Category Archives: Local Writers & Contributors

Business, Local Writers & Contributors

Improving Your Business

Lisa J. Lehr is one of the local contributors to this website. I’ll have more about our travels in Italy tomorrow. By the way, I really appreciate Lisa’s contributions and welcome anyone else who would like to contribute to this site.

by Lisa J. Lehr

Have you heard about the tool that can bring in 90% of your sales?

If you have a website to promote your business, product, or service, there’s one tool that could literally bring you 90% of your sales. If you’re using this tool, you’re in a good position to capture the lion’s share of your market niche; if you’re not, you may be getting only 10% of the sales that could be yours. And if you’re not—and your competitors are—well, good luck!

This powerful tool is an auto responder series.

You may have heard the saying that it takes “seven touches” to turn a prospect into a client. Auto responders are the perfect way to accomplish those seven touches. Here’s why:

1.      They’re automatic. Once you’ve placed the opt-in form on your web page, and composed and queued your series of seven (or more) messages, those messages go out to your list with no further thought on your part.

2.      You create top-of-mind awareness. When your potential clients need the product or service you offer, you’ll be the first one they think of.

3.      The system is flexible. You can add, delete, or edit your messages, and/or broadcast to your entire list at once if you need to announce a special offer or news item.

4.      No one gets angry with you. Part of the automated system is an opt-out link at the end of each message. If someone is tired of hearing from you, one click and they’re removed from the list.

5.      You can up sell. You may be able to split your list into those who’ve bought from you and those who haven’t, and offer things like higher-end products and services, continuity programs, and affiliate products to your satisfied customers.

6.      You can partner with other local businesses. You send your subscribers coupons for your partners’ businesses, they do the same for you, and you multiply your list of prospects!

Auto responders are particularly useful if your product is a one-time type of purchase, or a seasonal or big-ticket item that people buy only occasionally. You don’t want your prospects to forget about you between that first “curiosity” visit to your site and when they actually need what you offer.

An auto responder series is an important part of a complete marketing program; the other parts must be in place in order for them to be effective. You need good web copy, for example, so your site visitors will stick around long enough to fill out the opt-in form. A news release may lead to a feature story about your business, which could bring in a flood of website visitors.

Your auto responders must be written well too, and can be created around any of a variety of themes: based on case studies or testimonials; focused on particular products or services you offer; or written like informative articles, establishing you as an authority in your niche.

Auto responders can truly mean capturing 90% of your potential business—or letting your competitors have it!

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for the message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.
—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my free marketing tips.
New! No cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Bits & Pieces, Local Writers & Contributors

Drink Enough Water – But Not Too Much

by Lisa J. Lehr

The weather is warming up, people are heading outside to exercise, and we’ve been told our entire lives to drink “plenty of water.” Not everyone realizes, however, that it’s possible to drink TOO much. How much is enough, and how much is too much?

You may remember back in January 2007, when Jennifer Strange, 28, a Sacramento-area mom of three, was found dead in her home of water intoxication. Jennifer had competed in a radio station’s “Hold Your Wee for a Wii” contest. The contest winner would be whoever drank the most water without going to the bathroom; the prize, a Nintendo Wii video game system. Jennifer wanted to win it for her kids.

“Holding it” against nature’s urging to get rid of it is intuitively a bad idea, and putting yourself in danger in order to gain some material thing is just foolish. The bulk of the blame lies with the radio station, however; station officials had been advised that someone had previously died of the same cause in a hazing incident, and they reportedly didn’t take Jennifer seriously when she complained of feeling ill. Still, this story should be a warning to everyone who might think that if drinking plenty of water is good for us, then there’s no such thing as “too much.”

Wrong.

We don’t know for sure how much Jennifer drank, but drinking too much can lead to water intoxication as well as hypothermia. Through perspiration during and after exertion, we lose both water and electrolytes; water intoxication and hypothermia result when a dehydrated person drinks too much water without the accompanying electrolytes.

