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APRIL
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F E AT U R E S
D E PA RT M E N T S
12 | Here’s the Story
4 | 6 |
The Kansas Storytelling Festival held in Downs is in its 26th year and draws attendees from throughout the state and across the country.
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16 | The Apprentices
10 |
The past decade has seen a proliferation of preapprentice lineman programs, either at community colleges or lineman schools, which give students basic knowledge and skills before placing them at co-ops.
E D I TO R’S L E T T E R
Honoring co-op first responders A RO U N D K A N S A S
Time to tiptoe through tulips CO M M E N TA RY
Critics don’t understand co-ops E N E RGY W I S E
Seven energy-saving claims Learn what’s true and what’s not.
18 |
20| Garden Labor Savers
YO U R P L AC E I N T H E G A R D E N
Success with seedlings
Nurture them early and often.
24 |
Gardening doesn’t get easier as you age but “experienced” gardeners can compensate by gardening smarter instead of working harder.
CO O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E
The possibilities of Easter and pie This coconut pie creates its own crust.
12
26 | 28 |
M A R K E T P L AC E
Find products, services you need SAFETY
Step No. 1 before digging
Have public and private utilities marked.
29 |
M O N T H LY R E C I P E S
ON THE COVER Monday, April 8, is National Lineworker Appreciation Day, a day to thank our lineworkers who always have our backs—and yours—when the lights go out.
20
GEORGE WEIGEL
P H OTO BY B R Y C E M O R G A N , L I N E M A N AT B U T L E R E L E C T R I C C O O P E R AT I V E
APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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E D I TO R’S L E T T E R
April 8 Honors First Responders of Electric Cooperatives
(ISSN 0091-9586) APRIL 2019 VOL. 69, NO. 4 ©KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC., 2019 WWW.KEC.COOP
Bruce Graham
Chief Executive Officer
Vicki Estes
Director of Communications, Editor
Carrie Kimberlin
Manager of Creative Solutions
Shaylee Arpin IN DECEMBER 2014, the National
Rural Electric Cooperative Association Board of Directors adopted a resolution recognizing the second Monday of April each year as National Lineworker Appreciation Day. Lineworkers are the first responders of the electric cooperative family, often missing family milestones and holiday gatherings to help restore power after storms and accidents have left us in the dark. The work is physically challenging and requires courage to work with high voltages and heights. Thus, it’s fitting to not only picture a Kansas electric cooperative lineworker on the cover of this issue, but to have the photo taken by a fellow lineworker. While you’re out and about this month, please take a moment to thank lineworkers for their sacrifices. And, their families could use a kind word too. The article on Page 16 offers an update on linemen recruiting efforts in the last decade and how energy utili-
ADDRESS CHANGE?
If you need to report a change of address, please contact your local electric cooperative.
ties have started to narrow the hiring gap in the trade. Dalton Hensley, a lineman for Western Cooperative Electric, and Blake Winters, a soon-to-be intern in the trade at Southern Pioneer Electric, share their stories to becoming linemen. April is also the month in which tall tales take place in Downs. The Kansas Storytelling Festival attracts visitors from across the country who celebrate the art form of oral storytelling. Read about the power of a well-told story beginning on Page 12. Spring has finally arrived, well technically and not necessarily meteorologically, which means it’s time to break out our gardening gear, shovels and planting paraphernalia. But, before you commit to laboring in the garden or planting new shrubs, be sure to read the articles on Pages 20 and 28. The first one offers labor saving ideas to ease aging, aching backs, and the second is a must-read if you plan to dig on your property, whether to plant a tree or install a mailbox. Public and private utilities must first be located and marked to avoid outages and injury. Dig safely, and happy Easter!
VICKI ESTES , EDITOR
Multimedia Communications Specialist Officers Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.
Keith McNickle President
Terry Hobbs
Vice President
Craig Kostman
Secretary
Teresa Miller Treasurer
You receive Kansas C ountry Living as a service of the following electric co-ops as a cost-effective way to share important information about services, energy savings, electric safety, director elections, meetings and management decisions. It also contains legal notices that otherwise would be published in other media at greater cost: Alfalfa, Cherokee, OK Bluestem, Wamego Brown-Atchison, Horton Butler, El Dorado CMS, Meade Caney Valley, Cedar Vale Doniphan, Troy DS&O, Solomon Flint Hills, Council Grove FreeState, McLouth & Topeka Lane-Scott, Dighton Lyon-Coffey, Lebo Ninnescah, Pratt Pioneer, Ulysses Prairie Land, Norton Radiant, Fredonia Rolling Hills, Beloit Sedgwick County, Cheney Sumner-Cowley, Wellington Tri-County, Hooker, OK Twin Valley, Altamont Victory, Dodge City Western, WaKeeney Wheatland, Scott City Your co-op’s board of directors authorizes a subscription to Kansas Country Living on behalf of the membership at a cost of $5.88 per year. Individual subscriptions are $10 per year (tax included).
Co-op Members: Please report address changes to your local electric co-op. Postmaster: Send returns to Kansas Country Living, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267. Kansas Country Living is published monthly by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604. Periodicals postage paid at Topeka, KS, and additional entry offices. Editorial offices: P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267; 785-478-4554. Advertising: Kansas Country Living is a member of American MainStreet Publications (www.amp.coop), collectively reaching an audited circulation of 9,378,177 monthly. Advertisers call 512-441-5200. Acceptance of advertising by Kansas Country Living does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Kansas’ electric cooperatives.
4
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
APRIL 2019
PUT TWO & TWO
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APRIL 5-7 Intercollegiate Rodeo, Garden City. Call Jim Boy Hash, Head Rodeo Coach at GCCC, at 620-275-2878 APRIL 6-7 Dinner/Dessert featuring
Maid to Order Community Theater, Leoti. You bring the dessert, we’ll bring the entertainment. 6:30 p.m. on April 6; 3 p.m. on April 7. 5 04 E. Broadway, 620-874-1091, Wichita County Arts Alliance Facebook page. APRIL 6 DC Run for Autism, Dodge City.
