Patios are great additions for new and old homes and is one of the many creative ways that we can enhance the value and functionality of your home.  This past August, 2011, we began a project at our shop location, the residence of my parents, Gary and Rita Witmeyer.  The goal was to turn old, white stone, weed-infested area into a fun, beautiful patio ‘room’ for family and friends to enjoy throughout the season.  Follow us as we take you through a step-by-step process of how we did it! Continue reading →

I have recently planted a couple of Tsuga canadensis, hemlock trees on our property in order to screen the view of our barn and other heavy equipment.  Screening generally isn’t a hard thing to do, unless you have mature, Juglans nigra, black walnut tree growing in close proximity.  We learned the hard way when I was growing up and we planted Norway spruce and white pine trees in the same area.  Within 1-3 years, those plants died.  It wasn’t until I began my schooling for Horticulture in the Career and Technology Center that I learned that you can’t grow all kinds of plants under or near black walnut trees! Continue reading →