Ruralite, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, September 2026

Ruralite OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

SEPTEMBER 2026

INSIDE >>

Backward, On Purpose Enjoy the Great Outdoors Member Foundation Scholarships

The sun makes an appearance after an all-day storm in Baker City. PHOTO BY ZOEY JUSTUS

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CRUISE CLOSE TO HOME®

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9 UNIQUE ITINERARIES

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8 T O 1 6 - D AY A D V E N T U R E S

SOUTHEAST U.S. CRUISES Baltimore GEORGE WASHINGTON’S ESTATE SHORE EXCURSION  MOUNT VERNON, VA One of the nation’s most iconic homes, Mount Vernon offers a glimpse into 18th-century life through its beautiful gardens and grounds as well as intriguing museum exhibits honoring George Washington’s life and legacy.

MARYLAND

Annapolis

Washington, D.C. Mount Vernon Williamsburg

Yorktown Norfolk VIRGINIA Kitty Hawk NORTH CAROLINA

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS In 1903, the Wright brothers achieved the first powered, sustained, and controlled airplane flight in Kitty Hawk, NC. Two years later, they surpassed their own milestone when they built and flew the first fully practical airplane.

HISTORIC SAVANNAH TROLLEY EXPLORATION SHORE EXCURSION  SAVANNAH, GA Experience a fully narrated journey aboard the Old Town Trolley, featuring open-air seating ideal for capturing memorable photos. Along the way, expert conductors share engaging stories, landmarks, and over 270 years of history from Georgia’s First City. As your exploration brings the past to life across more than 100 points of interest, you will discover Savannah’s rich legacy and timeless charm.

ALABAMA

Ocean Springs Mobile

Hilton Head Island Savannah

GEORGIA

Jekyll Island Amelia Island

Green Cove Springs

FORT MASSACHUSETTS  SHIP ISLAND, MS Fort Massachusetts is a historic brick fort located on West Ship Island, Mississippi. It was built by the U.S. government in the mid-1800s as part of a coastal defense system following the War of 1812.

Wilmington

Charleston

St. Augustine

Gulfport/Ship Island New Orleans

Beaufort

SOUTH CAROLINA

Jacksonville Pensacola

NAVAL ACADEMY SHORE EXCURSION ANNAPOLIS, MD Explore the academy’s historic grounds with our expert guide and experience “life on the yard.” Witness the noon meal formation and take in breathtaking views of the campus.

Blue Spring State Park Cape Canaveral

FLORIDA

St. Petersburg Punta Gorda

SEAPLANE ADVENTURE TO DRY TORTUGAS SHORE EXCURSION  KEY WEST, FL Seventy miles west of Key West, Florida lies one of North America’s most inaccessible National Parks–Dry Tortugas. The park is renowned for its marine life, pirate legends, and sheer unspoiled beauty.

Marco Island

West Palm Beach

Key Biscayne

Key West

REQUEST A FREE BROCHURE  800-459-2596 pp02 September2026.indd 4 MAGAD_RURALITE_8.375X10.75_ISSUE_JUL26.indd 1

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FROM THE PIONEER TEAM

Ruralite September 2026 • Volume 73, No. 9

CEO Michael Shepard SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Noble Sprayberry SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC LEAD CONTENT EDITOR Victoria Hampton, CCC ASSISTANT EDITORS David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC; Nina Todea, CCC ASSOCIATE EDITOR Valeri Saldanha Rosa PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER Elizabeth Beatty SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR Alyssa McDougle

Ruralite (USPS 397-460) is published monthly for members for $5.73 per year, plus postage, by Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—to serve the communication needs of 46 consumer-owned electric utilities in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada and California. Preferred periodical postage paid at Hillsboro, Oregon, 97123 and additional mailing offices. © 2026 Pioneer Utility Resources. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send address changes to Ruralite, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124-6454

HOW TO CONTACT RURALITE Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $15 (U.S.) per year; $25 per year (foreign). Prepayment required. Allow 4-8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive. Address changes: Utility members, contact your local utility. Subscribers, call us at 503-357-2105, option 3, or email mailingdept@pioneer.coop.

The Practiced Eye There’s a particular skill that has nothing to do with finding something new and everything to do with truly seeing what’s already in front of you. That idea runs through this issue, starting with news I’m especially proud to share: the winners of our 2027 Ruralite Calendar Photo Contest. Readers submitted more than 400 photos this year, and the winning 13, starting on Page 10, prove again that you don’t have to travel far to find something worth a second look. Kate Sears’ cover shot of a Pacific tree frog balanced on a leaf, Richard Stephens’ Joshua tree adorned with fresh Nevada snow and Rebecka Rapier’s great egret fishing for its next meal are small moments caught by people who simply paid attention. I want to thank everyone who entered. That instinct of noticing what’s already there runs through Nate Birt’s Spotlight feature on renovating older rural homes. Historic preservationists Katie and Gus Adams and energy expert Melinda McKnight have come to the same conclusion: An old house isn’t a problem to fix so much as a structure to understand. Look closely enough before you gut it, they say, and a drafty farmhouse reveals decades

of craftsmanship worth restoring rather than replacing. Dave LaBelle’s photography column carries the thread even further. His Faces of Fall assignment breaks any scene into three deliberate looks—the wide shot, the portrait and the telling detail. It’s the same formula, he notes, that has quietly shaped how editors have designed pages for generations: You need the overview, the face and the story hiding in the small stuff. Give his challenge a try this season. None of this is really about frogs or farmhouses or fall leaves. It’s about paying attention. Somewhere near you, right now, is a photograph, a story or a piece of history waiting for someone to actually look. What have you noticed lately that deserves a second glance?

Until next time, Chasity Anderson Editorial Director

Got a story idea? We want to hear it. Scan the QR code with your smartphone camera or visit tinyurl.com/SendStoryIdeas.

Through Our Readers’ Eyes

Back issues: Back issues and extra copies are $3. Prepayment required. Supply is limited. Be sure to identify edition, month and year. Call first if ordering back issues to check availability.

2027 Ruralite Calendar Photo Contest winners announced Up Close, Page 10

To contact Ruralite: Ruralite magazine is published by Pioneer Utility Resources, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133-1306; 503-357-2105; email: info@pioneer.coop. For more information, visit pioneer.coop.

Making an Old House Work for Today

DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, TX 78704 800-626-1181 or 512-441-5200

Spotlight, Page 12

Big Bowl Energy Reader Exchange 18 Great Picture Hunt 22

Marketplace Before You Go

Utility Pages: 4-5, 8, 25, 28-29, 32

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Fuel up with grains, greens and protein In the Kitchen, Page 16 SEPTEMBER 2026

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Backward, on Purpose

A family business freeze-dries true cold brew Story and photos by Shiraz Mukarram Sorbenots is Stone Bros. spelled backward. The way the Stones make coffee is the coffee business done backward. Both are deliberate. Ask Jason Stone what kind of partner his brother has been for 31 years, and he will point you to the small hours. Phil is the one awake at 2 a.m., checking on coffee that was fine when he went to bed. He has a spreadsheet for every variable. “Phil spends a lot of time pushing numbers,” Jason says. It took a man who cannot leave a question alone, a family that kept answering and three decades of Baker City mornings to arrive at the smallest thing they have ever sold: a packet of coffee light 4

enough to lose in a shirt pocket. The Stones have been fueling those mornings since Nov. 1, 1995, when Phil and his wife, Andrea, opened an espresso trailer in the parking lot at Lube Depot on 10th Street, at a spot where a car wash now stands. The idea was theirs, and so was the money. Jason, then 19, soon signed on as the third partner. On March 20, 1996, the business moved into permanent walls at 1270 Campbell St., and the trailer, which had been called Cappuccino Cowboy, closed shortly after. When Phil and Andrea ran a trademark search, they learned somebody else already owned the business name. They needed one nobody else could claim, in the most literal sense. They wrote STONE BROS. on a piece

of paper and read it backward: Sorbenots. Baker City knew the trick: The Eltrym theater downtown is Myrtle, reversed. It was named by a widower in 1940 in his wife’s memory. Around here, even the names are homemade. To understand what the Stone family spent the past seven years building in a warehouse off Broadway, start with what they will tell you about cold brew, and why so much of what wears the name is not the real thing. Real cold brew never touches heat. Coffee grounds steep in cold water for a full day, and the acid stays behind in the grounds. That is the entire secret and the entire problem. The process cannot be rushed, and the coffee it makes does not keep. No law governs the words on a label, either. The brothers once bought every cold brew on the market and found much of it was ordinary hot coffee, served cold. The real thing is rare because it is expensive to be patient. “Even the biggest coffee chains will make their cold brew at each shop today to

