Lemon Balm Adds Citrus Zest to Foods

Balm is a generic term used for many of the fragrant herbs of the mint family, Lamiaceae. Balm is also the name given to other unrelated herbs, like bee balm or Oswego tea, Monarda didyma, horse balm, Collinsonia canadensis, and field balm, Glecoma hederacea or Satureja nepeta. Aromatic resins from certain firs, poplars and incense-trees may also be called balms.

Lemon balm, also known as balm gentle, garden balm, melissa or just plain balm, is from the plant Melissa officinalis. It's a member of the mint family that is native to southern Europe. It has become naturalized in much of the eastern United States where it occurs in old pastures, open woodlands and around old homestead sites. It is cultivated in temperate climates around the world for its aromatic leaves. The perennial plant grows one to two feet tall with round-toothed, heart-shaped leaves opposite one another. Small, irregular white flowers appear mostly in the leaf axils. All parts of the plant are highly aromatic.

The leaves and young shoots are used to flavor foods, such as salads, soups, fruit dishes, omelets, sauces, fish dishes and stuffings. Use balm as a substitute for lemon or lemongrass in any recipe. Balm can sometimes be too strong and almost bitter, so it may be helpful to mix it with other herbs like marjoram, thyme or basil.

Beverages, like liqueurs, wines and fruit drinks, are also seasoned with the citrus-like scent of lemon balm. Fresh sprigs of lemon balm in summer drinks add a refreshing aroma. Since ancient times Greeks and Asians have used Melissa for flavoring wine drinks, in medicinal teas, and as a diaphoretic to produce perspiration.

Folklore uses of lemon balm tea include a general tonic for headaches, migraines, fevers, depression, anxiety, insomnia, stress, bronchitis, asthma, colic, premenstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms. Antibacterial properties of polyphenols in balm make it a good antiseptic to speed healing of cuts and abrasions. Crushed fresh leaves can be applied directly to the affected area. Research has verified the antiviral, antibacterial, anti-histaminic, antioxidant and antispasmodic properties. Commercial antiviral ointments are sold in Germany to treat cold sores and herpes infections. Balm also contains eugenol, which lends it pain-killing properties.

Balm tea is widely used in Germany as an anti-anxiety aid. It acts like a sedative or tranquilizer, so the tea is best enjoyed before bedtime and should be avoided before driving or running machinery. Alternatively, add some sprigs of balm to a hot bath and let the soothing lemony aroma relax you.

Visit Hearthside - Lincoln, RI's Historic Mansion Built on Lottery Wins and Heartbreak

Hearthside, easily viewed on a leisurely drive along Lincoln RI's historic Great Road, one of the oldest thoroughfares in America, beckons passersby to enter the front door and step into the foyer where you'll duly note the impressive "flying" staircase whose stairs are set in a counter-clockwise direction around a Tuscan column. This focal point is a perfect backdrop to become acquainted with hearthside tales of heartbreak and history. Considered one of the finest architectural marvels of early 19th century federal-style houses in the state, included on the National Register of Historical Places, the 2 story home is built of fieldstone, a rare occurrence at that time. It is purported that Mr. Smith referred to a sketchbook for design ideas, and modeled Hearthside after a sketch by noted architect, Sir Christopher Wren.

The walls are built of fieldstone, quarried from a ledge across the fields from the house, and trimmed with granite. The cut-stone walls once used in Rhode Island's mills, were rarely found in dwellings. Constructed with an air chamber, stone-cold dampness was eliminated, thereby making the place ideally warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The house is adorned with a gable roof and ogee curves above circular attic windows. There are ten fireplaces, one for each its ten rooms, leaving no doubt about the origin of the name "Hearthside," which has become known as "The House That Love Built," though I will venture, "Heartbreak Hotel" is more like it because of the history behind its construction.

