Northwest Observer - At Home / Fall 2022

fall 2022

IN THIS ISSUE Oak Ridge Swim Club celebrates 50 years ....... 6 Fall yard maintenance tips................................... 7 More love for the Moore house ........................... 8 What’s on the floor beneath you? ..................... 10 Rearrange, repurpose and reuse...................... 12 Northwest Guilford County trivia ........................ 14 Oak Ridge Garden Club marks 60 years......... 18 Family-Friendly: Calendar, recipes, more! ...... 23 Index of Advertisers .............................................. 30

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Photo courtesy of Oak Ridge Swim Club

Located on N.C. 150 across from Oak Ridge Elementary School, Oak Ridge Swim Club has been a popular place for families to enjoy swimming and spending time with friends for 50 years.

by ANNETTE JOYCE Oak Ridge was a sleepy little farm community in the early ‘70s, and with the exception of the newly renamed Oak Ridge Military Academy, the four corners of the crossroads at N.C. 68 and 150 were occupied by pastureland and crops.

While the community was more bucolic in nature, its residents had big ideas about adding more recreational opportunities. One of those ideas was to build a community swimming pool for local families. That was 50 years ago, and Oak Ridge Swim Club is now an established community icon.

With the passage of time, most of the people involved in creating the swim club have passed away and there is little recorded history. However, there’s a consensus among those we interviewed that two men, Buster Linville and Walter Tice, who died in 2010 and 2011 respectively, were the main ones involved with instigating the project.

Oak Ridge resident Linda Pegg, who served on the club’s first board and was

secretary/treasurer of the organization for over a decade, remembered attending a meeting to gauge interest in a community swimming pool and tennis court.

Although this type of venture was quite progressive for such a small, rural community, there was enough interest that the group formed a committee to investigate the logistics of building the pool and clubhouse.

After determining that creating a swim club had enough community support, that committee became the first board, with Tice taking on the role of president. Pegg, along with five other area residents, Romulus Linville, John Clodfelter, J.C. Williams, Johnny Swicegood and John Peters, made up the first board.

The club was established as a private entity owned by members who were required to make a one-time stock purchase and pay annual dues. To make the plan work, Buster Linville put up the money to purchase the property, which

continued on page 22

Treat your lawn well this fall, and you’ll be rewarded next spring

by PATTI STOKES Fall is a great time to spend in your yard. It’s also a prime time of year to prep our living landscape for another favorite season – spring.

Here’s what you need to do now to have a yard you’ll enjoy this fall, as well as in the seasons to follow: Mulch leaves: Autumn-colored leaves are beautiful, but if layers of leaves are left to accumulate on your lawn, they block light and trap in moisture. Rather than raking or bagging your leaves, consider mulching them with a lawn mower and spreading them around young trees, shrubs and flower beds to provide a natural boost of nutrients and help with weed control and keeping roots warm.

Aerate your lawn: Aerating prevents soil from becoming compacted and covered with thatch – a thick layer of roots, stems and debris that blocks water, oxygen and nutrients from

Adobe Stock photo

Lawn professionals advise homeowners to mulch, aerate, fertilize and overseed their lawns in the fall before winter sets in. It’s also a prime time to plant trees, shrubs and flower gardens.

continued on page 31

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More love for the Moore house

Photo by Patti Stokes

This historic house at the corner of Linville Road and Oak Ridge Road/N.C. 150 was last occupied in the late 1990s. Sam Anders, who owns an accounting firm in Oak Ridge, recently purchased 4.7 acres that includes the house, an adjacent building that is rented by a smallengine repair business, and the former two-story brick W.D. Grocery store. He plans to restore the house and buildings, as well as create an office complex on the property.

New owner hopes to restore the historic house that has long been unoccupied

by SANDRA SMITH, contributing writer OAK RIDGE – Located diagonally across the street from Oak Ridge Elementary, the historic house at the corner of N.C. 150 and Linville Road in Oak Ridge has had no residents since the late 1990s. Many have considered the empty, neglected house and the bamboo-covered acreage surrounding it to be an eyesore, especially given its highly visible location.

Sam Anders hopes that will soon change.

The local accountant and lifetime Oak Ridge resident recently purchased the house and the 4.7 acres it rests on, and plans to create a small office complex there.

One of Oak Ridge’s most historic remaining structures, the house at 2102 Oak Ridge Road

was built about 1863 by Ansalem Moore (1809-1884). Moore’s grandmother was the daughter of Charles Benbow, whose historic 1823 home sits nearby on Oak Ridge Road.

His grandfather, Camm Moore (1755-1845), was a silversmith who is renowned for

making precision surveying equipment which is on display in local museums. One of his pieces sold in 2009 for $28,750.

Ansalem Moore made his living as a blacksmith and was named

continued on page 27

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What’s under your feet?

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While flooring styles that are popular today may be out tomorrow, flooring professionals agree that natural, solid wood flooring will never go out of style.

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Read on to learn more about some of the classic and trending styles in what’s on the floors beneath your feet.

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Floors made of solid woods such as maple, oak and walnut are still a top choice for homeowners, and flooring professionals agree these floors will never go out of style. Besides the classic hardwood flooring with midtone colors and a smooth, glossy surface, other popular options include “lived-in

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Engineered hardwood flooring, which is made of a high-quality plywood core with a thin layer of hardwood flooring on top, has become increasingly popular in recent years because it offers the same character as natural hardwood, but is more affordable. An advantage of engineered hardwood is that it is available in wider planks, and is ideal for environments where temperatures fluctuate.

One disadvantage of engineered hardwood is that, dependent on how thick the top wear layer is, you may be limited as to if or how many times it can be sanded and refinished.

Carpet is definitely still in

Carpet remains a popular flooring choice, particularly for bedrooms.

“We’re still seeing about half of all homeowners putting carpet in bedrooms. Most are going with neutral tones, leaning back to the

beiges and taupes of the early ‘90s,” said Denise Mallary, a design/ sales consultant with CSM Flooring based in the Triad. “Popular textures in wall-to-wall carpeting are lower, tighter and denser than the trend of frieze, which is more similar to shag carpet.”

Mallary noted she’s seen many carpet trends come and go since she started in the flooring business in 1985.

“I watched the cycle go from wools to short shag (frieze), and now it’s back to thicker, softer and tighter, denser styles,” she said.

With hardwood flooring as well as luxury vinyl planking (shown in photo), the trend has gone toward natural and bleached woods.

