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• Larry Cleverley organic gardening tips • Fire pit, kitchen backyard additions • Spring cleaning projects to remember

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Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 2

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Simple, affordable tips to update your home

Fresh paint using simple and neutral colors such as light grey, beige or white is a good start in staging the appearance of your home.

By Jamee A. Pierson Newton Daily News Looking to sell your home or just spruce it up for the new season?

Abby Lockhart of Heartland Home Staging of Newton has several design tips for both inside and outside your home.

“New paint is the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to totally update your home. Fresh paint can make a huge difference, especially if it’s been years, or decades, since you’ve last painted,” Lockhart said.

“Keep it simple and choose neutral colors like light gray, beige or white.

Soft blues or greens can add color without being overwhelming,” Another popular feature in homes

is hardwood floors. Lockhart said removing old carpeting in the home to expose wood floors can freshen up and update a home.

“Stage the outside of your home, too. Add some simple, colorful landscaping this spring to boost curb appeal and get buyers in the door,” Lockhart said.

Often the hub of the house, the kitchen is one of the most important spaces in a home. Although kitchen remodels can become costly, Lockhart has several budget-friendly ideas that can make a big difference.

“Consider replacing worn-out cabinets and counters and out-dated flooring. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, either. Paint your cabinets if they’re in good shape but out of

style,” Lockhart said. “Granite and stainless steel are big buzzwords in kitchen design, but they’re not always necessary. Good-quality, new appliances and counters can make a huge difference even if they’re not the most expensive ones available.”

Finally, simply de-cluttering the house can make new space and inspire fresh design ideas and, if selling the house, gives potential buyers a blank slate to imagine as their home.

“Pack up and store anything you’re not likely to need in the time your house is on the market, including excess furniture. It will open up the space and give you a jump start on packing, which you’re going to be doing anyway,” Lockhart said. “Don’t forget about the closets, either. Buy-

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ers will definitely look in all your closets to see if there’s enough space for their stuff. If your closets are stuffed full it signals that the house lacks storage.”

Heartland Home Staging helps those looking to sell a home by getting it ready for potential buyers.

During a consultation, Lockhart will show how to highlight the best features of the house, give advice on what to keep and what to pack up and how to arrange furniture and accessories to be most appealing to buyers eyes.

Another service the business offers is a re-design of current homes. Using things already in the house, Lockhart can bring a fresh style to the space and make the most of the home.

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 4

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Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 5

Foodie Fresh Organic gardening tips from the expert

By Mike Mendenhall Newton Daily News For would-be organic gardeners looking to start their own chemical-free cultivation at home, starting may be easier than you think. Larry Cleverley, Mingo organic farmer and owner of Cleverley Farms, has been at it for decades.

The Jasper County grower started Cleverley Farms in 1996 after moving back from New York City. He was interested in bringing the farm-to-table movement and sustainable eating he witnessed on the east coast to central Iowa. Twenty years later, Cleverley is a staple at the downtown Des Moines summer farmers market and supplies 10 locally owned “white table” restaurants in the capitol city and central Iowa with organic produce.

In its small USDAcertified organic acreage — on the farmland cultivated by Cleverley’s grandparents 88 years ago — Cleverley Farms grows approximately 50 different vegetables in what the farmer says are “infinite varieties.”

The Mingo farm boasts a wide variety of salad greens, close to

2,000 heirloom tomato plants, basil, potatoes, beets, carrots, a swath of different beans, chives, garlic, cantaloupe and watermelon, broccoli and Italian vegetables like broccoli rabe.

Here are Cleverley’s tips for those looking to put a little organic in their garden.

Start with the Basics For a backyard organic garden, Cleverley said the USDA organic soil certification process is not necessary. The farmer said for produce grown in a small-scale garden that will not go to market, it’s better to aim for “chemical free” instead of true organic.

First, it’s important to know your soil’s quality. Cleverley suggests taking a sample of your soil to the Iowa State University extension office to have it tested for nutrient content. There are also athome test kits available at most garden centers.

Gardeners who have limited space can still grow chemical free produce at home in plots as large as a full back yard to a small window box. Cleverley said, just like a traditional garden, the only limitation is the type of produce that can be cultivated.

Lettuce or basil can be grown in a container or window box. Tomatoes take more room, and other vined-produce like watermelon and cantaloupe will likely require a bit of ground.

But Cleverley said there are varieties of vined plants which can be trellis against a fence.

The Plants For a starter organic garden, Cleverley recommends beginning with plants as opposed to seed. It’s important to start with certified organic plants, but Cleverley said those can be difficult to find.