We all learned about osmosis in school, yet perhaps we don’t all have a clear idea of what osmosis actually is. Osmosis is simply the movement of water across a semi permeable membrane from higher to lower concentration; both electrolytes and water move back and forth across the cell membrane in an effort to balance concentration. Electrolytes are more concentrated inside the cells, and water outside; cells try to regain balance by pulling in water, and could eventually swell to the point of bursting.

This is a simplified version of the events taking place in your body, but you don’t need a background in biochemistry to understand that burst cells cause serious bodily damage.

Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., describes the symptoms of water intoxication at About.com:

“Electrolyte imbalance and tissue swelling can cause an irregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs, and may cause fluttering eyelids. Swelling puts pressure on the brain and nerves, Which can cause behaviors resembling alcohol intoxication. Swelling of brain tissues can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death unless water intake is restricted and a hypertonic saline (salt) solution is administered. If treatment is given before tissue swelling causes too much cellular damage, then a complete recovery can be expected within a few days.”

If you or your workout buddy shows any of these symptoms—GET HELP.

Dr. Helmenstine says that the kidneys of a healthy adult can process fifteen liters of water a day. You probably won’t suffer from water intoxication, even if you drink a lot of water, as long as you drink it over time rather than an enormous volume at once. Much of our need for water is satisfied by the food we eat, so 8-12 eight-ounce glasses a day is a common recommended intake.

We may need more water if the weather is very warm or very dry, or during exercise. While water intoxication is very uncommon, it is not unheard-of, so be careful. If you’re exercising a lot, especially in hot, dry conditions, drink enough water—but not too much. Be sure to replace your electrolytes by consuming essential elements like potassium and sodium, and to a lesser degree magnesium and calcium. Sports drinks and “vitamin water” drinks can help. And never enter any contests that involve drinking of any kind, water included!

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer, copywriter, and fitness enthusiast living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Business, Local Writers & Contributors

Why Some Businesses Will Thrive in “This Economy”

Lisa J. Lehr

by Lisa J. Lehr

Yes, we know. The economy is bad. Recovery may be on the horizon, but no one really knows how close. Or if we can “hold out” till it happens. Yet we can each take some actions to position ourselves in the best possible way to survive a weak economy—and be at the front of the pack when it improves.

Dr. Ivan Misner, founder and chairman of BNI (Business Networking International), the world’s largest business networking organization, says that during an economic downturn “you can actually prosper…while everyone else flounders in fear.” He tells of being at a business mixer in the early 1990s, “right in the middle of a nasty recession.” As he looked around the room and listened in, he noticed that “[w]hile nearly all were commiserating with one another, very few were actually networking and working on seeking new business…,” which, of course, was the purpose of the mixer!

So, while we can’t control the economy, we can control our response to it. Dr. Misner goes on to say, “During the last recession, I watched thousands of business people grow and prosper…because they consciously made the decision to refuse to participate in a recession. They did so by developing their networking skills and learning how to build their business through word of mouth.”

I’ve heard several people in my contact sphere say they’re refusing to participate in the recession. What if everyone refused to participate? We wouldn’t have a recession!

Dr. Misner concludes, “Don’t let a bad economy be your excuse for failure. Instead, make it your opportunity to succeed. While others are looking at the problems, those of us looking for opportunities will not only get through a bad economy but will prosper.”

Here are some ideas on ways to find opportunity:

  • Invite people to meetings of your business or trade group.
  • Offer to speak at an industry conference.
  • Send out a mailing.
  • Begin an e-mail campaign.
  • Write letters to the editor.
  • Start a blog.
  • Submit articles to trade publications and online article sites.
  • Add an opt-in and an autoresponder series to your website.
  • If you don’t have a website, get one.
  • If you need to outsource any of these projects, do it.

Stay in front of potential customers. Whatever line of work you’re in, people still need your product or service. If you’ve made your name familiar to your target audience and established yourself as an expert in your niche, you’ll be the one they go to when they’re ready to buy—instead of your competitors. Your (former) competitors will be the ones commiserating about how the recession of the early 21st century ruined them.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for the message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

animals, Local Writers & Contributors

Pets, Allergies, and You

by Lisa J. Lehr

It’s spring!

