all about home - spring 2013

2spring/summer 2013

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1-800 WATER DAMAGE.............................................38A-1 CONCRETE LEVELING........................................13AK NAHAS.....................................................................30ALLIANCE APPLIANCE................................................32BAUMAN WOODWORKING.....................................38BRANCH HOME IMPROVEMENTS.........................35BRIDGEWATER PRIMITIVES......................................33BROADWAY IRON & METAL.....................................28BUCKEYE BOILER........................................................33COLIAN’S STONE PIT..................................................48CVS WINDOWS & SIDING INC................................14D. W. DICKEY AND SONS, INC................................16DEHOFF’S FGL INC.....................................................11DIAMOND CUT............................................................39DUNCAN’S BATH & KITCHEN..................................16E & S HARDWOODS...................................................34E J’S EXCAVATING........................................................16EDISON LANDSCAPE & DECK.................................15ELDER AG & TURF EQUIPMENT..............................13

ELLYSON PLUMBING & HEATING...........................33FARMERS NATIONAL BANK......................................10GAUSE EQUIPMENT...................................................22GROVE APPLIANCE TV & AUDIO............................48HOME SAVINGS & LOAN...........................................36HUMMEL GIFT SHOP.................................................26HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK...............................5IANNETTI’S GARDEN CENTER.................................29JANOSKI’S GREENHOUSE........................................35JOE DICKEY ELECTRIC...............................................29KELL’S HEATING & COOLING..................................37KOMAR PLUMBING....................................................27LANDIS FLOORS, INC...................................................6M.E. SUPPLY..................................................................17MCKAY & GOULD........................................................26MIGHTY DUCTS...........................................................15MILNER LAW OFFICE..................................................37NDC HEATING & COOLING LLC..............................48NORTHERN HANCOCK BANK & TRUST...............39PARANZINO BROS. AUCTIONEERS........................31

PEEBLES CREATIVE GROUP......................................32PHIL’S SALES & SERVICE...........................................48RASHID’S ORIENTAL RUGS......................................27RIVER VALLEY HEALTH PARTNERS.........................23ROBERTSON’S KITCHEN & BATH...........................39ROGERS MILL...............................................................35SANTA CLARA MOBILE HOMES................................9SEMACH’S TV...............................................................29SOUND SHOP..............................................................19STEWART FURNITURE................................................14SUMMER FUN POOLS...............................................47SUPERIOR WALLPAPER AND PAINT..................... 30TAPCO ELECTRIC.........................................................17THE MOORE AGENCY,INC........................................34TOWER INDUSTRIES.....................................................7UNKEFER EQUIPMENT INC........................................8VERNON DELL TRACTOR..........................................28WAYNE HOMES..............................................................2WAYSIDE LAWN STRUCTURES................................19

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C O N T E N T SAdding a little luxury to your home..................................................................................4Build a picnic table in 5 easy pieces................................................................................6Mix and match trend revolutionizing deck design.....................................................8For the birds..............................................................................................................................10Give your backyard its own soundtrack.......................................................................11Turn household trash into garden treasure................................................................12Building twig furniture from natural wood..................................................................13Container gardening grows in popularity....................................................................14Make a braided rug from recycled clothing...............................................................16Springtime painting advice from the pros..................................................................18Organic indoor farming is growing.................................................................................20Salvaging our past..................................................................................................................24Primitive décor can be quite comforting.....................................................................26Container gardening is a snap.........................................................................................28Solar panel installation on the rise.................................................................................30Deciphering a seed packet or catalog..........................................................................32Trash vs. Treasure - Garage sale finds...........................................................................34Build a backyard rain garden............................................................................................36iPhone app guides you when to plant........................................................................38Choosing a bathroom faucet............................................................................................39Professional Service Directory......................................................................40-45Get your pool ready for summer...................................................................................46

SPRING/SUMMER 2013 EDITION

PRO J EC T D I R EC TOR - RON F LAV I ANO

ED I TOR I A L D I R EC TOR - DORMA J . TO L SON

ADVER T I S I NG D I R EC TOR - M I CH E L L E S P ENC ER

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4spring/summer 2013

(Family Features) Seventy-two percentof homeowners plan to decorate or re-decorate in the next two years, accordingto the 2012 Houzz and Home Survey;and 86 percent said that improving thelook and feel of the space was their mostimportant goal.

You can find plenty of dÈcor inspirationon sites such as Houzz or Pinterest. Andwith the right materials and a little cre-ativity, you can add a little luxury to yourhome, too. Here are some ideas to getyou started:

Paint – You can add a fresh look to aroom with a fresh coat of paint. You canalso add richness and depth with a spe-cialty paint treatment. Textured paint al-lows you to give your walls the look ofsoft suede, leather, linen or even vintageplaster. Metallic paints can be used withstencils to create elegant patterns, or ontextured wallpaper to create the look ofantique tin ceiling tiles.

Textiles – Fabrics are a great way toadd color and texture to a room. Brows-ing the remnant tables at a fabric storecan lead you to some beautiful bargains.You can use remnants to recover pillows,add banding to drapes, or make runnersfor the table or buffet. Try adding a luxu-rious throw to the sofa or a small woolrug on top of existing carpet for a cozy,layered look.

You can also consider investing in hav-ing a quality piece of furniture reuphol-stered. Look for a fabric that is not onlybeautiful, but durable as well, so you getmore bang for your buck. For example,Sensuede is easy to clean, child- and pet-friendly, yet is soft, comfortable and lux-urious to the touch. Learn more, andexplore the more than 200 colors avail-able, at www.sensuede.com.

Accents – Sometimes little things canadd up to a big difference. Change outsome of your accent pieces to add a spe-cial touch to any room. Metallic colors

and materials such as gold, silver, bronzeand copper add warmth and elegance.Vases, picture and mirror frames, decora-tive bowls and trays are simple ways tobring beautiful metals into any room.Richly colored candles add color andscent to a room, and their soft light willmake your metallic accents glow.

Flooring – Sometimes the floor can getoverlooked as a design element in aroom. But a beautiful floor can pull thewhole look of a room together. Refinish-ing hardwood floors, installing laminateor stone flooring, replacing carpets, or in-vesting in quality area rugs are all waysyou can add the perfect finishing touchto a room.

There are a lot of ways you can addluxury to your living spaces, so start ex-ploring creative ways to make your homethe picture-perfect place you’ve alwayswanted.

Adding a little luxuryto your home

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6spring/summer 2013

From MOTHER EARTH NEWS, by the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Editors

If you’re interested in trying your hand at this nifty little table, you’ll needto gather these few materials before getting started: four pressure-treated2-inch-by-4-inch-by-8-foot boards, three 1-inch-by-6-inch-by-12-footboards, four 3/8-inch-by-3 1/4-inch carriage bolts with washers and nuts,and approximately one pound of 8d galvanized nails (get some varnish,too, if you want to coat the tabletop).

The treated 2-by-4s will cost a little more than untreated ones do, butbecause they form the crucial structural supports, that money will be wellspent. The 1-by-6s that form the bench and tabletop, though, should beconventional lumber, since food may come into direct contact with thosesurface boards, and the chemicals used to pressure-treat lumber may betoxic.

To begin, saw the 1-by-6 planks into nine 48-inch lengths. Next, fol-lowing the cutting diagrams, saw out one bench support and one leg fromeach of two 2-by-4s. Cut out a leg, a top support, and a brace from eachof the remaining two 2-by-4s.

Start the actual construction by assembling the two end frames. Makeeach four-piece unit by positioning a tabletop support and a bench sup-port beneath two legs, and nail the components together. As you work,take care not to nail through the centers of the leg/bench support junc-tions, as your next step will be to drill holes at these spots, attaching the3/8” carriage bolts and nuts. Do this, placing the washers and nuts on the

undersides of the joints (for the sake of appearance).

Stand up the two frame ends, separated by a distance of 33 inches, andconnect their top supports by nailing a 1-by-6 across their centers. Next,nail another plank along the outer edge of each bench support. Thesedecking boards should protrude about 6 inches beyond their bracers.Now, attach two planks flush with the ends of the top supports, and thenfinish the eating surface by centering a board in each of the two remain-ing spaces. Nail the last two 1-by-6s next to the existing bench boards(leaving a gap of about 1/4 inch between adjacent bench planks). Thencarefully turn the unit upside down and attach the two 45-degree bracesas shown.

There it is: Your picnic table is complete! It can be used as is, or be cov-ered with a durable, water-resistant coating such as polyurethane (or anyof the various marine varnishes) to give you years of pleasurable outdooruse.

Excerpted from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, the Original Guide to LivingWisely. To read more articles from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, please visitwww.MotherEarthNews.com or call (800) 234-3368 to subscribe. Copy-right 2013 by Ogden Publications Inc.

Build a picnic table in five easy pieces

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8spring/summer 2013

(BPT) - When it comes tofashion faux pas, the only thingworse than clashing patterns isoverly matching every item. Mix-ing and matching creates excit-ing contrast - and not just whenyou dress yourself, but alsowhen you “dress up” yourhome. The trend toward mixingcolors and materials has madeits way outdoors, with enter-prising homeowners gettingcreative with their decks.

When it comes to building a deck, or refurbishing an existing one, op-tions abound. Design choices beyond simple considerations such aswood or composite, square or rectangular, open the door to creative out-door environments that are truly unique and reflect your personal style.

The deck design experts at Deckorators point to several popular looksemerging in the mix-and-match trend:

Mixed materials

Retire that old rule that says all the materials you use for your deckmust match. Your railing no longer needs to be made from the same ma-terial as your decking. Pairing wooden deck planks stained in a naturalhue with a metallic railing and decorative balusters creates a fresh, excit-ing look. Dress up basic wood and vinyl deck posts with fiber-reinforcedconcrete postcovers that provide the look and feel of real stacked stone.

An inset of deck stones in the floor creates contrast and interest - aswell as a functional, durable spot for outdoor kitchens, grilling areas andraised fire pits.-

Pairing metal or glass balusters with a wood or composite railing is an-other striking way to add personality to a deck. The combination is theperfect marriage of rustic and modern, incorporating the classic naturalappeal of wood with the modern flair of metal and glass.