An alternative would be buying from a local greenhouse, most of which Cleverley said use chemical fertilizerfree.

“Seed starting can be a little intimidating for somebody just starting out, so I’d recommend that they buy plants,” Cleverley said.

For beginners, he recommends quick germinating plants like lettuce, salad greens and/or radishes. If a grower does want to start from USDAcertified organic seed, many local greenhouses will grow the seed for customers to the point GARDENING | 14

Submitted Photo Organic produce farmer Larry Cleverley sells organic products at the Des Moines Farmers Market in 2015. Cleverley Farms is located near Mingo.

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 6

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Many homeowners look for ways to invest their resources, increasing the value of the house or lowering energy costs, and Hamilton Glass in Newton offers a few ideas to make a home more attractive while saving money in the long run.

Hamilton Glass owner Larry Hamilton is a third generation glass store owner. His grandfather, Glen Hamilton, started the business in 1948 from his garage, and his father, Lesley Hamilton, joined into the business in 1956.

For nearly 70 years, the selection of glass products has evolved to meet the needs of homeowners.

Hamilton now provides many residential products and installations including window frames, window glass, storm doors, fiberglass doors, door glass and many other glass uses including shower enclosures and cabinetry glass.

Energy Efficiency With the passing of time comes a greater selection of products as well as a more energy efficient conscious consumer. New or replacement windows decrease energy costs lowering gas bills.

“Everything is geared toward energy efficiency. Whether you’re talking about replacement windows, the products we sell are Energy Star rated, therefore, they are getting the best value for their money as far as energy efficiency,” Larry said.

Hamilton offers low emissivity glass which is the most energy efficient. It allows in fewer ultra violet rays from the sun, keeping things cool and less fading.

Tinted and obscure glass are other options.

Windows Replacing windows is a good investment for several reason.

First, new windows make the home more energy efficient. Homes built until the 70s were built with a standard single

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 7

Submitted Photo A newly installed shower enclosure seen at the Francis home in Newton is a way to upgrade the appearance of a home bathroom. Frameless showers using three-inch thick glass are popular projects, Hamilton said.

window plane glass and new, thicker glass along with new window seals allow for less cold air to enter. Second, it adds to the appearance of the home, increasing its value. New or replaced windows are a selling point to the house. Third, new windows increase window functionality. Many older windows don’t function correctly and a replacement increases the ease of operation of the window.

There are many more hardware options and window styles than when Larry’s father and grandfather were in business. Metal clad wood and vinyl windows are both available now.

Vinyl — Vinyl frames are the best seller because they are less expensive and require less maintenance, Larry said. Vinyl is more energy efficient and last longer than they use to. They are weather resistant as well and have an option to tilt in for easy cleaning.

There is a wood grain interior option with vinyl which mimics the

Submitted Photo A storm door such as the one on the home of Ginny Blattert in Newton is a way to minimize energy loss in a house. Hamilton Glass constructed the project.

Kate Malott/Daily News Larry Hamilton, third generation owner of Hamilton Glass, stands in his shop on First Avenue East in Newton. Hamilton says he offers Energy Star glass for projects such as windows, doors, storm doors, shower enclosures and cabinetry, for example, which helps reduces sun ultra violet rays.

“You don’t have to spend at least twice the money for the wood window and still have the wood appearance.”

— Hamilton Glass Owner Larry Hamilton

wood product but at a more affordable cost. There are four wood options: light oak, dark oak, cherry and maple.

“We have a lot of people look at it and think its a wood window,” Larry said. “You don’t have to spend at least twice the money for the wood window and still have the wood appearance.”

Insulated Glass — Many people have insulated glass windows made of two planes of glass with air space in between, but they often times get dirty or foggy over time. An affordable and cost effective way to upgrade the window appearance is to buy just replacement glass and not an entire new window.

Doors A new door, again, not only increases the appearance of a home but also its energy efficiency if a current door isn’t closing properly.

The main reason a person buys doors is to increase energy efficient, or use and function of it. The common trend in doors right now is fiberglass doors and they can be maintenance free, Larry said.

Shower Enclosures Bathroom remodels have been popular and glass shower enclosures are a growing service in the business offers.

“Your typical showers have the old full frame glass and all the metal framing around it. The trend today is frameless showers using heavy glass or three-inch

thick glass,” he said.

The visual impact of a frameless glass shower is very appealing to the eye. With many people having tiling done in the showers, a glass shower features and highlights the tile work that has been done.