The lore surrounding Hearthside begins in the early 1800s, when Stephen Hopkins Smith, a young man in his twenties, began courting a young lady from a prominent family in Providence. Though Smith came from a reputable family in Lincoln, they made their living from agriculture and led the simple life of a Quaker. Nevertheless, young Smith mingled in the right social circles where he met the woman he'd set his heart on marrying. Though smitten with his good looks, she told him she was looking for a man of substantial wealth to provide the lifestyle she grew accustomed to. Lo and behold, Smith won a lottery netting a jackpot of $40,000 which was the equivalent of an $8.6 million windfall by today's monetary standards.

Keeping his fine fortune a secret, Smith planned a grandiose home to sweep his beloved off her feet. Construction of Hearthside began in 1810 and was completed in 1814. Legend has it that Smith took a horse and buggy to Providence, fetched his lady, and took her by the stately fieldstone mansion he built, leaving no stone unturned in her honor. Supposedly, her gravelly response, not etched in stone by any means, indicated she possessed a heart of stone - "What a beautiful house, but who would ever want to live way out in the wilderness!" At this juncture, a heartbroken suitor squired his heartthrob back to Providence and never called on her again. Perhaps acquiring feet of clay, Stephen Hopkins Smith never married. Though dubbed "The House That Love Built," this cold stone edifice is also referred to as "Heartbreak House."

Despite the rocky road, Hearthside became a home where Stephen lived on the west side, while his brother George and his family resided on the east side. An avid botanist, Stephen imported exotic trees and shrubs from the China Trade, planting them around the property on land called "Quinsnicket" - a Native American Indian word meaning "large stone house." Two very rare tulip trees still grace the front walkway to the mansion. Shunning the commotion of family life, Stephen moved into a house down the road. Across the street from Hearthside, he built a mill made of stone, similar in appearance to Hearthside, though the manufacturing business he established proved unsuccessful. When Smith died in 1857, he was buried in the cemetery next to the Friends Meeting House, one mile from Hearthside on Great Road.

Twelve families have owned Hearthside since it's completion in 1814. Stephen Hopkins Smith passed it on to his siblings who were its occupants until 1847 when they sold the home and its 41 surrounding acres to Cyrus Dyer, a farrier living in Providence, for $3,000. The last family to call Hearthside home were E. Andrew Mowbray, his wife Penelope, and their three children - Andrew -a classmate of mine - and his siblings, Sherry and Stuart. Andrew's dad was an avid collector of antiques and early American guns and swords. To insure that the house would be protected in the future, Mrs. Mowbray sold the house to the Town of Lincoln upon her husband's passing in 1996. In 2001, Friends of Hearthside was formed to serve as stewards to Hearthside while promoting its historical significance and accessibility to the public.

Two hundred years later, Hearthside still commands a strong presence along historic Great Road. Situated on one of the oldest thoroughfares in the country which includes several other historic homes dating as far back as 1687, the State of Rhode Island designated this stretch a Scenic By-Way. Located at 677 Great Road (Rt. 123), at the intersection of Breakneck Hill Road, Hearthside is open for special events and tours throughout the year, conducted by docents in period attire. Check area newspapers, the website, and signage in front of the homestead for announcements of such. Generally, house tours are scheduled for the 2nd Saturday of the month unless a special event is scheduled. Also open by appointment - call (401) 726-0597. Admission for tours is $4 per person; children 16 and under free.

Though money could not buy Stephen Hopkins Smith happiness, and the flames leaping inside the hearths of Hearthside could not warm his jilted heart, this unique fieldstone mansion prompts Rhode Islanders and out-of-towners to come calling. Whether one wishes to partake in an afternoon tea, peruse the antique fair, view demonstrations of early American crafts, fall under the spell of a Victorian Christmas, or simply stroll through this ten room mansion - you will pass by the "flying" staircase on your way out with a warm feeling inside your heart.