Playing with color

Metal balusters also allow you to experiment with color. Available infinishes that mimic popular metals such as bronze, copper and stainlesssteel, as well as basic black or white, metal balusters also resist insectdamage and rot - making them practical as well as pretty.

There’s also no rule that says all your balusters have to match. For evenmore personality, try mixing balusters: alternate different styles of glass ormetal, or mix regular metal or glass balusters with lighted balusters. Usingenergy-efficient LED technology, lighted balusters connect to a standard12-volt power source to create a soft glow.

Mix and matchtrend revolutionizingdeck design

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Exploring accessories

Accessories like post caps and planters are great ways to enhance adeck’s visual appeal and usability. While metal and glass post caps aretraditionally thought of as great complements for metal and glass balus-ters, they can also add pops of color to a monochrome deck. Available ina variety of colors such as copper, pewter, black and white, metal postcaps also coordinate well with wood and composite deck materials.

Or, for an even more colorful accent, consider glass post caps. Decko-rators offers a line of glass post caps that mimic timeless Tiffany styles.They are also available in basic colors and styles, as well as illuminatedversions that coordinate well with regular or lighted balusters.

While you’re experimenting with accessories, don’t overlook the op-portunity to mix things up with a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and ma-terials for built-in planters and seating.

Need help visualizing how your deck might look all dolled up using themix-and-match trend? Deckorators offers a simple online tool, the DeckVisualizer, which allows you to mix different decking, balusters and postcaps and see in advance how your personalized outdoor space mightlook. Log on to www.deckorators.com to learn more.

10spring/summer 2013

A small bird house can be made out of something as simple as an oldstairwell knob. Only a small amount of wood, paint, and nails are neededto make this garden ornament. Since it’s too early for her garden to be inbloom right now, Salem resident Lisa Endicott has used it to decorate herfront porch.

Morning Journal/Katie Schwendeman

For the birds

spring/summer 201311

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By Lauren Gallo ClarkeThe Sound Shop Inc.

Now that the weather is finally improving, you may plan to spend asmuch time outside your home as possible. With thoughts of gardeningand grilling out, setting the atmosphere of this living space is an impor-tant consideration. Whether it is for a party or for relaxation, you can setthe tone with outdoor music. Here is the ”need to know” before you buy.

How do outdoor speakers look?

Many sizes, shapes and colors of outdoor speakers are available. Themost common can be installed under the eave on the siding of yourhome. They come in white or black finishes and can be painted by a pro-fessional to match the home. A good quality speaker will come with thebracket, allowing for horizontal or vertical mounting.

Another popular option is the”rock” style, designed to blend inwith existing stone and rock land-scaping. It’s cousin is the planterspeaker allowing you to plant flow-ers, herbs and other greenery di-rectly inside, completely hiding thespeaker from view.

Both rock and planter speakersallow for better music quality as the speakers are larger than onesmounted on the side of a home. They are usually easier to place near theentertainment area, which also increases the sound quality.

Where should you place outdoor speakers?

Speakers should be placed close to the listener, allowing you to betterhear them and to keep from annoying your friendly neighbors. The higherthe speakers are, the further the sound will travel. Deck posts offer a greatalternative for mounting standard outdoor speakers. Rocks and planterspeakers that are at ground level can also be placed closer to pools andpatio areas.

Can outdoor speakers stay outside year–round?

Yes, although it is important to check on each manufacturer’s specifi-cations. A good quality outdoor speaker will handle rain, snow, wind andeven the occasionally bird nesting on top of it.

What can I listen to on my outdoor speakers?

New music systems are now available that allow you to stream musicfrom your Smart Phone and tablet that include services like iTunes, Pan-dora, Rdio, Rhapsody and your own mp3 music library. You can also lis-ten to CDs or AM/FM radio.

For more information on outdoor audio, contact The Sound Shop, 4546Boardman–Canfield Rd, Canfield, OH, 330–702–8191.

Give your backyardits own soundtrack


By KATIE SCHWENDEMANStaff Writer

Finding news ways to celebrate yourgarden’s originality isn’t difficult, just em-bark on a simple treasure hunt aroundyour own home.Have some empty Mason jars? Old

wash tubs? Stairwell knobs not beingused? Inspiration can be found any-where—even in out-of-work toilets andsinks, tractors, and rain barrels.

Your garden may feature the sameplants as the one down the street, butthat doesn’t man they have to be dis-played the same.Perhaps you have a detailed plan of

how you want your garden to look, ormaybe you just like adding whatever in-terests you at the time. Either way, re-purposing household and other unuseditems is a fun, and even budget-friendlyway to add life to a garden.

Marci Lane, owner of Geronimo Sup-ply Co. on Park Avenue in Lisbon, saidcustomers discuss their ideas with her inthe store, and the oddest decoration shehas come across so far are old toiletsand sinks.

The items can be repainted to addcontrast, or blend in, with the gardenand filled with plants. These items defi-nitely add a certain eye-catching and hu-morous appeal to a garden, but they arenot for everyone.Lane said she has seen other people

go for a more simple approach, such asold whiskey bottles or Mason jars asplanters.

Knowing how to use these items canbe found on do-it-yourself websites likePinterest. Pages upon pages of ideas formason jars alone are listed on this siteand include using them as homemadebird feeders or solar lights.

The bird feeder can be constructedusing a thick rope and sturdy saucer.This is one of the more elaborate waysto use the jars. Some gardeners opt forusing them as they come and only re-move the lid and insert the desired flow-ers or plants.

Lane said old tractor tires can also beused as decorations.

Online ideas include using the tires asstairs by filling them with mulch andstacking them, or painting them andusing as a foundation for trees and otherplants. Smaller tires like the ones on bi-cycles can be used as trellises and tirewheels can be used as garden fences.

The tires can even be made into gar-den chairs. This idea, and how to userain barrels, can also be found on Pin-terest.

Salem resident Lisa Endicott doesn’thave an extensive garden but that hasn’tkept her from using decorations aroundthe front yard, including a primitive stylepiece on her front porch.

She didn’t make the small bird househerself, but it shows it can be done byrepurposing a stairwell knob.

She hasn’t begun her gardening yetthis year, but a medium-sized steelwashtub is already featured in the yard,propped on it’s side, ready to be filledwith flowers.

Lane said said customer traffic in herstore has picked up with people buyingseeds and mulch in preparation for thewarmer weather.

Bill Kerr of Lisbon has one tip for gar-deners with a lot of ground: buy in bulk.He has been landscaping his own

property since 1996 and believes buyingin bulk is cheaper than buying bags in-dividually. He regularly attends homeand garden shows across the state.

While he doesn’t get into garden dec-orations as much, he said he has seenout-of-work tractors put to use as dis-plays for flowers and other lawnarrangements.

So remember, no matter what theoriginal purpose may have been, nearlyanything can be put to work in a garden.

[email protected]

Turn household trashinto garden treasure


From MOTHER EARTH NEWSby Daniel Mack

As the tree grows, so the chair goes. That’s thealmost magical transformation that accounts, atleast in part, for the increasing popularity of rus-tic furniture — chairs, sofas, even bedsmade fromfull saplings or branches, often with the bark lefton.

The main roots of rustic furniture making inAmerica reach to the so-called Romantic Move-ment that flourished in the 19th century andwasmarked by the attitude that contact with naturehad a soothing, spiritually healing effect. Sum-mering in the mountains was seen as the clearantidote for the debilitating, relentless, confusingstress of urban industrial living. As a result, the“Great Camps” of the Adirondacks and the vari-ous resorts and retreats in the Smokies, Ap-palachians and Catskills sprang up. Theirarchitecture and furnishings reflected the ro-mantic notion of intimacy with nature. Morepractically, however, the use of native buildingmaterials kept building costs down while alsoemploying localcraftspeople.

When makingmy own furni-ture, I try to cap-ture the powerof saplings thathave fought thegood fight. Iwant that forestepic, which iswritten all overthe bark, to beable to be readby the peoplewho see my fur-niture.

Secondly, Iwant to bringhumor and illu-sion to my work.I want somechairs to dance,others to looklike they’reabout to be re-claimed by theforest.

Finally, I strive to instill a quiet grace and beautyin my work — a chair or bed is an opportunity tomarvel at the airy curves and exploding forksmade by the trees. I want to set this beauty apartfrom the forest and celebrate it.

Use wood that’s available. Cut it yourself, andtalk to local tree surgeons, developers or thehighway department. Because I sell my rustic fur-niture, I prefer to cut live hardwood saplings so Ican avoid the insect and fungal damage that gen-erally afflicts fallen wood.Pick wood with character. Look for interesting

bends and unusual bark patterns. Certainly theeasiest furniture to make is from thestraightest pieces, but it can also be theleast exciting to view.

Think about the scale of thework. Prob-ably the single distinguishing characteris-tic among rustic furniture makers is thedifference in the scale of designs and theproportion of woods each uses. The rela-tionship between the size of upright posts

and the horizontal rails is, to mymind, an essen-tial determinant of beauty in the finished piece.

Use dry wood. For a first effort, you might trydead standing or even fallen trees. As a rule,however, you’ll want to get green wood. Onceyou have done so, size it roughly into rungs,posts, etc., and then let it air-dry indoors a mini-mum of three months. Dry rungs sound likedrumsticks when knocked together.

Contiuned on page 29.

Building twig furniture from natural wood


By KEVIN HOWELLStaff Writer

For green thumbs with limited space, the growing trend in patio or con-tainer gardening has made producing vegetables easier than ever. Morehobby oriented than a regular garden, patio gardens can be used to pro-duce small quantities of fruits and vegetables in compact locations.

Advantages

Patio gardening offers many advantages, from higher quality materialsto easier maintenance, according to Diane Green, flowershop/greenhousemanager at DeHoff’s in Alliance.

Green said that patio gardening usually has better soil and better watercontrol, since gardeners are working with smaller amounts of plants.Maintenance is also easier since the beds or containers can be as high orlow as one needs— making it easier for older or disabled people— andthere is less weeding.

Ultimately, though, it is about space. Patio gardens do not requireacreage and can be grown even in apartments, Green explained.“The main thing is, it’s right there outside your back door so you use it

more, can enjoy it better,” she said.

Containers

Finding the correct container can be key to a successful patio garden.Luckily prospective gardeners have a wide variety from which to choose,according to Green.

