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Joe Thomas’ Grilled Antelope Medallions

by Exmark

Joe Thomas is part of an elite group of hunters who’ve harvested the 29 North American animal species needed to claim Super Slam status. So, to say he knows a thing or two about timber-to-table cooking is likely an understatement.

In this episode, host and fellow bowhunter David Bancroft joins Thomas to cook one of his favorite hunt-camp meals: grilled antelope medallions. 

You can be a part of the “medallion battalion” with the help of Thomas’ recipe.

In this episode of Prime Cuts, watch as James Beard-nominated chef David Bancroft and North American Super Slam winner Joe Thomas cook up a delicious delicacy; grilled antelope medallions. In case you didn’t know, there are twenty-nine North American animal species that hunters are required to harvest in order to achieve the Super Slam title. That makes Joe Thomas perfectly situated to know all about timber-to-table cooking. It also means he can hold his own while cooking with an expert like longtime restauranteur David Bancroft, no stranger to wild game himself.

The antelope Thomas and Bancroft cook-up in this video was harvested in Wyoming. He took the antelope down with a bow, as with all but two of Thomas’ Super Slam harvests. The recipe they’re using is one that’s a favorite of Thomas and his friends at their hunting camp. As he says, it’s simple, but it makes an amazing meal. The secret is using butterflied medallions and cooking them quickly at a high temperature. This ensures the meat isn’t overdone. Instead, it will come out pink in the center and seared on all sides for the optimal taste profile.

About Antelope

Antelope is naturally low in fat and incredibly high in protein. This makes it not only scrumptious but also a wonderfully nutritious option for your wild game cooking. Despite being a great meal, it’s not easy to harvest your own antelope as they’re most commonly found in Africa. There are, however, some great options for sourcing antelope meat in the States. Experts recomend that you work with a reputable butcher to purchase your antelope meat.

While it’s unlikely you’ll be able to harvest the antelope yourself like Joe Thomas, you can enjoy this from the comfort of your own backyard. Try something adventurous with an unbeatable flavor that’s sure to impress everyone at your next backyard event.


How to Build a Compost Bin From Recycled Pallets

by Exmark

In this Backyard Life video, landscape designer and Done-In-A-Weekend Projects host Doug Scott is joined by a very special guest: Joe Lamp’l. Joe’s the host of the Emmy Award-winning show “Growing a Greener World,” as well as a backyard composting guru! Together, they’ll show you how to build a compost bin (a 3-bin system, to be exact) out of recycled pallets. This DIY project is easy, inexpensive, and as good for the environment as it is for your garden!

Joe’s been composting personally for many years, and has taught thousands of people how to do the same through his TV show, instructional blog posts, and Joe Gardener podcasts. So he’s the perfect person to show us how to build a backyard composting bin system.

Backyard Composting Basics: The 3 Rs of Composting

Composting is simply the natural process by which food and other organic materials decompose, although in a controlled environment. By providing the perfect place for bacteria, fungi, and other decomposing organisms to live, you can speed up the decomposition process to create what gardeners call “black gold.” (That’s green-thumb slang for nutrient-rich compost!)

So, what about the “Three Rs?” Well, they stand for: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The waste management industry has actually used this 3-R mantra for years—and composting exemplifies how all three come together into one concept.

  • Reduce: Composting food scraps and yard waste in your backyard reduces the amount of garbage you throw out—which in turn reduces the amount of space needed in our landfills, the resources required to process garbage, and the associated costs—both financially and environmentally.
  • Reuse: Composting reuses food scraps and other compostable materials by turning them into nutrient-rich compost. You can use that compost in your garden to improve the health of your plants.
  • Recycle: Recycling doesn’t have to mean using something for the same purpose it was initially made to do. For example, paper products don’t have to be recycled back into paper. They can also be a valuable addition to your backyard composting process, too. Namely, they serve as a source of carbon, aiding water retention and increasing soil volume in the process.

3-Bin Compost System Build

There are a couple of things to note about the compost bin system that Joe and Doug build in this video:

  • Pallets: Keeping with the 3-R theme, these compost bins are made from pallets. These are things you can often find free, or at a very low cost.
  • 3-Bin: Although you may find plans for compost systems with one or two bins, ours has three bins. As Joe explains, this allows you to have a bin for each of the three phases of the composting process:
    1. Add new material to bin 1.
    2. At this point, composting is well underway in bin 2. Don’t add anything to the compost, it’s not yet ready to be used.
    3. Compost in bin 3’s ready for the garden!

If you have the room, cycling through the three portions of the compost bin with pallets makes your efforts a great deal easier.