The Homestead Revolution - Part II

We are taught that the U.S.
Constitution is the best ever devised by
men so we ignore the many flaws that
should have been corrected long ago.
One is the phrase "and to provide for
the general welfare." After enumerating
what powers Congress has, this phrase
overrules everything. Anything the
Congress should decide is good for the
people becomes a legitimate
government function. It makes
government our ultimate caretaker and
unlimits its own growth. One of the
enumerated powers is to defend our
national borders. This has traditionally
been left undone as a matter of policy
which benefits the money lover
appetites for cheap slaves. Yet we have
war on poverty, war on drugs,
government charities and all kinds of
things the founders never envisioned as
functions of national government under
a general welfare clause.

Why isn't citizenship a choice and a
test? Why am I automatically a citizen
by an accident of birth? If citizenship
was a choice for legal adults to make,
how many residents would choose it?
How does my age qualify me to vote? If
I know nothing about anything, I have
the same power at the polls as those
who know much, which if the polls are
rigged as they easily can be, is no
power at all. Why is that fair? I don't
have to know a thing about law of any
kind to sit on a jury and judge another.
All I have to do is follow instructions
that could be and often are unlawful.

The greatest error in the
Constitution is to allow government
credit. Credit allows all the power of
revenue with no accountability for its
use. It overrules wisdom and planning.
It increases the power of central
bureaucracy. The United States is
insolvent. It cannot pay its debts next
year, ten years from now or twenty. All
of this will collapse of its own weight
like a stick house in a stiff wind. Are
you ready? Do you care?

Incorporation and many aspects of
government are privileges that no
person has a right to bestow on any
agency, because a person has no right
to such privilege her/himself. Privilege
creates obligation to the grantor and
that is why government grants
incorporation privileges to businesses.
If government derives any power from
the consent of the governed, the
governed must possess this power to
begin with. I have no power to limit
your civil and social liabilities to your
company, so you can keep your
personal bank account in the event of a
lawsuit or criminal proceedings. So how
can I grant this power to you or anyone
else? I have no power to force you to
fight a battle for me. If I join with
others who do not have this power, we
do not suddenly have this power among
us, by the act of union. Multiply zero
one hundred times and we still have
zero. I cannot rightfully demand that
you pay me taxes or render me any
service whatsoever. Nor can I gain this
power by uniting with others who also
don't have it. We pretend government
has powers granted to it by us, we
never had ourselves and never will. As
long as most of us are willing to
pretend government has derived
powers from us, it all works. It just
doesn't work very well for any but the
wicked. To better understand the things I
am saying, it is good to read the
writings of John Locke, the philosopher
who had such a profound influence on
many of America's founding fathers. Mr.
Locke shows us the differences between
natural law and social contract, moral
foundation and moral fraud. The whole
world owes him a great debt and few
Americans have a clue who he was. It is
much like when we ask a musician who
her influences were. When she tells us,
we have a much better understanding
of her work. We hear some little about
our founding fathers, but not about
those who influenced them. Therefore,
we don't understand the founders as we
should. Nor do judges who are
supposed to interpret law by the intent
of the lawmakers. In short, ignorance
prevents justice and true social welfare.
John Locke was a well reasoned expert
on absolute morality, without
preaching. This is a subject that has
most of the world confused, especially
leadership. Locke paints a clear picture
with the most reasoned and intelligent
style I have ever read. No American
should ever graduate from high school
without a thorough dose of John Locke.
He remains a brilliant light in a dark
and fearful world. He certainly cleared
up a lot of confusion about morality and
government for me. Once we see the
moral high ground, no one can confuse
us about duty and honor. No one can
bend us to their will for their own
wicked intentions. We see what was
hidden and remains so for most. We
won't be fooled again.

Even if you were my child, I cannot
contract your services to anyone
beyond your age of legal majority.
When the founders of the great federal
estate got the States to ratify, by fraud
and deceit, they decided the
government they all agreed to abide
by. It had no power over their children
or any descendants thereafter. A
contract, which the Constitution is,
binds no one but the contractors until
they nullify it or die. Therefore, you are
free to live as you choose and contract
with whom you choose. If you do not
exercise this freedom carefully, you will
be punished by those who claim rights
and powers they never had and never
will.