Some containers are made specifically for patio gardening, Green said.Cloth pot-type bags serve as reusable containers that release heat andkeep roots cooler while earth boxes come with a water reservoir and en-able production of an abundance of crops through staggered planting(growing a crop after another one is finished).

Green said gardeners can also find containers by looking around thehouse and using some creativity. Large bags of soil can be used by mak-ing slits in the sides in which to plant the seeds; large plastic, ceramic orclay pots are good; and antique or re-purposed items such as wash tubs,bathtubs, galvanized buckets, stone troughs or wooden boxes and barrelscan be decorative and purposeful.

Then there are the containers most common, such as the Topsy Turvyplanter for growing plants upside down and the hanging baskets.“Most everybody has a patio garden in some shape or form (with hang-

ing baskets),” Green said.

Vegetables

Although patio gardens are not conducive to large scale production of

Container gardening grows in popularity

spring/summer 201315crops, and most large plants are not particularly easy to grow on a backporch, gardeners still have several vegetables that are excellent for con-tainers.

“You can pretty much do most of the smaller things,” Green said.Anything with patio in name— patio red bell pepper, patio tomato—

compact plants that produce a full-size fruit are very good, Green said,citing tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, cucumbers, herbs and strawberries asthe best for patio gardens.

She also said that there are many plants that are being made specifi-cally for growing in pots on patios such as the new Brazelberries or com-pact blueberries and raspberries.

Getting started

Green said successful patio gardens require a good beginning. The soilshould be of high quality (avoid clays) and the containers should havesufficient drainage. A general purpose fertilizer is also good for a backporch garden.

Maintenance is similar to a regular garden, Green noted, with weedsstill needing pulled and bugs picked off, although the smaller spacemeans less work and easier access.

For those seeking an organic approach, Green said there are organicproducts that can be used for gardening, including organic seeds and soilfor the start up and organic fertilizer to help it grow; and obviously onemust avoid pesticides for maintenance.

Kevin Howell can be reached at [email protected]

A variety of containers canbe used for patio gardens in-cluding the Smart Pot clothreusable pot and Topsy Turvyplanter, while a high qualitysoil is imperative for starting asuccessful patio garden.

(Salem News photo by Kevin Howell)

Gardeners should stick tosmall, compact plants such astomatoes, lettuces and cu-cumbers.

(Salem News photo by Kevin Howell)


From MOTHER EARTH NEWSby Nancy Bubel

The most important ingredient of a braided rug is the recycled fabricfrom which it’s made. You’ll want wool that has good wear left in it, ofcourse, or your finished product won’t be worth your time and (if you sellit) the buyer’s money. Synthetics are not springy and alive enough andcotton — while pretty — is stiff to work and won’t hold up. Plenty ofwoolen garments are discarded for reasons that have nothing to do withthe amount of mileage left in them.

When gathering wool for my rugs, I avoid:* Threadbare fabrics (if the elbows or knees are worn out of an other-

wise good piece of clothing, cut the bad spots and use the rest).* Very coarse, open weaves likely to ravel.* Thready or flimsy weaves which are unlikely to wear well.* Hard-finish fabric from men’s suits. Although it can be used, it’s very

flat and doesn’t combine well with higher napped wools. A rug made en-tirely of such material would probably be pretty dull.

All you’ll need in the way of tools and paraphernalia are scissors, thread,needles, bodkin (a heavy, blunt needle), and knife or seam ripper. An or-dinary needle and thread are used for sewing strips of cloth together anda bodkin and strong thread for lacing the braids.

Start your rug by cutting up the clothes you’ve gathered. Next, cut ortear the wool into strips. Cut the heavy woolens into strips two inches

wide. This allows just enough leeway to turn the raw edges in. Use athree-inch width for lighter weight fabrics that require more self-paddingas they’re folded together.

Sewing together only a few pieces at a time and rolling these shorterstrips into “spools” makes braiding much easier and is the method I rec-ommend.

To make a true bias, overlap two strips — right sides up — for as manyinches as they are wide and cut diagonally across the lap. Then, with“right” sides facing, line up the newly cut edges at right angles and sewthem firmly together. Matching thread is a nice extra touch but isn’t at allimperative.

It’s a good idea to plan the colors of a rug before you begin. Even a hit-or-miss pattern needs enough colors to give it an “everything” look.

Start the braid by folding each of three strips — good side out — infourths. To do this, fold each side to the center and then put the sides to-gether by creasing the strip along its imaginary center line.

Now sew the three strips together across one raw end. With the threestrips joined, start braiding just as you would braid hair or yarn — exceptthat you must take extra care to fold the strips around to make flat edges.You need to put some tension on it. Pin, tie or clamp the very end of thebraid so you can pull gently on it as you go. That’ll help you keep itstraight.

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spring/summer 201317When the braid is a reasonable length, you can start lacing it together

into an oval, rectangular, round or square rug. Since, like the egg, an ovalis endlessly fascinating and pleasing, you’ll probably want to use thatshape for your first project.

The length of the starting braid will determine the finished size of thefloor covering. Very simply, the projected length of the rug minus its pro-jected width equals the length of the starting braid. Thus, for a 6-foot by4-foot rug, I make a starting braid about two feet, three inches long.

Lay the braid on a flat, hard surface (such as the floor), mark the endof the starting length with a big safety pin and double the braid back onitself at this point. Force both sections of the braid to lie flat as you formthis rounded corner.

Thread your bodkin with a double strand of heavy thread about a yardlong. Knot the end of the thread and, starting at the pin-marked corner,poke the bodkin in between the braid folds. Take several stitches to se-cure the thread and then begin to lace by inserting the bodkin throughevery other braid fold, alternating from left to right. Pull firmly with yourright hand as you hold the braids flat with your left. At no point does thebodkin puncture the fabric. It always leads the thread between the loopsof the braids.

For the first six to 10 rounds — at the corners only — the stitches on thebody of the rug must be closer together than those on the braid you’re at-taching. That is, lace through a loop on the outer braid and through thenext loop on the rug body, then skip a loop on the outer braid and lacethe following one to the very next loop on the body of the rug.

In this way, you “hold back” the attaching braid so that it stays flat and

doesn’t bunch up the rug. Later, as the project gets bigger and the turnsless sharp, you won’t need to hold back the outside braid as frequently asduring the first few rounds. The process quickly becomes second nature.

If it ever appears that your round or oval rug won’t lie flat, you lose noth-ing but time by unlacing the piece and starting again from shortly in frontof the point where it begins to buckle.

To finish, sew the raw edges of the braid with over-and-under stitchesand then sew the braid to as much of a point as possible and stitch itfirmly to the body of the rug.


By RICHARD SBERNA

After months of being cooped up inside the house, staring at the samefour walls during winter’s cold, it’s natural to want to see something dif-ferent when looking at those walls. Perhaps the matter is more one ofneed than want, with an exterior finish that badly flaking off in chips. Ineither case, the not-too-cold, not-too-hot spring months are the perfecttime to address the issue and do some painting.

Aaron Taylor, resident paint guru at Milligan’s True Value Hardware inEast Liverpool, offered some advice to prospective painters before theypick up a brush or roller to begin.

Inside or out, Taylor says that having a clean surface to work on is thefirst step. Although many people who have been painting for a long timeinsist upon using a tri-sodium phosphate, or TSP cleaner, for washingwalls, Taylor says that it’s largely unnecessary. “Even the box will tell youthat it’s more of a deck and siding cleaner,” he said. Unless it’s an espe-cially greasy area, a solution of water and bleach is sufficient for cleaningand to kill any mold, mildew or bacteria.

Getting an exterior surface prepped used to be a laborious process, in-volving buckets of TSP solution hauled up and down a ladder. If the oldpaint was flaking and peeling, a putty knife and a strong arm would alsobe needed to scrape all the loose paint. Though these methods are stilleffective, Taylor said that a pressure washer can be an excellent tool forboth cleaning and stripping loose paint at the same time. For people whodon’t own one, they are widely available for rent at many stores.

Taylor says that new exterior surfaces, including wood and concrete,should remain bare to the elements for six months to a year before paint-ing or staining. “You really should let it get a taste of all the seasons ontreated wood or concrete before you paint any of it.” This is especially thecase with pressure-treated wood, because it gives the wood time to re-lease some of the surface oils used in the treatment.

For painting metal surfaces, such as patio furniture, Taylor said remov-ing any rust that might be present was the first priority. After using a wirebrush, wire drill wheel or sandpaper to remove all corrosion, a rust-cur-ing product like tannic acid can be a good pre-treatment.

Better still, he recommended the use of paints such as Rust-Oleum,which are blended with rust inhibitors and do tend to prevent rust fromreoccurring.

Inside, Taylor says that primer is a good idea, but more important incertain applications than in others. For example, he always advises usingprimer first when painting bare surfaces like new drywall or wood thathave never been painted, because those surfaces tend to soak up what-ever is applied to them.

“When you put on your paint, you can really get a good one-coat finish,instead of having to put two or three coats on because it keeps suckingthe paint into the new drywall or wood,” Taylor said.

Primer can also be a money-saver when attempting to paint a muchlighter color over an existing dark color, or vice-versa. When doing so, get-ting a primer that has been tinted to a quarter-strength or half-strength ofthe paint’s color can make a one-coat paint finish even simpler.

Tinted or not, Taylor said that the lack of the blank slate that primer canprovide is one reason why so paints often don’t look the same on apainted wall as they do on the sample card or the can lid. “Put an $11.99primer on it, and then put your $25 paint on top of it,” he advised. “You’regoing to get the actual color that you’re putting on there, and usually doit in one coat.”

With textures, Taylor suggests satin or semi-gloss finishes for most ap-plications. Rooms with little or no light should be finished in semi-glossto gloss, and rooms with more windows or light sources should get a satinor eggshell finish. He emphasized that from house to house and room toroom, there’s no one rule to dictate what will work best. However, Taylorsaid that the less glossy the finish, the more color you’re going to see in-stead of just dazzling shine. That’s why most paint sample cards are insatin or flat finishes.

For areas that need masked off before painting can begin, Taylor saysthe new generation of blue tape and green tapes are superior to the old-fashioned beige masking tape. The green tape does a better job of pre-venting bleed-through, while the blue tape provides an easier-peeladhesive that doesn’t tear off the finish it’s been placed over or leave be-hind any bits of adhesive.