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OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Members of the Stone family gather at the Sorbenots warehouse off Broadway in Baker City. From far left are Andrea and Phil; their daughter Morgan; Blake, Jason’s son; and Jason and Heather.

serve tomorrow or throw it away,” Jason says. “They don’t have a whole bunch they can ship anywhere. They don’t have big equipment at each shop.” The Stones lived that math for about a decade. They cold-brewed 15 gallons at a time, then 30, then 160, delivering it to their shops in kegs and watching it age out in roughly three days. Phil remembers filling a dozen air pots for an event and pouring most of them out. As cold brew caught on, health inspectors began asking a question the entire industry struggles with: “What are you doing to make it last?” Filters help. A blanket of nitrogen over the coffee helps. Nothing preserves it. The idea that finally made the coffee last came, like most of this family’s ideas, from the outdoors. The Stones hunt, raft and backpack in the backcountry, and good coffee did not survive their trips. A glass French press came home in pieces more than once. The question at home was, “You broke another one?” These are people who take beans personally. Jason spent part of 2013 working on a coffee farm in Kona, Hawaii, and first walked their Colombian growers’ land in 2018. Companies freeze-dry hot coffee, so the brothers bought a small

freeze dryer and asked whether anyone had ever freeze-dried true cold brew. The freeze dryer alone could not do it—the coffee had to be concentrated first and without heat. They tried distilling. They tried evaporation. “A lot of energy, a lot of labor, a lot of time,” Jason says. In February 2022, Jason brought his wife, Heather, to Colombia with his son, Blake—then the company’s full-time roaster—to visit the family farms that grow their beans. They sat down with a university representative to talk through the chemistry of what they had been attempting in the warehouse. The answer turned out to be a process that works the way the brothers do: patiently, without heat. Exactly how it works is the only thing the family will not say. A patent is pending, and some answers are earned too slowly to give away. What they will say is what it never does—it puts no added pressure and no heat on the coffee. Heat would drag acid right back into the cup, so there is none, anywhere, at any step. The machine runs on little more than pumps. By the time the freeze dryers take over, most of the water is already gone. That overnight run is what has Phil awake at 2 a.m. The window for stopping the machine is small. Too soon, and the coffee is too wet for the freeze dryers. Too long, and the batch drifts past the mark the family spent years finding. “The machine does all the work, but especially toward the end, it takes pretty constant monitoring,” Phil says. There is a joke buried in the enterprise, and the family is in on it. It took a warehouse running day and night on electricity to invent the one coffee that will never

ADOBE STOCK PHOTOS BY MEHMET GOKHAN BAYHAN, UUGANBAYAR

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need an outlet. The brothers are stubborn about the machinery, too. When a manufacturer quoted them $2,000 for one adjustment, they studied the problem and rigged the fix themselves. “They want you to spend the money,” Jason says. “We’re gonna find our own way.” What comes out is a packet of pure coffee crystals, not grounds. Stir it into whatever water is nearby, from a kettle or a creek. The coffee announces itself by smell first, landing somewhere between velvet and dark chocolate, smooth enough that cream and sugar start to feel like solutions to a problem this coffee does not have. Phil was drinking a glass of it when he picked up the phone to talk about the company’s story. He has liked coffee since his years working in the woods, long before the family sold a single cup, and he waves off the fancier words. “I didn’t realize that once we removed the acidic bite from it, how much more I would enjoy it,” he says. “You just get the flavor. To me, it’s just smooth.” The crystals keep for years, and the family says the printed best-by date is the modest version. Because the crystals wait on a shelf, the Stones now offer something Jason believes does not exist anywhere else. “I don’t like absolutes, but I really believe there’s no coffee shops doing decaf cold brew,” he says. “Even the big chains aren’t gonna do decaf cold brew, because you can’t use it fast enough.” Sorbenots does decaf. It is tempting to call this a two-brother story, but the company runs three generations deep. Phil and Jason’s parents roasted coffee themselves, and they still drive by to check on things. When a photographer showed up outside the shop one July afternoon for a family picture, they pulled over to ask if somebody was finally filming Continues on Page 8 SEPTEMBER 2026

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PLUGGED IN

Solar’s Next Chapter

Batteries, microgrids and smarter controls are changing when—and how—solar power serves homes and communities

By Sable Riley and Cathy Cash When Southern California Edison shut down the only transmission feed serving Anza Electric Cooperative for planned work in June, the outage stretched beyond its scheduled eight-hour window. About 700 members on the co-op’s downtown circuit never noticed. Anza’s SunAnza solar-and-battery microgrid is separate from the larger grid and kept electricity flowing to a fire station, market, gas stations, post office and several restaurants. “Our members didn’t even see a blink,” says Sandy King, Anza’s engineering manager. Power Where It Is Needed Anza serves a high-desert region through a single transmission connection, with no practical route for a second line. If that feed is lost to wildfire damage, maintenance or a Public Safety Power Shutoff, the co-op loses its outside supply. Most members also depend on wells. “No power equals no water in our case,” General Manager Kevin Short says. Built in phases, SunAnza combines 3.4 megawatts of solar generation with a 4.4-MW, 9.2-megawatt-hour battery system. Forming the microgrid remains a manual process. Operators assess the load and expected outage length before deciding how much of the downtown circuit to serve. During a multiday outage, they may conserve energy overnight and restart the system the next morning. The system also supports voltage and frequency. During one voltage sag, discharging stored power corrected the 6

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problem almost immediately. “The versatility of the system has been the biggest takeaway,” Sandy says. Anza has 10 MW of additional battery capacity in development and is considering 5 MW to 10 MW of added solar. Kevin says the goal is to keep the entire service territory energized during daytime hours when the outside feed is unavailable. Solar Comes Home Nearly all electricity delivered by Florida Keys Electric Cooperative, based in Tavernier, Florida, comes from Florida Power & Light. FPL reports about 20% of its 2025 energy came from nuclear generation and 11% from solar, with nearly all the remainder from natural gas. FKEC’s two older arrays in Marathon and at its Crawl Key Substation contribute little to local generation. Still, the co-op is exploring upgrades as panel, inverter and storage technology evolves. “Things weren’t as efficient as they are now,” says Andy Fahrenkrug, FKEC’s senior electrical engineer. “Losses have gone down significantly.” A faster evolution is happening behind consumers’ meters. FKEC’s solar interconnection accounts increased from 33 in 2014 to 273 in 2025—more than eightfold. Andy says the utility received about one or two applications a month three years ago, compared with five or six today. Affordability has improved alongside performance. “The solar panels themselves are less than half what they were 10 years ago,” Kevin says, pointing largely to a worldwide expansion in manufacturing capacity. Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems reports the efficiency of commercial solar modules made from a

single silicon crystal has increased from about 17% to nearly 25% during the past decade. Solar manufacturers are changing how panels are built. For years, the industry relied heavily on a design known as p-type PERC. Manufacturers are increasingly adopting n-type panels, especially a design called TOPCon. The letters refer to how silicon cells are treated to conduct electricity. In practical terms, newer n-type panels generally convert more sunlight into electricity, lose less performance over time and can produce more power from the same amount of roof space. Bifacial panels offer another option. They collect direct sunlight on the front and reflected light on the back. Andy says panel type, roof direction, shade and inverter choice all affect performance. “The best result for one house is maybe not the best for another house,” he says. He estimates a 10- to 15-year payback period for many FKEC members, in part because the co-op’s rates are relatively low. Batteries are also becoming a larger part of the picture. “I have definitely seen an uptick in batteries,” Andy says. “In fact, we’ve seen people adding batteries to existing systems.” Storage matters because solar generation and demand do not necessarily peak together. In the Keys, demand often rises from 4-6 p.m. as residents return home, lower thermostats, cook and charge vehicles—after peak solar production. Batteries can hold midday energy for those evening hours or reserve it for critical needs during an outage. FKEC encourages consumers to size their systems to offset their annual electricity use. Credits earned during