While most people are busy doing little happy dances about the longer days and warmer, sunnier weather, allergy sufferers often have a different reaction: dread.

For people with year-round allergies to pets, however, spring just adds insult to injury. Tragically, allergies are among the most common reasons people give up their pets, and the misguided fear that a child may develop allergies prevents some people from having pets in the first place.

The good news is that this is all totally unnecessary. Some education about pets, people, and allergies will save a lot of pets from the animal shelter, and a lot of kids from the deprivation of growing up without pets.

Recently, numerous studies have found that kids who grow up in a home with dogs and cats actually have a significantly lower risk of developing common indoor and outdoor allergies. This means not only to cats and dogs, but also to dust mites, grass, ragweed, and Alternaria, a fungus found in the air.

Many studies have found lower rates of allergies and asthma among children who grew up on a farm and were around lots of animals, as well as among people who have continually owned a pet as compared to new pet owners or to people who had pets earlier in life but not currently.

In the February 2006 issue of Reader’s Digest, “Scratch Those Allergies” (page 208), with advice from allergist Clifford Bassett, MD gives the following suggestions:

–Ban pets from the bedroom, and get a HEPA air purifier.

–No pet is completely hypoallergenic, but those that shed more trigger more symptoms.

–Vacuum and dust often to eliminate sneeze-inducing dander and fur.

–Bathe and brush your pet often, especially if he sheds. If your symptoms are severe, have someone else do it for you.

I’d like to add a few points:

Continue reading Pets, Allergies, and You →

Business, Local Writers & Contributors

Do-it-Yourself Marketing: Bad Idea

by Lisa J. Lehr

What’s wrong with this picture?

The fictitious Modern Widget Company in Grass Valley has a small staff of reasonably capable people who do pretty much everything. One day, Bob notices a leak in the restroom. “I can fix that,” he says, “and I’ll save the company a ton of money.” He goes the hardware store, buys some parts, and fixes the leak…or so he thinks. Next morning, when the staff comes to work, the toilet has crashed into the basement. You see, Bob didn’t know water was leaking under the floor, rotting out the floorboards.

Sally arrives, late and breathless, wearing a hat. Embarrassed, she confesses she’d cut her own hair. With an important presentation coming up, she didn’t have time to go to the beauty parlor. “It’ll grow out eventually,” she says, red-faced.

Jeff and his carpool buddy Jenny call to say they’re going to be late. They were on their way when they heard a strange racket coming from under the hood of Jeff’s pickup truck. “I can deal with that,” says Jeff. “Who needs AAA?” They might not make it in till afternoon.

What do all these people have in common? They tried to fix a problem themselves when they really needed the services of a professional. They ended up with problems far more serious and expensive to fix than their original problems. They suffered embarrassment, wasted time, and inconvenience.

Then one day the staff at Modern Widget Company is ready to launch their new Super Widget.

“I’ll do a website,” says Bob. “I’m a pretty geeky guy.”

“I’ll write a sales letter,” says Sally. “I majored in Creative Writing.”

“I’ll send out some e-mails,” says Jeff. “I like to do e-mail.”

“I’ll make a brochure,” says Jenny. “I’m a pretty good artist.” So they did. How did their cobbled-together marketing program do, you ask?

It bombed. You see, Bob, Sally, Jeff, and Jenny made the same mistakes twice: they thought they knew what they were doing—but they didn’t.

If you’re offering a product or service, you need a professional marketing program to reach your audience and make them buy. Even the best product or service is only as good as your marketing plan. Run, don’t walk, to find a professional marketing writer—before you waste time and money, before you suffer embarrassment and inconvenience. And definitely before your business crashes into the basement (figuratively speaking).