Luxury vinyl is increasingly popular

Vinyl flooring has moved much closer to natural wood and stone looks in recent years. Luxury vinyl is a specific type of vinyl flooring.

Unlike vinyl flooring of the past, which was offered in sheet form only

Photo courtesy of CSM Flooring

and therefore couldn’t mimic natural materials, LVT (luxury vinyl tile) and LVP (luxury vinyl plank) floors are offered in a wide array of patterns and

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Rearrange, repurpose and reuse Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Yes, it’s possible to transform your home without ‘breaking the bank’

by ANNETTE JOYCE Kara Winicki and her husband, Ed, moved into their Summerfield home about 16 years ago. For most of those years the couple had a full house – two growing boys, three dogs and two cats. On top of that, their home was the neighborhood hangout for their sons’ many friends.

“It seems we always had a ton of boys over, so I never really worried too much about how things looked,” Winicki said. “We had to have a house that could take a beating.”

Soon after moving in, the couple completely remodeled the kitchen. However, the rest of the spacious house stayed the same and featured lots of brown leather and dark wood furniture, much of it bearing chew marks and scratches from their various pets.

After she and her husband became emptynesters a few months ago, Winicki, who loves to entertain, felt it was time to majorly spruce up their home – but she didn’t want to spend a fortune doing it.

“I decided I wanted my house back,” she said. “My priorities changed. I wanted

Decorator Shelli Cottingham (left) and Realtor Kara Winicki teamed up to give Winicki’s home a refreshing facelift at an affordable price.

to be in this house and feel really great about it.”

A Realtor with eXp Realty, Winicki also wanted to be able to provide her sellers with ideas about how they could transform their own homes to

get a better price, or enable her buyers to see the potential in the houses they were touring. By going through her own transformation process, she knew she would be better equipped to help her clients.

That’s where Shelli Cottingham, decorator and owner of DECORgeous in Greensboro, came into the picture.

Having known each other from their days as teachers at Summerfield Elementary School, the two women joined forces to give Winicki the home she envisioned by primarily, as Cottingham said, “rearranging, repurposing and reusing.”

Cottingham’s approach to decorating is in some ways unique.

“A lot of designers say you’ve got to push your clients out of their comfort zone. That’s not me,” she said. “I want to put my clients in their comfort zone.

If someone tells me, ‘This furniture was my parents’ and it means a lot,’ I want to

continued on page 28

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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ... about northwest Guilford County Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a newcomer, you may be surprised at some of the answers to the following questions. Just for fun, take our quiz and see how much you know about past and current happenings in northwest Guilford County.

1. What is the name of the new park to be built in Oak Ridge?

A. Whitaker Park, named for the family of Summerfield Town Manager Scott Whitaker, who donated the property B. Heritage Farm Park, to pay tribute to the property’s historic use as farmland C. PARTF Park, named for the state grant which supplied nearly $500,000 to build the park D. Linville Park, named in honor of the late Buster and Edna Linville, who made many generous financial contributions to the community of Oak Ridge 2. What colorful water source was Stokesdale originally named for?

A. Belews Lake (formerly Blue’s Lake) B. Brown Town, a retention pond outside the downtown area with water that was often brown C. Green Pond, a local pond with water that was greenish in color

D. Haw River, which was often stained with dye used by textile mills upstream

3. What’s the name of the airfield that eventually became Piedmont Triad International Airport, and what famous person visited there?

A. Lindley Field, opened by Charles Lindburgh in 1927 B. Potter’s Field, formerly the site of a pauper’s graveyard, visited by President Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression C. Blue Skies Airfield, visited by screen stars Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in 1935 D. Flowers Airfield for the colorful wildflowers that grew there; it was dedicated by former First Lady Ladybird Johnson, who advocated for the planting of wildflowers in the U.S. 4. What does legend say the proprietor of the Old Mill dreamed the night before the mill was seized by British troops during the Revolutionary War? A. His toe was being gnawed off by a bear locals called General Cornwallis B. His toe was mangled and torn off when it was caught between the mill’s grinding stones

... and check your answers on p. 30!

C. His toe was on fire (legend says it was shot in a skirmish with British troops) D. His toe was blown off when some residents tried to explode a nearby beaver dam.

5. Who was Summerfield, once known as Bruce’s Crossroads, named for?

A. Robert the Bruce, former King of Scotland B. Charles Bruce, early settler and American patriot C. Bruce, the name film crews gave the great white shark replica in the movie “Jaws” D. The ancestors of Oak Ridge Town Manager Bill Bruce 6. Besides the town’s municipal water system, what topic has been one of the most frequently discussed at Stokesdale Town Council meetings?

A. The charging of a property tax B. Accessing water from nearby Belews Lake C. Changing the form of government to allow hiring a town manager D. Removal of a soft drink machine from the town park 7. What issue has Oak Ridge worked on for nearly 20 years that is about to become a reality?

A. Creation of a town water system for household use

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Park to be called the Grand Hill Landfill C. Creating or expanding municipal water for consumption and fire suppression D. Building a YMCA-type facility to help improve residents’ health and fitness levels

and fire suppression B. Turning N.C. 68 into an interstate highway, increasing traffic and business in the town C. The installation of 20 tennis courts, making the town a local sports destination D. Purchasing the Oak Ridge Military Academy campus and allowing commercial development and condos/apartments to be built

8. Which of these is correct?

A. Oak Ridge Councilman George McClellan is a descendant of General George B. McClellan, a Union general during the Civil War B. Stokesdale Mayor Mike Crawford’s great-aunt was actress Joan Crawford C. Summerfield Councilman Reece Walker was named for the 1990s show “Walker, Texas Ranger,” his mother’s favorite TV show during pregnancy D. None of the above (at least, to our knowledge!)

9. How do the northwest area towns of

Stokesdale, Summerfield and Oak Ridge plan to use the combined $11.8 million recently awarded by Guilford County?

A. Updates to the restroom facilities at all the towns’ parks to prevent sewage backups B. A landfill for the three towns, which would be built on one of the large hills in Summerfield Community

10. What is the only time since it was founded that Oak Ridge Military Academy closed?

A. During the Civil War, when all students reportedly left to join the war effort B. During the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, when many students and teachers were stricken C. During WWII, when many older students were drafted and others volunteered D. During the 1950s polio epidemic, when most parents withdrew their children 11. What is the meaning of the Latin phrase “Amor Vincit Omnia” on the Stokesdale Town Seal?

A. Love is everywhere B. Love one another C. Love conquers all D. Love of country 12. After it incorporated in 1998, where was Oak Ridge’s first Town Hall?

