nevada county fair

Country Christmas Faire Coloring Contest

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Image courtesy of Nevada County Fairgrounds.

The Nevada County Fairgrounds is offering a coloring contest for children and adults as part of the annual Country Christmas Faire, November 23 – 25, at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

Coloring sheets are available at the Fairgrounds office on McCourtney Road or they can be downloaded at NevadaCountyFair.com.

There are two drawings to choose from, and it’s free to enter the coloring contest. Simply choose your favorite drawing, fill out the entry form, complete the drawing, and return it to the Nevada County Fairgrounds – either by mail or in person – before November 16.  The coloring contest is limited to one entry per person.

The coloring contest is divided into seven categories: five years old and under, 6 – 8 years, 9 – 12 years, 13 – 17 years, 18 – 64 years, 65 and over, and special needs. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded.  Winners will receive carnival ride coupons for the 2019 Nevada County Fair.   

All entries will be on display in Ponderosa Hall with the gingerbread houses during the Country Christmas Faire.  Winners will be announced with ribbons on opening day of the Country Christmas Faire.

The Country Christmas Faire features four exhibit buildings filled with handcrafted gifts and unique crafts. Visitors to the Faire also enjoy strolling musical entertainment, festival foods, wagon rides, a visit with Santa Claus, and a community bonfire. The Country Christmas Faire begins Friday, November 23, and runs through Sunday, November 25.  The hours are 10 am – 5 pm on Friday and Saturday; and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, and free to children 12 and under. Parking is free.  On Sunday only, bring a can of food and receive $1 off admission. All food will be collected by the Interfaith Food Ministry and distributed in December to those in need.  

For more information, visit Nevada County Fair or call (530) 273-6217.

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    Education, Environment

    Hogweed in Backyards: Beware It Can Burn And Blind you

    Hogweed is popping up in more backyards, and environmental agencies are warning of the dangers of coming into contact with it. For those who do, the giant weed can reportedly give you blisters, cause third-degree burns, and even permanently blind you if you get in your eyes.

    The towering weed may look unassuming. Realtor.com® describes it as looking similar to Queen Anne’s lace. However, it can grow up to 14 feet high and it can reproduce quickly and spread fast, appearing in urban, suburban, and rural areas’ yards and gardens. Don’t be fooled by its delicate white flowers either.

    “It has purple blotches and coarse white hairs along the stem, very large, lobed leaves with serrated edges, and a large white umbrella-shaped flower growing on top of the plant,” Daniel Waldhorn, a hogweed information line coordinator for New York state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, told realtor.com®.

    Hogweed is most often found in the northeast—Maine down to North Carolina. But it can also pop up elsewhere, like in Oregon or the Pacific Northwest. Craig Vacula, owner of Lawn Tech in Flemington, N.J., says that hogweed tends to grow best in areas with lots of rain and sunlight.

    The sap of hogweed is the true danger to humans. The sap covers the leaves and stems of the plant. “There are toxic chemicals in it called furanocoumarins that can cause photodermatitis—making your skin unable to protect itself from the sun, so it causes severe burning and blistering when exposed to ultraviolet light,” Vacula says.

    Reactions to the plant can happen within 15 minutes of coming into contact with it; blisters typically appear within 48 hours.

    For those who do come into contact with hogweed, wash immediately with soap and water and then consult a doctor, Waldhorn says. Also, if you suspect hogweed in a yard, report it to environmental services in your area and leave getting rid of it to the professionals, who will wear protective suits to eradicate it. Some states, like New York where hogweed is the most common, even have “hogwood hotlines” to report sightings.

    Source: Realtor.com®

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      Real Estate

      Would You Buy A Haunted House?

      Halloween, Fantasy, Tale, Dark, Night, Creepy, Darkness

      Picture courtesy of Pixabay

      October 31, 2018

      Home buyers may be so anxious to find a home that they aren’t even spooked if it’s rumored to be haunted. A new survey says one in three consumers say they’re willing to take a chance on a haunted home, but there needs to be something to sweeten the deal for them, according to realtor.com®’s annual Haunted Real Estate Report, based on responses from more than 1,000 Americans. However, 18 percent said a home that is haunted wouldn’t affect their purchase decision at all.

