Issuu

N ATA L E E M O R R I S

SEPTEMBER

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F E AT U R E S

D E PA RT M E N T S

7 | Salute to the Free-Spirited

4 |

Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism unveiled a new state tourism tagline that honors and builds upon the state’s motto, with a color palette of reds and yellows to symbolize glorious Kansas sunsets.

12 | Meet at the Crossroads

This Smithsonian exhibition, which travels to six host cities in Kansas, explores what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the subsequent ripple effects.

20 | Celebrate Democracy

The best way to celebrate democracy is by encouraging full participation in public life. That’s why Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. and its 30 member co-ops support National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22, 2020.

22 | Another World

Sometimes, we simply need an opportunity to see our space from a different vantage point to discover the rich resources already at our disposal and many times found just around the corner.

6 | 8 | 10 |

E D I TO R’S L E T T E R

Reader shoutout

A RO U N D K A N S A S

Outdoor family events CO M M E N TA RY

Easy way to thank those who serve E N E RGY W I S E

Winterizing manufactured homes 5 ideas to kill the chill from your bill.

16 |

T H E P R E S I D E N T ’S P E N

Oh, so mellow September Filling his thirst for information.

17 |

C RO S S W O R D P U Z Z L E

Museums

Test your knowledge of museums.

18 |

YO U R P L AC E I N T H E G A R D E N

Fall gardens

Root vegetables great options to grow.

24 |

CO O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E

Secret ingredient

Apple cider vinegar works wonders.

26 | 28 | 29 |

M A R K E T P L AC E

Barns, chicks, pond pellets, safe tub SAFETY

Meter meddling risky business M O N T H LY R E C I P E S

Scream more ice cream Try reader-submitted ice cream recipes.

ON THE COVER

Six Kansas communities host the Smithsonian’s Crossroads exhibit through 2021. P H OTO BY T R AV E L K S .CO M

SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS CROSSR OADS

Catalyst Conver for Smithsoniansations exhib

it explores rural chan ge in fortu nes

Celebr

ate Democr Register, resea acy rch, vote SEPTEM BER

2020 | BROUG HT

TO YOU BY ROLLIN G

HILLS ELECTR IC

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

CO-OP | WWW. KEC.CO

E D I TO R’S L E T T E R

Reader-Submitted Recipes, Photos Keep Us Connected

(ISSN 0091-9586) SEPTEMBER 2020 VOL. 70, NO. 9 ©KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC. 2020 WWW.KEC.COOP

Lee Tafanelli

Chief Executive Officer

Vicki Estes

Director of Communications, Editor

Carrie Kimberlin

Manager of Creative Solutions

Shaylee Arpin TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING is not always a bad

thing. Like ice cream. Sure, too much at one sitting may result in brain freeze and an extra pound or two clinging around the midsection. But, it’s ice cream, and ice cream falls into the comfort food category. Is anyone venting angrily against comfort food right now? Most likely not. So, in the July issue we asked readers to submit their favorite homemade ice cream recipes to potentially be published in the magazine. On Pages 29-30 we share with you the Boley family vanilla ice cream recipe submitted by Tom Boley, Wamego, and Lois Gier’s Pecan Praline ice cream. Tom not only shared his family’s recipe, but also childhood memories of making ice cream with his father, who grew up on a Wakarusa farm. Tom says he continues to hand crank ice cream to this day. “I remember so well chopping chunks of ice out of the creek in the winter with my dad when I was a kid and then going home to make ice cream. The rest of the year, we would buy a large block of ice from a place on the other side of the tracks and then have to chip it into

small pieces by hand. It was a real boon to our process when someone put in an ice dispenser downtown. We would buy two large bags of ice and I didn’t have to chip it up!” Amy and Tim Morris, 4 Rivers Electric Cooperative consumer-members, shared a photo of their son taken by their daughter, while the siblings drove through the countryside. The photo graces the top of Page 3. Amy wrote: “My daughter, Natalee, loves taking pictures and this is one she captured ... of her younger brother, Bradlee, while they were out driving through the country. The shirt Bradlee is wearing has the Cherryvale High School FFA Chapter’s motto from a few years ago, but framed against the dropping Kansas sun, it’s perfectly fitting in this photo. ...” In the very near future, the Kansas Country Living website will be live and accepting reader-submitted recipes, photos and comments and offer editorial extras, videos and archives of recipes and articles. Stay tuned for more information. KCL

Multimedia Communications Specialist

Brianna Magee

Communications Intern Officers Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.

Terry Hobbs

President

Teresa Miller Vice President

Kirk Thompson

Secretary/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: 4 Rivers, Lebo Alfalfa, Cherokee, OK Bluestem, Wamego Brown-Atchison, Horton Butler, El Dorado CMS, Meade Caney Valley, Cedar Vale Doniphan, Troy DSO, Solomon Flint Hills, Council Grove FreeState, McLouth & Topeka Lane-Scott, Dighton Ninnescah, Pratt Pioneer, Ulysses Prairie Land, Norton Rolling Hills, Beloit Sedgwick County, Cheney Sumner-Cowley, Wellington TCEC, 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 $5.58 per year. Individual non-member subscriptions are $10 per year (tax included).

VICKI ESTES, EDITOR

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.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

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THROUGH MARCH 2021 100 Years of

Collecting & 100 Years of Collecting Art, Kansas City. A pair of exhibits that shed light on how The National WWI Museum and Memorial came to possess the most comprehensive WWI collection in the world. 816-888-8100, theworldwar.org. SEPT. 1-OCT. 20 “Imprinting the West:

Manifest, Destiny Real and Imagined” traveling exhibit, Clay Center. C lay County Museum traveling exhibit. Clay County Museum, 785-632-3786.

the 11th, race on the 12th. SRCA Drag Strip, srcadragstrip.com. SEPT. 12 High

Check prior to the scheduled date of an event for changes due to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) concerns.

Plains Fall Fling and Music Fest, Hugoton. R ed dirt and classic country plus southern rock music. 6 p.m.-midnight. Vendor and craft show 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Eagle RV Park and Dirtona Raceway, 620-544-4305, highplansmusicfest.us.

SEPT. 3 Moonlight Madness, Belleville. B usinesses open late! The Moonlight Market will be set up downtown with various vendors. Evening will wrap up with a walk-in movie. 785-527-5524.