A. In the old Oak Ridge Fire Department building,

which has since been demolished B. In Alumni Hall at Oak Ridge Military Academy C. In a mobile unit across N.C. 68 from McDonald’s (the new Starbucks location) D. In the former Post Office building beside Oak Ridge Military Academy

13. James Gillies, the Revolutionary War

bugler whose likeness is on Summerfield’s Town Seal, was killed by British troops at what local site?

A. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse in Greensboro B. On Oak Ridge Road near the Summerfield/Oak Ridge border C. On U.S. 220 where it crosses Lake Brandt D. Where a monument to him is located in front of Summerfield Elementary School 14. Where is Nathan Dillon, son of Old Mill of Oak Ridge’s founder Daniel Dillon, buried?

A. In Oak Ridge United Methodist Church’s cemetery B. In Old Union Graveyard on E. Harrell Road in Oak Ridge C. On a hill overlooking the Old Mill on N.C. 68 in Oak Ridge D. In Ai Church cemetery at the corner of Alcorn Road and N.C. 68 You can check your answers on p. 30!

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Oak Ridge Garden Club 60 years and still growing strong!

by LAURA RENEER, ORGC member Have you ever driven by the school sign in front of Oak Ridge Elementary and noticed the beautiful flowers? Or maybe you’ve stopped by the Old Mill and enjoyed looking at the carefully tended gardens near the front porch. Those gardens, along with two others in Oak Ridge, are maintained by members of Oak Ridge Garden Club (ORGC), a group dedicated to beautifying their community and sharing their love of gardening.

Organized in October of 1962, ORGC began with the following objective: “To cultivate and promote an increased interest in gardening, to encourage planting and conservation of civic beauty, and to participate in the continuing study of the art of flower arranging.”

While the study of flower arranging is no longer the focal point for this 60-year-old club, the attention to civic beauty and the promotion of

Photo courtesy of Martha Pittman

This flower garden beneath the sign at Oak Ridge Elementary is one of four gardens in the community that Oak Ridge Garden Club maintains.

stirsitcrtict stiosrtiocriDc iD e iH dgidegH i R R k k a a OO

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Fall 2022

might win in the annual contest sponsored by the Guilford County Council.”

Westmoreland and Elaine Papp, who joined in 1988, also recall spouses and guests being invited to the annual Valentine’s banquet held at Oak Ridge Military Academy. The school would cater the dinner, and cadets would serve as waiters and waitresses.

“It was a beautiful evening!”

Papp said.

Even monthly meetings were a special occasion.

“Back before email, dear little Willow Way Benbow Terrell, Photo courtesy of Martha Pittman who lived in the Charles Benbow House and had been known to Flowers by the front porch of the Old Mill keep a pet chicken in her kitchen, on N.C. 68 in Oak Ridge are also mainwould call a few days ahead tained by Oak Ridge Garden Club. each month to remind us of our gardening are still a top priority. meeting,” Westmoreland said.

The motto of the original club “One did not skip out on meetings founders was “Not for self, but for all,” without a really good reason!” which still holds true today.

ORGC was quite formal in those Members dressed up early days of the 1960s. Flower for meetings, unless it was arranging competitions were not only one of the club’s primary activities, a work day, and meetings but were actually required. Each followed a specific order as member was expected to have outlined in the bylaws. several entries in the local flower shows, with strict rules about each While none of the original category. Susie Westmoreland, who members are still around, Claudia joined the club in 1987, remembers Whitaker, who joined in 1976, is the Isabelle Whitaker, a past member and club’s longest-standing member. aunt of lifetime Oak Ridge resident Her husband, Frank, grew up in Frank Whitaker, taking her on long the beautifully-restored home on walks on the Whitaker property to the grounds of Oak Ridge Military help her learn about wildflowers and how she might incorporate them into Academy known as Oakhurst and his Aunt Isabelle was a past club her flower entries. president. Claudia remembers well The annual Year Book, a the ladies who served in that role scrapbook of sorts that contained the throughout the years. club’s mission statement, the prayer “They were very knowledgeable recited before meetings, a list of past about gardening and flower presidents, photos, meeting details, and a schedule of the year’s activities, arranging,” Claudia recalled. At that time, ORGC was a member of the was also entered in a competition.

Guilford College Council of Garden According to Westmoreland, the Clubs, and she said the first president keeper of the Year Book had an was Totten Honeycutt, “of the important task, and “The yearbook was a big deal! The hope was that it continued on page 20

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OAK RIDGE GARDEN CLUB ...continued from page 19

prominent Honeycutt family.” Totten lived in the large, white historic home at the corner of N.C. 150 and Bunch Road.

One of the club’s projects in 1985 was to assist with the planting of over 100 willow oak trees along N.C. 150, spanning east of N.C. 68 as far as East Harrell Road, and west to what is the future Heritage Photo by Laura Reneer/NWO Farm Park (located One of Oak Ridge Garden Club’s projects in 1985 was to assist with the planting on property formerly of over 100 willow oak trees along N.C. 150. Initially about 6 feet tall, the trees owned by Frank and have grown considerably over the last 37 years.

Claudia Whitaker). Frank Whitaker started the trees from seedlings in 1981, Field trips to places like Reynolda and with the cooperation of property about native plants and knew exactly Gardens in nearby Winston-Salem or owners, he, Claudia and fellow garden where to plant the flowers so they local flower farms further encourage club members as well as many other complement each other and the Mill,” learning and fellowship, and picnics, community volunteers, transplanted the Klug said. “The ladies at the Mill and I the annual Christmas party and then 6-foot trees along both sides of have enjoyed the many butterflies and opportunities to help out fellow club N.C. 150, helping to establish this treehummingbirds that visit the flowers. members in their gardens round out lined drive that reflects Oak Ridge’s rural The garden makes sitting on the front the yearly activities. We might even charm to this day. porch even more enjoyable!” throw in some flower arranging this While ORGC has been a member Every April and October, club year, just as a tribute to our garden of county, regional and national garden members spend an evening planting, sisters from the ‘60s! clubs throughout the years, current weeding, spreading mulch and members have chosen to focus their Reflecting the feelings of many club generally sprucing up the four efforts more on local community members, Westmoreland said, “I love community gardens. Most of the plants gardens.