ake checks payable to Run for Autism, mail M pre-registration to Trist Ferguson at 509 Annette, Dodge City, KS 67801. 620-225-3277, visit our Facebook page at DC Run for Autism. APRIL 6 Dodge City Raceway Park
Season Opener, Dodge City. H eld at the Dodge City Raceway Park beginning at 7:30 p.m. 620-225-3277. APRIL 7 Central Branch RR, Waterville. J oin downtown Waterville from 1-5 p.m. for rail rides, model trains, music, food, pony rides, exhibits from POW Camp/Orphan Train Museum and more. 785-779-4264. APRIL 7 The Loveliness of Air Concert,
Alma. A n electroacoustic original composition based on selected poetry and prose of children under the age of 15, victims of the Teresienstadt Nazi concentration camp 1942-1944. 785-499-3616. APRIL 9 Southwest Kansas Live on Stage,
Garden City. T he Abrams are brothers and fourth generation musicians showcasing country, bluegrass and gospel music. 620-275-1878 APRIL 10-12 Farm and Ranch Expo, Great
Bend. A farm event promoting agricultural technology. www.greatbendfarmandranchexpo. net, 866-685-0989, email dales@ greatbendfarmandranchexpo.net. APRIL 11-21 Messiah Festival of Arts,
Lindsborg. T he Bethany Oratorio Society will present performances by J.S. Bach on April 19 and G.F. Handel on April 21. 785-227-8229, ext. 8235, www.messiahfestival.org.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
APRIL 2019
APRIL 12-14 Basketball Dome Tournament, Garden City. T he Garden City Family YMCA is hosting a basketball tournament in their new sports dome. 620-275-1199.
APRIL 21-23 2019 KCAC Women’s Golf
APRIL 12-14 Downtown Tulip Festival, Belle Plaine. D owntown Belle Plaine will be bursting with activities for kids and adults. www. belleplainechamber.com/tulipfestival.
APRIL 26-27 Kansas Storytelling Festival,
APRIL 13 Indian Artifact Show, Holton. B ring Indian relics for identification of type and time period. Show hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. held at the Northeast Kansas Heritage Complex. 12200 214th Rd., 785-364-3238 or 785-537-2862.
APRIL 26 Aging with Attitude Regional Expo, Fort Scott. C lass covers scams against seniors, gardening at any age and more from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Community Christian Church 1919 Horton St., 620-820-6123, www.southeast.kstate.edu/aging-expo.
APRIL 14 Flint Hills Messiah Chorus and
Chamber Orchestra, Wamego. H andel’s Messiah at 2 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. Tickets at the door. 600 Lincoln St., www.flinthillsmessiah.org. APRIL 18-20 Friends of the Library & DHS Senior Class Spring Plant Sale, Douglass. Douglass Community Building, 206 S. Forst. APRIL 19-20 Boersma Family Gathering and Revival Services, Dodge City. P raise, and worship by missionaries from Africa, April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 20 at 5:30 p.m. Search “Boersma Family Gathering” on Facebook. APRIL 19-21 Volleyball Dome Tournament,
Garden City. T he Garden City Family YMCA is hosting a volleyball tournament. 620-275-1199. APRIL 20 Easter Egg Hunt, Harper. E aster
egg hunt at 1 p.m. at the Harper City Park. harperchamberofcommerce@gmail.com APRIL 20 Easter Egg Hunt, Sedan. H eld on
the Courthouse lawn at 1 p.m. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance too! 620-725-3990. APRIL 20-21 Battle for the Bats Baseball Tournament, Garden City. S everal age divisions will be available for this tournament. 620-276-1200. APRIL 20 Easter Egg Hunt, Phillipsburg. 1 0 a.m. at Phillips County Courthouse Square. 5432321, www.phillipsburgchambermainstreet.com.
Championships, Garden City. H eld at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course. 316-337-5999 or 620-276-1210. Downs. Read more on Pages 12-14 of this issue of Kansas Country Living. www. kansasstorytelling.com
APRIL 27-28 “Always…Patsy Cline,” Waterville. M eals provided at the location and historic Weaver Hotel prior to both performances. April 27 at 7 p.m. and April 28 at 2 p.m. W aterville Opera House, 785-363-2515. APRIL 27-28 Barn Tours, Alma. T he Volland Store is in the middle of a working landscape with stunning barns and outbuildings that have stories to tell. Search Volland Store on Facebook. APRIL 27 Benton Days Marketplace, Benton. E njoy the family fun and shop our amazing vendors at Benton Church from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. APRIL 27 Citywide Garage Sales, Harper. F or a complete listing and maps, contact the City of Harper. harperchamberofcommerce@ gmail.com APRIL 27 GC Backyard Brawl Fast Pitch Tournament, Garden City. F our age divisions. Call Jared Rutti at 620-276-1200. APRIL 27-28 Grand Opening of the Renovated Waterville Opera House, Waterville. P erformances at 7 p.m. on April 27 and 2 p.m. on April 28. 785-363-2515. APRIL 27 Lindsborg in Bloom, Lindsborg. A celebration of peace, love and all things 1960s. Join the fun and dress up 1960s style. Spread the love and come to Lindsborg from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
APRIL 27-28 Tulip Festival, Wamego. T he vivacious colors of tulips are the backdrop for the art and craft fair in Wamego City Park. www. visitwamego.com/events/annual-tulip-festival.
MAY 2-5 Big Kansas Road Trip. S pend
APRIL 28-30 KCAC Men’s Golf
Swap, McPherson. M ay 3 and 4 from 9 a.m.6 p.m.; May 5. from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. McPherson 4-H Fairgrounds, 620-241-7600.
MAY 4 Annual Herb Day, Wichita. L earn
MAY 3-4 Cruise Night and Car Show, Plainville. S how will include a cruise night, poker run and car show. 785-425-8181.
MAY 5 Discover Salina Naturally Festival,
Championships, Garden City. T ournament at Buffalo Dunes. 316-337-5999 or 620-276-1210. APRIL 28-29 Choral and Instrumental Concert, Dodge City. A pril 28 at 3 p.m. or April 29 at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. Email finearts@dc3.edu or search DC3 Choirs on Facebook. MAY 2-5 Kansas Singles in Agriculture,
Elkhart. Tour the Cimarron National Grasslands, Morton County Museum, Cimarron Heritage Center, Chase County Pioneer Days Parade, rodeo and dance. 620-682-0079.
time exploring Cheyenne, Sherman and Wallace counties. bigkansasroadtrip.com. MAY 3-5 Gem and Mineral Sale and
MAY 4-5 Millfest, Lindsborg. T he 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mill is put into operation once a year for Millfest. 120 Mill St., 888-227-2227 or www.visitlindsborg.com. MAY 4 Landmark Concert Series–Kids
Concert, Lindsborg. A free, creative, interactive art experience for all ages. 888-2272227, www.visitlindsborg.com.
MAY 4 Run on the Ranch, Junction City.
