Grounded in reality TV

Fledgling sod farm makes donation to ABC home makeover show

WARDEN — Viewers tuning in to ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" in January just might get a glimpse of some Grant County sod.

Blue Heron Turf owners Dan and Micah Leavitt were scheduled to deliver 1,200 square feet of sod to the TV series location in Sandpoint, Idaho, this morning, to help the show remodel a home for a family in need.

Dan said that the "Extreme Makeover" producers contacted a Spokane wholesaler, who in turn called Blue Heron Turf and asked if they would make the sod donation.

Dan and Micah said they both have watched the show, and estimated the episode will air in January.

"I think it's exciting to know that you can be a participant," Micah said. "They try to pick a family that's needy and has needed a break in life and needing something special, and they get everyone together and they give them that. So I think it's great to be able to be a contributor to that."

Will Dan and Micah actually appear on the series?

"There's no way to know, but maybe," Dan said.

Micah explained that about 1,000 people will be working on the house. They'll be present while the grass is delivered, and hang around to make sure everything goes well, he said.

"I guess there's a chance, there's cameras around, but us out of 1,200 people or something, not really," Micah said.

"The cool thing is, sod really does make an impact for a lawn," Dan said. "It'll go from bare dirt and then grass, and I'm sure that'll be the same thing seen up there. It'll be dirt and stuff, then they'll smooth it out, put the sod down and it will be a real impact."

In addition, Dan said he thinks that the lawns in Sandpoint are already beginning to go dormant because the temperature is a little colder, while things are still pretty green in the Grant County area.

"I think it will really be a neat thing to see the nice green grass," he said. "When they do air it on TV, at least we'll see Blue Heron Turf on the TV."

The Leavitts opened their family-owned and operated company in March and began cutting in September. Dan said the Leavitt family has been in the area since 1955; he and cousin Micah were looking for a way to get back into farming operations and raise their families.

Business has exceeded the partners' expectations, Dan said.

Dan said he thinks being involved with the television show will be a positive.

Micah said the company has strived to push having a good product and customer service, and he thinks the involvement with the TV series demonstrates that, or else the Blue Heron Turf would not have been recommended to make the donation.

"I think we've got an excellent product, we stand behind it," Dan said.