Lake Minne Belle: Meet the Owners

view of Hess property from their dock

headphone icon, Tom Hess closeup Tom Hess describes Lake Minne Belle.

headphone icon,Jeanine Hess closeup Jeanine Hess wanted a "natural prairie" shoreline.

The property owners are Tom and Jeanine Hess. Tom and Jeanine restored 28,000 square feet, nearly half of their lawn, to native prairie.

The Hess' tell us about Lake Minnie Belle.

Problems and Challenges

large lawn on Hess property prior to restoration

There was a large lawn that required regular maintenance. Tom talks about how this affected his relationship to the lake.

Tom's wish to reduce the many hours spent mowing and Jeanine's desire for a more natural landscape motivated the Hess' to look at options. Due to the large area being restored, seeding was the approach selected to keep costs down.

headphone icon, Tom Hess closeup Tom Hess' dilemma — mow the lawn or enjoy the lake.

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