From the Office – Page 17 – Pine Cove Water District

Archive for From the Office

Communication

Posted by admin on March 19, 2014

Here at the Pine Cove Water District, communication with our customers is a top priority. We think we do a pretty good job, however, at a recent meeting, we were informed that we need to improve communication with our customers. With that in mind, we would like to ask your input on our communication methods and what you think we could do better or more of. Below is a list of the methods we have employed and services we provide thus far.

We include a newsletter or information we think our customers will find useful in each billing cycle, which occurs every other month on the even months.
Information board in the office with all sorts of helpful tips and information.
Winterizing pamphlets that help our customers prepare for the cold weather.
Website and blog at www.pcwd.org and www.pcwd.org/blog. These are available 24 hours a day and contain a plethora of information on not only the water district, but on a variety of interesting topics that we feel would be helpful to Pine Cove residents.
Community Outreach. We have had a booth at the Earth Fair for several years now as well as the Book Fair at the Idyllwild School. We also speak at local meetings and the school when requested.
We have worked with the Idyllwild Garden Club as well as a local native plant grower.
We work with the Idyllwild Historic Society and have provided them with items to auction off.
We work closely with the Pine Cove Property Owners Association and provide information to them for their newsletters and speak at their monthly meetings when asked to do so.
We also work closing with the Fire Safe Council and provide them with water district information as well as providing our customers with Fire Safe Council information.
We are available by phone and in person Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm and we are now open during lunch most days. Our phone number is 951-659-2675 and our office is located at 24917 Marion Ridge Road, right next to the fire station. Stop in and see us!
Free Stuff! Water conservation kits, mulch and compost are currently available free of charge to help our customers conserve water indoors and out.
Public meetings and public hearings. Our monthly board meetings and any public hearings are open to the public and we encourage our customers to attend. If you are unable to attend our meetings, you may write a letter to the General Manager or to the Board of Directors and drop it by the office. Or you can send it to PO Box 2296, Idyllwild, CA 92549. You can also call the General Manager and voice your concerns.
Agendas and minutes for all meetings are posted on our website in case you are unable to attend our meetings.
Customer appreciation lunch when the budget allows.
Mailbox and paper machines for customer convenience.
Mail slot in water district office door for drop off of after hours payments or letters to the district.
A Transparency Award by the California Special Leadership District.

So what do you think? Are we doing enough to let people know what is going on around the district? What are your ideas? What would you like to see us doing to keep everyone better informed? We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas. You can leave a message here on the blog, call us, write to us, stop by the office or email us at Vicki@pcwd.org or Becky@pcwd.org or Jerry@pcwd.org. Talk to us!

Tags: communication, customers, information

Posted in: Around the District, Board Meetings, Board Members, Community, Customer Infomation, From the Office

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Stage I Water Conservation

Posted by admin on March 14, 2014

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014, our board of directors declared a water emergency at a public hearing. Due to the current drought and the lack of winter snow and rain, they felt the time has come to move back into a conservation stage. Stage I takes effect as of April 1st.

As most of you will remember from the last time we were in Stage I, this is voluntary compliance. Customers are asked to conserve, whenever possible, the amount of water used for domestic and business purposes. Fix leaking pipes, faucets and toilets. Refrain from washing down or hosing off sidewalks and driveways. Do not sprinkle unplanted areas for dust control. Utilize the free compost and woodchips we provide to our customers to minimize watering in the garden.

In Stage I, water prices do not increase until the 4th tier of 18,000 to 24,000 gallons. Any increases will appear in the June bills.

As past experience has shown us, the residents of Pine Cove do a wonderful job of conserving water and we have no doubt that they will once again step up to the plate and do what they can to save as much water as possible. We will be monitoring this situation very closely and will keep our customers informed on any new developments, good or bad.

Tags: public hearing, Stage 1 Conservation

Posted in: Around the District, Board Members, Community, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Water Conservation

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Rain Barrels

Posted by admin on March 12, 2014

If you missed out on our rain barrel purchase program last year, fear not.

Rain Barrel from last year’s promotion.