Beam It Down! Scientists and companies are testing whether solar energy collected above Earth could someday supplement power generated on rooftops and utility-scale arrays. LEFT: As plug-in solar becomes more popular, consumers should be aware these products require important safety considerations. WIKIMEDIA STOCK PHOTO RIGHT: Florida Keys Electric Cooperative solar interconnection accounts increased from 33 in 2014 to 273 in 2025—more than eightfold. PHOTO BY NIKKI DUNN CULLEN

high-production months can offset lower production during other months. But producing as much energy as a home uses over the course of a year does not mean the member will receive a bill for $0, Andy says. Poles, wires and other grid infrastructure still must be maintained. Staff recommend reviewing a full year of use, comparing proposals, examining warranties and calculating if expected production supports the installer’s payback claims. A Plug-In Caution A newer and more controversial option is plug-in, or balcony, solar. These small systems are marketed like appliances: Place a panel outside, connect a compact inverter and plug it into a household outlet. “Existing residential wiring standards were not designed for generation through standard outlets,” says Jeffrey Groenewold, senior energy solutions manager at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Poorly controlled systems can overload

wiring, affect power quality or send electricity onto utility lines. UL Solutions launched a testing and certification framework for plug-in solar in January, but local codes and utility interconnection rules still apply. FKEC does not allow unapproved outlet-connected generation. Its advanced meters can detect electricity flowing in an unexpected direction, helping staff identify systems that have not gone through review. “As soon as you touch it to an outlet that’s connected to the grid, that’s when the trouble begins,” Andy says. A system that backfeeds during an outage could reenergize equipment believed to be deenergized, creating a hazard for residents, firefighters and lineworkers. That is why both cooperatives offer the same advice before a consumer signs a solar contract: Talk with the utility first. Solar’s future is not simply about producing more power. It is about storing, controlling and connecting that energy safely so homes, businesses and communities can use it when it matters most.  Solar arrays generate power for Anza Electric Cooperative’s SunAnza microgrid, which can keep critical community services energized when the utility’s connection to the larger electric grid is unavailable. PHOTO COURTESY OF

In 2023, California Institute of Technology’s Space Solar Power Project completed an orbital demonstration that tested lightweight structures and solar cells in space. The project successfully transmitted power wirelessly in space and sent a detectable signal to Earth, showing key parts of the concept can work beyond the laboratory. A more recent test brought the technology closer to real-world conditions. In November 2025, Overview Energy reported beaming energy from a moving airplane more than 3 miles above the ground to standard solar panels below. The company says the airborne demonstration tested equipment it plans to eventually use in orbit. Neither project produced electricity at utility scale. Still, the demonstrations show progress toward a future in which space-based systems could deliver energy when clouds or darkness limit solar production on Earth. NASA says major questions remain about cost, construction, transmission efficiency and maintenance. Sources: California Institute of Technology’s Space Solar Power Project, Overview Energy, Federal Communications Commission and NASA Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy

ANZA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY SDECORET SEPTEMBER 2026

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OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Backward, on Purpose

ADOBE STOCK PHOTOS BY MEHMET GOKHAN BAYHAN, UUGANBAYAR

Continued from Page 5

the cold brew. Andrea was a founder before Jason joined. Blake, Jason’s son, ran the roaster for years and handled the financials and sales tracking. Phil and Andrea’s son, Hunter, spent years as a face in the drive-thru window and helped at the warehouse this summer. His sister Samantha put in a year on the roaster and now helps with baking. Their sister, Morgan, rebuilt the brand in 2023, designed the website and web store and just finished a master’s degree in media studies. Madison Hatfield, who runs her own small advertising studio in Baker City and is dating Hunter, wrote the five words that explain the whole invention—good coffee in your pocket. Jason’s sons, Beau and Rocco, also have roles in the company, and 62 people work the shops in five towns from Hermiston to Ontario. In towns this size, that is 62 paychecks that stay home. “It is a true family effort and business,” Andrea says. Twice, the family has taken that effort where the lights had never been on. In 2023, Phil and Andrea traveled with Oregon electric cooperative crews to a village near Jalapa, Guatemala, where Andrea spent a day repainting the school’s hand-lettered signs while Phil and co-op leaders cleaned and painted the building. In 2025, Jason and Heather went along to Aldea Coco, Guatemala, where villagers carried the new poles by hand to where the line would run. A woman of about 80, in jelly sandals, took Heather’s hand and led her across a creek. Heather was the one wearing hiking boots. “Here I am, and she’s helping me,” she says. 8

Both times, the Stones quietly paid for electric hot plates and water purifiers given to every home. On the second trip, Jason tore open a test packet of coffee crystals and stirred it into a bottle of lukewarm water for OTEC CEO Les Penning, who was there to help wire the school. “I was like, ‘Wow, that is good,’ ” Les says. “What a treat.” Coffee invented for places without outlets was proven in a village that had just gotten its first ones. The packets reached all five Sorbenots shops in May, with the wider world to follow. Stand at the Campbell Street counter long enough, and you will see the family’s favorite ritual. Someone says they never drink coffee straight, and whoever is pouring asks for one plain sip before the cream goes in. Most people never make it to the cream. “That’s really smooth,” they say. “It doesn’t have that bite.” The caffeine is not shy, either. A first full glass lands like the first cup of coffee you ever drank. The warehouse can turn out roughly 135,000 packets a month. Another room is being converted to freeze dryers. Coffee shops in John Day and Burns already pour

ABOVE: Jason carries a tray of frozen cold brew concentrate, glossy as chipped obsidian, to the freeze dryers. TOP: Jason, left, and Phil hold the answer to extending the life of cold brew.

Sorbenots—neighbors selling what a neighbor built. Late tonight, those freeze dryers will be drawing on the same lines that light your kitchen. For Les, the whole story is the co-op idea working exactly as drawn. “Our job is to keep the power on,” he says. “Look what our members do with it.” Jason has his own word for what the quest did to a 31-year-old family business. Recaffeinated. n Sorbenots’ freeze-dried cold brew, regular and decaf, is available at their shops in Baker City, La Grande, Pendleton, Hermiston and Ontario, and at sorbenots.com.

S E P T E M B E R 2026

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PHOTO BY KATE SEARS, WASHINGTON—ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE

Through Our Readers’ Eyes 2027 Calendar Photo Contest winners announced Each year, Ruralite and Currents readers show us the beauty all around them, and this year’s calendar contest delivered some of the most breathtaking submissions yet. We’re proud to announce the 13 winning photographs that will appear in the 2027 Ruralite calendar. From sweeping landscapes and local wildlife to quiet rural moments, these images capture the heart of the areas we’re honored to serve. 10

Thank you to our readers, who submitted more than 400 photo entries. n Want a calendar of your own, or an extra if you already receive one from your utility? Preorder your 2027 Ruralite calendar now at ruralite.com/product/2027-ruralite-calendars or use the QR code for easy access. Calendars are available in early November.

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UP CLOSE

PHOTO BY JON STAHL, ALASKA— GOLDEN VALLEY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

PHOTO BY VALERIE THOMAS, WASHINGTON— BENTON RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

PHOTO BY DAVID CRISMAN, OREGON— TILLAMOOK PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT

PHOTO BY LYNN DESHON, IDAHO— NORTHERN LIGHTS, INC.

PHOTO BY BOB FOWLER, OREGON— CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

PHOTO BY MELISSA COOK, OREGON— CONSUMERS POWER INC.

PHOTO BY MELINDA JONES, IDAHO— UNITED ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

PHOTO BY SUE STRATER, OREGON— CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

PHOTO BY REBECKA RAPIER, ARIZONA— DUNCAN VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

PHOTO BY MATTHEW HUNTER, OREGON— DOUGLAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

PHOTO BY BRUCE CASLER, OREGON— TILLAMOOK PEOPLE’S UTILITY DISTRICT

PHOTO BY RICHARD STEPHENS, NEVADA— VALLEY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

SEPTEMBER 2026

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Making an Old House Work for Today Upgrade for modern comfort while honoring your rural home’s rich past By Nate Birt

AFTER

BEFORE

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SPOTLIGHT joy of modern living with a legacy that will live on for generations. Keep your house’s bones intact to honor its history. As you begin evaluating renovation options, it’s important to start with some appreciation of what you’re working with. See your house’s strengths and limitations as an echo from the past and a palette for sketching its next chapter of hospitality. “Old buildings are usually constructed very well,” says Melinda McKnight, CEO of Energy Conservation Services in Port Ewen, New York. “They were built at a time when people understood that the quality of their work was a reflection of their character.” Melinda and her husband, Bill, own the Building Performance Institute-accredited company and routinely consult on building science and energy efficiency with homeowners whose properties date as far back as the 1600s. At the same time, it’s important to recognize there are some inherent limitations in older homes. For example, modern preferences for features such as open-concept floor plans and cathedral ceilings might not be a great fit. “A lot of times, unless [those features are] done with the guidance of a building scientist, those kind of decisions and improvements can actually cause damage, and they can actually end up creating problems if they’re not really done properly,” Melinda says. The same goes for tossing out old windows or woodworking without realizing those items might be restored and retrofitted to provide the desired energy-efficiency benefits.

