Cooperative VIRGINIA’S ELECTRIC
June 2013
Wayne Henderson
living
Virginia’s Own Music Legend
pg. 12
n How to Lower Home Humidity
and Save Energy Dollars pg. 16
n Summer Fairs, Festivals & Travel Destinations pg. 26
IFCMitchell_Layout 1 5/15/13 1:36 PM Page 1
#6*-% 0/ :063 -"/% BOE 4"7& 5)064"/%4
ŗ $IPPTF GSPN ŦPPS QMBO EFTJHOT ŗ ŗ 4BWF UIPVTBOET XJUI /P $POTUSVDUJPO -PBO *OUFSFTU ŗ ŗ 4BWF UIPVTBOET XJUI /P $MPTJOH $PTUT ŗ ŗ /P %PXO 1BZNFOU JT 3FRVJSFE GPS 2VBMJťFE -BOEPXOFST ŗ < 4UBOEBSE 1MBOT 0OMZ >
'PS NPSF EFUBJMT TUPQ JO BOE TFF ZPVS /FX )PNF $POTVMUBOU PS TFU VQ BO BQQPJOUNFOU JO UIF DPNGPSU PG ZPVS PXO IPNF CZ DBMMJOH VT UPEBZ $FOUSBM 4PVUIFSO BOE &BTUFSO 7JSHJOJB
8 8 8 -7 9 5 - 8 6 1 5 /PSUIFSO 7JSHJOJB /PSUIFSO /FDL BOE 'SFEFSJDLTCVSH
8 8 8 - 4 6 0 -1 7 9 0 %PXOMPBE PS SFRVFTU ZPVS 'SFF 1MBO #PPL 5PEBZ
X X X . JU D I F MM )PN F T/PX D PN
june toc_Layout 1 5/17/13 9:14 AM Page 1
THE INSIDE STORY Wayne Henderson, subject of this issue’s cover story, is a legend in musical circles. He’s a top-notch entertainer, and an artisan of unsurpassed Bill Sherrod ability. He has created handcrafted instruments for musicians ranging from Doc Watson to Eric Clapton. A resident of the tiny mountain community of Rugby, in the southwestern reaches of the state down near the North Carolina line, Henderson has built a reputation extending far beyond the beautiful, rolling terrain that he calls home. Henderson is a traditional musician in the purest sense. I had the opportunity to experience one of his performances a few years back, and the thing that struck me most was the easy, intimate rapport he managed to establish with a large hall full of people. As you listen to him — his music as well as his banter — you become a part of the world he creates onstage. Henderson is, at heart, a storyteller: his tales are told through the chords, the melodies, the harmonies and the words of his music. So when time came to find someone to tell Henderson’s story, it seemed the best bet would be a fellow musical raconteur. Peggy Ely, who wrote the cover story and shot most of the photos that accompany it, recently retired from Powell Valley Electric Cooperative, which serves members in Tennessee and far Southwestern Virginia. Peggy calls Jonesville – site of one of her co-op’s district offices – home. I’ve known Peggy nearly 20 years, and I’ve long known her to be an excellent writer and photographer, a gifted spinner of yarns through words and images. I didn’t know until PVEC’s annual meeting last fall that she’s also a musician. Peggy is petite, and the string bass she plays in the band, “Town Branch Bluegrass,” is, literally, larger than she. But listen to the band live or on CD, and you’ll hear her solid base work laying down the foundation for the bluegrass and gospel tunes the group does so well. So Peggy is also a gifted musical yarn-spinner. Serendipity is one of life’s real pleasures! n — Bill Sherrod, Editor
12
Our Mission To inform you about your cooperative and its efforts to serve your energy needs; how to use electricity safely and efficiently; and the people who define and enhance the quality of life in communities served by electric co-ops.
Contents 16
JUNE 2013 Wayne Henderson: Virginia’s Own Music Legend A lilt of musical legend resonates from the rustic hidden hollows of Grayson County that this Virginia musician and luthier calls home.
12
On the cover: Wayne Henderson is a gifted performer who handcrafts fine musical instruments. Photo courtesy of Virginia Department of Tourism.
Lower Humidity, Lower Electric Bill With summer’s heat and humidity just around the corner, here are some ways to help ensure your comfort and control your energy expense.
16
Fairs, Festivals & Travel Destinations
26
Our annual preview of upcoming summer fairs, festivals and travel-destination ideas can help you plan a weekend or a week’s getaway.
26
Arts and Ale Road correspondent Deborah Huso reports that Fredericksburg offers a variety of distractions and attractions besides its rich history.
30
DEPARTMENTS
30
Editorial Mailbag Whatzit? History Mystery Say Cheese! Happenings Co-op Currents Local Co-op Pages Healthy Take*
2 4 4 5 8 9 10 18 20
Caught in the Web* It’s Your Business* Garden Muse* Reader Recipes Kids’ Korner Good Neighbors Classifieds Rural Living
21 23 24 29 34 36 38 40
* not in all editions
Visit us online at: www.co-opliving.com Please recycle this magazine.
1
june editorial 5/17/13 2:38 PM Page 1
Vol. 67, No. 6
ISSN 1529-4579
RICHARD G. JOHNSTONE JR. Executive Editor BILL SHERROD Editor
LAURA J. EMERY Field Editor
JANET ROGERS BAILEY Production Manager BECKY WISE POTTER Graphic Designer
AMANDA S. CUNNINGHAM Graphic Designer/Ad Sales SUSAN C. GLISSON Advertising Assistant
To contact magazine: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F Phone: (804) 346-3344 Or at any time: Fax: (804) 346-3448 Email: bsherrod@odec.com Web: www.co-opliving.com
Published by the VA, MD & DE Association of Electric Cooperatives K.M. BEASLEY, JR. Chairman OLIN S. DAVIS III Vice Chairman
LARRY C. HOWDYSHELL Secretary JAMES E. HUFFMAN Treasurer
JACKSON E. REASOR President
RICHARD G. JOHNSTONE JR. Executive Vice President Board of Directors: R. Wayne Browning, Vernon N. Brinkley, A&N; Michael Sandridge, Michael J. Keyser, BARC; K.M. Beasley, Jr., Gary E. Wood, Central Virginia; Olin S. Davis III, Michael I. Wheatley, Choptank; Jeannette S. Everett, James M. Reynolds, Community; James E. Huffman, Shawn C. Hildebrand, Craig-Botetourt; Patricia S. Dorey, J. William Andrew, Delaware; Fletcher B. Jones, John C. Lee, Jr., Mecklenburg; J. Steve Thomas, Sr., Greg W. White, Northern Neck; J. Manley Garber, Stan C. Feuerberg, Northern Virginia; Dale McNiel, Randell W. Meyers, Powell Valley; Herbert R. Patrick, M Dale Bradshaw, Prince George; Richard C. Oliver, Kent D. Farmer, Rappahannock; Larry C. Howdyshell, Myron D. Rummel, Shenandoah Valley; Frank W. Bacon, Jeffrey S. Edwards, Southside.
To advertise in Cooperative Living, contact: Amanda Cunningham (804) 346-3344 National Advertising Representative: NCM 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 • 800-626-1181 Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 8 million homes and businesses.
PRESSRUN . . . . . . 493,997
COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 473300) is published 10 times a year, monthly except for combined March/April and November/December issues, by the Va., Md. & Del. Association of Electric Cooperatives. POSTMASTER, address changes should be sent to: Cooperative Living, 4201 Dominion Boulevard, Suite 101, Glen Allen, VA 23060, (804) 346-3344. Periodicals Postage paid at Glen Allen, VA, and additional mailing offices. Subscription: $4.90 per year for members of subscribing co-ops; $10 per year for all others. ADVERTISING published is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and willingly sold to customers at the advertised price. Neither this magazine nor the electric cooperatives in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware endorses any products or services advertised herein. If any readers encounter non-compliance with these standards, they are asked to inform the Editor.
www.facebook.com/ cooperativeliving 2
EDITORIAL
by Richard G. Johnstone Jr., Executive Editor
HERE’S to YOU, K.M. An ambassador for electric cooperatives leaves us without warning, but with a rich storehouse of stories and lessons.
K.M.Beasley, Jr., passed away
While ours was a business relationship, unexpectedly on the first Sunday morning in he always made me feel like an old friend. He May. And if you didn’t know K.M., it’s most would share tales of his brief experience as a likely because you never had the privilege of ship’s mate; his career as a rural banker and meeting him. realtor; and above all his joy in his family and Because, if you had met him even once, a the little country church they attended. And friendship would have been formed, or at least then there were all the stories of his boyhood have been well underway. in Southside’s Buckingham County, growing When I think about a life well-lived, K.M. is up on a small family farm, with a wonderful among the first people who come to mind. As he brother and parents, learning through early used to put it, with eyes bright and mornings and long days the ins smile broadening, he “enjoyed the and outs, ups and downs, satisdickens” out of seemingly every factions and frustrations of famactivity he undertook. While he ily farming. didn’t seem to seek the limelight, Those tough early lessons the light would invariably find him; served him well, teaching him a wherever a group was gathered, relentless work ethic matched K.M. would be there in the middle, only by his relentlessly inquisitive sharing a tall tale or helpful anecmind and his invariably upbeat dote, consoling a friend over a loss, greeting to all, whether stranger, or laughing over the latest silly turn acquaintance or friend, on the in our nation’s political life. street corner in Farmville, in the It’s tough, well-nigh impossicoffee shop in Appomattox, or ble, to capture the essence of K.M. from the seat of his tractor. in a phrase, a sentence, or even a In this post-modern age, few of paragraph. You could say he was a us live on the same plot of earth Kemper Morton Beasley, Jr. cattle farmer, and a “character,” in July 7, 1943 - May 5, 2013 for a childhood, much less a lifethat gentle Southern reference to time. K.M., though, spent his folks who are larger than life. But either descrip adult days on familiar fields, fields on which he tion wouldn’t really do him justice. worked, over and over, planting and cutting hay, You could absolutely say that he would have feeding and watering cattle, and all the while been a great politician, had he had any interest walking and thinking, pondering and planning. in elective office. But he was also an enthusiastic These fields were the very ones on which, amateur historian, a woodstove thinker in the as a boy, he had learned farming from his parwintertime, and a hayfield humorist in the suments. The Beasley Farm, and the earth beneath mer. Above all, he was a devoted husband, dad it, would end up sustaining him as a married and granddad. man, with a wife and two children, and with a His keen mind would relentlessly scan a beautiful home that he built and in which their broad horizon of interests, from the plight of children would grow to successful adulthood. daily newspapers, to the implications of China’s Eulogies at memorial services, and in print, emergence as a world power, to the future of tend to be sad, because they’re written to celethe family farm. brate those who’ve passed on, those we wish I knew him mainly in his role as an electric were still with us, alive, happy, in their prime. cooperative leader. K.M.’s effusive personality and Every day, K.M. celebrated life, life in general, love for the cooperative business model made his own life, and that of those around him. him a tireless advocate for cooperatives, and a In looking for a quote that would capture natural choice to lead them. At his death, in fact, K.M.’s liveliness and zest for life, I came across he was serving as chairman of the board of the this one from the late Theodor Geisel, the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of groundbreaking children’s author best known as Electric Cooperatives, the regional trade group Dr. Seuss, which puts the pain of loss into perthat publishes this magazine, as well as on the spective: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile beboard of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. cause it happened.” n Cooperative Living/June 2013
pg3Lockridge_Layout 1 5/15/13 1:37 PM Page 1
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
3
june mailbag 5/17/13 9:20 AM Page 1
MAILBAG
quite often, so we named the cabin Rooster’s Den. The grounds still need THE WRONG SEASON IN MAY work, though we’ve spent There was an item on “Snow Snakes” hours clearing and figuring We want to hear from you — comments, opinions, suggestions. in the May 2013 issue of Cooperative out some woodland Your letter must be signed and legible. We reserve the Living that referred to November’s cold right to edit for grammar, style and length, with a 250plantings the deer NOTE Virginia mountain weather. word maximum for acceptance. Write: MAILBAG, EMAIL won’t eat. P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340; or email Almost every May in Southside ADDRESS We’ve been receivmailbag@co-opliving.com. Please include your name Virginia there are a few unusually cold ing Cooperative Living and city/town of residence, with MAILBAG as the subject. days. This period was called by the and some of the recent older generation as “the LONG season articles have caught in May.” my eye. The May This writer, having survived 80 story on Nimrod Hall was African patio. I’m building a Mays, has edited the terrific. I am an artist. I sunken patio using all natural phrase to read “the ry t s i t have painted all over the r materials and stones that are layain A WRONG season in May.” U.S. and the world. My Mount ing around. Martha Wren Briggs work is in museums, I’m glad there are still places Williamsburg and Sedley, Va. convents and monaslike Blue Mountain, and that there teries in Europe, are electric cooperatives to make it THANK GOODNESS FOR Latin America and so we can enjoy them. ROOSTER’S DEN private collections. Kristyna F. O’Hop My husband Bill and I purI’ve taught art priW Woodbridge, Va. chased a practically abandoned vately for years. I cabin on Blue Mountain near still like to draw SHE WANTS A SUBSCRIPTION Linden three years ago. We have the impish squirrels and the OF HER OWN painstakingly restored it inside and deer and the beautiful moths on the Please send me a subscription out, weekend by weekend, until it’s livglass and the forest full of trillium to your great magazine. I am tired able, and we love it. this time of year. I go to the cabin of trying to read someone else’s! We furnished it with antiques from to rest and continue my artwork on Delilah A. Hockman the local flea market in Front Royal, the porch in the solitude of the Strasburg, Va. where every “hunting” trip was an giant trees, the singing birds, the adventure of delightful discovery. quiet of the wind. Last year I spent A FREE PRESS? There is a nearby rooster that crows three weeks in Africa and I saw an In 1776, the second year of the American Revolutionary War, the Virginia Colonial legislature passed a Declaration of Rights that included the sentence, “The WHATZIT? freedom of the press is one of Each issue, we will the greatest bulwarks of liberty, publish a photo of a familand can never be restrained iar but unidentified object. but by despotic Governments.” You are invited to make Eight of the other 13 states made your best guess and send it similar pledges. in writing with your name, In 1791 this Declaration of address, and phone number Rights became part of the 1st to WHATZIT?, c/o Cooperat amendment to our Constitution ive Living, P.O. Box 2340, stated as “Congress shall make no Glen Allen, VA 23058law respecting an establishment of 2340; or guess online at DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS? religion, or prohibiting the free www.co-opliving.com exercise thereof; or abridging the under “Contests.” Dead The Marchfreedom of speech, or of the press; line for entries is June 30. April 2013 or the right of the people peaceAll correct entries will be WHATZIT? ably to assemble, and to petition put into a drawing and a (r) was a jack the government for a redress winner announced in the from the chilof grievances.” August 2013 issue. The dren’s game of Over two centuries ago, wise winner will receive a jack rocks. Reader Mady Wessells (left) of Bloxom was people understood how critically check for $25. ■ our $25 winner. Congratulations, Mady! important it was for the citizens of a Republic to have access to accu-
WRITE US!