To be free in America is to keep
your ideas to yourself and keep a low
profile. You are free until you come to
the attention of the privileged. You
accept your punishment quietly and
know that freedom does have a price.
You do best to minimize the payments
for yourself and others. For most, it
seems good to be enslaved to the
corporate, money lover world but
encouraged to call this slavery
freedom. Few choose to be free.
Freedom is uncertainty and that scares
people out of their wits. Slavery is
certain and we all know the rules. That
brings us comfort and certainty, most of
the time; until there is a crisis in
confidence, which ends many a
confidence game.

The original idea of independence
from Britain was the liberty of every
American Englishman in particular. That
idea died with the founders. Now we
want equality of slavery. We think we
want to be treated all alike. We want
the rich slaves to share their money
and power with the poor slaves and
vote for those who help us believe we
can make them share. Freedom works
by the law of supply and demand, just
like everything in a free market, under
the old world value system. Demand is
down, the price is right. The book is now about 30 years old
but I bought it in paperback a few years
ago. It's called How I Found Freedom in
an Unfree World by Harry Browne. I
cannot recommend it too highly. In the
first part of the book, Harry tells us
about all the traps we fall into, which
rob us of freedom. Most of us fall into
several of them. In the last part of the
book, he tells us how to get out of
these traps. None of the work is hard
on the road to freedom, it only requires
a sincere desire to get free. Once you
have the desire, the work is usually
pleasant and sometimes great fun.
Freedom is our birthright and most of
us have sold it for peanut butter
sandwiches, as Esau sold his for soup.
In a nutshell, if you are going to be free
and you are going to weather all the
coming storms in some semblance of
comfort, you must end the
dependencies that have been created
for you, often before you were born.
Independence, which means liberty, is
another way of saying not dependent. It
isn't a gift from government or
grandpa. It is a choice you make every
day, even if you are sure you never had
a choice.

You have been told choose this and
you will be free. You did, but you don't
feel free, you feel obligated to others.
You created some obligations and you
accepted others handed to you. You
were told some of these are your duty,
others build character and you accepted
them. Until you begin to see the
possibilities independence suggests,
you will never know what you have
been missing and how your personal
growth has been restricted. Break out
of the traps and dependencies. Plan
your way out as you would a prison
escape and you will likely succeed to
survive a turbulent, uncertain future.
Even prison offers only so much
protection and security; ask someone
who has been there.

History of the Homestead Act of 1862

The West has always exerted a pull on the American spirit. The American Dream originated as the desire of colonial families to pursue the western frontier with the goal of carving out a rewarding life through acquiring land for a family agricultural business. The sheer vastness of the United States fostered a belief that American land belonged rightfully to its citizens. By the 1850's, a significant amount of land had been acquired by settlers moving west and most of the continental United States had been filled out by small families dedicated to their land and living off of it.

In an effort to gain control of the free claim and use of public land by the westward emigrants, the United States government passed the Pre-emption Act of 1841 which outlined rules and rights for the sale and use of public land and provided a way for the government to profit from land acquisition. Essentially, The Pre-emption Act of 1841 permitted squatters, who had lived on public land for at least 14 months, to purchase up to 160 acres at an extremely low price before the land would be made available for sale to the public which consisted mostly of working class anglos. A discontentment amongst the working class began to rise over the unfairness of the new land claim law. The argument was that the working class had a right to free land as well. A Tennessee Congressman, Andrew Johnson, adopted the cause in the 1840's and sided with the working-class whites, that the Pre-emption Act was unjust and discriminatory and began efforts to abolish the Act.

Many Southerners opposed Johnson's new quest to fight for the rights of all citizens to be granted an opportunity to acquire free land. Most of the working-class anglos, who were predominately non-southerners, were against slavery. This caused dissention with wealthy plantation owners who monopolized the agricultural production in America and feared that, if working-class whites were allowed the opportunity to start acquiring land as easy as squatters were, they would grow in numbers powerful enough to vote against slavery. The Homestead Act of 1862 declared that any citizen could claim 160 acres of land, outside of the original 13 colonies, with the agreement that the land must be "improved" with a dwelling and produce crops. After five years, if the original filer was still on the land, it was his property, free and clear. After the Homestead Act was passed, land acquisitions via the Pre-emption Act greatly decreased. Between 1862 and 1986, nearly 1.6 million homesteads were granted and 270 million acres were privatized. This represents 10% of the land in the United States.