Although many painters are content to throw away paint brushes afterone or two uses, Taylor says that many brushes on the market today, eventhe cheaper brands, can be used for years if they are taken care of.

A thorough washing in soap and water after each use is usually suffi-cient with today’s latex and water-based paints. He said that some of cus-tomers swear by wrapping them in foil after washings to keep the bristleglue from drying out.

[email protected]

Springtime painting advice from the pros

Aaron Taylor of Milligan’s True Value Hardware in East Liverpoolsays that paints blended with rust inhibitors do a good job of keep-ing rust from developing on outdoor metal, such as patio furni-ture.


Whatever the mood, from serene to adventurous, full-servicepaint departments like that found at Milligan’s True Value Hard-ware in East Liverpool offer computer color-matching to findwhatever hue that a customer desires.

With a large array of paints and tools for applying it availableto the painter, stores like Milligan’s True Value Hardware offernot just the products but the expertise for choosing what’s rightfor the job.


Organic indoorfarming is

growing


ATTLEBORO, Mass. (AP) — Cooks who favororganic ingredients in their salad could be get-ting their next batch of bean sprouts or lettucefrom an indoor farm.

Friends and health food enthusiasts AshleyDriscoll of Seekonk and Brad Rao and John Irv-ing (pictured left) of Attleboro have teamed upto raise thousands of sprouts, herbs and starterseedlings of lettuce, tomatoes and other pro-duce in an unexpected place — the top floor ofa 19th century jewelry factory on County Street.

The entrepreneurial trio and several employ-ees and volunteers began growing plants fromseed in December. They aim to sell trays of lo-cally grown seedlings this spring through farm-ers’ markets and commercial garden and healthfood stores.

They also have other big plans, includingopening their own outdoor farmer’s market andeventually processing wheat grass and othergreens for commercial sale. There’s also talk ofan organic food restaurant.

Driscoll and company are calling their busi-ness Indoor Organic Farm of Attleboro, and plansto raise vegetable and fruit seedlings for sale togardeners on a seasonal basis. They’ll growsprouts and other crops year round to supplyhealth food stores and other retailers.

IOF already has a contract with a Boston gar-den retailer to supply thousands of trays ofplants.

Driscoll, who serves as president of parentcompany Bridge Organics, said the business is a

result of consumers’ growing aware-ness of healthy foods grown fromnatural soil without the interventionof artificial fertilizers or pesticides.

“People want to consume foodsthat make them feel better,” saidDriscoll, a bookkeeper by professionwho said her health and energy levelhave improved since she changed herdiet to include fewer processed foodsand more live and organically grownvegetables.

Irving, a career contractor, also swears by or-ganics.

“I’ve lost weight and I feel a lot better,” he said.

On the third floor of a building where workersonce toiled over machinery, thousands of traysfilled with plant seedlings soak up artificial sun-light from electric lights that move back andforth automatically across the ceiling. Workerspatrol the 10,000 square feet of indoor gardenirrigating seedlings from backpack sprayers filledwith spring water.

Besides growing and distributing locally grownindoor plants, IOF is working to market its con-cept through its soon-to-debut website and a

Facebook page that will include tips and recipesand allow consumers to add their own com-ments.“Part of our job is to educate people,” Driscoll

said.

Each of the three partners brings a particularpiece of expertise to the indoor gardening game.

Rao, a former physical education teacher anda health consultant for professional athletes, hasresearched organics and healthy foods andgrowing methods for years, and brings a wealthof expertise in urban agriculture.

Driscoll obtained business training as a book-keeper and also teaches Tai Chi at the localYMCA.

Although Irving is now devoting his full-timeenergies to the plant business, the partners leanon his construction skills to keep things runningand renovate their facilities to accommodate fu-ture business.

Currently, IOF is preparing to formally launchits business by setting up booths at various farm-ers markets and opening its own outdoor salesarea next to its 104 County St. site in May.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press


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From GRIT magazineby Karen Keb

How often have youheard or said, ‘”Theydon’t make things theway they used to’?”

In this age of dis-posable merchandise— from particle-boardfurniture to plastic

electronics — there is still a way to embrace and cherish those well-madeitems from the past. And that doesn’t mean tucked away on a displayshelf somewhere collecting dust. Those antiques and random pieces ofrusty gold can be altered in minor ways to create unique and functionalitems for your farm and home.

If you have a creative spirit and can’t or won’t part with hundreds ofdollars to furnish your place with all the things it needs, you’ll love thenotion of repurposing and salvaging items from the past. Look around.With a little time and ingenuity, you’re on your way to some fun, imagi-native and useful pieces for your home.

Your best sources for salvageable items are rural antique stores, be-cause prices are definitely lower than a big-city antique store with its highoverhead. Rural antique stores also will have more of the ‘real deal’ findslike milk cans and funnels that were trawled from farm auctions and es-tate sales in the area. Other sources include flea markets, thrift stores,yard sales, farm auctions and estate sales. Online sources like Craigslist(check daily under the appliances, antiques, furniture and household cat-egories for items to reuse and repurpose), eBay and Etsy are all purvey-ors of unique items with lots of potential.

Some of the following projects require basic knowledge of electricalwork and construction; others are for the less-handy and need only stan-dard-issue creativity. There’s a difficulty rating assigned for each projectfrom 1 to 5. If a project rates 1, this is easy and just about anyone coulddo it. A rating of 5 requires some fairly technical DIY skills.

Calendar prints

Difficulty: 2How many times have you sought out that perfect, beautiful calendar

to display in your kitchen — knowing that it has to be good because you’llbe looking at it for an entire year? Having obtained a virtually perfect spec-imen in the year 2009 — a ‘Farmers’ Market’ style calendar displaying vin-

tage prints of heirloom vegetables for each month — I couldn’t bring my-self to throw it away once the year ended, entertaining the notion that itstill had value. So it was stowed in a box until I decided to turn the old cal-endar pages into ‘art’ for our kitchen.

After selecting which prints I wanted to frame, I measured the ‘artwork’and went to the nearest framing store. I bought ‘barnwood’ style frameswith glass and pre-cut matting to frame each print. I painted and lightlysanded the outer frames to achieve an antiqued, or distressed, look. Ifyou want to add a more meaningful touch to this project, you could buildyour own frames from your own barnwood, but this was not a skill I pos-sessed, and my husband’s ‘honey-do’ list was already too long, so I optedfor the quick fix.

Wash basinplanters

Difficulty: 1Living on an old

Midwestern farm,one tends to be sur-rounded with lots ofgalvanized-metal ob-jects. When I stum-bled upon this oldgalvanized washbasin on its originalrusty legs (for $30), Iimmediately thoughtto put it to use as aplanter for culinaryherbs just outside thefront door. As a for-mer washtub, it al-ready had a smalldrain hole in the cen-ter, so I didn’t evenneed to procure theelectric drill.

The only thing difficult about this project is finding a washtub on legs.More often you find just the tubs. If that’s the case, you can always weldup some legs — an insanely easy task for anyone knowledgeable aboutwelding. Most towns — small and large alike — have independent weldersand shops that you could hire to make stands for all your galvanized tubs.This is a win-win situation because you’ve not only saved something fromthe landfill, but you’ve also given work to someone in your community.

Salvaging


Funnel light

Difficulty: 4Near the end of our recent kitchen remodel odyssey, we were left with

an exposed electrical box in the ceiling where a circa-1980s ceiling fanonce hung. Having recently acquired an antique milk can funnel for $4, Idecided its shape was similar to a lampshade, plus I loved its rustic ap-pearance. Consulting with my spouse, he agreed —the vintage milk canfunnel is shaped quite perfectly to serve as a rustic shade for a ceilinglight, and its tin-plated mild-steel is easy to modify as needed.

He started out by choosing a gray powder-coated, adjustable lamp headfor the bulb base. This base has a 1/2-inch NPT standard tapered pipe

thread at the end oppo-site the bulb socket, andwe used the suppliedlocknut to support alarge galvanized fenderwasher we found in ourparts box. The washerkeeps the funnel inplace and helps keep itssoft perforated steelfrom deforming underthe funnel’–s weight.

Next he threaded theend of the lamp headdirectly into a 1/2-inchgalvanized pipe cou-pling. Tightening up thecoupling holds the fun-nel securely in place. Tothe other end of thecoupling, he attached a12-inch-long piece of1/2-inch galvanizedpipe, threaded on bothends. The end oppositeof the funnel threadsinto the lamp base that

goes with the lamp head he used inside the funnel. That base is screwedto the ceiling box. We then installed a pull-chain switch inside the lampbase and covered the works with a store-bought canopy. If you prefer amore polished look, you could always spray paint the funnel the color ofyour choice.

With any electricalwork, don’t take onmore than you arek n o w l e d g e a b l eenough to handle.Simple wiring andlamp installation iseasy for the averageperson if you under-stand the fundamen-tals and have excellentresources at hand.Study the appropriatesections in home-improvement books and online to ensure that yourwork is up to code and most importantly, safe. And if all that is beyondyour capabilities, hire an electrician to install lights for you.

Coatrack

Difficulty: 2One day, while investigating the loft of our old hay barn, we came across

sections of an old decaying door molding (technically crosshead mold-ing). We liked that the pieces had a history inside our 100-year-old farm-house, and we wanted to make use of them.

That spring we attended a ‘rural lifestyle’ type festival in Missouri, wherewe watched a blacksmith craft lovely items for sale. We especially admireda particularly hefty coat hook and wanted to take some home for ournewly built mudroom. The blacksmith only had one hook on display, buthe told us he could make more and mail them to us, within the week. Sowe paid him $50 for five hooks, and as promised, they arrived a weeklater.

As you can probably guess, we decided to combine the hooks with theold crosshead molding to make a coat rack. I simply sanded the old woodpiece and cut off an end to match the angle of one already-cut-off end.Then I applied one coat of walnut-hued stain. I liked the appearance of itat that point so decided to quit while I was ahead.

We screwed in the hooks, and by gosh, the lower screw holes overhungthe molding, but we decided one screw was sturdy enough and didn’tworry about it — a testament to the nature of ‘salvaged’ items — theyaren’t perfect, but they do have character and stories to compensate forthat.