ter
ting Wri
orah
by Deb
Huso,
Contribu
Y R STOR
COVE
y and old nctuar rfind sa h a 27-yea artists ug r. . ounty, d Hall thro sture Rive C onsibility th pa le resp In Ba n at Nimro the Cow e a sing r, sit on the ’t hav . I didn n to the rive ts. There on io long at r artis dow day walk the othe I could inspir arts program h with s.” g old
a ter Laur oil pain red Nimmond ove hen Rich t) first disc nty, Va., she Loe (righl in Bath Cou designer hic kends rod Hal as a grap her wee t. A ime king full-t spending ends mee was wor week and rt to make artists at the during ing in an effo a retreat for go. ut d she recalls, but bartend her abo este told friend Hall and sugg ld go,” Loe week off a cou Nimrod not feel I d to takecash to pay “I did w manage ther the there was eho she som scrape toge k I was paint all wee and ld work n. “The first “I cou says. the tuitio ging,” she life-chan
laug blin porch, expectation the ram the sum with no r and were fell in love ture Rive d ladies Loe Cowpas e Richmon tend to be ts on the som st artis hanhouse ts’ colony 6. “Mo they can the mer artis ted in 198 than e her more Hall gav had star take on Nimrod focus on her withand arks. ADD n and painting Loe rem dle,” to slow dow the joy of er chance rememb and . work agenda out an
3
ay 201
ative
Cooper
Living/M
14
4
Cooperative Living/June 2013
june mailbag 5/17/13 9:23 AM Page 2
rate information made possible by unencumbered journalists. Clearly, their characterization of a “free press” meant a press that would provide writings characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without any attempt at interpretation. How disappointed they would be to see their concept of a “free press” subordinated to focusing on the advancement of a progressive ideology. And how surprised they would be to find that restraint of the press by a despotic government was not the cause of its transition — that indoctrination of progressive ideology at liberal educational establishments would be. So many gave so much so that we could have a Republic and today one critical part of that Republic, the “free press,” is gone. If we can’t get it back, then I fear the Republic will soon be gone also. We the people need access to accurate information on things that concern us and to get that information requires journalists, not ideological panderers. It is time for all people who describe themselves as journalists to look in the mirror and ask that person they see if they are really meeting the ideals of the job set for them by the founders of this great country! Rex A. Hoover Sumerduck, Va.
HISTORY MYSTERY Each issue, we will publish a photo of some person, place or thing (or a portion thereof) of historical significance in Virginia, and readers will be invited to submit their best guess as to the identity of the photo. Send it in writing with your name, address, and phone number to HISTORY MYSTERY, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340; or guess online at www.co-opliving.com under “Contests.” Deadline for entries is June 30. All correct entries will be put into a drawing and a winner announced in the August 2013 issue. The winner will receive a check for $25. ■
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS? The MarchApril 2013 HISTORY MYSTERY
was the former New Kent County jail, which now houses the New Kent History Museum. Built circa 1910, it is located in New Kent’s courthouse square. Reader Nick Baker (left) of Louisa was our $25 winner. Congratulations, Nick!
LET’S GET VIRGINIA’S NATIONAL FORESTS BACK IN BALANCE The Forest Service’s current planning for the Lower Cowpasture Restoration Project features a series of public workshops between now and December 2013. These meetings will address management of about 80,000 acres of the George Washington National Forest in eastern Bath and Alleghany counties. During this unique public input process, conservation organizations and members will have multiple opportunities to address the decline of young forests (early successional habitat) in this area of the George Washington National Forest. Declines in young forest habitat present big problems for species depending on thickets for shelter, breeding, food and to escape predators. The remarkable loss of young forest habitat in national forests all along the central and southern Appalachian Mountains contributes directly to serious declines in many game and non-game species, including ruffed grouse, golden-winged warbler, American woodcock, wild turkey and white-tailed deer.
Cooper
ative
May 2012
Grow & Tre ing Kids es pg
For cha
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
nges
of add
ress,
please
contact
your
local
electric
coopera
tive.
. 14
Co
Lack of active national forest management, including clear-cut and modified shelter-wood timber harvests in rotation, results in an increasing imbalance of far too much older growth and not nearly enough young forest thickets. Virginia’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries actively manages forests on Appalachian Wildlife Management Areas. The Department also assists private living landowners and homeowners to effectively manage farmland and backyards to support a variety of wildlife. This management and assistance, in partnership with a number of governmental agencies and non-governmental conservation organizations, demonstrates the benefits of quality habitat and offers recreation to a wide variety of users. Each of us who enjoys a national forest ramble can also help restore the old and young forest balance. We can help by not objecting to forest management, by creating quality habitat on land we own and by supporting the Forest Service in creating young forests. We can help our favorite conservation organizations
nn the Haecting wi th tton Ferry the Past Down pg. 26 Aboa Hom rd e in Wa rm Sp ste of rings pg. 30 Dom the Old inion Co pg. 34 untry in the
A Ta Old
5
june mailbag 5/10/13 8:29 PM Page 3
Built rrock ock solid. Built ffor or lif life. e. At At Bethel Builders, our houses are are built to to last. last. We We start start with the highest highest quality materials materials and build with best-in-class best-in-class techniques. techniques. No skimping, no shortcuts. shortcuts. fixtures Our selection of fixtur es are and finishes ar e rich satisfy enough tto o sa tisfy the quality-minded quality -minded without sstressing tressing the budget-conscious. budget-c onscious.
to educate the public about the importance of young forests and the methods to create them. We can also help by participating in the Lower Cowpasture Restoration Project; to learn more, contact the James River Ranger District or the Warm Springs Ranger District. With more young forests, we’re much more likely to see a variety of wildlife as we take a national forest ramble. Wayne Thacker Bumpass, Va.
MEMBER FYI COOPERATIVE LIVING PRINTED BY CO-OP MEMBER BUSINESS Virginia’s largest-circulation magazine is now being printed at a facility served by Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC), one of the Commonwealth’s 13 member-owned electric co-op utilities. Cooperative Living is mailed 10 times a year to more than 494,000 electric cooperative members across the state.
METAL ROOFING • No more blown-off shingles The Bannister Bannisterr with Partial Partial Stone Stone Front Front
Every house is guaranteed Every guarant a eed to to ensure ensure that that long after after the last last craftsman craftsman has left, your your house will remain remain a home worth worth keeping. keeping. Serving Central Central Virginia Virginia and Northern Neck communities. communities. Build on your your land or ours. Homes starting starting in the 90's. ur ize yo ! Custom e ln onli home
Bethel Builders, LLC LLC w www.bethelbuilders-va.com ww.bethelbuilders-va.com 540-748-8810 540-748-8810
6
• No more blown-off shingles • Reduces energy bills • Lightweight, durable • Low maintenance • Hail-resistant
1-800-893-1242
vacarolinabuildings.com vacarolinabuildings.com
mobilehomeroofing.net
Stop Leaks • Lifetime Warranty Co-op Member Discount
800-767-1591
RR Donnelley is producing Cooperative Living in its facility at Strasburg, Va., in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Cooperative Living’s May’s issue was the first to be produced at the Strasburg plant. “When we toured the Strasburg facility and met its management staff, we learned that the plant is served by Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative, with many of the 500 employees who work at that location served by the co-op, as well,” editor Bill Sherrod said. “How fitting that a publication developed to inform and enlighten the state’s electric cooperative members is now being produced right here in Virginia at a printing plant served by an electric cooperative!” Last year, as he does with all of the cooperative’s larger business members, SVEC President and CEO Myron Rummel visited RR Donnelley’s Strasburg facility personally to deliver its capital-credits check. Since this area is part of the new service territory SVEC acquired in 2010 from the investor-owned utility Potomac Edison, the experience was new for vice president of manufacturing, Allan Doonan. “We especially appreciated having the president of the power company visit our facility and demonstrate that level of interest in our business,” said Doonan. “We were pleased to demonstrate firsthand the cooperative principle of members’ economic participation to one of our co-op’s newest members, who also happens to be one of SVEC’s largest accounts,” said Rummel. Headquartered in Mount Crawford, SVEC is a member-owned electric-distribution utility serving nearly 89,000 meters in 12 counties located along Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.svec.coop. Cooperative Living magazine is published in Glen Allen, Va., for the state’s consumer-owned electric cooperatives. For more information or to view issues online, visit:
www.co-opliving.com n Be sure to like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/cooperativeliving
Cooperative Living/June 2013
pg7SafeStep_Layout 1 5/15/13 1:38 PM Page 1
GET BACK IN THE WATER SAFELY: A SAFE STEP TO COMFORT AND INDEPENDENCE
The MOST DANGEROUS room in your home... the bathroom
A
ccording to The New York Times*, the bathroom can be the most dangerous room in the home. Hundreds of thousands of falls and accidents happen each year. FACT: 1 in 3 adults 65+ fall each year, and falls are the leading cause of injury death as well as the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.** *BAKALAR, NICHOLAS. “Watch Your Step While Washing Up.” New York Times 16, Aug. 2011, New York Edition ed., Section D sec.: D7. Web **CDC - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
SAFETY NEVER FELT SO GOOD.
™
A
Safe Step Walk-In Tub will offer independence to those seeking a safe and easy way to bathe right in the convenience and comfort of your own home. Constructed and built right here in America for safety and durability from the ground up. Plus with more standard features than any other tub: • The industry’s leading low step-in • Built in 17-inch high seat for stability • In-line Heater • Ozone Sanitizer • No-Strength Locking handle • Gentle Jet™ System, 16 air streams and 10 water jets
Safe Step Tubs have received the Ease-of-Use Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation
remodel. Installation is included in the package and our installers are LQVXUHG DQG FHUWL¿ HG LQ walk-in tub installation- all work is 100% guaranteed. Offering the highest quality and service while maintaining a low affordable price, there just isn’t a better walk-in tub on the market.
LIFETIME LIMITED WARRANTY
• Lifetime warranty on the tub and door seal A Safe Step Walk-In Tub also offers life changing therapeutic relief from all kinds of aches and pains. Featuring carefully engineered dual hydro
massage and air bubble jets—both strategically placed to target sore muscles and joints in your legs and back. These tubs are designed WR HDVLO\ ¿ W \RXU H[LVWLQJ tub space without a full
6R WDNH \RXU ¿ UVW VWHS towards feeling great and stay in the home you love. Call now toll-free
1-888-876-2116 for your FREE information kit and DVD, and our Senior Discounts. Financing available with approved credit.
$750 OFF when you mention this ad for a limited time only
Call Toll-Free 1-888-876-2116
www.SafeStepTub.com June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
7
june say cheese 2_Layout 1 5/17/13 12:22 PM Page 1
SAY CHEESE
by Becky Wise Potter
We welcome your wacky, endearing or unusual photos. Send to: Say Cheese!, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340. Please do not send originals, as photos cannot be returned. Digital photos must be high resolution and printed on photo paper, or high-resolution .jpg files may be e-mailed to saycheese@co-opliving.com with SAY CHEESE! in the subject line. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS with information about the photo.
Country HIT PARADE MAMAS DON’T LET YOUR BABIES GROW UP TO BE COWBOYS3Looks like Mama has blatantly ignored Waylon & Willie. From the guilty party, Christy Hockaday of Fredericksburg.
1
COAT OF MANY COLORS Earl and Margaret Anderson of Nathalie decked their barn out in Dolly Parton’s kind of duds. From photographer Roy Nethercutt.
2 SHE THINKS MY TRACTOR’S SEXY5 This jaunty young plowboy figures if a farmer’s tan works for Kenny Chesney, it’ll work for him! From Tiffany Lee Redmond of Prince George.
3
4 SAVE A HORSE, RIDE A COW, BOY5Contributor Ricky Thompson of Staunton looks Big & Rich astride his well-broken bull, Longshot’s Papa.
5
I THINK I’LL JUST STAY HERE AND DRINK5Rosco throws one back at the dairy bar in honor of the great Merle Haggard. From reader Britney Pittman of Elberon.
6 COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME5John Denver might belong in West Virginia, but Salem’s mountain momma is Alaska. From proud grandparents Peter and Valerie Little of Amissville.
8
8
GOD BLESS THE USA Lee Greenwood would surely be proud of these enthusiastic Americans celebrating with their grandparents in Clarksville. Sent in by Marion F. Hall.
7 SHE’S A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY5 Pretty little city girl Kirsten is just Ernest Tubbs kind of country. Contributed by Janice Hassell of Richmond. Cooperative Living/June 2013
pg9_Layout 1 5/16/13 3:41 PM Page 1
HAPPENINGS
JUNE 14-16 HOT SPRINGS 2013 Virginia Blues & Jazz Festival. Garth Newel Music Center. www.vabluesfest.org.
EVEN MORE FAIRS, FESTIVALS & FUN TO EXPLORE! Check out our special events and travel section on pages 26-28 for more on what’s happening this summer.
15 HEATHSVILLE Heathsville Farmers Market. Rice’s Hotel/Hughlett’s Tavern. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (804) 580-3377. info@rhhtfoundation.org.
29 MILLBORO Truck & Tractor Pull. Millboro Carnival Grounds. Noon. EDeel@barcelectric.com.
15 ORANGE 4th Annual Trashy Ribs & Blues Festival. Short Street. (540) 672-2540.
29 BROWNSBURG Horse Show. Bustleburg Horseshow Grounds. 11 a.m. (540) 460-9244. www.brownsburgruritan.org.
15 BOYDTON 53rd Boydton Ruritan Club Horse & Pony Show. Boydton Ball Park. (434) 374-5242. 15 REMINGTON Quail & Upland Wildlife Federation Outdoor Shooting Event. Shady Grove Kennels. (703) 232-3572. 16 COLONIAL BEACH Father’s Day Car Show. Town Hill. 10 a.m-4 p.m. (804) 224-8145. 19-JULY 13 WACHAPREAGUE 61st Annual Fireman’s Carnival. Wachapreague Vol. Fire Company. (757) 787-7818. 20 CULPEPER 3rd Thursday Concert Series. The Depot. (540) 825-4416. www.culpeperdowntown.com. 20 SOUTH HILL Affair on the Square. South Hill Market Square. 6:30-9:30 p.m. (434) 447-3191. 22 WARM SPRINGS 10th Annual Moomaw Madness Spring Triathlon. Lake Moomaw. (800) 628-8092. www.SetUpEvents.com. 22 LONG ISLAND 37th Annual Fun Float Day. Staunton River. (434) 941-2619. 22 ALTAVISTA Made in the Shade Craft Beer Festival. Avoca Museum. (434) 369-1076. educationoffice@embarqmail.com. June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
JULY TUESDAYS THROUGH AUGUST STAUNTON Praise in the Park. Gypsy Hill Park. (540) 886-1338. 3-5 LEXINGTON 4th of July Celebration & Balloon Rally. VMI Parade Ground. (540) 463-1102. 3 SOUTH HILL Picnic in the Park. Parker Park. 6:30-10:30 p.m. (434) 447-4547. 4 FAIRFAX Independence Day Celebration. Fairfax High School. (703) 385-7858. www.fairfaxva.gov. 4 CULPEPER CRI Annual 4th of July Car & Bike Show. Downtown. (540) 825-4416. www.culpeperdowntown.com. 4 ACCOMAC Friends Firecracker Booksale. Accomac Library. (757) 787-3400. www.friendsespl.org. 4 COLONIAL BEACH Fireworks off the Town Pier. 9 p.m. (804) 224-7181. 4 SYRIA Celebration & Fireworks. Graves’ Mountain Lodge. (540) 923-4231.