SEPT. 12 Race to the Center Half

SEPT. 4-6 Kansas Flea Market, White

SEPT. 12 Touch-A-Truck, Concordia. F ree

Cloud. Lots of antiques, tools, repurposed items, crafts and much more. You wont be disappointed. Main Street and in buildings. Call Charles Messner 402-245-5367. SEPT. 5 Hahn Supercross Shootout,

Great Bend. M otocross riders from all over the country converge for huge cash prizes. Great Bend Motocross Track, search Hahn Brothers Supercross on Facebook. SEPT. 6 Dane G. Hansen Labor Day

Celebration, Logan. B egins at 11 a.m. with car show, sand volleyball, food, tractor pull and inflatables for kids. Fireworks at dark. Shari Buss 785-689-4846. SEPT. 10 Businesspersons Golf

Tournament, Belleville. F our-person scramble. Belleville Country Club, 785-527-5524. SEPT. 10 Bloodmobile, Fredonia. 1 1 a.m.4:30 p.m. Location to be determined. SEPT. 10 Free Movie, Concordia. M ovie at 7 p.m. Broadway Plaza. SEPT. 11-12 SRCA Points Race, Great

Bend. W atch the cars speed down the historical SRCA drag strip. Test and tune on

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

Marathon, Smith Center. A running and biking race on country roads from Smith Center to the geographic center of the U.S. near Lebanon. racetothecenter13.1@gmail.com. public event 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jammin’ Randy will perform from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Broadway Plaza. SEPT. 16 Business After Hours, Belleville.

reat networking for new and existing G businesses from 6-8 p.m. KR92 Radio Station. SEPT. 17 Summer Street Stroll, Great Bend. W eekly market plus local food trucks! Jack Kilby Square. SEPT. 17 Downtown Art & Wine Walk, Great Bend. S troll through the stores, see the art and taste the wine. 4:30-7:30 p.m. Downtown Great Bend. SEPT. 17 Free Concert, Concordia. T he Blades, starts at 7 p.m. Broadway Plaza. SEPT. 18-19 Pontiac Uprising Race and

Car Show, Great Bend. 3 1st Pontiac Race, indoor car show, best of show and tech sessions. SRCA Drag Strip. SEPT. 18-20 U.S. Highway 36 Treasure

Hunt, Republic County. M aps available at local businesses the week of the event. SEPT. 19-20 Catfish Tournament, Scott

City. C ompete for prizes at the annual fishing

SEPTEMBER 2020

tournament. Lake Scott State Park, chamber. scottcityks.org. SEPT. 19 Fall Fest, Garden City. L ocal and

area arts and crafts and musicians plus an international assortment of food. Downtown Garden City, gcdowntown.com. SEPT. 21-27 Endless Footdrag, Fredonia. A n international paramotor event with Salute to America, introductory flights, seminars and on-site equipment sales, plus win flight gear. Fredonia City Airport. SEPT. 22 GB Tribune Women’s Expo,

Great Bend. S ee the latest in fashion, beauty, health and fitness, and personal and work life. Register for prizes. 3:30-7 p.m. Great Bend Events Center, 3111 10th St. SEPT. 24-27 Lucus Oil Races, Great Bend.

T est and tune the 24th, Lucus Oil Drag Races 25th-27th. SRCA Drag Strip, srcadragstrip.com. SEPT. 26 Long Pumpkin Patch Opening

Day, Great Bend. F ree to explore pumpkin patch and corn maze. Saturdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays 1-5 p.m. 163 N.E. 30 Rd., 620-792-3503. SEPT. 26 Kansas is Piotique, Clay Center.

T he Clay County Museum will be open 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. with two exhibits: Imprinting the West! and art by local artest Jerry Thomsen. SEPT. 26 Whimmydiddle Arts and Crafts

Fair, Scott City. A rts, crafts, jewelry, food and more. S cott City Park, whimmydiddle.org. SEPT. 26 Old Settlers Day, Smith Center.

F un day for all with parade, a dance, kids’ activities, free barbecue, and a beer garden. scchamber@smithcenterks.com. KCL

Editors Note: Kansas Country Living intern Brianna Magee interviewed Bridgette Jobe, director of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, about the elements of the state’s new tagline “To The Stars” and how it represents Kansas. Jobe said the tagline honors and builds upon the state’s motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, translated “to the stars through difficulty.” The color palette, Jobe said, includes the blue and gold state colors as well as reds and yellows to emphasize the Kansas sunsets. The lettering is the same font as the original seal of Kansas. Each characteristic of the tagline draws upon a Kansas element meant to appeal to Kansans and the rest of the world. “We started developing this idea for those dreamers, those inventors, those thrill-seekers,” Jobe said. “You talk about ‘to the stars through difficulty’ and it really talks about who we are as a state. It was really a Kansas we wanted to portray to the rest of the world.”

Tagline a Salute to the Free-Spirited

Bridgette Jobe

THERE IS A SPECIAL IRONY in unveiling a new state tourism tagline amid a pandemic that’s grounded flights, canceled trips, and shuttered travelers in their homes. But in a providential twist, the new tagline happens to be exactly what we need — a celebration of perseverance in the face of adversity. I’m pleased to share the new tourism marketing tagline for Kansas is “To The Stars.” This tagline honors and builds upon the state’s motto, Ad Astra Per Aspera, translated “to the stars through difficulty.” “To The Stars” reminds us who we are and shows us where to go. It is a salute to the free-spirited. To the rowdy. To the wide-eyed wanderers. To the dreamers. To the stars. In the upcoming year, the “To The Stars” campaign will continue with stories and features that capture imaginations and inspire travel. A lot of us are not going far these days, but we still have the chance to embrace the horizonexpanding benefits of travel by exploring fantastic experiences just down the road. Kansas is home to many revered destinations such as the Brown v. Board of Education Historic Site in Topeka, and the newly renovated Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene. We can put those spots on our bucket list as they slowly phase in reopening protocols, as

BY B R I D G E T T E J O B E

well as finding other ways to explore the “To The Stars” ideal while maintaining physical distancing. Take a hike in the Flint Hills and experience the untouched landscape the same way early settlers did. Travel the Santa Fe Trail and imagine coming through in a wagon in search of a better life. Visit Little Jerusalem, the newest jewel in the Kansas state park system, and learn about the dedicated efforts to make it a public land accessible to all. These are just a sampling of what Kansas has to offer travelers searching for new inspiration and fortitude. Kansas history is rich with people who stopped at nothing to chase their dreams and stake out freedom for themselves and others. There’s plenty of room to roam under the stars and learn how historical figures lived out our state motto. Just be sure to practice safe travels, bring a mask, and check in advance for the most up to date operating information from each stop on your bucket list. Even though we’re experiencing unprecedented challenges, the answer has been inscribed on the heart of Kansas all along. We will make it through by not giving up. We will keep our eyes toward the sky even when trouble surrounds us. We will push forward “To The Stars.” KCL BRIDGETTE JOBE is the director of Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

C O M M E N TA RY

An Easy, Effective Way to Thank Those Who Serve Us of our rural communities across Kansas and our nation; it’s also a key component to the democracy of our country. While there are many ways to be involved in service to our democracy — from joining the military, serving as a poll worker, fulfilling your civic duty by voting, to running for elected office — it takes all of us to make it work. And during these especially difficult times, we appreciate those willing to serve their communities in elected offices. From local school boards to statewide and federal offices, those willing to put their names on the ballot deserve recognition for stepping up in service to their communities through a process that can sometimes be brutal. If victorious in their efforts, those elected make tough decisions, oftentimes with limited subject-area knowledge. It’s true that representative democracy means that those who hold public office represent the general population, and while these professionals have extensive backgrounds in one or even several areas, they are expected to make widesweeping choices that can impact large groups of constituencies and businesses. That’s why Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., along with your local electric cooperatives, work to inform, educate and build a relationship with candidates who are on the ballot through our statewide Co-ops Vote initiative. Co-ops Vote is a nonpartisan effort to remind candidates and elected officials, at all levels of government, the importance of keeping rural America’s concerns front and center. These messages are crucially important at a time when Kansas is seeing a shift in rural population trends that equate to growth in urban cores. Currently, 32 of the 125 Kansas house members and 10 of the 40 state senators who serve are from Johnson and Wyandotte counties.