For step-by-step plans for this 3-bin backyard composting system, click here. And, with these plans in-hand, you’ll be composting in no time.

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How to Install a Lawn Striping Kit

by Brian Latimer

Last season, Exmark’s ‘Mow Like A Pro’ video was viewed by thousands of lawn fanatics. Because of this, Done-In-A-Weekend Projects host Doug Scott and Brian Latimer are back by popular demand! In this ‘Stripe Like A Pro’ video, landscape pro-turned-bass pro Brian Latimer dives even deeper into how to stripe a lawn like the pros. In addition to answering frequently asked ‘Mow Like A Pro’ questions, such as installing a lawn striping kit, Brian pays a visit to his local Exmark dealer to learn how to install a lawn striping kit on his Lazer Z.

Striping FAQs

Why even stripe lawns in the first place?

BLat: The number one reason most people stripe their lawn is to give it a nice, neat professional look. Two other important reasons are to help minimize soil compaction and optimize light penetration.

How do you properly maneuver a mower to create professional-looking lawn stripes?

BLat: First and foremost, just stay straight. Focusing on an object ahead of you (like a tree, home door or window) will help you maintain straight mowing lines.

Is making multiple passes a lawn striping technique you recommend? And, what are the pros and cons of making them?

BLat: Although lawns can be striped with multiple passes, doing so will compact the soil—which isn’t good for lawn health. An alternative to making multiple mowing passes is outfitting your mower with a striping kit. Not only will it help you achieve a professionally striped look, it will allow you to do so in a single pass. As a result, your soil won’t become unnecessarily compacted.

How to Install a Mower Striping Kit

Brian then stops into his longtime Exmark dealership—Anderson Power Equipment—to demonstrate how to properly and safely install a striping kit on his Lazer Z mower. You’ll find the basic installation steps below, but be sure to reference this video, as well as the instructions provided in both your striping kit and mower’s owner’s manual.

Step 1: Mount the red brackets onto the back of the mower deck.

Step 2: Attach the roller to the brass brackets. (The roller is what lays the grass one way or the other, depending on the direction you’re mowing.*)

Step 3: Once the roller is secured to the brass brackets, finish the install by attaching the brass brackets to the red brackets already mounted to your mower deck.

If you’d prefer, you can always have a certified Exmark technician install the striping kit at your local dealership.

Notes on Adjusting the Roller:

  • You’re able to adjust the roller relative to the height you’re mowing your grass (which oftentimes varies depending on your yard’s grass type).
  • For taller grass, like Fescue, you’ll want to adjust your striping kit higher.
  • For shorter grass, like Bermuda, you’ll adjust the striping kit lower.

If you’re interested in buying an Exmark striping kit, visit your local Exmark dealer.

How to Build a DIY Wooden Bird Feeder

by Exmark

Birds bring both a wonderful sense of calm and a great deal of entertainment to any outdoor space. So, to attract more birds to your backyard, learn how to build a DIY wooden bird feeder your feathered friends can begin calling home.

In this Backyard Life video, landscape designer and Done-In-A-Weekend Projects host Doug Scott, demonstrates building one—out of an inexpensive cedar picket, to be exact. Doug also identifies the different types of bird feeders available to choose from. He even provides tips on ideal locations to hang your DIY masterpiece, and provides you with a bird feeder plan for your personal use!

Types of Bird Feeders

Some of the most popular bird feeders include:

  • Tray (or platform) feeders, are easy to refill, and relatively inexpensive.
  • House feeders provide better protection against the elements and squirrels, and you can fill them with several days’ worth of food.
  • Window feeders allow you to enjoy birds up close and personal since they’re attached right to your window.
  • Tube feeders are another great option. They come in a wide variety of sizes. You can tailor them to the types and number of birds you hope to attract.

To create the best birding experience in your backyard, consider having a mix of bird feeders throughout your outdoor spaces.

Tips for Bird Feeder Placement

Where placement’s concerned, Doug suggests considering where you put your bird feeder from both your point of view, as well as the birds’:

  • Make sure to place the feeder where you can watch it from inside your home or from places in your yard that you typically hang out.
  • Pick a spot where it’ll be easier to refill and maintain your bird feeder.
  • Keep in mind that there’s always a little mess that comes with a bird feeder. Birds will scatter seeds and leave their droppings everywhere.
  • You’ll attract more birds if your feeder is located away from human activity or noise.
  • Place your feeder near-natural shelter like trees or shrubs, so birds will have a place to retreat if danger arrives.
  • Most importantly, consider the birds’ safety.
    • Keep feeders away from places where chemicals are regularly sprayed.
    • Don’t place feeders in places that could put birds on a collision course with your home’s windows!

