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Ideas To Keep Busy – Part 1

Keeping Busy and #StayHome

As we’re being asked to #StayHome, parents and families are looking for fun ways to keep kids busy. We found a few fun ideas from Growing A Jeweled Rose to help keep kids busy in the garden. We’ve selected our favorites and listed them here. If you try any of these, please post your photos or if you have any other ideas, please share in the comments below. As adults, some of these look fun to us too, so don’t feel like you can’t participate if you don’t have kids at home.

installation

If your kids are a little older and/or are ready to help in the yard, here are a few ideas we found to help keep them busy helping you

Debris Clean- Up
One thing you can do is to clean up your yard. This means removing leaves, twigs, branches, dirt and other items that have accumulated over the fall and winter months.   There are some common issues in Clark County & Portland Metro, so if you’re seeing bare batches, there are a few issues you could be facing.

Make it fun – make it a race to gather debris and bring it to the compost pile. Use a stopwatch (or app) to time them.

Composting
Collected leaves, cuttings, spent foliage and other debris will decompose and create nutrient rich humus for amending your garden. Adding organic compost can be a great way to improve the condition of your soil. Composting also helps to improve water retention, airflow and can improve the strength and feel of the soil. The debris in your yard, such as leaves, plants, grass clippings and even kitchen scraps (not animals) can make great compost. You’ll need to turn it frequently to speed up the decomp process.

Make a game for your kids by having them take turns turning the compost. Time them and have them pass the turning tool around to all of them.

Fire Pits and Outdoor Spaces for Fall

Fire pits are a popular and comforting addition to any yard, especially in the temperate Pacific Northwest! As our weather begins to change, our busy lives do too. Work, school, kids and Pre-holiday projects are picking up as we enter the Fall Season.

What better time than now to consider putting in a Fire pit? You have likely thought about it on many occasions, but not gotten around to it. Maybe now IS a perfect time.

Here are some of the advantages to consider…

  • Increase your outdoor season. Mother Nature decides what portion of the year that we can spend outdoors – or comfortably anyway. An outdoor fire pit extends the portion of the year that you can spend in your backyard by providing a heat source. Outdoor gatherings and family evenings can still be enjoyed well into the Fall and sometimes beyond.
  • Creating an Outdoor Gathering place. People love to gather around a fire. A fire pit gives you the perfect focal or gathering point where you can relax with family, friends, and neighbors. Putting the word out that you are having a fire that night, and your people will come!
  • Light… Let’s face it, fires provide heat but they also provide light. When you add a fire pit to your backyard or outdoor spaces, you are also adding light.
  • Adding art and ambiance. Fire pits also add a focal point and a touch of artistry to your outdoor spaces. If it’s a block ring to beautifully tiled fire pits made with natural stone, slate, blocks, and even the addition of water, you can really add beauty along with warmth and light to your yard or garden.
  • Fire Pit functionality. In addition to the warmth, light and ambiance that fire pits provide, there are some things that can also be very functional.

Slate, wood burning fire pit.

Block Fire Pit with Grill

Some fire pits can be equipped with a grilling surface for barbecues or convert to a table. They can be wood burning, propane or natural gas and light with a push of a button or ignite the old-fashioned way… The different versions and possibilities are endless. Based on your personal taste and sense of style, our Frontier Landscaping Staff can help you with the best “version” for you.

Contact US to schedule an appointment!

Frontier Landscaping Joins NALP Safe Company Program

NALP Safe Company Program Logo

 

VANCOUVER, Wa. , Dec 28, 2016  — The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) is pleased to announce the addition of Frontier Landscaping as a participant in the NALP Safe Company Program, sponsored by CNA Business Insurance.

 

The Safe Company Program is a new safety initiative developed by NALP. The goal: to assist landscape and lawn care companies in their efforts to provide a safe work environment.

 

Participants sign the Safe Company Pledge that commits them to maintaining an active safety program within their company.  Professional companies make safety a priority. They take an active role through safety training and investigation and documentation of job-related injuries. They are expected to comply with all OSHA postings and other regulatory requirements.  Additionally, participants pledge to participate in the NALP Safety Recognition Awards Program. 

 

“At Frontier Landscaping, we have a long history of employing highly-skilled specialists. These team members consistently devote hours of study to maintaining their professional certificates. Continuing education is important to all of us. Participating in the new NALP Safe Company Program is an exciting way to continue demonstrating our commitment to safety and best practices in our industry.”  

 

For more information about the NALP Safe Company Program, visit landscapeprofessionals.org, call NALP at 800- 395-2522, or email [email protected].

 

Safety meeting Frontier Landscaping NALP Safe Company program

Regular safety meetings are one important way the crew at Frontier Landscaping demonstrates our team’s commitment to delivering the very best responsible, reliable services to the Clark County and Portland Metro communities we serve.

 

 

 More About Frontier Landscaping

Established in February 1988, Frontier Landscaping, Inc., is a multi-award winning company providing landscape, maintenance, and tree care services for residential and commercial properties throughout SW Washington and the Portland Metro area.

 

Affiliations

  • National Association of Landscape Professionals
  • Washington Association of Landscape Professionals
  • International Society of Arboriculture
  • Building Industry Association of Clark County
  • Vancouver Downtown Association
  • Washington State Farm Bureau

 

Certifications and Awards

Best of Clark County 2016

“Albina Fuel Award – Outstanding Corporate Partner” from the Vancouver Downtown Association (VDA)

 

More About NALP

The National Association of Landscape Professionals represents an industry that employs nearly 1 million landscape, lawn care, irrigation and tree care professionals who create and maintain healthy green spaces for the benefit of society and the environment. For more information, visit LoveYourLandscape.org.