INSET: This 1889 rural Victorian farmhouse, in western North Carolina’s North Buncombe County, featured a tight space beneath the house that limited access and made meaningful structural work nearly impossible. FAR LEFT: The team at Adams and Adams Construction rehabilitated the farmhouse by lifting it to stabilize the structure, installing modern infrastructure and creating a daylight basement. PHOTOS BY J.G. ADAMS IV

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY ANNA

You love your older rural house, and you’re eager to stay true to its history while upgrading for modern living. As a homeowner, what should you do? Start with a mindset of appreciation and plan strategically. “When you live in a historic home, you really embody a part of our nation’s built landscape,” says Katie Adams, of Adams and Adams Construction, an Asheville, North Carolina-based renovation and historic preservation company. “When you look at it through that lens and not just ‘my old, drafty house,’ what an honor to be a part of something so special.” Katie and her husband, Gus, co-own the company and are professionally trained historic preservationists. They’ve found countless treasures in their 30 years upgrading old homes, including belt buckles, boots, plates and other items— some even found buried in old outhouses. Preservation matters to Katie, Gus and the millions of Americans living in homes built 50 or more years ago, especially when meeting the qualifications for a listing on the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. Modern living matters, too. Whether you own a century-old farmhouse, a midcentury ranch or something else entirely, experts say there are various things you need to know to upgrade wisely, preserve character and make your home a

Three Tips to Boost Window Performance in Old Houses When it comes to energy upgrades, windows often are among the first features homeowners want to replace. But experts say they’re also one of the least cost-effective. “Windows are expensive, so they have a very long payback,” says Melinda McKnight, CEO of Energy Conservation Services in Port Ewen, New York. “They’re not the biggest bang for your buck.” Unless they’re cracked or leaking, your original windows can often be upgraded in place with the following measures: X Replace air sealing and not the glass. “A lot of installers will just tuck fiberglass inside the frame, and then they put trim on,” Melinda says. “Use a one-part, low-expansion window-and-door foam instead of fiberglass. Then put the trim on. There’ll be a much better result, and you’ll see much less draft.” X Use pulley covers, window felts and door sweeps. These treatments can make a surprising difference in comfort and energy savings. “There’s a lot you can do to tighten old windows up,” she says. X Install interior storm windows. Products such as Climate Seal are used by the National Park Service to add efficiency in historic houses without changing their appearance. These acrylic interior windows can be custom measured and can be magnetically affixed. “It’s completely removable,” Melinda says. SEPTEMBER 2026

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BEFORE

AFTER

The owners of this 1850 timber-frame house renovated it to improve insulation and lower energy costs. PHOTOS BY MELINDA MCKNIGHT, ENERGY CONSERVATION SERVICES RIGHT: Poorly insulated rim joists can make floors cold and drafty. FAR RIGHT: Three inches of high-density, closed-cell spray polyurethane foam can be applied to rim joists for better insulation.

BEFORE

“Tuning up and saving your old windows is really one of the biggest things you’ll hear about in preservation,” Gus says. “It’s a really big deal to protect your fireplace mantels and any of your fireplace surrounds,” Katie says. “Handrails for your banisters. Those are really art, architecturally precious things.” Other irreplaceable hardware to keep, fine-tune and treasure include old doorknobs, hinges and locks. Interior treatments can enhance energy efficiency. Plenty of home improvement TV shows suggest modernizing your home with glamorous color palettes and visually striking details. Experts, however, say the biggest bang for your modernizing buck comes from investing in the hidden details that keep your utility bills lighter. “Achieving improved comfort and efficiency in buildings requires air sealing and insulating the bottom and top of the building envelope—the area you pay to heat 14

S E P T E M B E R 2026

AFTER TOP: Fiberglass insulation in attics often has many holes that can let in cold air. It’s also attractive to mice and other rodents. BOTTOM: Cellulose-based material is an energy-efficient alternative to fiberglass insulation. Boric acid is often added to deter pests.

and cool,” Melinda says. “Begin with the attic and basement or crawl space. We don’t generally recommend starting with walls and windows. Our goal is always to address the bottom and the top of the building envelope. That’s usually the low-hanging fruit.” The reason is the physics of how air moves through a house. Warm air rises and escapes through the top, while cold air is pulled into a house through gaps and leaks along the bottom. “Only 30% of net heat gain and loss goes out the side of your house,” Gus says. “Seventy percent is heat rises, cool goes down. So, the two most important things, as far as insulation goes, are insulating the attic and crawl space or basement.” In addition to using the right type of insulation, evaluate other places where cold air enters or warm air escapes, and plug those holes. Melinda says one such example is rim joists, where a house’s wooden frame meets its wooden floor joists. “Wherever wood meets wood, that’s an air leak,” she says. “It’s important to air seal and

insulate that for a couple of different reasons. The first is that outdoor air getting into conditioned space can create condensation, and potentially [mold]. And anywhere there’s an air leak, it’s an opportunity for a rodent to make entry.” For optimal air sealing, Melinda recommends buying a can of professionalgrade foam, a metal gun for applying it and an acetone-based gun cleaner. Avoid foam kits with a plastic straw, which can get clogged and prevent you from using all the foam. “Just spending a little more money at the outset and getting the right materials and supplies will save you in the future,” she says. Other popular energy-efficiency upgrades for rural homes include: • Install a mini-split. These units enable you to heat and cool individual rooms in buildings without adequate space to run ductwork according to code, Gus notes. Mini-splits work best in buildings that have been properly and professionally air sealed and well insulated.

• Caulk holes to air seal. Fill air gaps with

caulk or one-part foam to minimize entering or escaping air. Common areas of air infiltration include around outlet boxes, window trim, plumbing under sinks and other features on external walls. • Step outside. Consider how your older house’s exterior could benefit from some modern touches. Exterior investments should divert water and improve comfort. When it comes to preserving your house’s history and structural integrity, water management is everything, Melinda says. “A common issue that we see is gutter downspouts not being run far enough away from the building so that water is coming back in,” she says. A good rule of thumb is to ensure downspouts run at least 8 feet away from the house, if possible. Also, pay attention to the roof. If you spot a leak inside your house, you might think the whole roof needs to go. But you might just need to replace some flashing—pieces of metal installed to prevent water entry. “If there are roof lines that come together or valleys, you want to have flashing there,” Melinda says. “You also want to have step flashing along chimneys and stack pipes.” Other places to examine outside your home include cantilevers, the sections of floor that overhang your foundation. Melinda provides an example. “If you put a three-season room on the first floor but you have a walkout basement, and you don’t take care of the underside of that floor properly, that’s an air leak,” she

says. “And [it’s] a source of discomfort and higher utility bills.” Raised ranch-style homes that were built in the 1970s often have a cantilever across the front on the first floor. “It could be as little as 1 foot, but that 1-foot cantilever goes across the whole face of the building, which can really be a source of cold floors,” Melinda says. Do your DIY and know your limits. There are plenty of tasks a handy homeowner can take on, though it’s also essential to know your limits and the risks you might incur without expert help. “There is a lot that a homeowner can do to improve comfort and efficiency, especially if you’re handy,” Melinda says. “Air sealing— sealing up gaps, cracks and penetrations—is more important than insulation. It’s hard to make a mistake with basic air sealing unless you use the wrong material.” If you decide to take down trim, scrollwork, windows or other items in the house, don’t discard them. Keep them safe in a basement or another location because future homeowners might want to restore those features. Plus, you’ll be keeping those items out of landfills. For more intensive modernizations, such as changing a house’s entire electrical system or major plumbing renovations, it’s imperative to hire a licensed and insured professional, Gus advises. Doing so mitigates the risk of a future house fire or water damage. Also hire out exterior painting projects to experts who specialize in painting older homes, Katie says. Modern paints can trap moisture, meaning you might end up damaging your home and repainting more often than necessary. “As a steward of a historic home, treat it kind of like it’s an archaeological site,” Katie says. “It’s really important to leave the original fabric with the home because you’re caretaking it for now.” n The rear elevation of the 1850 timber-frame house was also renovated.

