Central Oregon Living - Spring 2012

2 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 3

Central Oregon Living

FEATURES HIGH DESERT LIFESTYLES 6 7 8 10

LATE SPRING 2012

editor’s note a ruff match pet adoption tips made for the stage

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RIGHT AT HOME 12 13 16 17

the urban rustic home plug ’n save choosing colors for the home hot plate - cooking with chiles

A Ruff Match

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20 locavore’s corner 23 the luxury shower

Made for the Stage

Hot Plate

IN THE GARDEN

24 garden calendar 26 the wonder of worms 30-31

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expert advice: building and real estate

Central Oregon Living Late Spring 2012 is a product of The Bulletin’s Special Projects Division, 1777 SW Chandler Ave., Bend OR 97702.

All content is the property of The Bulletin/Western Communications Inc., and may not be reproduced without written consent.

4 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

Printed by The Bulletin Western Communications Commercial Print Division.

Story ideas may be submitted to editor Ben Montgomery for consideration.

Contact him at (541)383-0379 or bmontgomery@bendbulletin.com.

Staff members for The Bulletin’s special projects division include: Martha Tiller, Special Projects Manager; Ben Montgomery, Special Projects Editor; Lyle Cox, Photographer; Nicole Werner, Special Projects Image and New Media; Stacie Oberson, Special Projects Coordinator; Clint Nye, Graphic Designer.

Published Saturday, March 3, 2012

Cover photo by Nicole Werner

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 5

EDITOR’S

note

Letting go of our best friends When our dog Kenny was younger, he was a brash young pup, a labsetter mix who enjoyed his independence with a side of cat-and-mouse.

During his first few years, we referred to his leash as the “key,” as in it was required in order for us to “unlock” the door to outside. That’s because when he wasn’t clipped to a leash, Kenny couldn’t to be trusted.

Off-leash, Kenny wouldn’t run away. He would typically stick around, but never within a 10-foot radius of anyone with thumbs. His routine included running large circles around people and property, occasionally stopping to roll in anything rotten, stinky or dead, and refusing to come when called.

And if we would try to chase him down ... fuggedaboutit. Kenny could juke and dodge with the best of them.

Of course we tried to train him out of this, but obedience would always take a back seat to freedom, a feeling he defiantly celebrated with a level of glee some might consider insane.

We just called it Kenny being Kenny.

Through the years, we learned the best way to handle this celebratory “freedom dance” was to just let him go. As long as he wasn’t running in the street, we were happy to let him burn some energy.

And sure enough, he would eventually grow tired, hungry, or just lonely playing by himself. That’s when he’d come strolling back to us, ready for some attention.

That was almost a decade ago. Today, Kenny is 13 years old, and we sometimes find it difficult to believe he’s the same dog who once boasted boundless energy and independence.

First came the stiff joints. Then his eating habits changed. We’ve noticed that he’s started to lose some weight, and the dizzy spells continue to come and go.

“He’s just an old dog that’s experiencing some of the effects of age,” the vet told us. “Some of this will come and go, but keep giving him love and making

him comfortable. He’s a good boy.”

Yep, he’s a good boy. Through the years, he’s given us joy, companionship and love with a little “eat my dust” thrown in for good measure. His inner puppy still comes out on occasion, but the overexuberant lifestyle just doesn’t work for him anymore.

He’s winding down a pretty good life. While he’s still around, we find ourselves under daily pressure to evaluate his health and overall quality of being. We’d love him to stick around forever, but we know that’s not our call.

Our hope is when he’s ready to run off one final time, we’re able to let him go.

In this edition of Central Oregon Living, we take some time to talk about the friendships we have with our furry friends, like Kenny.

In doing so, we provide you tips for finding an ideal canine companion, offering suggestions on size, temperament and breed based on your personal interests and lifestyle. (Story begins on the next page.)

Perhaps it’ll help you find your perfect match.

Ben Montgomery is The Bulletin’s special projects editor.

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

ANNISSA ANDERSON, a freelance writer and public relations consultant, also studied culinary arts and worked as a pastry chef in another life. She writes regularly for The Bulletin and other local publications.

AMY JO DETWEILER has worked as OSU Extension Horticulture Faculty for 10 years, educating in home and commercial horticulture, and providing annual training for the local OSU Master Gardener™ Program.

6 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

LORI GLEICHMAN considers herself intensely curious about almost anything, which is what makes freelance writing such a joyful experience. When not writing, she works as a marketing/PR consultant, loves to read travel memoirs while dreaming of her own next adventure. She lives in Bend with her husband Dick, her dog Indy and cat Pic.

GREGG MORRIS is a local freelance writer and musician.

You can find him around town finishing articles at the local tea shop, performing with his band, Organic Music Farm, or homeschooling his 6-year-old daughter. Free time is spent with his family or executing his duties as a member of the Deschutes Co. Search and Rescue team.

SUSAN THOMAS SPRINGER began her journalism career as a television news reporter. She worked in corporate marketing, managing communications for a bank and launching high-tech products. Today, she’s a freelance writer living in Sisters where she and her husband enjoy raising their twins.

BUNNY THOMPSON is an internationally published freelance writer. She cruised on a sailboat for six years and published travel and adventure articles in national and international magazines. She lives in Sisters and writes for regional magazines, publishes a Blog called “Tales from Wild Goose,” and is an avid cook and outdoor enthusiast.

The breed of dog you select when adopting a family pet should fit in with the lifestyle and temperament of your household.

A Ruff Match Photo by Nicole Werner

by Lori Gleichman / for The Bulletin Special Projects

The decision to get a dog is a happy one, but deciding exactly what kind of dog should be the result of some research and some thought, not just a “that one is cute” reaction, said Lynne Ouchida, community outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of Central Oregon.

“The first thing we ask someone to do is to describe their life and their lifestyle,” said Ouchida. “Do they have young children? Are

they active outdoors? Do they travel a lot? All these things and many more factor into making the right match.”

By match, Ouchida means breed (which can be more of an educated guess when considering mixed breeds), size and, yes, personality.

“Every personality type you give to humans, you can give to a dog,” said Ouchida. “Yes, it’s labeling, but it’s how people define different characteristics they are looking for in a dog.”

And in her experience, they gravitate toward dogs that reflect their own personalities.

For example, someone who is shy doesn’t usually choose a rambunctious, outgoing golden retriever; the quiet person will tend more to reserved breeds like shepherds or huskies, which are friendly but not pushy for attention.

Ouchida made some personality recommendations for some common Central Oregon lifestyles: Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 7

THE OUTDOOR ADVENTURER

Weekend warriors are young, active and don’t have children. They change gear with the season and expect their dog to come along on every outing.

Ouchida recommends athletic, high-energy dogs like different types of retrievers, spaniels and herding breeds like Australian shepherds.

“It’s also critical that people consider personality for this lifestyle,” she said.

CHOOSING A FRIEND Selecting the right companion from the shelter The Oregon Humane Society offers these things to consider if you think it’s the right time to adopt: • Why do you want a dog? Be honest and understand that the answers to that question should guide you to the perfect match.

Dogs should be eager to please and obedient, and the owners must invest in and maintain training for the safety of the pet and other people on the trails.

• Do you have time for a dog? Every day for as long as 15 years? Adopting a pet is literally a lifelong commitment to the animal.

• Can you have a dog where you live, and is your home suitable for a dog?

• Is this the right time to introduce a dog to your life and your lifestyle? If anything else is new in your life — a job, a baby or a house — it might be wise to let things settle down for a while before introducing a new dog to the mix.

8 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

FAMILY FOCUSED

This is a couple with kids — busy with jobs and active with schools, sports, and in the community.

The family dog should be easygoing, comfortable with noise, and want to be part of the group. “Most important is temperament and a positive reaction to children and the high level of activity in a home with children,” Ouchida said.

Labradors and mixed breeds make great family pets, she said.

“And don’t overlook some of the giant breeds like Great Danes,” said Ouchida. “They are patient and calm and wonderful family dogs if you have the room.”

At the same time, she warns against some of the smaller breeds like terriers and chihuahuas, breeds that can’t take rough handling and may be more inclined to defend themselves by growling or biting.

And while puppies are adorable, she recommends families with newborns or toddlers consider an older dog that is proven to be good with children.

• Can you afford a dog? Besides food, a dog needs vaccinations, regular medical care, grooming, equipment and toys, training, and kenneling, if you travel.

Medium-sized dogs can cost as much as $13,000 over a lifetime.

Lynne Ouchida, community outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of Central Oregon, offers these additional tips: • Do your research first. There are many reputable online sites that describe the

physical and emotional characteristics of different dog breeds.