I now have instructions that show you how to make your own rain barrel, here at the district office that you can pick up free of charge. Or you can go to this address and look it up for yourself if you’d rather.

http://www.shelterness.com/great-diy-rain-barrel-for-those-who-want-to-go-green/

Rain water harvesting is an excellent way to collect water for outside use. If you are interested in learning more about harvesting rain water, I recommend going to Brad Lancaster’s website at http://www.harvestingrainwater.com/. He is one of the leading experts in rain water harvesting and saving and reducing water usage. I highly recommend his books, videos and website as they are a wealth of information. He also shares a lot of information on how to make your property act like a sponge and retain the rain that does fall on it. He has many tips and tricks that we can all implement in our own gardens in order to take better advantage of any moisture that we do receive, such as creating berms and swales.

You can also amend the soil in your garden so that it is more absorbent and retains more water. We have free compost available for Pine Cove water customers as well as wood chips that you can apply to help retain moisture and will gradually decompose over time and add even more nutrients to the soil.

Tags: composting, rain barrels, rain water harvesting, Wood Chips

Posted in: Around the District, Compost, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Garden, Rain, Rain Barrels, Rain Water Harvesting, The Garden, Water Conservation, Wood chips

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More Space Saving Ideas

Posted by admin on March 5, 2014

Here on the hill, gardening is challenging for many reasons. A short growing season, water restrictions and poor soil, micro climates and shade are just some of the issues we contend with. As gardeners, we are forced to come up with clever ways to overcome these challenges. Each gardener is different and has different wants and needs for his or her garden, so each person must customize solutions to fit their particular gardening needs.

One challenge many gardeners everywhere face, is space. Or lack thereof. This is why container gardening and raised bed gardens are so wonderful. They allow us to garden without acres of land to till or to fit a garden into a spot that would be unsuitable for a traditional garden. Everything from flowers to fruits and veggies to herbs, can be grown in containers or raised beds.

But now you want to branch out, literally, and grow some fruit trees. A typical 1/4 acre lot can only hold so many trees and if your property is like mine, putting in a bunch of fruit trees would eliminate most of the usable space in my yard. However, if the thought of walking outside and picking the perfect apples for a pie or a big, juicy peach is something you covet, then why not think about espalier?

Beautiful! So neat and tidy.

Espalier is the art of pruning and training trees and their branches to be on one plane. It is usually done against a fence or a wall, however, by installing posts and wires, you can espalier a fruit tree just about anywhere in your yard or garden. It is an excellent way to add fruit trees to your garden or homestead without taking up valuable real estate.

Posts and wires for espalier trees.

Plus the fruit is extremely easy to pick as compared to normal fruit trees. If you have ever attempted to pick the apples from the top of a tall apple tree, you will know what I mean and will appreciate being able to pick fruit easily and without a ladder, from an espaliered tree.

Much easier to pick apples from trees that are espaliered. Give it a try. I will be doing this in my garden!

Tags: espalier, fruit trees, gardening, raised bed gardens, small space gardening

Posted in: Around the District, Community, Customer Infomation, Edible Landscaping, From the Office, gardening, Homesteading, The Garden

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More Benefits of Raised Bed Gardens

Posted by admin on March 5, 2014

We have already discussed some of the benefits of raised bed gardening, but today I would like to add a few more that you may not have thought about. We know that a raised bed garden provides improved soil, easy access and simplified weed and pest control, but some other benefits include improved drainage and increased yields as well as all of the above mentioned benefits.

An obvious benefit of a raised bed garden is improved drainage. Since you are mixing the soil to your own specifications, you can create a fine loam regardless of the type of soil in your yard. So you never have to worry about native soil that drains either too quickly or too slowly.

Another benefit of raised beds is an increased yield. Raised beds warm up more quickly than does the surrounding soil, so that allows for planting earlier than you would in a traditional garden. It is also easier to make a cover or cold frame for a raised bed garden, than it is for an in ground garden. This allows you to create a mini greenhouse and gives you several weeks of addition garden time.

In addition, the light, un-compacted soil in a raised bed, improves the movement of both water and air allowing roots to spread out more easily to obtain nutrients and water. This makes it possible to plant a raised bed more densely than one would in the same amount of space in a traditional garden. This in turn translates into higher yields. You are also able to plant more in a raised bed garden due to the fact that no space in the garden needs to be devoted to paths.

Overall, raised bed gardens are superior. Their customized heights, shapes, sizes and the variety of materials used to build them, allow everyone to enjoy gardening, regardless of their budget, space, or physical condition. They are easy to maintain and manage and have improved production. They save space, time and money. So why not give them a try in your yard?