Garden Club because it gives me a are donated by members, usually monthly meetup with some amazing Sometime in the early 2000s, a an overflow from their own gardens, women in the community and we memorial garden was created at Oak and the work days serve as a chance share information that enriches each Ridge Military Academy to honor past to beautify and contribute to the other’s lives.” members of the club. community while also providing a great In more recent years, the club has opportunity for new members to learn adopted three more gardens in the from the veterans. When the work is community – the school sign at Oak complete, dinner is served by members Ridge Elementary, the two trail heads who may prefer cooking to digging. leading into the woods at Oak Ridge The club meets the first Tuesday of To learn more about ORGC, email Town Park, and the gardens along the each month. Speakers are often invited oakridgencgardenclub@gmail.com, front porch of the Old Mill on N.C. 68. to share their expertise on topics find us on Facebook or follow us Club member Laurie Brackett from beekeeping to native plants, and on Instagram. The club is open spearheads the garden work at the Old vegetable gardening to dahlias. Craft to anyone in the area (not just Mill, and owner Amy Klug said she is nights provide a fun opportunity to women!) who loves to garden grateful for the assistance. and has an interest in getting to socialize and create something new know fellow gardeners and help“Laurie and the rest of the club for the garden, like the recent gourd ing to beautify their community. members are very knowledgeable birdhouse painting led by Judi Fleming.

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Fall 2022

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He also remembers Photo courtesy of Oak Ridge Swim Club watching as a friend fell from the board onto the cement and broke his arm. Due to the danger of injury and the associated liability issues, the high dive was taken down years ago.

Along with Members of Oak Ridge Swim Club gathered to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary over Labor offering a place Day weekend in September. for recreational swimming, early on the club added a “I could be with my friends and there as cleaning the chairs, scrubbing the competitive swim team for youth. In the was always something going on there.” tile and making sure the trash was beginning, Pegg said there were about picked up.

For Pegg and her family, who lived 15 to 20 swimmers; this past season, there just off Stafford Mill Road, the pool She chuckles when recalling how were about 120 swimmers on the club’s became a home away from home she used her “authority” to keep the swim team. during the summer. Pegg’s son and young kids and teenagers in line.

In 2004 the club underwent a major daughter enjoyed the pool so much “I used it to my advantage,” she renovation when the pool was enlarged that some weeks they would go every said. “If the kids misbehaved, I’d have and resurfaced and the clubhouse day. Sometimes this meant taking her them scrubbing tiles or chairs.” building was torn down and rebuilt, chores along with her.

Harton doesn’t remember having making the club more attractive to both “(My friends) and I used to pick our to perform any heroic lifesaving existing and potential members. green beans and take them to the pool measures, but she does recall going Board member Evan Smith said the and string them while the kids were into the water after one little boy who club remains in a strong position. playing,” she said. overestimated his ability to swim.

“We’ve got 435 families who are That first year, there was a crew of “It was a birthday party and I members and 123 families on the waitlist,” about half a dozen lifeguards at the watched about half a dozen little he said.

“That’s about a two-to-three-year swim club. Courtenay Benbow Harton, 6-year-old boys climb up the ladder waitlist.” who grew up in Oak Ridge, was one to the high dive,” she said. “They all Smith attributed the club’s continued of the first guards on duty. At the time, jumped, and all but one swam to the popularity to the fact that the board and all she was attending college at UNCside. That one just stayed underwater.” the members are committed to ensuring Greensboro and had taken the lifesaving Harton immediately jumped in and the club is well-run and well-maintained. course without any real plan for using it. pulled him to the side. That’s when she He said the same goes for past boards and She ended up being the only found out that the little fella thought members, who did what was necessary to local lifeguard on the team. Harton’s he could swim but was completely maintain the club and keep it going. memories are mostly of the families and clueless.

Back in the day, most of those the friendships that developed over the Whether they were just jumping members were long-time residents of course of her two years lifeguarding. in or showing off their diving skills, Oak Ridge and the surrounding area.

While the younger swimmers saw swimmers loved the high dive.

With Even today, many members are secondHarton, dressed in her one-piece her gymnastics background, Harton and third-generation descendants of the swimsuit and Ray-Ban sunglasses with was able to perform some fairly charter members. a whistle dangling around her neck, complicated maneuvers off of it.

As new members come and others as somewhat of a celebrity, Harton David Linville, son of Buster Linville, move on, one thing remains the same – said being a lifeguard wasn’t all that said he loved the high dive for its Oak Ridge Swim Club is still a place that glamourous. Along with overseeing the splash potential. brings families together and gives them pool and making sure its occupants the opportunity to have fun in their own “I could do a can opener and wet were safe, lifeguards were also Fall 2022 community. down everybody there,” he boasted. responsible for such mundane duties

OAK RIDGE SWIM CLUB ...continued from page 6 is on N.C. 150 across from Oak Ridge Elementary School.

“The swim club was very well received by the community,” Pegg confirmed. “Before, kids had to travel to Winston-Salem or Greensboro to go to a pool. This gave them a place to go closer to home.”

The group broke ground in October 1972 and Oak Ridge Swim Club was in operation the following summer, with families soon turning the club into the No. 1 place to be.

Sandra Smith, a life-long Oak Ridge resident, was 12 when the pool opened and remembers how excited she was.

At the time, she worked in her family’s tobacco fields and garden, and there wasn’t much she could do for fun when she was finished.

The pool, which was a short distance from her home, changed her entire social life.

“I would get on my bicycle and ride to the pool every chance I got,” she said.

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UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS Oct. (Sat. & Sun.): Pumpkin Patch Days

McLaurin Farms 5601 N Church St., Greensboro (off N.C. 150E) 10am-3pm | Enjoy a variety of activities during McLaurin Farms’ Pumpkin Patch days every Sat. & Sun. in October, when kids can enjoy jumping on a jump pad, a grain train ride, glitter tattoo, petting farm animals, playing on the playground with a 40-foot slide, picking out a free mini pumpkin and more.

For more details, including admission price for those 3 and older, see ads in Northwest Observer and visit mclaurinfarms.com/pumpkin-patch

Sat., Oct. 1: Stop, Drop and Roll 5K

Summerfield Fire Department 7400 Summerfield Road, Summerfield 9am | The 6th annual Stop, Drop & Roll 5K begins at 9 a.m. with the popular “Sparky’s Dash” for younger participants, followed by a 5K that includes a segment through Summerfield Community Park.