Excerpted from GRIT, Celebrating Rural America Since 1882. To readmore articles from GRIT, please visit www.Grit.com or call (866) 624-9388to subscribe. Copyright 2013 by Ogden Publications Inc.

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By JO ANN BOBBY-GILBERTStaff Writer

For me, having old things around is comforting. I like the idea that the quilts in my cupboards, the

Mason jars on my dry sink and the chairs on myporch were once loved by someone else. The wornspots and scratches are a testament to other fami-lies and their lives.

And it seems I’m not the only one who enjoysbeing surrounded by formerly loved goods, judgingby the popularity of primitive furniture, arts andcrafts, which are selling like hot cakes at area craftshops, antique malls and flea markets.

From rusty buckets and implements to splintery-looking wooden signs and scratched-up furniture,homes are being filled with items once essential tothe homemaker which are now seen as decorative.For those who can’t find – or afford – authentic

antiques, hand made items that look ancient areplentiful, and for those handy with a paint brush orsandpaper, easy to make.

In my home, for example, is a desk rescued froma roadside heap meant for the garbage man. Aftersanding off some of the shiny white paint, Islathered on a coat of mustard yellow acrylic, let itdry, added a layer of black paint, let it dry, thensanded it down, roughing up the black paint, ex-posing some of the yellow and scuffing the cornersand edges as though it had been used by some industrious student formonths.

A coat of walnut stain wiped off before it dried and a couple of rusty starknobs bought from a catalogue finished the look, and it now sits proudlyin the living room, holding an antique typewriter and one of my old 35mm cameras.

During a recent conversation with Clydine Griffith, owner of Days GoneBy in Summitville, I learned that the comfort of primitives seems to betheir attraction.

The primitive craze has kept her shop thrivingsince 1987, when it was one of the first locally tooffer such decor. Seven years ago, the shop wasmoved from its original location in Salineville to itscurrent spot outside Summitville.

Asked about the popularity of a style that is, tothe casual observer, less than pristine, with its obvi-ous scuff marks, rusty nails and stained cloth, Grif-fith said, “It’s comfortable. People don’t have toworry about it. If their kids or grandkids nick it, thatjust adds to it.”

Actual primitive pieces dating to an earlier cen-tury are becoming harder to find, even at the auc-tions where they once were plentiful, according toGriffith.

“People are collecting it, and the more people col-lect it, the higher the prices will get,” she said,adding that people will drive great distances to findgood primitive pieces, which she has witnessed ather own shows.

Her shop and others in the area still continue tooffer some authentic primitives but the majority ofitems going out the doors have been hand-madeby crafters.

Although the love of primitive pieces seems tobe on-going, tastes have changed over the years.

“There for awhile, (everyone wanted) dolls and teddy bears. Now, it’sseasonal items: Uncle Sams, flowers, garden stakes,” Griffith said, admit-ting, “I don’t know what makes people change (their preferences).”

One of the most popular of the newer primitive crafts entails enlarginglabels on the computer, aging them (with some type of brown stain) andaffixing them to everything from barrels to Mason jars and everything inbetween.

“Those are going like crazy,” Giffith said.

Primitive décor can be quite comforting

A child’s wheelbarrow, rustic fur-nishings, wooden benches and frothyflowers make up a primitive display atDays Gone By.

spring/summer 201327Primitive snow-

men and Santas –usually with stain-darkened surfacesand vintage-lookingscarves – are al-ways popular, shesaid.

Christmas wasonce the busiestseason for primitiveshops, but Griffithsaid there seems tohave been an up-surge of interest infall items, whichshe said “is as bigas Christmas now.”

Rustic pumpkins,dolls and even cornwhich has been“primmed up” havebecome big sellers.Baskets also seemto be popular thisyear, with Griffithsaying she has sold“a bunch” alreadythis spring.

“I always won-der why peoplecollect things,” shesaid, adding thather husband collects butter churns and her mother, crocks.

The primitive style also comes in a variety of ranges, from items with justdarker paint or tea stain to “extreme primitive that is really grunged up,”according to Griffith, who said, “Not everything is everyone’s cup of tea.”

There’s something heart-warming about thinking that the small Kraftmacaroni and cheese jar that sits on my dry sink showing the number of“ration points” needed to buy it and holes punched in the lid was onceused by a little boy collecting lightning bugs, but Griffith said it could alsobe a “make do,” used after the cheese was gone for another purpose,such as a salt shaker.

In amongst the primitives at most shops are pieces of history that some-time puzzle even those selling them, and Griffith said these “make dos”started out with one purpose but have been altered or added to for an-other purpose.

For example, in her shop, Griffith pointed to what looks to be a rustystrainer of some sort that now has a long handle attached to it, sayingshe has no idea of its use, but, she is certain someone will take it homeand add it lovingly to a collection of primitives.

The best thing about primitive art is the ability to “mix it with every-thing,” whether modern,country or even shabbychic.

My house is an eclecticmix of primitives, country,1940s and 1950s retroand even a couple ofmodern pieces, a hodgepodge of styles thatmeshes well with ourhectic lifestyle.

Griffith said with the in-terest in primitive stylesgrowing, import compa-nies are competing withsmall shops but she stilluses all American-madesupplies, including nailsand sandpaper.

She urged buyers whothink they are purchasingauthentic American prim-itives to be cautious. Hershows in the fall and nowthis spring offer onlyhand made and Ameri-can made goods.

[email protected] desk scrounged from a neighbor’s

trash and refinished in the primitive stylecomplements a wall shelf and grungychair in the home of reporter JoAnnBobby-Gilbert

This dry sink made many years ago by her fa-ther sits in the kitchen of reporter JoAnnBobby-Gilbert, who has loaded it up with vin-tage quilts, old kitchen utensils and Mason jarsand other old items.


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1. Time-saving transplants - When you’re ready to begin potting up veg-etables and herbs, opt for transplants - seedlings that have already beenstarted - rather than starting from seed. Transplants will buy you lots oftime because they’re six weeks or older when you put them in the pot,and you’ll begin harvesting much sooner too.

2. Use a premium quality potting mix. Don’t skimp here. A quality mixholds moisture but drains well; giving plant roots the perfect balance ofair, moisture, and stability to grow a great harvest. Read bag labels to lookfor quality ingredients like: aged (composted) bark, perlite, lime ordolomite, and sometimes moisture-holding crystals. Quality potting mixstays fluffy all season long. It does not contain actual dirt that would com-pact with frequent watering.

3. Pick the right pot. It should be affordable to buy and fill, but largeenough to accommodate your plants as they mature. Almost anything canserve as a container– flower pots, pails, buckets, wire baskets, washtubs,window planters, even large food cans.

Larger veggies, like tomatoes and eggplants, will need a larger container,at least 5 gallons for each plant. When in doubt, bigger is always better,the plants will look better and last longer because the roots will havemore room to grow.

Be sure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom. And consider color:Dark colored containers will absorb heat that could possible damage theplant roots. If you must use dark colored pots, try painting them a lightercolor.

4. Feed your plants. Even if your potting mix came with fertilizer alreadymixed in, you may need to feed your plants. Some potting mixes includejust enough fertilizer to give plants a charge when they’re starting.

Mixes designed to feed for several months run out sooner in hotweather with frequent watering. Add timed-release granules or try a sol-uble fertilizer such as the “little green jug” of Bonnie Plant Food for quickresults. It’s organic in nature, environmentally friendly, an excellent foodsource for beneficial organisms in the soil and helps support healthy soiland overall plant growth. One jug of concentrate makes 64 gallons ofproduct.

5. Put pots in a sunny spot. At least 6-8 hours is best. The sun drives en-ergy for production and for making sugars, acids, and other compoundsresponsible for the fullest flavor. Make sure pots on a deck or porch getenough sunlight and move them to a sunny spot if shade encroaches.Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed.

6. Water regularly. Vegetables are at least 90 percent water. To producewell, they may need daily watering in hot weather since you can’t alwaysrely on rain. Water plants at soil level and be sure to water before the sungoes down, leaves will need to dry before nightfall.

Be on the look-out for key words like: bush, compact, patio, baby, dwarfand space saver in their name, they’ll be a good bet. Just because a plantis bred to be in their name, they’ll be a good bet. Just because a plant isbred to be small doesn’t mean the fruits will be small or the yield will beless.

· All herbs. Any herb does well in a pot.

· All greens. Collards, lettuce, mustard, Swiss chard and others are per-fect for pots. You can mix them with flowers for an ornamental touch. Let-tuces yield a surprising amount. Pick only the outer leaves to keep theharvest going.

· Eggplant and peppers of all types make pretty summer pots.

· Varieties like Husky Cherry Red, Patio, Bush Early Girl, Bush Goliath,and Better Bush are especially easy to manage in containers.

· Squash and zucchini work in large pots such as half barrels.

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Building twig furniturefrom natural woodContinued from page 13.

To minimize the drying time, try to cut wood inthe winter months when the sap is down. Thisalso minimizes the chances of the bark falling off.

To get started, copy or interpret a favorite pieceof conventional furniture. Take a kitchen chair tothe woods or the woodpile and find twig twinsfor all the parts. Interesting choices and changeswill soon present themselves. You’ll find yourselfdeveloping opinions and preferences. In short,your own “style” will begin to emerge.

Making a rustic chair that is also comfortable,however, can be like asking a bear to dance.There’s a possibility it will happen, but an ex-tremely remote one. Plan to put a comfortableseat in later, or simply use pillows. But also thinkof all the other uses of a chair: for looking at, forthrowing clothes on, for newspapers, magazinesand sleeping cats. If these functions don’t makesense to you, don’t make a chair. Try a rustic table

or ladder instead ̄ objects in which comfort playsonly a small role.

There are a variety of ways to put rustic furni-ture together, depending on the skills of themaker, the use of the piece of furniture, the toolsavailable, and the wetness of the wood.Mortise-and-tenon joinery is peg-in-hole join-

ery. I use 5/8 inch-diameter tenons that are 3/4inches long. I’ve cut hundreds of tenons with mypocketknife, but I presently use an antique tenoncutter, the hollow auger, which fits on the end ofmy hand brace. You could use a hatchet, a latheor a saw to score the depth of the tenon, a chiselor knife to chip away the excess, and a rasp toround it off.