      “In a competitive market, it’s harder for prospective buyers to be extremely selective,” says Danielle Hale, realtor.com®’s chief economist. “If a house is commensurately priced, or has desirable features, the fact that it may be haunted seems to matter less. This report shows that, for those looking for a good deal, a lower price, better neighborhood, or larger kitchen can balance out a few spooky happenings.”

      To Buy or Not?

      Realtor.com® researchers asked respondents to decide between purchasing a haunted or non-haunted home. Responses fell within these three categories:

      • I’ll buy, but sweeten the deal: A third of respondents said they needed an incentive to buy a haunted house. They could be enticed by a lower sales price, larger kitchen, or better neighborhood.
      • I’ll buy, nothing else required: Eighteen percent of respondents said they’d buy a home believed to be haunted without any additional enticements. Nearly a quarter of consumers between the ages of 35 to 54 said they aren’t spooked by a haunted home.
      • No way am I buying: Forty-nine percent said there is no price low enough, no kitchen large enough to make them want to buy a haunted house. Older generations appear to be the most reluctant to move into a haunted house, according to the survey. Sixty-one percent of consumers over the age of 55 said they would never buy a haunted house compared to 41 percent of millennials or Gen Xers who said they wouldn’t.

      Haunted homes are not uncommon in real estate. Nearly two in five consumers surveyed say they have lived in a haunted—or possibly haunted—house. Forty-four percent of respondents say they either suspected it or were fully aware it was haunted before moving in. What makes a home haunted house? Respondents said hearing strange noises (54%), odd feelings in certain rooms (45%), and erratic pet behavior (34%).

      Source: Realtor.com®

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        Uncategorized

        How to Afford a Pricier House in the Neighborhood You Love

        NewsUSA) – When Danielle and Jimmy returned to their home state after three years in Germany, they spent the next six months looking for their first home.

        “Location was so important to us. We got used to walking everywhere while we were in Germany. Grocery stores, restaurants, beer gardens and pubs were all within walking distance of our apartment. We wanted to find a neighborhood like that,” explains Danielle, an employee relations attorney.

        They found the perfect neighborhood: Bay View, Wisconsin. They also found a house in a perfect location, right across from a park, with a lovely view of Lake Michigan.

        But the house itself wasn’t so perfect: it needed about $20,000 worth of renovations. And the sale price was on the high side of their price range.

        “We looked at other homes in the neighborhood that were cheaper and in better shape. But we kept coming back to this one. It was in the perfect spot. And when we found out there is a beer garden in the park in summer, it was a done deal!” Danielle says.

        They successfully closed on the house in January and spent a month painting, installing a new kitchen floor and remodeling the master bath before they moved in.

        So how did Danielle and Jimmy manage to buy a more expensive home and have money left over to fix it up? With direction from their loan officer, here’s how they did it:

        1. They were pre-approved before starting the house hunt, so they knew their price range.

        2. They used conventional financing with private mortgage insurance, which allowed them to put down 5 percent instead of 20 percent. Their mortgage payment is higher, but still within their monthly budget.

        3. The lower down payment made it possible to buy the more expensive home.

        4. Putting less money down also allowed them to keep cash for the renovations.

        For more information on how to purchase a home with conventional financing and a low down payment, check out the articles and videos on this website, created especially for first-time homebuyers: contact us by the contact form below.

           

          animals

          Three Surprising Ways to Save Money on Pet Care

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          (NewsUSA) – Owning a pet comes with a lot of benefits — but caring for a pet can also have an unwelcome impact on your budget. According to the ASPCA, owning a dog or cat can cost up to $1,000 in the first year, and many people end up spending much more. The good news is, you can cut your pet care expenses without compromising your pet’s health and wellbeing. Here are a few tips to save money on pet care:

          1. Don’t skip the vet.

          If you’re trying to save money, it can be tempting to cut back on veterinary visits. But, according to Julie Ciarmella of the American Veterinary Medicine Association, “an investment in preventive healthcare can reduce your long-term pet healthcare costs.” Why? Because regular check-ups can prevent expensive complications down the road.