Tags: advantages, gardening, increased yield, raised bed gardens

Posted in: Customer Infomation, Edible Landscaping, From the Office, Raised Bed Gardens, The Garden

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Customer Pics

Posted by admin on March 4, 2014

I always encourage our customers to send me pictures from around their yards showing what is happening here in Pine Cove. Sue Hrbek and Wayne Olson sent me these pictures of a blue bird making use of the blue bird house they got from us last year.

This a good time to remind everyone with a blue bird house that now is a great time to clean them out so they are ready to go for this years birds. They may be nesting earlier than normal this year do to the unseasonably warm weather. So let’s be ready for them.

If you do not have a blue bird house of your own, stop by the water district office during regular business hours and we will give you one for FREE! That’s right. We are giving away free blue bird houses. They are made from recycled wood right in the district workshop by the boys, Jerry and Jeremy. Pick yours up today.

Tags: birds, blue birds, houses, nesting

Posted in: Animals, Around the District, Community, From the Office

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Nice Week Ahead

Posted by admin on March 4, 2014

Now that the storm has passed, we are looking at a nice week ahead. Back to sunshine and 50 degree daytime temps. While we did get some nice rain over the weekend, the storm did not produce a lot of snow as we had hoped it would. We are now in March, spring is approaching and while there is always a chance we could still get some snow, the possibility seems to be getting slimmer and slimmer as each day passes by.

While we are not in dire straights water wise just yet, this winter has been extremely dry and we need to prepare ourselves for a drought situation. Getting in the habit of conserving water now, both inside and out, will go a long way in helping to ease the pressure on our ground water supplies. We never know when or if Mother Nature will provide us with adequate moisture, so it is better to be safe than sorry. It is always a good practice to conserve water regardless of the drought situation or lack there of. We can never go wrong by using less water any time of the year.

Please feel free to explore our blog and our website for more ideas on how to conserve water around your mountain home.

Tags: conservation, ground water supply, rain, snow, water, weather

Posted in: Conservation, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Water Conservation

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The Rain Has Arrived!

Posted by admin on February 28, 2014

Oh happy day! The rains have arrived. So far today we have received .75 of an inch of rain, according to our weather station which is located up at the Rocky Point tank site. The rain total for February is 1.38 inches, however, that total was received in just the last 36 hours or so. That is a lot of rain for such a short period of time!

Right now it is about 10:45 a.m. and here at the district office in Pine Cove, it is raining hard and steady with the occasional burst of wind which cause the rain to go sideways. There is a light fog and the rain has periods of hard down pour and then light drizzle.

The weather forecast is calling for snow tonight, tomorrow and tomorrow night. There is a possibility of 10 to 14 inches falling tonight and another 10 to 14 inches tomorrow and another 5 to 9 inches on Saturday night. Let’s hope the temperatures stay cool and we receive as much wonderful snow as possible. We need this moisture very badly and the arrival of this storm is just what the doctor ordered.

Please prepare yourself for winter weather and a lot of snow. Do not travel if you do not have to. If you do have to venture out, make sure you carry chains, a small shovel, some sand or cat litter, a couple extra blankets, some snacks, a flashlight and anything else you think you may need should you get stranded. Make sure your cell phone is charged up and ready to go before you leave.

Animals. Please, please, please take proper precautions and preparations if you have animals that live outside. No matter what animals you have, make sure they are winter weather ready. They need a shelter that is clean and dry and will protect them from the rain, wind, snow and cold. Fresh, dry, unsoiled bedding should be in place along with an area with fresh food and clean, warm water. No animal likes or wants to stand in rain, snow mud or feces.

If possible, bring your dogs inside. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of dogs are not equipped to live outside, full time, in extreme heat and cold. At the very least, please bring your dogs inside to a garage or utility room and give them some soft, warm bedding along with fresh food and clean water. Even better is a bed by the wood burner or fireplace in the same room with you. Remember, your dog loves you and wants to be around you. You are your dog’s world. Please think twice before you get a dog that has to be banished to the outside constantly. If this is the only life you can provide for a dog, perhaps this is not the season of life for you to be a dog owner. Just think how you would feel if you were banished from human contact for the majority of the time and had to live in the elements 24/7. Our animal friends depend on us for their every need, so please be the good person your dog thinks you are and provide them with lots of love and attention and tend to their physical needs.

