Ruralite, Wasco Electric Cooperative, March 2026

Ruralite WASCO ELECTRIC

MARCH 2026

Growing More Than Food Tygh Valley farm keeps fresh produce available year-round Page 4 Skylar Unti enjoys fresh corn from Tygh Creek Sustainable’s garden. PHOTO COURTESY OF TYGH CREEK SUSTAINABLE

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FROM THE PIONEER TEAM

Ruralite March 2026 • Volume 73, No. 3

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. 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.

Shaped By Other Hands There’s a moment in every apprenticeship when a student realizes the lesson isn’t just about technique—it’s also about trust. Rick Pass experienced this when he traveled to North Carolina at 62, newly retired, to study duck decoy carving with master carver Vic Kirkman. Eleven days of intensive work led to Rick’s first world carving championship event in Ocean City, Maryland, and from there to five summers studying in Canada with 14-time world champion Pat Godin. Rick hadn’t carved before retirement. He simply recognized that mastering something meaningful meant finding the right teachers and being willing to learn. That same spirit of generous mentorship runs through our Spotlight feature on traditional Western arts. Blacksmith Darryl Nelson, who forged his career from farrier to resident blacksmith at Oregon’s Timberline Lodge, speaks of feeling an obligation to the master smiths who taught him decades ago. Silversmith Beau Compton learned his trade from a mentor who never charged him a dime and now opens his own home and

workshop to the next generation. Saddlemaker Mario Hanel mastered his art through fellowship training. Rawhide braider Steve Harris learned from his brother at 15 and now teaches his 13-year-old daughter. In each case, knowledge traveled from one set of hands to another—not through textbooks or online tutorials but through the patient, in-person act of showing someone how it’s done. Dave LaBelle’s photography column carries this message forward in a different way. His reflection on Eva Schloss, Holocaust survivor and Anne Frank’s stepsister, reminds us that some of the most important lessons are passed through personal testimony. Eva spent decades sharing her story so others might learn from it—a form of mentorship that transcends any single craft. As we celebrate National Women’s History Month, I’m thinking about the mentors who shaped me and the knowledge I have a responsibility to pass along. Who taught you something that changed your path? Who might be waiting for you to do the same? Until next time, Chasity Anderson Editorial Director

Astoria Artist Masters Duck Decoys

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.

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Preserving Traditional Western Arts Spotlight, Page 12

For supplemental and interactive content, search @Ruralite on your favorite social media sites.

Reader Exchange 18 Adventure Awaits 20

Picture Hunt Before You Go

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

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Meals From the Heart In the Kitchen, Page 16

MARCH 2026

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Tygh Creek Sustainable’s 10-by-20-foot farmstand stocks fresh produce, preserves, honey and goods from ethical suppliers year-round. PHOTOS COURTESY OF TYGH CREEK SUSTAINABLE

Growing More Than Food Tygh Valley farm keeps fresh produce available year-round

By Andrew Cutler Elizabeth Unti recalls the moment in 2021 when she bought her current farmstand, a 10-by-20-foot insulated shed. Her husband, Evan, encouraged her to upgrade from a tiny trailer. But she wasn’t sure she could use all the new space. “I remember thinking, ‘What will I ever fill this with? It’s so big,’ ” Elizabeth says. Today, that stand, dubbed Tygh Creek Sustainable, feels small to her. The farmstand is stocked year-round with produce from a network of ethical growers Elizabeth has spent years cultivating. In the first six months of 2025, Tygh Creek Sustainable spent $70,000 on other farmers’ products—ethical and clean wares, by and large from small farmers. “We’re a tiny lil’ stand, but that’s a lot,” Elizabeth says. “It made me feel like what 4

we’re doing is making a difference, even beyond this immediate area.” The farmstand operates on the honor system. Customers weigh their purchases, leave cash or pay via Venmo, and take home fresh produce. Yet Tygh Creek Sustainable embodies something deeper than convenient grocery shopping. The venture is also about building a food system rooted in sustainability. From Windowsills to 12 Acres Elizabeth grew up in the Prineville and Bend areas, where her father, Tony Dombrowski, worked as a landscaper for many years. She escorted Tony to jobs, trimming hedges and mowing lawns. One of his clients was Les Schwab, whose grounds her father maintained. Les founded the tire company that bears his name and became one of Oregon’s most successful businessmen. “After seeing how creative and talented my dad was with plants, Les asked what he wanted to do,” Elizabeth says. “My dad said, ‘Grow food.’ Les hired another landscaper,