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.
—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Local Writers & Contributors, nevada county fair

Nevada County Fair Calendar 2010

Mark your calendar for the event voted as “Nevada County’s Best” for 10 years in a row – the 2010 Nevada County Fair, August 11 – 15, at “California’s Most Beautiful Fairgrounds,” the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

“Rooted in Tree-dition” is this year’s theme and five days of “tree-mendous” fun are planned for Fair-goers of all ages. Live entertainment will be available every day at five different stages throughout the Fairgrounds. There’s also carnival rides and games, barns full of livestock, thousands of community exhibits, special contests, an Idol Competition, nightly arena events, daily demonstrations, magic shows, gold panning, and food contests.  As always, Treat Street will be serving an array of delicious food and drinks – corn dogs, pasties, tacos, corn on the cob, beer, tempura zucchini, nachos, hamburgers, funnel cakes and caramel corn – just to name a few!

Long-time crowd pleasing events will soar into the Fair’s arena Wednesday through Sunday, presenting thrills ranging from a rodeo to Monster Trucks to the Demolition Derby.

The Ag Mechanics Auction will be held on Friday of the Fair, and the Junior Livestock Auction will be held on Sunday, August 15. These popular annual events will raise more than $400,000 for Nevada County youth in agriculture.

For those interested in entering competitions and projects for judging, the Fair’s Competition Handbook will be available June 1. At that time, all of the categories, as well as online entry information, will be listed on the Fair’s web site at Nevada County Fair.

Gates open each day at 10 am, and close each evening at 11 pm. Admission this year will be $8 for adults, $6 for seniors (65 and older), $3 for children 6 to 12, and free to children five years old and younger.

At one of the most affordable fairs in California, take advantage of one of several pre-sale packages available this year, including a special “Be A Kid” price of only $3 for a Thursday adult admission ticket; or a pre-sale Fair admission ticket for $5 for any one day of the Fair.  Kids Day will once again be held on Thursday from 10 am to 5 pm and during that time all children 12 years and under are admitted for free. Other pre-sale packages and coupons will be announced in June.

The Nevada County Fairgrounds is located at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley, 50 miles northeast of Sacramento, off Highway 49. For directions, event details or general information, visit Nevada County Fair or call the Fair Office at (530) 273-6217. Our blog can be found at Nevada County Fair Blog, or you can follow us on Facebook or MySpace.

Source: Wendy Cox Nevada County Fair Publicist

Bits & Pieces, Local Writers & Contributors

Walking vs. running—which is better?

Photo Central Valley Activities Club

by Lisa J. Lehr

Looking for the ideal exercise? Whether you’re still trying to make good on a New Year’s resolution, thinking about the upcoming swimsuit season, or looking for a way to add variety to your workout routine, walking and running rise to the top of the list of possible choices.

For overall fitness, nothing beats walking and running. You need no expensive equipment; you don’t have to join a club or travel to a special place; you can do it at pretty much any time of day or year.

But which is better? Well, it depends. Here are the pluses and minuses of both.

Running:

·         burns more calories than walking in the same amount of time—because you travel farther running than walking. Mile for mile, however, the calories burned are the same. That’s because carrying your weight over a given distance burns the same number of calories regardless of speed.

·         raises your heart rate more than walking.

·         strengthens your bones more than walking because of the strain it creates.

·         strengthens your muscles more than walking—but only if you’re actually running, not jogging. In that sense, power walking (walking as fast as you can without breaking into a jog) is actually more effective than slow running.

·         is more likely to cause injury. When running, you impact (hit the ground) with three times your body weight on each step. Especially for people who are overweight, out of shape, or pregnant, the strain on the knees, hips, and ankles can be a problem. If you’re going to begin a running program, start slowly and gradually increase your distance and/or frequency.

Walking:

·         may be better for fat burning. According to Dr. Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of medicine at UC San Francisco: “When you run a mile, you’re burning mostly sugar, or carbohydrates, which is how your body gives you fast energy in bursts. When you walk a mile, it gives your metabolism time to switch from burning carbohydrates to burning fat.”

