SPOTLIGHT
PAST: GOLDEN ERA OF J&R HERRA
Before the days of professional printing and signage, our company hand-lettered each truck, piece of equipment, and the J&R Herra shopfront. The creative touch, artist’s eye, and steady hand is thanks to Carol Jean Herra. She is Brian’s aunt and sister-in-law to our company founders, Jack and Rich. The precision, shadowing, and professional quality of this custom, hand-painted work leaves us speechless to this day. Although not specifically employed by J&R Herra, she is a testament to the foundation of our family-orientated roots. It was a labor of love to paint every J and every R. Thanks to Aunt Carol, our company was always a representation of professionalism and class. We have attempted to showcase our awe and appreciation of Carol Herra’s work, by replicating her design on our refurbished 1969 Chevy c10 pickup truck. This truck is an exact replica of our first company vehicle. If you see it at our shop, in a local parade, or driving around town…please take a moment to celebrate Carol, thoughtful artist and beloved Herra family member.
PRESENT: MEET TIM G.
Maybe you recognize September’s Staff Spotlight, from his informative and encouraging HVAC Tech Tips. Tim G. is a phenomenal HVAC technician and is eager to help customers better understand the infrastructure of their property. We couldn’t be prouder working alongside such a passionate, experienced, and trusted team member. Tim has an incredible way of repairing a unit, installing new equipment, and informing homeowners of what he is doing, and why. Beyond these valued character attributes, Tim is a VERY active father of two. In fact, he participates in everything right alongside his kids. Some of their family extracurriculars include (but are not limited to) assisting as a football coach, racing BMX bikes, playing video games, Star Wars movies, and watching science/space documentaries. He has jokingly appointed himself at a “MEME Lord and a King of Dad Jokes.” Outside being a passionate parent, we are proud to also announce that Tim is currently battling for the 3rd place state ranking in his BMX class. On a national level, he is currently ranked 115th. Tim has a broad professional resume, including performing as a DJ specializing in Chicago House Music and Techno. Lastly, Tim is very active in the dog rescue community. He has a soft spot for big dogs and “bully breeds” in particular. As you a see, Tim is a “one-in-a-million” kind of guy. It’s very easy to work with someone so thoughtful, animated, and full of life. Thanks for all you do Tim. We are grateful you are part of our J&R Herra family.
FUTURE: OVERTIME WITH OWEN
School and sports are a great combination. Everyone loves a good Friday night home football game. Whether it’s watching great plays, sitting around energetic fans or enjoying amazing concessions, I think we can all agree football season is contagious. But the combination can be a struggle sometimes. I know this because I am speaking from personal experience. This is my first year playing football for my high school team, and so far, the experience has been great. I am having so much fun from the morning lifts to the afternoon practices. But it becomes hard to balance everything when you add school on top of it. For example, I get homework from almost every class and do not have a chance to work on it until I get home at 7 o’clock. This can be pretty stressful. All I want to do is eat dinner and go to bed early, but I have to stay up and complete my work, and complete it well. In my family, there is no time for sleep or rest if there are still jobs to be done. Grades and my integrity depend on it. I can’t let anything slip or a small mistake could cost me the ability to play on Friday night. I know that the good comes with the bad, but I would never trade anything for the experience of being a student athlete. I know this season of dedication and hard work is preparing me for the working world and my launch into adulthood.
GOOD TO KNOW
We are very excited to share our new space with the community. Please allow us to introduce the J&R Herra Home Studio: A Craftsman Collective. Its premise is to spotlight local contractors that collaborate to execute an array of residential and commercial remodeling projects. Our goal is to become your trusted source of plumbing, heating, cooling, and general contracting needs. The local craftsman looped in on this effort are our valued partners residential remodeling projects and commercial buildouts. We will welcome the community into this collaborative space every month for seasonal/thematic Workshop Wednesdays. Each workshop has the goal of educating, empowering, and inspiring homeowners to love where they live. Local contractors will inform participants about their property and how to care for it. Additionally, each workshop offers light drinks and refreshments along with a fun craft or project takeaway. Please follow @HerraHomeStudio on social media for workshop details and local contractor inspiration.
Up-and-coming Wednesday Workshops:
Salvage September: Please join us for September’s Workshop Wednesday, “SALVAGE SEPTEMBER.” We will discuss ways to inspire your space by repurposing, reusing, and reinventing elements in your home. In addition to esthetically pleasing tips and tricks, participants will create/take home an upcycled “modern organic” vase. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided. Additionally, this is a BYOB event. Feel free bringing your favorite bottle, spirit or libation to sip as we learn to better “love where we live.”