B enefit for Broken Wing Ranch Ministries. Race at 9 a.m.; packet pickup/late registration at 7:30 a.m. 3581 Carr Rd., 785-366-0806, www. brokenwingranchministries.org. about herbs from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Enjoy seminars and demonstrations. 316-660-0138. Salina. Family fun at its finest! Free admission. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Lakewood Park. 785-833-8023 or email nona.miller@salina.org. MAY 5 Art in the Park, Lawrence. F eaturing
the highest quality work, musical entertainment, food vendors and family fun at South Park from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 7 85-760-4800, Lawrence Art Guild Association on Facebook. KCL
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APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
7
C O M M E N TA RY
Rural Electric Co-ops are in the Quality-of-Life Business
BY B R U C E G R A H A M
of April, I will have attended eight electric cooperative annual meetings so far in 2019. Over my career, I’ve probably been to more than 150 of these member events—and they are all very different. Some are quick with light refreshments served during a business session. Others feature a full meal, entertainment, kids’ activities and, of course, door prizes. The annual meetings all have one thing in common though. They are the members’ opportunity to exercise ownership. Director election results are announced. Cooperative leaders report on major accomplishments, challenges, and the financial health of the utility. It is also a common occurrence when members say thanks for restoring service during a recent storm, applaud the cooperative’s sponsorship of youth leadership programs and scholarships, and recognize the cooperative’s investment in local communities, health fairs, food drives and other charitable programs such as Operation RoundUp. One of the other things I enjoy about cooperative annual meetings are the presentations by students who attended the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., and Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in Colorado. These are often life-changing opportunities sponsored by the local cooperative and organized by the statewide association, Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. When our youth and others learn who we are and what we do, they’re inspired. Yet some influential special interests in the Statehouse think electric cooperatives need to be run differently. I’m nearly certain these critics have never attended a cooperative annual meeting but they introduced legislation this year that challenged cooperative governance, the importance of certified territories, and other tenets of our operations. I wrote about this legislative proposal last month. The bill is now Sub. SB 69 and it would authorize the hiring of a consulting team to study a massive list of 29 different issues. And because several of the topics of concern have been dropped, we are cautiously supporting the initiative.
BY THE FIRST WEEK
Bruce Graham
It’s a positive principle that we need to communicate to legislators and other opinion leaders who may be listening to a coalition of critics that really don’t know much about YOUR cooperative.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
APRIL 2019
If Sub. SB 69 and the $1 million-plus project is approved, I truly hope it uncovers opportunities for utilities and consumers to manage electricity costs in the future. There remains risk though that some of the study topics could result in significant restructuring of the utility industry as well as the cooperative business model. If the study consultants chosen by the Kansas Legislature are objective and thorough, there may be some beneficial recommendations. If not, their conclusions could be harmful and may not be a good fit in Kansas. One study topic will investigate if the ratemaking process for electric cooperatives is in the public interest. I’m not concerned about this review as cooperative members currently entrust their elected board of directors to set rates after a deliberative process that includes a cost-of-service study, proper notice and a series of member meetings. The alternative would be regulation by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). If policymakers believe it is in the public interest to return to the days when an electric cooperative had to pay $250,000 to process a KCC rate case, I will be shocked. Another topic of concern is a call to investigate whether competitive markets for retail electricity could benefit all Kansas consumers. Also known as retail wheeling, we’ve written about this before and it continues to amaze me that there are some who believe we should take a chance on this scheme. Just remember, a market price doesn’t mean a lower price. Electric co-ops are in the quality-of-life business. That’s what makes us different and what our members say they appreciate during annual meetings and throughout the year. It’s a positive principle that we need to communicate to legislators and other opinion leaders who may be listening to a coalition of critics that really don’t know much about YOUR electric cooperative. KCL BRUCE GRAHAM is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. in Topeka.
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E N E R GY W I S E
Breaking Down Seven Energy-Saving Claims DEAR PAT & BRAD: When it comes to saving
energy, it can be confusing to figure out what works and what doesn’t. I know you usually just answer one question, but can you let me know what you think about a few things I’ve heard over the years? – Keeley D E AR KE E LE Y: Sure. Fire away! Is it true that turning lights off and on uses more energy than just leaving them on? Not true. Turning off lights definitely reduces energy use. Turn off LED and incandescent bulbs every time you leave the room. The situation is a little different with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). Turning them off does save energy but can shorten the life of the bulb. The rule of thumb for CFLs is to turn them off any time they won’t be used for 15 minutes or more. Would replacing my old windows with new, more efficient ones really cut my energy use in half? No. While replacing inefficient windows with new, energy efficient windows can cut the heat loss through windows in half (or more), windows typically account for only about 25 to 30 percent of your space heating costs. The amount of energy you use for heating and cooling is likely one third to one half of your total energy use, so replacing your old windows might only reduce your total energy costs by about 10 percent. When you consider the high cost of new windows, you may not recoup your investment for 15 or 20 years, or even longer. Burning wood in my fireplace should save on my heating costs, right?
Q A
Q A
Q
BY PAT K E E G A N A N D B R A D T H I E S S E N
but under certain conditions. The A Possibly, wood should be dry and burned efficiently
in a properly installed, properly placed, high-efficiency wood stove or fireplace insert. Otherwise, you’ll lose as much heat through your chimney as you’re distributing throughout the house. My kids claim using the dishwasher is just as efficient as washing dishes by hand. Are they right? Yes—in fact, it’s usually more efficient! Properly used dishwashers actually use less water while doing a better job, and they will save you more 200 hours a year. For maximum energy savings, set your water heater to about 120 degrees and use the most efficient wash/dry settings. I’ve heard it’s better to heat individual rooms with an electric space heater and keep the doors closed to trap the heat. Is this true? It’s possible to save money with an electric space heater if you use it only a few hours a day and reduce your home’s thermostat setting by a couple degrees. Space heaters can cause fires, so they need to be used wisely and should never be left unattended. Which brings us to your next question… Should I close the vents in rooms that aren’t being used? Most experts advise against this because closing supply registers forces your furnace or A/C unit to work harder. They advise keeping all your vents and doors open. If your system supplies too much heat to some rooms and too little to other rooms, you should talk to a heating and air conditioning professional about modifying your ductwork. Does the age of my home determine how energy efficient it is? Newer homes tend to be more efficient because energy codes have improved, but every home can have hidden energy issues, no matter its age. If you want to evaluate the efficiency of your home, it’s best to schedule an energy audit with a professional. Ask your local electric co-op for recommendations. KCL
Q A
Q A
Q A
MICHAELMROCZEK
Q A
Replacing your old windows with newer, efficient ones won’t cut your energy costs in half, but it could reduce your costs by about 10 percent.
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This column was co-written by PAT KEEGAN and BRAD of Collaborative Efficiency. Visit: www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips. THIESSEN
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Story Stories The
Behind the
BY M E L I N D A S C H N Y D E R
The Kansas Storytelling Festival is no tall tale; it’s going strong in its 26th year.
