Dang birds! They just cost me $26 worth of pipe and netting. Bird netting specifically.  I attached a simple wood beam across the top of the garden boxes. Then I bent 3/4 inch conduit over the beam and slipped it over rebar into the corners of the box.

The netting is fix in place on the ends. I will not need to have access into the garden from the ends. The side sections lift to reveal my plantings. I have full access to each side for harvesting my veggies and berries. The dang birds don’t.

This should solve the problem  and was a very easy fix. Now I can have my beets and eat them too.

Gardening in Prescott Arizona with our mild weather allows me to plant early and often. I hope to get 5 crops from each square foot space and will plant seasonal plants as summer comes. The Prescott Country Club is an ideal setting. My garden overlooks the golf course’s 11 green and 12th tee. We are back far enough not to have to duck errant  shots.  That is unless I am approaching the 11the green.  But that is another story.

I have had to put a ball retreiver on the end of my putter so I don’t have to bend over to get my ball out of the cup. With so many shots to get it in there any assistance is appreciated. So I raised the garden up like a pool table. I can tend it without getting on my knees. Getting down there isn’t the problem. Getting back up is.

I celebrate(that is a joke) my 63rd birthday in just 2 weeks. The back is not that of a 20 year old any more. So laugh at my raised bed square foot garden if you have to. Your turn will be coming very soon.

www.allofprescott.com  For Property info in Prescott

www.prescottcountryclubsite.com For country club homes

Jerry Germansen 928 632 3906

I spent the last week building a Square Foot Garden raised to a height so I will not need to bend over. It has a 3/4 inch plywood bottom with drainage holes every foot or so.

I will be putting in the soil materials today and dividing the 4 foot by 8 foot areas into 1 foot squares.   I started composting a few weeks ago. It was at the time I was pruning the roses and ornamental grasses in the yard. I added kitchen scraps too. Only add scraps of fruits and veggies plus coffee grounds and their paper filters. And add all the yard waste organic materials too. It is amazing how much of that material can be composted for the garden. It saves landfill space and makes a great soil. It gets me off the couch and active too.

The Square Foot Garden is an interesting concept. It was developed by Mel Bartholomwe  years ago. He has written a couple of books about it and even had a Public TV show featuring his efforts and results. This garden is expected to produce 5 times what a regular single row garden will do because of the design, layout, and soil.

The soil is the real key. The garden is only 6 inches deep ( I made mine 8 inches for good luck).  It is a mix of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peet moss, and 1/3 vermiculite. You will never have to fertilize it or till it. It will remain loose and moist. I do have an irrigation line right in the garden area that I will hook up in a week or 2. Until then I’ll water with a hose. This soil mix will take much less water too. It is built from water retaining parts.

I can start planting now.  Beets, cabbage, spinach, radish, potato,  mint, and onion will take any remaining morning  frost rather well. I’ll start some now and then again in 2 weeks so I have a continuous supply for an extended time.

Trips to the grocery store will be ,much less expensive and fewer. I’ll have organic daily fresh veggies and fruits all the time. It’s a great way to have a healthy diet and a fulfilling pass-time too.

I’ll post more as the garden takes shape and make some observations and suggestions. Until then, keep composting!

We have now melted and the course is open again. Play this time of year is great. No long waiting. Noboody rushing you.

Although the trees are dormant this time of year, you can still enjoy a great course for small cost.  And the course remains in very good condition for winter.

If you are a golfer of just like to walk the neighborhood, we have a great location for you.

Book your tee time right on our website. http://prescottcountryclubsite.com/community-resources/golf-tee-times/

Our 4 mild seasons are now returning to normal. We expect mid 50s to low 60s later this week.

Jerry Germansen, Associate Broker, eXp Realty

I got up at the usual 5:30 AM and got in the spa outside. Today was a special morning. The Geminid Meteor Shower was in full glory. Although I only stayed about ½ hour I saw at least 30 meteors hit our atmosphere.

I am not an astronomer. I can only recognize a few consteallations.  I do have a new Droid ap that is fun. Try Google Sky Map and see what is out there any time. It’s a free download.

I am thrilled that we have dark and clear skies to enhance the night sky display. While thinking about are dark skies I was reminded about an article I published a few years ago. It is time to dust it off and send it again. Here it is.

Saving our Western Skies

          Northern Arizona enjoys some of the best star gazing anywhere in the world. Our elevation coupled with dry air creates an environment that allows us see a remarkable display of the universe almost every night. But that is something we need to respect and protect.