Autumn Air October: Please join us for October’s Workshop Wednesday, “AUTUMN AIR.” J&R Herra will discuss ways to clean/maintain the air quality of your home. From furnace filters to air scrubbers, participants will learn how to keep their properties dust and allergen free. In addition to HVAC tips and tricks, participants will create/take home fall simmer pots as a healthy and natural way to add fragrance to your home. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided. Additionally, this is a BYOB event. Feel free bringing your favorite bottle, spirit or libation to sip as we learn to better “love where we live.”
October Sign-up Link
DIYlicious DESIGN
CUSTOMIZE. CREATE. INSPIRE.
What is a fall garden? A fall garden includes cool-season vegetables, herbs, and ornamental plants that thrive in the cooler temperatures, with fewer pests, and in the shorter days of fall. Fall gardens can be both functional and decorative, providing a harvest of vegetables as well as a beautiful display of seasonal colors and textures.
Key Elements of a Fall Garden:
1. Cool-Season Vegetables
Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, lettuce, and Swiss chard thrive in cooler temperatures.
Root Vegetables: Carrots, radishes, beets, and turnips can be planted in the fall and harvested before the first frost.
Brassicas: Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are hardy and grow well in fall conditions.
2.. Herbs
Parsley, cilantro, and chives: These herbs can withstand cooler temperatures and flourish in a fall garden.
Thyme and rosemary: These perennials can continue to grow through fall and provide fresh herbs late into the season.
3. Ornamental/Seasonal Plants
Mums: A classic flower that comes in a variety of colors, perfect for adding autumn hues to your garden.
Pansies and Violas: These flowers can survive frost and add vibrant color to the garden.
Ornamental Cabbages and Kales: These plants are known for their striking colors and textures and are often used in fall garden displays.
Pumpkins and Gourds: Use these as both garden plants and as festive, seasonal decorations.
So, before you put away all of your yard tools, disconnect/drain your hoses, and prepare your outdoor faucets and hose bibs for up-and-coming winter weather…consider a final planting cycle for an autumn harvest. We do recommend calling J&R Herra’s plumbing division to install an upgraded, frost-free hose bib (called a silcock). Silcocks are specifically designed to prevent freezing by keeping the valve inside the warmer part of the house, away from cold outdoor temperatures. These final days of summer are the perfect opportunity to make this transition on your property.
RECIPE
It’s apple picking season! Whether you have apple trees on your property or your family is heading to a local orchard, you may be looking for a delicious apple recipe to celebrate our favorite seasonal fruit! This recipe is not only delicious, but it is also a “go-to dessert” when you are short on time. The prep work of this apple cake is only ten minutes! A shoutout to Emma Blecker for sharing this recipe on Cooktop Cove!
Upside-down Spiced Apple Cake
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 Granny Smith apples (or any apples you have on hand), quartered and sliced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup salted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 small pinch (1/8 teaspoon) nutmeg
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease the bottoms and the sides of an 11-by-7-inch casserole dish or large, round cake pan. Place the pecans in the bottom of the casserole dish, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar on top. Bake the pecan-brown sugar mix in the oven for 10 minutes.
2. While the pecans are toasting, in a medium-sized bowl quickly blend the eggs, butter, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Peel and cut your apples into slices and set aside (sprinkle with some lemon juice, so the apple wedges don’t go brown).
3. Remove the pecans from the oven, and place the sliced apples over the top, trying your best to create an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the apples, and pour the batter over the top.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch.
5. Carefully flip the cake over onto a dish. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Pro tip: Make sure that the entire casserole dish is well-greased with butter to ensure that you can flip the cake over without issue. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges before flipping.
TESTIMONIAL
We were so touched by Laurie’s thoughtful words and beyond grateful for the opportunity to upgrade her household’s mechanical room components. It was an honor and privilege to be trusted with this job. Thank you for taking the time to write this review; it means the world to us as a small, local business.
“We were in that time frame of 25 years and needed to update 2 furnaces, 2 air conditioners, 2 April Airs, and 1 water heater. We had Herra’s come out and give us an estimate and time frame. Everything was done in a couple of days a week later and all of the service guys (Joey D, Scott T., John P., Ben C. and a few others) were professional and friendly. They were very helpful in setting up the new thermostats and patient while explaining to us how to use them. They left the place clean and tidy in the workspaces. They were very patient even with our dog barking for hours at them! Highly recommend! I love the text before they come out that introduces the technician, a little bio on them and a photo. Even a handwritten thank you note from them when the job is done. First class service!”
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Philanthropy is a cornerstone of J&R Herra. We work tirelessly to support the community that supports us. In addition to the sponsorships and seasonal donations, 10% of all Herra Home Shield profits are donated back into our community. Thanks to you, this month we were able to register as a Diamond Level Sponsor for the 2024/25 Kaneland Sports Boosters, support Fox Valley’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and sponsor our local Kaneville Festival in western Kane County. Thank you for supporting us so we can support our local community.