Understand Your Insulation Options

If your attic or basement is padded full of fiberglass insulation, you might not be getting much benefit from it. “Fiberglass is air-permeable,” says Melinda McKnight, CEO of Energy Conservation Services in Port Ewen, New York. “If it’s not enclosed inside a wall cavity, it will allow air to pass through it in basements and attics. And more importantly, rodents like to nest in it.” Better choices for older houses, according to Melinda, include: X Professional-grade cellulose, preferably infused with boric acid to deter pests X Rockwool, which should be paired with air sealing for best results X Foam board, such as polyisocyanurate, especially for rim joists and hard-toreach corners For environmentally conscious renovators, there are emerging options, such as insulation made from wool or hemp. Availability can vary, but they’re worth investigating if sustainability is a priority for your renovation, Melinda says.

Polyiso board is installed in preparation for rockwool batt insulation to be added in the rafter bays. SEPTEMBER 2026

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IN THE KITCHEN

Big Bowl Energy

FUEL UP WITH GRAINS, GREENS AND PROTEIN

Greek Protein and Grain Bowls Chicken

2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into tenders 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried dill 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Bowl Olive oil spray 1 red onion, thinly sliced 4.7-ounce box couscous 2 cucumbers, peeled and sliced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup feta

Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY IURII

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1/2 cup black olives, sliced 11/2 cups chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dried dill 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

Heat oven to 400 F. To prepare chicken, combine spices in a bowl, then coat chicken tenders. Spray a sheet pan with olive oil spray. Add sliced onions to one side and chicken to the other. Spray tops of chicken and onions with more olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Set chicken aside to cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Prepare couscous according to package directions, omitting the olive oil, if desired. Add chicken, onions, couscous, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives, chickpeas, vinegar, dill and mint to a large mixing bowl. Toss before serving.

S E P T E M B E R 2026

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Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls

2 tablespoons creamy 1 large sweet potato, peeled, peanut butter cut into half-inch cubes 1 large red onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon soy sauce 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil Kosher salt 4 cups cooked brown rice Freshly ground black pepper 1 avocado, thinly sliced 2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, 2 cups baby spinach skinless chicken breasts 1 tablespoon finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder fresh cilantro 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 lime, juiced

Heat oven to 425 F. On a large baking sheet, toss potatoes and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake potatoes until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Cook chicken in the skillet, turning occasionally, until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165 F, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board. Rest for 10 minutes, then thinly slice. Make a dressing by whisking garlic, lime juice, peanut butter, honey and soy sauce in a bowl. Whisk in sesame oil and remaining olive oil. Divide rice among bowls. Top with potato mixture, chicken, avocado and spinach. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Drizzle with dressing.

Chicken Burrito Bowls Chicken 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons lime juice 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped 1½ tablespoons adobo sauce

1½ teaspoons garlic powder ¾ teaspoon salt 1½ pounds chicken breast, cut into strips

Cilantro lime rice 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed 1½ cups water ¼ teaspoon salt

1 lime, zested 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Bowl 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped 1 cup tomatoes, diced 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained ½ small red onion, chopped 1 avocado, diced

Make a marinade by stirring together oil, lime juice, peppers, adobo sauce, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, and toss to coat. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, and add to pan. Cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 5-8 minutes. Set aside. Bring water to a boil. Add salt and rice. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover. Simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15-18 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then mix in zest, lime juice and cilantro. To assemble, arrange rice and lettuce in the bottom of a serving bowl. Top with chicken, tomatoes, corn, beans, onions and avocado.

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Hot Honey Salmon Bowls Salmon

1 tablespoon avocado oil 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup Sriracha 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 16 ounces salmon, skin removed, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes

Bowls 1 bunch asparagus, sliced diagonally 2 cups Brussels sprouts, halved 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1/4 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon white sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup cucumber slices 1 cup shredded carrots 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa

Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and coat with avocado oil. Mix honey, sriracha, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne and crushed red pepper to create hot honey sauce. Lay cubed salmon about 1 inch apart on one side of the pan. Coat with half of the hot honey mixture. In a large bowl, toss asparagus and Brussels sprouts with the remaining hot honey sauce and sesame oil. Place on the other side of the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and salmon is cooked through. While fish and vegetables bake, add vinegar, sugar and salt to a small bowl. Mix well, then add cucumber and carrots. Stir to coat. Let sit, stirring every 5 minutes. Drain before using. Serve each bowl with rice, salmon and vegetables.

Cottage Cheese Taco Bowls Sweet potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, diced Avocado oil spray

½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Ground beef 1 pound ground beef ¾ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder 1 large avocado, diced 16 ounces cottage cheese Crushed red pepper Hot honey

Heat air fryer to 400 F. In a large bowl, spray sweet potatoes with avocado oil. Sprinkle with seasonings, and toss to coat. Air fry for 18 minutes, rotating potatoes halfway. Saute ground beef with seasonings for 5-7 minutes until cooked through. Divide potatoes, ground beef, avocado and cottage cheese among four bowls. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, and drizzle with hot honey. SEPTEMBER 2026

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READER EXCHANGE Books/Magazines If anyone has books by Catherine Cookson and is willing to part with them, I’d appreciate them. Marsha Holeik 16637 William Foss Road La Pine, OR 97739

Crafts/Hobbies My family would like to thank all who sent donations for Operation Christmas Child. We were so touched by all the school supplies, homemade hats, bracelets, toys, etc. We can’t wait for our annual packing party this November so we can pack them in shoeboxes and send them to Samaritan’s Purse for distribution to needy children around the world. We’re aiming to pack 600 boxes, so we do still have a great need for new toys, especially Barbies, baby dolls, ponies, toy cars, balls/pumps and building blocks. If you have anything to spare, your help would be greatly appreciated. Please send any new donated items to our address by Nov. 1. Note that used items are not permitted because they cause issues at customs. Thank you. Brittany Hargrove 704 Foster St. Cove, OR 97824 hargroveshoeboxpacking@gmail.com facebook.com/hargroveshoeboxpacking

Milestones Our mother, Marianne, celebrates her 97th birthday this month. She’s a wonderful woman who raised nine children and was married for 65 years. She’s been active with several national church organizations for most of her life, serving various roles as needed. She also worked full-time, retiring from the phone company—a perfect job, given her love of conversation and laughter. She loves orchids, true crime stories, crossword puzzles and playing games on her phone. This amazing lady would be so surprised to receive birthday cards and notes from all you kind readers. Please send to Marianne Larke, 20617 White Oak Court, Sonora, CA 95370. Thanks so much. Pam Larke Evans, Georgia

My dear friend of 40 years celebrates her 83rd birthday this month. I would like to honor her special day by inviting you to send birthday wishes her way and make this birthday “one to remember.” She loves getting mail and would be grateful to receive birthday cards. She gave a good portion of her life to working with disabled people, and she loved the interaction with her patients. She has a great sense of humor and a laugh that will put a smile on your face. She is devoted to her family and friends. Mail to Nancy Wright, 2802 NE Riverside Ave., Pendleton, OR 97801. Thank you. SL Shermer Pendleton, Oregon

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My mother, Eleanor Fleischmann, turns 102 this month. Her goal is to keep going to 109, making her one of the oldest women alive. Mom has a good sense of humor and loves her bingo. She keeps herself busy with crossword puzzles and loves to read and keep up with current events. While she doesn’t drive anymore (thank goodness), she manages to get out with help from her sons and great-nephews. She still putters around as best as she can in her little garden. She has experienced a lot in her life, and I love to hear her stories of growing up in Nebraska and raising seven children. She would appreciate any birthday wishes. She still writes back. She has that beautiful cursive I never managed to learn when I was in school. Please send to Eleanor Fleischmann, N2639 Hwy Z, D134, Dousman, WI 53118. Mary Fleischmann Bend, Oregon

School/Labels I teach seventh and ninth grade science and am seeking donations of new or used LEGO bricks for hands-on modeling activities. Building models helps increase student engagement while making science concepts more interactive and memorable. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated. I will gladly provide a donation receipt upon request. Thank you in advance for your support. Ms. Kathy Hara—Science Priest River Lamanna Jr./Sr. High School 596 Highway 57 Priest River, ID 83856

Submitting Requests Is Free

Send your request—no attachments, please—to readerexchange@ruralite.org or mail to Reader Exchange, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Fill in the subject line with Reader Exchange. Acceptance, scheduling and editing are at the editor’s discretion. Single requests only, please. No duplicates. If replying to a reader submission, please only send what is requested. Submissions are handled first-come, first-served as space allows. We cannot honor every request. Please affirm you have authorization from all appropriate parties before submitting. By submitting, you indemnify Reader Exchange, Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., its officers, directors, employees, utility clients and insurers from all legal liability incurred by the publication of information. We no longer accept pen pal requests. You may submit a pen pal request as a Marketplace ad. Marketplace pricing applies. When submitting a milestone request, please send it at least two months before the milestone. Phone numbers are not published. Email addresses are published if part of the ad, but you must include a postal address. Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.