SERVICE IS A BIG PART

Lee Tafanelli

For every 1% uncounted in the 2020 census, the state could miss receiving approximately $603,990,400 in federal funding over the next 10 years and lose critical representation in the process.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

BY L E E TA FA N E L L I

These are the only two counties across the state not served by a rural electric cooperative. Those statistics are further reflected in the percentages that serve on committees and in the legislative leadership becoming increasingly more likely to be from urban centers. Without a coordinated effort to educate policymakers who have no rural ties or historical perspective of how our parents and grandparents successfully worked together to electrify rural Kansas, we can’t presume policy decisions made in Topeka or Washington, D.C., will be able to effectively reflect the unique needs of rural Kansas. Meanwhile the number of legislators who reside outside of urban areas is likely to continue to decline as 2021 marks the decennial redistricting process. The process, which is based on census data, is likely to mean less rural representation in the state legislature, which makes educating, informing, and building relationships vitally important. It also means we need to work to ensure that each and every person in rural Kansas is counted in the 2020 census. As of the time of this writing only 66.7% of Kansans had completed their census. For every 1% uncounted in the 2020 census, the state could miss receiving approximately $603,990,400 in federal funding over the next 10 years and lose critical representation in the process. We encourage every Kansan to participate in the census as a crucial act of service that respects the representation of those willing to put their name on the ballot for the overall health of our democracy. Let’s thank them for serving us by filling out our census. You can complete your census by either visiting https:// my2020census.gov or calling 844-330-2020. KCL LEE TAFANELLI is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas

Electric Cooperatives, Inc. in Topeka.

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E N E R GY W I S E

Ways to Winterize Your Manufactured Home

BY PAT K E E G A N A N D B R A D T H I E S S E N

few months have been tough, and I’m dreading my manufactured home’s high winter heating bills. What can I do to make my home more efficient without spending too much money? – Lance D E AR L AN C E : In difficult times like these, it’s more important than ever to ensure the money we spend yields the results we need. Here are five tips for winterizing your manufactured home, which can help you capture some significant energy savings. It’s worth noting that some of these suggestions are quick, easy, and cheap, but some will require more money than you may want to spend. Choose the approach that works best for your home and budget.

Furnace

M A R C E L A G A R A , R E S O U R C E M E D I A , E E I M A G E D ATA B A S E

D E AR PAT AN D B R AD : The last

Insulating the first several feet of the hot water pipe where it leaves the tank is an energy saver.

INGA MUNSINGER COT TON

It doesn’t cost anything to lower your thermostat in the winter. Make sure you clean or replace your furnace air filter as often as recommended. If you heat your home with an electric or propane furnace, you can likely cut your heating costs dramatically by installing a heat pump. Ductless heat pumps are efficient, and they eliminate the problem of leaky furnace ducts. If you don’t have the budget to make this investment now out of pocket, you may qualify for a loan. It’s quite possible that your energy savings would cover the loan payment.

A window air conditioning unit provides some comfort in the summer but can be a major source of air leaks and heat transfer, even with the side panels extended.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

Water Heater

Ducts

You pay a lot to heat water. One simple way to lower that amount is to lower your water heater’s thermostat. Make sure it’s set to medium, between 120F and 140F. Energyefficient showerheads can also save energy. Some showerheads are equipped with a button or valve that allows you to reduce or stop the flow while you lather up. Another fairly simple fix is to insulate the first several feet of the hot water pipe where it exits the tank. If there is room around your water heater, you could also wrap the tank with an insulation jacket, which you can purchase from a home supply store for about $20. If your water heater uses gas or propane, be careful not to restrict the air needed for combustion or install insulation too close to the exhaust flue. Leaky furnace ducts are often a major source of energy loss. A simple first step is to make sure all supply and return registers are open and are not covered by furniture or rugs. Closed registers can really take a toll on your heating and cooling system. You might also be able to save energy

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SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

Iola

Meet at the

‘Crossroads’ BY M E L I N D A S C H N Y D E R

Norton

Humanities Kansas initiative aims to spark dialog around small town ‘crossroads’ moments

WHEN HUMANITIES KANSAS scheduled the Smithsonian’s national traveling exhibit “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” for a nearly yearlong tour through the state, organizers had no idea that by the time the exhibition opened, communities would be facing fresh decisions brought on by a global pandemic. While the newest challenges for rural Kansas might not appear in physical displays that have been in development for more than a year, undoubtedly the situation will influence discussion during and after the project. Humanities Kansas is sponsoring the national “Crossroads” exhibition and using it as the anchor for a statewide initiative with the same name. The nonprofit works to empower Kansans to strengthen their communities and democracy. The goal is for this exhibition and associated public programming during the next 10 months

“Crossroads: Change in Rural America” features photos, hands-on activities, audio and video that explore America’s rural communities.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

to be a catalyst for conversations about our state’s future while allowing small towns to share the changes that have affected their fortunes over the past century or more. The Smithsonian’s exhibition — featuring photographs, hands-on activities and audio and video clips — explores what happened when America’s rural population became a minority of the country’s population and the subsequent ripple effects. It’s a broad exhibit covering themes that relate to most rural places: identity, land, community, persistence and managing change. “The exciting part is that every community in Kansas that hosts the exhibition gets an opportunity to produce a companion exhibition to tell their local story, so the experience is different in every community,” said Abigail Kaup, who is coordinating the initiative for Humanities Kansas. The nonprofit has been partnering with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program to bring a national exhibit every two to three years since 2000. While the Smithsonian adds name recognition, attendees usually leave talking about the chance to see a different slice of local history collections, Kaup said. Organizers also expect Kansans will visit exhibitions in more than just their closest community. “Crossroads” opened Aug. 29 in Iola and will crisscross the state, staying in six host communities for six weeks at a time before ending June 13, 2021, in Norton. About 30 towns with a population no larger than 20,000 applied for one of six slots to host the Smithsonian exhibition and to create a companion exhibit. There are 10 additional communities of all sizes called

partner sites. They won’t have the traveling exhibition but they are extending the “Crossroads” theme with local exhibits, public programs and family-friendly activities. A list of the 16 sites and details of what they are planning is posted at crossroads.humanitieskansas.org. For those not comfortable traveling to see an exhibition in person or if conditions change and force venues to close, at least a portion of the localized content will be available as a virtual tour on the website.