Despite its good intentions for encouraging farming and offering the opportunity for countless early American families to realize the American Dream, the Homestead Act was poorly designed, widely abused and unworkable for most settlers. Those utilizing the Homestead Act to acquire land did not have to own farming equipment or livestock or understand how to farm. For those settlers who owned land west of the 100th meridian, the longitudinal line in the middle of the United States representing the boundary between the moist east and the arid west, the scarcity of water caused a reduced ability to produce crops and sustain livestock. Additional laws were set into place to try and offset the problems associated with owning arid land such as giving additional acres if the plains settlers planted 40 acres of timber - a complete impossibility. A common abuse of the Homestead Act was for an individual to act as a representative of a large cattle operation in order to file for a homestead surrounding a water source. Once the homestead was granted, the fake cattle company could shut down other farms and ranches by creating dams and reservoirs for themselves, virtually denying others access to water.

By the early 1900's, American's attitudes toward public land began to change from private ownership and farming to creating laws and incentives for private land owners to put land in government control for public use and benefit to preserve and better protect U.S. natural resources. As a result of these changing attitudes, homesteading was ended by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

The Homestead Beekeeper - Tips on Keeping Bees

The homestead beekeeper knows there is no better form of self reliance than keeping a colony or two of these wonderful insects around. They not only provide a nourishing food packed with health benefits and nutrition, but bees also provide excellent pollination for your garden and orchard. Think far more abundant harvest year after year.

But Bee Aware...

Sorry for the pun, but just like caring for any other critter on your homestead, the amount of information you will need to know would fill an entire website by itself. But hopefully this article will give you an idea of what beekeeping entails.

Benefits of Beekeeping

1. Fresh, raw honey. Naturally, that's the main reason people keep bees. If you've never had fresh, raw honey, you have no idea of the treat that's in store for you. Honey you buy at the store has usually been processed, until it's nothing but sugar and no nutrients. But raw honey is different, with a ton of health benefits, from giving you natural energy to helping with allergies.

2. Pollination of your garden and orchard. More bees mean more pollination and a far more productive garden.

3. It's fun. Bees are fascinating little insects that stick together like...well...honey. They work together as a whole, and each bee has its own role - and place - in society. Learning about them - and working with them - can be addictive.

The Downsides

Work with bees long enough and you will get stung, sometimes more than once if you make your little colony mad. It might be wise to keep an anaphylactic kit on hand in case you or someone you know has a severe reaction to a bee sting (or several).

Also, not everyone is thrilled at the prospect of a colony of bees nearby. If someone in your family has an excessive fear of bugs, keeping a bee hive might not be wise.

You should let your neighbors know you are keeping bees, especially if you live in the city. Occasional gifts of honey will hopefully warm them to the idea of the little buzzers. If you are within city limits, you will also need to check your city ordinance to find out what laws - if any - apply to beekeeping in the suburbs.

And finally, be aware that your hive will need some time and attention. Expect to devote approximately 40 hours per colony each season to your bee hive.

What You Will Need

At the time this was written (2008), the supplies you need will cost about $400 in American dollars. In addition, a honey extractor will run about $350 to $400.

Here are some of the basics that you will need:

A hive box or hive kit
Hive tool
Smoker
Bee Suit
An anaphylactic kit
Bees

The Most Important Thing

And finally, you will need time. Bee prepared! (Last pun, I promise!) Bee keeping can be a time-consuming hobby. You must be interactive with your bees. Check your hive at least once a week and keep a log of what you observe. That way you will learn what's normal for your bees and when they need special attention, such as medication for mites.

