Living Space

Landscaping Decor

Keeping the Farming Dream Alive

It is becoming harder and harder for farms to remain profitable in today`s economy. Almost half of all of the farms operating within the United States report negative income each year. Much of this is attributed to households that operate smaller farms, as they struggle to remain profitable in the midst of a tech-driven society with fancy, expensive equipment helping large farms succeed. Rising costs in livestock, fuel, farm services, and even labor are also making it harder to get the profit they need to operate.

The Labor Numbers

During the year 2016, the typical American farmer spends an average of $16,600 on labor. Only a year later, that average increase of about $1200. If a farm is in the right location, (more…)

3 Ways To Upgrade Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Your home’s curb appeal is important if you decide to put it on the market, but it can also affect your own enjoyment and quality of life if you’re not selling. There are several ways to improve the appearance of your home’s exterior. Most improvement projects have additional benefits, such as helping reduce your energy consumption and making your home more secure.

1. Painting the Exterior

Painting your home’s siding is a project that can have a significant impact on the overall appearance of your home. If you like the current color of your home, you may simply want to refresh the paint and add an accent color on the trim. You could also choose to paint in an entirely new color scheme. Most professional painters fairfax county va can give you suggestions about colors that would work well with your home’s architecture. (more…)

How To Save Money With Preventive Pond Management

A healthy, sparkling pond can provide a family or neighborhood with unlimited enjoyment. Water offers aesthetic and recreational benefits that enhance the overall value of your property. Until recently, ponds were rarely actively managed unless an unpleasant condition arose. By the time an issue is noticeable, there are quite often invisible imbalances underlying it. Understanding this, pond owners are now tending more toward planned pond management, versus a more reactive approach.

The Reactive Management Model

You are taking a walk around your pond one evening, and you notice a ripe odor and some green algae on the surface. You pick up some algaecide to apply to the problem. This reflects the reactive model of pond care; you respond as problems emerge. (more…)

Five Ways to Make Your Back Yard More Enjoyable

Your back yard is not just for letting the kids run around in – it can also be a prime piece of real estate when it comes to entertaining family and friends. You can create an oasis that can be enjoyed by all ages and every hour of the day.

Garden Gates

Set off the entrance to your garden or yard with a beautifully wrought gate. You can order custom-designed Corten steel gates with any motif from birds to flowers, or from mountains to undersea themes.

Curbing

Concrete or cement curbing sets off the edges of your lawn with a clean line and creates a border that is easy to mow and trim around, even around trees. You can tint the concrete a shade of brown if you like to make it blend in better. (more…)

Tips for Hiring a Landscaping Company

There is something fantastic about a garden and yard which are artistically and wonderfully landscaped. However, for many homeowners realizing that wonderful yard is just something on which to dream. You can still seek the services of a professional landscaping company to not just help you landscape the yard of your dreams, but to keep on the maintenance to make sure you get the most from the time you have to take pleasure from your yard.

These are some questions to ask – so listed below are the answers to those and others.

  • Should you have already a plan or will the landscapers create one to tailor your requirements? This is your call. You can choose a landscaping company with available designs to pick from or they will visit your home and you can discuss with them about the overall design of your yard. (more…)