Large big box stores offer shower enclosure glass products but Hamilton provides a better quality service with custom fitting and instillation and can work with any layout.

“Everyone is custom,” he said. “We specify the opening size and the glass size is cut to fit. They are really beautiful.”

Obscure, frosted or decorative glass is also available for more privacy.

For more information, visit the office at 219 First Ave. E. in Newton, or call 641-792-1641.

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 8

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Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 9

Create a budget-friendly home landscape Metro Creative Homeowners understandably envy the awardworthy photo spreads in lawn and garden magazines, wanting to emulate those same looks on their own properties. Scores of designers and landscape architects are involved in the process of creating those amazing lush lawns and perfectly placed plantings. Although not every homeowner has the budget to create lavish landscape designs, it’s still possible for homeowners to create lawns they can be proud of.

• Establish your budget. The first step in any project is to determine how much money you can devote to the job. Once you have established the budget, all other factors can be built around it.

• Find an inspiration piece. Great landscapes are inspired by many things, whether it’s a memorable piece of art or a landscape layout in a lawn and gardening magazine. Use photos of other gardens or neighbors’ yards as inspiration and build off of them. As long as the theme is cohesive, it will look pleasing to the eye.

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Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 10

continued from Landscape | 9

Metro Creative

• Consider the space and how you want to use it. Understanding the space will help you better allocate your budget. If you have kids and entertaining friends is a main priority, focus on recreational aspects, such as a pool, playset and some durable plants. Understanding how to allocate your budget will help you to avoid spending money frivolously.

• Think about reclaimed or repurposed materials. Brand new items can quickly eat up a budget. However, repurposing salvaged or inexpensive items can stretch that budget while adding some unique flair to a landscape. See if you can find an outdoor patio set that someone is giving away or selling for a lower price. All it takes is a coat of paint and some new cushions to make it look like new. Discarded bricks or stones can be worked into a patio space or used to create raised garden beds. Purchase inexpensive flower pots and then paint them to make them look like stone or another desired material.

• Buy native plants. Native plants, shrubs, trees, and flowers will fare better than nonnative, exotic plants. That means you’ll have to spend less time and money nurturing them into

health, and less money having to replace plants that cannot withstand your climate.

• Consider perennial plants. Perennials may cost more at the outset, but the savings will be realized in the years to come.

• Hire a professional. It may seem counterintuitive to spend money on a landscaping professional when you’ve established a strict budget, but that’s one way to save money. Landscape artists or garden designers have the experience to guide you in the right direction and help you avoid potentially costly mistakes.

• Use gravel in spots where plants don’t thrive. Gravel is an inexpensive landscaping material that can fill in voids where plants or ground cover simply do not flourish. Those working on limited budgets may be happy to learn gravel is typically less expensive than concrete or pavers.

• Ask friends or family for clippings. Don’t be shy about admiring the plantings of those you know. Flatter their good taste and ask if you can have some clippings to propagate yourself. These clippings can turn into lush plants in no time with no additional spending required.

With some frugal spending, planning and budgeting, anyone can create a beautiful landscape.

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Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 11

Barbecue pits, backyard kitchens depend on foundations Concrete work a large part of backyard additions

By Jason W. Brooks Newton Daily News A fire pit or a backyard kitchen can lead to years of family get-togethers and fun times if it’s built properly.

Chad Birkenholtz says “properly” hinges a great deal on how well the foundation work is done on these types of projects.

“If it’s done right, one of

these additions can be great place for events where memories are made,” Birkenholtz said. “And if you plan it out well, and do it right to support the weight of everything, you won’t have any problems.”

Birkenholtz, whose Outdoor Images Landscaping has handled some fire-pit or backyard cooking areas, said there aren’t any guarantees, and long-time warranties on additions built outdoors in the Midwest aren’t typical. However, using the right amount of concrete and other materials and working from the ground up can help a barbecue or patio area last many

years.

One aspect that helps determine a great deal about the cost and scope of a project is deciding how much weight a homeowner is willing to add.

For example, a full backyard kitchen — maybe with its own refrigerator and a large brick pizza oven — is going to need more support than a small fire pit surrounded by grass.

“Some people come to contractors with plans that would involve a lot of rock base, concrete and rebar underneath,” Birkenholtz said.

“So then they scale it back.

Or, they start out thinking only a little fire pit is what

Jason W. Brooks/Daily News Chad Birkenholtz of Outdoor Images Landscaping can make outdoor kitchens part of a remodel.