4 PORT ROYAL Independence Day Celebration. www.historicportroyal.com. 5 FREDERICKSBURG Sounds of Summer. Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center. (540) 371-3037. www.famcc.org. 6 SOUTHSIDE 100+ Mile Annual Yard Sale. (434) 767-2324. On Facebook: VAYARDSALEMILES. 12 FREDERICKSBURG Sounds of Summer. Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center. (540) 371-3037. www.famcc.org. 10-13 RUTHER GLEN Caroline County Agricultural Fair. County Fairgrounds. www.carolinefair.com.
To be considered for inclusion, please submit events in the format as listed. DEADLINES: June 15 for Aug. 15-Sept. 15; July 15 for Sept. 15-Oct. 15 Preference given to events sponsored by not-for-profit entities. Events subject to change; please contact event sponsor for confirmation.
Send to: Happenings, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340 Email: happenings@odec.com Online: www.co-opliving.com/ contact_happenings.htm Fax: (804) 346-3448 Submitting an event notice does not guarantee publication. To guarantee publication and delivery to more than 490,000 homes and businesses, place a display ad or a classified. Contact above for details.
9
june currents_Layout 1 5/10/13 10:38 AM Page 1
CO-OP CURRENTS
BANG FOR YOUR BUCK STOP SUMMER ENERGY DRAINS A number of factors can result in higher electric bills during the summer, including the fact that the kids are out of school and home most of the day, with your air conditioner running to keep the home cool. Air conditioning load alone is 35-40 percent of your summer monthly electric consumption. (Source: 2009 RECS microdata – U.S. Energy Information Administration.) Here are some tips to help keep costs down during summer months:
SAVING WHILE COOLING More people coming and going from your house, plus doors hanging open from each trip to play outside, plus high temperatures can equal an air-conditioning unit that has to work harder to keep the house cool. Remember to check and change your home’s HVAC filters every month. Adjust your settings to maximize efficiency, such as using the “auto” function instead of keeping the fan running all the time. Set your thermostat as high as you can while maintaining your comfort level — the smaller the difference between indoor air and the great outdoors, the lower your cooling costs will be. Make sure that your furniture doesn’t block the vents and that lighting fixtures and appliances that put out a lot of heat are not located near the thermostat. Consider using a dehumidifier in damp rooms such as a basement or laundry room to help your air conditioner with the cooling.
AVOID “PHANTOM LOAD” As electronics and appliances become more technologically savvy, they often draw power even when not in use. A good indicator of so-called “phantom load” is to check the device for a light that stays on all the time. Phantom load will only add a few watt-hours to energy consumption, but a few watt-hours on each of your many electronic devices adds up. To avoid this silent power draw, get your family in the habit of turning electronics on and off via power strips as they move from one activity to the next. You may also want to invest in “smart” power strips, which allow certain electronics — like a cable box, which takes time to reboot after it’s been unplugged — to continue using electricity while others can be completely shut down. Some options can be purchased online through the “store” tab of www.energizeefficiently.coop.
KEEP THAT POOL COVERED! About 70 percent of the heat lost from swimming pools results from evaporation, caused by both wind and water. That means tap water goes to refilling the pool, which means higher electric bills to heat that water. To save energy, cover your pool when it’s not in use. Pool size and shape factor into choosing the right cover. The most expensive pool covers are incorporated into the pool structure and come with an automatic retraction and storage system. Manual covers may be cheaper, but removing them can be a dirty job. You can also choose solar covers resembling bubble wrap.
YOUR CO-OP IS A RESOURCE As you work to stop summer energy drains, take advantage of the resources offered by your electric co-op. Most have on-staff energy-efficiency experts who help you determine the right steps for your home, including whether an energy audit will help find more savings. Additionally, check out the Home Energy Suite on-line energy calculator on your cooperative’s website to find out how measures around the house add up to big energy savings.
10
Great Buys Online at the Energize Efficiently Store If you haven’t been online to www.energizeefficiently.coop recently, there’s a new menu choice, “Store,” in the upper right-hand corner of the menu bar. By partnering with Amazon, the Energize Efficiently Store offers a wide range of products that will help you save energy and increase efficiency around your home. As with all Amazon products, you can take advantage of customer reviews as well as free shipping on orders over $25. Here’s a list of a few popular items: GE 13-WATT ENERGY SMART CFL BULBS Replace your 60-watt incandescent bulbs with these energy efficient, 825lumen bulbs from GE Lighting. Each lasts 8,000 hours, about five years, or as long as eight incandescent bulbs! They also use 80 percent less energy and feature flicker-free electronic starting. At a little over 10 bucks for an eight-pack of these, you can’t go wrong. LIGHTING EVER 7-WATT LED BULB This high-performance LED bulb from Samsung is A19 style, shaped like the traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb it is designed to replace. While it costs about the same as eight equivalent incandescent bulbs, it provides a bright daylight-white light and has a very long life — as much as 20 years — and is rated to put out 70 percent as much light after 30,000 hours of operation as it did when brand new. BELKIN CONSERVE SOCKET (F7C009Q) This energy-saving outlet not only reduces phantom load but also makes your home safer by automatically shutting off space heaters, curling irons, coffee makers and so forth. It can be used throughout the home for multiple devices including fans, cellphone chargers, lights, kitchen appliances and electric toothbrushes. Cooperative Living/June 2013
june currents_Layout 1 5/10/13 10:41 AM Page 2
P3 INTERNATIONAL P4400 KILL A WATT METER This electricity-use monitor can be used to assess how efficient your appliances are. The large LCD display counts consumption by the kilowatthour, so that you can calculate your electrical expenses by the day, week, month, even an entire year. Kill A Watt can help you reduce your power bill and will help find power-wasting appliances so you are able to decide whether it is worth keeping them plugged in. Now you will know if it is time for a new refrigerator or if that old window-unit air conditioner is still saving you money. ÂŽ
LUX PRODUCTS TX1500E SMART TEMP This seven-day programmable thermostat is affordable and easy to use. Compatible with a variety of heating and cooling systems, this thermostat incorporates do-it-yourself installation, a responsive touch screen, and a large lighted display for simple, straightforward programming and operation. n
Have You Tested Your Energy IQ? Take our online quiz at www.energizeefficiently. coop/energy-quiz
' ! " # "' ! $ " # !" '! #!" # " " !"' #
% %
# ! # #!" ! "! ' # ' "
#!" #
!
$
! !
&
" !
" !
!%
"" $
!" !" # " " !(
! $
"
mortonbuildings.com 800-447-7436
Š2013 Morton Buildings, Inc. A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses. Ref Code 551
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
11
PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA.ORG
june cover story 3_Layout 1 5/10/13 2:56 PM Page 1
12
Cooperative Living/June 2013
COVER STORY
by Peggy B. Ely, Contributing Writer
{
PEGGY ELY PHOTO
june cover story 3_Layout 1 5/10/13 2:56 PM Page 2
{
Wayne VIRGINIA’S OWN MUSIC LEGEND Henderson F
or nearly 50 years, Wayne Henderson has had an everwidening influence on the world of music. Henderson is an extraordinary guitar virtuoso and world-renowned luthier who makes his home in the mountain community of Rugby (population 7), in Southwest Virginia near the Carolina state line. Not only is he a world-class musician, Henderson’s legendary reputation for creating finely handcrafted acoustic musical instruments is widely acclaimed. On any given day, you might find him mesmerizing an audience with his brilliant guitar-playing style on a stage anywhere in the world, or picking a tune on a neighbor’s front
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
porch. Or, you might find him in his guitar shop, where musical instruments are magically crafted by the skilled hands of this humble and talented artist. A retired rural mail carrier, Wayne recalls that music has been an influential part of his life since early childhood. He began playing guitar at the tender age of 5, and when he was a small child, he crafted his own guitar (which he still has) from a cardboard snuff box, a piece of wood and some fishing line. Wayne’s father, Walter Henderson, was an old-time fiddler and performed for many years throughout local communities in the Grayson County area with a band known as the Rugby Gully Jumpers. Wayne
also credits his mother, Sylvia, for passing down to her children an exceptional creative ability. While she didn’t play a musical instrument, she expressed her artistic flair visually with stunning artwork and beautiful handmade quilts. Wayne’s older brother, Max, is also an accomplished musician, the mandolin his instrument of choice. And, with one of his grandfathers having played old-time banjo, Wayne’s musical heritage has been an enduring influence on the fascinating path that he has chosen in life. While he never studied music or had formal guitar lessons, as a young man Wayne spent lots of time listening to recordings by the legendary musician Doc Watson, one of
13
june cover story 3_Layout 1 5/10/13 2:57 PM Page 3
Delicate detailed inlay, designed and cut by hand from abalone or mother-of-pearl, adorns the instruments Henderson creates.
his most influential heroes, and later in life one of his dearest friends. Another talented musician and songwriter, E.C. Ball, a neighbor and close friend who played in the band with Wayne’s father, became a mentor to him. As a result of time spent playing music with E. C. as he played his impressive Martin guitar, Wayne was inspired to try his hand at crafting his own instrument, patterned after the Martin guitar style that he admired so much. Through a bit of initial trial and error, and with the expert advice and guidance from another widely known and respected luthier, old-time fiddler and neighbor Albert Hash, Wayne crafted his first masterpiece as a young man. Much of the guitar’s detail was meticulously created with a pocket knife and a piece of glass, used for painstakingly smoothing out the wood. After successfully crafting his No. 1 guitar, the wheels were set in motion for more instruments to be created, each time with more refined skill and expertise. His gems soon caught the attention of musicians far and wide. THE STORY OF NO. 7 One of Wayne’s favorite stories involves guitar No. 7. Although he sold some of the guitars he built in the early years for as much as $40 each, he wasn’t particularly interested in selling No. 7. But, one day, a rather intimidating stranger who had a wellknown reputation as a notorious moonshiner became adamant about purchasing it as soon as he played it. Wayne was a bit on 14
PEGGY ELY PHOTOS
W.C. Henderson guitars are crafted from rosewood, mahogany, spruce and other carefully selected woods that meet his high standards.
The long-time luthier builds an average of 30 exquisitely handcrafted guitars each year. edge in the company of this shady character and emphatically told him the guitar wasn’t for sale, but the stranger persisted. Finally, Wayne decided to price it so high no one could afford it, and blurted out that it would take $500 to buy it! With that, Wayne felt certain he would be rid of the unwanted visitor; but the very next day, he was back. The man reached into his shirt pocket, took out five $100 bills and handed them to Wayne. He was overwhelmed, but he had set the price, and No. 7 was gone. As time passed, Wayne occasionally caught a glimpse of the guitar at various music festivals, once in the hands of even more notorious moonshiners who didn’t even bother to protect it from the rain. But with all the buying, selling and trading of instruments that takes place, No. 7 eventually found its way back to Wayne years later. To his delight, it was, in spite of everything, in one piece and
although worn and weathered, its appearance was still rather pleasing ... but the bullet hole in it was hard to miss. Wayne was told that one of the guitar’s owners was cleaning his gun and accidently shot it. Being a gun owner himself, Wayne concluded that sounded pretty far-fetched and had another, more logical theory. He surmised that it might have been possible that the fellow, just for target practice, took aim at the sound hole of the guitar with what he (maybe) thought was an empty gun, then pulled the trigger ... In the early days of Wayne’s musical career, he, his brother Max, Boyd Stewart and Albert Hash delighted radio-listening audiences with their long-running Saturday morning music shows broadcast live from WKSK Radio in West Jefferson, N.C. According to Wayne, this eight-year stint with a successful radio show was his first real “gig” and his musical career was off and Cooperative Living/June 2013
june cover story 3_Layout 1 5/10/13 3:01 PM Page 4
STILL BUILDING In addition to all the show dates that occupy Wayne’s time, he averages building 30 guitars each year. On the snowy, early spring day when we visited Wayne’s guitar shop, he was delicately adding detail work to a strikingly beautiful guitar, No. 589. He also handcrafts many fine mandolins, banjos, fiddles and ukuleles. Some of the more well-known musicians to own W. C. Henderson guitars include Eric Clapton and the late Doc Watson. The definition of luthier is “a maker of stringed instruments.” That’s a rather simple description of an artist who can transform selected pieces of wood into musical instruments that can, if properly cared for, last centuries. Wayne is a gifted craftsman and legendary luthier who settles for nothing less than perfection in each instrument he creates. It has been said that words cannot explain the quality of a musical instrument, that the music played on it speaks for itself. No one has more feeling about the music played on an instrument than Wayne Henderson. And, nowhere will you find an individual who does more to promote the gift of music — through his highly acclaimed style of guitar playing, as well as his exceptional talent as a luthier. This soft-spoken gentleman takes his love for music from a small remote community in the mountains of Virginia and graciously shares it with the world. n June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
Wayne MUSIC FESTIVAL & GUITAR COMPETITION Henderson The annual Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition will be held June 15, 2013, at the Grayson Highlands State Park at Mouth of Wilson, Va. Sponsored by Wayne Henderson Music Festival, Inc., and the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of State Parks, the festival is always held the third Saturday in June, regardless of weather. The show features lots of bluegrass and old-time music. Children’s music and events will also be scheduled. The festival features some of the region’s best traditional musicians who, from time to time, share the stage with bluegrass bands from Europe. Wayne and many of his musician friends also perform. This year’s festival lineup also includes Roseanne Cash, The Quebe Sisters, and John Leventhal. The music festival and guitar competition were established in 1995 to honor living legend Wayne Henderson. Winner of the guitar competition receives a handcrafted Wayne Henderson guitar. Each year since the festival started, a portion of the proceeds from the event have funded scholarships to aid young, local, traditional musicians in continuing their exploration and education. Individuals are selected to receive scholarships for up to $500, which may be applied to individual lessons or a traditional music camp/program of the applicant’s choice. Scholarship winners can be selected from classes in all levels of fiddle, banjo, guitar, acoustic bass, lap dulcimer, or mandolin. The grants are for students (age 18 and under) of traditional acoustic music instruments who are residents of the Central Appalachian Region. Preference will be given to new applicants and applicants who are not yet accomplished musicians. For additional information about this year’s Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival and Guitar Competition and scholarship details, visit www.waynehenderson.org. n
The festival features some of the region’s best traditional musicians.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WAYNEHENDERSON.ORG
running. Through the years, as his career continued to flourish, he shared his music with audiences in every state, in Canada, Asia and Europe. He has played at Carnegie Hall, on the grounds of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and in 1995 was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship Award by the National Endowment for the Arts. He was presented the award by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton, and was invited to share his extraordinary musical talent with the White House guests at this most prestigious event. Today, he continues to entertain and thrill audiences locally and the world over, and often shares the stage with friends Jeff Little and Helen White, both excellent musicians in their own right. In April, he and the other members of a group known as The Virginia Luthiers — Gerald Anderson, Jimmy Edmonds and Spencer Strickland, all talented musicians and world-renowned musical-instrument craftsmen — traveled to Lyons, Col., to participate in the High Street Concert Series.