• While 70 percent of dogs at shelters are mixed breeds, the staff can take educated guesses at the dominant breed and what you can expect in terms of physical ability and personality. They’ve also had a chance to observe the animals for a few days, or even weeks, and can share what they’ve learned about the dog’s temperament and traits.

CAREER DRIVEN

This demographic includes single people or couples who work long hours and don’t have a lot of time for a dog, but who want a quiet companion to come home to.

For this group, Ouchida recommends laidback breeds like bulldogs, Lhasa Apsos and cocker spaniels.

She said these breeds tend to be more independent and need less entertainment and exercise. They’re happy when you’re home, but just as happy to nap by the back door awaiting your return.

Ouchida also suggests larger dogs like Newfoundlands and Bernese mountain dogs.

“They are total couch potatoes that don’t require a lot of work,” she said.

NESTER

The children are grown, careers are stable, and the best place to relax is at home.

For the nester, Ouchida recommends terriers and some non-sporting breeds like Schipperkes or American Eskimo dogs.

“These breeds are smart, energetic and companionable, but don’t demand a lot of outside stimulation,” said Ouchida. “A terrier with a ball can keep itself entertained for hours.

“But also be aware they are natural diggers. So if gardening is your hobby, you might want another type of dog.”

RETIRED

What does retirement look like? Is it finally a chance to slow down or is it busier than ever, with a calendar filled with travel, hiking, volunteering and book clubs?

Or maybe it’s a house filled with grandchildren and last-minute carpool duty?

No two retirements look alike, Ouchida said, so no single type of dog is the right fit.

While they do see older people trending toward smaller breeds in the toy, non-sporting and terrier groups because they are generally less work and easier to control, she shares the same caution about these dogs and children if grandkids are regular visitors.

At the same time, this might be someone’s first chance to have a puppy or a breed that will take a lot of time and training to become the perfect hunting companion, or even a therapy dog.

“Retirement can be the best chance a person has to find a dog that is the perfect match for them,” she said.

“It might be the first time you can give a companion animal all the love and attention it deserves.”

Photos by Lyle Cox / courtesy of Humane Society of Central Oregon

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 9

MADE

Photos courtesy of Cascades Theatrical Company

FOR THE STAGE In its 33rd year of providing live theater to Central Oregon, Cascades Theatrical Company began as a grassroots effort by local thespians.

by Gregg Morris / for The Bulletin Special Projects

Thirty-three years ago, a local group of thespians came together to remedy the lack of quality community theater in Bend.

The recently deceased Carol Johnson Bryant lead the charge to bring productions to Bend’s roughly 17,000 residents. Lack of an actual theater, including the yet-to-be-renovated Tower Theatre, could not stand in their way, and the Community Theatre of the Cascades was born.

Fast forward through a couple of decades and a name change, and the Cascades Theatrical Company (CTC) is still working to provide Bend with a wide range of shows and musicals.

“We are here to provide the community quality productions,” said Lana Shane, CTC Theatre Operations Manager. “We try to be as diverse as possible with our productions — new and old 10 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

works, different themes and styles.”

Shane’s path to the manager position illustrates her love of community theatre.

“I came to Bend in 2003 to check it out,” she said. “I volunteered for a play and ended up staying.

The hardest part was having to leave and get my stuff from California.”

History

CTC’s growth over the last 30-plus years has been impressive for a volunteer-based organization.

What began as a traveling theatre company putting on shows in schools and churches has morphed into the Greenwood Playhouse-based organization Bend now knows.

According to their website, “... plays were rehearsed in an abandoned church and presented in

the gymnasium of Kenwood Elementary School.”

“Romanoff & Juliet” was the first play to be performed, while the first dinner theater performance of “Don’t Drink The Water” entertained diners at Le Bistro.

It took four years to gather the support needed to rent and renovate an old auto garage into the Greenwood Playhouse, their current theatre.

Located at 182 NW Geenwood Ave., the Greenwood Playhouse’s 5,000-square-foot building seats 131 patrons. CTC was able to purchase the building in 1990 with direct contributions from their patrons and grants from the Chiles Foundation, S.S. Johnson Foundation and the Bend City Commission.

Today, CTC features updated sound, lighting and production equipment with support from Oregon Community Foundation, the James F. & Marion L.

MIller Foundation and the Meyer Memorial Trust.

The theater also added the new part-time position of lead production technician, currently held by Erik Anderson.

“He makes it all happen,” said Shane.

The other part-time, paid position sees Will Futterman as assistant manager and box office manager.

“We are here to ensure the best and smoothest time for our volunteers,“ Shane said.

For the Community, By the Community

While the three paid staff members may drive the theater, the volunteers power the shows.

“Volunteers provide an enormous amount of time,” said Shane. “There are 65 to 85 volunteers needed for each show. They spend roughly 20,000 hours per year making it all happen.”

And, of course, the support of the patrons, some who have been attending shows since

CTC loans out props and costumes. They supply various organizations with a generous amount of gift certificates to include in auctions.

Seasonal Selections

The CTC’s production season begins in the fall.

But, there are many things that have to happen before the first play opens in September.

In order for a play or musical to be included in the lineup, they have to run a gauntlet laid out by selection committee and governing board.

First, a play or musical gets nominated by a writer, director or patron to the all-volunteer committee. The committee narrows down the choices based on feasibility, logistics, cast size and time commitment.

The proposed slate of plays is then submitted to the board of governors. The board approves the list, and a schedule is devised by Shane.

Each production requires six weeks of rehearsal time before opening night. This allows the actors, director, stage hands and band to come together to

Upcoming

PRODUCTIONS “Voices in the Dark” MARCH 9 - 25

What do you get when you combine a popular radio psychotherapist trying to save her marriage, a remote cabin in the woods, a mysterious caller and a storm? Certainly not what you might expect. This new Edgar Award-winning thriller brings the audience a truly chilling feeling (the kind you used to only get in the movies) to the stage and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

“Rabbit Hole” APRIL 20 - MAY 6

Becca and Howie Corbett have everything a family could want, until a life-shattering accident turns their world upside down and leaves the couple drifting perilously apart.

This drama charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day. The play paints an incredibly honest, hopeful and unexpectedly witty portrait of a family navigating its feelings of grief.

“Social Security” JUNE 8 - 24

“Volunteers provide an enormous amount of time. There are 65 to 85 volunteers needed for each show. They spend roughly 20,000 hours per year making it all happen.” the beginning, has allowed the theatre to grow continuously.

CTC’s involvement in the community stretches beyond entertaining a crowd for a couple of hours each night. They also partner with many other local organizations including KPOV, B.E.A.T., the Bend Chamber of Commerce and Bend Theatre for Young People (BTYP).

In teaching theater to young people, BTYP uses the Greenwood Playhouse most Julys.

In addition to allowing usage of the theater,

bring you the finest show possible.

Special “Sneak Peaks” are scheduled to give patrons a taste of what’s to come for the upcoming season. Plays usually run Wednesday through Saturday nights along with a Sunday matinee.

“Voices in the Dark” opens Friday, March 9, and auditions will be held on Monday and Tuesday, March 12 and 13, for “Rabbit Hole.”

Open auditions are held for every show for all who are interested.

Trendy Manhattan art dealers Barbara and David Kahn have their domestic tranquility hilariously shattered with the arrival of Barbara’s eccentric mother, goody-goody nerd of a sister and her uptight husband.

Add their desire to “rescue” their sexually precocious college student daughter to the mix, as well as an unexpected romance between their 90-year client and Barbara’s mom and you have a sure-fire recipe for laughter.

Tickets:

Adult: $20; Senior: $15; Student: $12 You may book your tickets online at www. cascadestheatrical.org. Click “Box Office.”

Call 541-389-0803 or e-mail ticketing@ cascadestheatrical.org for ticket information.

Schedule and ticket information courtesy of www.cascadestheatrical.org.

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 11

HOME DECOR

URBAN RUSTIC: clean, warm and elegant.

One of the latest trends in interior design is “Urban Rustic,” says Jackie Anderson a designer for Haven Home Style of Bend.

The style is everywhere, from home decor magazines to mail order catalogs. It is the artful blending of rustic, industrial and vintage pieces with the new.

“It is easy to create this look,” said Anderson. “First, start with a neutral palette, keeping your sofa and wall color neutral.”

A sofa in a heavy textured linen or in a vintage looking leather is a great anchor piece for your room to start with. (Keep in mind that texture will play a big role in this style of decorating.)

Now, add either a rustic barn wood coffee table or old trunk. Some great pillows can add texture and subtle hints of color to the sofa.

“I love to mix pillows made from antique kilims with lambswool pillows together,” says Anderson. “This is a great starting point for your room. Now all you need to do is add the finishing touches that will pull the room together. It is these finishing

touches that often express your own personality.”