ONCE UPON A TIME in the town of Downs, two retired educators wanted to make sure the importance and tradition of storytelling didn’t get lost. They created a small event in their small northcentral Kansas town to share stories and celebrate the art form of oral storytelling. With their vision, a group of passionate volunteers and the support of the Downs Arts Council, that small seed of an idea quickly grew larger than Jack’s beanstalk. Just four years after its start, the event was proclaimed a state festival with the governor officially recognizing Downs as “The Storytelling Capital of Kansas.” That isn’t the make-believe land or imaginary characters of a fairy tale or fable—the introduction to storytelling most of us received as children—it’s the actual history of the Kansas Storytelling Festival. Now in its 26th year, the festival draws attendees from throughout the state and across the country for a day and a half of sharing the power of a well-told story, one of our oldest forms of communication. “Our first motivation remains to bring something to Downs that will enhance our residents’ quality of life, but the festival’s reach has certainly grown wider than northcentral Kansas,” said Glennys
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Doane, a longtime festival volunteer and coordinator of its steering committee. “The Kansas Storytelling Festival has meant a lot to Downs over the years besides the entertainment and education that our programming brings. For a town of 900 people to get to host a state event has been a bonding experience for our community. Our population swells half again the last weekend in April every year.” This year’s festival begins on the afternoon of Friday, April 26, and ends the evening of Saturday, April 27. Both days offer concurrent sessions at five locations while the evenings feature a showcase storytelling concert. The committee hires five professional storytellers each year to perform in a variety of genres. This year’s cohort includes a two-time Grammy winner who tells humorous anecdotes with guitar in hand, a cowboy sharing campfire-type stories with wilderness themes, a globe-trotter performing true stories based on her adventures and sharing folk tales and Greek myths, an improviser of epic and ridiculous proportions and a teller-without-a-niche who wins over audiences of all ages with her warm sense of humor and heart. “We pride ourselves in the fact that we can get the same quality storytellers featured in Los Angeles, Kansas City, the National Storytelling Festival in Tennessee or any of the other big venues,” Doane said. “We have a lot of tellers who ask to come to us. They love the audiences at our festival and the fact that our intimate venues bring them so close to our audiences.”
Session venues range from the senior center with seating for 70 people to Memorial Hall, a multipurpose city building that seats 300. All are within comfortable walking distance in downtown Downs, though shuttle service is also available. Each session is about 45 minutes and none are the same, designed to give attendees the chance to hear all the storytellers at least once and to return to hear their favorite telling new tales. In addition to sessions performed by the five professionals, there are sessions by local master storytellers who have earned their place on stage by winning three amateur competitions and young storytellers practicing the craft. The schedule also includes workshops for educators or amateurs wanting to improve their skills, an open-mic session and historical portrayals of famous Kansans. Evening concerts are not to be missed, Doane said. Friday night includes the finals of the Tall Tale Contest, featuring four regional amateurs who in an October preliminary competition earned a spot on the big stage. They share a 4- to 7-minute story with unbelievable elements told as if it were true. While the audience and judges’ votes are being tallied, the featured tellers will perform a collection of stories and songs. The evening will end with professional Megan Hicks telling ghost stories. Saturday’s finale stars two featured storytellers. “It’s a culmination of a weekend of stories and often they bring the other tellers up for a final performance, too,” Doane said. Admission is by button, which can be purchased at the festival in the Downs Historic Railroad Depot. Cost for the full weekend is $20 for adults and $10 for ages 10-17; ages 9 and under are free.
There are options for single days or evening concerts only, too. See a full schedule, speaker bios and pricing options on the festival website at kansasstorytelling.com. Outside of sessions and concerts, there are many ways throughout the weekend to connect with the storytelling community. Supper with the Storytellers and the Storyteller MeetUp offers festivalgoers a chance to visit casually with the featured tellers, and there is also a place to meet your favorite storyteller face-toface for an autograph or to buy their merchandise. The festival draws all ages, and it’s not uncommon to see multigenerational groups. Doane said she encourages attendees to share stories with new friends they meet at the festival and within their familial groups. A few years ago, organizers began offering Story Shed, a recording area that allows people to tell their story, archive it and go home with a digital copy. “Story Shed is our way of giving people the opportunity to tell their story and transfer those stories to the next generation,” she said. “When a story is told in the voice of someone in your family, it becomes a treasure piece.” Another way the festival reaches younger generations is through the Storytelling in Education assemblies. In the week leading up to the festival, the Smoky Hill Educational Service Center sponsors one of the featured storytellers to deliver storytelling sessions to schools across northcentral and western Kansas. “Schoolchildren eat up these storytellers,” Doane said. “They just love it. They learn what makes up a good story, and it helps their writing skills tremendously.” The festival is organized completely by volunteers with Storyteller Linda Gorham, Cary, North Carolina, worked 13 years in the corporate world before becoming a storyteller full time. cooperation from the city of APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Top left: Local legends historical portrayals told by (from left) Jim Lee, Sherry Knouf, Jennifer Bowles and Dave Draayer. Top right: Jim Lee, Stillwater, Oklahoma, participates in the Legends sessions at the festival. Jim grew up near Downs, Kansas.
Downs, the Downs Arts Council and many local organizations. It is funded by individual, business and foundation sponsors, including Rolling Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. One way local youth, church and civic groups get involved is by preparing and selling food. Downs doesn’t have enough restaurants to handle the festival crowds all at once, so food is also available for purchase at event venues. Another logistical issue is overnight accommodations. Rooms in Downs often sell out months in advance, though the festival website lists options in the nearby towns of Beloit, Smith Center, Osborne, Tipton, Alton, Cawker City and Glen Elder. “We do have a housing challenge in Downs, but there are resources throughout the area, including some that people don’t think about, like hunting lodges and camping at the state park,” Doane said. “A lot of people reserve a room for next year when they are leaving the festival. We find that once someone comes the first year, they come back because they get hooked on storytelling.” That’s what happened to Jim Lee. He started coming to the festival about a dozen years ago to support his younger brother Ken Lee, who was involved with the festival. The Lees grew up in the Downs area and Ken still farms on the family land. Jim lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma, but returns to Downs four to six times a year to visit and to hunt pheasant. One of those annual trips became the last weekend of April when Ken started participating in the festival. Ken won three Tall Tale competitions, which gave him the title of master storyteller and allows him to spin a yarn each
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After an extensive career in theater and television on the West Coast, Pippa White became a professional storyteller.