          2. Get by with a little help from your friends.

          Dog-walking, pet-sitting and kennel services can be one of the most expensive aspects of owning a pet. You can save money by taking the “you scratch my dog’s back, I’ll scratch your cat’s chin” approach and tapping into a network of other pet owners in your area. Neighborhood dog parks are great places to meet like-minded pet lovers; or you could try good old fashioned advertising.

          3. Choose high-quality pet products that give you more value for your money.

          Reaching for the cheapest product can feel like a thrifty move, but you may be surprised by the impact “cheap” products can have on your budget. For example, cheaper clay cat litter needs to be changed more often — 

          In the end, remember that what your pet needs most is love. Keep things simple and invest in high-value products where it matters, and you’ll be on your way to a pet-care budget that works for you.

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          For all your real estate needs
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            nevada county fair

            Nevada County Fair Schedules Livestock Meeting

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            Nevada County Fair officials have scheduled a livestock meeting for Tuesday, September 11, to review the 2018 Fair’s livestock exhibits and to plan for the 2019 Fair.

            The meeting will be held at 6 pm in Ponderosa Hall at the Nevada County Fairgrounds (Gate 2) on McCourtney Road. FFA advisors, 4-H leaders, Grange leaders, exhibitors and others interested in the Nevada County Fair livestock exhibits are invited to participate. While no specific timing is assigned to each species, the critique order is small animals, goats, beef, sheep and swine.  

            The livestock meeting is set each year following the Fair so that those involved in the Fair’s livestock exhibits can review and discuss what worked, as well as recommend improvements for the following year.

            The 2019 Nevada County Fair is August 7 – 11. For more information about the Fair and the Nevada County Fairgrounds, visit http://www.NevadaCountyFair.com.

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              Real Estate

              Wildfire Risks Are Not Deterring Buyers

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              The risk of wildfires isn’t deterring some home buyers from purchasing in an area, even if the area has been struck by blazes in recent years. Real estate prices in wildfire-prone areas are in line with homes in low-risk areas, even immediately after fires, according to a new study.

              Americans may watch media coverage of out-of-control blazes, mass evacuations, and even deaths from recent wildfires out west, but that isn’t deterring them from making these areas their home, notes Shawn McCoy, a research economist from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

              Residential growth in forested areas across the U.S. has significantly risen in recent years, increasing from an estimate 30.8 million housing units in 1990 to 43.4 million by 2010. More people living in such areas puts a greater risk for large-scale natural disasters, researchers note.

              Any impact to an area’s housing sales following a wildfire tends to rebound in one to two years after the blazes, researchers note. McCoy expects the same will occur in the recent California wildfires.

              “Despite an initial drop in real estate prices in risk-prone areas, the results of our study suggest that homebuyers’ initial fears about fire risk will fade, and development in risk areas may continue to increase,” McCoy says. “This is a problem: A lot of recent work shows that wildfires are not just a result of changes in global climates, but also rapid housing development into forested lands.”

              For the study, McCoy and co-author Randy P. Walsh of the University of Pittsburgh examined real estate transaction data from nearly 360,000 properties across eight Colorado counties, which had been affected by 18 severe wildfires between 2000 and 2012. The study has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

              Source: “Wildfire Risk Doesn’t Douse Housing Demand,” University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Aug. 27, 2018)

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                Real Estate

                Four Things You Don’t Want To Put In Your Garage

                You’ve got lots of stuff, and the garage is a super-convenient place to put it. But putting these items out there could be hazardous—for them, or for you

                Source Realtor.com

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                  nevada county fair

                  Nevada County Fair Tickets Now on Sale 2018

                  Fair

                  Fair Office to extend its hours and open the weekend before the Fair for discounted tickets! 

                  Tickets for the Nevada County Fair are on sale now. Purchase your admission, carnival tickets, and arena event tickets before the Fair begins and save time and money!  The Fair Office is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and Guest Services will be open specifically for ticket sales on Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5 from 10 am to 5 pm on both days. You can also save time by purchasing your Fair tickets online at NevadaCountyFair.com.