Anderson said that some of her favorite things to decorate with for creating the “urban rustic look” include antique glass jars filled with pine cones or other treasures placed on either coffee or console tables.

“I also love to use cowhides as throw rugs on top of a sisal and wool area rug.” Anderson said. “Or you can use a kilim rug instead. I like the texture and the vintage look that a kilim rug adds to the room.

“Instead of a typical side table, I like to mix things up a bit. An ottoman or pouf with a

tray on top makes a nice side table in front of a chair. Tops of antique columns gathered in front of a sofa always add a bit of character and design to a room.”

For a more modern room, stumps from burl wood are fun as little martini tables. Other ideas as tables include trunks, chests, doors or iron gates, and antique wood trolleys.

These all can be made into coffee or side tables.

“For the walls, instead of art, what about an over-scaled clock?” Anderson said. “Or perhaps groupings of antique mirrors, baskets or wall tiles.”

An old door or gate can be hung horizontally behind the sofa for a unique look.

“Consider adding a few new pieces each season to keep your rooms fresh,” added Anderson. “It only takes a few key pieces to create this look. There is a fine line in creating the ‘urban rustic’ look as opposed to a room that looks like it is being staged for a yard sale.”

Last but not least, Anderson suggests remembering the rule of “less is better.”

We carry a beautiful selection of Contemporary, Traditional, Warm and Rustic home decor.

From lighting, furniture accents, wall décor and accessories.

We also offer home furnishings and interior design services.

Call us to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Or stop by and discover our exciting collection today.

856 NW Bond • Downtown Bend • 541-330-5999 • www.havenhomestyle.com 12 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

Plug ‘n

Save

Focus on your home’s biggest energy users to reduce your bills and your carbon footprint.

by Susan Thomas Springer / for The Bulletin Special Projects

It’s easy to turn off lights, bundle errands into one trip and put the thermostat down a degree. But it takes a little more knowledge to save energy on major home appliances, both when you buy new ones or use the ones you have.

One energy expert recommends focusing on the two biggest energy users to reduce your energy bills and your carbon footprint — refrigerators and clothes washers.

Refrigerators

“There have been significant changes over the last 15 years in the energy use of refrigerators,” said Matt Braman, residential program manager for the Energy Trust of Oregon, a nonprofit organization that works with utility customers to save energy.

In Central Oregon, Energy Trust of Oregon offers services and cash incentives to customers of Pacific Power and Cascade Natural Gas.

Photo by Nicole Werner

“The television and the cable box together can use almost as much as a new Energy Star refrigerator,” Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 13

Other utilities offer similar incentives.

Braman recommends replacing fridges manufactured before 1993. Energy Trust will remove the old fridge, recycle 95 percent of it, give a $40 credit for the old one and a $100 incentive on a new, qualifying refrigerator.

“So not only are you getting that energy hog off the grid, you’re also recycling almost all of the components in it,” said Braman.

Braman said second fridges that people have in their garage can be even older than the one in their kitchen.

“Those are ones that can use easily 100 to 200 dollars worth of energy per year, so those are real good candidates for our refrigerator recycling program,” said Braman, who adds that compares with as little as $40 a year for a new, energy-efficient fridge.

When buying new, look for the Energy Star label or the Energy Trust seal of approval, which is usually even more efficient than Energy Star.

“Energy Trust works with most major retailers to identify which units are going to qualify for our incentives,” said Braman.

Photo by Lyle Cox

Monitoring Usage

“Kill-a-Watt is a very handy tool where you can use it to measure energy use at a moment in time or over a period of time.”

Clothes Washers Clothes washers have improved a lot too. New energy-efficient washers can use half as much water as old models.

New washers remove more moisture so that dryers don’t have to work as hard. Plus, new formulas of cold water detergents are doing a better job of getting your laundry clean.

“Most of the energy used in the washing of clothes actually comes from heating the water. So washing your clothes in cold water will significantly reduce the amount of energy it takes to wash your clothes,” said Braman.

If you have a top-loading

Braman said televisions, including new cable boxes with the DVR, can use a great deal of energy.

“The television and the cable box together can use almost as much as a new Energy Star refrigerator,” said Braman.

He adds it’s usually not possible to turn them off, but you can reduce the number of boxes in your house. Also, manufacturers are beginning to make them more efficient.

In addition, the energy use of home offices — with computers, printers and speakers — can add up.

“Some of those things, if they are left on all the time, they could be using significant amounts of power,” said Braman.

clothes washer more than 10 years old, Braman recommends replacing it. He adds that next to showers, clothes washing is the largest source of hot water usage.

Sullivan said clothes dryers can be big energy users. The simple habit of reducing the temperature can save energy.

“We have really dry air here, so if you wanted to save energy by operating the dryer, set it to low heat,” said Sullivan, who usually air dries his clothes.

14 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

While individual habits may seem insignificant, when you consider those habits within your community or across the country, they add up.

“Anything you can do to change your habits now will have a big impact overall,” said Sullivan.

Electronics After reducing energy usage in fridges and washers, the third energy hog may come as a surprise.

A basic rule is that if an appliance is generating heat (whether in use or not), it’s using lots of energy. Appliances such as televisions can be put in energy saver function instead of standby mode. Or, plug the devices into a smart power strip.

Consumers can monitor energy use with Kill-a-Watt, a hand-held device which you can check out from the Deschutes County library.

“Kill-a-Watt is a very handy tool where you can use it to measure energy use at a moment in time or over a period of time,” said Braman.

Braman said consumers in the Northwest are savvy when it comes to buying and using appliances.

“We have a long history of efficiency programs, and there’s more awareness,” he said.

Using such awareness and state-of-the-art monitoring, SolAire Homebuilders in Bend, for example, is accumulating some interesting data about the energy used by appliances. SolAire built a zero-energy home in 2011 and has been monitoring the electricity used by the individual

appliances within it.

“Electronic monitoring data shows that the less expensive, Energy Starrated appliances use less power and have lower phantom electrical costs than more expensive, better-rated Energy Star appliances,” said Cindi O’Neil, vice-president of SolAire Homebuilders.

In one month, according to O’Neil, the home’s standard electric range costs 2 cents running in standby mode, while a more expensive induction range costs 88 cents per month on standby.

“Similarly, our standard refrigerator costs $2.80 a month to operate, and a top-of-the line, better-rated refrigerator costs $3 a month to operate,” O’Neil said.

Energy data like this, O’Neil says, can be obtained through the FIDO Energy Watchdog systems installed on new and existing homes.

For more information on appliances, consumers can check the details of specific models at www.energystar.gov.

Homes go greener with

Earth Advantage Nearly one in three new homes in Central Oregon were built with the color green in mind, each boasting the seal of approval from a local nonprofit that promotes such practices.

“Thirty percent of the newly constructed houses last year were certified by our company in Bend,” said Earth Advantage Institute’s Green Building Consultant Bruce Sullivan, who works with about 50 local builders.

Earth Advantage is a nonprofit organization that works with the building industry throughout the state to implement sustainable building practices. In Central Oregon, two employees advance green building in new homes — Sullivan and Matt Douglas, its builder outreach specialist.

The two have seen a significant increase in green building practices, including more energyefficient appliances.

“Matt and I work with builders every day,

and we just try to help them make every house a little bit better than the one they built before,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan praises the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) as a champion of green practices.

“They’ve been very aggressive in promoting green building, which is a little unique for a home builder’s association, so we’re very lucky to have COBA,” said Sullivan.

Sullivan adds that awareness has increased due to master plan communities that require Earth Advantage certification, including NorthWest Crossing and Tetherow in Bend, Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte, IronHorse in Prineville, and Yarrow in Madras.

“People probably wouldn’t have encountered it if they hadn’t decided to build in one of those communities,” said Sullivan.

Introducing Central Oregon’s Newest Magazine

Ageless

Central Oregon’s

50+ Magazine for health, active lifestyle, finance and more.

Introducing AGELESS - a colorful and dynamic magazine full of content developed specifically for the largest and fastest growing segment of our community - those over 50 years of age.

The Central Oregon Council On Aging and The Bulletin are partnering to produce AGELESS. Locally written, it will feature engaging, informative content developed with our local senior and boomer population in mind.

No other locally written magazine highlights today’s Central Oregon seniors and their active lifestyle like AGELESS. Created for seniors, but a helpful and thoughtful read for any stage in life.

Where can you find one? AGELESS is delivered to all Bulletin subscribers and in Bulletin racks and newsstands, reaching more than 70,000 readers. Plus 2000 copies will be distributed through COCOA, their partners and other related businesses. Also find the full magazine online at www.bendbulletin.com

SPONSORED BY:

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

Advertise your business in Ageless Publishes 4 times per year.

