Lise Howe, Assoc. Broker and Attorney Licensed in DC, MD, VA,Coldwell Banker

Trust Harvard to be at the cutting edge! There is an underground revolution spreading across Harvard University this fall. It's occurring under the soil and involves fungi, bacteria, microbes and roots, which are now fed with compost and compost tea rather than pesticides and synthetic nitrogen.

The results have so astounded university administrators that what started as a one-acre pilot project in Harvard Yard has spread organic practices through 25 acres on the campus.

Harvard's president, Drew Gilpin Faust, started a university effort to reduce greenhouse gases by 30 percent by 2016, by instituting the organic program at Elmwood, the president's house on Brattle Street. "The lumps of soil showed how grass grew when treated with chemical fertilizers and how it looked when treated organically," she said. "You could really see the root systems and how different they were."

Composting

Compost is the aerobically decomposed remnants of plants and food created through the management of heat, moisture, and aeration. The result is a nutrient-rich environment for beneficial bacteria, fungi, and protozoa that can be applied directly to the soils. These microorganisms control pests (pathogenic organisms) and aerate the soil, providing the opportunity for extended root development. At Harvard, all herbaceous and woody materials - along with a growing portion of food waste from dining halls and cafeterias - are collected for composting. When composting, emphasis should focus on the creation of a high quality end product and not just a way to get rid unwanted waste. These are precious resources that when handled properly will yield extremely valuable results.

At Harvard, we are creating the following three basic types of composts, each used to address particular needs within our landscape systems:

Bacterial Mix compost are more dominant in bacterial feedstocks (hay weeds, coffee grounds, herbaceous material). Common plants that prefer bacterial soils (grasses, annuals, perennials, and vegetables)

Fungal Mix compost are dominant in fungal feedstocks (dry leaves, sawdust, wood chips, shredded newspaper). Common plants that prefer fungal soils (trees and shrubs)

Vermicompost is the product of some species of earthworms as they breakdown organic matter. Most of our vermicompost is used as a solid in planters, but is also an ingredient in many of our compost tea recipes. This compost is typically the highest in available nutrients.

Composting must be done carefully and systematically. Here are the keys to successful composting.

1. Temperature: for best results, temperatures within the entire compost pile must stay between 130-160 degrees F for approximately two weeks. Maintaining this temperature range is critical; warm enough to kill off weed seeds and pathogens yet still allowing for cultivation of beneficial organisms.
2. Aeration: during the two weeks when temperatures of at least 130 degrees F are required, turn the pile 2-3 times per week to allow air to infiltrate. This step is essential for maintaining proper temperatures and encouraging the development of beneficial soil organisms to breakdown organic material.
3. Moisture: too much or too little moisture will negatively impact the quality of the compost. A moisture rate of 35% to 45% is optimum. To determine this, grab a handful of compost from the center of the pile and squeeze it. The material should be moist to the touch but not drip. Too dry: add water and mix thoroughly. Too wet: turn more frequently and cover to protect from rain.

The following are two basic compost recipes:

Grasses, Annual, Perennials, and Vegetables

Bacterial Mix - Feedstock Ingredients

45% Bacterial: hay, weeds, coffee grounds, herbaceous material

30% Fungal: dry leaves, sawdust, wood chips, shredded newspaper

25% Nitrogen: grass clippings, vegetable waste, legumes, manure

Trees and Shrubs

Fungal Mix - Feedstock Ingredients

45% Fungal: dry leaves, sawdust, wood chips, shredded newspaper

30% Bacterial: hay, weeds, coffee grounds, herbaceous material

25% Nitrogen: grass clippings, vegetable waste, legumes, manure

Important: To select the proper compost, identify the types of plants within your landscape. In general, turf, grasses, and perennials require higher bacterial populations, while more complex landscapes with trees and shrubs benefit from higher fungal populations.

Compost Teas are a specific liquid biological amendment made by coaxing the beneficial organisms from the compost and depositing them into an aerated water solution with various food sources. The advantage of the tea is that recipes can be developed and fine tuned to target specific conditions and plant needs. Careful application of compost teas can speed up the process of balancing the soil biology... but achieving the proper mix requires time and testing. Remember, that the better the compost, the more effective the tea!

The following are some additional considerations for Compost Tea:

• During the brewing process bacterial populations, on average, double every half hour.
• Applications are particularly favorable for trees and lawns which require the beneficial organisms but not necessarily a high percentage of organic matter.

Woodley Park Towers is an exquisite condo building in Washington, DC, just steps from the National Zoo. Built as an apartment building in 1929 by Louis T. Rouleau, Sr., the building was converted to condominiums in 1973.

The Woodley Park Towers is built of tan brick, with a moderated Art Deco geometric detailing. The building occupies land between Connecticut Avenue and Devonshire Place, with a Devonshire Place mailing address. There is extensive landscaping in front of the building and in the rear, and a graceful semicircular driveway in front, running under the stylish marquee overhang at the front of the building.