As this magazine went to print, the 16 sites remained on target to have exhibitions open to the public at various times over the next 10 months, with modifications to help protect visitors, staff and volunteers from the coronavirus. Here’s a brief overview of what each of the six host communities have planned. Be sure to check the website regularly as events will be continuously added and there could be updates to what’s listed here. Continued on page 14

IOLA BOWLUS FINE ARTS CENTER

ALLEN COUNT Y HISTORICAL SOCIET Y

Allen County is exploring the many ways it is a geographic crossroads in southeast Kansas, from the multiple railroads that once ran through the community, to the highways running in every direction and the more recent development of bicycling and walking trails. Their companion exhibition, “Allen County: Trails to Rails to Highways and Back,” also shares how residents have responded to crossroads moments through the years. The exhibition displays hundreds of photographs, most supplied by the Allen County Historical Society, and uses excerpts from the diary writings of a fictitious family to trace the area’s history chronologically. The first entry is in 1856 after Jeremiah Wilson relocated from New York and the last entry, in 2018, is by Judith Wilson. The full diary, written by local historian Larry Manes, was scheduled to print as a special section in the Iola Register newspaper in the weeks leading up to the opening. There will be extra copies available at the exhibition. Daniel Kays, executive director of Iola’s Bowlus Fine Arts Center, where “Crossroads” will be on display, said the project committee has organized panel discussions and other events, which will be promoted online. They’ve also created a day trip to extend the exhibit beyond the Bowlus’ walls. A map gives historical points of interest throughout the county that might even surprise a few locals, he said.

GREENSBURG 5.4.7 ARTS CENTER

MELINDA SCHNYDER

Most Kansans know the tragedy of the EF5 tornado that devastated Greensburg and surrounding areas on May 4, 2007, and the efforts to rebuild as a model of an environmentally friendly designed town. But now the western Kansas community has a different set of challenges as it continues to work on steady, sustainable growth and to support the needs of a shift from an aging population to one with young families who have relocated. Project director Ann Dixson said the community viewed hosting “Crossroads” as a chance to dive into that and other stories of pivotal decisions past, present and future. The Smithsonian exhibition will take up all of the gallery space inside the 5.4.7 Arts Center, where Dixson is director, so the companion exhibition will be a semi-permanent outdoor installation of mosaic mural blocks created around the theme “Greensburg Crossroads: Envision, Engage, and Endeavor.”

NORTH NEWTON KAUFFMAN MUSEUM

“The theme of crossroads resonated with storylines that we already tell in our permanent exhibits here,” said David Kreider, museum technician for the Kauffman Museum at Bethel College in North Newton and project director for the “Crossroads” stop there. The central Kansas museum explores cultural and natural history of the Central Plains, and Kreider said their companion exhibit — “Of Land and People: Our Community at the Crossroads of Change” — will focus on the people of the area who addressed pivotal moments of change, from Mennonite immigrants from Europe in the late 1800s to Mexican Americans and African Americans who came to the area with railroad expansion to more recent immigrants. Look for a special event on Friday, Jan. 29, as the exhibition’s stopover coincides with Kansas Day. SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

Meet at the

‘Crossroads’

Continued from page 13

INDEPENDENCE INDEPENDENCE HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND ARTS CENTER

The Independence Historical Museum and Arts Center is teaming up with the Independence Public Library to host “Crossroads.” Visit the Smithsonian exhibit at the museum, and the companion exhibit will take the form of storefront displays one block away in the town’s historic downtown. The theme of the walking outdoor exhibit is “Independence: Include, Initiate, Innovate” and is expected to cover all 150 years of cityhood, from oil boom to innovation after the oil bust including agricultural history as well as recent entrepreneurial momentum in the southeast Kansas community. “We applied for this exhibit because our community is truly at a crossroads,” said Brandon West, project director. “With generational shifts, we are recognizing that it is important for the survival of our community to focus on building up entrepreneurial growth and combat brain drain by attracting young professionals back to our community.”

ALMA THE VOLLAND STORE

MELINDA SCHNYDER

The Volland Store is the most rural of the six sites hosting the Smithsonian exhibition and is just one example of re-imagining rural spaces for community-building in Wabaunsee County. Volland is a gallery and events center in a repurposed historic general store in Alma, a tallgrass prairie town of less than 800 residents. The main gallery will house “Crossroads” while the local exhibit, themed “Deep Roots and New Growth in Wabaunsee County,” will include activities and exhibits at adjacent buildings, from a blacksmith shop to an artist residence. Patty Reece, one of the project directors in Alma and co-owner of the Volland Store, said plans also are being finalized for a storytelling tour of a nearby ranch and a stone wall building workshop led by a Flint Hills craftsman. Artists will gather stories from visitors during the “Crossroads” exhibit that will be used later for a community theater project. “The local exhibit will explore real stories of real people,” Reece said. “From ranchers who choose to continue their rural lifestyle, steward the land and provide leadership for new ways to meet current challenges, and townspeople who are entrepreneurs, committed to building a community that is unique, sustainable and strong.”

NORTON GLORIA A. NELSON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER

On its final stop, “Crossroads” will fill the gallery space at the Gloria A. Nelson Cultural Arts Center in northwest Kansas. It is in the restored Heaton Building in Norton’s downtown historic district. Volunteers from the Norton County Arts Council are coordinating the companion exhibition, “Breaking Ground: Tales of Norton County Fireballs.” Caryl Hale, a photographer and board president of the arts council, sees “Crossroads” as a way to build a stronger historical and cultural narrative for residents and visitors while engaging local artists. “Artistic folks don’t always feel like they have a place in a rural community, so we wanted to use local art to share the historical figures and crossroads stories from Norton’s past,” she said. There are three main components of the local exhibit, all built around trail-blazing personalities. One section focuses on two of the town’s pioneering women, Madame Broquet, who at one time was the largest real estate owner in Norton, and Phoebe Amelia Oliver Briggs, one of the country’s first female doctors. A local artist will create artwork featuring recipes of Briggs’ remedies, and a descendant, who is a New York-based artist, is creating a portrait for the exhibit. Another component tells the tale of the county’s turbulent beginning, and a third explores the personalities behind the discovery of the large meteorite that famously landed in the county in the 1940s. Local students are recreating 1950s paintings of green fireballs by Leota Ray Butler LaPaz, wife of meteor expert Lincoln LaPaz. Hale said volunteers are working on event and activity details, and they’ll encourage visitors to also stop at the nearby Norton County Museum. KCL

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

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THE PRESIDENT ’S PEN

Remembering Days of September When Life ‘Oh so Mellow’

BY T E R RY H O B B S

“TRY TO REMEMBER THE KIND OF SEPTEMBER, WHEN LIFE WAS SLOW AND OH SO MELLOW.”