year on the stage with three other Kansas master tellers. “I went back every year to watch him and then I just kept going,” Jim said. “The audiences are an interesting mix of locals and out of towners, and the quality and variety of the storytellers just amazes me.” About six years ago, organizers recruited Jim to participate in the Legends sessions, where he wears a period appropriate costume and speaks as a historic figure, blending fact and fiction. Among the Kansans he’s portrayed are the first postmaster of Downs and “Home on the Range” author Brewster M. Higley. This year he will depict Alonzo B. Webster, a former mayor of Dodge City who in the 1880s staged one of the only bull fights held in the United States. The 71-year-old took another step out of his self-described introverted engineer shell two years ago and competed in his first Tall Tales competition. Jim said his brother is a natural storyteller while he struggles to come up with original, funny ideas and be comfortable on stage. Still, he advanced to the finals the first year, won the contest last year and will be back on the stage this year to defend the title. His brother will be in the audience, along with sisters from Illinois and New Mexico and cousins from Texas and Missouri. Whether he competes in the future or not, he’ll continue to return to Downs because the festival has made him a story lover. “I just enjoy a really good story and hearing the different styles of storytelling,” Jim said. “It’s not hard to get some of the top storytellers to Downs, Kansas, and that says a lot about the people organizing the festival. The steering committee does a great job, and I think this has to be one of the best ideas any small town has had to bring people in, or in my case to bring people back. It’s meant a lot to my family. It has brought me closer to my brother and it’s kept me involved in my old hometown.” KCL
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Lineworker BECOMING A
BLAKE WINTERS, A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT
at Pratt Community College, never imagined himself in a particular career. After working throughout high school alongside his dad in the heating and air trade, Winters became attracted to the electrical side of the business. That’s when he found his interest in becoming a lineman. Winters is currently attending Pratt Community College and upon graduation in May, will begin an internship with Southern Pioneer Electric, Medicine Lodge. “I am looking forward to getting my foot in the door with Pioneer and meeting all the guys,” Winters said. “I am originally from Medicine Lodge so I am excited to stay in the area. I enjoy getting to be outside and learning new things just about every day, which is why I want to be a lineman.” Winters represents a generation of students looking at future career opportunities that require few years of school and offer good job placement. Faced with dire shortages in engineers and lineworkers 10 years ago, energy utilities have started to narrow the hiring gap in the trade. “When we take a look at all the positions in the industry, the lineworker positions are the only ones where we are making headway,” said Leilani Dalton Hensley is a lineman for Western Cooperative Electric in WaKeeney.
Todd, executive council member at the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD), a non-profit consortium of energy utilities formed in 2006 to address employment. CEWD has launched Get Into Energy, an initiative to help utilities recruit and train women, youth, military veterans and others into these jobs. Some of those efforts have borne fruit since CEWD’s first survey in 2007, which found that between 40 to 60 percent of skilled workers and engineers were set to retire by 2012. “We have seen the positive effects our efforts have had with our veteran outreach programs and diversity and inclusion initiatives, but these changes take time to see the fruit of our labor,” said Todd. CEWD surveys report higher levels of replacement and growth—5 percent in 2014, 9 percent in 2015 and 7 percent in 2016. In addition, workers are getting younger. Electric co-ops have the youngest workforce, with only 25 percent of employees over the age of 53. Investorowned utilities have the oldest, with 35 percent over age 53; for municipal utilities, 12 percent are under the age of 32. And “when looking at just the key job categories, the percentage of engineers and lineworkers under age 32 continues to increase at 29 percent and 30 percent respectively, reflecting the focus on hiring in these categories,” according to a 2017 CEWD survey. Nevertheless, electric co-ops aren’t slacking off linework recruitments just yet. It takes at least four years to fully train a lineworker. Tenacious people unfazed by heights and working with
high voltages are in short supply. Electric co-ops are learning that it’s not enough to simply roll out the welcome mat and hope people show up. The past decade has seen a proliferation of “pre-apprentice” programs, either at community colleges or lineman schools, which give students basic knowledge and skills before placing them at utilities. Dalton Hensley, lineman at Western Cooperative Electric, in WaKeeney, completed his pre-apprentice program through an internship with the cooperative before being hired full time. “There’s a lot to learn,” Hensley said. “There is a lot more than just poles and wires. There are things I learned at Pratt that are applicable to our merchant program.” The merchant program is a certification process through the Department of Labor’s apprenticeship program in which linemen gain full knowledge and understanding in their profession. The four-year, 8,000-hour process helps linemen reach the top of the trade: journeyman lineworker. “Everybody here works hard,” Hensley said. “It’s an atmosphere that I like to be in. When we’re out there working, we’re trying to work as fast as we can safely, but also serve our community. I like that I have the chance to serve the people I know. I grew up here and I get to keep their power on.” Both Winters and Hensley have a few years before they complete the merchant program but look forward to going to work every day, building a career with a purpose and keeping your lights on. KCL SHAYLEE ARPIN
contributed to this article.
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YO U R P L A C E I N T H E G A R D E N
Success with Seedlings
BY C Y N T H I A D O M E N G H I N I , P H . D .
Cynthia Domenghini, Ph.D.
I can’t help but relate the time and effort I spend caring for my plants to the care I provide for my children ... we protect them from the harsh elements as long as we can and then train them to handle those elements as they grow.
18
THE SIGNS OF SPRING have arrived! Brave bulbs have sprouted and bloomed; trees are leafing out; and seeds started indoors have germinated. Nurturing these tender seedlings into healthy, mature plants requires attention to several variables as they are transitioned into the outdoor garden. Healthy plants start with healthy growing medium. While this statement may seem obvious in the literal interpretation, the intent is to bring attention to the importance of soil and the proper growing medium. For seed starting use a soilless mix such as peat, perlite and vermiculite, which promotes adequate air, water retention and drainage. Outdoors, avoid planting seeds or transplants in areas with poorly drained soil or in low areas where water collects. Soils with high clay content reduce the germination of seeds. Have your soil tested to determine the suitability for planting and any adjustments that should be made. Some county extension offices offer a certain number of free soil tests annually per home. Soil that does not drain well can put plants at risk for diseases such as damping off, a water mold that occurs on plants grown in watersaturated areas. Affected seedlings may display yellow or brown leaves, cankers on the stems, stunted growth and may eventually die. To prevent damping off and to promote healthy soil, don’t overwater seedlings. At this point in the spring the chance of frost is decreasing and seedlings will be ready to move outdoors. Hardening off is the process of gradually transitioning plants from a protected environment, such as a greenhouse, to the outdoors. Seven to 10 days prior to hardening off, reduce the amount of fertilizer and water applied to the seedlings. After this phase, for the next week on days with sunshine and low to no wind or rain, plants can be placed in a shaded location outside for a few hours each day. Increase exposure to sun and wind gradually. Monitor the soil on windy days to ensure the plants do not become too dry. Hardening off plants helps prevent shock, which can inhibit growth and even cause death to the plants. The timing and process of hardening off will vary depending on plant type and the respective hardiness to the elements.