Jason W. Brooks/Daily News This display shows a backyard fire pit that can be created with cement. Chad Birkenholtz of Outdoor Images Landscaping in Newton said a strong foundation is needed for any type of concrete or brick addition.

they want, and then look at examples and say, ‘No, if I’m going to have this done, let’s make something really nice.’”

One key Birkenholtz discovered is that a foundation should start at least 48 inches below the surface grade of a yard to ensure it’s below the frost line.

“You’re talking about supporting 6,000 or 7,000 pounds of weight, or more,” Birkenholtz said. “So it’s important to not have snow and ice affecting the foundation.”

Visualizing a dig that goes four feet down into the earth might make an outdoor addition sound like a skyscraper is being built there, but Birkenholtz said it’s important to think of backyard additions as major projects that take some time.

“These projects are not one-day or weekend endeavors,” Birkenholtz said. “For one, even if you have the time and people, you have to let things settle before you move on to the next phase.”

If a backyard will require gas or electricity, those are other mini-projects that go

into planning the cost and timeline of a addition, so it’s important to know what customers want. Manufactured “kits” of supplies include with their own glue and come in about eight different styles.

Birkenholtz said one of his recent projects cost the customer about $10,000, including materials, which he called a “mid-range” cost.

“Some of the fancier pizza ovens, you’re looking at about $20,000,” he said.

Birkenholtz said he will go back to a site within the first two to three years if settling has occurred to make minor adjustments on his work at little or no charge. However, as things move into the four- to five-year range and beyond, it’s expected the land and natural atrophy of outdoor additions in Iowa’s climate might lead to extensive maintenance work.

“At some point, you have to consider the amount of labor,” Birkenholtz said.

Birkenholtz can be reached at 641-417-0315 or outdoor images72@gmail. com.

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 12

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OnYourConcrete solving homeowner’s problems OnYourConcrete of Prairie City constructs driveways, front porches, walls and even floors.

By Alex Olp Newton Daily News Prairie City business owner Lyle Burkett can’t travel far in town without seeing a driveway, front porch, walls or even indoor floors that his OnYourConcrete business have installed.

The 20-year-old company has spent nearly half of its time in Prairie City and has become a staple around town as being a problem solver for residents or business owners who have issues with flooring, siding, driveways, front stoops and more.

“Most of the time, or at least half of the time, we are solving somebody’s problem,” Burkett said.

“Even when we found this business, I thought it would just be a four to five year fad. We weren’t in it very long until I realized it was going to be a longterm business because everybody who owns property has concrete, and they might not necessarily be happy with what they have.”

Just from driving around the community, Burkett can point out

more than 15 indoor and outdoor projects he has worked on. However, most of the jobs Burkett and his team do are outside the small community and actually end up filling their schedule quite rapidly. Burkett’s team consists of his son and a friend, who both joined the business at the age of 14.

“Right now we’re probably booked through the end of May or middle of June,” Burkett said. “Our busiest time is during the summer because we’re doing both indoor and outdoor work and we probably won’t have a break until November.

October for sure.”

Despite a full schedule through spring, OnYourConcrete can still find room for customers, especially if there isn’t a hard deadline for the project.

“If they don’t need it finished three-four-five days in a row and we can go in there whenever we find time and spread that time out over two or three weeks, we can keep fitting jobs in,” he said.

One reason OnYourConcrete is able to fill his schedule with so many new projects is due to the

Alex Olp/Daily News Owner of OnYourConcrete Lyle Burkett sits on a Prairie City resident’s front porch that he completed years ago. The bricks on the stoop were designed to match the actual bricks of the house. The entire project included the resident’s driveway as well.

limited time it spends revisiting and repairing older ones.

Burkett describes the business as one that provides zero maintenance work, meaning that the concrete re-

Alex Olp/Daily News

mains intact, and the customer has to do very little work to maintain the finished product after the project is complete.

Customizations are also common practices for OnYourConcrete and one particular example sits in downtown Prairie City right in front of the veterans memorial.

Last summer, Burkett put the finishing touches on a cement surface in front of the memorial that displayed the shadow of the iconic photograph “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.”

The job was for a community project, but that concept can be proportioned to residential homes as well. OnYourConcrete can include logos on new basement floors, kitchens, driveways or garages. Burkett even installed a Mopar logo inside the bathroom floor of a neighboring auto repair shop in Prairie City.

“Most of the time we are doing stuff that’s specialized in some degree,” he said. “It’s rewarding to see the finished product. It’s just really rewarding because the stuff doesn’t go away.”