15
june wise energy use_CL_june07_p 5/9/13 4:37 PM Page 1
WI$E ENERGY U$E
by James Dulley, Contributing Columnist
LOWER HUMIDITY, LOWER ELECTRIC BILL
Q.
Our house often seems too humid indoors. We set the thermostat lower, but it does not help a lot. How can we reduce the humidity and improve comfort? — Michael T. High indoor humidity levels can make people uncomfortable. Damp, cool indoor air creates a muggy atmosphere that often feels much worse than warmer humid air from open windows. This is particularly true for allergy sufferers because many allergens thrive in damp conditions. Excessively humid indoor air also can drive up air-conditioning costs. As you mentioned, you sometimes set the thermostat lower to compensate for the high humidity and discomfort. Each degree you lower the thermostat setting increases your electric bill.
A.
Exhaust fans help reduce the humidity level in your house, which allows for a higher thermostat setting — and improved comfort — during hot summer months. 16
REDUCE WHAT YOU PRODUCE First, try to reduce the humidity you’re already producing. The kitchen and bathrooms are the greatest contributors to high humidity levels. Make sure your stove’s exhaust hood is ducted outside, not into the attic — recirculating stove hoods are ineffective at controlling odor and moisture — and run the fan when cooking, especially while boiling water. Also consider using small countertop cooking appliances outdoors on a patio or deck. As in the kitchen, run the bathroom vent fan whenever showering or bathing. Don’t turn it off as soon as you are done because there is much residual moisture in the air. Some of the new, quiet bathroom vent fans have humidity level sensors to run long enough to exhaust the moisture, but not too long to waste electricity and conditioned indoor air. You can also try a simple countdown timer as the wall switch — set it for 30 minutes, and the fan turns itself off. If you can get the indoor humidity level low enough, it often is possible for your family to get by with a much higher thermostat setting and ceiling fans. Cooperative Living/June 2013
june wise energy use_CL_june07_p 5/9/13 4:38 PM Page 2
The air movement from a fan increases evaporation and creates a “wind chill” effect for added comfort. Make sure the ceiling fan rotates to blow the air downward during summer and upward on low speed during winter. SIZE MATTERS Proper sizing of a central air-conditioning system is critical for low humidity and comfortably cool indoor air. An HVAC contractor generally sizes the cooling system properly for a new house. Over the years, you may have made energy efficiency improvements to your house such as more insulation and new windows or doors. With these improvements, the cooling requirements for your house may have dropped from, for example, 3.5 tons (12,000 Btuh/ton) to 3.0 tons. A unit that’s too large for the space will operate inefficiently and could even cause mold problems because of humidity. A licensed professional should size your central air-conditioning system using a mathematical code or an automatic computer program. If you plan to install a new high-efficiency air conditioner or heat pump and humidity is an issue for your family, consider a two-stage
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
This super-efficient two-stage air conditioner uses a simple, quiet scroll compressor. or variable-output model with a variablespeed blower motor. With the matching smart thermostat, these models are designed for efficiency and humidity control. You can set both the desired temperature and humidity settings. The air conditioner will run as normal to cool the air to the desired temperature. Once that temperature is met, the blower speed slows down to provide more dehumidification and less cooling. Installing a whole-house ERV (energy recovering ventilation) system is an effi-
cient way to exhaust stale, humid indoor air and bring in fresh outdoor air. Both heat and humidity are exchanged in the system to minimize energy loss. These systems are often controlled by a humidity sensor. If you don’t want to upgrade to a new, efficient air conditioner, a contractor may be able to change some settings to slow the blower motor on your current unit. This will dehumidify more but will likely reduce its efficiency somewhat. If the lower humidity level allows you to set the thermostat higher and still be comfortable, you should save electricity overall. There may be certain rooms in your house where you find the humidity level to be more uncomfortable than others due to the activity level. A portable air conditioner, which can be moved from room to room and vents outdoors through a window, can provide spot cooling and dehumidification. Don’t forget to fix leaky gutters and downspouts. If rainwater leaks out and saturates the ground around your house, some of that moisture will eventually migrate indoors. n Send questions to James Dulley, Cooperative Living inquiry, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.
17
pgs18-19_Layout 1 5/17/13 2:31 PM Page 1
WHO KNEW A FRESH LAYER OF INSULATION WOULD HELP ME WEATHER THE ECONOMY? There was money hiding in my a ttic. Not an ymore. I’m sa ving $240 a year just by adding insula tion. Wha t can you do? F ind out ho w the little changes add up a t TogetherW eSa ve.com.
TOGE T O G E T HERW HE R W E S AV E .COM .COM
pgs18-19_Layout 1 5/15/13 2:16 PM Page 2
Congratulations, Class of 2013 ... ‌ May Your Future Be BRIGHT! Your Electric Cooperative Is Proud to Be a Part of Your Life.
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
19
june healthy take_Layout 1 5/10/13 5:32 PM Page 1
A HEALTHY TAKE
DISTRACTED DRIVING DEFINED
BEWARE THE DANGERS OF DISTRACTED DRIVING
Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include: • Texting • Using a cellphone or smartphone • Eating and drinking • Talking to passengers • Grooming • Reading, including maps • Using a navigation system • Watching a video • Adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player But, because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction. The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses. On this page, you’ll find facts and statistics that are powerfully persuasive. If you don’t already think distracted driving is a safety problem, please take a moment to learn more. And, as with everything on Distraction.gov, please share these facts with others. Together, we can help save lives
Key Facts and Statistics • In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010. An additional 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 416,000 injured in 2010. • 18 percent of injury crashes in 2010 were reported as distraction-affected crashes. • In the month of June 2011, more than 196 billion text messages were sent or received in the U.S., up nearly 50 percent from June 2009. (CTIA) • 11 percent of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted. • 40 percent of all American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cellphone in a way that put people in danger. (Pew) • Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Monash University) • Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. (VTTI) • Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent of driving 55 mph the length of an entire football field, blind. (VTTI) • Headset cellphone use is not substantially safer than hand-held use. (VTTI) • Driving while using a cellphone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent. (Carnegie Mellon) n Source: www.Distraction.gov
20
Cooperative Living/June 2013
june caught in the web 5/10/13 5:19 PM Page 1
FROM FLABBY TO FIT ! CAUGHT IN THE WEB
by Laura Emery, Field Editor
The World Wide Web is a resource rich in dieting secrets, fitness tips and workout routines.
fter months of wet, wintry weather, the long sweaters and heavy coats are tucked away and out come the shorts, sandals, sarongs and swimsuits. Sandals get skimpier, shorts and shirts get shorter, swimsuits get showier. The world begins to embrace the unveiling of skin after months of cover and concealment. Though being comfortable and confident in your own skin — flabby or fit, young or old, short or tall — should have nothing to do with how buff your biceps are or how thin your thighs are, a few lunges and a couple of jumping jacks can do wonders for your health and self-image. One of the fitness world’s untapped resources is the Internet and its fitness-focused websites. For those who fear flaunting their not-so-fabulous flab or are simply too busy to get to the gym, there are many websites that feature workout routines people can do in the privacy of their own homes. So, if your crunches are crooked or your weightlifting wobbly, nobody will be the wiser. The World Wide Web gives you access to a wide assortment of dieting secrets, fitness tips and workout routines, as well as informative articles on everything from conquering crunches to cutting carbohydrates.
A
THE FIRST IN FITNESS eDiets.com (http://healthnews.ediets.com/ articles/fitness-exercise) is a hugely popular website that focuses on fitness and dieting. One of its greatest services is the email newsletter, where you can sign up to get a daily dose of fitness and diet techniques and tips, as well as entertaining articles and columns. WORKOUT CENTRAL About.com’s Workout Center has it all. Visit http://exercise.about.com/library/ blworkoutcenter.htm for everything from the 10minute vacation workout to the pyramid upperbody workout. The information is divided into such categories as strength training, circuit training, abs, cardio workouts, weight loss, nutrition, fitness tools, careers in fitness, and fitness gear. YEARNING FOR YOGA More and more athletes and average exercisers are turning to yoga, the ancient Indian meditative technique of twists, stretches and poses, in order to slim their shape and relax the mind, body, and soul. The Yoga Journal (www.yogajournal.com) is dedicated to the qualities that yoga exemplifies, including peace, integrity, clarity and compassion. You can sign up for a free weekly newsletter, try the featured pose, correspond with yoga experts, find yoga poses, and learn yoga basics. Another highly rated yoga website is The Yoga Site (www.yogasite.com/postures.html). This general guide outlines the various forms of yoga, helps users find a yoga teacher, and offers yoga books for sale. At Yogaclass.com, you can learn the basic techniques for correct breathing, chanting, stretching and relaxing. A GUY THING MensFitness.com is a great website for men who are determined to beef up their biceps and achieve a rock-hard summer body through intense weight training. Men’s Health (www.menshealth.com) is an all-around great resource for men of all ages,
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
but it’s also a good place to go for men’s fitness information. Currently featured: build a beachready body, The Home Workout Bible, and how to bust off the beer belly in just four weeks. MOSTLY FOR THE LADIES Shape Magazine (www.shape.com/fitness) is a great place for step-by-step exercise instructions. Get weight-loss advice, beauty secrets and exercise tips from this health and fitness magazine. WeightWatchers.com has informative articles, and you can choose from a large selection of toning and strength-building routines designed for women and men. NO TRAIN, NO GAIN For in-depth reviews of the top personaltraining websites, be sure to check out www. fitness-websites.no1reviews.com. Top fitness websites like Gym America, Changing Shape, Fast Track To Fat Loss, Train With Me Online, Free Trainers, iTRAIN, Fitness.com, Workouts For You, Gyminee, and ABC of Fitness are reviewed by the site’s editors. An excerpt of the review for Gym America: “Just looking at Gym America’s high-powered homepage, emblazoned with images of heaving muscles, sweaty, toned flesh and red, white and blue text may well be enough to make the flabby and un-American amongst us feel slightly intimidated. Make no mistake, this is a no-nonsense fitness website that aims to get results, fast. It does so by taking the very latest computer technology and medical know-how and applying them to your specific fitness needs and goals.” n
FOR DIRECT LINKS TO SUGGESTED WEBSITES, VISIT WWW.CO-OPLIVING.COM
21
june it's your business_CL_june07_p 5/17/13 9:50 AM Page 1
This solar tower is located at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility in Albuquerque, NM. NSTTF is the only test facility of this type in the United States. The NSTTF’s primary goal is to provide experimental engineering data for the design, construction, and operation of unique components and systems in proposed solar thermal electrical plants planned for large-scale power generation.
22
june it's your business_CL_june07_p 5/10/13 3:17 PM Page 2
SOLAR ENERGY UPDATE IT’S YOUR BUSINESS
S
olar energy has come a long way since 1830, when British astronomer John Herschel famously used a solar thermal collector box (a device that absorbs sunlight to collect heat) to cook food during an expedition to Africa. Today, photovoltaic (PV) materials directly convert light into electrical energy without the need for turbines, generators, or other mechanical assistance. When a PV system absorbs sunlight, energy passes on to electrons. The energized electrons break free and, in the right conditions, join an electric current — which can then power your home. PV systems for homes are most commonly made up of dark, flat panels placed on roofs. Smaller versions can operate individual lights or remote machines (such as irrigation pumps or traffic signs), while larger applications are able to power buildings or supply electricity to the grid.
WHAT IT COSTS Over the past 20 years, the price of PV modules has tumbled, and with it, PV arrays are emerging as an ever-growing part of the nation’s renewable energy supply. According to the Solar Electric Power Association, the price of PV modules has plummeted from $9 per watt in 1992 to $1.15 per watt in 2012. NearZero, a non-profit research institute based in Stanford, Calif., recently surveyed 21 experts about solar’s outlook. The consensus was that “for the next 15 years at least, PV prices will continue to head down.” According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the total installed costs for residential PV fell substantially in 2011 and through the first half of 2012, by as much as 14 percent. Commercial and utility-scale solar systems are seeing similar shifts — a setup that once necessitated an outlay of more than $3,600
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
Cost per kilowatt hour continues to come down.
per kilowatt just two years ago can now be put in for less than $2,000 per kilowatt. As solar has become more affordable, more than a dozen cooperatives across the country, notably in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Texas, and Utah, are constructing community solar “gardens” — centralized PV systems, segments of which are sold or leased to members — to meet growing consumer calls for solar alternatives. Other coops are investing in large PV farms as a way to diversify their generation mix and meet state renewable portfolio standards. In addition, high-temperature solar thermal energy (concentrating solar power) has begun making some tiny inroads as a round-the-clock power source in the Southwest. The technology uses long troughs of shiny parabolic mirrors that concentrate the sun’s rays on receiver tubes filled with synthetic oil (or a tower containing molten salt). The fluid gets heated to as high as 750° Fahrenheit before being pumped through heat exchangers to create steam that spins a turbine-generator. Concentrating solar power is seen by some as a possible way to stockpile renewable electricity for later use — the heated material can continue to produce power even when the sun doesn’t shine. THE BOTTOM LINE Sunlight may look like an easy way to generate electricity, especially in remote areas without easy access to transmission lines. But there are drawbacks. The sun only shines for a set number of hours daily, and cloudy or overcast conditions can wreak havoc on solar power production. However, state and federal rebates for installation and declining equipment costs can make a PV system financially feasible in the right location. n
A transparent thin film barrier used to protect flat panel TVs could become the basis for flexible solar panels that would be installed on roofs like shingles.
