EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY TO FEEL THEIR HEARTSTRINGS STRETCHED PAINFULLY OVER THE MORE THAN 6,000 MILES SEPARATING JAPAN FROM EASTERN NEBRASKA. “A JAG colleague of mine knew the producer making this mini-documentary, and they put out a request to any JAGs spending a lot of time separated from their families asking them about their personal situations,” Jennifer says. “Since we have spent so many years separated,

they were very interested in our story and asked to set up a call with us. On the call, we were told that it was to be a short documentary for Telef lora about separated families over the holiday. Jason received some more details than I did, but I was led to believe I was just doing an interview with the crew about my service and separation from family.” What Jennifer wasn’t aware of, however, was the clandestine preparation going on behind the scenes. “After we were interviewed, Telef lora asked me to put them in contact with both sets of parents to work on the details and coordination stateside,” says Jennifer’s husband, Jason. “It was a tremendous effort by Telef lora and their team to put this whole thing together and keep it from Jen.”

In a group effort involving Telef lora, Jason, and both sets of parents, Jennifer was about to enjoy a holiday meal “at home.” The scene opens with Jennifer and Jason walking into a room they believed was a room where inter views would take place for what they thought was a documentary. With her baby in her arms, Jennifer realizes that she’s just walked into an authentic recreation of her parents’ home in Gretna. “I was in complete shock and disbelief !” Jennifer says. Her stocking from her childhood hung at the mantle, and her mother’s chinaware was set on the table. The holiday decorations weren’t casually placed—the producers had painstakingly decorated based on photos sent by Jennifer’s parents that demonstrated how their home would be decorated.

AT HOM E

“They had us take pictures of everything,” explains Chuck. “So we took pictures of all the decorations for Christmas at different angles and even sent a rough blueprint of the house.” A few days prior to f ilming, producers visited the Arbaugh home in person to ensure their recreation in Japan would be authentic. As Jennifer marveled at stepping into what looked and felt exactly like her parents’ home on the opposite side of the globe, she noticed the large screen at the head of the table. On the screen was a live feed of her family in Gretna sitting down to a holiday meal. “I walked in and saw the whole family on the screen waiting for us,” Jennifer says. For the f irst time in years, Jennifer was sitting down for a holiday meal with her Nebraska family.

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Not surprisingly, Telef lora supplied beautiful centerpieces for both sides of the table in Japan and Gretna. “The centerpieces they made to coordinate the tables were gorgeous,” Jennifer says. Something else was on the table, too: a casserole dish f illed with steaming hot cheesy potatoes. The producers obtained the recipe from Jennifer’s mom and cooked the dish. They all knew it would be some time before Jennifer and her family can all be in the same room together for a holiday meal, but until then, this moment was the next best thing. The video documenting their unexpected reunion, titled “The Telef lora Table,” has been viewed more than 13.4 million times on YouTube.

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March/April 2019

M a ke Yo u r Be d and Plant in It How to Prepare for Spring Gardening

OmahaMagazine.com

H A RV E S T story by Patrick McGee

photography Provided

design by Mady Besch

reparing a garden bed requires just a little bit of foresight and planning. It is best done in the fall, although many gardeners would rather wait out the cold season and begin preparations in the spring. Springtime preparations still produce f ine results (but beginning the process soon after the conclusion of harvesting is ideal).

The same preparations should be used for vegetables and ornamentals alike. Scott Evans, horticulture program coordinator at the Nebraska Extension, shares a few simple tips for preparing successful garden beds:

Removing the prior year’s vegetation creates a healthy garden bed, Evans says. Foliage and fruits left in or on the ground may provide wintering habitats for harmful diseases and insects that can carry into the spring. Evans says that removing debris is best done in the fall because it decreases the chances that pathogens and insects will overwinter in the garden. Springtime removal is important if foliage and debris is not removed in the fall.

Crop rotation is equally important, says Evans. Prepare the bed accordingly and plot out where all of the vegetables will go. Avoid placing vegetables from the same family in the same place year after year. Move them to a different location, “not just a couple of feet—tens of feet,” Evans says. Planting the same family of vegetables in the same place year after year creates the potential for diseases and insects. For example, the squash vine borer overwinters in pupae in the soil. Relocating the plants out of their immediate reach mitigates some potential for insect problems. Plants from the same family are not always easily distinguishable. This is due to years of domestication and selection. “It’s pretty darn amazing,” he says. Tomatoes, potatoes, pepper, and eggplants all come from the same plant family. Mustards, Brussels sprouts, caulif lower, and broccoli also belong to the same plant family. Tomatoes and peppers should not be rotated in the same area of the garden due to their relationship. The same is true of Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

Although removing the prior year’s vegetation and rotating crops are essential preparatory steps, there are a few other tricks that can further improve yields. Tilling and spading the soil facilitates root growth. “Don’t do any tilling or spading when the soil is wet. It can compact the soil,” Evans says, adding that working dampto-dry soil is OK. Working compost into the top 6 inches of soil also improves it, he says.

Evans recommends staking plants such as tomatoes shortly after planting to avoid disturbing them later when they are large and unwieldy. He advises planting plants with specif ic sunlight requirements according to their needs. For example, tomatoes need full allday sun. Other plants thrive in partial sunlight. Inappropriate light conditions can be a source of disappointment for gardeners. Keep a gardening journal and write down what does well in particular gardening conditions, he suggests.

H A RV E S T

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the garden grow—this is best done with a cool drink in hand and an empty mind.

Evans suggests old newspapers as an inexpensive option for mulch (spread in f lat sheets) over the soil. Mulch is a protective layer that reduces evaporation, maintains even soil temperature, prevents erosion, controls weeds, and helps to keep produce clean. Also, Evans warns, don’t forget to use a fence to keep out rabbits. Preparing a garden bed is often the most labor-intensive part of gardening. With just a few simple steps, one can truly maximize a garden’s potential yield. After preparation and planting comes the most timeconsuming (and rewarding) part of the process: watching the garden grow—this is best done with a cool drink in hand and an empty mind.

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