and my dad started growing gardens for Les and Dorothy, as well as Les’ daughter and her family. He worked for their personal family for something like 30 years, growing food.” Tony now lives on Elizabeth’s farm. Elizabeth has kept a garden since leaving home at 17, even if only on an apartment windowsill. Her first house with Evan was shaded, but she maximized every sunny spot. Then she leased a greenhouse and started a community-supported agriculture program. The need was clear, but space was limited. The garden took shape when the couple discovered 12 acres on Tygh Creek. For most of the year, Elizabeth and Tony manage day-to-day operations. Evan, a special education teacher, becomes a laborer in summer. Given the operation’s possible growing pains, Elizabeth wants to keep it manageable until they can reasonably justify hiring someone. Of the 12 acres, roughly 2 go to diverse food production. A 6-acre field grows soilenhancing forage crops.

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WASCO ELECTRIC margin,” she says. The farm uses wholly regenerative practices, such as companion planting, beneficial insects, compost and mulch. Closed-loop, regenerative agriculture isn’t predictable, nor is farming in general. “Our philosophy is that we are guests,” Elizabeth says. “We nurture healthy soil, use the resources with the utmost respect and conservation, support native wildlife. The food is a bonus, and so far, we’ve been gifted with nothing short of abundance.” That philosophy stretches beyond growing methods. Evan and Elizabeth Unti stand in their garden at Tygh Creek “Sustainability Sustainable. Evan becomes a valuable laborer during the summer, to me encompasses while Elizabeth and her father, Tony Dombrowski, run the day-today farm operations most of the year. more than the practice of growing,” Elizabeth says. “It means the workers can Beyond Organic afford to buy the food they bring to our The growing season starts in early January tables. It means less exploitation of both when Elizabeth evaluates seeds and studies people and the planet.” catalogs. By late February, she fires up the germination greenhouse—a 16-by-20-foot structure with heat mats and a propane Year-Round Access heater. Peppers start around March 1. The year-round operation took years to Propagating requires at least twice-daily build. Elizabeth established relationships oversight for eight to 12 weeks. with producers using innovative strategies. Elizabeth uses different types of Salad greens come from a hydroponic outfit protective structures to extend the growing in Mosier. She works closely with several season and start warm-weather crops, orchardists and fills in the rest through such as tomatoes, peppers and melons, Organically Grown Co., a wholesaler that earlier than they could if they were planted prioritizes ethical practices. directly outside. The more intensive harvest “I care as much about how the people does not begin until mid-July or early in the fields are treated as I do about the August, although cucumbers, kale, peas, practices used to produce (the food),” radishes and late carrots come earlier. Some Elizabeth says. years, harvest stretches well past Halloween. Her OGC account representative Elizabeth’s produce isn’t certified organic, appreciates what she wants—farms that but it routinely exceeds organic standards. provide opportunities to those historically “I’ve considered becoming certified so and categorically underserved, farms where I could wholesale to a distributor, but it’d the owners work with babies in packs on change the scope on a community level, their backs, and farms that prioritize truly would become more expensive for the sustainable practices. demographic we serve, and community The stand prioritizes what produce is in access means more to me than a higher season. In spring and summer, there are

lots of berries and summer vegetables. In the fall are apples, pears and citrus. There are almost always salad greens, onions, potatoes, carrots and celery. Cucumbers, avocados, bananas, peppers, lemons, limes and herbs are often available. Elizabeth shoots for at least a 20% margin, not accounting for loss, but she sells many things near cost. “I truly want my own dollars to go to people and things I believe in,” she says. “I’d rather put in the leg work providing a service while keeping my own fridge stocked with better stuff.” Community First The customer base is almost entirely local, and that’s who Elizabeth caters to. “I firmly believe that good food shouldn’t be a privilege, particularly in a developed country,” she says. “Ensuring our community can access good food without breaking the bank is the main priority.” Beyond the farmstand, Elizabeth and her family are involved at the local school. They host a free community Thanksgiving delivery to residents who might not otherwise enjoy a homegrown feast. They host fundraisers, actively contribute to the fire department, the community center and Head Start. They donate to the food bank. “We love this community and rise to whatever occasion is on the docket,” Elizabeth says. Farmstand plans include starting the process to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Infrastructure improvements will simplify certain logistics. They always try new crops for fun, for themselves and their customers. But they don’t plan to expand much more. “We have no intention of growing in such a way that we rely on tourist traffic,” Elizabeth says. “There are plenty of businesses in this area that very much do. We aren’t one of them, and we hope tourists will support them. If they stumble upon our stand, great, all are so welcome, but locals will always be the priority.” n Tygh Creek Sustainable is at 57557 Tygh Valley Road, Tygh Valley. The farmstand is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed every other Wednesday. Call 541-993-4611 or check social media for Wednesday closures. MARCH 2026