Enjoy the rain and the snow everyone!

Tags: animals, rain, snow, weather, wind

Posted in: Animals, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Rain, Storms, Weather

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Raised Bed Gardening

Posted by admin on February 25, 2014

In a previous post, I talked about container gardening. Containers are a great way to grow flowers, vegetables and herbs. But perhaps you want something bigger or more permanent. While you could buy a rototiller and start digging up your yard, a much better solution would be to install a raised bed garden.

What is a raised bed garden? Well it is very simple. It is a garden bed where the soil level is higher than that on the paths and yard around them. They can be any size, shape or height that you desire and can even be built in a way that makes them wheelchair accessible. They can be built with a wide variety of materials and can be as spartan or as decorative as you wish. You are only limited by your imagination. Here are some great examples to get you thinking about what you could do in your own garden.

Raised beds made out of beautiful stone.

Raised bed garden on top of a chicken coop! This is a great idea.

An enchanting raised bed garden.

A colorful raised bed garden! Kids would love to help you garden here.

Fitting a raised bed garden in along a fence line.

A raised bed garden with different sizes and heights.

A rustic raised bed garden that would eliminate stooping!

A round raised bed garden made out of landscaping stones. Check out the rain barrel as well!

Custom shaped raised beds.

key hole raised bed garden A keyhole style raised bed with a trellis. Great for a small space.

As you can see, there are endless ways to incorporate raised beds into your landscape, but just what exactly are the benefits of raised bed gardening you may be asking? Well, there are several.

First of all, and probably the most importing reason, is the soil. Since you will be filling the raised bed yourself, it becomes an opportunity to get high quality soil and a custom blend of fertilizer and amendments for your specific growing needs. This is especially important if you live in an area with poor or rocky soil which would make digging up a garden difficult. With a raised bed garden, there will be no digging,no rototilling or any other back breaking labor. While the initial filling will involve a little work, once your bed is filled, it will only require once a year amending with a good compost.

The second advantage to a raised bed garden is the ability to tailor it to your specific needs. If you have a problem with critters digging from underground, you can put hardware cloth under your raised bed to thwart their activities. A raised bed garden enables you to screen it in to protect it from birds, squirrels and other critters that would love to eat what you grow. You can also extend your growing season with a raised bed garden by installing row covers or even adding a cold frame on top of your raised bed. All of these things are easier to do with a raised bed garden. Here are some examples.

Lining your raised bed with hardware cloth to prevent critters from digging in from underneath.

Wire frame to set over the raised bed garden to keep critters and birds out.

Fenced in raised bed to keep animals out.

A totally enclosed raised bed garden.

Raised bed garden with screened A frame. Would be easy to throw plastic over this as well.

Plastic covered frames for raised bed garden act as a greenhouse.

Hoop covers made from PVC pipe for raised beds.

Enclosed raised bed garden.

PVC pipe frame over a raised bed ready for plastic to be added.

So I think this gives you enough to think about for one post! Next time I will discuss the drainage and yield aspects of raised bed gardens. Stay tuned!

Tags: cold frame, gardening, raised beds, soil

Posted in: Customer Infomation, From the Office, Homesteading, Raised Bed Gardens, The Garden

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Weather Coming

Posted by admin on February 24, 2014

Some wet weather is finally coming our way. By the looks of the weather forecast, we should get some rain or snow by the end of this week. It doesn’t look like much so far, but when it comes to predicting the weather, one never really knows for sure. Let’s all hope we get more moisture than is predicted as we need it desperately. This winter has been practically non-existent so far and while these mild and sunny days are certainly enjoyable, they are doing nothing for our water situation.

Conserving water whenever possible is also an important part of our water situation. Luckily, Pine Covers are very aware, concerned and educated about our water supply and as a result, they are very good about conserving water as much as possible. If you aren’t sure how you can reduce your water usage, we have many water conservation tips here on the blog and on our website at pcwd.org that are useful for conserving water both inside the house as well as outside.

And don’t forget to turn your water off at your customer valve anytime you leave you mountain home. This is the best way to prevent damage from a leak when you are not at your mountain home. We also have water conservation kits here at the office. Stop in and pick one up for your home!

Tags: conservation, storm

Posted in: Community, Conservation, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Frozen Pipes, Water Conservation, Weather

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