CALL 541.382.1811 TO RESERVE YOUR ADVERTISING SPACE IN AGELESS TODAY! Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 15

COLOR TRENDS

GET PERSONAL

WHEN CHOOSING COLORS FOR YOUR HOME Choosing colors for your home is a personal and emotional process. You see colors you like and want to make them your own. It’s all about you, your interests and your senses. You can discover your perfect color palette by following these steps.

FIND YOUR INSPIRATION You need to ask yourself do you want your environment to be joyful and energetic, glamorous and bold, or calming? To help you with this question, start with something you love—a fabric, pillow, or piece of artwork that you are truly drawn to. The colors associated with whatever you choose will help you select “your personal color palette.”

Playing the Color Sense Game will help you find the color palette that expresses your specific personality.

During the spring of 2012, PPG Pittsburgh Paints will introduce their mobile application (app) “The PPG Voice of Color.” This new app ties directly into the PPG Voice of Color program—an integrated, comprehensive design system that offers tools and materials to help you make color decisions. Utilizing the

IDENTIFY YOUR COLOR PALLETE Many tools are available to help you, either on line or at your favorite paint store. At www.voiceofcolor.com you will find a wealth of decorating tips, color trends, and see colors in action.

device’s camera, users can take/upload a photo of any object, space, fabric, or tile that inspires them, and have it automatically matched with the closest shade from The Voice of Color collection. The free app can be downloaded directly from the iPhone or iPad AppStore and the Android Market.

TEST YOUR COLORS Trying the color in your home is critical to getting the color right. Test it on the wall, or poster paper, with your lighting, next to your window treatments, furniture and floor coverings. Small-sized color jars are available in many colors, or a sample quart can be purchased to create a larger test area. Allow the test patch to dry for 2 hours. As paint dries, subtle color changes occur. Mobile app users can order 8” x 12” sample color sheets directly from the app itself.

ity’s, sheens, and price ranges. Advice from trained paint professionals at Denfeld Paints can ensure you purchase the correct products for your painting project.

If bold colors move you, the timing is right. They are absolutely in fashion.

Muster some color courage, be bold and know that with risk often comes great rewards. Let confident Red, gorgeous Purple, intriguing Blue, or happy Yellow help you define a place where you feel at home.

Information provided by: Norma Tucker at Denfeld Paints

CHOOSE YOUR PAINT

Paints are available in a variety of qual-

Environmentally gentle yet still offers superior performance.

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HOT Packaged in various shapes, sizes, colors

PLATE

by Annissa Anderson / for The Bulletin Special Projects Photos by Nicole Werner

and heats, here are four common chiles and how to harness their flavors.

Pungent pods of many colors, flavors, shapes and sizes, the Capsicum genus of plants was one of the wonders “discovered” by Christopher Columbus in the Americas.

Now, more than 200 varieties of chiles — more than 100 of which are indigenous to Mexico — are part of the cuisines of countries throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, and North and South America.

The allure of the chile comes mainly from its ability to add heat of varying levels to prepared foods. Their heat quotient varies from mildly warm to mouth-blistering hot.

Knowing your chiles — and what level of heat their pods can pack — can make all the difference when using them in cooking.

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 17

CHILES & CHILI The words chile and chili are often used interchangeably. And, in fact, a chile pepper can also be called a chili pepper, or a hot pepper.

There is equal ambiguity over what makes a chili. For Texans, chili is a stew made from diced or ground beef and chiles (fresh or dried) or chili powder.

Around the country, chili is made in a number of ways that may or may not include meat, beans and chili powder, or some of its components.

Chile powder contains dried chiles but also powdered garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander and cloves.

Confused yet? Just remember, there are chiles in chili but not the reverse.

As a general rule, the larger the chile, the milder it is. Small chiles are much hotter because, proportionally, they contain more seeds and veins than larger ones.

The seeds and membranes can contain up to 80 percent of a chile’s capsaicin, the potent compound that gives them their fiery flavor. And since chile’s heat will not diminish while cooking, it is important to get quantities right when adding chiles to other ingredients.

Processing a fresh chile, however, will change its flavor.

For example, when a jalapeno is dried and smoked, it becomes a complexly flavored chipotle.

When dried, the green poblano becomes a wrinkled and dark brown ancho chile.

Whole, dried chiles — many varieties of which can be found in Mexican markets — are generally reconstituted with boiling water then chopped or pureed to add flavor to broths for soups and stews.

The availability of fresh chiles is somewhat limited in local grocery stores, so we will take a look at four of the more commonly available

fresh chiles — jalapeño, poblano, Thai chile and habañero — and how they are used in a variety of cuisines.

Jalapeño

The smooth, dark green jalapeño pepper, which comes in a variety of sizes from 2 to 4 inches long, becomes scarlet red when ripe.

Jalapeños are popular for their flavor, but also because they are so easily seeded.

Mexicans eat the fleshy jalapeño as a vegetable, marinating it in vinegary pickling sauces or cutting it into strips to give heat to a variety of foods.

The use of jalapeños jumped the U.S.-Mexico border some time ago. Fresh jalapeños are used to spice up many Texan and Southwest recipes, as well as the standard array of Mexican dishes that are now staples in American households.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Fiery Scotch bonnet or habañero chiles, combined with warm spices, create an intensely flavorful marinade for grilled chicken that, when eaten, warms you as if you’re dining on a Jamaican beachfront watching palms sway in the breeze.

Ingredients: 3 scallions, minced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 2 Scotch bonnet or habañero chiles, stemmed and minced * 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 cup canola oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves 1/4 cup ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 18 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

(Serves 4)

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 3- to 4-pound chicken, quartered

Method: 1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a bowl to make marinade. Add chicken pieces; toss to coat in jerk marinade. Cover with plastic wrap; chill at least 6 hours.

2. To cook chicken using a gas grill: Preheat burners on high, then adjust heat to moderate.

Add chicken, skin side down; cook, turning once, until marinade forms a crust on the outside, about 8 minutes. Cover grill, continue cooking until cooked through, about 40 minutes.

Serve with cooling, fresh cilantro sprigs or tropical fruit salsa. * Handling Chiles Safely: Hot chiles can burn, not just your tongue but also your skin and eyes. When working with fresh and dried chiles, wear plastic or rubber gloves, then wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Jalapeños are probably the most widely available chiles — found fresh, canned, and dried and smoked as chipotles. Use caution when adding canned chipotles to recipes; a small amount of these flavorful little devils goes a long way.

Poblano

Poblano chiles are distinct in their color — a dark green that can blend into chocolate brown — and in their larger size.

This chile is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches wide and 4 to 5 inches long, tapering from top to bottom in a triangular shape.

The poblano’s large size makes it the quintessential pepper for stuffing. When roasted, the flavor of the poblano mellows.

Roasted and peeled poblanos can be stuffed, as in chiles rellenos, or diced and added to mashed potatoes or salads for

extra flavor and heat. The dried chile is referred to as an ancho chile, with a whole host of different uses.

Thai Chile

At about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, the diminutive Thai chile still packs a fiery punch that does not dissipate when cooking.

The thin-fleshed Thai chile ranges in color from green to red when fully ripe.

Fresh Thai chiles are commonly used in freshly prepared Thai dishes like stir-fry. Their ferocious heat is often mitigated by the use of cooling fresh cilantro, basil or cucumber.

The Thai red chiles are also widely available in dried form and are used in curry pastes and in many other Southeast Asian recipes.

Habañero

The distinctly flavored habañero is extremely hot and lantern-shaped. It is native to

Chili con Carne y Frijoles

(Serves 6)

Some people, particularly Texans, are adamant about whether there is meat or beans in their chili. I like to think that this chili is the best because it has both.

The addition of a New Mexico chile pepper gives this version more complexity than some recipes.

Method:

Ingredients:

2. In a large, high-sided skillet or enameled cast iron pan, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate covered in paper towels to drain.

Add beef cubes to pan, in batches, and brown.

Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

1 dried New Mexico chile 1 cup boiling water 4 slices bacon, finely chopped 2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 onions, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 1 tablespoon each cumin seeds and dried oregano leaves 2 teaspoons each kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 10-ounce can beef broth 1 cup dry red wine 1 19-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Mexico’s Yucatan and is also cultivated along the north coast of South America.

The habañero ranges from light green to bright orange when ripe.

The habañero, and its Caribbean cousin, the Scotch bonnet chile, is one of the hottest chiles.

Both these chiles are used in fresh salsas and marinades like the one used for Jamaican Jerk Chicken (see recipes).

Habañeros are also popular peppers for pickling in Mexico and Brazil.

1. In a heatproof bowl, soak dried chile in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and discard liquid.

Pat dry with a paper towel, chop finely and set aside.