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
APRIL 2019
Now that the seedlings are acclimated to the new environment it’s time to transplant. Transplanting should be done on an overcast day to reduce transpiration. Once the seedlings are transplanted water them in with a fertilizer solution high in phosphorus, such as 15-20-15, to promote root growth. More is not always better though so consider the results from your soil test when you determine the fertilizer application rates. Too much phosphorus can result in spindly growth. Cover the soil surface with mulch to help the soil retain moisture. After nurturing the seedlings through the early stages it’s important to keep an eye on the weather in case an unexpected frost happens to threaten your crops. Tender plants can still be protected with a lightweight blanket. Also monitor the garden beds for slugs which will find the fresh, young leaves to be particularly tasty. I can’t help but relate the time and effort I spend caring for my plants to the care I provide for my children over the years. Perhaps you can relate. We protect them from the harsh elements as long as we can and then train them to handle those elements as they grow. Indeed for both cases, watching the growth to successful maturity brings great rewards. Let’s get gardening! KCL CYNTHIA DOMENGHINI is an instructor and coordinator for K-State’s horticultural therapy online certificate program.
These seeds have sprouted within the warm greenhouse. While the outdoors seems inviting, taking the proper steps will ensure success for the seedlings.
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Less Work Great Gardens,
S T O RY & P H OTO S BY GEORGE WEIGEL
How to keep the yard looking good when your body says, “Slow down!” as your creaky bones and sore back might remind you after that first yard-cleanup weekend of spring. Pretty much everything involves getting down, getting up, bending over, or lugging items around. AARP-aged backs don’t tolerate that as well as 30-year-old ones. “Experienced” gardeners, though, can compensate by gardening smarter instead of harder. By doing necessary jobs more efficiently and skipping a few unnecessary ones, it’s possible to maintain a nice yard with less stress. And that’s a good goal no matter your age.
GARDENING DOESN’T GET EASIER AS YOU AGE,
A few general labor-savers ffPACE YOURSELF. It’s OK to take breaks. Split jobs over several days
instead of one-day marathons. You may even be able to spread work into the off-season, such as clipping spent perennials or edging beds during a winter thaw. ffZONE IT. Carve the landscape into zones (front, back, vegetable garden, etc.) and tackle one at a time by priority. ffVARY THE WORK. Don’t overdo it repeating the same motion hour after hour. Do a little digging, a little weeding, a little watering. Variety reduces soreness, blisters and repetitive-motion injuries. ffSIMPLIFY. Walk the yard and assess which plants or gardens are causing an unacceptable amount of work. Bite the bullet and replace them with plantings that need less care. ffRE-EVALUATE. Can you reduce or let go of unrealistic standards? Does the lawn really have to be totally weed-free? Can the hedge grow looser instead of being tightly clipped three times a season? ffGET HELP. Hire out the toughest jobs first. Spreading truckloads of mulch might be a good place to start.
Jobs to skip ffTILLING. You’ll probably need to till a new bed and work in compost, Ease those aching, aging backs by gardening smarter.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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but after that, regular tilling is counter-productive. It stirs up weed seeds, kills earthworms, and harms soil structure when wet soil is tilled. ffRAKING. Leaves insulate plants over winter and feed the lawn when they’re mowed in rather than raked off. Rake only if there are
LIGHTENING LAWN WORK ffCUT HIGH. Longer but level grass still looks neat, conserves moisture and shades
emerging weeds. Cutting short just encourages faster growth and more mowing. ffSTOP BAGGING. Let grass clips lie. It saves work and cuts landfill costs, and decaying
clips return nutrients to the soil. Cut often enough that clips don’t form clumps. ffOVERSEED TO KEEP LAWN THICK. Dense grass is a great defense against weeds.
There’s no room for anything else. ffFERTILIZE LESS. Do you really need four applications per year? Organic or “slow-
release” nitrogen fertilizers give you good but slower-growth results and can be done just twice a year. ffREDUCE LAWN SIZE. In the long run, low-care beds of dwarf shrubs, perennials,
compact evergreens and groundcovers are less expensive and less work than lawns. What other plant do we prune 25 times a year? too many leaves on the lawn to effectively mow them. ffSPRAYING. Be more forgiving of temporary, cosmetic plant damage. Few bugs and diseases are plantkillers. For plants threatened by repeated potential fatal problems, consider replacing them rather than constantly rescuing them. ffMASS-PLANTING ANNUALS. Cut back on planting and watering annual flowers by spotting them in smaller clusters or switch to plantings in pots, hanging baskets and window boxes. ffBULB CARE. Skip braiding bulb foliage after the flowers bloom. It’s a waste of work and is counter-productive. Interplant bulbs with perennials so the emerging perennial foliage will hide the decaying bulb foliage.
Weed-fighting ffPREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE.
Keep 2 to 3 inches of bark or wood mulch over beds or use granular weed preventers over garden beds in early spring before weeds sprout. ffNO OPENINGS. Plant closely so your plants occupy all of the space. Low, spreading groundcover plants are especially effective. Remember, weeds love bare soil. ffWATCH WHAT YOU PLANT. Some plants become weeds by rampant re-seeding (i.e. morning glory, johnny jump-ups, nigella, sweet
annie, borage, snow-on-themountain). And some “passalong plants” given by friends and neighbors (i.e. ribbon grass, bishop’s weed, houttuynia, lamiastrum, mints) become invaders. ffGET WEEDS WHEN THEY’RE LITTLE.
Save a ton of trouble by stopping weeds before they go to seed or fruit. Better to police for weeds often than to try to undo a massive invasion. ffWEED WHEN WET. Weeds come out easier in damp soil. Hoeing, however, is more effective in dry soil since cut-off weeds are less likely to regrow then. ffRIGHT WEAPONS. Switch to longhandled weeding tools if bending over is too hard on your back. Or spot-spray weeds with an herbicide or vinegar.
Smarter plant selection ffWATCH SIZES. Most pruning work is
done because we put too-big plants in too-little spaces. Choose compact, dwarf varieties or at least give adequate growth space. ffHOMEWORK. Research how much care a plant requires before buying it. Choose varieties that seldom run into pest problems. A good resource is your local extension service. ffMORE TREES. Some of the lowestcare landscaping is island beds of groundcovers, shade-tolerant shrubs
Save raking work by mowing light to moderate layers of leaves into the lawn.
and low-care perennials growing under trees. Pick small to mid-size ornamental trees that do more than one thing in one season.