Homestead - A Tale Of Two Cities

As Charles Dickens rolled in his grave, I came to a stop at the intersection of US 1 and Campbell Drive (SW 312 ST).

The images of City Hall, Harris Field, and the areas surrounding this particular intersection still very much alive in my mind 15 years later. Few conversations regarding Homestead ever go over the 2-minute mark without making reference to what happened on that fateful Monday morning of August 24, 1992. While Bryan Norcross and Rick Sanchez - in his mesh Minnesota Twins baseball cap - were becoming local celebrities and advancing their professional careers, South Dade residents were left wondering what 126,000 severely damaged (some destroyed) homes, 180,000 homeless people, and $30 Billion in damage ($16 Billion insured) meant.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, few could have imagined that more than 600,000 insurance claims would be filed, that approximately 25% of the nation's insurance adjusters would temporarily make South Florida home, that eleven (11) insurance companies would go bankrupt, that thirty (30) others would lose up to 20% or more of their surplus, that about 930,000 policyholders would be left with no coverage options, that insurance regulations and construction codes would be completely overhauled, that government-created insurance pools and catastrophe funds would come to existence, that "wind policy" would become part of our (realtors, mortgage brokers, insurance agents, etc.) everyday vocab, that life in South Dade, as residents knew it, would never be the same again.

At the time that Andrew flattened homes and left acreage upon acreage of lime groves in South Dade looking like raw vacant land, Homestead Air Force Base was home to 6,000 airmen and their families, 2,000 civilian jobs, and represented $400 million annually to the local economy.

That changed overnight. Literally. Ninety-seven percent of the Base's facilities were severely damaged or destroyed. Already listed as one of several bases to be downsized, the recovery was deemed too expensive and not militarily justifiable. The Pentagon, much to the chagrin of Poppa Bush's political motivations, pulled most of its personnel and activities out of the base. To say that city leaders were left with a huge void to fill would be an insulting understatement.

Today, the former Air Force Base serves as the Homestead Air Reserve Base. It sits on approximately half of the 2,900-acre property. The other half is leased to Miami-Dade County and other agencies by the Air Force. A Job Corps center, a homeless shelter, and a park inhabit the surplus half.

Disasters tend to expose the problems that exist in a community prior to the disaster. Remember the Big Facil after Katrina? With Homestead Air Force Base no longer in existence, Homestead was back to being nothing more than an agricultural-based economy. Not a bad thing if one was living during the Neolithic Revolution, but an agricultural-based economy at the inception of the Information Age?

Homestead was left to rebuild with a rising Hispanic population, migrant workers mostly from Mexico and Central America, the poorest of Homestead's work force. The middle class, mostly retirees with enough income to spend on something more than survival goods, was gone. So too were the retirees with federal Medicare coverage who helped turn out a $850,000 profit at Homestead Hospital the year before the storm; replaced by poor families with no health insurance who often cannot afford treatment.

How do you fill a $400 million gap in your local economy, you ask?

How do you prevent the flight of middle-class residents from Homestead at a time when you need them the most?

How do you bring them back once they've left?

How do you replace them if they refuse to come back?

I knew you would be asking yourselves these very same questions.

Got any answers?

Don't look at me. The answers to those questions are not exactly 2 + 2 = 5.

I'm just a realtor, dude. I sit in front of a computer all day and wait for my phone to ring.

OK, I don't know if I have the answers to those questions, but I think I do know how you don't fill a $400 million gap in your local economy.

You don't build a $22 million baseball complex complete with a 6,500-seat stadium, five practice fields, a clubhouse, batting cages, dormitory, four softball fields, and special events areas and lease it to the Cleveland Indians for 20 years.

I know, I know, hindsight is 20/20 and one shouldn't kick anybody when they're down. After all, the Cleveland Indians opted to move to Winter Haven after Andy came through for fear of losing their "middle-class" fans and left the City hanging. Or did they? The team exercised a clause in its contract and pulled out - before ever pulling in - without penalty. Adding insult to injury, Homestead spent an additional $9 million repairing the damage to the complex. It costs an average of $300,000 annually to maintain the complex and takes in only about $90,000 per year. To this day, the complex sits tenantless. Apparently, the other 18 major league teams that train in Florida during the spring don't think that traveling to Homestead makes much logistical sense. The team that trains closest to Homestead, the Baltimore Orioles, is close to 70 miles north in Ft. Lauderdale. Add to that the price of gas and...