3. Add onions to pan and cook until soft. Add New Mexico chile, garlic, jalapeno pepper, cumin seeds, oregano, and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beef broth, wine and bacon and bring to a boil.

4. Add beef and beans and stir well. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 hours, or until beef is very tender and flavors have melded.

5. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and thinly sliced scallions or red onion.

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 19

BEND-AREA

LO CAVO R E’S CO R N E R:

The Codfather Fish & Chips

Local food carts have ditched the simple foods for selections that are winning both accolades and awards.

FOOD CURBSIDE CARTS GOURMET Located on Lava between Arizona and Colorado, next to The Horned Hand Bar; serves fish and chips, fried dill pickles, etc.; Tues & Wed, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thurs-Sat, 11 a.m.-late; closed Sun & Mon.

Bee’s Thai Food

Located on 14th Street in front of Player’s Bar & Grill; serves selection of house-made Thai cuisine; credit cards accepted; call to order food in advance; 10-9 daily; closed on Sundays.

Skinny Skis Café

Located at Virginia Meisner Sno-park; serves baked goods, soup, chili, sandwiches, hot drinks; at the park on grooming days (Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun) from 9 a.m.-3 p.m; credit cards accepted.

Crazy Delicious

Located at 1009 NW Galveston, next to Aspect Board Shop; serves breakfast and lunch specials; Mon-Sat, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; credit cards accepted.

Spork

Currently closed for the season, but previously located at 1234 NW Galveston Avenue, next to Primal Cuts; serves locally procured lunch fare with a rotating menu.

Real Food Street Bistro

Located at 735½ NW Columbia Avenue, next to baked. bakery; serves New American comfort food classics using local ingredients; www.realfoodstreetbistro.com.

Photos by Lyle Cox RIGHT: The Codfather Fish & Chips is located in a double-decker bus next to The Horned Hand, Bend.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Bee’s Thai Food is situated in front of Player’s Bar & Grill along Century Drive in Bend; Skinny Skis Café offers food and drink at Virginia Meisner Sno-park.

20 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

There was a time, not too long ago, when there weren’t any food carts, trucks or trailers in Bend.

Then, the recession happened.

While street food has been popular in other parts of the world for decades, the popularity in the U.S. been centralized primarily in large metropolitan areas. Today, street food is hugely popular nationwide; the food truck and cart business is booming.

There are an estimate 3 to 5 million food trucks and an untold number of food kiosks in places such as shopping centers and malls, transportation hubs and stadiums.

Busy people are seeking good, even gourmet food, at reasonable prices, during a down economy.

Food carts offer that and more — perhaps a touch a whimsy, a chance to chat with the owner/ chef, and an opportunity to watch your meal prepared while you interact with other patrons on the street before moving on.

The entrepreneur that starts a food cart needs determination, drive and some truly great recipes. And around here, they need a willingness to battled the elements common during Central Oregon winters.

In Bend, these entrepreneurs are tough, willing to serve us food in the freezing cold and driving rain as they await the warmer months ahead. While a

few carts reopen in May, a hardy few brave the cold with the rest of us.

So, say you have a great recipe(s) and you want to go into the food cart business. What’s the first step?

Simple. You have to pony up some cash.

One vendor made his own cart and, with permits, was up and running for about $2,000.

But some of the vendors I spoke with said start-up costs can run anywhere from $5,000 to $40,000 — pricey, sure, but certainly less expensive than starting a new restaurant It’s great fun visiting the various food carts in and around Bend, as I did recently with a friend. Our first stop was at The Codfather Fish & Chip bus.

Chuck, the owner, found an English double-decker bus on eBay, outfitted it with fryers

everything to order.

You can stop in on Fridays for Noodle Day and enjoy one of her signature Pineapple curry chicken or Panang beef noodle bowls — “It’s Beelicious,” says Chef Bee. A newcomer on the scene is Skinny Skis Café at Virginia Meisner sno-park.

Monte Wornath and his friend and business partner, Kristen Fletcher, decided it would be a good and vents, and he was in business.

Patrons can enjoy their fish and chips “upstairs” on the second deck or take it to go.

We really enjoyed the deep-fried dill pickles. Codfather’s pickles have just the right amount of spice to go perfectly with one of our local microbrews.

Conveniently located next to the Horned Hand Bar, between Colorado and Arizona streets, Codfathers is

idea to offer hot food and drink to the folks that ditch town for outdoor adventures.

These entrepreneurs give back 20 percent of their profits to the grooming effort at the park. On grooming days, they serve up baked goods from Sparrow Bakery, soups from Village Baker and grilled sandwiches. They also serve up espresso drinks using beans from Strictly Organic.

Their peanut butter, Nutella and

open late for bar patrons and the rest of the community on party nights.

Bee Johnson knows a thing or two about Thai cuisine. Chef/owner of Bee’s Thai Food has bounced around from Thailand to Boston to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles before finally settling in Bend.

Bee brought Bee’s Thai Food to Century Drive about two months ago. Offering up classic Thai cuisine at reasonable prices, Chef Bee cooks

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 21

Spork (above), a popular “food cart” in Bend, will open again in the spring. Photo courtesy of Spork.

22 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

banana sandwich is a Skinny Skis hit, and Wornath and Fletcher are probably the only food cart owners that regularly take ski breaks.

A pair of recent food cart owners saw enough success that they are partnering to make the leap into the restaurant business.

SoupÇon owner Steven Draheim and El Sancho’s Joel Cordes were stationed on the corner of Greenwood and Harrison (next to Blacksmith Restaurant), pushing the culinary boundaries of food carts before moving on to a traditional brickand-mortar site.

Steven, the former chef at the Kokanee Café, and Joel, the former sous chef at Blacksmith, opted for the food cart lifestyle about two years ago.

Their new restaurant, called Barrio, will open along Minnesota in downtown Bend.

Once late spring arrives, many other carts will reappear thanks to warmer weather. Most have Facebook pages or can be followed on Twitter — like Spork, a popular west side food station that serves from a retro trailer — an easy way to track their locations,

menus and hours.

While this was a minor sampling of the carts in town, others are out there on a regular basis. I urge you to give the cart vendors a try. You will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and enjoy the interaction with the chef who cooks your food.

They are there because they want to be there, not because they have to be — like the reason we choose to live here in the high desert.

Bon Appetit!

Chef Bette Fraser is the proprietor of The Well Traveled Fork, hosting cooking classes, culinary tours and providing catering services. She can be reached at WellTraveledFork.com or 541-312-0097.

BATH TRENDS

Personal Luxury for the SHOWER Body Sprays

Originally designed solely for hygienic purposes, showers have come a long way from the simple designs of yesterday. With the popular rise of “custom showering” through the creative yet purposeful use of body sprays, steam generators and alternate shower head designs, today’s in-home showers can be designed for relaxation, therapy and stress reduction. “Custom showering is anything other than just your ordinary valve and shower head,” said Tom Christensen, showcase manager of Keller Supply Co. in Bend. “I want my clients to have a shower as a personal space they can relax in.”

In the spirit of adding an element of personal luxury to a shower, Tom outlines a few options popular with clients today:

Quite simply, a body spray is a miniature shower head that sprays the bather from a location on the shower wall. According to Tom, clients typically opt for four body sprays in their showers for better coverage. “The term ‘human car wash’ comes to mind because that’s what it is — water that sprays your body from the walls. “Body sprays are vehicles for cleaning you from all angles, but they also add an element of massage to the showering experience.” Body sprays can pivot side to side or up and down, depending on the bather’s preference. Sprays are typically positioned in the upper torso and abdominal levels.

Rain Heads & Hand Showers

While some may enjoy the concentrated spray offered by most shower heads, many

clients opt for the calmer experience of what’s called a “rain head” — a larger, wider shower head up to a foot or more in diameter.

“A rain head offers a more gentle flow of water with broader coverage as opposed to a direct frontal spray. “It’s a nice cascade of water from above. It’s like a gentle rain rather than a downpour.”

A hand shower on the other hand is composed of a spray wand on a hose for personalized spray or rinsing down the shower after use.

They’re wonderful for showering young children as well.

Steam Generators/Showers

While some shower customization is for simply improving the bathing experience, other options can expand the functionality of your shower. Steam generators, for instance, can turn your shower into a personal sauna.

“A lot of people like to use steam in the shower for relaxation or as a body cleansing system,”.

“Steam relaxes and soothes muscles, relaxes tension, stimulates circulation and rids your body of impurities and toxins.” Following a good steam bath, you

can just turn on the shower, rinse and get on with your day.

Tom suggests that not all custom shower options work for every home or lifestyle.