Register at: www.runsignup.com/Race/NC/ Summerfield/StopDropandRoll5K

Sat., Oct. 1: Farmers’ Day

Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive, Stokesdale 9am-4pm | Sponsored by the nonprofit Friends of Stokesdale, this event offers an opportunity to learn about the farming industry while enjoying food, live music and games for the entire family. There will also be a Little Mr. and Miss Farmers’ Day contest for kids up to 5 years old, with the winners riding on the Friends of Stokesdale’s float in the annual Stokesdale Christmas parade on Dec. 10. www.friendsofstokesdale.org

Sat., Oct. 8: Touch-A-Truck

Summerfield Athletic Park, 5200 US 220 N, Summerfield 10am-1pm | Hands-on family event with a wide variety of vehicles in one location for children to view, climb on, ask questions and learn about vehicles they see moving around their community. www.summerfieldnc.gov

Sat., Oct. 8: Bur-Mil Fall Fest

Bur-Mil Park 5834 Bur-Mil Club Road, Greensboro (off U.S. 220) 10am-3pm | Celebrate the fall season at this family event which offers lots of free activities for kids and adults alike. Enjoy bounce slides, a hay ride, face painting, demonstrations, vendors, food trucks and more. https://www.guilfordcountync.gov/our-county/ county-parks/bur-mil-park/fall-festival

Sat., Oct. 8: Music in the Park

Oak Ridge Town Park Amphitheater 6231 Lisa Dr., Oak Ridge

5-8pm | Band: Twin County Ramblers & The Robertson Boys www.oakridgenc.com

Fri., Oct. 14: Movie in the Park

Summerfield Community Park Amphitheater 5404 Centerfield Road, Summerfield Dusk | Kid-friendly movie begins at dusk; free light refreshments; food truck onsite. www.summerfieldnc.gov

Sat., Oct. 15: Honor Run 5K

Redmon Field at Oak Ridge Town Park (on Linville Road across from Scoggins Road) 8:30am | Inaugural 5K Honor Run and 1-mile family fun walk/run through Oak Ridge Town Park.

Proceeds from this charity 5K will go towards construction of the Veterans Honor Green in Oak Ridge’s new Heritage Farm Park.

Register at: https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/ OakRidge/5KHonorRunWalk

Oct. 21-22, 28-29: Halloween Terror Trail Oak Ridge Town Park 6231 Lisa Dr., Oak Ridge 7-10pm | Hosted by Oak Ridge Youth Association’s Teen Leadership Team, the 4th annual Terror Trail offers a spooky-fun experience for kids of all ages. www.orya.org

Sat., Oct. 29: Great Pumpkin Event

Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center 2205 Oak Ridge Rd, Oak Ridge 2-4pm | Merchants of Oak Ridge invites kids of all ages to trick or treat with local merchants while enjoying live music, performances by Destination Arts students, pets and people costume contests and hay rides.

Facebook.com/merchantsofoakridge

Fri., Nov. 11: Veterans Day Ceremony

Oak Ridge Town Park Amphitheater 6231 Lisa Dr., Oak Ridge 10am | This annual event hosted by the town of Oak Ridge’s Special Events Committee pays tribute to those who have served our country in the armed forces. Local Scout troops will participate and there will be two guest speakers.

Facebook.com/OakRidgeNC

Nov. 17 - Jan. 1: Winter Wonderlights

Greensboro Science Center 4301 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro Experience spectacular shimmering lights and sounds of the season as you stroll along the Science Center’s outside trails through multiple zones including the Polar Pond, Dancing Fountains, Dino Disco, Treehouse Lights and more!

For more details, including admission prices, see ads in Northwest Observer and visit www. greensboroscience.org/winterwonderlights.

Sat., Nov. 19: Summerfield Tree Lighting

Summerfield Athletic Park 5200 US 220 N, Summerfield 5:30-8pm | Dance students and high school vocal students will perform before attendees help count down to the lighting of the Christmas tree in the town’s athletic park. Refreshments will be served and kids can enjoy visiting with Santa and Mrs. Claus as well as- roasting marshmallows and making S’mores by the bonfire. www.summerfieldnc.gov

Nov. 25 - Dec. 30: Country Christmas

McLaurin Farms 5601 N Church St., Greensboro (off N.C. 150E) Enjoy a hayride through a trail of lights, walk through the farm’s lights and snow, make an ornament, visit the Grinch, ride the cattle cars, jump on the jump pad, see the farm animals, play in the playground, visit Santa (and purchase photos), and much more.

For more details, including admission price, see ads in Northwest Observer and visit mclaurinfarms.com/christmas-festival.

Fri., Dec. 2: Festival of Lights

Downtown Greensboro 5:30-9pm | Enjoy live entertainment at Center City Park (200 N. Elm Street) beginning at 5:30 pm and a community singalong leading up to the community tree lighting at 6:56 p.m. After the tree lighting, stroll along Elm Street for more entertainment and family fun, including a laser show at the corner of MLK and S. Elm Street and Santa in Hamburger Square while you roast marshmallows along the way. Free admission. www.downtowngreensboro.org

Central Baptist Church’s band, Grinch hay rides, a performance by Oak Ridge Elementary’s chorus, craft and food vendors, a visit with Santa and his elves, lighting of the Christmas tree and over 1,300 luminaries in the park at dusk, hot chocolate and a photo booth courtesy of The Summit Church/Oak Ridge – and because the fireworks show planned for this year’s RidgeFest was rained out, it was rescheduled and will bring a special close to the Light Up the Night event on Dec. 3.

For more details, see ads in Northwest Observer and visit www.oakridgenc.com. Facebook.com/ OakRidgeNC

Sun., Dec. 4 : Christmas Parade

Downtown Kernersville 136 E. Mountain St., Kernersville 2:30-4pm | Downtown Kernersville comes alive with the sounds of Christmas during this annual event which features marching bands, fire trucks, dance groups, antique cars, professionally decorated floats and of course, an appearance from Santa. www.kernersvillenc.com/events

Sat., Dec. 10: Christmas Parade

Downtown Stokesdale 2pm | Stokesdale’s largest community event will draw throngs of residents downtown as they line the streets to watch the dancers, marching bands, antique cars, horses with riders, tractors, gymnasts and more pass by while spreading the holiday spirit. www.stokesdale.org

See upcoming issues of the

Sat., Dec. 3: Holiday Parade

Downtown Greensboro 12-2pm | A downtown tradition for over 40 years, the Greensboro Holiday Parade features huge Macy’s-style balloons, professional floats, dance and drill teams, and the area’s best middle school, high school and college bands as they march along the streets of downtown Greensboro. www.downtowngreensboro.org

Sat., Dec. 3: Light Up the Night

Oak Ridge Town Park 6231 Lisa Dr., Oak Ridge 1-8:30pm | This annual holiday celebration hosted by Oak Ridge’s Special Events Committee offers a day packed full of activities including magic shows, dance performances, music by

for details about more free and paid kid-friendly events this fall and winter www.nwobserver.com

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Snack provided

1. Pumpkins are part of the cucurbita (Latin for “gourd”) family and are actually a type of squash.

2. The word “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word pepon, which means a “large melon.” Believe it or not, pumpkins are a fruit (not a vegetable)!

3. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest pumpkin ever grown was 2,702 pounds, 13.9 oz. Grown

by Stefano Cutrupi from Radda in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy, the pumpkin was weighed at the 10th Campionato della Zuccone pumpkin festival held in Peccioli, Italy, on Sept. 26, 2021.

4. Pumpkins are grown on every continent except Antarctica.

5. Over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year in the United States. The top pumpkin-producing states are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California. According to the University of Illinois, 95% of the pumpkins grown in the U.S. are harvested in Illinois. Morton, Illinois, calls itself the “Pumpkin Capital of the World,” and is home to Libby’s pumpkin canning factory, the largest such factory in the world. The yellow-orange flowers that bloom on the pumpkin vine are edible.

6. Although much different than today’s pumpkin pies, pumpkin pie recipes originated in the colonies. Colonists would cut off the tops of pumpkins, remove the seeds, fill the pumpkins with milk, spices and honey, then bake them in hot ashes.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pumpkin pie ever recorded weighed in at 3,699 pounds and was made by New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers at New Bremen Pumpkinfest in New Bremen, Ohio, in September 2010. The pie measured 20 feet in diameter and the crust was made from 440 sheets of dough.

7. Pumpkins were once considered a remedy for freckles and snakebites.

8. Pumpkins are 80 to 90% water.

9. Most varieties of pumpkins take 85 to 125 days to mature, so seeds must be planted around the first week of June to ensure they’re ready to harvest in time for Halloween.

Can you find the

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24

Fall 2022

10 differences?

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pumpkin parts

stem

ribs skin

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#SquashGoals Cut it out.

Gourdgeous.

Why were the two pumpkins so close?

They had deep roots.

FALL

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HARVEST

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ORANGE

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ILLINOIS

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Fall 2022

Join the Fun

this fall

Still registering for fall classes!

Private music lessons Dance Acrobatics/ Tumble

For details call or visit our website

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Locations in Oak Ridge & Summerfield

25

What’s cookin’, gourd lookin’?

Give these pumpkin-themed recipes a try this fall!

Pumpkin Painting Grab a small or medium-size pumpkin at the patch this year and try one of these creative pumpkin painting ideas!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Don’t waste any part of the pumpkin! These are a great snack rich in antioxidants, iron, zinc and magnesium.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F 2. Remove seeds from inside of pumpkin

Cut the top of the pumpkin and use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the pulp, strands and raw seeds from the pumpkin.

3. Clean seeds

Remove all pulp and fibers from seeds. Wash with warm water. Let dry completely.

4. Season seeds

Choose a savory or sweet seasoning. Place seeds in a bowl and cover seeds.

Savory seasonings include: olive oil, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper Sweet seasonings include: melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg and allspice

5. Roast seeds

Spread out seeds on lightly oiled sheet pan. Place in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. When seeds start to brown, remove from oven!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bites The perfect, healthy fall treat! Loved by kids and adults.

Ingredients

•

1/2 cup chocolate chips

•

3 cups rolled oats

•

1 tsp cinnamon

•

1 cup pumpkin puree

•

1/2 tsp nutmeg

•

1 cup nut butter of choice

•

1/4 tsp cloves

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1/2 cup maple syrup

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1/2 tbsp vanilla

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1/2 cup chia seeds

•

1/4 tsp salt

the donut pumpkin the emotional pumpkin the wild pumpkin the magical pumpkin

1. Add all ingredients to large bowl and mix well.

2. Roll into 1-inch round balls. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before eating.

the heroic pumpkin

3. Enjoy! Store in refrigerator or freezer.

26

the abstract pumpkin

Fall 2022

MOORE HOUSE

continued from page 8 Oak Ridge postmaster in 1866. He and his wife had 10 children, but she died in 1863, about the time the house was built. Three of their daughters, Letitia, Louisa and Sarah, were in their late teens to early 20s at the end of the Civil War and never married – possibly because the number of eligible bachelors had dwindled due to the war.

They lived with their father until his death, and remained in the house, sometimes sharing it with boarders. Sister Jane, a widow, later returned to the homeplace to live with Sarah, until they both died around the early 1930s.

It was perhaps Sarah or Jane who shared stories about living in the house with the late Bob Benbow, who grew up a few doors down the street. Sometime before his death last year at age 96, Benbow recalled a conversation he had as a child with one of the sisters about soldiers marching down Oak Ridge Road during the Civil War. The woman shared that the sisters were so afraid of the troops that they hid behind the house’s curtains as they watched them file past.

Oak Ridge resident David Cole related on the Old Oak Ridge Facebook page that Benbow once also told him that during the last days of the Civil War, Union troops marched past the house on their way home, with many stopping to get water for themselves and their horses at the Moores’ well. Cole recalls Benbow telling him that many of

the soldiers were so exhausted they were asleep in the saddle.

Bud Blaylock, who grew up in a house where the State Employees’ Credit Union is now located (across the street from the Moore house, on the opposite side of Linville Road), also remembers the well beside what was previously the most traveled road in Oak Ridge. He recalls hearing that even decades later, travelers would stop, lower the wooden bucket into the well, and raise it for a cool drink before continuing on their journey.

The house was purchased in 1941 by Rob and Danie Stafford for a rental house and it remained in their family until it was purchased just a few months ago by Anders. For nearly 50 years, the Staffords and their descendants rented the house to Oliver and Evy Edwards. Oliver was a charter member of the Oak Ridge Fire Department and an avid antiques collector. Neighbors said the house was filled with the antique treasures he purchased at auction sales. Evy moved sometime after Oliver’s death in 1992, although she lived until 2007.

In an article published in the “Northwest Observer” in 2016, Barbara York, the Edwards’ daughter, shared memories of moving into the house in the early 1940s. She said there was no running water or bathroom, and the house was heated by an oil circulator. She rode her bicycle and learned to roller skate on Oak Ridge Road, walked across the road to Oak Ridge Public School (now Oak Ridge Elementary), and attended baseball games and the Oak Ridge

Horse Show on school grounds.

“I wouldn’t take anything for growing up that way,” York said at the time.

“I think it makes you appreciate life.”

