Learn How To Be A Master Composter

The first of the four-session Master Composter training is Saturday from 8:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Office, 222 N. Havana.

The training will be given the next four Saturdays.

Participants will spend the first two sessions in an instructional setting at the Cooperative Extension Office. The third session, April 18, will offer a course review, an open book review/exam, a bin-building session and a tour of the Waste-to-Energy Facility.

The last session, April 25, will have participants sharing composting information at the Arbor Day Celebration at Finch Arboretum.

The Spokane Master Composters have been volunteering in the area since 1988, and more than 160 Spokane County residents have taken the training. For more information about the course, call the Recycling Hotline, 747-0242.

A notoriety of sorts

Those wanting a close-up look at a house pictured in the latest issue of Old House Journal can simply drive to 1708 S. Maple. The Levesque-Majer House is noted for a rubble mix siding style that the article calls “peanut brittle bungalow.”

Think ‘permanent agriculture’

Don’t forget that the Friends of Manito fourth annual Olmsted Series runs two days midmonth. The focus is permaculture, and the series includes a lecture from 7 to 9 p.m. April 17 at the WSU Auditorium at Riverpoint. A workshop runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 18 at a farm site near Cheney.

For information about Olmstead Series events, call the Friends of Manito, 456-8038.

Speaking of Arbor Day

A free copy of “Washington Tree Facts” is available by calling (800) 523-TREE and leaving your name and address. You’ll be able to reel off those tree factoids at your Arbor Day celebration.

Build it right

Fencebuilding goes on in earnest in the summer, and just in time for the peak season of yard improvements the California Redwood Association is offering a full-color booklet: Redwood Fences For All Reasons.

The 16-page, how-to guide includes ideas for designing and building fences. It’s $2.50 and available from the California Redwood Association, Dept. F8, 405 Enfrente Drive, Suite 200, Novato, CA 94949.

In the meantime, the industry association offers a few tips to get you started thinking about fences:

Consider materials carefully. Choose a weather resistant wood that will blend with your house.

Consider aesthetics of the fence as well as function. Fences are one of the most visible statements about your property and will add to the value if carefully planned and well-crafted.

Several fence components come pre-crafted. Match the patterns and styles.

Check local zoning ordinances before planning your fence. Some areas have height limits for fences. To avoid problems with a faulty survey of your property, build your fence a few inches inside the property line. Also, check with local utility companies for buried lines and wires.

To avoid stains, use non-corrosive hot-dipped galvanized, stainless steel or aluminum nails and fastenings for the fence.