FOR MORE INFO
Find Solar Interested in installing a solar PV system at your home, but unsure of the expense? This tool takes your home’s location, energy use, and state and federal incentives into account to calculate potential costs and benefits. It also provides an estimate of how long it will take before your investment pays off — often the key question that makes or breaks a PV system’s feasibility. www.findsolar.com U.S. Department of Energy The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, offers excellent information on solar energy, from frequently asked questions to information on the federal Solar America Initiative. A comprehensive Solar Timeline tracks the renewable resource from ancient use to future applications. www.eere.energy.gov/solar National Renewable Energy Laboratory The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) fine-tunes the performance of solar power technologies and researches new ways to harness the sun’s energy. Check this site for industry news, programs, and in-depth information on specific technologies. www.nrel.gov/solar Solar Decathlon Drawing on college students from around the world, the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored Solar Decathlon showcases cutting-edge applications of solar technology. Teams compete to meet a list of criteria related to energy efficiency and sustainability, including powering small, home-grown buildings for a week on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Pick a team and cheer them on. www.solardecathlon.org n 23
june garden muse test_Layout 1 5/17/13 2:16 PM Page 1
GARDEN MUSE
by Paula Steers Brown, Contributing Columnist
Consider the Lily W
hen my daughter began planning her late June wedding, I looked around a year in advance to tally which homegrown beauties would be coming on strong for gardenfresh arrangements. Bountiful at first, June heats up toward its end and the flush of flowers wanes. There stood, though, one glorious group, trumpeting the answer: Plant more lilies. And plant I did, reaping double the pleasure. Dramatic and lavish as cut flowers in bouquets, lilies can bridge the bloom gap in the garden and open new vistas to the grandeur of summer bulbs. Few flowers can top the lily for sheer beauty, as St. Luke anciently noted in his
24
Gospel (12:27): “Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.” The North American Lily Society promotes appreciation of the flower in all its classic forms, and its website offers particulars if you want to dig deeper into the genus Lilium. It stresses, first off, that unlike Gertrude Stein’s law of identity, “a rose is a rose is a rose,” many cultivars with the name “lily” in them are not lilies at all. For example, day lilies and “Surprise lilies,” both of which have the trumpet form, are each different in genus, as are many other flowers with “lily” in the name.
L. lancifolium
The bulb is the distinguishing feature of the lily. Unlike other bulbs, it never goes dormant. Because its roots are always growing, it does not grow any hard, protective covering, so the delicate scale-like pieces must be handled with care. Many nurseries pot them up, but if you buy them in a bag or receive them by mail, keep them just slightly damp in peat or packing medium until planting. Most lilies can be planted in fall or spring, but the cardinal rule is to give them excellent drainage: Plant on a slope, in a raised bed, or “hills,” and mulch them, as they like their roots to stay cool while they sun themselves above. Cooperative Living/June 2013
june garden muse_Layout 1 5/10/13 4:01 PM Page 2
L. longiflorum
The serious grower delves into lily categories, parentage, crossbreeding and designates petals as upfacing, outfacing, or pendant; there are more than 7,500 named lily hybrids on the International Register, so a comprehensive study is long and involved. A review of some of the basic categories, however, can be a starting point for the new grower. THE BASICS Asiatic hybrids offer the widest range of color, make great cut flowers, are generally disease- and pest-free, and are cold-hardy; lack of fragrance is their only drawback. Daintier Martagon hybrids bloom early and in the shape of a “Turk’s cap” with plenty of blooms along the stem, tolerate many soil types, and, though they love shade, can also tolerate sun; however, they do not like extreme heat and humidity. Though Easter lilies (L. longiflorum) are forced into bloom in early spring for the Easter holiday display, in the garden they bloom in midsummer. Trumpet and Aurelian hybrids are tall, fragrant, reliable midsummer bloomers; L. regale is striking with deep reddish purple exteriors that open to white insides. Tiger lilies (L. lancifolium), so-called for their curving orange petals with black dots, grow to 4 feet. Though Oriental hybrids are not the easiest to grow, they are irresistible — deliciously fragrant and dramatic. Enrich somewhat acidic soil with
plenty of humus and water thoroughly. L. speciosum, progenitor of the Oriental hybrid, grows to 7 feet with richly perfumed reflexed petals. The lily form is a nice foil to roses, and all lilies look nice against an evergreen shrub background. The tower shape of lilies contrasts well with domedshaped bushes. Stems are tall with sparse foliage, so think of nice low- to midheight perennials with relatively shallow roots to be companions and gentle
L. speciosum
supports to lilies. In semi-shade, ferns coexist well with lilies. In sun, they harmonize beautifully with low, grey-foliaged plants like artemesia and lamb’s ear. When cutting flowers, leave at least half the stem and foliage to nourish the bulb for the following year. It is best to cut every other year rather than every year to keep from weakening the bulb. One of my favorite exotic-looking arrangements for summer is simple but effective indoors and out: a few lilies in a vase with bamboo. VIRGINIA’S ANNUAL SHOW The Garden Club of Virginia sponsors an annual Lily Show where you can behold the blooms at their peak of perfection, judged on condition, vigor, substance, color and form. The 71st annual show will be hosted by the Spotswood Garden Club in Harrisonburg on June 19-20 at Skyline Middle School. I am particularly intrigued by the Artistic Division’s theme of inspiration for the exhibits this year: geological formations and caverns of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The grotto element in classical gardening is a fascinating one, and this year’s event explores interesting design connections. The show, called Lilies of the Valley, might be just the ticket for a great view. n
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
L. regale
© Paula Brown is a freelance writer who lives in Richmond. Questions, comments? Email her at psbrown@gmail.com. 25
Fairs_Layout 1 5/15/13 4:17 PM Page 1
r e m m Su
S E T F I VA L , S R I S , FA
Garth Newel Music Center Hot Springs Virginia 877.558.1689
June 14-16,
esFest.org
2013 • VaBlu
& TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
L
ooking to make the most of long summer days and a chance to spend more time outdoors? Here are some great options for your family and friends to enjoy all the sights, sounds and tastes that summertime has to offer: What better way to kick off summer than three days of live outdoor music! The Virginia Jazz & Blues Festival, June 14-16 at the Garth Newel Music Center in Warm Springs, features such well-known performers as Renee Marie, Joe Louis Walker and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, along with delicious food and beautiful views through Dunn’s Gap. But that’s far from Bath County’s only summertime event – nearly every weekend offers a themed musical event, theatrical performance or art show. And what better way to finish the summer than high atop Ingalls Field Airport for the 5th Annual Wings and Wheels Car and Air Show saluting the Armed Forces and featuring wingwalkers Kirk and Jane Wicker. On July 4, check out Port Royal’s 14th Annual Independence Day celebration along the historic Rappahannock River, which includes historic demonstrations and a performance by the St. Andrew’s Legion Pipes and Drums. New this year at the Caroline County Agricultural Fair, July 10-13 in Ruther Glen, is a “Magic of Agriculture” show that uses a little sleight of hand to highlight facts and figures about farming in Virginia. As you’d expect at a Blue Ribbon County Fair, there’s
26
also corn shucking, pie eating and hog calling contests, along with craft and home goods competitions and yummy treats for sale. Held in Clarksville along the shores of Buggs Island Lake, the Virginia Lake Festival is July 1820. “LakeFest,” as it is known by locals, attracted nearly 100,000 visitors last year to view hot air balloons, enjoy live music and dancing, sample great local and ethnic food, and watch the traditional Gathering of the Boats and fireworks show. Held the weekend before Chincoteague’s famous pony swim on July 24, the 26th Annual Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival from July 19-21 provides a bumper crop of ways to enjoy healthy blueberries – as well as a wide selection of crafts and free entertainment. In celebration of being home to two of the world’s largest sweets manufacturers (Hershey Chocolate of Virginia and McKee Corporation, makers of Little Debbie Snack Cakes), Stuart’s Draft hosts Sweet Dreams Day on July 27. This year’s celebration includes a Little Debbie lookalike contest as well as entertainer Mark Cline as Willy Wonka, handing out treats to kids of all ages. Cape Charles’ Harbor for the Arts Festival, August 3-18, features something for every age and interest: from free live entertainment and strolling minstrels to an experimental film festival – and even a “flash mob” event! “One Great County … One Great Fair” is
VIRGINIA
L a k e
FESTIVAL JULY 18-20, 2013 Public is Invited, Free Admission Juried craft show, children’s rides, hot air balloons, fireworks & more
CLARKSVILLE ... Virginia’s Only Lakeside Town
(800) 557-5582 www.clarksvilleva.com
Fairs_Layout 1 5/16/13 2:50 PM Page 2
AUGUSTA COUNTY
FAIR
August 6-10, 2013
2013 SPECIAL EVENTS
one great county ... one great fair
2013 R Rockingham ockiingham C County ounty F Fair air
&21&(576 & 21&(576 Alan Jackson Jackson August August 14th
Old Crow Medicine Show
August 15th
Fireworks, Motocross, Truck & Tractor Pulls, and more! At Expo in Fishersville, VA just off I64
Find Something Remarkable
www.augustacountyfair.com
1.800.628.8092 • DiscoverBath.com
with Kellie Pickler er
Easton Corbin with Tyler Tyler yl Farr
TUES.
Alan Jack Jackson son
WED.
with K Kellie ellie Pickler
THUR.
Old Cr Crow ow Medicine Sho Show w with Chuck Mead and His Grassy Knoll Knoll Boys
% %((5 *$5'(1 ‡ &21&(66,216 ((5 *$5'(1 ‡ &21&(66,216
* *(7 7,&.(76 21/,1( (7 7,&.(76 21/,1(
MUSIC OF THE FAIR FA AIR
Sept. 4-8, 2013
DINWIDDIE county fairr
At the Virginia Motorsports Park Admission is only $10 per Carload 804-732-1100 • WWW.DINWIDDIECOUNTYFAIR.COM WWW.DINWIDDIECOUNTYFAIR.COM
(888) 71-TICKETS 6 6 9DOOH\ 3LNH ‡ +DUULVRQEXUJ 9$ 9DOOH\ 3LNH ‡ +DUULVRQEXUJ 9$
www www.rockinghamcountyfair.com .rockinghamcountyfair.com
Love a Game of Tennis
P The L ACounty Y of FBathOis Ran enticing L OplaceV E filled with scenic vistas, local flair and exciting adventures just waiting to be discovered.
Garth Newel Music Center’s Blues & Jazz Festival
the theme for the Augusta County Fair, held on August 6-10 in Fishersville. First-time events include a Battle of the Bands, with local talent able to claim their 15 minutes of fame. The Pets Overboard display features 12 different animals to promote the importance of spaying and neutering companion animals as well as pet adoption. International Harvester is holding their state meet, and Gospel Night features the Deans from Luray. “Fun4U� competitions and two discount admission days – August 12 and 14 – make it more tempting than ever to swing by the Prince William County Fair, hosted by the Prince William Veterans Farm Club in Manassas from August 9-17. Harrisonburg has the honor of hosting the “Top Agricultural Fair in North America,� as proclaimed by the International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions. With the theme “Having a Good Time,� the Rockingham County Fair takes place Aug. 12-17 and features well-known entertainers Alan Jackson, Kellie Pickler, Easton Corbin, Old Crow Medicine Show and more! As summer winds down, the Dinwiddie County Fair, September 4-8 at Virginia 27
Fairs_Layout 1 5/15/13 4:19 PM Page 3
2013 SPECIAL EVENTS
Agricultural Tour 4 Islands - 13 Days Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii
Call today and make your reservations!
$
from
2008
PP *
PPDO
Includes inter-island airfare, taxes and services
Departs January 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2014. Staying in Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Hawaii. Sightseeing includes a Honolulu city tour with Pearl Harbor, Wailua riverboat cruise, Fern Grotto, Steel Grass Farm tour, Maui Gold Pineapple Plantation tour, Macadamia nut factory tour, orchid nursery, Volcanoes National Park, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation tour and much more! *Price also includes hotel accommodations, baggage handling, and a Polynesian Tour Director. Call for low-cost airfare.
800-888-8204
Motorsports Park, highlights race-themed attractions by Fast Action Motorsports Entertainment (F.A.M.E. racing) as well as racing pigs, live music and traditional fair attractions. What better place to watch fall colors to emerge than by visiting a Virginia State Park? Whether you stay overnight or make it a day trip, Virginia’s state parks host a number of events as well as offering miles of trails and convenient access to scenic waterways. To find out what’s going on any given weekend at a park near you, visit www.virginiastateparks.gov or call 800933-PARK. And for those who want a more exotic experience, consider a 13-day Hawaiian vacation organized by Your Man Tours that includes sightseeing on each of the four Hawaiian islands as well as agricultural tours of pineapple, coffee, orchid and macadamia nut producers. With so many exciting possibilities for recreation, your biggest challenge this summer may be deciding which to choose!
What a w eekend! I not sure w ’m h better ~ th ich was fun or mo e kids having enjoying tm and dad he kids. Love, Virginia
Virginia State Parks | 800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov 28
june reader recipes_Layout 1 5/10/13 4:50 PM Page 1
READER RECIPES
TIPS ON HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE MUFFINS As muffins age, rather than going stale, their moisture seeps to the outside, causing them to revert to a dough-like state. The key to thwarting this soggy-muffin phenomenon is prevention. To extend the shelf life of leftover muffins and quick breads, lay a few paper towels at the bottom of an airtight storage container. Place goodies inside, and lay a second paper towel on top. Store at room temperature. The paper towels will absorb the moisture, saving your tasty breakfast for a few extra days. Muffins and quick breads also freeze fantastically. Wrap muffins individually in plastic wrap and quick breads in a layer of plastic wrap, then wrap again with foil. Pop in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. To thaw: Set out on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, reheat individual muffins or quick bread slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. Alternatively, warm in a 300°F oven until desired temperature is reached.