Terry Hobbs

In the past several months I’ve heard many people mention to me, just as she did, about how they enjoy Kansas Country Living from cover to cover.

I can still hear my mother singing these lyrics in the kitchen of our white two-story farm home. She would sing or hum this melodious tune as she prepared a beef roast or made a banana cream pie. That song has been covered by dozens of artists, but none had the aromatic advantage of fresh baked bread wafting from the kitchen as it was sung. How fitting, a song about September coinciding with this issue of Kansas Country Living. I was recently in a local pharmacy that still maintains the old-time soda fountain. The personable lady behind the counter was making a customer a vanilla malt and for another customer she mixed up a Green River. She commented how much she looks forward to every new issue of Kansas Country Living. She also mentioned that as we grow in age and maturity we tend to remember and reminisce more and more of days gone by. I find myself doing exactly the same thing. Even with my propensity to think about days gone by I thrive on news, current events and new ideas. So often, printed material is the answer for my thirst for information. In the past several months I’ve heard many people mention to me, just as she did, about how they enjoy Kansas Country Living from cover to cover. It has really impressed me with all the comments I’ve received. This magazine is a cost-effective communication tool for Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (KEC). It provides information

on a variety of subjects pertaining primarily to news and articles about the rural electric industry. Communication, safety, education, and governmental relations are key components of KEC. They are all vital in many ways to electric and power consumers. They are all like a cooperative within a cooperative. Individually each one is extremely important in the job they do. Collectively they are working for distribution cooperatives and their members statewide. Communication in whatever form provides information to readers that affect our daily lives. Kansas Country Living brings it all together! KCL TERRY HOBBS is the board president for Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. He is also a member of Western Cooperative Electric’s Board of Trustees in WaKeeney.

During these times of physical disconnection, Kansas Country Living offers readers a personal connection to Kansans and an educational and fun distraction to the realities of today.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

Museum Crossword Across 1

Museum custodian

Painter’s support

Famous Goya painting, The ___ Maja

Show artwork

Paid announcements

Bring a painting back to its former glory

Medical expert

People who like to buy artworks and keep them

Sounds of doubt

Protect art from harm or decay

Brazilian city where Christ the Redeemer stands

Second in the family

Piece of advice

Iconic institution with several museums in DC

Prefix meaning race or culture related

Ancient warrior’s protection

Sandwich

Fast planes

A caligrapher carefully writes them

Artworks presented as genuine works that are forgeries

Time just before an event

Down

Magnum ___ (literary masterpiece)

Take a taste

Get out of bed

Stringed instrument

Egyptian Pharaoh, the subject of many touring exhibitions

___ Mahal, Indian mausoleum

Definite article

Surface for artists to paint on

Not often found

Towel stitching

Yard maintenance tools

Type of stone pillar

Bismarck’s state

Royal family in English history

Life of Pi director Ang

Wind instruments

Pilgrimage sites

Material that covered Pompei when Mount Vesuvius erupted ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 26

SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

YO U R P L A C E I N T H E G A R D E N

Time to Establish Fall Vegetable Garden

heat is still upon us we know the fall weather is coming which means we have one more growing season before the garden takes a rest. If you haven’t already planted your fall garden, you still have time if you select crops that have a short turnaround to harvest. Leafy greens including lettuce, kale, spinach and cabbage are common in fall gardens. They are semi-hardy crops, which means they will even tolerate light frosts. Root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, beets and radishes are also great options to start at this point in the season. They develop quickly allowing them to be ready for harvest before the real threat of frost is looming. Carrots are actually a hardy crop that can withstand several frosts and continue to grow. One challenge with fall gardening can be establishing the fragile seedlings during the extended summer heat. By monitoring the garden regularly, watering efficiently, and mulching the soil you can overcome this struggle. Additionally, planting the seeds slightly deeper where the soil does not dry out as quickly, can give the seeds more protection from the heat. Some gardeners soak their seeds prior to planting to expedite germination. Each of these strategies aides in getting the plants through the young and tender growth period. Proper maintenance practices can also help you protect your fall garden. When weeding, only cultivate the very top of the soil to reduce the soil exposure to the air. This will allow the soil to retain more moisture. Once your plants are established you should allow them to begin to show signs of stress, such as slight wilting, before applying more water. This encourages the plants to send roots deeper into the soil in search of water.

THOUGH THE SUMMER

Cynthia Domenghini, Ph.D.

Root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, beets and radishes are also great options to start at this point in the season.

BY C Y N T H I A D O M E N G H I N I , P H . D .

Deep-rooted plants are better equipped to survive adverse weather conditions. As fall frosts approach, be prepared to cover the semi-hardy and hardy crops. Sheets and blankets can be used to cover plants, but ensure you place structures beneath the covers to keep the plants from being damaged by the weight. Plant containers or garden stakes work well for this purpose. Leaves that come in contact with the protective covering can still be damaged by frost so the supports beneath the covers need to be tall enough to keep the leaves from touching. Anchor the covers so they don’t blow off in the wind. Warm weather is often intermixed with the first few frosts of the season. During the daytime, the protective covers should be removed from the plants. Mulch the root vegetables and you will be able to continue harvesting them until the soil starts to freeze. If a frost is approaching and you are concerned your seedlings won’t survive, you can choose to harvest the young leaves and create a leafy green salad mix. The Kansas Garden Guide, published by Kansas State Research and Extension, is a great resource for gardening throughout the year and a helpful tool to finish the gardening season strong. Visit www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/stories/2020/03/kansasgarden-guide.html KCL CYNTHIA DOMENGHINI is an instructor and coordinator for K-State’s horticultural therapy online certificate program.

Now is the time to get the fall garden established with hardy and semi-hardy vegetables.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

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C E L E B R AT E D E M O C R A C Y:

VOTE

BY D E R R I L L H O L LY

The best way to celebrate democracy is by encouraging full participation in public life. That’s why Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. and its 30 member co-ops are supporting National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22, 2020. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, less than 70% of eligible American citizens of voting age — 18 and over — were registered to vote in 2018. That means up to 30% have not filed the required applications with their counties, parishes or states of local voter registrar’s offices, which are essential for making our voices as meaningful in American life as they might be. We’re among thousands of organizations committed to making Sept. 22 the most successful National Voter Registration Day in history, because we believe its goals are more important than ever before. Here’s why:

Unusual Year, Unexpected Changes

While 2020 began as a very active political year, disruptions brought on by COVID-19 pandemic concerns altered the campaign plans of many candidates. They also dramatically reduced overall access to voter registration forms through the department of motor

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

vehicle offices, public libraries and schools. Suspension of on-site classes at many high schools prevented guidance counselors and government teachers from passing out registration applications to students who reached voting age this spring and summer. Voter education efforts by churches, or by state and local officials who normally would have booked space at community events to encourage community outreach found many of those events scaled back or canceled throughout spring and summer. Lingering concerns about a resurgence of COVID-19 cases this autumn continue to fuel uncertainties on exactly how polling locations will operate or just how states and other jurisdictions will handle absentee and mail-in balloting.