When Woodley Park Towers initially opened in 1930, the first floor included a 100 seat public restaurant, a common feature in the upscale apartment buildings constructed along Connecticut Avenue. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed in early 1931 because it had a miserable location (far away from Connecticut Ave.) and was prohibited from advertising by the local zoning laws.

Famous residents of the Woodley Park Towers included Lyndon Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird. Harry Truman used to visit and play poker at the buiding. Definately you should check it out. Just give Lise Howe a call at 240-401-5577!

Bethesda is about more than just restaurants and shops. The Bethesda Art Walk features 13 galleries and studios that open their doors from 6-9pm on the second Friday of every month. Downtown Bethesda galleries showcase artwork created locally, nationally and internationally including painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media.

You can enjoy several galleries by walking throughout downtown Bethesda's fun-filled streets. The free Bethesda Circulator stops within a few blocks of each Bethesda Art Walk gallery, and runs continuously throughout the duration of the Art Walk.

For instance, the Fraser Gallery at 7700 Wisconsin Avenue is hosting a solo exhibition of drawings by Andrew Wodzianski. An opening reception will be held in conjunction with the "Bethesda Art Walk" on Friday, October 9 from 6PM - 9PM.
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Another gallery to check out is Gallery Neptune, now in its sixth year, which just reopened recently on the second floor of the new Peripoint building located at 5001 Wilson Lane. The newly envisioned gallery is part of the transformation of a landmark structure at the crossroads of Old Georgetown Rd., Arlington Rd. and Wilson Lane. Designed by award winning architect Michael Belisle AIA, the original one story building now rises to three stories and will be applying for Silver Leed Cerification awarded by the United States Green Building Council for sustainable design. The building will feature a restaurant on the first floor with sidewalk seating and Bethesda's first roof terrace for outdoor dining. A third floor, with sweeping views of the city, is the new home to the Kinney Group, an information technology firm.

Founded by Elyse Harrison in 2003, Gallery Neptune presents monthly exhibitions featuring new work by top artists in the mid-atlantic region.

Bethesda is just a great place to live and enjoy. If you are thinking that this city is so fantastic that you want to move here, then you definately need to call Lise Howe to hire her as your realtor! Lise knows the neighborhoods of Bethesda very very well! She can help you find that perfect place.

Tomorrow is the end of summer by my definition. I know that the calendar says that we have a few more weeks until the autumnal equinox, but does it really matter that some day in late September has equal hours of daylight and dark?

Tuesday morning is the start of school in our house. Holton-Arms, my daughter's school, starts a little later than most. I know that we were lucky to have a few days of extra freedom since the public schools around here started a week ago, and my husband's grandchildren started school in Atlanta three weeks ago.

On Tuesday morning the alarm will go off and nine months of homework and stress will start all over again. My daughter is a sophomore this year, and I am beginning to treasure the few remaining days left until she leaves for college.

She is all ready for tomorrow - her hair is freshly washed and blow dried. Her clothes are laid out - if you can call a school uniform clothes! Is there anything lovelier than a fifteen year old girl? I think she is looking forward to starting back to school since the summer begins to drag on once August is gone.

I think about all the times that I have juggled work and mom time this summer - grateful for the time with her and frustrated at the conflict that took me away from necessary phone calls and appointments. Now the conflict is over and I miss the time with her already. I guess i just have to look forward to next summer.

FACT: More than 80% of buyers start their search on the Internet.

FACT: Buyers skip the listings that don't have pictures. They reason that the house must be really bad if there are no pictures. Agents won't show the property if there aren't photos, because they don't want to show a bad property, and without pictures, who can tell the good from the bad.

FACT: Buyers make their decisions on which houses to see based on the photos. Good photos get showings. Bad photos get skipped.

FACT: There are a lot of bad photos on the Internet. Photos of toilets with the lids up do not give the buyer something to get excited about. Photos of room corners or of the furniture don't inform the buyers. How about 6 photos of the exterior, the back yard, the bench outside the front door, and none of the interior - these don't draw the buyer in either. What about the photos that are so badly lit that you can't actually see the room.

FACT: Your seller is counting on you to do everything possible to sell their home. This includes putting the best image of their home possible on the Internet.

I recently hired a new photographer, REALTOURINC.com, and their photos are great. I have used them on my most recent listings, and guess what. Both went under contract quickly and for a price very close to asking. The photos were spectacular.

I have tried taking my own photos. I have tried VisualTour.com, complete with Spring from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. I had a lot of fun taking the photos and using the program to create the virtual tour, but you know what? I am NOT a photographer. My photos are underlit or washed out. I don't have a wide angle lens. My seller does not benefit from my do it yourself efforts. AND, I didn't either. At a minimum, the sale took longer.

I recently sold a home to a buyer who was very busy. The buyer chose 5 homes to look at - based on the photos on the Internet, and bought one of them. What about the other 35 homes in her price range that she didn't select. How do you think those sellers would feel, knowing that their photos knocked them out of the running before the "race" even started. How would your sellers feel if your bad photos cost them a buyer? Spend the money and hire a professional!

Good luck!

Lise Howe of Coldwell Banker, Chevy Chase Office