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Beyond The blue star is the standard, but how else can consumers make efficient choices? By Drew Woolley

Following are ways you can ensure you’re choosing the best new appliances and equipment for your home. By the Numbers Many appliances in your home or on the market have efficiency benchmarks you can track on your own. Even if they aren’t conveniently displayed on a label, you can still compare them between different models, as long as you know what to look for. Here are just a few examples: Heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. Heating and

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If you’re in the market for major appliances, you’ve probably noticed the Energy Star logo. It may appear on the bright yellow EnergyGuide labels that make it easy to compare one model’s annual energy use to another’s, or as a blue label setting apart products that meet especially high energy-efficiency standards. Buying an Energy Star-certified appliance not only ensures your home saves energy and leaves a smaller environmental footprint, but it can also save you money in the long run. While the program has undergone some recent changes, including the sunsetting of

federal rebates, looking for the Energy Star label is still the best way to be sure you’re investing in an efficient appliance that will lower your energy bill without sacrificing performance. But it isn’t the only way to keep track of how much energy your new purchase uses.

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PLUGGED IN cooling accounts for nearly half of the energy used in most homes, making it an area where greater efficiency can have the most noticeable impact. Much like cars have a miles-per-gallon rating, air conditioners and heat pumps have a seasonal energy-efficiency ratio. A higher SEER rating means a unit is more efficient and uses less energy over the course of a typical season. You may also run into energy-efficiency ratios. While similar, SEER ratings measure average efficiency over an entire season, whereas EER ratings judge cooling capacity performance during peak periods of extreme hot temperatures. Clothes washers. Similarly, the modified energy factor accounts for energy and hot water consumed during each wash cycle. It also accounts for how much moisture the washer leaves on clothes for a dryer to remove. The higher the MEF, the more efficient it is. If you’re concerned about water use, the water factor is also worth keeping an eye on. Windows. As one of the largest sources of heat gain and loss in a home, the efficiency of windows can’t be overlooked.

If you’re in the market to upgrade, keep an eye on the U-factor, which measures how well a window insulates, and the solar heat gain coefficient, which tells you how much heat the window lets through. Whether you prioritize U-factor or SHGC largely depends on your area’s climate and which direction the windows are facing. In the market for something specific? Most major household products and appliances have efficiency ratings just like these. Visit the Department of Energy or Environmental Protection Agency’s websites for more information on which ones to look to as a guide for making your own energy-efficient purchase. Ways to Save Rebates through Energy Star may be a thing of the past, but there are still ways to get help with energy-efficient investments. Rebates established under the Inflation Reduction Act on the state level are still options, but availability depends on where you live. Some states have started offering their own point-of-sale or mail-in rebates, so be sure to check what is available in your area.

In addition, your local electric utility may offer rebates of its own. Many have rebate pages on their websites where you can find forms to save on smart thermostats, efficient HVAC units, heat pumps and more. Even if direct rebates aren’t available, you may still be able to save by including efficient appliance purchases as part of a qualifying home improvement deductionwhen filing taxes. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and Residential Clean Energy Credit expired Dec. 31, 2025, but there is still time to apply the credit to purchases made before that deadline. Some states continue to offer their own tax credits for energy-efficient investments, so be sure to check what is available where you live. While buying an Energy Star-certified appliance may still be the easiest way to make efficient purchases for your home, it isn’t the only option. By paying extra attention to efficiency ratings for specific appliances and staying on top of rebates and tax incentives in your area, you can cut back on your upfront costs and energy bills over time. n

What’s Behind the Star?