The Challenge Ahead

“Currently 67.4% of the total votingage population in Kansas is registered to vote according to U.S. Census numbers,” said Tara

2020 Mays, director of government relations and coordinator of the nonpartisan Kansas Co-ops Vote initiative. “Increasing overall participation in the election process begins with registering as many eligible voters as possible.” That’s the goal of National Voter Registration Day. Recognized as a civic holiday since 2012, the annual event has served as a rallying point for voter registration initiatives supported by a network of nonpartisan organizations committed to increasing overall participation in the electoral process. “Voting is central to American democracy,” said Laura Vogel, a senior political affairs advisor at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. “That’s why many electric cooperatives and their statewide associations are committed to making this year’s National Voter Registration Day the most successful event ever.” Vogel, who represents electric co-ops on the National Voter Registration Day steering committee has worked with co-ops throughout the nation to help develop new and effective ways to encourage co-op consumer-members to participate in local, state and national politics. “Since 2012, National Voter Registration Day awareness efforts have helped to register more than 3 million voters,” said Vogel. “This year, we’re putting even more emphasis on digital engagement, because 41 states and the District of Columbia allow voters to register online.” Kansas offers online voter registration at www.kdor. ks.gov/Apps/VoterReg. Many Kansas electric co-ops are using their social media to promote voter registration, and

Kansas

Election Dates

day to register to vote in OCT. 13 | Last the general election to apply to county OCT. 27 | Deadline election office for mail-in ballot NOV. 3 | GENER AL ELECT I O N

encouraging political engagement with articles in their local pages of this magazine, on their websites, and with bill attachments or point of contact brochures and leaflets. “More than 20,000 volunteers are committed to the promotion of National Voter Registration Day,” said Vogel. “In the weeks ahead, electric co-ops will be promoting webinars on digital organizing and working closely with community organizations and businesses that are likely to remain open even if a resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic concerns occurs this autumn.” “National Voter Registration Day is a great opportunity for us all to begin focusing on the most important aspects of this political season,” said Lee Tafanelli, CEO of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. “This nonpartisan program promotes participation, and that includes ensuring that those who are registered to vote stay abreast of any changes that we might see in how to legally cast ballots in our state on election day.” Remember to mark your calendar for National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22, and together, let’s enjoy the rights and opportunities we all share as Americans and celebrate our democracy. To learn more about National Voter Registration Day, visit www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org. KCL

Remember to mark your calendar for National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22. SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

BY D R . T Y F R E D E R I C K S O N

Above: These cousins found a perfect spot where they caught bluegill and watched turtles maneuver through moss beds. Opposite page: Ty’s nephew, left, enjoys the opportunity to fish with his cousin at an urban pond.

IN THE OPENING of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck wrote that “there is another world, but it is in this one.” His point was that our natural desire to wonder about the great mysteries of our lives might be well-served if we were to look at where we are but from a new perspective. Kansans have long known to appreciate life’s simple offerings. We also are particularly resourceful at doing the very best with what we have. Sometimes, all we need is one opportunity to see our space from a different vantage point to discover the rich resources already at our disposal. Such was the case last week when I and my son went “urban fishing” with my youngest nephew.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

My nephew, who is 9, has wanted to go fishing, but the opportunities for him to make this happen have been limited. After a quick online search for fishing ponds in the Topeka area, I discovered that Shawnee County Parks and Recreation maintains six public access ponds and one fishing stream. These waterways range in size from the modest 1.4-acre Freedom Valley Pond all the way up to the 410-acre Lake Shawnee. Most are relatively secluded and offer an inexpensive respite from city life. Each of these venues is equipped with barrier-free docks, mowed shorelines, and opportunities to catch bluegill, channel catfish, bass and crappie, some of the most sought-after gamefish

in our state. What an excellent program to introduce the children in our communities to positive and healthy outdoor activities! There are, of course, site-specific rules and regulations that need to be followed, so please be sure to familiarize yourself accordingly before you go. For instance, children under 16 will not need a fishing license, but for those 16 and over, a fishing license is a legal requirement. Fishing licenses can be purchased online at ksoutdoors.com, by calling 800918-2877, at any Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks office, or at multiple retails outlets in communities across the state. From Dodge City to Wichita to Lenexa, and in virtually every city and town in-between, a quick Google search of public access fishing locations will reveal a hidden gem close to you. Search “Ten of the Best Urban Fishing Spots in Kansas” to get started. We decided to try our luck at the 4-acre Clarion Woods Park pond, which also has a beautiful nature trail that meanders through the trees. When we first arrived, we settled on the dock with our bait, poles, and a must-have assortment of snacks. We were the only ones fishing, though a few people came by on the trail, for the first hour, until others began to find their own “secret” spot on the bank. Even though it was a Saturday evening, there were only five other people fishing on the whole lake, and it felt a little bit like it was our own private getaway. The city was a few hundred feet away on the other side of the towering black walnut trees, but it felt like we were in another world, really. We caught a few small bluegills and enjoyed watching the red-eared slider turtles weave their way through the shallow moss beds. But most importantly, we discovered an aspect of our world that was formerly invisible. An evening on the serene shore of an urban pond is the perfect opportunity to teach a nephew, niece, grandchild, daughter, or son about fishing and to foster the realization that “other worlds do exist,” they are worth visiting, and they are often right around the corner from where we live. Stay safe. Be well. See you in the country. KCL grew up in Kansas and Australia. He is a graduate of Emporia State University, Wichita State University, and Wilkes University where he is an assistant professor. He is a FreeState Electric Cooperative member and a U.S. Navy veteran.