Among the problems with rustic mortise-and-tenon joinery is the shrinkage of the tenon in themortise and the subsequent loosening of thejoint. If both members are dry, this rarely occurs.

Another common form of rustic joinery is thenailed joint. After two pieces have been put to-gether or slightly notched, they are nailed inplace. The trick to an enduring nailed joint is this:Predrill the hole for the nail in both members,making it just a bit narrower and a bit longer than

the nail. Within a few months, a nailed joint willshrink, exposing the nailhead and perhaps a bitof the shank. At this time, give the nail a finalknock to drive it farther into the predrilled hole.

When I nail a piece, I use ringed nails, cement-coated nails, or any grooved nail; when the woodshrinks it bites and locks around the grooves fora strong joint.

All indoor rustic furniture needs some kind oftreatment to make it look like a finished creationrather than a random collection of sticks. Also, afinish helps preserve the uneasy truce betweenthe bark and the wood beneath it. Dry bark ismore brittle than dry wood and needs care. I firstsand the bark gently to lighten the final color and,perhaps, to highlight certain features of the piece.I then apply a generous coat of raw linseed oilcut with a bit of turpentine. In a few days I applyanother coat and let it dry well.

Excerpted from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, theOriginal Guide to Living Wisely. To read more ar-ticles from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, please visitwww.MotherEarthNews.com or call (800) 234-3368 to subscribe. Copyright 2012 by OgdenPublications Inc.


1108 Midland Beaver Road, Industry, PA 724.643.4400

By DEVIN BEZEREDI

LISBON— All over thecountry the use of solar pan-els in residential applicationsis on the rise. Driving aroundColumbiana County onemay notice a similar increaseby noting the handful ofhomes with the distinctiveblack panels on the roof top.

Indeed the falling costs of solar panels and advantages they offer tothose looking to save on their utility bill has caused the panels to be amore common sight these days.

One area resident has been well ahead of this national trend, installingsolar panels on his home 30 years ago. John Baum recognized the mer-its of solar power when he was building his home on state Route 45 inLisbon in 1983.

Baum’s home operates on two different types of solar panels, waterheating panels that operate like a giant radiator, warming and circulatingwater with the rays of the sun and an air heating panel, which operatesin a similar way but uses air instead of water to heat the home. Baum ex-plained that the panels currently on his home are utilized mostly for laun-dry, baths, heat, and just about any application where hot water is needed.

He plans to install photovoltaic panels on his home once the pricecomes down a bit more. “When they get them cheaper and a little moreefficient I’ll put the electricity generating ones on there,” said Baum,adding that once he does he expects his $100 per month electric bill tobe be erased.

Photovoltaic solar panels are panels which harness the sun’s energy togenerate electricity and are typically what most people picture when theythink of solar energy.

When it comes to utilities there is no doubt that solar panels can savehomeowners money in the long-run. There is a considerable start-up cost;however, solar panel owners, like Baum, say that expense is offset after afew years worth of low utility bills.

“It’s paid for itself in hot water in the first 7 or 8 years,” said Baum, not-ing that he paid $10,000 for his panels and got $5,000 back as tax cred-its.

A 5170 Watt grid solar kit from a major wholesaler chain cost $13,000,while a smaller 1250 watt kit cost $4000. In the summer the circulatingpump in his home takes only 10 cents a day worth of electricity to run andin the winter time his panels provide him with approximately 40% of thehot water he needs. “It’s cheap,” said Baum.

There are a number of ways that solar panels can save homeowners

Solar panel installation on the rise

spring/summer 201331money besides the obvious savings on utility bills. Insome cases, solar panels can even make homeownersmoney.

Baum explained that when he installed his panels in1983 there were 40% Federal and 10% State tax cred-its to help with the initial expense. Currently there is a30% Federal tax credit on solar panels for those whoqualify.

According to Baum, if solar panel owners generateenough electricity power companies will purchase thepanels from them.

“It’s not economically practical to do it to makemoney, but you can zero-out your utility bills,” saidBaum. Generating a surplus of power through solarpanels is sometimes easier said than done as Ohio isthe second cloudiest state in the US. This can be com-pensated for by buying a more powerful 6000 watt sys-tem according to Baum.

Even if the sun isn’t always shining solar panels canstill be efficient in the long run and help people saveon their utilities.

[email protected]

John Baum, who lives on state Route 45 in Lis-bon, has benefited from the use of solar panels for30 years. He had the panels installed when he wasbuilding his home in 1983.

(Photo by Devin Bezeredi)


From MOTHER EARTH NEWSby John Vivian

Like all technical specialties, seed growers/sellers have a short-hand to convey the most information inthe least space. Aside from a paragraph ortwo describing the variety and its growthhabits, the printing on a seed packet or ina seed catalog comprises cryptic codes andterms that may leave you in the dark. Thefollowing is a seed-packet lingo legend:

Stock Numbers come out of the order-taker’s computer and are crucial; get onewrong on a mail-order form and you canend up with a packet of Heliocanthus whenyou expected Head Lettuce.

Varietal Names, especially the older ones,can vary among suppliers and their sectionof the country. The low evergreen groundcover with small blue flowers called periwin-kle in one locale is Vinca Minor or “vinca” inanother, Ground-Myrtle or “myrtle” elsewhere.

With new varieties, it’s best to buy from the firm that tells you on thepacket or in catalog copy that they developed or import the seeds. They

will use the correct name and reserve the best seed if there is a qualitychoice.

Hybrid plants (Hb) (F1) or (F2) are bred from two or more different par-ent stocks, with traits that improve on the best characteristics of bothstrains, but they are unable to pass them on — like a mule can’t heir its

kick. Don’t save hybrid seed and plant it; you’llget an atavistic throwback with the worstcharacteristics of some half-wild great-grandparent. Open-pollinated (OP) seedwill grow true to type. Reserve seed from aReselected variety that does best in your soiland climate.

Genetics of sweet corn is often indicated byan (S), which means it is a glucose-contain-ing, eating variety rather than field corn. (Se) isan extra-sweet hybrid; (Sh2) is a super-sweethybrid that must self-pollinate ... which meansit must be planted upwind of and some dis-tance from other corn varieties to develop thesugary trait.

Maturity means days to harvest, not to fullyripe, seed stage maturity — except for tomatoes

and peppers that you leave on the vine long enough to turn red. It indi-

Deciphering a seed packet or seed catalog


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cates time to harvest from average day of planting seed (or transplantingindoor-started seedlings) into what the seedsman sees to be a typicalhome garden. Some seed is simply rated as early/midseason/late. Butlook hard at the maturities; often “Early” varies only by a day or two from“midseason” or “main-crop.” The figures are approximations at best, souse them for comparison only; an 82-day tomato has already spent weeksin the indoor flat, and it may never ripen at all if you live in a short sea-son area and plant it out late.

Disease & Pest Resistance shows what degree of tolerance to commonpests or diseases have been bred into the seed. Verticillium and Fusariurnlive in most garden soil; so do nematodes of many kinds. Yellows and ne-matodes are worst in southern soil. Bred-in resistance is the best pre-ventative.

AAS means a past All-America Selection.

VFN is commonly run together; it means a resistance to:

* Verticillium wilt of tomatoes and eggplant.

* Fusarium fungus of tomatoes and others. * Nematodes, microscopic soil worms that bother especially tomatoes,

peppers, and eggplant.

* T or TMV indicates resistance to tobacco mosaic virus that affectstomatoes and peppers.

* Y means a resistance to Yellows, a common fungus affecting membersof the cabbage family.

* A indicates resistance to anthracnose in beans and cucumbers or al-tenaria stem fungus in tomatoes.

* BMV means resistance to bean mosaic virus.

* CMV means resistance to cucumber mosaic virus.

* MTO is seed free of lettuce mosaic virus.

Proprietary Codes in a variety of configurations indicate a variety’s spe-cial suitability for new gardeners, for especially hot and dry or cool andwet climates, or for other growing situations.

Excerpted from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, the Original Guide to LivingWisely. To read more articles from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, please visitwww.MotherEarthNews.com.


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(BPT) - Collecting relics isn’t a hobby just for Grandma and Grandpaany more. With the explosive popularity of TV shows centered around un-earthing historic memorabilia and valuable pieces of Americana, search-ing for knickknacks and artifacts that make one-of-a-kind home decor isnow a popular pastime for people of all ages. But how do you know thedifference between what’s really treasure and what’s simply trash?

Larry Singleton, decor manager at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.,is an expert when it comes to collecting historic relics.- Singleton and hisfamily have been collecting for more than 40 years, providing real Amer-ican artifacts, memorabilia and signage to the more than 600 Cracker Bar-rel Old Country Store locations nationwide. He offers these insightful tipsfor the next time you’re on the hunt at a garage sale, flea market or thriftstore:

1. Research and learn

Research and learn as much as you can before you shop. Watch TVshows, search on the Internet, visit local collector’s stores. Discoveringwhat’s valuable and knowing what’s currently in-demand helps guide youin making that “big discovery.” It’s important to be willing to invest thetime and never be afraid to ask questions.

2. Know your interests

If you have an interest in a particular type of item — such as vintage ad-vertisements, folk art or children’s toys — familiarize yourself with whatmakes a piece authentic and what might indicate a reproduction. Pluswhen you have a personal interest in the item you’re seeking, the hunt be-comes that much more fun.

3. Keep a smartphone close

A smartphone can be a treasure hunter’s best friend because you canconduct research quickly while on location. You can also research similaritems to compare prices and see if the price is reasonable or inflated.

4. Know an expert

Keep an expert’s number on hand — every collector runs into questionsand having a knowledgeable contact you can call or to whom you cansend a picture is invaluable. Good resources include community associa-tions, historical societies and friends or family members.

Trash vs. treasure:Tips for authentic garage sale finds


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5. Network

One of the best ways to learn about itemsas well as where to find them is to talk to like-minded people. Treasure hunters and collec-tors love to share info on what they collect,buy and sell. Use this information (and ca-maraderie) to your advantage.

6. Know the story

While some items might have plenty ofmonetary value, other historic relics might bevaluable simply because of the story they tell.Seeking historic artifacts and memorabiliaprovides a piece of decor that is more thanjust pretty; it’s a conversation piece whenguests visit your home.