S E P T E M B E R 2026

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BEFORE

AF TER

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Fall Scavenger Hunt Story and photos by Dave LaBelle

One of the more popular assignments I gave my students at every level was Faces of Fall, a version of a photo scavenger hunt. I found early in my teaching career that students loved photo scavenger hunts that allowed them to scour different areas and make choices about subject matter. What didn’t register with most students early in their education was that each photograph in the series was designed to strengthen their awareness of light, composition, lensing and people skills. The first required photograph was a scenic or pictorial. I wanted an overall photograph, the type of picture they might see on a seasonal calendar or magazine cover—something colorful that clearly spoke of autumn. In addition, they were expected to make a portrait of someone they did not know, usually dressed for the cooling temperatures. This was not to be a mug shot, but a lively candid or posed face of someone in a fall-like environment, possibly a logger, a fisherman or a farmer.

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Third, I asked for a seasonal detail, a close-up of an item—sometimes called still life—such as hands shucking corn, a carved pumpkin, a fishing lure or a red flannel shirt hanging on a clothesline. I asked them to work at making every photograph the best they could—good subject, interesting light and thoughtful composition, as if each image had to stand on its own merit. I loved what the students found and how excited they were about sharing their photographs. They later learned I was introducing them to a simple publishing formula. As an editor, I find that being offered the variety of an overall or scenesetter, an engaging face and a storytelling detail for a story makes layouts much easier and more engaging for the reader. Most of all, scavenger hunts are fun. Your camera leads you to places and people you might never have seen or known. n

FROM LEFT: A joyful West Delaware band member smiles during a performance. The leaves of a red maple frame the fading afternoon light striking the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa. Red pears sit on a kitchen windowsill to ripen in late fall.

Reader Challenge Try to capture three eye-catching faces of fall. Gather caption information, and you might consider sending the package to your local newspaper or magazine. Many publications are often interested in colorful, local images. Email your best image—just one—with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels. Internationally renowned author, photographer and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century. He has shared photo tips and life perspectives with readers since 2009. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

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A F F O R D T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y®

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ADVENTURE AWAITS

See millions of cactuses and beautiful landscapes in Arizona at

Saguaro National Park

History East and West

What Is It? Come see giant saguaro reach their arms toward the sky in Tucson, Arizona, at Saguaro National Park. The park is home to an estimated 2 million saguaros, which can grow 50 feet tall and are known for their branching arms. They tend to not grow arms until they are about 75 years old and can live more than 200 years. 24

Saguaro National Park has two different halves straddling Tucson, the Rincon Mountain District in the East and the Tucson Mountain District in the West. The East side is home to older saguaro often at higher elevations. Rincon in the west has denser populations of saguaro. Both can be visited in the same day, but each is deserving of a full day of exploration. On both sides, the National Park Service puts on guided ranger programs that are great ways to learn about the park.

Counting Cactus Much like the United States, Saguaro National Park holds a census every 10 years. In the citizen science effort, staff and volunteers document saguaros to track plant life. The 2020 census estimated the park held 2,032,306 saguaros, up from just under 1.9 million in 2010. About two-thirds of the saguaro were taller than 1 meter, up 10% from 2010. For more information, the full census results can be found on the National Park Service website.

In the 1920s, members of the Natural History Society of the University of Arizona sought to create a preserve for saguaro. Eventually, support from a Tucson newspaper that thought a local national monument would be good for business helped Saguaro get the support it needed to become a national monument in 1933. The national monument was elevated to a national park in 1994, at the same time that more than 3,000 acres were added as a buffer against the growing city of Tucson.

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY ZACK FRANK

More Information Entrance to Saguaro National Park requires a weekly pass, which costs $25 per vehicle, $20 for motorcycles and $15 per person on foot. For more information, and for updated local health guidelines, visit nps.gov/sagu or call 520-733-5153.

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OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Enjoy Eastern Oregon’s Great Outdoors

Free campground guides for Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties are small enough to fit in a glovebox.

Free campground guides cover Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties Story and photo by Shiraz Mukarram Drive any highway in Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative’s service territory, and you can read the fire history in the hillsides. The 2024 Durkee Fire burned roughly 300,000 acres of Eastern Oregon. Most of us know those hills by heart. Visitors do not. And the visitors keep coming. In Travel Oregon’s latest survey, 56% of Eastern Oregon’s visitors said outdoor recreation was part of their trip, more than any other activity. Most did not grow up reading a fire-danger sign. On land protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry, recreation accounts for 12% of wildfire starts, campfires and target shooting chief among them. Many of those fires are started by people just passing through. A single outof-state weekend can rewrite a fire season. That is why OTEC, working with local chambers of commerce, produced free visitor campground guides for Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties. The Union County guide began with a chamber grant and grew into a collaboration. Much of the fieldwork and design came from OTEC’s summer interns— students in the OTEC-Eastern Oregon

University Rural Scholarship program who return to the cooperative each summer as part of their award. The work began in the summer of 2025 and finished this summer. The guides arrived at all four chamber offices last month. Each guide opens to a full county map with every public campground, RV park and group camp numbered and pinned, more than 80 in all. Every listing shows fees, open seasons, amenities and activities, from vault toilets and full RV hookups to fishing, hiking and wildlife watching. QR codes link to digital copies and current campfire and burn restrictions from the Oregon Department of Forestry. Each guide also prints the number to call before you strike a match, whether that is the local ODF office or the dispatch center for that corner of the state. One reading note: The maps are drawn to show proximity to services, landmarks and other noteworthy spots, not for navigation. Stylized maps do not always match the terrain or the road miles. Every listing prints its exact latitude and longitude instead, so put those coordinates into

your phone or GPS and let them do the navigating. The map helps you choose. The coordinates get you there. The wildfire pages are not fine print: Nearly nine out of 10 wildfires in the country start with human activity. On that same protected forestland here in Oregon, it is roughly three out of four. We cannot change the dry weather or the lightning. Human behavior is the one cause that listens. The guides say it plainly: Check local fire restrictions before you camp, keep campfires in designated rings, never leave one unattended, and put every fire out with buckets of water, stirring until the embers are cool. A fire ring that held in April will not hold on a red-flag afternoon in August. The Harney County guide shows what’s at stake. Two of its campgrounds, Yellowjacket and Emigrant, are listed as closed because of the human-caused 2024 Falls Fire. One careless spark took two favorite places off the map. Care keeps the rest on it. Pick up a guide at your county chamber of commerce office, or scan the QR code on any brochure for a digital version. Conditions change faster than print. Earlier this summer, fire closures reached Anthony Lake Campground, featured on the Baker guide’s cover. So, check the restrictions link, and call before you drive out. And if your evening closes around a campfire, end it with water and a stir, so the next family down the road finds the great outdoors still open. n SEPTEMBER 2026

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MARKETPLACE Agriculture

Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad

Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft.). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High puncture and tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 45 years in business. btlliners.com; 541-447-0712. 0427

Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing.

Organic frozen blueberries. Call for price and delivery possibilities. Sold in 1-gallon bags. 503-314-0145. 1026

Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.