DR. TY FREDERICKSON

SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

C O O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E

Secret Ingredient: A Dose of Apple Cider Vinegar Works Wonders can make all the difference — a kind word, a drop of rain, a good laugh…and a single ingredient. From time to time, I’d like to highlight “secret ingredients,” those magic kitchen elements, be they potion, powder, or plant that, even in small amounts, ratchet up a recipe from so-so to just right. It might not even take much (a few drops of liquid smoke in green beans) or make sense (a little grated nutmeg in cream sauce for au gratin potatoes) or be noticed (coffee in chocolate anything), but even just a wee bit can be key to cooking success. Apple cider vinegar may be the biggest wonder of them all. A year-round staple in many a pantry (the fact that it doesn’t require fridge storage is another bonus), I knew about its acidic potency early in my mom’s cooking, from her creamy coleslaw dressing to pickling brine. She bought the stuff in gallon jugs and decanted it into a small cut-glass carafe set out on the dinner table to drizzle over stewed greens. I also always keep apple cider vinegar at the ready. A splash of it in a pinch will turn plain

SOMETIMES, ONE SMALL THING

Rebecca Howard

Sloppy Joes Famed Wamego bakery and dining spot, the Friendship House, served up the perfect Sloppy Joe recipe in their cookbook “The Friendship House: Recipes…The Homemade Way,” (Morris Press Cookbooks; 2004). Apple cider vinegar supports the tangy sweetness of this Sloppy Joe sauce. This recipe can be easily cut in half, but you might want to make as many as possible! f 2-1/2 pounds ground beef

f 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

f 1/3 cup brown sugar

f 1/4 tsp. salt

f 3/4 cup chopped onion f 2 Tbs. vinegar

f 1/8 tsp. black pepper f 1-1/4 cups ketchup

Cook ground beef and onion together until done; drain well. Return to pan and add remaining ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes. Serve on a hamburger bun. Yield: approximately 12-15. LOVE APPLE BUT TER? REBECCA SHARES A RECIPE ON PAGES 29-30 ADAPTED FROM “ THE BEST 50 APPLE RECIPES” BY JOANNA WHITE (BRISTOL PUB ENTERPRISES; 1995).

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

SEPTEMBER 2020

BY R E B E C C A H O WA R D

milk into buttermilk, add tart to the fruit in a morning smoothie, work as a cleansing hair rinse or a multipurpose cleaner for everything from countertops to coffee cups with stubborn stains. Many believe in its medicinal powers and take a shot, straight, daily (or make it more palatable in water with honey or sweetener). The health benefits of apple cider have been known and touted throughout the ages, and it was prescribed as early as 400 B.C. It’s been used to treat everything from wounds to the common cold. In her book, “The Apple Cider Vinegar Companion: Simple Ways to Use Nature’s Miracle Cure” (The Countryman Press; 2016), author Suzy Scherr, says the best health benefits come from the raw, unpasteurized (and more cloudylooking) versions of the elixir. Vinegar (from the French vin aigre, meaning “sour wine”) is formed through a fermentation process. Maybe an apple a day in the form of cider-y vinegar does keep the doctor away, as Scherr notes, it is “all-natural, inexpensive, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, fat-burning, cholesterol-lowering, immunity-boosting.” Keeping apple cider vinegar handy also offers a staggering array of rescuing boosts for cooking and baking. I’ve used as little as 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to add twang and tang to a Sloppy Joe recipe (shared here) to as much as two cups for an oven-baked apple butter (on Pages 29-30). Here are other ways to consider putting it to good use: f DRINKS — In Scherr’s book, she shares a recipe

for a homemade sports drink by combining coconut water, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and raw honey to chill and keep on hand on hot days or when exercising. Apple cider vinegar can be made into a hot beverage with lemon and honey and sipped like tea, or splashed into cold beverages, like lemonade. Add apple cider vinegar to your next apple cider punch or hot apple cider drink.

f PICKLING — Pickling with apple cider vinegar

is one of my favorite uses (this summer, I’ve been pickling radishes and baby carrots). Quick pickling takes the daunting aspects of cooking and canning out of pickling (just

She bought the stuff in gallon jugs and decanted it into a small cut-glass carafe set out on the dinner table to drizzle over stewed greens.

remember to store your finished product in the fridge.) A basic quick pickling brine consists of one cup water and one cup vinegar, one tablespoon salt and one tablespoon sugar. Customize the brine with herbs and spices. f SALADS AND VEGGIES — Many a salad

dressing or vinaigrette gets its zing from apple cider vinegar, which has been at the base of everything from buttermilk ranch to honey mustard dressings. A drizzle of apple cider can be a pick-me-up to cooked or roasted veggies, such as carrots or green beans, a pot of ham and beans or lentil stew or sautéed collard greens or Swiss chard.

f MEATS, MARINADES, AND SAUCES — I don’t think

barbecue sauce would taste like barbecue sauce without tangy apple cider vinegar, and many a meat has benefited from a marinade enhanced with vinegar, too, as the acids in vinegar help to tenderize. Vinegar is used in other common condiments, too…just read the label of your mayo, mustard, and ketchup!

Just a little apple cider vinegar adds tang and twang to these classic Sloppy Joes.

f FRUIT — Apples and pears in particular can be enhanced with apple cider

vinegar. It brightens and energizes fruit flavors. Try poaching pears in a liquid of apple cider vinegar, honey, and spices (like star anise and cinnamon sticks). Or use a little in cooked apple pie filling.

f BAKING — Apple cider vinegar can add fluffy lift and tenderness (oftentimes reacting with baking

soda) to baked goods, too, in everything from cookies, donuts, muffins, overnight waffles, cake, and pie pastry. KCL

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.”

REBECCA HOWARD

SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

for puzzle on Page 17

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SAFETY

Meddle With a Meter, Risk Life, Limb and Legal Trouble BY B R I A N N A M A G E E , I N T E R N

KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC.’S

“Deadliest Safety Catch” campaign kicked off in August as a tie-in to cooperative principle No. 5: education, training, and information. The campaign, which uses actual photos taken of unsafe practices “caught” by KEC’s Loss Control, Safety and Compliance team, aims to spread awareness on what to do and not do regarding electrical safety hazards. September’s Deadliest Safety Catch focuses on electrical meter tampering and uses a photo taken of an actual attempted do-it-yourself fix of an electric meter. Thankfully, no one was injured or killed. Tampering with electrical meters is not only dangerous but it is also illegal in Kansas. Those who tamper with electrical meters could face a number of charges including theft, burglary and trespassing. Charges and sentences vary depending based on the severity of the crime and the extent of the damage. Kansas Statute 21-5814 covering crimes and punishments goes further into detail about the legal repercussions. (You won’t need to read the fine print if you don’t plan to tamper with the equipment.) Stealing or manipulating electrical power can cause fire, electrical shocks, and potential injury or death for the perpetrator and others. It is never safe to tamper with a meter at any time for any reason. If you know of or are suspicious of anyone interfering with any electrical meters, please call your local authorities and electric co-op for assistance. Manipulating electrical meters puts first responders and linemen at risk when electrical lines must be de-energized. For instance, when firemen need to gain access to a particular building or area, they need to shut off the power. If

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

TAMPERING WITH OR AT TEMPTING TO FIX BROKEN METERS AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IS A DANGEROUS GAME .  DON’T TAMPER with your electric meter for any reason.