Bird Feeder Plans

The bird feeder that Doug chose for this video is a simple design—really a combination of a tray feeder and a house feeder. Like a tray feeder, you simply place the seed in a tray; but, like a house feeder, there is a roof to protect it. It can be placed on a pole or hung from a support, providing all kinds of flexibility.

There are quite a few different bird feeder plans you can choose from. They range from simple and easy to elaborate and challenging, and are typically customizable. Our favorite, of course, is the great plan Doug chose for this video.

To download materials and tools lists, as well as step-by-step plans for this super easy DIY wooden bird feeder, click here.

Happy birding!

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Five DIY String Light Patterns for Your Patio

by Exmark

So, you’ve created the backyard of your dreams and love everything about it! But being able to see your surroundings can sometimes be a challenge once the sun’s gone down—and hiring a professional to install outdoor lighting can be a bit pricey. So, that’s where installing your own string lights comes into play. They’re a simple and cost-effective solution for illuminating outdoor spaces. Best of all, you can create a look that reflects your personal style by using any number of patio string light patterns available online.

Get to Stringing Those Lights

In a previous Done-In-A-Weekend Projects video, Light Up Your Life, expert landscape designer and DIAW host Doug Scott demonstrates how to hang string lights. He also discusses key points for your consideration before and during the stringing process to get the best results. But knowing how to hang up your own string lights is nothing without having a plan—or pattern—in place to spice up your outdoor space. If you get started without a plan, you’re likely to end up with a tangled mess of lights on your hands and an incredibly frustrated outlook on the whole thing. Creating a few DIY string light patterns might be a good idea…

A DIY String Light Guide

Because we know just how challenging it can be to both come up with a plan and enact that plan, we’ve decided to add on to this hugely popular video with a guide. This guide, that you can access here, gives you five DIY string light patterns and provides helpful illustrations and brief descriptions of the five patterns most commonly used to brighten things up outside! From a “V” pattern that works well in confined spaces, to a “zig-zag” pattern that maximizes both string light usage and lighting, you can discover a variety of ways to help shine a light on your next backyard party. Keep it going no matter the time of day, or night, or the time of year with this guide.

Download the patio light patterns shown in this is video.

Front Yard Landscaping Ideas with Doug Scott

by Exmark

Effective front yard landscaping should visually and functionally guide guests to your home’s front door. In this Backyard Life video, landscape designer and Done-In-A-Weekend Projects host Doug Scott is here with several front-yard landscaping ideas that will help give your home the grand entrance it deserves.

Layering Your Plant Material

When considering what plants to install in your landscape beds, think—as you would a painting—in terms of layers. If you’re not up on painting lingo, that means a background, middle ground and foreground layer. Each layer serves a unique purpose—and there’s no more important place for those layers to be on display than at your home’s entrance: 

  • Background: The background layer should consist of taller evergreen shrubs to ensure that—no matter what’s in front of them—you’ll always have something alive and green to look at.
  • Middle Ground: The middle ground layer should be lower than the background layer, and allows you to add greater interest and texture with either contrasting evergreen or colorful perennial shrubs. 
  • Foreground: Finally, the foreground layer should help transition the planting beds to your lawn space or sidewalk, and should, therefore, be lower than the back two layers. It’s also where you can keep things fresh and get your hands dirty throughout the year by changing out annuals as the seasons change. Or, if you want a lower-maintenance entrance, you can choose smaller perennials, evergreens or creeping ground covers.

The homeowner in this video (one of Doug’s past clients) chose the following plants to fill these three layers at their front entrance:

Other Tips for Landscaping to Make a Grand Entrance | Front Yard Landscaping Ideas

Here are three other things you should keep in mind when making decisions about your front yard landscaping:

  1. Your plants should be in keeping with the style of your home, and, in general, consistent with the look you’re going for. For instance, if you have a craftsman home, you should probably skip palm trees or any other tropical-looking plants. Or, if your home is modern or more minimalist, you shouldn’t have an overabundance of different plant material.
  2. Make sure the views of your front door from the street aren’t obstructed by plant material. Likewise, nor should your guests have to maneuver around plants as they make their way down the sidewalk. Neither are convenient or welcoming, so you’ll either need to keep pruning your plants to size, or simply choose plants that won’t overgrow their space without a ton of pruning.
  3. To make your entrance “the star” it should be, the plant material in the rest of your front yard shouldn’t be too distracting, but, rather, should frame the intended views. Again, your goal should be to draw eyes center and to the front door.

For more landscaping tips, check out Doug’s original Layer Up video.

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