Homestead officials finally gave up trying to sell or lease the baseball complex in 2005. According to City Manager Curt Ivy, the complex "will remain a recreational area for the community" unless something better comes along. I hear some beer-leaguers play really important softball games select weekends at the complex.

"Go Indians...(belch)!"

In the late 90s, local business and political leaders planned to build a commercial airport on the grounds of the still idle aforementioned Homestead Air Force Base. Its intention was to ease the burden of Miami International Airport and coincidentally serve as an engine for Homestead's struggling economy. City leaders envisioned a two-runway commercial airport that would serve as the landing spot of choice for tens of thousands of cargo and passenger flights each year. Ancillary development would soon follow and Homestead would become the Miami Springs of the south - on HGH.

Environmental groups like Friends of the Everglades strongly opposed the plan from the get go, citing the danger that an airport of that magnitude posed to its neighbors, the Everglades, and Biscayne National Park; not to mention Turkey Point just five miles to the southeast. The Air Force shot down the plan - twice to be exact. They went as far as adding a deed restriction to the area leased to the county stipulating that the area cannot be converted into a commercial airport.

Driving through Kendall Drive - excuse me - Campbell Drive east of US 1 and the Florida Turnpike, one would never imagine that the commercial airport never materialized. Dozens of subdivisions containing thousands of single-family homes, townhomes, and condominium units with original names like Villa Portofino, Malibu Bay, Waterstone, Crystal Lakes, and Oasis adorn stretches of Campbell Drive and the surrounding area. Hundreds, if not thousands more are under construction.

According to the US Census Bureau, Homestead grew an estimated 68.5% from 2000-2006 (31,909 to 53,767). Furthermore, the city's director of development services, Shari Kamali, has confirmed that 2,882 certificates of occupancy (CO) for residential units were issued in fiscal year 2006 alone. An additional 4,332 COs for residential units were issued in fiscal years 2003-2005. A City of Homestead community profile available on the City's website expects the population to increase to over 70,000 by 2011. Miami-Dade County officials expect it to reach about 137,000 in the year 2015.

Campbell Drive is also home to the new $135 million Homestead Hospital. Located at 975 Baptist Way on the north side of Campbell Drive just east of the Florida Turnpike, the Baptist Health owned hospital replaces the old one at 160 NW 13 ST and features 120 beds in all private patient rooms, an emergency room double the size of the old one, and six operating rooms with equipment and layouts said to be among the most advanced in South Florida. The hospital is expected to exceed 300 beds in 10 to 15 years. Despite the large investment, Homestead Hospital CEO Bill Duquette expects the hospital to lose about $30 million in 2007. He believes the hospital will come closer to breaking even in five to six years when a "better payer mix" moves to the area.

"Better payer mix"? Wishful thinking or perceived reality?

It's not that I don't want to see Homestead Hospital (or the City of Homestead for that matter) succeed. It's just that I look around the "other Homestead" and all I see is a sterile environment that serves as a poster child for urban sprawl and poor community planning. I don't see how this environment can appeal to the people that can provide Homestead with the "better payer mix". A development strategy that attempts to appeal only to traditional families at a time when only an estimated 23.5% of the American population lives in the standard nuclear family with two parents and children at home is a recipe for disaster. Conformity, fitting in, and "playing your position", characteristics that defined the organizational age, are no longer the norms in a post 911 society. The strong bonds that once gave structure to society have been replaced by weak ties that allow us to meet different people, make friends and acquaintances with people from all walks of life, and live quasi-anonymous lives. Long gone are the days of "el compromiso". Talented and creative professionals, what should be not only Homestead's, but every city's target market, seek vibrancy, abundant natural amenities, and most of all, the opportunity to live in a community that allows them to validate their identity and express their individuality and creativity.