The house was eventually passed through the Stafford family until it was inherited by their grandchildren, Bill Newman and Dana Newman Sigmon. Bill Newman said in 2016 that he had been in the process of renovating the house, and had even found a new tenant, when extensive termite damage was discovered. Although he had already spent about $30,000 on modernizing and repairing the house, Newman said the damage was so severe that he told workers to stop immediately. Anders says when he purchased the property, many of their tools were still lying where they had been last used.

Anders hopes to restore the house and the two adjacent buildings on his recently-acquired property, as well as build a 4,000-square-foot building for his accounting firm. Current plans are for the office building to look like a craftsman-style house that has been turned into an office, which will fit well with the town’s Historic District.

As for the Moore house, Anders says he has high hopes.

“The long-term plan is to get it renovated. It’ll never be able to go back to (being) a house, but I think it’s going to be good,” he said.

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Photos courtesy of DECORgeous

BUDGET REDO

continued from page 12

2022

by published

Keep it handy, use it often In print and online year-round nwobserver.com

figure out a way to keep it.”

In a few months’ time, the two friends managed to turn the interior of the Winicki home into a place that’s lighter, updated and more inviting.

Winicki got a head start during COVID, when she and her husband decided the house needed a fresh coat of paint. It was at that point that she realized she had used the same yellowish gold paint color – called “Tobacco Road” – in their last three homes over the past 25 years. Around this same time, they also had the wood floors refinished.

When Cottingham came on the scene, it was time to move things around, add splashes of color and redo where needed.

The two friends started with the striking staircase in the home’s foyer and a couple of set-in wall niches.

Although the foyer furnishings were nice enough, there was so much more potential.

Winicki was hoping to replace the white wooden staircase spindles with ones made of black wrought iron, but then Cottingham told her she had priced a similar job recently and it was going to run about $3,000. That wasn’t going to happen, so they went for the same look without the shocking price tag by painting the spindles and banister black.

A tall plant and niches that featured one item per shelf had dulled the personality of the entryway. It was brought to life by replacing the plant with a wooden serving cart that had been lost in the formal dining room and adding depth to the shelves with short stacks of interesting old books serving as pedestals for some of the Winickis’ most cherished items, most of which were moved from other locations in the house.

Replacing the plain, outdated foyer light fixture with a more dramatic and sparkling one was a splurge, but both Cottingham and Winicki felt the money spent on it was well worth the impact the new addition offered.

Next, they turned their attention to the room to the left of the foyer,

 The light fixture in the foyer was a splurge that Kara Winicki felt was well worth the cost. Painting the staircase banister and spindles, relocating a few items and adding a modern, dramatic-looking light fixture transformed the Winickis’ foyer (before, left) into a much more striking gateway to their home (after, below). which is open to the formal dining room.

Winicki admitted she had always been embarrassed to invite guests into this front room because it was dark and filled with large, clunky furniture.

Rather than purchase new furniture, Cottingham suggested reupholstering the room’s comfortable and sturdy sleeper sofa. Not only did this save money, but it also avoided an excessive wait time for new furniture to be delivered.

Loving the thrill of the hunt, Cottingham sought to get a quality fabric at the best price possible. After digging through mountains of fabric, she found one that was not only perfect, but cost only $5 per yard.

“You don’t have to break the bank to redo your home,” she noted, adding that she finds lots of bargains at places like

At Home, a home décor store, and The Red Collection, a furniture and accessory consignment shop, both in Greensboro.

Cottingham also suggests shopping the clearance aisles in local furniture stores. That’s where she found the ideal

Before its transformation, the Winicki home featured lots of browns such as seen here (far left) in the family room.

Eliminating the “family shrine” of photos in that room and replacing it with a bold painting left the room open to the addition of fun and colorful accent pieces.

Photos courtesy of DECORgeous

rug for the room, which originally sold for $1,100 and was marked down to $199 because it had been on the showroom floor and walked on by shoppers.

Instead of purchasing new tables for the room, Cottingham had one of her vendors repaint the ones already there, further brightening up the décor.

Many of the pieces throughout the

home belonged to Winicki’s parents.

Although these antiques might be out of vogue in today’s assembly-required, throwaway society, they have personal value to Winicki, and Cottingham made sure to incorporate them in both a stylish and a functional way.

Two large antiques – a china cabinet and another cabinet similar in size – face

TOP RATED

FAMILY-OWNED

each other in the formal dining room and balance out the space. Worn chairs have been updated with another of Cottingham’s bargain fabrics.

In this room, an antique formal gold chandelier that Winicki purchased secondhand many years ago is a focal point and fits well with the home’s eclectic décor.

Winicki said she’s learned a lot in this process. For instance, she used to think everything needed to be “matchymatchy,” but now she enjoys mixing metals, textures and furniture styles. She also likes seeing how simply moving

something to a new location gives it an entirely different appeal.

Another thing Cottingham has taught her is that every room should have an inspiration piece. In the once rather drab family room, that piece is the oversized and colorful painting of New York that hangs behind the couch.

Not only does the painting add color, but it is personal to the Winicki family because they once lived in New York. It also inspired Cottingham to pull out bright splashes of color and add accents to the neutrally colored furniture that she was also able to purchase at a bargain price.

Winicki could not be happier with the results of her collaboration with Cottingham. She has the home that suits this new chapter in her life, and she has the confidence and know-how to help her clients visualize how they can transform their own homes “without breaking the bank.”

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Fall 2022

29

Tiled floors

WHAT’S ON YOUR FLOOR? continued from page 11

options even have seams for grout, with tiles and planks offered in narrow or wide styles.

Luxury vinyl is often touted as being waterproof and more kid- and pet-friendly than other flooring options.

“Of all the people who still prefer hardsurface flooring (as opposed to carpet), over half of it is being won over by luxury vinyl planking – especially for people who just want low-maintenance,” Mallary said.

“But one thing that sets us apart from big box stores is that we still talk a lot about how much your floor can take, no matter what material it is, because all flooring has to be maintained properly. There really is no such thing as waterproof, pet-proof and indestructible flooring if you don’t properly maintain your floor.”

Although typically found in bathrooms and kitchens, ceramic and porcelain tile floors offer a timeless look for any room in your home.

Ceramic tile is not as durable as porcelain tile, but less expensive. Both come in various sizes, shapes and colors, and are more resistant to water, stains and dents than many other types of hardsurface flooring.

One disadvantage to tile flooring is that it isn’t a very good heat conductor, which is a consideration for those living in areas where temperatures take big dips in the fall and winter.