Other labor-savers ffPRUNE WHEN NEEDED. For plants
already outgrowing their space, it’s better to prune them lightly each year than to let them overgrow for several years, then try to whack them back into submission.
ffLET PERENNIALS STAND OVER
WINTER. It’s easier to rake off semidecayed perennial plants at winter’s end than to cut still-rigid ones in fall. Plus, birds appreciate the dried seeds and nesting material. ffELIMINATE EDGING. Lay stone or brick around bed perimeters. Set one upright and butt a second one against it flat and level with the ground on the lawn side. This holds in mulch, keeps grass out, and lets you run the mower wheels over the flat course. ffUSE TOOLS THAT FIT. Switch to more ergonomically designed tools that are comfortable to use. You may need to switch to power tools from peoplepowered ones as you age. Keep whatever tools you’re using sharp. KCL GEORGE WEIGEL is a Pennsylvania-based horticulturist, garden consultant, author and newspaper garden columnist. His website is http://georgeweigel.net. Article is courtesy of Penn Lines.
APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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C O O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E
Finding Possibilities in Easter and an ‘Impossible’ Pie
BY R E B E C C A H O WA R D
Easter baskets often netted things like kites, and almost always a book, from classics like “Heidi” and “Black Beauty,” to the more contemporary (of the time) reads like Nancy Drew, whose mysteries I collected until I had read them all. We often traveled to relatives’ for other holidays, but another reason I loved Easter is that our family hosted it. Aunts and uncles and cousins came, bringing side dishes and desserts. The foods of Easter meant a ham and ham gravy, mashed Rebecca Howard potatoes, rolls, sweet corn, asparagus and deviled eggs (from the cracked boiled eggs that didn’t make the cut for coloring). My Aunt Jeanne would bring a beautifully colorful green Jell-O salad full of a confetti of sliced spring onions and radishes, along with grapes, pineapple and other fruits. We would gorge on generous servings of the “salty” portion of the meal, then make our way outside where the Easter Bunny had earlier hidden our decorated eggs (and fortunately they had not been “found” or were considered unappetizing by our dogs). After gathering a bounty of eggs, if the conditions were right, we ran ourselves further ragged to get the spring breezes to lift our Easter kites into the sky. After this recess, we would have dessert. My mother usually served a homemade golden vanilla cake drenched in syrupy fresh strawberries. Sometimes there were other cakes or cupcakes and pies, like rhubarb. Coconut always, to me, also seemed Perfect for the spring buffet table, this light custard pie, enhanced with to make its way into the sweets of just the right amount of coconut, forms its own crust while baking. Easter. Tinted green, it was mounded ff 1 cup flaked or shredded coconut ff 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened in grassy tangles atop frosted cupcakes (sweetened or unsweetened) ff 2 cups milk to form “nests” for jelly bean eggs. It ff 3/4 cup sugar ff 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla also featured prominently in a retro pie ff 1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix ff 4 eggs recipe first introduced to the family by Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate with shortening or cooking spray. my Aunt Marilyn. An amazing seamstress, upholsterer, In medium bowl, stir all ingredients until blended. (All the ingredients can also be briefly pulsed together in a blender or food processor.) Pour into pie plate. quilter, crafter, cook, baker and cake decorator, my Aunt Marilyn (or “Mo” Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in the center comes out clean. as we called her), for years made my Let cool, then serve (or allow to cool, then chill before serving). sister and me our look-alike Easter Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie. Serves 8. dresses, among other fashions, and always brought at least one yummy ADAPTED FROM WWW.BET T YCROCKER .COM dessert to the Easter buffet table. AS A CHILD , I favored Easter over all the holidays—even Christmas and Halloween. Easter, after a long, dark winter, usually brought with it the warmth and color of spring, along with hints of brighter things to come. True, there was more than one year where we hunted for Easter eggs wearing winter coats in the snow, but that chill seemed a mere minor delay to the promise of warmer days. Most of the time, grass shoots dotted the lawn, the trees were budding, and early blooms, like hyacinth, crocus, daffodil and tulips, were opening or on the way. I loved Easter for its symbols of rabbits, chicks, ducks and flowers, of its messages of renewal and eternal life. I loved our tradition of coloring dozens of hard-boiled eggs the day (and sometimes into the night) before, getting creative with crayons and Easter egg dye kits. I especially loved leaving our Easter baskets, empty but full of possibility, on the table to be filled by the Big Bunny, who seemed especially creative himself. Beyond malted milk and peanut butter eggs, jelly beans and chocolate rabbits, our
Impossibly Easy Coconut Pie
24
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
APRIL 2019
Coconut always, to me, also seemed to make its way into the sweets of Easter. Tinted green, it was mounded in grassy tangles atop frosted cupcakes to form “nests” for jelly bean eggs. One year, it was a round, clear-glass dish of mysterious, gold, humble but intriguing, that she called “Impossible Pie.” Inspired during the 1970s from a “back-of-the-box” recipe when Bisquick was in everything, this very simple pie was assembled by blitzing the baking mix, along with eggs, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla and coconut all in the blender, then pouring it into a pie pan. That this turned into a crusted custard pie was a mystery that would have stumped even Nancy Drew. But during the magic of baking, the coconut floated to the top of a custardy middle, with a bottom crust that formed on its own (this “impossible” method became quite popular in quiche and other variations of the dessert pie, and today is known by the name “Impossibly Easy” on the Bisquick/Betty Crocker recipe website). The pie was delicious—even as a young girl, I could have eaten all of it. But I was satisfied enough that a pie combining my favorites of
custard and coconut was brought to our Easter celebration for me to have a slice (or two). And, that Aunt Mo later shared the recipe, one that piqued my interest in all that was magically possible in baking. KCL REBECCA HOWARD grew up in Kansas and has written for the Los Angeles Daily News, the Los Angeles Times and LA Parent Magazine, and currently writes the food blog, “A Woman Sconed.”
APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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SAFETY
April is Safe Digging Month: Know What’s BELOW And use the right tools for the job is finally thawing after a particularly brutal winter, let’s plan our outside projects with safety in mind. The first step in any project that requires digging—including planting trees, erecting fences, building a deck, or any activity that requires you to dig a hole—is to have your underground utilities marked. Buried public and private utilities could exist just about anywhere you dig. Homeowners and contractors can prevent damage to underground utilities, service interruptions and potential injuries by calling 811 or visiting www.kansasonecall.com to place a utilities locate request before beginning project work. It’s free, easy, and it’s the law!
NOW THAT THE GROUND
“But won’t this delay my project?”