These expert tips are what Singleton fol-lows to find the authentic memorabilia thatdecorates all Cracker Barrel locations. Eachstore has about 1,000 artifacts displayed, giv-ing patrons a taste of American history. You,too, can create an interior space that pairsmodern comfort with the panache that onlyunique historic relics can bring to a home’sdecor. Start your own treasure hunt today.


From GRIT magazineby Patricia Escarcega

Tired of that muddy puddle in the middle of the yard, or that washed-out mini-gulley that forms whenever a downpour loads up your home’sdownspouts? If so, it might be time to get a handle on all that runoff andput it to good use with a rain garden. These shallow saucer-shaped gar-dens, commonly described as “nature’s water filters,” are designed to cap-ture excess runoff that can potentially wreak havoc on your soil andpollute waterways. All you need to create your own rain garden is a well-designed plan, a handful of native plants, and some good old-fashionedelbow grease.

How rain gardens work

Rain gardens are designed to catch storm runoff from rooftops, patios,sidewalks, roads and other impervious surfaces. During a storm, rain gar-dens will fill with a few inches of water that gradually filter into theground. When properly designed and constructed, these structures canhold water for around 24 hours and will not attract mosquitoes - they’remuch more likely to attract birds and beneficial insects.

Rain gardens can be helpful wherever water runoff is an issue. Ideally,you will want to situate the rain garden in between the source of therunoff and the runoff destination.

Before you break ground, make sure the garden is at least 10 feet from

any buildings or structures, and at least 25 feet from any septic systemdrain field. Also be sure to avoid underground utility lines (call 8-1-1 atleast 48 hours before digging), and if you have trees on your property,avoid disturbing established root systems.

Evaluate your soil

Sandy and loamy soils work best for these backyard havens since theytend to drain well. Clay soils can become waterlogged and may not besuitable for a rain garden. Test the drainage of potential sites by digginga percolation test hole that is at least 8 inches wide and 8 inches deep.Fill the hole with water and let stand. Ideally, the water should drain at arate of about an inch every hour. If you are working with hard clay soilthat won’t drain, remove it and replace it with a mix of approximately 60percent sand, 20 percent topsoil and 20 percent compost.

Calculate garden size

A rain garden can be almost any size, but most residential rain gardensrange from 100 to 300 square feet. Many are the shape of a saucer orkidney bean, with the largest side facing the source of runoff. Use siteconditions as a natural guide in shaping the garden. Rain gardens are gen-erally 4 to 8 inches deep. Anything deeper than 8 inches may pond water,and rain gardens less than 4 inches deep may not provide enough waterstorage for proper infiltration. The slope of the land should help deter-mine the depth of the garden.

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Use the following general guidelines to determine rain garden depth. Ifthe slope is less than 4 percent (4 feet vertical in 100 feet horizontal),build the garden 3 to 5 inches deep. If the slope is between 5 percent and7 percent, build a garden 6 to 7 inches deep. If you are working with aslope in the 8- to 12-percent range, make the garden about 8 inches deep.Remember, rain gardens are easier to install and tend to work best inplaces where the ground is relatively level.

To determine the length and width of the rain garden, think about howit will catch runoff. Runoff should spread evenly across the rain garden sowater doesn’t pool at one end or spill over before it has a chance to filterinto the ground. Plan the garden so that the longer side faces upslope.This will ensure that the garden catches as much runoff as possible, andthat the water spreads across the entire length of the garden. The widthof the rain garden will depend on the slope of the land, but most resi-dential versions are between 10 and 15 feet wide. Remember, if a raingarden is too wide, it may become necessary to add additional soil to thedownhill half of the garden.

Here is a relatively simple formula to approximate measurements foryour rain garden. First, find out which hard surfaces will be producing thestorm runoff for your garden.

Let’s say you are planning to use roof runoff as the main source ofwater. In this example, you would measure only the parts of the roof thatwill be “feeding” the garden. Measure the width and length (in feet) ofthat part of the roof, then multiply the two numbers to get the squarefootage. This number is your “drain area.” If you are gardening with sandyor loamy soil, plan on making your rain garden about 20 percent to 30percent of the drain area size. For instance, if the part of the roof that willprovide runoff to the garden measures 1,000 square feet, you’ll want tomake the rain garden 20 percent to 30 percent of that number, or 200 to300 square feet in size. If you are working with clay soils, plan on makingthe rain garden larger to compensate for poor drainage.

Prepare the site

Start by defining the borders of the rain garden by laying a string orhose around the perimeter or marking it with fluorescent spray paint. Youcan use a rototiller or backhoe, or dig by hand, depending on the size anddepth of your garden. As you dig to the desired depth, heap the soilaround the downhill edges to create a berm. Once the soil excavation iscomplete, use a hand level to make sure the bottom of the garden flooris level. Mix and add necessary soil amendments. Again, if you are work-ing with clay soil, create a simple garden soil mix of sand, topsoil andcompost to amend or replace the difficult soil. Once the soil has beenamended, let it settle overnight before planting.

Planting and care

Choose native plants appropriate for the sunlight exposure and soil con-ditions of your rain garden. Plants need to tolerate standing water for upto 48 hours, as well as some periods of drought. First-time rain gardenersare encouraged to contact their local soil and water conservation districtfor a list of native plants that work well under local conditions. Keep iden-tification tags on the plants - or otherwise label them. Some plants maythrive better than others, and this can help you start to identify plants thatwork best in your garden.

Now it’s time to plant. As a general rule, plant shrubs 3 feet apart,perennials 1 foot apart, and annuals 6 to 8 inches apart. Apply 3 inchesof mulch, and water plants immediately after installation.

Most rain gardens do not require much maintenance. Check plants pe-riodically for signs of wilting, and weed as necessary. Also, check for bermfailure and ponding. If standing water occurs longer than two days, this isa sign that the garden is not draining properly.

A rain garden offers an opportunity to use your imagination, so be cre-ative as you design a beautiful oasis on your property.

Excerpted from GRIT, Celebrating Rural America Since 1882. To readmore articles from GRIT, please visit www.Grit.com or call (866) 624-9388to subscribe. Copyright 2012 by Ogden Publications Inc.


From MOTHER EARTH NEWSby Shelley Stonebrook

When to plant each crop — it’s a classic query for every gardener. Well,now, there’s an app for that. Get the growing information you need, rightat your fingertips, with our handy When to Plant app.

People are taking note of just how helpful this easy-to-use app is. Infact, When to Plant was recently featured in Wired magazine’s App Guideas one of the best apps in the gardening category. Here’s what this appcan do for you:

* Uses your ZIP code and a database of about 5,000 weather stationsacross North American to customize planting information to your exact lo-cation and climate

* Finds your average last spring and first fall frost dates and shows youthe range of planting dates for more than 120 vegetables, herbs, fruits,flowers and cover crops

* Offers multiple views, so you can click on a specific crop for the bestplanting-time window, or you can click on a particular month and see allof the crops that can be planted at that time in your area

* Provides basic growing information for each crop, including preferredsoil type, sun requirements and recommended spacing

* Provides sowing and harvesting how-to tips

* Provides access to National Weather Service long-range forecast maps(U.S. only) so you can see projected temperatures, precipitation, weatherhazards and drought

Get in gear for spring by giving the When to Plant app a try. The app isdesigned for iPhone and iPad, and is available in the Apple App Store for$1.99.

Excerpted from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, the Original Guide to LivingWisely. To read more articles from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, please visitwww.MotherEarthNews.com or call (800) 234-3368 to subscribe. Copy-right 2013 by Ogden Publications Inc.

iPhone app guides you when to plant

The When to Plant app offers growing information for spe-cific garden plants, including beans and more than 120 va-rieties of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs.

It also offers customized planting dates based on the cli-mate in your zip code and its long-range forecast mapshelps you plan for temperature swings, precipitation,weather hazards and drought.


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Wildlife Removal Bats • Racoons Skunks • Squirrels, Etc. Pest Control Ants • Bees Fleas • Spiders, Etc.



1127 1/2 Esther Ave. • Wellsville, OHCALL TODAY 330-532-1157

NEED ROOM FOR YOUR STUFF? WE HAVE THE ROOM FOR STUFF!

24 HOURS A DAY

330-426-6119

M URPHY’S Heating and Air Conditioning

We service all makes & models.

CALL TODAY! 7125 B YE R D . • E AST P ALESTINE , O H .

Hydes Service Center

1063 McCloskey Rd. • Columbiana, Ohio

• Electronic Repair • Electrical Wiring & Troubleshooting Owner: Hyde Keylor

330-692-1120

H S C

MARTIN CONCRETE

Highlandtown, Ohio 330-831-0254

Owner: Doug Martin

EXPERTS IN: • Basements • Driveways • Garages • Sidewalks • Steps • Retaining Walls

etc........ “FREE ESTIMATES”

Su ccess Sta rts w ith ch oosin g th e rig h t tools.

MILLIGAN HARDWARE

320 Smith St., Downtown • E. Liverpoo l • 330-385-2000

We were your grandfather’s hardware store, your father’s hardware store and we’d like to be

YOUR HARDWARE STORE!

Your area’s best residential electrical contractor Justin Lewis - Jeff Sugar

You have tried the rest, now try the BEST! 56 YEARS

180 W. South Range Road • P.O. Box 158 • North Lima, Ohio 44452-0158

330-549-3976 • 1-800-549-3976

“JOE” DICKEY ELECTRIC

CALL US FOR YOUR

RESIDEN TIAL, COM M ERCIAL OR IN DUSTRIAL

N EEDS!

Servicing the Tri-County Area Since 1988

409 E. Second Street Historic Salem Drug Building Salem, OH 44460 (330) 332-2201 www.salemcomputer.com

330-332-1137 1785 S. Lincoln Ave. • Salem, Ohio

Frigidaire - Am

ana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic Frigidaire - Am

ana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic

SALES & SERVICE SALES & SERVICE

Refrigerators, Ranges, Dishwashers, Microwaves, Washers & Dryers,

Televisions, Stereos Authorized Warranty Service Center For All Brands Sold!

We Service What We Sell...