“When I walk through the process with a homeowner, I ask what they want the shower to do for them,” he said. “Are you active, athletic? Do you like nice long showers? Do two bathers use the shower at the same time? “I want them to have a shower that can provide them with a personal spa experience.”

“Body sprays are vehicles for cleaning you from all angles, but they also add an element of massage to the showering experience.”

Homeowners, architects, designers, builders and plumbers are all welcome to come into our extensive working showroom for product selection and project support. As one of the largest plumbing suppliers in the Northwest, we provide expert service and knowledge, a wide selection of name brand manufacturers and competitive pricing!

Call today for your personalized tour of our beautiful working showroom!

541-385-0837 | 200 SE Bridgeford, Blg. #2, Bend, OR 97702 Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 23

GARDEN CALENDAR MARCH Order your seed packets and reserve your fruit trees now.

Consider edible landscaping plants such as fruit trees and berry producing shrubs.

Even though it has been a warm winter, it is best to wait until late March to prune your deciduous trees and shrubs. You can continue to prune throughout the summer. Conifers should be pruned in late fall.

Research and plan to add perennials, trees or shrubs to your landscape in late spring.

Start seeds for asparagus.

Purchase/order annual and vegetable garden seeds with 65 to 80 days to maturity. Remember to add 14 days to the maturity date on the packet as this is approximately how long it will take for that plant to mature here in Central Oregon because we do not have plant growth at night.

Check with your local nursery for seeds, or check out the following seed catalogs for hardy varieties: • Territorial Seed Company at 541-942-9547, territorialseed.com; • Johnny’s Selected Seeds at 207-437-4301, www.johnnyseeds.com • Nichols Garden Nursery at 1-800-422-3985, www.nicholsgardennursery.com Use a damp sponge or cloth to clean the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves on your houseplants.

Now is a good time to repair, clean, sharpen and maintain garden tools and equipment. Be sure to have your lawnmower blades sharpened before you start cutting the lawn this season.

If you haven’t fertilized your bulbs yet, now is a good time. Use a fertilizer high in phosphorous (the second number on the fertilizer bag; for example, 0-46-0).

MAY Mid-April through May is the best time during the spring to dethatch and aerate your lawn. Rent a dethatcher from the local rental shop. Once you have pulled up and removed the thatch, apply a fertilizer application to stimulate rapid recovery.

Now is the time to stock up on row cover and your walls of water. These items help to extend the growing season and protect your plants and crops from frost damage.

Cut back any perennials that were left through the winter, removing all dead foliage.

Repair or change your sprinkler system to be more efficient.

Plant seed flats for cole crops including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.

Prepare garden soil for spring planting by adding organic matter, including rotted manures and compost or by planting a cover crop (green manure) such as ryegrass, buckwheat or barley.

Gather branches of quince, forsythia and other flowering ornamentals and bring inside to force an early bloom.

Plant a windowsill container garden of herbs.

24 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

Transplant your broccoli, cabbage and onions — plants you may have started from seed.

If you haven’t started your vegetable seeds, get them going inside, to be put outside in the garden in June. Be sure to use a seed start mix soil with any vegetable or flower seeds as regular potting soil may be too heavy for some seeds.

Be sure to sign up for a new year of High Desert Gardening for a color newsletter with local tips and articles about Central Oregon’s landscapes and gardening. It is available electronically or in hard copy. To check out a sample of our newsletter online, go to: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ deschutes/sites/default/files/apr_may10free.pdf.

Use a soil thermometer to help you know when to plant vegetable and flower seeds. Cool season vegetables that germinate and grow at a soil temperature of 40 degrees or above include beets, carrots, peas, radishes, lettuce and spinach, to name a few. For more information about when to plant seeds or set out starts, check out our website, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ deschutes/Horticulture/GardenPublications_000. php, go to “OSU Publications for Central Oregon,” and scroll down to “vegetables.”

by Amy Jo Detweiler / Special to The Bulletin

APRIL Prune your deciduous trees and shrubs. Be careful not to prune your flowering trees and shrubs that bloom on last years growth (old wood), like your lilacs. Wait until these plants are finished blooming, then prune shortly after the flowers die off.

Direct seed your beets, lettuce, peas, radishes and spinach.

Direct seed your carrots, chard, kohlrabi and potatoes.

Plant asparagus crowns or transplants in mid to late May. Transplant your Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks or peppers.

Fertilize your shade/ornamental trees, shrubs and perennials with fertilizer mixtures such as 106-4 or 20-10-5. A slow-release fertilizer works well for these.

MASTER GARDENER EVENTS Growing Vegetables in Central Oregon - Introductory Level An introductory class on growing vegetables, including climate, site selection, soil preparation, season extension and crop selection. A free two-hour class for the community from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the following locations: • Tuesday, March 6: Madras, at the COCC Building • Thursday, March 8: Redmond, at Sage Elementary • Tuesday, March 13: Prineville, at 4-H Building • Wednesday, March 14: Bend, at OSU Cascades Hall on the COCC Campus An advanced level class will go into details about how to grow the most common vegetables and fruits for the area including tomatoes and strawberries. A free twohour class for the community from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at

the following locations: • Tuesday, March 27: Bend, at OSU Cascades Hall on the COCC Campus • Wednesday, March 28: Prineville, at the COCC Building Registration is required as seating is limited. Go to http://extension.oregonstate.edu/deschutes or call 541548-6088.

Lunch & Learn - OSU Demonstration Garden

Spring Gardening Seminar & Garden Market

Home & Garden Show

In Redmond at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, presented by the Central Oregon Chapter of OSU Master Gardeners. Attend several garden classes and a fun garden market. Information to be posted at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/deschutes/.

Located at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo near parking lot “D,” these free, 30-minute Thursday classes begin at 12:15 p.m.: • March 29: Using Soil Amendment and Cover Crops • April 26: Starting Seeds Indoors and Season Extenders

OSU Master Gardeners will be on-site to give a plant clinic, mini-talks and demonstrations.

Gardening Techniques A free class for beginning gardeners; Hollinshead Community Garden in Bend. Saturday, May 5, 5:30 p.m.

TM

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 25

‘The perfect little composting machines,’ worms digest food waste, creating soil-enriching castings for the garden.

The Wonder of WORMS

by Bunny Thompson / for The Bulletin Special Projects | Photos by Lyle Cox

Composting is a popular topic here in Central Oregon. It’s good for the earth, good for the garden and plants, and gives us a great “green” feeling.

But what if you don’t have the space for large bins or you don’t have the time to properly turn and water your composting bins?

Let worms do the work.

“Worms are nature’s perfect little composting machine,” says Laurie Perez, owner of Wonder Worman, a Bend business supplying red wiggler earthworms to use for composting.

According to her website, www.wonderworman.

26 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

com, Perez is a “fearless leader in a tireless worldwide campaign to spread soil-enriching worm castings everywhere”.

Composting with worms, called vermiculture, is almost as old as the Earth. Just walk out into the forest, turn over a dead tree or some wet leaves, and you’ll almost surely find worms munching away, turning that organic matter into a fertile product that sustains the forest.

Just as nature has excess organic matter, we humans have it too.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

estimates that each American throws away an average of 1.3 pounds of food scraps daily. Combined with yard trimmings, this makes up 24 percent of our nation’s municipal solid waste stream.

Vermiculture is different from other compost systems. It can be done inside your home or garage, it requires less maintenance and space than conventional composting bins, and those little worms produce more fertile compost faster than conventional compost bins.

“There are so many advantages for composting with worms over regular compost,” Perez said. “The

worms cut decomposition time; you don’t have to turn, water or aerate them; and the food breaks down much faster. The worms do it all for you.”

Here’s what you’ll need:

The Container

For an average family of four, Perez recommends an 18-gallon plastic bin — Rubbermaid or Sterilite — about 16-by-24

Bedding

Make a nice, cozy bed for your worms out of peat moss and shredded newspaper, filling your bin to a level of about 6 to 9 inches. You can also add shredded fall leaves, sawdust, compost or straw.

Varying the bedding as much as possible will provide more nutrients for the worms while still creating richer compost.

A handful of sand or soil will provide

“There are so many advantages for composting with worms... The worms cut decomposition time; you don’t have to turn, water or aerate them; and the food breaks down much faster.” inches and 15 inches tall. Be sure to wash the container with soap and water and rinse well.

You can also build a wooden bin. Just make sure to not use treated wood.

Whichever type of contain you choose, you must have good drainage and a cover that keeps out most of the light (worms don’t like a lot of sunlight) but allows for good ventilation.

Drill quarter-inch to half-inch holes every 2 to 4 inches in the bottom to allow for good drainage. Raise the bin up on wooden blocks or bricks, and place a tray underneath to catch excess water.

Also drill eight to 10 holes in the top for ventilation, or place a burlap bag loosely over the bin.

some grit for the worm’s digestion of food.