Antiques and Collectibles Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117; send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 1126 WC Collectibles. We buy comic books. Local to Inland Northwest. Willing to travel. WCCollectiblesCheney@gmail.com; 509-496-1835. 0926 Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, 503-310-3321 or tjabaughman@yahoo.com. 0926 Old baseball cards. Pay in cash, via PayPal or Venmo. Will pay for shipping to Sutherlin, OR. budandvicky@msn.com. Call or text, 541-430-6900. Automotive 2015 wheelchair-accessible Chevrolet Silverado SVM conversion pickup. 32K miles in excellent condition. Side opening powerlift and additional driver’s seat. $35K. Prosser, WA. 509-948-5759. 0926 Boats 18-ft. handmade cedar canoe. Photos available. $2K, firm. Excellent condition. Contact Jim, jimdeArrieTa@gmail.com or 775-721-0390. 1026 Community Events New works: solo exhibits by artists Tom Novak and Aaron Akers. Sept. 4-Oct. 24 at Art Center East in La Grande, OR. artcentereast.org. 0926 Education Long Creek Virtual Learning Acellus Academy. Free in OR, online, accredited, K-12 education. Contact Long Creek School for information and to sign up. longcreekschool.com; 541-508-9164. 1226 26

Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 per month. An ad of up to 35 words is $50 per month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.

Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing. Closing deadline (in our office): November issue—Sept. 30 If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make a check or money order payable to Ruralite. We accept credit card payments for ads submitted to info@pioneer.coop. Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.

Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.

Equipment/Tools Bard heat pump. 1.5 tons, $3.2K. 208 volts, 40 amps. Cool or heat 1,000-sqft. area. Lightly used. Consider delivery at additional cost. Jombo5@aol.com; 541-306-0847. 0926 Ruud propane furnace. 80K BTU; $350. Can be converted to natural gas with kit. Used, 6 years old. Jombo5@aol.com; 541-306-0847. 0926 Farm Equipment 1958 Fordson Diesel Major tractor front loader and backhoe. Not running. Eatonville, WA. 253-310-7163; Jeffhoneytrout@gmail.com. Free Items Large number of military books and paperbacks. Histories, campaigns, individuals. Free to a good home. Larry Benson, P.O. Box 92, Sisters, OR 97759. 0926 Livestock, Supplies 1989 used 2-horse express stock trailer. Steel frame, new LED lights and plug, new tires, decent floors, current registration. $3K. Chuck, 541-817-3960 or 541-459-3643; jckholzer@douglasfast.net. 0926 Miscellaneous Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: Joe, highdesertmemorials@gmail.com or 541-815-8906; highdesertmemorials.com. 0926

Attention, landowners. Grants available now. Wildland fire fuel reduction service. Steep ground, remote, rocky, small lot, big acreage—no problem. Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. 509-399-3473 or Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com. 1126 Vintage white powder-coated cast-iron bathtub with decorative lion paw gold-plated feet. 60x30”. Gently sloped back, curved rim. Excellent condition. $1.5K. 541-646-1073. 0926 For sale: 25 PVC pipe quilt show display racks. 48x88.” $25. Elgin, OR. Call 541-437-1810 or 541-805-0918 for further information. Will deliver within a 60-mile radius. 0926 Pets Havanese puppies in Rainier, OR. Hypoallergenic, great for all ages. Raised by our family as quality pets for you. happeninhavanese.com; Rebecca, 503-728-6241. 0926 American Eskimo/mini husky stud available. White. Photos available. No puppies available. Central OR. Contact Liz, 360-901-1291. 1026 Pools/Spas Stay warm and healthy this winter. Custom outdoor saunas built and delivered to you from La Grande, OR. saunahublg.com; 541-805-1318. 1026

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Pool, 18x9x48”, above ground. Sand filter, extra liner, pool heater and plumbing, ladder and robot vacuum. $1.2K, OBO. Lightly used. Consider delivery at additional cost. Jombo5@aol.com; 541-306-0847. 0926 Real Estate Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourth-generation Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: Deschutes Canyon mountain views, 118 acres, riverfront. $11.9M. John Gill, 541-480-9161 or johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land and Wildlife brokerage. 0926 Small rancher’s paradise. Productive riverfront acreage, home, shop, arena. $765K. 4 Rivers Realty, Inc. 541-987-2363; ddwr@ortelco.net. 0926 Local cash buyer for all real estate and homes. Any condition or situation. No agents, no repairs, no waiting. Ready with serious offers. AJ, 509-530-1182. 1126 20 acres for sale in Elko County, NV. 10 miles east of Montello. Off Highway 233. Includes 26-ft. camp trailer, 20-ft. Conex, welder, generator. $15K. geopup58@gmail.com. 0926 Private 20-acre retreat with mature timber, a custom 2019 home, guest quarters, garage, orchard and view. Price reduced to $990K. Bordering timberland, this OR Coast property offers comfort, privacy and country living. Call 541-961-1889. 0926 Recreational Rentals Sunshine and sand—book your summer dreams at WaveCatcher for 2026. Oceanfront cottage with direct beach access, on the spectacular Central OR Coast. Sleeps 6. Pet-friendly. All house amenities. Winter closure Nov.-March. Reservations, information: text 541-740-2846; email relax@wavecatcherbeachrentals.com. 1026 Two beautiful Airbnbs overlooking the Clearwater River in Lenore, ID. Each is $1.25K per month, which includes DISH, Wi-Fi, electric, water and free eggs from our chickens. bearcountrygetaways.com. 0926 Recreational Vehicles 2021 Outdoors RV 24RLS. Great condition and everything works. Newer batteries, new awning. Lots of extras: solar, generators, tow hitch, etc. $35K. Lightly used. Consider delivery at additional cost. Jombo5@aol.com; 541-306-0847. For sale. 2016 Nash 22-ft. travel trailer. Very good condition. Easy lift hitch, load leveling bars, anti-sway bars and more. Hermiston, OR. 541-561-5158. 0926 2014 SoloRider Electric golf cart. Swivel and stand-up seat for disabilities or handicaps. Gently used and well maintained. Headlights, sun canopy, new batteries and charger. $6K. 509-948-5759. 0926

2016 wheelchair-accessible 7x14’ Carry-On cargo trailer. Wheelchair lift and rear door actuator. Batteries wired to electronics, power jack, built-in handrails, storage shelf, tiedowns, spare tire holder, parking block and Line-X-coated flooring. Dual axle. $9.5K. 509-948-5759. Prosser, WA area. 0926

100% Guaranteed Protective Sleeves

Services Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. Wildfire fuel reduction: clearing brush, thinning trees, animal habitat enhancement. Expert service. Grant money available: OR, WA, ID. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; 509-399-3473; bluemountainbrush.com. 1126 Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com; 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760, bonded and insured. La Pine, OR. 1226 Mel’s Furniture Restoration. Repair, rebuild and restore. Rescuing family heirlooms. Serving OR from Bend since 1975. Contact Frank, mfrankspiecker@gmail.com or 541-382-8316. 0926 Old West Coffins. Simple, dignified, traditional. Pine coffins, made-to-measure in the USA. Live the cowboy way, leave the cowboy way. oldwestcoffins.com. 530-640-1940. 1126 Certified mental health coach: anxiety support, life transitions, deepening self-awareness. $55 per 60-minute session. Free discovery call. Currently virtual sessions only. Email liz@mylifeinbalance.co to coordinate. 0926 Want to Buy Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117; send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 45 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 1026 Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spokeshaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009 or 971-666-0659. 0926

St ut t er i n g h u r ts .

•Prevents Cuts & Scratches •Durable Soft Leather •Adjustable Air-Flow

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Best Breads Cookbook This 8½-by-11-inch indexed cookbook features yeast breads, quick breads, scones and specialty breads for $10 (plus $3 shipping for any size order).

TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133 TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

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SEPTEMBER 2026

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OTEC Names Line Academy and Trade School Scholarship Recipients OTEC Member Foundation awards $5,000 scholarships to 12 students from six communities across the four counties Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative serves By Shiraz Mukarram Read the names of the hometowns before you read anything else: Baker City and North Powder. La Grande, Hines and Burns. Mt. Vernon. Members of the newest class of trade school and Apex Elite Line Academy scholarship recipients come from six communities spread across the four counties at the heart of Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative’s service territory. This is what

a cooperative’s investment looks like when you put it on a map. So far this year, the OTEC Member Foundation has awarded 12 scholarships of $5,000 each, 10 trade school scholarships and two Apex Elite Line Academy scholarships. Together, that totals $60,000 invested in skilled careers instead of borrowed against them. Every dollar comes from unclaimed capital credits and generous donations from OTEC member-owners—money that stays home and goes to work.

