BusinessMay 29, 2018
Business Notebook: Lavender, lemonade at Shawnee Hills
On a rolling hill in Southern Illinois, sunshine warms the earth, and a light breeze carries the heady scent of lavender. Charlotte and Doug Clover stand in their u-pick lavender rows at Shawnee Hills Lavender, where dusty purple blooms drift above gray-green bushes -- about 900 bushes in all...
On a rolling hill in Southern Illinois, sunshine warms the earth, and a light breeze carries the heady scent of lavender.
Charlotte and Doug Clover stand in their u-pick lavender rows at Shawnee Hills Lavender, where dusty purple blooms drift above gray-green bushes -- about 900 bushes in all.
The land has been in Charlotte Clover's family since the 1820s, she said, and in 2014, after reading a magazine article about lavender farming in the Midwest, they set their first plants.
Four years later, the hillside has rows and sections thick with different varieties of lavender bushes, some culinary grade.
The farm is known for its lavender lemonade, and, Charlotte Clover said, they hand-mix different tea varieties using lavender, too.
They've employed members of their family to help with pruning, planting, the retail end and other aspects of the business, Charlotte Clover said, but a lot of the work, they handle themselves.
In late winter, Doug Clover shapes each plant, he said, and walks the line between stimulating new growth and shocking the plant by taking too much off.
They have a golf cart they use to transport people among the rows, he added.
For all its beauty and charm, farming lavender in Southern Illinois definitely comes with its challenges, she said.
Lavender is a Mediterranean plant. It loves loose, acidic soil, and hot, dry conditions, she said.
Their hillside had the drainage, but not the other requirements, so they went to work amending the soil with everything from sand and cow manure to peat moss -- and making sure to space the plants far enough apart to prevent mildew and rot.
Even with all of that effort, "we still have to replant a few every year," Charlotte Clover said. "But if you can't deal with that, don't plant lavender."
Doug Clover said they have a drip irrigation system they rarely use.
"With lavender, the hotter it is, the better," he said.
Charlotte Clover said there are other growers in the area who have planted lavender, and she welcomes it.
There could even be a possibility of eventually making a lavender trail, similar to the existing wine trail, she said.
But for the time being, Shawnee Hills Lavender will be open for its visitors, which last year totaled around 1,100 people in the eight days the place was open, Charlotte Clover said.
"We do ask visitors for how many are in their party, where they came from, and how they heard about us," she said, and that's the only data they collect.
They'll be open for three weekends in June, she said, and she encouraged people to check Shawnee Hills' social-media presence for updates on the availability of fresh lavender to pick.
The farm's address is 480 Brown Section Road in Cobden, off Illinois Highway 127.
Chateau Girardeau receives distinction
The Cape Retirement Community Inc., d/b/a The Chateau Girardeau, recently received a renewed five-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an independent, not-for-profit accreditor of health and human services, according to a recent news release.
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The Chateau also recently announced that in the most recent quarterly Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rating of skilled nursing facilities, it received a five-star rating, the highest possible. This rating is assessed based on several factors, including health inspections, staffing and quality measures.
Chaffee Nursing Center earns national recognition
Independent accreditor Providigm's LLC recently issued the Basic Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Accreditation in 2017 to Chaffee Nursing Center.
Chaffee Nursing Center is one of 19 Americare skilled nursing communities earning this national recognition.
"We are extremely proud of the work our care team has accomplished to achieve this accreditation," said Gail Heisserer, Chaffee Nursing Center administrator. "We take quality seriously. We strive to give our residents the quality of life and level of dignity they deserve."
Americare is based in Sikeston, Missouri, and was established in 1981. Americare operates 23 skilled nursing and post-acute communities, and 110 assisted living and memory care assisted living residences in Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois and Tennessee.
New Imo's Pizza location to be built in Cape
Jeff Maurer, a partner with Rhodes 101/Imo's Pizza, confirmed last week the demolished building at 1008 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau will be replaced with a stand-alone Imo's Pizza location. Maurer said the new location, for the time being, will not replace the Imo's Pizza at 1201 Broadway.
Hi-Tech Automotive has closed
Tom Barrows, owner of Hi-Tech Automotive at 758 Enterprise St. in Cape Girardeau, has retired and closed the automotive repair shop, he confirmed Friday. Barrows was in the automotive business for 33 years, and said he would like to thank all of the loyal customers, friends and business associates who helped him make a living doing what he always wanted to do: fix cars.
Ribbon cuttings
The Beauty Bar will hold a ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Wednesday at 145 W. Yoakum Ave. in Chaffee, Missouri.
Cuba Financial Group will hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate its 35th anniversary, from noon to 12:30 p.m. Thursday at 8 S. Silver Springs Road in Cape Girardeau.
Lemonade House Grille will hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate its new location at 10 a.m. Friday at 350 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.
People on the Move
Auburn Creek and The Arbors at Auburn Creek, Assisted Living by Americare, recently named Teresa Blattel Compton as administrator. She has worked in the long-term care industry for more than 30 years, according to a recent news release.
During her career, Compton has been a member of the Missouri Assisted Living Association, where she serves as a board member, including two terms as president. According to Mary Eaves, the facility's operations director, "We are very pleased to have someone of Teresa's caliber at Auburn Creek. She has had a very successful career in the eldercare field and I am sure she will be an asset to our community in Cape Girardeau."
Auburn Creek assisted living and The Arbors at Auburn Creek memory care assisted living is at 2910 Beavercreek Drive in Cape Girardeau. It is licensed as an assisted living facility by the State of Missouri.
John's Pharmacy in Cape Girardeau welcomes Derek Palisch, Pharm.D., to its staff of experienced pharmacists, according to a recent news release.
Palisch comes to John's Pharmacy with nearly 15 years of pharmacy experience. He graduated from St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2009 with a Doctor of Pharmacy. He has worked in the Sikeston and Perryville, Missouri, areas.
John McMullin, RPh, owner of John's Pharmacy said: "We are excited to add another knowledgeable, capable, and caring full time pharmacist to our staff and anticipate that Derek's addition will make it possible for us to meet the needs of our growing business."
mniederkorn@semissourian.com
(573) 388-3630
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