Then add water to moisten the bedding until it feels like a wrung-out sponge.

Worms

Perez recommends one-pound of worms (about 500 to 1,000 worms) for an 18-gallon container. The worms reproduce quickly and can eat more than their own weight in food each day.

“Interestingly, worms self-regulate according to the place they live,” Perez says.

“Their reproduction slows down if their numbers begin to increase too much for the container.

“If you remove some of the worms to start a new bin, or give to a friend to start a compost bin, then the worms will begin to reproduce faster. That’s really cool.”

Laurie Perez, owner of Wonder Worman

WIGGLERS 101: Underground Facts • There are approximately 3,000 species of earthworms named and known to science.

• Earthworms can eat their weight in food every day.

• The most common garden earthworm, the nightcrawler, is not native to North America. It was brought over in potted plants by Europeans.

• Earthworms are hermaphroditic, meaning they possess both sets of sex organs. However, they still need to mate with another worm in order to produce offspring.

• The raised band that encircles the worm is actually a carrying case for its eggs • Earthworms don’t have lungs. They breathe through their skin.

• Earthworms don’t have eyes, but they are light-sensitive.

• In one acre of land, there can be more than a million earthworms.

• Charles Darwin spent 39 years studying earthworms more than 100 years ago.

• Baby earthworms are not born. They hatch from cocoons smaller than a grain of rice.

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 27

Food

Fruits and veggies make for the preferred diet for worms, which also love coffee grounds, tea bags, banana peels and egg shells that have been ground up a bit.

Avoid meat, fats, dairy products, salad mix with dressing, and bones.

“They absolutely love cantaloupe, watermelon and strawberries,” Perez says. “It’s their favorite, and they’ll move to those sweeter fruits almost immediately. It’s fun to watch them.”

Your worm bin can be placed almost anywhere that is convenient.

Worms like warm, dark places such as a basement, garage or laundry room.

Temperatures between 40 to 80 degrees are best. Keep them out of any direct sunlight, and watch your moisture level.

If your worm bin is working properly, there should be no odor, so you can even keep them under your kitchen sink to make it convenient to feed and watch your worms.

After about three to four months of feeding your worms, stop feeding them for a week or so (depending on

the amount of food left). Their bedding should look like dark, rich soil.

Now is when you need to separate the worms from the compost. There are several ways to do this.

“Hand-picking is fun, especially with kids” says Perez. “But it’s timeconsuming.”

You can expose the entire bin to light and let the worms crawl to the bottom. Then, carefully remove the layers of compost.

You can also push the compost material to one side of the bin and fill the other side with new, moist bedding and food. Wait several days, and the worms will migrate to the fresh bedding and food.

Then scoop out the finished compost, making sure to pick out any worms or worm egg casings — small yellow cocoons. These are your babies.

Worms are hard workers, so treat them well, watch their progress, and tell all of your friends about your new hobby of vermiculture.

To buy red wiggler worms or to learn more about vermiculture, visit wonderworman.com.

Know who you bank with.

We are your community bank. Our president and board of directors are local and we are proud to know each of our clients personally. Now more than ever, it is good to know who you bank with.

Stop in and meet our president, Larry Snyder.

High Desert Bank 1000 SW Disk Drive Bend, Oregon 97702

28 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

541.848.4444 www.highdesertbank.com

expert

advice Buying a home in short sale Buying a home in a short sale can be a hassle, so why would you consider it?

You will get the property for a substantial discount from what is currently owed — one you could live in for a long time.

But this doesn’t necessarily guarantee a super fantastic deal.

Whether you’ve become aware of the distressed situation on a property through an agent, a “for sale by owner” ad or word-of-mouth, this is not a do-ityourself project. A short sale is one real estate deal that truly requires help from an experienced agent or attorney.

Not all real-estate agents know how to handle a short sale, so make sure you consult with one who can demonstrate special training or a good track record with short sales.

Here are some tips on short sales:

Identify potential short sales Locate pre-foreclosures in your area.

You can use an online database, search courthouse listings and legal ads, or use an experienced real estate agent as a buyer’s agent. Pass on those in which the owner has a lot of equity in the home; the lender likely will prefer to foreclose and resell closer to the market price.

View the property Gauge its condition and estimate of how much it’s going to take to repair or renovate. If it needs work, many “normal” buyers won’t consider it. This could work in your favor.

If you are financing your purchase, ensure the property is in decent enough condition to meet lender requirements — good windows, a solid roof, floor coverings, a heat source, etc. Without these things, the underwriter or apprais-

al will stop the loan until those missing or damaged items are remedied.

Location, location, location If you’re an investor or are planning to live in the home, location remains important. It could be a screaming deal, but if it’s in a neighborhood that will never likely recover, no deal is good enough to compensate for its location.

Find all liens and mortgages Ask the seller or his agent what liens are on the property and which lender is the primary lien holder. If there are any junior lienholders, it will create more work for the seller to ensure a successful sale — meaning more patience required.

Figure out the financing You have to know how you’re going to pay for the property. You have to be able to move quickly with your financing as a buyer once you receive written third-party approval. Once an agreement is worked out, it is common for the lender to require closing in as few as 20 days. Extensions are possible, but why take another month if you’ve already waited four to get to this point?

Contact the lender The listing agent has likely submitted an authorization letter to speak on behalf of the seller with the seller’s lender during the short sale process.

Without that signed document, only the seller can converse with the bank. Be aware that the buyer or his/her agent will likely never have authorization to speak with the lender.

assembled This package or packet generally consists of materials including the application and authorization letter as well as the purchase and sale contract, a hardship letter, a settlement statement (often referred to as a “HUD”) and a statement of the property’s value. A short sale is always an as-is sale. The lender or seller is not going to pay for or otherwise be responsible for any repairs.

Negotiate It’s not uncommon for the lender to reject your offer or to come back with a counteroffer. Figure out beforehand what your absolute highest limit is, and don’t be afraid to walk away.

Seal the deal Once you’ve reached an agreement

that all three parties — you, the seller and the lender — are OK with, get everything in writing and proceed with escrow. Make sure all principals to the transaction understand all of the terms of the deal.

One frustrating issue that sometimes comes up with a short sale is when a junior lender decides to renegotiate for more funds prior to closing. This can occur any time up to the day of signing.

Nerve-wracking? Yes. Negotiable? Yes. More patience required? Yes! Short sales are intriguing and exciting at best; terrifically frustrating at their worst. If you keep your end goal in mind, everyone’s time and effort will make the process worth it.

Cindy King is a principal broker with Re/Max Key Properties

What an opportunity! After years of Bend Real Estate experience with passion for their clients, they have returned to their home at RE/MAX. With combined careers of over 60 years, Joan & Gary have the knowledge to represent their clients with integrity and compassion.

• Residential Homes • Commercial and Investment Properties • Riverfront Homes • Rural and Ranch Properties • Short Sales and Foreclosures • Land and Acreage • Free Consultations

Ensure the short-sale application is completed

Joan Steelhammer, Broker/Realtor 541-419-3717 Joan@JoanSteelhammer.com www.JoanSteelhammer.com

Many lenders have an application specifically for a short sale request. It is similar to filling out paperwork for a loan. If a seller has not completed this application, they aren’t ready to list their house as a short sale.

Independently Owned & Operated 431 NW Franklin Avenue – Bend, OR 97701

Ensure the package has been

Office: 541-728-0033

KEY PROPERTIES

Gary Everett, CCIM, Principal Broker/Realtor 541-480-6130 Gary@GaryEverett.com www.GaryEverett.com REALTOR

MLS

MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 29

expert

advice COBA celebrates 40th anniversary On a mild winter Monday evening, Feb. 28, 1972, 26 Central Oregon h o m e builders, s u b contractors and suppliers, along with others supporting the building industry, met in administration building room 28 at Central Oregon Community College (COCC) to organize a local builders association.

A number of out-of-town guests were there including: National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

field representative Hal Sweet; Oregon’s NAHB Representative Bill Lamb; Oregon State Home Builders Association (OSHBA) Executive Officer Fred Van Natta; and Rex Lucas, Past President of the Salem Builders Association.

The Temporary Chairman was George J. Corrigan of Landmark Northwest, Inc. general contractors.

On May 10, 1972, the Oregon State Home Builders Association sent the formal application letter to NAHB to charter the Central Oregon Builders Association. The original charter included COBA’s jurisdiction of Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties.

There were 22 charter members, including 15 builder members and 7 associate members (e.g., Backstrom

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30 | Central Oregon Living | Early Spring 2012

Today, COBA’s 600 member companies from throughout Central, Eastern and Mid-Columbia regions of Oregon make up the association’s diverse membership.