          Phoenix once possessed a diamond sky too. It is now an example of what city lights can do to our wonderful ceiling. Look toward the south on any night and you can see it. Light pollution reaches upward from the Valley. Unless we protect it with controlled lighting, we will start to pollute the sky right here in North Central Arizona.

          Light is relative just like color or sound. Try this. Find a white wall or white car. Hold a piece of white paper against it. You discover that one is white and one is actually a color. The same is true for light. It too is relative to its surroundings. Go outside on a dark night. Close your eyes for minute. Open them and see just how much light there really is available.

          So why do we need to light our outdoor spaces so brightly? Would a 25 watt bulb give enough light in your immediate yard? What about using low voltage or solar patio lights to guide your way rather than a bright yard light? Why have a light on at all if you are not outside?

          You will hear 2 different answers to that question. First is the theory that you need one to see where you are going. If you let your eyes adjust to the darker condition, you will likely not need much light if any. I left a friend’s home last week. They had a spot light on the house facing the driveway. I was walking in my own shadow toward my car and could not see my path. The surrounding light washed out my vision in the area I was actually walking. I turned around to wave goodbye and was met with a beacon of light that blinded me. That lighting was totally ineffective. The second answer you will hear to having lights on is for security. Yet you are only providing light for an intruder. I remember a movie where a blind person was being attached by a bad guy. He turned off the lights to put the intruder in a situation where he was not familiar. The property owner now had the advantage of familiarity. You know your property. Strangers do not. Why provide them the advantage of a well lit area.

          I live with a long view over Dewey and Prescott Valley. It amazes me to see the thousands of lights that are left on all night. You could send a kid to college with the money that is spent lighting unoccupied yards. We complain about utility costs yet leave the lights on unwarranted and cause pollution to our night sky.

          Commercial building must comply with codes for lighting to reduce light pollution. We, as homeowners, should be concerned about light pollution too.

          Here is a good tip to save costs, increase security, provide lighting only when needed, and save our wonderful star filled skies. Change your light fixtures to ones with motion sensors or add a sensor to your existing fixture. The new fixture will pay for itself in a short time with energy savings. It will increase security too. Motion sensor lighting will scare an intruder away when it comes on while a bright light will only invite them. A motion sensor light is there when you need it and off when you do not. It is always ready.

          The next time you look up at the night sky and enjoy the gaze, think about what you are doing or could do to protect it. Your actions will guarantee that the view will be there for your kids and grand kids.

          Another cost saving convenience for your home is to add a timer to the bathroom exhaust fan. Turn it on to vent the room of shower moisture and it will turn itself off. You will save your bathroom from moisture problems and save energy. And you will not have to remember to go back and turn it off

Jerry Germansen, Associate Broker

eXp Realty Arizona

www.AllofPrescott.com

I didn’t lose a ball. Not even one. I did hit 6 trees. 3 on one hole. One actually got stuck in the tree but I found it.

Prescott country club is an excellent mature course built in the 1970s. The apple trees were full of yummy fall fruit and there are many varieties to pick.  Trees include sequoia, pine, willow, and more. Check this video taken that day.

Prescott golf video

Jerry Germansen

eXp Realty Arizona 928 632 3906

Top 10 reasons to live there:

Weather

With 4 mild seasons the Prescott Country Club offers the best weather in North America. Summers average 85 dry degrees with 55 degree days in the winter. You will not need air conditioning at night, ever!

Location

Just an hour north of Phoenix at 5000 foot elevation.

Lifestyle

A slower pace with little traffic and congestion. Prescott Country Club is the place for easy access to Phoenix when you need a cultural fix or to catch a flight out of town.

Day Trips

If you like to take short trips this is the place for you. Within a few hours you can be at The Grand Canyon, or in Las Vegas, Tucson, Mexico, Flagstaff, Sedona, or the Four Corners States. Motorcycle rides are fantastic on our smooth roads.

Great Home Values

Your home at Prescott Country Club can be purchased in a wide price range. There is a manufactured home area backing to state land for as little as $70,000. Site-built homes range from just over $100,000 to more than $700,000. All homes are custom built over a 30 year period an ¼ to ½ acre lots.

Golf

You picked a great place to live if you play golf. There are five courses within 20 minutes drive and hundreds in the Valley of the Sun. Play year round with rates starting at $38.00 for 18 with a cart.

Medical Access

Yavapai Regional Medical Center has 2 campuses in nearby Prescott and Prescott Valley. There is a renown V.A. Hospital also located in Prescott. And again, the major medical centers in the Phoenix metro area are just an hour away including Mayo Clinic.

Shopping

All the BIG box stores have discovered north-central Arizona. You are just minutes away at the Prescott Country Club. Our area is a central shopping district for Yavapai County residents.