BREAKFAST to go ORANGE DATE MUFFINS From Dana Mosebrook of Gladys INGREDIENTS: ½ cup pitted dates 1 ⁄2 cup sugar, divided 1 orange, sliced and seeded (leave peel on) 1 egg ¼ cup margarine ½ cup orange juice 1½ cups flour 1 t baking powder 1 t soda 1 t salt DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 400°. Put 18 muffin papers into muffin pans. In food processor, process dates and half of the sugar until coarsely chopped. Add orange and process until finely chopped. Add remaining sugar, egg, margarine and orange juice and process 25 seconds. Add flour, baking powder, soda and salt and process just until moistened. Spoon into muffin cups and bake 15 minutes at 400°. APPLE SAUCE PUFFS From Nancy Heyer of Stafford INGREDIENTS: 1 egg 2 T salad oil ¼ cup milk ½ cup apple sauce ½ cup sugar 1 t cinnamon 2 cups Bisquick June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
Topping 2 T butter ¼ cup sugar ¼ t cinnamon DIRECTIONS: Grease muffin tins or use paper liners. Mix all ingredients except topping. Fill muffin tins and bake in preheated oven at 400° about 15 minutes. Topping: Melt butter; combine cinnamon and sugar in a separate bowl. Dip each muffin in butter, then cinnamon/sugar mixture. Makes 12. DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS From Laura Jessup of Manassas Park INGREDIENTS: 3 large bananas 3 ⁄4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 ⁄3 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 ⁄2 cup whole-wheat flour 1 ⁄2 cup all-purpose flour 1 ⁄2 cup cocoa powder 1 ⁄2 t salt 1 t baking powder 1 t baking soda 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375° with rack in middle position. Line muffin tins. In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add in the sugar, egg, and applesauce. Mix until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together whole-wheat flour, allpurpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Quickly fold the dry ingredients
into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among the prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days. PUMPKIN BREAD From Michelle Pfeiffer of Powhatan INGREDIENTS: 31⁄2 cups flour 2 t baking soda 11⁄2 t salt 2 t cinnamon 1 t nutmeg 3 cups sugar 2 cups pumpkin 2 ⁄3 cup water 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs DIRECTIONS: Sift dry ingredients together. Mix pumpkin, water, oil, and eggs together. Pour into dry mixture and mix well. Pour into 2 greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake in 350° oven (preheated) for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. Cool before removing from pans. PECAN PIE MUFFINS From Beth James of Courtland INGREDIENTS: 1 cup light brown sugar 2 eggs, beaten
2
⁄3 cup softened butter ⁄2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup chopped pecans
1
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease muffin pan (a miniature-cup pan works best). Combine brown sugar, eggs and butter; add flour and nuts. Mix by hand, then fill each muffin cup 3⁄4 full. Bake 20-25 minutes for regular muffins, less time for miniatures. BREAKFAST BISCUIT MUFFINS From Robin Smith of Prince George INGREDIENTS: 10-ct. can biscuits Pre-cooked and crumbled bacon, sausage or ham Shredded cheese Chopped bell pepper/tomato, optional 5 eggs, beaten with salt and pepper, to taste DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375°. Separate biscuits, place in regular-size muffin pan. Top with pre-cooked, crumbled bacon, sausage or ham. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Add diced red/green bell pepper and/or tomato, if desired. Top each muffin cup with about a tablespoon of beaten eggs to bind the ingredients. Bake 13-19 minutes, until golden brown and eggs are set. Serve warm; can be microwaved the next day. n 29
june stories from the road_Layout 1 5/10/13 6:07 PM Page 1
STORIES FROM THE ROAD
is year Cooperative Living is taking a road trip along the length of U.S. Route 1 as it crosses Virginia from the North Carolina border to Washington, D.C. In each issue, correspondent Deborah Huso will relate her experiences along the way.
Art and Ale Fredericksburg’s draw isn’t all Civil War. Take Route 1 into this historic city to enjoy local art and local brews. I remember what Route 1 through Fredericksburg looked like 30 years ago. When I was a child, I spent long summer weekends camping outside Fredericksburg near the Chancellorsville Battlefield and can remember riding my bicycle into town, past Old Salem Church, into the historic district. I can’t imagine riding my bike into Fredericksburg anymore. Today it’s a bustling city that has sprawled up and down Route 1 and all along Route 3. But I credit those long summer weekends when I biked the battlefields at Chancellorsville and Wilderness with spurring my love for Civil War history. Like so many of the cities and towns along old Route 1, Fredericks burg is a major destination for Civil War buffs (four major battles were fought here), but history isn’t all this quickly growing city is about these days. It is has also become a destination for art and ale lovers (neither of which is mutually exclusive, by the 30
Per A. Bowman Smith Distillery’s Mary Ahrens: “Bourbon, by law, has to be made in the U.S., and it has to be made of at least 51 percent corn.”
by Deborah Huso, Contributing Writer
way!). The region is home to four wineries, one brewing company, and one distillery. Are you impressed? You should be. There are but a handful of bourbon distilleries in the U.S., most in Kentucky. And one of them is right here in Fredericksburg. The A. Smith Bowman Distillery moved here in 1988 from Reston, Va., and is now open for tours. If you want to know how it’s done, you can take a tour with the Bowman tour guides, Mary Ahrens and Bill Jones, who love to talk about whiskey, bourbon, vodka, gin and rum. “Bourbon, by law, has to be made in the U.S.,” explains Ahrens, “and it has to be made of at least 51 percent corn. All barrels must be new, oak-charred. It’s a completely American product.” The A. Smith Bowman Distillery has been in existence since prohibition ended in the early 1930s. Its flagship bourbon is John J. Bowman, which
Cooperative Living/June 2013
june stories from the road_Layout 1 5/17/13 11:39 AM Page 2
takes 10 years to complete. Jones calls bourbon “the Mercedes of whiskey.” And if you go on a distillery tour here, you’ll see how it’s all done and get a glimpse of a warehouse holding some 5,600 barrels of liquor. Currently, the distillery is in operation with five employees who collectively have more than 75 years of experience in the business. “The A. Smith Bowman Distillery uses time-honored traditions to produce hand-crafted bourbon that honors the legacy and ground-breaking spirit of Virginia’s pioneers,” says Ahrens. She adds that the John J. Bowman single-barrel batch and the Bowman Brothers small batch each won a gold medal at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Complimentary tours are offered 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and a special Father’s Day event is scheduled for June 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., open and free to the public. ON TO A DIFFERENT SPIRIT If hard liquor isn’t your thing, however, you can head into downtown Fredericksburg (Route 1 turns into Princess Anne Street in the historic area), and enjoy beer tastings at the Capital Ale House on Caroline Street. This popular restaurant and bar has the largest beer selection in Central Virginia, including beers from the local Blue and Gray Brewery. I’ve never been a big fan of beer, but when in an ale house, one must do as the other ale house patrons do. So I sign up for a five-beer tasting, sampling everything from a Legend Brown ale to a Bold Rock cider. Waiter Bryce Kinsey takes me on my tasting tour. Formerly in the U.S. Army, Kinsey now operates a recording studio on the side called Human Movement Records. And while he commonly offers tastings here at Capital Ale, he isn’t strict about how and when to drink your beer. “I think it’s more fun to pair different beers with different foods and see how it tastes rather than formally matching a beer to a dish,” he says. But beer actually isn’t Kinsey’s passion. Music is. He runs what he calls his “mobile studio” on the weekends, is currently working on a degree in electrical engineering, and says he’s been playing clarinet for 16 years. Kinsey calls himself a “band geek,” but it’s Kinsey who
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
Distillery tour guide Mary Ahrens (inset) takes visitors through the warehouse (below), where some 5,600 barrels of liquor are housed while their contents age to perfection. Complimentary tours are offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
(Above) The popular Capital Ale House on Caroline Street has the largest beer selection in Central Virginia, including local brews. Waiter Bryce Kinsey (left) commonly offers tastings, but suggests that patrons be creative and explore their own preferences when pairing beer and food.
31
june stories from the road_Layout 1 5/10/13 6:07 PM Page 3
alerts me to Fredericksburg’s growing arts scene. The historic downtown area is loaded with galleries, including the Art First Gallery, a 34-member artists’ cooperative that has been operational for two decades. Local gourd artist Leah Comeford says many of the local artists are older. “You’re starting to see artists beginning in their 40s to 70s, taking on new careers in retirement,” she says. Comeford herself is a retired graphic artist from the West Coast who came to Fredericksburg as a bride 15 years ago. Today she paints on gourds and also teaches art classes. Next door to Art First is another cooperative gallery called Brush Strokes. With 16 artist members, the gallery features painting, photography, and jewelry. Cooperative member Norma Woodward, age 73, is a former database manager who now spends her summers road tripping across the U.S. and taking pictures. “I now have time to do what I want to do,” she says. “Last year I left home in July and came back in October.” STAYING OVERNIGHT? If you’re looking for a place to spend the night while exploring the galleries on Caroline Street, you can check into the luxurious Caroline House Bed and Breakfast, managed by innkeeper Lindi Calegari. The 1890 house was built by a Fredericksburg County treasurer who was tragically killed in a carriage accident right before construction was complete. The home opened as a B & B just over two years ago and is part of the Richard Johnston Inn complex. A native New Yorker, Calegari ended up in Fredericksburg when her dad moved the family to Lake Anna to work at the power plant as a nuclear electrician. This single mom trained in court reporting has been here ever since, and while she had no experience in inn keeping before coming to work with the Caroline House, she comes from a large Italian family that loves to cook. Tall, slender, and graceful, Calegari says working at the Caroline House is “like working in a dollhouse every day.” n
32
IF YOU GO ... The Fredericksburg Visitor Center (706 Caroline St., 540-373-1776, www. visitfred.com, open daily 9-5 Mon.-Sat., 11-5 Sun.) is located in the heart of Old Town and directly adjacent to Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg (706 Caroline St., 540 898-0737, www.fredericksburgtrolley.com), which offers tours of the historic city several times a day during the summer. If you want to have a full exploration of the Fredericksburg area’s winery and distilling culture, join the Grapes & Grains Trail (www.GandGTrail.com, 877-404-5810), and take a ride on the Richmond, Fred ericksburg, and Potomac Railroad, enjoying six whistle stops that include four area wineries as well as the A. Smith Bowman Distillery (One Bowman Drive, 540-3734555, www.asmithbowman.com) and the Blue & Gray Brewing Company (3300 Dill Smith Dr., 540-538-2379, www.blueandgraybrewingco.com). Then explore the downtown district’s more than two dozen art galleries, including Art First Gallery (824 Caroline St., www.artfirstgallery.com, 540-371-7107), Brush Strokes Gallery (824 Caroline St., www.brushstrokesfredericksburg.com, 540-368-0560), and the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts (813 Sophia St., www.fccava.org, 540-373-5646).
(From top) Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg offers tours year-round; check their website for seasonal schedules. Art First Gallery is one of more than two dozen in the downtown district. The 1890 Caroline House offers convenient accommodations from which to launch your tour of the historic city. For the best eats in town, check out the Capital Ale House (917 Caroline St., 540371-2337, www.capitalalehouse.com), La Petite Auberge (311 William St., 540-3712727, www.lapetiteaubergefred.com) for traditional French cuisine, or Ristorante Renato (422 William St., 540-371-8228, www.rrenato.com) for Italian cuisine. Then enjoy luxurious overnight accommodations at the 1890 Caroline House (528 Caroline St., 540-899-7606, www.therichardjohnstoninn.com). n Cooperative Living/June 2013
june stories from the road_Layout 1 5/10/13 6:07 PM Page 4
Fredericksburg in the Civil War Four major battles of the Civil War occurred in and around Fredericksburg over an 18-month period from December 1862 through May 1864, making the region a vortex of fighting and resulting in a total casualty count of 100,000. Those battles included Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Courthouse. While you can visit all four battlefields, all of which offer driving and/or walking tours, you can also take a tour of Civil War sites in downtown Fredericksburg, including a street fighting exhibit on Caroline Street and the National Cemetery. Pick up a walking tour map at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center (706
Caroline St.), and visit the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park online at www.nps.gov/frsp. TOUR BATTLEFIELD HOMES Walking around the restored gardens of Chatham Manor in Falmouth (just across the Rappahannock River off Route 1), feeling the velvety petals of summer roses, watching the river drift lazily by just below the grounds, it is difficult to imagine this scene was ever anything but peaceful. The brick Georgian manor house, which now serves as headquarters for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National
(Top) Chatham Manor now serves as headquarters for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. (Above) The grave of General “Stonewall” Jackson’s arm is located on the grounds of (left) Ellwood House.
June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
Military Park, was once the centerpiece of a rambling 1,200-acre plantation belonging to William Fitzhugh and worked by over 100 slaves, some of whom led a rebellion on the plantation in 1805. But that was not to be the bloodiest period for Chatham. In 1862, the home served as a Federal headquarters (once visited by President Abraham Lincoln), and later as a hospital during and after the Battle of Fredericksburg, a disastrous defeat for the Union Army with more than 12,000 casualties. Volunteer nurses at the hospital included poet Walt Whitman and later founder of the Red Cross Clara Barton. Whitman remarked on the horrid scenes in and around the hospital, noting that at the foot of a tree on the grounds he saw “a heap of amputated feet, legs, arms, and hands.” Today Chatham is a very different place. Visitors, however, may learn about the manor house’s history and that of the Civil War years in Fredericksburg through exhibits inside the historic home. The Civil War-era owners of Chatham, the Lacy family, permanently moved away from the property after the war. The home and grounds were in complete disrepair, blood stains on the floors, graveyards on the grounds. Ironically, they made their new residence Ellwood, another Fredericksburg area home of significance to the local Civil War history. Part of the Wilderness Battlefield, Ellwood Manor was a middling farm in its day. During the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864, it served as headquarters for generals under Ulysses S. Grant. It was also the burial place of Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson’s amputated arm following the Battle of Chancellorsville the previous year. Today visitors can visit the Lacy family cemetery at Ellwood where a monument marks the burial spot of the celebrated general’s arm. Ellwood grounds are open to visitors daily during the summer, though you must obtain a visitor’s pass at the Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center first. The home itself is open as well on select summer dates when volunteers from the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield give tours. INTERESTED? Chatham is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 540373-6122 for further info on Chatham. For information on when Ellwood is open for tours, call 540-786-2880. Learn more about these historic homes and the battlefields surrounding them at www.nps.gov/frsp. Admission to all Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park facilities is free. n 33
june kids' korner_Layout 1 5/10/13 3:22 PM Page 1
KIDS! CLIP AND KEEP YOUR KIDS’ KORNER COLUMNS IN A THREE-RING BINDER AND YOU’LL HAVE A NOTEBOOK CHOCK FULL OF FUN IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE FUTURE!
KIDS’ KORNER
34
by Anne M. Dellinger, Contributing Columnist
Ladybugs The Adorable Arthropods
L
adybugs — lady birds — lady beetles … no matter what you call them, these polka-dotted insects are among nature’s best-known and best-loved creations. Did you know that there are over 400 species in North America, and nearly 5,000 species worldwide? Children from all over the globe are attracted to their bright colors and whimsical names and learn early on in life that these bugs are to be treated with gentleness and respect. Most all cultures associate “luck” with the little round-domed runabout. Consider this bit of folklore … if a ladybug lands on you, count the spots and you may find that number of $$$$$$$ soon! Or, if a ladybug crawls across a young girl’s hand, she’ll be married within the year! Perhaps the greatest fans of this popular beetle are gardeners and farmers. In fact, they often purchase hundreds of ladybugs to release among their crops. “Why do that?” you may wonder.