Builders Center, Brooks Resources, Miller Lumber and Pacific Power & Light).

Chartered officially on May 22, 1972, COBA is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association existing to serve its members and our community in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties. At that time, Bend’s population was just more than 14,000 people, Redmond was about 4,000, and Deschutes County was about 30,000 in population.

Central Oregon has grown, matured and diversified over the last 40 years, but one thing hasn’t changed: Central Oregon is still one of the most soughtafter places in our country to live because of its natural surroundings.

COBA’s two largest and most recognized signature events came along over the years with the first Central Oregon Tour of Homes in 1989 and the Home & Garden Show in 1993.

COBA petitioned the OSHBA and NAHB to add Harney County to its jurisdiction in 1995 (at the request of the county’s builders), and it was granted. In June 2009, NAHB added Grant, Gilliam, Hood River, Malheur, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler counties to COBA’s jurisdictional territory.

COBA members helped to found two nonprofit organizations in recent years: the Building Green Resource Center (BGRC) and Building Partners

for Affordable Housing (BPFAH).

The BGRC works to help educate the public and industry professionals on best building practices. Building Partners for Affordable Housing’s mission is to provide affordable housing opportunities in Central Oregon.

BPFAH has developed six homes in the last two years with more under construction, creating jobs for local builders and sub-contractors and affordable homes for Central Oregon families.

In its 40-year history, COBA’s commitment to its mission has never wavered. It still represents the building industry before government and the community, promotes high ethical standards within the building industry, provides service to its membership and defends opportunities of homeownership for all.

Today, COBA’s 600 member companies from throughout the Central, Eastern and Mid-Columbia regions of Oregon make up the association’s diverse membership. These members join forces to represent their collective interests and to serve the community.

COBA would like to thank our community for 40 years of support.

In 2012, COBA is attempting to document our complete 40-year history.

If you have photos, directories, Tour of Homes or Home & Garden Show guides, meeting minutes, articles or memories from COBA’s history which you’d like to share, we’d love to see and hear them, especially if they pre-date 1999.

COBA will be having a 40th anniversary celebration and offer new events that will be open to the public this year. Our plans will be posted soon on COBA’s website at www.coba.org.

We look forward to great years ahead working with you to build an even better Central Oregon.

Tim Knopp is the executive vice president of the Central Oregon Builders Association.

Central Oregon Living EVENT CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE UPCOMING WEEKS IN HIGH DESERT MUSIC, ART, FOOD AND FUN.

THEATER “Mr. Marmalade” THOUGH MARCH 18: Innovation Theatre Works presents the dark comedy about a young girl and her cocaine-addicted imaginary friend; $20, $18 students and seniors; 7:30 p.m.; Innovation Theatre Works, 1155 S.W. Division St., Bend; 541-504-6721 or www.innovationtw.org.

“Gina Galdi and Guest” THOUGH MARCH 17: A play about a Boston native who moves in with her parents to start a wedding cake business; $20, $18 students and seniors; 8 p.m.; 2nd Street Theater, 220 N.E. Lafayette Ave., Bend; 541-312-9626 or www.2ndstreettheater.com.

“Voices in the Dark” MARCH 9-25: Cascades Theatrical Company presents the thriller about a radio psychologist in a remote cabin, a mysterious caller and a storm; $20, $15 seniors, $12 students; 7:30 p.m.; Greenwood Playhouse, 148 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-3890803 or www.cascadestheatrical.org.

“Rabbit Hole” APRIL 20-MAY 6: Cascades Theatrical Company presents a drama about a family navigating feels of grief after a terrible accident; $20, $15 seniors, $12 students; 7:30 p.m.; Greenwood Playhouse, 148 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-389-0803 or www.cascadestheatrical.org.

Saturday, March 3 CELEBRATION OF HOPE: A food and beer pairing, with a raffle; registration recommended; proceeds benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates of Central Oregon; $25; 5-9 p.m.; Century Center, 70 S.W. Century Drive, Bend; 541-389-1618 or www.casaofcentraloregon.org.

Sunday, March 4

Saturday, March 10

Tuesday, March 27

“AN ORDINARY FAMILY”: A screening of the film about an awkward family vacation; $10; 2 p.m., doors open 1 p.m.; Greenwood Playhouse, 148 N.W. Greenwood Ave., Bend; 541-389-0803 or www.bendfilm.org.

CASCADE WINDS SYMPHONIC BAND: The band performs “Western!” music with a western flare, directed by Dan Judd; donations accepted; 2 p.m.; Summit High School, Bend; 541-602-9739 or www.cascadewinds.org.

PINTS FOR POLIO: Taste beers and take home a pint glass; registration requested; benefits the Rotary Club of Greater Bend and End Polio Now; $25; 2-6 p.m.; downtown Bend; 541-383-8180 or www.pintsforpolio.org.

AN EVENING WITH GROUCHO: Frank Ferrante presents his acclaimed portrayal of comedian Groucho Marx; $30 or $35; 7:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

“MONUMENTAL”: A screening of the film about Americans who took risks for liberty and about keeping American ideals alive; $12.50; 8 p.m.; Regal Old Mill Stadium 16 & IMAX, Bend; 541-382-6347 or www. fathomevents.com.

Tuesday, March 6

Friday, March 16

HIGH DESERT CHAMBER MUSIC — ARMADILLO STRING QUARTET: String musicians play selections of chamber music; $35, $10 children and students; 7:30 p.m.; The Oxford Hotel, 10 N.W. Minnesota Ave., Bend; 541-306-3988, info@ highdesertchambermusic.com or www. highdesertchambermusic.com.

AN EVENING WITH LEO KOTTKE: The Grammy-nominated acoustic guitarist performs; $35 or $45; 7:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.towertheatre.org.

Thursday-Sunday, March 8-11 CENTRAL OREGON SPORTSMEN’S SHOW: Featuring vendors and a variety of resources for outdoor recreation, with a head and horns competition, a kids trout pond, cooking demonstrations, etc; $10, $5 ages 6-16, free 5 and younger, $15 for two-day pass; Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, Redmond; 503-246-8291, info@otshows.com or www.thesportshows.com.

Thursday, March 8 SISTERS FOLK FESTIVAL WINTER CONCERT SERIES: Featuring a performance

by Red Molly; $15 or $10 students in advance, $20 or $10 students at the door; 7 p.m., doors open 6:30 p.m.; Sisters High School, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Road; 541-549-4979 or www.sistersfolkfestival.org.

Friday, March 9 “A NIGHT AT THE OPERA”: A screening of the Marx Brothers slapstick comedy, introduced by Frank Ferrante; 25 cents; 7 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

BRUCE HORNSBY: The jam rocker performs; $40-$55; 7:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

THE AUTONOMICS: The Portland-based rock ‘n’ roll group performs a St. Patrick’s Day concert, with All You Can; $6; 7 p.m.; The Horned Hand, 507 N.W. Colorado Ave., Bend; 541-728-0879.

Tuesday, April 17 TODD SNIDER: The subversive singersongwriter performs; $28.25 or $39.50; 7 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

Thursday, March 22 MAKING HERSTORY: An open mic celebration of Women’s History Month; registration required to perform; to benefit the Human Dignity Coalition; $5; 7 p.m.; Broken Top Bottle Shop & Ale Cafe, 1740 N.W. Pence Lane, Suite 1, Bend; 541-408-6367.

Friday, March 23 COMEDY LEGEND GALLAGHER: The comedian performs a “no sledge” show of social and political commentary; $25.85; 7:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

SPRING BREAKOUT BLUEGRASS: Featuring performances by The Ascetic Junkies, The Bottlecap Boys and Sara Jackson-Holman; $14; 7:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.towertheatre.org.

FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK: Event includes art exhibit openings, artist talks, live music, wine and food in downtown Bend and the Old Mill District; free; 5-9 p.m.; throughout Bend.

Saturday, April 7

Saturday, March 17

Saturday, March 24

Friday, April 6

FRIDAY, April 27 CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO AND MONTREAL GUITAR TRIO: Two virtuoso guitar groups perform separately and with each other; $25 or $30; 7:30 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541-3170700 or www.towertheatre.org.

SATURDAY, April 28 TWIST AND SHOUT: The Beatles cover band performs, with film clips; $28.50 in advance, $31 day of show; 8 p.m., doors open 7 p.m.; Tower Theatre, 835 N.W. Wall St., Bend; 541317-0700 or www.towertheatre.org.

FRIDAY, May 4 FIRST FRIDAY GALLERY WALK: Event includes art exhibit openings, artist talks, live music, wine and food in downtown Bend and the Old Mill District; free; 5-9 p.m.; throughout Bend.

Early Spring 2012 | Central Oregon Living | 31