·         is easier on your joints. Walking causes an impact of only 1.5 times your body weight, yet is still a weight-bearing exercise that will prevent bone loss.

·         is easier to fit into many people’s schedules. You can do it on your lunch hour at work; you may need to change only your shoes and probably won’t need to shower afterward.

·         has a benefit if you live in the city and have to stop at traffic signals: the sudden stop from a running pace can be dangerous for your heart. It’s much safer to stop from a walk. If you have to stop at a light while running, try jogging in place.

·         allows you to enjoy the scenery more than running, which in turn may keep you from burning out as soon.

I’m going to add a reminder to vary your terrain to avoid one-sided leg pain, and try to disconnect from your iPod. We live in a friendly community full of natural beauty. Say hello to the neighbors you pass; listen to the frogs croak and the birds chirp; be alert to approaching cars.

So…walking or running? It’s really a matter of what works best for you. Walk, run, or do something else. Just do it.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer, copywriter, and fitness enthusiast living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

See related post by Lisa Walk For Health, But Stay Healthy And Pain Free
—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Business, Local Writers & Contributors

Toastmasters – Helping 235,000 People to Become Stronger Leaders

By Lisa J. Lehr

Would you like to have more communicative employees—or be one? Have a more effective sales force, or be a trainer with phenomenal presentation skills? Be a more confident, competent leader? Be persuasive, inspirational, and/or entertaining?

That’s what 235,000 people around the world are doing right now, and it’s called Toastmasters International.

This might sound like a shameless plug for Toastmasters…and perhaps it is, because I’ve been a member of Toastmasters for over 10 months now, and I love it, and so do my fellow Toastmasters, and we’d love to have more company!

Toastmasters is an international organization that provides training in speaking and leadership that is on a par with expensive and extensive professional training programs, yet at a fraction of the cost and time commitment.

Nevada County is lucky to have four different Toastmasters Clubs—unusual for a community of our size. Mother Lode Toastmasters meets Monday evenings; Early Risers Toastmasters, Tuesday mornings; Penn Valley Club, Wednesday evenings; and the club I belong to, Empire Toastmasters, meets every Friday at noon at Trolley Junction Restaurant (at the Northern Queen Hotel) in Nevada City.

We’re a small, friendly, supportive group dedicated to helping each other improve at a comfortable pace, wherever we each currently are with our speaking and leadership skills. Our meetings are open to anyone who is interested. Come as a guest; you’ll be invited (but not required!) to participate in Table Topics, in which participants each speak impromptu for about a minute on a given theme. It’s often the highlight of the meeting, and almost always provides the most laughs. Lunch is $14 and reservations are not required.

My fellow Toastmasters and I are available to do a presentation for your business or organization that will explain the program in much greater detail. My own personal and professional growth through Toastmasters has been nothing short of astonishing in less than a year, and my fellow club members have similar stories to tell about being “the shyest person who ever lived”—but no more, thanks to Toastmasters!

Visit this link for more information about the local clubs:

ToastMasters Nevada County

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for a message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Hiking, Local Writers & Contributors, Recreation

Walk For Health, But Stay Healthy And Pain Free

by Lisa J. Lehr

Exercise is good. Some of us have undoubtedly made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more. And walking is, for most people, the best choice because it: 

1.      Doesn’t require much training; 

2.      Doesn’t require special equipment;  

3.      Doesn’t (usually) require travel to a special place, such as a gym, pool, or recreational area. 

Now, number 3 is somewhat qualified because, while most people in Nevada County live on or near a road with reasonably little traffic, walking on a paved road poses its own set of problems. If you get your regular exercise by walking along a public roadway, you may have noticed persistent or intermittent pain in the joints or muscles of your right leg.  

In most places, public roads are constructed with “crowning”; that is, the road is higher at the center and slopes down to the sides. This is to help rain and melting snow run off more quickly instead of pooling in the middle, creating a driving hazard and damage to the road. 