NATURE’S LITTLE EXTERMINATOR
It turns out that most members of the ladybug’s family of beetles, the Coccinellidae, are carnivores with a gluttonous appetite for crop-destroying pests. Spider mites, scale insects and mealy bugs don’t stand a chance against an army of these hungry arthropods. And, most importantly, ladybugs are not toxic, like pesticides, and they don’t damage crops as they fill their tummies with these undesirables. APHIDS WORST ENEMY
Their all-time favorite food is the destructive plant-sucking aphid. Scientists estimate that a single ladybug may devour 5,000 of these detested insects during its one-year lifetime! A BORN PREDATOR
LOST LADYBUG PROJECT Why not take your role as a scientist to another level and lend your eyes, stamina and enthusiasm to Cornell University’s Lost Ladybug Project? Entomologists (insect experts) could use your help. They need to know why some ladybugs are becoming rare and others are increasing their numbers, expanding their range and simply showing up in new places. Your participation in this scientific study could help find some answers. All you’ll need for this super summer science project is a camera, Internet access, sharp eyes and a desire to help solve a mystery. Log on to www.lostladybug.org/index.php to learn all about the project and how to participate. Pay close attention to the Field Guide as well as the directions on How to Find, Collect and Photograph Ladybugs. Encourage family and friends to join the ladybug search and begin to ...
FIND ’EM … PHOTOGRAPH ’EM … SEND ’EM!
It’s almost unthinkable that this cute little bug of children’s nursery rhymes and legends is also a killing machine, but it’s true. The ladybug is a menacing predator the moment it emerges from a little golden egg on the underside of a leaf. In fact, you wouldn’t even recognize the ladybug in this ugly-duckling stage of its life cycle. As a newly hatched larva, it resembles a miniature black and yellow/orange banded alligator with spines. UNLADYLIKE APPETITE
Every day, for two weeks, this menacing little beast of prey greedily gobbles up dozens of aphids. (Momma ladybug has conveniently laid her eggs in an aphid neighborhood, so her creepy-crawly babies have a ready food supply.) As the larva fattens, it literally begins to burst at the seams! Molting then occurs and the old skin is shed. This feasting-molting cycle is repeated until the larva is finished growing. TIME FOR A MAKEOVER
Eventually, the overstuffed larva waddles away from its food-rich environment and attaches itself to a leaf. Looking something like a chubby little yellowish-orange shrimp, it is now a pupa. For the next 10 days or so, it will remain motionless as its body undergoes an amazing transformation. Cooperative Living/June 2013
june kids' korner_Layout 1 5/10/13 3:23 PM Page 2
CALLING ALL SUPER SLEUTHS:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Ladybugs are only red and black. Boy and girl ladybugs have the same name. The ladybug’s bright colors warn, “I taste awful.” Ladybugs always have spots. When in danger, ladybugs play dead. Ladybugs hibernate during winter. The Mexican Bean Beetle and the Squash Beetle are destructive plant-eating members of the ladybug family. Ladybugs have traveled into space on NASA’s space shuttle. Ladybugs are the official state insect in five states. Mashed ladybugs were used in the past to cure toothaches. A ladybug’s age is determined by its spots. Ladybugs lose their spots as they age.
Finally, the pupa’s skin splits open and a full-grown ladybug emerges, appearing strangely soft and pale at first. But in a few hours its exoskeleton (outer shell) hardens and the bright-red color materializes. With its metamorphosis complete, nature’s elegant little eradicator scoots away to hunt for its next meal of hapless aphids. BACKYARD SCIENTIST
Now that you know this fascinating life story, why not witness it yourself? Simply turn over leaves of flowers, vegetables, even weeds. Look for tiny yellow egg masses among a crowd of aphids; this is where the action will take place. (Be aware that the eggs of potato beetles and Mexican bean beetles appear very similar to ladybug eggs, so you may want to steer clear of those plants to avoid confusion.) Consider yourself a scientist during the next 3-5 weeks as you visit this site. Take along a magnifying lens, pencil, notebook and a camera to help with your observations. Yes, it will take a lot of time and patience to watch this wonder of nature unfold before your eyes. But you’ll be rewarded with a better understanding of how this tiny creature with the legendary appetite connects us all to the natural world. As a small child once remarked, “What the ladybug likes to eat, helps people with the food they want to eat.” That simple, yet powerful, connection says it all. n June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living Super Sleuth P.O. Box 2340 Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340 MARCH/APRIL ISSUE SUPER SLEUTH Our March/April issue’s Super Sleuth challenge was to 1) Name the type of bee that damages houses by chewing deep burrows into the wood (carpenter bee); find the bee within Cooperative Living and give the page number where it is hiding (page 28); and 2) Give the term used for bee phobia (apiphobia). Our $25 winner was Casey Arbogast (above) of Prince George. Congratulations, Casey!
ANSWER KEY
Hay Seed and City Slicker have heard a lot of things about ladybugs, some true and some not. Help them separate the facts from fiction by answering this T/F quiz. If you disagree with an answer, do some ladybug research and let the facts win you over.
1. Ladybugs are only red and black. F 2. Boy and girl ladybugs have the same name. T 3. The ladybug’s bright colors warn, “I taste awful.” T 4. Ladybugs always have spots. F 5. When in danger, ladybugs play dead. T 6. Ladybugs hibernate during winter. T 7. The Mexican Bean Beetle and the Squash Beetle are destructive plant-eating members of the ladybug family. T 8. Ladybugs have traveled into space on NASA’s space shuttle. T 9. Ladybugs are the official state insect in five states. T 10. Mashed ladybugs were used in the past to cure toothaches. T 11. A ladybug’s age is determined by its spots. F 12. Ladybugs lose their spots as they age. F
ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT???
There is a story that dates back to the Middle Ages about how the ladybug got its name. For a chance to win $25, do the following: 1. Give a brief account of the legend. 2. Locate the seven-spotted ladybug lost in this magazine by giving the page number. Enter online at www.co-opliving.com or send answers with your name, address and phone number to:
35
june good neighbors_Layout 1 5/17/13 1:48 PM Page 1
GOOD NEIGHBORS
by Laura Emery, Field Editor
Reagan Ballance G
36
ood neighbors come in all shapes and sizes. Reagan Ballance of Parksley might be only 11, but youth hasn’t stopped her from being a good neighbor to her canine cohabitants and feline friends on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Young people generally love animals, but Ballance has taken her affection for animals to a different level and has been making a difference in her community — one dog biscuit at a time. She started her own small business making homemade dog biscuits, sold exclusively to fund-raise and benefit animals (and, on a few occasions, humans in need) in her community. “I started making them for family at Christmastime, and then I started giving them out to teachers at school. Eventually, someone suggested I start selling them,” she says. Though it’s not an “official” business, she calls her biscuit-baking venture “PawPrint Pastries.” She smiles when asked to divulge her biscuit recipe. “It’s a secret,” she whispers. “I make everybody who uses it sign a contract saying they won’t share the recipe.” She will say, though, that they come in a variety of flavors — peanut butter, cheese, chicken, vegetable, beef, for example. She even has names for her different recipes, with “Rudy’s Recipe” the one she uses most. She’s even tried making banana cupcakes for dogs — called “Pupcakes” — but they aren’t something she makes on a regular basis, as she is still fine-tuning her recipe and technique.
saw them, we went by the local SPCA and I saw a sign saying how they need donations to help these abandoned animals,” she says. For her eighth birthday, instead of having her birthday-party guests bring her the usual toys, she asked her guests to bring donations for the local SPCA or some kind of pet food or supplies. “We’re thrilled to have someone so young care so much about the animals
IT STARTED AT HOME Her love of animals — particularly dogs — started with her furry companions Rudy and Trigger, both of the boxer breed. “I think there are a lot of animals — and people —- here on the Eastern Shore who are in need. Kids my age have a lot of toys and belongings, but they should try and help out other people instead of themselves,” she says. Around age 7, Ballance found some stray dogs in her neighborhood. “After I
and get involved in helping us [SPCAEastern Shore] look out for the well-being of the homeless animals on the Eastern Shore,” says local SPCA-Eastern Shore shelter manager, Sheila Crockett. “She’s just a great young lady. She’s very much aware of the needs in her community,” explains Melissa Boldt of A&N Electric Cooperative, who nominated Ballance for the GOOD NEIGHBORS feature. Ballance has also participated in local charity walks in support of the SPCA-Eastern Shore. “I
Good Neighbor Reagan Ballance and her canine companion, Trigger.
A LITTLE GIRL MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE, ONE DOG BISCUIT AT A TIME know her parents Lisa and Curtis and older sister Mallory are very proud of her,” says Boldt. Ballance also brought her fundraising efforts to her school, Broadwater Academy in Exmore (Lower School is Pre-K through 4th grade). “We did a drive for the SPCA at my school. Every Friday for three or four weeks, we would go around and count how many items each class had collected. The class that had collected the most items on the last day won an icecream party,” Ballance explains. Says Broadwater Academy teacher Carla Rouelle, “Everybody was on board for the cause and she presented it in a nice way to where people were really interested in helping out. She really put a lot of time into putting it together and you could tell.” HEART PLUS DRIVE Rouelle, Ballance’s fourth-grade teacher, continues: “She cares about animals, because they don’t have a voice. She’s always educating people, whether it’s children or adults. Most kids have the heart, but Reagan has the drive to see it through. I know that when she gets to be an adult, she’s going to be a world-changer.” Her fund-raising efforts have even benefited some two-footed friends. A family friend faced mounting medical bills, so Ballance did what she could to help her out. “She had tumors on her brain and it would have cost her $25,000, but she didn’t have any insurance. I sold dog biscuits and raised $1,675.25,” she says. Says Broadwater Academy teacher Cathy Custis, “To be a good neighbor, you need to be willing to hear where the needs are and be willing to help and be part of the community in a positive way. And Reagan is always willing to help out. She just has a love for people around her and a concern for her community that is unique, I think, for her age. These are the things that make her an exceptional good neighbor.” n
Cooperative Living/June 2013
pg37HomeShopper 5/15/13 1:54 PM Page 1
HOMESHOPPER
CHOIR ROBES
3595
EXPERT $ TAILORING
r
& UP
Finest fabrics including permanent press and wash & wear. Superior quality. Free color catalog and fabric swatches on request. GUARANTEED SATISFACTION
Call Toll Free: 1-800-826-8612
www.rcgown.com
P.O. Box 8988-V Jacksonville, FL 32211
www.hardyheater.com
• • • • • • • • #
! $ %
"
&
Hardy Manufacturing Co., Inc. 12345 Road 505 * Philadelphia, MS 39350 First on the Market
“Since 1976”
RESIDENTIAL WOOD & COAL STOVES UP TO 10,000 SQ FT. COMMERCIAL UP TO 25,000 SQ FT.
LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
Zero Turn Mowers Front Mount Mowers
OBH INC.
OUTBACK HEATING, INC. 89 ARROW LANE STUARTS DRAFT, VA 24477
800-743-5883
www.outbackheatinginc.com June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
37
Pg38-39(Classifieds)_Classifieds 5/16/13 10:53 AM Page 1
CLASSIFIEDS RATES: Non-business: $65 per 25-word block + $2.50/word over 25 OR “Mini” ad – $5/word (maximum of 10 words) Business, agent, and broker ads: $125 per 25-word block + $5/word over 25
DEADLINE: June 10 at 3 p.m. for July issue Prepayment required for publication. We accept checks payable to Cooperative Living magazine, or credit card info may be filled out below. Publisher reserves the right to designate classification or reject any ad. No personals, please.
#
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT
Please attach a separate sheet with the following information: Name, Address, City, State, Zip, Phone, and Wording For Publication. Please fill in payment information: Check or money order enclosed ______ For a credit card, fill out the following:
BUSINESS MARKETPLACE LOW-COST HOT TUBS, NEW factory direct, free delivery, ready to plug & play, durable and simple for outdoor patios, gardens, and vacation homes. www.dreammakerspas.com. IN-GROUND TORNADO SHELTER for Sale or Installed. Help with financing at WWW.TLLANDWORKS.COM. Call or email for info and price quote, starting at $6,800. 757-986-4113, TANDLSLANDWORKS@ HUGHES.NET. FLOORING NOW – www.weekendflooring.com, 703-789-2535, info@weekendflooring.com. Outlet for carpet/wood flooring/ceramic/vinyl. Featuring remnants and factory specials. Low, low prices. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Conveniently located near Rt. 66, Manassas. HOMEOWNERS – Mortgages, refinance or purchases. Slow credit? Good equity? Private investor funds available. Also FHA, VA, and conventional, must qualify. Call Ken, 804-3060205, anytime, 24/7. CONCRETE CATTLE GUARDS. Also PORTABLE CONCRETE PLATFORMS for watering fountains that comply with USDA conservation cost-share programs. Wright’s Ready-Mix, Amelia, Va. 804-561-2721 or info@wrightsreadymix.com. Delivery available. PRESCRIPTION DRUGS: Get 100-day supply of generics, starting at $10. GRETNA DRUG, GRETNA, VA. 1-800-724-1935. Delivery available.
___VISA ___MasterCard ___AMEX Total amount to be charged to credit card (VMD Association) $ ___________ Card # __________________________ Exp. Date _________________________ Signature (Req.) _____________________ V Code______ Last 3- or 4-digit # on signature strip Check, money order or credit card information for correct amount must accompany ads. Incomplete forms and incorrect amounts will be returned to sender. We accept classifieds by telephone (804-968-4021), fax (804346-3448), email (sglisson@odec.com), or mail to: Classifieds, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340.
38
RENTALS
MYRTLE BEACH OCEANFRONT – 2 BR, 2 baths, full kitchen, all amenities. Week of July 14-21, 2013. Westgate Resort, Bldg. 2000. Twenty-four hour security. $1,300 for week. 804-448-4040. DINWIDDIE – Pack house and hay barns. 804-469-7203. SMOKEY MOUNTAINS, GATLINBURG – Three-night special! 1-866-316-3255.
REAL ESTATE EASTERN SHORE, VA WATERFRONT – 3/3 vacation/retirement home with dock, 234’ wf. Must see. $399,900. Seller financing possible. ebesva@gmail.com or 757-678-7205. 47-ACRE FARM, KEYSVILLE – half timber/pasture, pond, barn, garage, tobacco barn, garden house, poultry house, 3-bedroom brick home, 3½ baths. Approximately 2,700 sq. ft. Beautifully landscaped, privacy. Pictures/information: www.plantationswvirginiaforsale.com. $359,000. Opportunity buy! 434-696-7734. LAKE GASTON HOME on main lake, boat dock, 30’x40’ storage building, 3.5 acres on secluded lot. Close to I-85. $529,000. 434-636-3309. STUARTS DRAFT, VA – 24+ wooded acres, national forest on three sides, 2,400-sq.-ft. home, stone exterior, outbuildings, in-ground pool. $475,000. 540-337-5914. SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY – 108-acre farm, 3,000-sq.-ft. custom-built home, 1,800-sq.-ft. apartment over 3-car garage, open fields, great road frontage. Perfect for horses. $943,500. Century 21 Gold Market Realty – Sandra, 757-630-8934.