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 14

Gardening | continued from page 5 which it’s healthy to transplant into the outdoor garden. Cleverley personally uses Lucille’s Garden Center in Bondurant, getting 50 to 70 flats of transplants for Cleverley Farms per season.

“Often, if you have a relationship with a greenhouse you can take them the seed.

If you have a particular variety of tomato, for example, take them the seed and have them grow you a transplant,” Cleverley said.

Fertilizer For a chemical-free gar-

den, a natural fertilizer is key.

Cleverley said horse manure is ideal due to it’s high nitrogen content but not high enough to burn crops.

“I would guess that just about everybody in Jasper County knows a farmer,” he said. “We use a variety of things. We have a couple of neighbors with cow/calf operations we use some of their manure. We have another neighbor who raises pigs and we use some of his manure.

There’s plenty of organic fertilizer options around.”

Another chemical-free

option to enhance soil nutrient is compost available from Metro Waste Authority. At it’s Des Moines compost center at 1601 Harriet St., the sanitation company sells the material at an $18 base price or $28 per ton.

According to Metro Waste’s website, the composting process naturally creates a temperature of 140 degrees, neutralizing weed seed.

Cleverley said even “big box” stores like such as Home Depot and Lowe’s should have organic fertilizer options such as liquid

fish or seaweed emulsion.

The Mingo farmer will use foliar feeding, or a technique of feeding plants by applying liquid fertilizer directly to their leaves.

Cleverley said this can help certain plants which might go into shock when transplanted from a greenhouse into the ground.

Pests In a normal garden when pesky insects invade the green space, non-organic gardeners might reach for an insecticide. But for foodies worried about chemicals, experts say the best defense is the soil. Cleverley said high

soil quality can limit the number of invasive insects, and the ones which remain he leaves them be.

For the bigger critters that like to eat lettuce, peppers and other produce, organic farmers recommend simple chicken wire for the small animals like rabbits. But for deer, Cleverley purchases something online which might sound unconventional — coyote urine. Around his farm, Cleverley erects a few posts, hangs old jeans or coveralls and sprinkles the urine into the fabric, using the scent of the deer’s natural predator to keep them away.

Spring cleaning projects you don’t want to forget Metro Creative Connection Spring cleaning is an annual tradition in many households. After a winter spent cooped up indoors, spring cleaning can rejuvenate a household and provide a great chance to rid a home of a season’s worth of clutter.

Donating old clothes and cleaning out the garage are popular spring cleaning projects, but there are a host of additional tasks homeowners can tackle to freshen up their homes this spring.

Floors

Simply vacuuming or sweeping the floors might not be enough to banish some of winter’s most uninvited guests. Dust has a way of settling into a home over the course of a typical winter, and it’s easy for a home’s inhabitants to track dirt and

debris inside as well. After vacuuming or sweeping floors, go over them with a mop. Doing so can remove any lingering dust, dirt, debris, and allergens the vacuum or broom failed to pick up. Apply wood cleaner and polish to wood floors to make them look even cleaner.

Baseboards

Though baseboards might not seem all that dirty, upon closer inspection homeowners might notice substantial accumulations of dirt and dust. Such dirt and dust many not be removed so easily, so homeowners might need to use hot water and a sponge to remove any debris that is clinging.

Curtains

Curtains also may have absorbed substantial amounts of dust, dirt and

debris over the winter. This might be more visible near the end of winter when more sunlight begins to shine through. Clean the curtains in adherence to the manufacturer instructions before you open windows for the season so any wind that blows in does not spread debris onto nearby furniture. Once the curtains have been washed, opening windows may help them dry more quickly.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms also tend to bear the brunt of winter weather, as mold and grime can accumulate throughout a season in which it’s too cold to open bathroom windows to let fresh air in after bathing.

Inspect ceilings, tubs, shower stalls, and floors for any signs of mold growth or grime. Mold growth in a home can lead to respiratory problems and exacerbate existing

conditions such as asthma, so it’s best to inspect bathrooms for any signs of mold growth throughout winter. If you have let that slip, prioritize such inspections come spring cleaning time.

Furniture

It’s easy to overlook furniture when tackling spring cleaning, but dust and dirt can quickly accumulate on couches and chairs over the course of winter. When possible, vacuum furniture to remove any debris that might have accumulated while windows and doors were kept shut, and shampoo any cushions or seat covers that don’t pass the smell test.

Spring cleaning encompasses a host of tasks, and homeowners who want a truly clean house should not overlook smaller tasks that can produce big results.

Spring Home & Garden, Spring • 2016 – Page 15

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