Tampering with your meter is illegal in many states, but more importantly, can cause electrocution and fire, resulting in injury and damage, even death. If you think there may be a problem with your meter, call your local electric provider — don’t try to fix it yourself.  ELECTRICITY THEFT and tampering with meters can not only cause injury and potential death but also carries serious fines.  YOU MAY UNKNOWINGLY feed energy back into the power line. This is dangerous for linemen working on a power line they believe is de-energized.  DON’T POST FLYERS OR POSTERS on electric poles. Damage to the poles can create a dangerous situation for utility crews and cause outages affecting many more.

lines are energized from illegal tampering, it could endanger their lives. Larry Detwiler, director of KEC’s Loss, Control, Safety and Compliance, said that each electric co-op handles meter tampering differently depending on the situation. Co-ops review suspected tamperings on a case-bycase basis to determine whether to pursue it legally or to contact local law enforcement to inspect the situation before going out to the site. Detwiler also noted that when someone damages electric co-op property, they damage consumermember property as well. “You’re not only hurting yourself but also your fellow co-op consumermembers by doing things that can either

SEPTEMBER 2020

be potentially a litigation or liability issue,” Detwiler said. “They’re actually hurting themselves by tampering with the meter.” Whether trying to reconnect service after habitual nonpayment of bills or pulling the meter to do electrical work on the property — just don’t do it. It is illegal and puts everyone’s lives in danger. “Depending on the installation, pulling the meter does not necessarily disconnect the power,” Detwiler said. Detwiler reminds everyone to stay away from electrical equipment and call their local electric co-op if they have an issue or need assistance. Co-ops respond to consumermembers’ needs quickly — and most importantly — safely. KCL

SEPTEMBER 2020

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING

Crazy Candy Ice Cream Sandwiches

Boley Family Vanilla Ice Cream

KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, SEPTEMBER 2020

Let the kids get in on the ice cream action with ice cream sandwiches decorated to their heart’s desire.

KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, SEPTEMBER 2020

First hand cranked on a farm near Wakarusa, this ice cream can be used as a base to add your favorite flavors.

Oven Apple Butter

Pecan Praline Ice Cream

KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, S E PT E M B E R 2020

Apple cider vinegar and low-temperature roasting in the oven, bring out the best tart richness in this apple butter.

KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, S E PT E M B E R 2020

Nothing is much better than biting into a scoop of ice cream to find little bits of praline spread throughout.

f 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

f 6 eggs

f 2 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted

f 2-2 ½ cups chopped pecans

f 2 cups milk

f 1 cup evaporated milk

f 2 cups sugar, divided

f 1 pint whipping cream

f 1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Pecan Praline Ice Cream

f 1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk

Saute chopped pecans in melted butter, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes or until toasted. Set aside to cool. Beat eggs in a large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until frothy. Add next four ingredients; mix well. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup evaporated milk in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble; then remove pan from heat. Place remaining 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and forms a smooth liquid. Stir in pecans. (Mixture may form lumps.) Stir pecan mixture into sugar and milk mixture; break apart pecan lumps. Stir into egg mixture. Pour into freezer can of a 1-gallon ice cream freezer. Add enough milk to fill can three-fourths full. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Let ice cream ripen at least 1 hour. Yields 1 gallon.

READER SUBMITTED, LOIS GIER

f 1/4 tsp. salt

f 1 pint half and half

Boley Family Vanilla Ice Cream f 4 eggs

f 2 1/4 cups sugar (very sweet to taste)

f 1 1/2 Tbs. imitation vanilla (won’t freeze out) f whole milk

In a mixer, beat the eggs. Add sugar slowly while beating, then add vanilla, salt, and half and half. Pour into the ice cream maker cannister. Fill to within 2 1/2 inches of the top with whole milk. Makes a gallon.

To really make it better, make it before dinner and then pack it in ice and salt. Then after dinner, unpack it by scraping off the extra ice on top and carry the whole freezer into the kitchen sink where you can open it up and start scooping. Packing like that in the salt and ice helps really firm it up.

NOTE: For peppermint ice cream, crush a big bar of peppermint, use 1/2 Tbs. vanilla instead plus four drops of peppermint flavoring. Doesn’t seem like much, but that big crushed peppermint stick helps. Put everything in but the crushed peppermint and freeze it. As it starts to thicken up, open the top and dump in the crushed peppermint. Don’t do it too early or it will all fall to the bottom. If you don’t want it crunchy, soften the peppermint pieces in milk before putting in the ice cream freezer.

READER SUBMITTED, TOM BOLEY, WAMEGO

oil or vegetable oil

f 1 1/2 Tbs. refined coconut

f 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Crazy Candy Ice Cream Sandwiches f 1/4 cup chopped candy bar

f 1 cup vanilla ice cream

f 1 tsp. ground cloves

f multi-colored sprinkles (optional)

COURTESY FAMILY FEATURES

Remove sandwiches from freezer. Dip half of each sandwich into chocolate mixture. Immediately scatter sprinkles over chocolate, if desired. Return to wax paper-lined pan. Freeze about 5 minutes, or until chocolate sets. Serve immediately or individually wrap in plastic wrap and store in freezer.

In small, microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate morsels and coconut oil. Microwave on high 40-60 seconds, or until melted, stirring vigorously every 20 seconds. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

Working quickly, scoop ice cream mixture onto six graham cracker squares. Top with remaining graham cracker squares, gently pressing down until ice cream reaches edges of crackers. Place in shallow, wax paper-lined pan. Freeze 1 hour.

In medium bowl, stir ice cream until just softened. Stir in chopped candy.

broken into 12 squares

f 6 graham cracker sheets,

f 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

f 1 tsp. allspice

f 2 tsp. cinnamon

NOTE: When I made it for the fair, you’re supposed to have the eggs cooked, so I heated to a custard consistency 6 beaten eggs, ½ cup sugar and 2 cups milk. I cut back the sugar to ½ cup when you mix it with the 1 cup evaporated milk.

Oven Apple Butter f 5 lbs. apples, peeled and cored f 7 1/2 cups water f 2 cups apple cider vinegar f 1-2 cups brown sugar, or to taste

Cut apples into thin slices and place in a heavy saucepan with water and 1/4 cup of the vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree apples in a food processor or blender (an immersion blender also works well for this.) Return apple puree to heavy saucepan. Place remaining vinegar in another saucepan, boil and reduce to 1 cup. Add vinegar and remaining ingredients to pureed apples. Simmer gently for 30 minutes until thickened. Pour mixture into a glass baking dish. Bake in a (low-temp) 250-degree oven for up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon into sterilized jars and heat seal, or keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

COURTESY REBECCA HOWARD, ADAPTED FROM “THE BEST 50 APPLE RECIPES” BY JOANNA WHITE (BRISTOL PUB ENTERPRISES; 1995)

SEPTEMBER 2020

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