AUCTION HOUSE/FLEA MARKET SPACE, WARSAW, VA – Fronts busy highway adjacent to Tractor Supply Company. New storefront, new HVAC. Proven successful location. Available immediately. 212-682-4211.
Three-story luxury RIVERFRONT home. ELEVATOR. Go tubing, fish, kayak from backyard! 3/4 BR, 3.5 baths. Near the “Crooked Road” in Scott County. $379,900. 423-392-4323, riverfronthometnva.com.
BATH COUNTY CABIN, sleeps 6-8+, furnished, fishing nearby, 2 bedrooms, $300/week. Reference “Cabin” at airbornemom@yahoo.com or call 540-269-4595.
GORGEOUS LOTS IN SOUGHT-AFTER “THE PLAINS,” VA ON STATE-PAVED ROAD. Cleared, 4-bedroom conventional perk, close to great public/private schools. Minutes to I-66 or 17, Orange County Hunt. Call owner 540-222-1813.
NAGS HEAD COTTAGE, MP 5½, between highways, near Avalon Pier, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, A/C, CATV, sleeps 8-10, leave message, address, phone. Spring, summer, fall rates. 804-288-6874 or bghensley@comcast.net. REEDVILLE – Waterfront cottage, private dock, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Close to Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River. Great views, quiet community. Furnished/unfurnished, $850/month plus utilities. 804-580-1327.
HISTORICAL HOUSE IN MINT SPRING, VA – 9+ acre farmette with creek and pond. Several outbuildings (barn, garage, shop), 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. $379,000. pmfunk@verizon.net. BLACKSTONE, VA – 27 acres, 900 twelveyear pines, 2,400-sq.-ft. house, 20’ x 40’ in-ground pool. $300,000. 434-294-0289. Pictures on Zillow.com, Zip code 23824. Cooperative Living/June 2013
Pg38-39(Classifieds)_Classifieds 5/16/13 10:54 AM Page 2
112 ACRES, 2-bedroom house, pastures, woods, pond, and two trout streams. Joins National Forest. Great hunting/fishing. A beautiful place! One hour from Roanoke. $440,000. 304-772-3443.
spreader $500. Rake, 3-pt. hitch $450. Carry All $100. Post driver, 3-pt. hitch $500. Wood splitter $550, Round bale unroller $500. 540-580-7246.
HIGHLAND COUNTY – In the pristine Blue Grass Valley! Rare opportunity to own 75 acres of high meadows & mature hardwood forest overlooking the beautiful & unspoiled mountains & countryside. Superb privacy in exciting wildlife country with fine building site & spring. $225,000. James Wm. Moore Real Estate Co. 540-463-7080, www.jwmre.com.
OPPORTUNITIES/SERVICES
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The Towers on Park Lane, luxury retirement living, Co-op Unit #1605 for sale, $72,000. 1-800-531-8496, thetowerslife.com.
AUCTIONS IRBY ESTATE, June 8, real estate, personal property; COOK ESTATE, June 8, personal property; MAHSMAN ESTATE, June 15, real estate, antiques. Carwile Auctions, Inc., 434-547-9100, www.carwileauctions.com, VAAR 392.
FOR SALE MASSEY FERGUSON 2012 MODEL 1529 TRACTOR, 28.4-hp. 8x8 synchronized shuttle transmission, bucket, 5-ft. bush-hog attachment. Asking $17,800. Used less than 21 hours, 1-year warranty. 804-382-7025. MADISON CO., VA: LOCALLY RAISED, ALLNATURAL BEEF. 100% pastured, grain-finished Angus, Angus X and Hereford. Wholesale, retail, select packages via UPS shipping. Check out: www.ridersbackfieldfarmbeef.com. Restored Antique CLOCKS with guarantee! CLOCK repairs on wind-up or weight driven; Cuckoo, Mantle, Wall, and Floor CLOCKS! Movement repair or restoration! Cell: 703-4477261, Email: rparkercbmove@hotmail.com. $2 AZALEAS AND RHODODENDRONS. $3 HYDRANGEAS. 2 FOR $5 DAYLILIES. Leyland Cypress, Camelias, Long-Leaf Baled Pine Straw. Gardens at Sugar Pond, Amelia. 804-561-3822. 15-YEAR-OLD COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL INSULATION BUSINESS for sale. Growing 100-mile area, all equipment available. Established customer base. Hit the ground running! awesominsulation@aol.com. FEED TROUGHS, 2 light $50 each, 1 heavy $300. Automatic head gate $400. Manure June 2013/www.co-opliving.com
BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER, correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 6630 West Cactus Rd., #B107-767, Glendale, AZ 85304. www.ordination.org. FINANCIAL HELP LINES FOR VA FAMILIES. Bankruptcy Advice For Free 877-933-1139 Mortgage Relief Help Line 888-216-4173 Student Loan Relief Line 888-694-8235 Debt Relief Non-Profit Line 888-779-4272 Numbers provided by www.careconnectusa.org. A Public Benefit Organization.
Advertising
INDEX
Bethel Builders ..................................6 CB Structures ..................................17 Dish Network...................................... ...............................Inside Back Cover Farm Credit......................Back Cover Lockridge Homes..............................3 Mitchell Homes...................................
REPAIRING CHIPS on fine/sentimental china/pottery. 434-332-5230.
..............................Inside Front Cover
PETS AND LIVESTOCK
Morton Buildings............................11
COLORFUL, MINIATURE NIGERIAN DWARF GOATS. Interested in a pet, family milker, show/breeding quality animals or just information, contact us! www.groundrushfarm.com, Culpeper, Va. Lynne 540-219-2671.
Perma Roof/Southern Builders.......11 Port Royal 4th Celebration.............27
ALPACAS – Great bloodlines, reasonable prices. Near Clarksville. 434-252-1406.
SafeStep .............................................7
FREE
Virginia State Parks.........................28
FREE BOOKS/DVDS – In Light of the Coming Economic Collapse! Prepare Yourself and Family Now! Write: TBS, Box 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. 1-888-211-1715, Email: thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com.
EVENTS SOUTHSIDE VIRGINIA’S 100+ MILE ANNUAL YARD SALE – July 6 all day. Contact: Jerri Morton, 434-767-2324 or 804-334-2506 or Facebook VAYARDSALEMILES (map also on Facebook).
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BARC Electric seeks a qualified applicant to fill the position of Coordinator of Communications & Public Relations. The successful candidate will possess the following minimum qualifications:
Your Man Tours..............................28
bachelor’s degree in communications, graphic design, English, creative writing, IT, or similar field; Experience in a communicator, IT, or design position; Excellent professional written and verbal communication skills; Excellent interpersonal skills; and Excellent with Microsoft Office products, especially Excel and Word. Experience with Microsoft Access is a big bonus. For a full list of responsibilities and employment application, please visit barcelectric.com or contact April Tuning at 800-846-2272. Please submit an application for this position by no later than June 7th, 2013. Applications may also be picked up and/or filled out at BARC’s headquarters at 84 High Street, Millboro, VA 24460.
39
june rural living_CL_june07_p 5/17/13 2:03 PM Page 1
RURAL LIVING
by Margo Oxendine, Contributing Columnist
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND Merely my life’s work on a laptop
I
have confessed my forgetfulness here before. But recently, that addlebrained part of me committed what might have been the most egregious act so far. I drove away from the Norfolk Waterside Marriott feeling quite satisfied with myself. I had managed to pack everything up and be driving toward home by 9 a.m. Often at that hour of the morning I am lounging around the room, considering whether I want to order room service. But not that morning. I was anxious to get onto that hellish stretch of Interstate 64, through the scary tunnel and past the crazy maze that is Williamsburg. As I made my way through the Hampton Roads tunnel, a thought popped into what is left of my brain: Did you put your laptop in the car? I shrugged. Of course I had! That laptop contains my entire professional life. Not only is my first “A Party of One” on there, the next three are, too. They’re just
40
waiting to be edited and put on the page. The little voice kept urging me to check. So I pulled over and did just that. No laptop. My heart sank. There on the side of the road, I frenetically unpacked the entire car. By now it was 9:45. I feared my colleagues had surely checked out and were on the road already. I called the publisher, hoping against hope she hadn’t yet departed. Did I mention I was praying nonstop? I begged Saint Anthony to help me find that laptop. I promised — probably an empty promise — that I’d never bother him again. The publisher answered her phone and — glory be! — was on her way to the checkout desk. I babbled my predicament and dumped my problem in her lap. She capably set the hotel staff in motion and, while I sat paralyzed in fear on the side of the road, managed to retrieve my laptop. Thank you, Saint Anthony! Thank you, publisher Anne Adams! Have you ever left something behind? I’ve left any number of coats and jackets. I’ve left my precious pillows on a hotel bed. I’ve left my cellphone charger and had to buy a whole new phone. In my youth, I left my retainer on a roomservice tray, necessitating a mad scramble in a busy hotel kitchen, through mounds of garbage, to retrieve it. I took a quick survey of several friends, and each had a “left behind” story. One woman and her husband always designate one hotel dresser drawer for dirty laundry. Naturally, they forgot it one busy checkout morning. A week or so later, looking for her favorite blouse, my friend got the chills: That, plus other clothing and undies, was left in a drawer hundreds of miles distant.
She called. She cajoled. No laundry had been found. Then, she got a bright idea. She asked them to check the dresser drawer in her former room and, voila! The hotel was kind enough to ship her dirty laundry across three states, free of charge. Once, a swanky time-share hotel moved my parents’ things to another room without their knowledge. When they reached their new rooms, everything was there except for Daddy’s pajamas, which were left hanging behind the bathroom door. He marched down and inquired. They checked. The pajamas had been thrown away. Not one to sleep au naturel, Daddy went to the hotel shop to purchase new pajamas. The only ones were silk, and cost $275. He decided he’d doze in boxers and a t-shirt that weekend. Now pillows, pajamas, dirty laundry and, especially, a laptop, can be considered important things. But none are so important as what a friend left behind years ago. She was a brand new mother. She had to renew her driver’s license at the DMV. She took the baby inside for the vexing ordeal, and scooted her along the counter as she inched toward completing her task. It took more than an hour. My friend was fraught, and tired. Overjoyed to finally receive her new license, she raced out to the car. She turned the key in the ignition and was backing out when a Maryland State Trooper tapped on her window. “Forget something, ma’am?” He was holding her baby. Fearing impending arrest, she tearfully blathered about long lines, and being a new mother. “Don’t worry, ma’am,” the trooper shrugged. “It happens all the time.” n
She turned the key in the ignition and was backing out when a Maryland State Trooper tapped on her window. “Forget something, ma’am?” He was holding her baby.
Cooperative Living/June 2013
ibcdish_Layout 1 5/15/13 1:36 PM Page 1
! E RY TIM R HU ED- R! IT FFE M I L O
iPad 2 included ®
GET MORE FOR LESS
to enhance your TV experience anywhere. Cannot be combined with promotional pricing. Everyday prices start at $49.99/mo. Requires 24-month commitment and credit qualification.
Call today for details.
NOT
E LIG
ICE AGE CONTINENTAL DRIFT ON
FREE HOPPER UPGRADE
IB LE FOR 12 MO FOR HOP NTH S PE R OR iP ad 2
OFF
E R.
ACT NOW AND ALSO GET: FREE PREMIUM CHANNELS for 3 months
Offer subject to change based on premium channel availability. ®
UNBEATABLE WHOLE-HOME HD DVR • Watch all your live and recorded TV anywhere* • Instantly skip commercials* • Store up to 2,000 hours of your favorite shows • Record up to 6 different shows at the same time*
FREE HD FOR LIFE Available with qualifying packages.
FREE INSTALLATION in up to 6 rooms All offers require 24-month commitment and credit qualification. iPad 2 is 16 GB Wi-Fi only. Remote viewing requires Wi-Fi connection or use of Hopper Transfers app.
*Feature must be enabled by customer. Available with qualifying packages. Monthly DVR and receiver fees apply.
BUNDLE AND SAVE WITH DISH
Ask how you can save $10/mo. WITH DISHNET HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
Call today before time runs out! 1-888-345-0758 | watchdish.com Important Terms and Conditions: Promotional Offers: Require activation of new qualifying DISH service with 24-month commitment and credit qualification. All prices, fees, packages, programming, features, functionality and offers subject to change without notice. After 12-month promotional period, then-current regular monthly price applies and is subject to change. ETF: If you cancel service during first 24 months, early cancellation fee of $20 for each month remaining applies. For iPad 2 offer, if you cancel service during first 24 months, early cancellation fee of $30 for each month remaining applies. Activation fee: may apply. Add’tl Requirements: For iPad 2 offer: customer must select Hopper system and minimum of America’s Top 120 package; allow 4-6 weeks for delivery; offer not available in Puerto Rico or USVI. Available while supplies last. HD Free for Life: $10/mo HD fee waived for life of current account; requires continuous enrollment in AutoPay with Paperless Billing. Premium Channels: 3-month premium movie offer value is $135; after promotional period, then-current regular monthly price applies and is subject to change. Hopper Features: AutoHop feature is only available with playback the next day of select primetime shows on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC as part of PrimeTime Anytime feature. Both features are subject to availability. Blockbuster @Home Offer: 3 month offer value $30. After 3 months, then-current regular monthly price applies and is subject to change. Requires online DISH account; broadband Internet to stream content; HD DVR to stream to TV. Streaming to TV and some channels not available with select packages. Installation/Equipment Requirements: Free Standard Professional Installation only. Certain equipment is leased and must be returned to DISH upon cancellation or unreturned equipment fees apply. Upfront and additional monthly fees may apply. Recording hours vary; 2000 hours based on SD programming. Equipment comparison based on equipment available from major TV providers as of 5/22/13. Watching live and recorded TV anywhere requires a broadband-connected, Sling-enabled DVR and compatible mobile device. Misc: Offers available for new and qualified former customers, and subject to terms of applicable Promotional and Residential Customer agreements. State reimbursement charges may apply. Additional restrictions and taxes may apply. Offers end 9/18/13. © 2013 DISH Network L.L.C. All rights reserved. HBO®, Cinemax® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. SHOWTIME is a registered trademark of Showtime Networks Inc., a CBS Company. STARZ and related channels and service marks are property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. iPad is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. Apple is not a participant in or sponsor of this promotion. ICE AGE CONTINENTAL DRIFT TM © 2012 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. ADS3755
C4FarmCredit_Layout 1 5/15/13 1:35 PM Page 1
Financing Country Living Since 1916 The Experts in Rural Finance Homes • Land • Construction • Livestock Barns • Outbuildings • Equipment
800-919-FARM (3276) www.FarmCredit.com