We learned as children to walk facing traffic, for obvious safety reasons: if an approaching car is too close to you, you can see it in time only if it’s approaching from the front—unless you have eyes in the back of your head (or wear a little tiny rear-view mirror, as cyclists sometimes do). The problem for walkers is that, as you walk along the edge of the road, one foot is always landing on a higher surface than the other. And over time, this can lead to pain in the hip, knee, and/or other parts of your leg. That, in turn, may discourage you from exercising; or you may just “live with” the pain, having no idea that it’s fixable.

I actually lived with this problem, off and on, for a couple decades before it dawned on me what might be causing it! 

Here are some suggestions to avoid one-sided leg pain: 

Continue reading Walk For Health, But Stay Healthy And Pain Free →

Education, Local Writers & Contributors

O Tannenbaum! Picking A Christmas Tree

1 Comment

christmas-tree

Photo Courtesy of Christmas Lights Etc.

By Elizabeth Dunn, Landscape Architect

It’s the holiday season, when the eggnog is back in the stores, the fruitcakes come out of the cupboard, and my hand is cramped from writing Christmas cards.  It is also the time of year for magic and one of the best combinations of aromas.  Hot chocolate with candy canes, cloves in oranges, and Christmas trees!

Nordman Fir
Nordman Fir

The Nevada County Farm Guide for 2009 lists several places to find Christmas Trees, and some of the local nurseries have live trees available.  These trees can be planted in the yard after Christmas.  They are not in pots or boxes but have their roots and attached soil wrapped in burlap. In the industry they are called balled and burlapped or B&B on the plant list.  It allows for less waste when planting the tree because there are not wooden boards or plastic pots to send to a landfill or recycling center.  The tree is planted with the burlap still in place.  Before the hole is filled the burlap is pulled back from the top 1/3 of the rootball, the natural fiber rope is cut from the trunk and in a few other spots, and then the hole is filled with the appropriate mixture of planting soil.

I spend a couple Saturdays a month working at Peaceful Valley.  They have live trees for sale.  Having never worked on a Christmas tree farm, I enjoyed helping people pick out their tree.  It was even more magical knowing that they will be able to enjoy the tree well into the future.  It is recommended that they plant the tree in their fire safe zone, keep it irrigated for at least the first three years while it is becoming established, and eventually, after several years, remove the lower branches.

Douglas Fir
Douglas Fir

Douglas Fir is one of the favorites.  It is listed as native to Nevada County in the Master Garden’s Western Nevada County Gardening Guide.  It is not a True Fir tree as its botanical genus name, Pseudotsuga, shows.  However, according to the National Forestry Association, it is one of the fastest growing conifers in the temperate forests and is the most important lumber species in the US.

White Fir
White Fir

True Fir Trees have the botanical genus name of Abies.  With my unscientific poll, this genus is best because of its scent. “It just smells like Christmas!” many friends say.  There are several species of True Firs.  The Nordman Fir is popular as an indoor potted plant.  It has evenly spaced branches that easily showcase a range of ornaments. Sunset’s Western Garden Book notes that the Nordman is one of the best adapted Firs for California gardens.

Corkbar Fir
Corkbar FirWhite Fir

There are so many more evergreen trees out there.  The Cedar, Cypress, Pine, Sequoia, and Spruce are all trees that are used for Christmas Trees and decoration.  With proper care and the right location, any species of tree will provide years of wonder.  Its ornaments next year can be popcorn and red berry chains.  The magic will be heard when the winter birds are singing from its branches and it will be felt when standing close to the tree and listening to the silence of the snow as it falls all around.

Happy Holidays!

Elizabeth Dunn is a licensed Landscape Architect. She spends the majority of her work days in the studio of Rebecca Cofffman Landscape Architects in Nevada City, CA

fir-covered-with-snow

Sources:

Nevada County Farm Guide

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply

Western Nevada County Gardening Guide

UCCE Nevada County Master Gardeners, c. 2006

Western Garden Book, Sunset Books, sixth printing, c. 1998

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, Michael Dirr, c. 1998

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