Kansas One-Call accepts locate requests 24 hours a day. You can place a request on the weekends and after normal business hours. Here’s how the timeline works: ffRequest locate services by calling 811 or visiting www.kansasonecall.com. ffThe utility has two full working days following
the day of the request to mark the public utilities. So, if you place your request on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, by Thursday your public utilities will be marked. If you place a request on Wednesday, public utilities will be marked by Saturday. Requests placed on Friday will be completed by the following Wednesday. Holidays are not included when calculating the two full working days.
Respect the Marks and Dig with Care
Utility companies use colored flags or paint to indicate the approximate location of their underground utilities. To assist them, consider marking the area of excavation with white paint or white flags. The paint and flags placed by the utility company indicate the approximate location of their facilities, which may be anywhere in a 2-foot (24inches) tolerance zone on either side of the line of paint or flags. Don’t be aggressive when digging close to the utility markings: ffUse only rounded/blunt-edged tools.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
APRIL 2019
ffNever use axes, hand or powered posthole
diggers, pry bars or mechanized equipment.
ffIf the utility line is visible, keep the face of the
shovel parallel with the utility line and use all precautions when removing the nearby soil.
ffDon’t assume a utility line you uncover is
the only one—others may be close by or underneath.
ffDon’t attempt to move utility lines.
Public vs. Private Utilities: Who to call for Location Services
When you call 811 or visit www.kansasonecall. com to request underground utility locations to be marked, YOUR PRIVATELY OWNED UNDERGROUND LINES WILL NOT BE MARKED. These include but are not limited to: power or electric service, water and sewer pipes from the meter to your home, invisible fencing, sprinkler systems, well and septic systems, etc. Some utility companies will locate private utility lines if requested. Check with your local utility company for details. Otherwise CONTACT A PRIVATE UTILITY LOCATOR to handle marking private underground utilities.
Mailboxes
Everyone knows the location of your mailbox makes it easy to get mail delivered, especially your Kansas Country Living magazine, but did you know the location of your mailbox makes it even more important to call before digging? Many utility lines are buried along streets in right-ofways, and most mailboxes require holes 36 to 42 inches deep. At the same time, if you are removing an old post set with cement, you will have to dig even deeper until it can be removed. Your mailbox presents a relatively inexpensive opportunity to project your personal style—but it also presents an opportunity to show you know that smart digging means calling 811 before you replace it. KCL Information provided by Kansas One-Call. Visit www. kansasonecall.com.
APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Mediterranean & Smoky Deviled Eggs
Sweet Southern Slow-Cooker Ham
KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, APRIL 2019
The classic deviled is hard to beat but these alternate versions come close.
KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, APRIL 2019
Cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours—either produces deliciousness.
KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, APR IL 201 9
breakfast or brunch with these pancakes.
KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, APR IL 201 9
The goodness of real dairy and bacon is kicked up a notch with nutty pesto.
Apple Strudel Pancakes Add apples and whole grains to your Easter
Bacon Pesto Mac ‘N Cheese
Bacon Pesto Mac ‘N Cheese ff 3 cups whole milk or more as needed
ff 1/4 tsp. pepper plus more to taste
ff 1 1/2 pounds bacon cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
ff 1 pound elbow macaroni ff 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, shredded ff 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded ff 8 ounces pesto
ff 8 Tbs. unsalted butter ff 1/2 cup flour ff 1 tsp. salt plus more to taste
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 15 to 18 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. While the bacon is cooking, in a large saucepan or small stockpot, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Wipe out the saucepan or small stockpot and return it to medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking. Continue cooking and whisking until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheeses. Stir in the pasta and pesto. Set aside 1 cup of bacon and stir in the remaining bacon. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved bacon. (If mixture gets too thick as it cools, stir in additional milk.) Serves 8 to 10.
ff 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
ff maple syrup
ff nonstick cooking spray
ff 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
COU RT ESY COURT ESY OF JENNY FL AKE , PICKY-PAL ATE .COM
ff 1 tsp. baking soda
ff 1/4 cup safflower oil
ff 2 cups 1 percent buttermilk
ff 2 eggs
ff 1/2 tsp salt
ff 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon ff 1/3 cup thoroughly chopped walnuts
Apple Strudel Pancakes Apple Strudel Mixture ff 1 cup water ff 1/4 cup raisins
ff 1 Tbs. butter
Batter
ff 2 Tbs. brown sugar ff 1 cup buckwheat flour
all-purpose flour
ff 1 cup unbleached ff 2 Tbs. sugar ff 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
COU RT ESY A ME RICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESE ARCH
To make apple strudel mixture: Boil water; add raisins. Remove from heat and let steep until raisins are plump and reconstituted (10 minutes). Drain. In shallow pan over medium heat, add butter and melt til bubbling, stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar starts to dissolve. Add walnuts, apples and raisins. Cook apples until just tender when pierced with fork, (4 minutes). Cool completely. To make batter: In large bowl, mix flours, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly and mix with buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract. Pour wet ingredients into dry, mixing as little as possible. Fold in apple strudel mixture. Heat lightly greased griddle over medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup batter per pancake. After 2-3 minutes, flip pancakes once. Serve pancakes warm with syrup.
ff 4 sprigs fresh thyme
ff 1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
ff 1/4 cup honey
ff 1/3 cup Kentucky bourbon*
Sweet Southern Slow-Cooker Ham about 5 1/2 pounds
ff 1 bone-in fully-cooked ham ff 1 cup apple cider ff 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Place the ham in a large slow cooker. Whisk the cider with the brown sugar, bourbon, honey and mustard. Slowly pour over the ham. Scatter the thyme sprigs into the slow cooker.
Cook, on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until very tender. Remove ham to rest on a cutting board. Pass the remaining cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly reduced. Cut the ham into chunks. Brush the cut pieces with the cooking liquid before arranging on a platter. Serve warm or room temperature. Serves 12.
* For a non-alcoholic alternative: replace the bourbon with 1/4 cup water and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.
COURTESY KANS A S P ORK ASSOCIATION
Mediterranean Deviled Eggs
ff 2 Tbs. diced plum tomatoes
ff 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
ff 1/4 tsp. basil leaves ff 1/4 cup mayonnaise
ff 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled ff 2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese ff 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; place in small bowl. Mash yolks with fork or potato masher. Stir in mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and garlic powder until smooth and creamy. Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve. Top with diced tomatoes before serving.
ff 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
ff 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
Variation: Smoky Deviled Eggs ff 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled ff 1/4 cup mayonnaise
cooked and crumbled
ff 2 slices bacon, crisply ff 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; place in small bowl. Mash yolks with fork or potato masher. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, smoked paprika and seasoned salt until smooth and creamy. Spoon or pipe yolk mixture into egg white halves. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Refrigerate 1 hour or until ready to serve.
COURTESY MCCOR MIC K
APRIL 2019
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
30
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