Two of this year’s scholarships carry a new name. Oliver Wentz, of Baker City, and Mason Martin, of North Powder, received the Apex Elite Line Academy Scholarship, which supports training at

the lineworker academy operated by Baker Technical Institute in Baker City. Line work is the trade this cooperative was built on, and these two scholarships help the next generation take it up.

Oliver Wentz, Baker City

Trade school programs move students into the workforce in two years or less, often with less debt and skills in demand by

Gerik Orszulak, Baker City

28

Mason Martin, North Powder

employers. Congratulations to the 10 newest trade school scholarship recipients:

Emmilya Dickison, Baker City

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OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Spencer Wheeler, Baker City

Daniel Maldonado, Baker City

Quinton Smith, La Grande

Wyatt Burns, La Grande Collin Apker, North Powder

Grayden Martinak, Hines

Preston Hill, Burns

Every recipient on these pages comes from an OTEC member family. Trade school classes finish quickly, and within a few years these students can be out fixing what breaks and building what lasts in the communities that raised them. Somewhere down the road, on a stormy night, one of these 12 people may even be on a crew that turns your lights back on.

Grace Kenyon, Mt. Vernon

A cooperative’s oldest promise is that what members put in comes back to them. Capital credits keep that promise in dollars. These scholarships keep it in people. n Trade school and Apex Elite Line Academy scholarship applications are open year-round. Visit otec.coop/scholarships to learn more and apply. SEPTEMBER 2026

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BEFORE YOU GO

Trail Oasis Tom Barnes captured Upper Rock Creek in the Eastern Sierra while hiking the Little Lakes Valley Trail in California. “I have hiked this trail four times and taken my two sons on it,” Tom says. “There are seven lakes along this 4-mile trail, with the trailhead beginning at 10,000 feet and ending at 11,000 feet. It is probably the most beautiful and favorite trail in all of the Eastern Sierra.” PHOTO BY TOM BARNES

To submit your photo, email a JPEG to photos@pioneer.coop. Include “Before You Go” in the subject line and share a bit about what inspired you to make your photo.

1920s Style for a 1920s Price

I

t was a warm summer afternoon and my wife and I were mingling with the best of them. The occasion was a 1920s-themed party, and everyone was dressed to the nines. Parked on the manse’s circular driveway was a beautiful classic convertible. Never ones to miss an opportunity, we climbed into the car’s long front seat. Among the many opulent features on display was a series of dashboard dials that accentuated the car’s lavish aura. One of those dials inspired our 1920s Retrograde Watch.

What does retrograde mean? Instead of displaying the hands rotating on an axis like most watches, the hands sweep in a semicircle, then return to their starting point and begin all over again. Retrograde watches by the big brands can set you back thousands; but because we’ve designed the 1920s Retrograde Watch in-house, we can offer it to you for just $99! This watch is so wildly popular with our customers that we’re actually concerned about running out; we only have 937 729 left for this ad! Watch Specifications: • Precision movement • Stainless steel case, caseback and crown • Retrograde hour and minute indicators • Water-resistant to 5 ATM • Brown genuine leather band • Fits wrists up to 8”

1920s Retrograde Watch $399 $99* + S&P Save $300 *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

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Throw Yourself a Bone Full tang stainless steel blade with natural bone handle —now ONLY $79!

T

he very best hunting knives possess a perfect balance of form and function. They’re carefully constructed from fine materials, but also have that little something extra to connect the owner with nature. If you’re on the hunt for a knife that combines impeccable craftsmanship EXCLUSIVE with a sense of wonder, the $79 Huntsman Blade is the trophy you’re looking for. Stauer® Pocket The blade is full tang, meaning it doesn’t stop at the handle but Binoculars extends to the length of the grip for the ultimate in strength. The blade is made from 420 surgical steel, famed for its sharpness and its -a $99 valueresistance to corrosion. with purchase of Huntsman Blade The handle is made from genuine natural bone, and features decorative wood spacers and a hand-carved motif of two overlapping feathers— a reminder for you to respect and connect with the natural world. This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers. But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of What Stauer Clients $99 Stauer pocket binoculars and a Are Saying About genuine leather sheath FREE when Our Knives you purchase the Huntsman Blade. Your satisfaction is 100%  guaranteed. Feel the knife in your “This knife is beautiful!” hands, wear it on your hip, inspect — J., La Crescent, MN the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal,  send it back within 30 days for a “The feel of this knife complete refund of the item price. is unbelievable...this Limited Reserves. A deal like this is an incredibly fine won’t last long. We have only 1120 instrument.” Huntsman Blades for this ad only. — H., Arvada, CO Don’t let this beauty slip through your BONUS! Call today and fingers. Call today! you’ll also receive this

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California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. • 12” overall length; 6 ¹⁄2” stainless steel full tang blade • Genuine bone handle with brass hand guard & bolsters • Includes genuine leather sheath

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HBK349-03_7.5x9.75.indd pp31 September2026.indd 41

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District Offices 4005 23rd St. P.O. Box 226 Baker City, OR 97814 541-523-3616 567 W. Pierce St. Burns, OR 97720 541-573-2666 400 Patterson Bridge Road P.O. Box 575 John Day, OR 97845 541-575-0161 2408 Cove Ave. La Grande, OR 97850 541-963-3155 otec.coop communications@otec.coop

Report Outages at 866-430-4265 Facebook.com/OTECoop

Follow Us on Instagram otec_coop

Follow us at x.com/OTECoop (@OTECoop)

Board Members President G. “Austin” Bingaman, Union County Vice President Gary Miller, Grant County Secretary-Treasurer Cory Miller, Union County Aletha Bonebrake, Baker County Charlene Chase, Baker County Jeff D. Clark, Union County Fred Hellbusch, Harney County Seth Musgrove, Union County Wayne Overton, Baker County

OR-48

The Engine of Eastern Oregon In this space last month, I wrote that three lightning fires burning in our counties would likely grow before the magazine reached your mailbox. They did, and they brought company. The Anthony Fire in the Elkhorns turned out to be the opening act. The Powder River Fire came within 5 miles of Richland. The Fox Fire tore through eastern Baker County. The Second Flat Fire pushed toward Burns and Hines, the Shingle Fire threatened Dayville in Grant County, and the Hagen Fire reached into Union County. Fire touched every county we serve. Oregon has broken a record no one wanted: more acres burned than in any season on the books. But when the story of this summer is told, the acres will not be the number that matters. The neighbors will be. Professional fire crews and emergency management teams came from across the Northwest to fight the fires, and we thank every one of them. Eastern Oregon’s first line of defenders has always lived close to home: rural fire protection districts, rangeland fire protection associations, volunteer departments, ranch families on dozers and water trucks. Near Richland, volunteers cut fences ahead of the flames so cattle could reach safe ground. Some of these folks fought fire within sight of their own fields. To all of them, from all of us at your cooperative: Thank you. Here is what I keep thinking about: In our towns, the volunteer at the fire hall and the name on the storefront are often the same person. Small business does not get talked about nearly enough for what it is: the engine of this economy. The U.S. Small Business Administration counts 99.9% of American businesses as small businesses. In Oregon, they employ more than half of the state’s workers, and in the latest federal count they created nine of every 10 net new jobs. The numbers are only half of it. Think about what happens when a town loses its dry cleaner. That errand now means a drive to Boise, and soon the grocery run rides along with it. Every storefront that stays open keeps a half-dozen other errands in town. Every one that closes sends them down the highway. A cooperative understands this because a cooperative is one of them: a local business, owned by the over 23,000 member-owners it serves, governed by a board elected from these counties. We are a natural partner for every business on our lines. The proof runs all through this issue. Our feature beginning on Page 4 tells the story of Sorbenots, a Baker City coffee company built by a local family and powered by Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative. The campground guides on Page 25 show chambers of commerce and OTEC working together to bring visitors to our small-town economies. On Pages 28-29, we explain the scholarships for students headed for the trades that keep those economies running. In the months ahead, you will meet more of the businesses that keep these counties working. Nearly a century ago, rural people built cooperatives because no one else felt places like these were worth the investment. This summer showed the same instinct is alive: When trouble comes, the neighbors show up. That is the engine of Eastern Oregon, and it has never once idled. Les Penning, CEO

Les Penning, CEO Ron Williams, Attorney

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