Frigidaire - Amana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic

Frigidaire - Amana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic Frigidaire - Amana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic Frigidaire - Amana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic

Frigidaire - Amana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic Frigidaire - Amana - Crosley - LG - Panasonic

12649 St. Rt. 45 (South of Lisbon)

AUTO • TRUCK • VAN AGRICULTURAL & COMMERCIAL All Brands & Manufacturers

Tires - Call Brian 330-424-5200 330-424-5000

Alignment - Call Dan 330-424-5511

J & J Tire & Alignment Family Owned

ASE CERTIFIED FOR ALL YOUR SUSPENSION & BRAKE NEEDS

Because so much is riding on your tires. Consistently ranked #1 in Consumer Satisfaction www.michelin.com



A Treasure Today.....an Heirloom for Tomorrow!

Handcrafted, Cherry & Oak Furniture! One-of-a-Kind, Handcrafted Items!Dining Rooms Hickory Rockers Rockers & Love Seats Sofas Curios Bedrooms Bookcases

Living Rooms Entertainment Centers and much, much more!Hours: Mon-Sat 8-5, Friday 8-6 www.countrysidefurnishings.com



Auction Every Wednesday At 5pm Buying Anything

Of Value! From 1 Piece to Whole Estates!

FREE CONSULTATION! 409 Broadway Ave. Wellsville, OH

330-532-5722 www.sellsauction.com

* Tree Removal * Stump Removal Residential & Commercial • Bonded & Insured

330-424-2545 or 330-368-0411

J&K Tree Service

34 Years Experience

GLENMOOR ASPHALT & SEAL COATING

Residential/Commercial • Line Striping

FREE ESTIMATES 330-424-2545 • 330-368-0411

HAULING & EXCAVATING

* Slag * Topsoil * Sand * Gravel Fill Dirt & Mulch

Sewer & Water Lines Foundations

CALL CLIFF AT

330-708-1030

Z OELLERS E XCAVATING Z OELLERS E XCAVATING Z OELLERS E XCAVATING

330-843-4350 Limestone & Gravel $30.00 Per Ton (Free Delivery)

Graded & Repaired Driveways Starting At $200 Dozers, Backhoe & More

“You Call -- We Can Do It All”!

Top Soil $ 150 Per Load • Fill Dirt $ 75 Per Load

Residential Residential Appraiser Appraiser

Ohio • West Virginia Ohio • West Virginia

J. Telzrow Appraisals Appraisals Appraisals

16990 Milton Avenue East Liverpool, OH 330-382-0285

JANE TELZROW

Jane Telzrow, Appraiser

Fax: 330-382-0327

10477 Main Street, New Middletown, OH 44442

Since 1966

ALLIANCE 24915 St. Rt. 62 (330) 821-5867

KINSMAN 6401 Rt. 87 (330) 876-3191

AUSTINBURG 4057 Rt. 307 W (440) 275-2200 www.copefarm.com

Cope Farm Equipment, Inc. T h r e e C o n v e n i e n t L o c a t i o n s

HARDCORE CONCRETE

Roofing, Driveways, Sidewalks, Etc. 304-387-0197

Residential & Commercial Fully Insured • Free Estimates


Bee sure you’re in our next edition of A l l About Hom e!

Just give us a !Morning Journal . . . . . . . 330-424-9541 Salem News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330-332-4601 The Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330-385-4545

Charlotte Tanner

15518 Salem-Alliance Rd. • Salem, Ohio 330-537-3200

REAL ESTATE CO.

anner T C. Tanner for all your real estate needs.

CATALPA GROVE FARM GREENHOUSESStop in and see our beautiful hanging baskets Annuals • Perennials • Vegetable Plants • Garden Seeds

Onion Sets • Potatoes

April Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9am to 5pmMay Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9am to 6:30pm • Sat. 9am to 6pm • Closed Sunday

BurgerKing

Catalpa GroveFarm & Market

Rte. 141 mile west ofColumbianaBurger King

Canfield Rte. 46 40185 Lodge Rd. • Leetonia, Ohio Phone 330-427-1427 • Fax 330-427-2625

Commercial Construction Commercial Rigging • Commercial/Residential Excavating • Lakes • Grading

“We Do It Your Way” 330-424-3330

• Grass Mowing • Hedge Trimming • Leaf Removal • Mulching • Snow PlowingOFFERING FERTILIZING

Accepting New Accounts “WE WILL BEAT ANY OTHER PRICING” Located in the former Washingtonville Pharmacy Building

900 WEST MAIN STREET • WASHINGTONVILLE, OHIO Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat: 10am to 6pm, Tues/Thurs 10am-8pm, Sun: Closed

330-817-0010

Residential Roofing & Vinyl Siding, Bathroom Remodeling, Hot Water Tank Installations, Drywall Repairs,

Electrical Service Upgrades, Plumbing, Interior & Exterior Painting

DAWSON’S HOME MAINTENANCE SERVICES

330-368-0568 FREE ESTIMATES & FULLY INSURED

• TOP SOIL • COMPOST • MULCH

Delivery Available ‘We’ve Got The Best Prices! 330-427-1100 Located on St. Rt. 558 in Franklin Square

MONDAY - FRIDAY: 9:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.; SATURDAY: 8:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

B & S FRANKLIN SQUARE

LANDSCAPE MATERIALS

Meadowbrook Nursery Helping you m ake your garden grow .

Perennials • Trees • Shrubs & M ore 7273 SR 164 • Lisbon • 330-424-3484

w w w.a l l am er ican ten t ren ta l s . com w w w.a l l am er ican ten t ren ta l s . com www.a l lamer icantent ren ta ls .com RESERVE

YOURS TODAY!

330.424.0211 • 330.550.8675 330.424.0211 • 330.550.8675 330.424.0211 • 330.550.8675 WE SET UP AND TAKE DOWN WE SET UP AND TAKE DOWN WE SET UP AND TAKE DOWN Lance & Susan Newton Lance & Susan Newton Lance & Susan Newton


1. Remove water and debris from cover using asiphon pump, cover pump or submersible pump.

2. Remove and empty the water bags or AquaBlocks (or loosen + unhook springs if you have asafety cover).

3. Raise water level in pool once the water ontop of the cover is drained.

4. Remove cover, clean it, and properly store yourwinter cover. If stored for the summer in covercleaner deodorizer it makes the cover last longer.

5. Hook up pool pump, filter, and reconnect allhoses, plugs and electrical connections. Make sureyou remove the winter plugs prior to turning onyour filter system.

6. Clean out skimmers and make sure all drainsare free of debris.

7. Remove with leaf skimmer or rake all loose de-bris from water surface or floor of the pool.

8. Start the filter system. Make sure your equip-ment is functioning properly. If it surges, check thatall fittings are tight and that the water level is highenough in the pool, but do not continue runningthe filter system.

9. This is the most important time of the year tobring in a water sample for analysis, as the bacte-ria and minerals can accumulate over the winter.Bring at least a pint in a glass jar. Water tests arefree of charge at Summer Fun Pools.

10. While the pool water is circulating, add SpringStart Up chemicals once you have made appropri-ate adjustments to the water balance. Carefully fol-low instructions from your water test.

Courtesy of Summer Fun Pools

Get your pool ready for summer


While Supplies Last While Supplies Last

RECTANGLE IN-GROUND POOL GRECIAN IN-GROUND POOL Spring Startup Kits $ 29.99

IN GROUND LINERS 16X32 Rect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,439 18x36 Rect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,719 20x40 Rect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,019 19x35 Grecian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,819

HAYWARD FILTERS 100 Lb Sand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $260 150 Lb Sand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $295 200 Lb Sand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $335

HAYWARD PUMPS 1 HP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $265 1 1/2 HP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $289

HAYWARD FILTER SYSTEM With 1.5 HP Pump

19” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $455

ABOVE GROUND POOLS

#1224 #1428DIY

#15BAS

Installed from

Deluxe Pools as low as

$ 2,199

Come in & see our pools on display!

#2230DIY

Frog Mineral

Refill As Low As $ 79 99

25 Lb. Chlorine

3” Tabs Only

$ 84 99

In Ground Liners

From $ 1,019 00

18’ Liner Swirl Bottom $ 169 00

24’ Liner Swirl Bottom $ 249 00

#1836DIY

SUMMER FUN POOLS POOL SALE!

KIDNEY IN GROUND POOLS

$ 15,799 $ 15,799 From

RECTANGLE IN GROUND POOLS

$ 10,599 $ 10,599

From

$ 12,499 $ 12,499

Polywood/Recycled Furniture

STELLA BY NORDIC

Pergolas & Arbors On Display

Pergolas as low as $899 Arbors as low as $439 W e also sell trellises & planter boxes

20,000 Gallon

While Supplies

Last!

While Supplies Last!

While Supplies Last!

ALL PRISTINE BLUE ALL PRISTINE BLUE PRODUCTS AT PRODUCTS AT

CLOSE OUT PRICES CLOSE OUT PRICES

ARMOUR SPA BY NORDIC

$ 3,849 $ 3,849 State Route 45 • Lisbon • 330-424-POOL (7665)

$ 3,499 $ 3,499

From

$ 11,999 $ 11,999

While Supplies

Last!


PHIL’S SALES & SERVICE LLC. w w w .p h ilsku b ota .com

1472 Colu m bia n a -Lisbon Rd . • Colu m bia n a , Ohio

330-482-5548

Where can I find equipment that works hard but isn’t hard on me? Who has Performance-Matched implements? Which dealer can I rely on for knowledge and service? Who has the right equipment for the job?

Kubota tractors/mowers/utility vehicles THE ANSWER IS

350 E. State St. • Alliance, Ohio 44601 330-821-1500 • 1-800-294-9844

FREE Delivery • FREE Haul-Away FREE Normal Hookup

7450 Salem • Unity Road (St. Rt. 14) Salem, Ohio 44460

Office: 330-337-9505 Tony’s Cell: 330-424-6515 Tim’s Cell: 330-429-2915

For integrity, honesty and professionalism, you’ve

come to count on!

Ohio License #23635

Your Heating & Cooling Specialist!

330-457-2562 New Waterford, Ohio 44445

www.NdcHeating.com

Our Thermostat is

ALWAYS set on QUALITY!

Dave Norris, Owner

all about home - spring 2013

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