                  Buy your admission tickets before August 7 at 5 pm and get an admission ticket for $7.  You can also take advantage of other presale offers, including a five-day Fair pass with unlimited entry for $30, an event parking pass for $25, or a carnival ride bracelet (good for unlimited rides on any one day) for $25.  

                  Now is the time to also purchase your arena event tickets – including tickets to this year’s all new Truck and Tractor Pulls! Tickets are on sale now for the Flying U Extreme Rodeo on Wednesday, Truck and Tractor Pulls on Thursday night, Monster Trucks and Tough Trucks on Friday and Saturday night, and the Destruction Derby on Sunday night.

                  There are several ways to get your Fair tickets early. Purchase them online at NevadaCountyFair.com, stop by the Fair Office on McCourtney Road, or call the Fair Office at (530) 273-6217 by August 7 at 5 pm.

                  The Fair Office at Gate 1 is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and Guest Services at Gate 1 will also be open on Saturday, August 4, and Sunday, August 5, from 10 am to 5 pm on both days.

                  After August 7, ticket prices for the Fair are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for children
                  6-12, and free to children under the age of 5.  There are also new special promotions on each day of the Fair:

                  • Wednesday: Scholar Students Day

                  Free admission for Nevada County Honor Roll students until 5 pm

                  (by invitation only from the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools)

                   

                  • Thursday: Community Day
                    Free coupon book with coupons for Treat Street, souvenirs and the Draft Horse Classic
                    for the first 10,000 customers.

                  Free admission for disabled persons until 5 pm

                   

                  • Friday: Family Friday

                  Free parking in Fair lots until noon

                  One free carnival ride coupon for first 500 guests

                   

                  • Saturday: Military Appreciation Day

                  Free admission for active and retired military (who show ID) until 5 pm

                  • Sunday: Sunday Funday

                  Free admission for children 12 and under until 5 pm

                   

                  This year’s Nevada County Fair is August 8 – 12 and it is filled with “Bushels of Fun!”  The phone number is (530) 273-6217 and the website is NevadaCountyFair.com.

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                    nevada county fair

                    Free Vision/Hearing Screening Services at Nevada County Fairgrounds

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                    Local Lions Club Will Provide Free Vision/Hearing  Screenings July 30, 2018

                    As part of Community Involvement Day, the Foothill Lions Club will provide free glaucoma and vision screening services as well as free hearing testing to adults and children at the Nevada County Fair’s Community Involvement Day on Monday, July 30, from 1 – 6 pm at Gate 1 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

                    For the vision screenings, the Lions will utilize the Northern California Lions Sight Associations Vision Screening Unit, a fully-equipped motorhome that is designed to offer no-cost glaucoma and visual screening services to those who otherwise might not be able to afford it. The services are available for adults and children. The Lions Club will be staffing the unit, and local optometrists –Dr. Jerry Chan, OD and Dr. Tiffany Chan, OD – will volunteer their services for the day.

                    New this year, Foothill Lions will also be offering free hearing tests for adults and children. The testing will be provided by Sol Barros, an audiologist specialist from Audiology Associates Hearing Center who will donate her time for this event. All screenings at this event are free, as the Foothill Lions Club covers all costs.

                    The free hearing and vision screening is provided as part of Community Involvement Day, a day to donate items to nonprofit organizations – the Food Bank of Nevada County, Foothill Lions, Nevada County 2-1-1, NEO Youth Center, Story Club, Community Beyond Violence, Cinderella Project, The Karing Closet, Gold Country YMCA, Nevada County Pets in Need, Nevada County Diaper Project, and The White Barn Project – in exchange for coupons for buy one, get one adult admission tickets to the Fair.  Or, donate blood through BloodSource on that day and receive a free admission ticket to the Fair.  The organizations will be at the Fairgrounds Gate 1 parking lot and Main Street Center on Monday, July 30, from 1 – 6 pm.

                    This year’s “Bushels of Fun!” Nevada Cunty Fair is August 8 – 12.  For information, visit NevadaCountyFair.com.

                     

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