Cultural Experience

We have access to a variety of colleges that offer adult education classes. The Native American Yavapai Tribe has museum as well as a casino. Again, our proximity to Phoenix speaks for itself.

Outdoor Sports and Recreation

With the Prescott National Forest at our doorstep there is a camping, fishing, hiking, and nature photography right here at home. Prescott is known as softball capital of America. Teams are available for all ages. Game hunting surrounds the Prescott Quad-Cities. Quad rides are another great way to take in the area. Ride for miles right from home and take the full day or more. See old mines to rivers to mountains. It’s all right here!

Some of the older homes are a great value. Purchase a home that has served its purpose and bring it up to date with a remodel adding Green Features. This will cut your cost of living and allow you access to some of the best lots. I just remodeled a home we owned as a rental for over 10 years and now have a golf course home with all efficient utilities and appliances. This is going to be our retirement home and the cost of living there will be very low. Over the next few months we are adding a solar system to the home. The out-of-pock cost is zero! We will lower our utility bill from $150 per month to $35 per month and add an $85 equipment lease. The overall result is a 25% lower utility bill, a more comfortable living space, and the pride of being Green. Contact me for information on the zero cost solar system.

If you are a golfer, the Prescott Country Club is the perfect place to live. We can play year round on a course that is affordable and is has mature trees. The well managed and groomed course offers a challenge but is not too difficult for a duffer like me. Other golf courses in the area are also available for open-to-the-public play.

The Prescott Country Club is open to the public. Memberships are very affordable. Both golf and general memberships as well as pool and tennis are available. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner in our mountain setting.

The Prescott Country Club location is excellent. Shopping in Prescott Valley is only 10 minutes away. Healthcare options include the 3 hospitals in the Quad-City area and the many facilities an hours away in the Phoenix-Scottsdale metro area including Mayo Clinic. We have 3 colleges in the local area.

Outdoor Recreation in Central Arizona has always been exceptional. The mountain lakes and hiking trails are close. The ability to get to quad ride trails brings the back country right home. We often take rides to the rivers, mountain, and just into town with a group of friends. It’s a super way to spend a day or more getting away from it all. The neighborhood is also a good place for a morning walk right on the streets. Or take a walk down the wash and see a little more of nature.

Jerry.Germansen@searchonprescott.com or call 928 632 3906 Living and Working in the Prescott Country Club

Jerome was a flourishing copper mining town in 1900. Then copper was discovered in Peru where labor was so cheap that the cost of production drastically dropped and took away our market. In its peak, Jerome produced enough copper to give everyone in the world the equivilent of an 18 pound chunk of pure copper. But that ended with the Peruvian discovery.

The town grew weeds and virtually died. Then the hippy generation discovered it in the 1960s. It became a mecca for artists and those not quite willing to conform to society elsewhere. With great weather, fantastic views, proximity to other more vibrant towns, and people like themselves, the hippies stayed on. They are now the artists, artisens, town councilmen, writers, and shop owners of Jerome. They have nurtured their culture and turned Jerome into a gem.

There is the old red light district, the historic Holy family Chruch, the Conner Hotel with the Spirit Room bar. The mine operates today as a museum. Many of the shops and boutiques offer a taste of the olden days and what life must have been like a hundred years ago. Restaurant fare boasts quite a veriety. B&Bs are among the best accomidations in town.

The Spirit Room Saloon is a huge draw for bikers, most of whom are in their 50s or 60s and come up from Phoenix for a Bloody Mary and to show off their ride and leathers. What a site to see a hundreds of custom cycles lined up on Main Street all shiney and decked out on a sunny day.

The Spirit Room has live bands from 2PM to 6PM of Saturdays and Sundays. Some of the best of Az entertainment frequents the joint. The Cadillac Angels played there Valentines Day. It’s a 3 piece band playing vintage rock and roll. Drums, a bass player both on bass guitar and upright pass, and a singer/guitar player with all the licks and a vintage Guild guitar and Sear’s Silvertone amp. You knew this was going to be something special just looking at that guitar case and amp. The croud was really into it and so was the group.

The Spirit room has the best Bloody Mary’s in the high country. I can attest to it. A couple of hours of embibing with my honey and we were off again dropping out of Jerome into Clarkkdale and them Cottonwood where we had buritos mid-afternood. Then our ride took us back over the mountains to Dewey, this time by the freeway.

We ended the day watching the sun set over the Bradshaws from the spa perched high on a hill at home. Eat your heart out you snowshovelers. We have a place just waiting for you here! Next week we will be boating on Lake Pleasant and fishing for some of those 5 pound bass. Oh, not through the ice.