Whether it’s hardwood, carpet, luxury vinyl, tile or any one of dozens of other flooring choices including granite, marble, slate, laminate, cork, linoleum and bamboo, homeowners will find no shortage of flooring materials, patterns and colors to choose from. In fact, today’s flooring options are so plentiful that it can be overwhelming to narrow them down. The good news is, you don’t have to choose just one – invest a little time in researching your options, assess your requirements for style, maintenance, cost and durability, and then enjoy mixing and matching floor coverings throughout your home while your feet do the walking.

HOW DID YOU DO?

Answers to northwest Guilford County trivia questions on p. 14 1. b

(Heritage Farm Park)

3. a

(Lindley Field)

2. c 4. c

5. b

6. d 7. a

8. d 9. c

(Green Pond)

(his toe was on fire) (Charles Bruce)

(removal of a soft drink machine)

(creation of a municipal water system) (none of the above)

(creating or expanding municipal water)

10. a. (during the Civil War) 11. c

(love conquers all)

13. b

(on Oak Ridge Road)

12. a

14. d

(in the old Oak Ridge Fire Dept. building) (in the Ai Church cemetery)

for making this publication possible BUILDERS

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

MORTGAGE/HOME INSURANCE

Disney Custom Homes ................................................ 3

5 Star Roofing ........................................................... 29

Bank of Oak Ridge .................................................... 19

BEK Paint Company .................................................. 29

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

Budget Blinds .............................................................. 7

Bobbie Maynard – Allen Tate ..................................... 15

Don Mills Builders ...................................................... 32 Greensboro Builders Association ................................ 31 R&K Custom Homes ................................................... 5

Carolina Real Estate Pathways/Kristi Lucas ................ 13

Superior Outdoor Spaces ............................................. 6

CSM Flooring ............................................................ 11

Walraven Signature Homes ..................................16-17

Hedgecock Builders Supply........................................ 14

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

Madison Flooring....................................................... 10

Nicole Gillespie – RE/MAX Realty Consultants .......8, 27

Oak Ridge Historic Preservation Commission............. 18

New Garden Landscaping & Nursery ........................ 19

Tim Atkins – Allen Tate ................................................ 4

DANCE/MUSIC/ACROBATICS

Old School Home Repair ............................................. 9

RETAIL

Destination Arts ......................................................... 25

Pest Management Systems ........................................ 20

Priba Furniture and Interiors......................................... 2

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Pro-Care Restoration ................................................. 10

TUTORING/CHILDCARE

Amanzi ...................................................................... 12

Triad Land Surveying ................................................... 8

Operation Xcel .......................................................... 24

30

Fall 2022

Kathy King – Advantage Realty.................................. 27 Maureena Shepherd – Allen Tate............................... 21

FALL YARD MAINTENANCE continued from page 7

reaching the soil. An aerator punches holes through that thatch and pulls up plugs of soil to keep water from pooling while allowing nutrients to reach the roots over the winter.

“It’s a good idea to aerate a lawn right before fertilizing,” says Scott Frith, CEO of the nationally franchised Lawn Doctor. “All those holes in your turf will let the fertilizer reach right to the roots, where it can do the most good.”

Keep mowing, but at the right height: Continue cutting your grass until the first hard frost. Find the just-right length for your species, typically between 2-3 inches, to keep your grass healthy when it turns cold.

Water wisely: Many people stop watering their lawns in the fall, as temperatures begin to drop and there is less evaporation. However, if you’re not getting at least an inch of water a week from Mother Nature, you should keep watering through the fall. Consider installing watering solutions, such as smart controllers on irrigation systems, to help conserve water.

Add fertilizer: Lawn experts recommend a late-fall

application of a slow-release granular 24-0-10 fertilizer*.

The numbers indicate the percentage by weight of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, respectively.

Potassium is also important at this time because it aids in root growth, disease protection, drought tolerance, and cold resistance. *Note: Before applying fertilizer, a soil test to confirm the pH and nutrient needs specific to your lawn is recommended.

A word of caution – avoid spreading fertilizer close to waterways, which are vulnerable to contamination from runoff. Lawn Doctor’s company policy is to maintain a 5-foot buffer wherever water is present.

Overseed: Spread grass seed over existing grass to fill in thin spots or bare patches. Fall is the ideal time to do this because the ground is still warm, moisture is more plentiful, nights are cool, and the sun is not as hot during the day.

But even then, “overseeding is one of the most challenging lawn-care chores,” Frith says.

“You can’t simply broadcast seeds over an established lawn and expect them to take hold. They need to be in full contact with the soil, kept moist until they germinate, and be well enough established before it gets too cold,” he explains. “Renting a slit seeder is a

better option than broadcasting, but those machines are notorious for tearing up turf and leaving your lawn looking like a harrowed field.”

Stay on schedule: Lawn professionals caution that each of the steps above has to be done at the right time for the best results. Otherwise, it’s wasted effort.

For instance, overseed too late and the seedlings will be too tender to survive. Fertilize too early and the grass will send up tender blades that will fall victim to the cold. Fertilize too late and the grass roots won’t be able to absorb all those nutrients you’re feeding them.

Thinking about aerating in the spring because you can’t get around to it this fall? Don’t bother. Spring aeration just makes it easier for weed seeds to get established.

“If sticking to the schedule during the fall is proving too difficult, a lawn care service can handle the jobs that aren’t getting done. Most often, those are the ones that require renting heavy machinery like core aerators and slit seeders, which are hard to transport, a bear to operate, and often in short supply at the rental yards at this time of year,” Lawn Doctor advises. “Delegating one or two of those chores to a pro during this busy season will ensure the work gets done when it should – and that you will be enjoying a thick carpet of green grass next year.”

Showcasing New Residential Construction October 8-9 & 15-16

Open Houses

1-5 pm • Admission is Free Parade of Homes magazines are available at area grocery stores and outside Lowe’s Home Improvement stores.

Access a digital copy online.

Virtual Tours

From the comfort of your home, tour our Parade homes online.

Sponsored by: TRANSIT SITE SOLUTIONS

336-870-1722

4000 Spring Garden St

Download GREENSBORO PARADE OF HOMES app to map your tour!

WWW.STUDIOTILEANDDESIGN.COM

336 617 6097

GreensboroBuilders.org Fall 2022

31

Visit us Oct. 8-9 & Oct. 15-16 at the

Parade of Homes

CCoo --ooww iilllss nne r M M e e s,DD ttt oonn Annee &

(336) 362-1777 | www.donmillsbuilders.com