You don't attract these people by recreating every other new age suburb in America. You don't attract these people by building thousands upon thousands of cookie cutter homes in homogenized subdivisions. You don't attract these people by building poorly designed shopping centers and strip malls with loads of unsightly surface parking. You don't attract these people via big name chain restaurants. You don't attract these people by bringing in Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Home Depot, and all the other usual suspects into your community in the name of service sector jobs. You don't attract these people when five schools, including both high schools, zoned to your area receive an "F" in their FCAT performance.

You attract these people by creating a unique experience. There's no "one-size-fits-all" strategy. Cities have to build off of the unique assets already in existence, which is why I feel so strongly about Homestead. City leaders had an opportunity to get it right and build off of the feeling evoked by downtown Main Street on the original side of the city, but chose (consciously or not) to do the exact opposite. Instead of smart growth, they went for tax base growth.

I can only wonder who will eventually fill the thousands of housing units that sit vacant or are currently under construction. Will it be the teachers, firemen, and policemen who work in Monroe County, but can't afford to live there? Will it be those performing menial jobs in other parts of Miami-Dade County? Will it be those displaced from currently undervalued neighborhoods in the urban core by the very people Homestead should have attracted? Will it be a combination of all three and/or others I have not mentioned?

As I head north on US 1 and make my way out of Homestead back to the friendly confines of tall buildings, concrete jungles, and construction cranes, Kanye's words, spoken over a Daft Punk sample, take on a whole new meaning:

"Does anybody make real sh*t anymore?".

Adrian Salgado is a Realtor Associate with RED I Realty in Miami, FL and can be reached at 305-491-7179 or SalgadoA@gmail.com.

Are You Looking For a Sacramento Lender?

Sacramento, California is the capital of the state and the seat of Sacramento County. Geographically, it is located south of the American River's confluence inside Central Valley. There is a population nearing 500,000 people. In addition to being a very influential city, it is also considered a cultural and economic core. It has frequently been voted one of the 10 best regions for living anywhere in the country.

Imagine being able to soak up California sun while being just a short drive away from major California cities? Sacramento is an ideal location for real estate, whether you are looking to invest for a business opportunity, or even if you are trying to buy your first home. Sacramento is popular enough to be a major city but without the crowds of Los Angeles or San Diego.

In case you are looking for a Sacramento lender, you should know that things are looking up from a real estate perspective as well. In the 1990s, Mayor Joe Serna attempted to attract the Los Angeles Raiders football team to the city, selling 50 million dollars in bonds. When that didn't turn out, the mayor ensured the proceeds were put to good use-the city constructed many large building projects, including refurbishing and enlarging major city landmarks like the Convention Center and the Memorial Auditorium. The city has continued to update its cultural landmarks while also ensuring thousands of jobs, as the local government remains the city's largest employer.

A Sacramento lender can sell a number of homes and for very different prices. Some high priced homes, such as homes on 19th Street, can range well over one million dollars. However, houses on streets like Mike Gartrell Circle could sell for less than $240,000, which is about average for a good quality house, and yet lower than the California average.

If you are interested in a Sacramento lender for financing (or refinancing) then contact a real estate broker company. Not only does this type of service give you MLS listings (which are not publicly searchable) but they can also give you access to a free market analysis in Sacramento as well as comprehensive real estate searches and pre-approval. A Sacramento lender experienced in the real estate business can give you the lowdown on all of the unlisted deals as well as deals that are not yet listed. This is an important point to dwell on, as market analysis is more important than ever before in this time of economic instability. You have to consider many different factors before coming to a decision, such as market price, sales price and city demographics.

If you are interested in moving to Sacramento, California then talk to a Sacramento lender today. You may be able to finance a house even if you have less than perfect credit. If you are a real estate investor then you may find an unlisted deal that is too tempting to pass up. Now is the time to start buying into Sacramento, one of the country's most important cities!