Whether it’s a label on your new appliance or a logo on the EnergyGuide label, Energy Star certification gives buyers confidence they’re investing in long-term savings. But what does that blue star actually mean? Energy Star is a program established by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to help consumers find energyefficient products and reduce their impact on the environment. To earn the certification, products must perform more efficiently than the average model while providing the same level of performance. But that isn’t where the process ends. Each product is tested in EPA-recognized labs using standardized procedures to make sure it meets Energy Star requirements. Once testing is complete, a third-party certification group reviews and verifies it before a product gets the Energy Star label. Earning that certification still isn’t the end. The EPA conducts random, off-the-shelf testing of Energy Star products to make sure they still meet those high standards. If a product fails one of these verification tests, it may ultimately be disqualified and lose Energy Star certification.

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WASCO ELECTRIC

Continuing the Conversation Resources and planning ensure reliable, affordable power By Lindsay Forepaugh In the past two issues of Ruralite, we’ve shared information about the 9% rate adjustment scheduled to take effect this month and the factors behind the change. This month, we want to focus on where we’re headed and how Wasco Electric Cooperative is working to ensure a strong, reliable future for you, our members.

Moving Forward Together Transparency and communication are central to who we are as a cooperative. We will continue sharing updates and answering questions, so members are informed and prepared. Thank you for taking the time to stay engaged in this

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Helping Members Prepare We understand changes in your electric bill affect household and business budgets. That’s why WEC remains committed to providing tools and resources to help members manage their energy use. Members can take advantage of: • Energy-efficiency tips and usage insights • Free home and business energy audits • Guidance on improvements, such as insulation, window upgrades, and heating and cooling efficiency • Personalized support from our member services team Even small steps can lead to long-term savings. We are here to help members identify options that work best for them.

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A Thoughtful, Member-Focused Decision Rate adjustments are never made lightly. As a member-owned cooperative, our responsibility is to balance affordability with the long-term health of the electric system that serves you. This adjustment reflects careful planning to address rising wholesale power costs, ongoing system maintenance and the investments needed to keep electricity reliable across our service territory. Acting now lets us manage costs gradually and avoid larger increases in the future. It also ensures we can continue responding quickly to outages, maintaining infrastructure and planning for the needs of our growing communities.

important conversation. Your involvement strengthens our cooperative and helps ensure we can continue providing safe, reliable and affordable power to the homes, farms and businesses we are proud to serve. Together, we are planning not just for today—but for the future of our community. n

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Astoria Artist Masters

Duck Decoys

By Ginger Meurer

Living along the banks of the Columbia River, inspiration is always nearby for Rick Pass. The Astoria, Oregon, artist handcrafts lifelike waterfowl. While much of his work is destined for a place of pride on the mantel, plenty of his creations have a practical purpose as decoys for duck hunters. He tests them from his dock. “You have to make sure that they’re floating correctly,” Rick says. “If you throw them in the water upside down, they have to flip upright. Plus, you want to make them light, because you don’t want to be packing around a bunch of heavy stuff.” Astoria has long been known for waterfowl art. “In fact, if you look at the history of Astoria, there’s a couple of duck decoy carvers whose names come up,” Rick says. “Charles Bergman is the most famous one.” Born in Finland, Charles sailed the world before settling in Oregon as a

shipbuilder. He carved birds from salvaged scraps of the western red cedar used for watercraft. When he retired in his 70s, Charles began producing about a dozen decoys a week and selling them for just over $1 each. According to the Ward Foundation, administrator of the waterfowl decoy world championship, Charles made roughly 4,000 decoys from the late 1920s to early 1930s. Now those vintage creations fetch thousands at auction. A rare Charles Bergman swan sold for $36,650 at Sotheby’s. Legend has it there were once a dozen swans, and Charles’ grandson used to play with them. But Charles’ wife got tired of tripping over them on the porch and chopped up all but three for firewood.

A Hobby Hatches From age 15, Rick could be found fishing, hunting and bird-watching along the Columbia. His other passion was sports. He played basketball in high school, football in college and aspired to be a coach. Back then, coaches also had to be teachers. So, he taught history and served as head coach of the high school basketball team for 14 years. From there, he became a principal and finally superintendent. “I loved my career,” Rick says. “It didn’t matter whether I was coaching, teaching or an administrator. It was a lot of fun, and I met a lot of people. Hopefully impacted positively a few lives along the way.” While teaching, Rick noticed the superintendent’s passion for duck carving. But it wasn’t until Rick retired that he jumped into the art. “I knew as I was getting closer to retirement that I needed something,” he

ABOVE: Rick Pass begins his duck decoys from scratch in his Astoria, Oregon, workshop. LEFT: The duck decoys are functional and ready for hunting but are also lifelike pieces of art. PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICK PASS

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UP CLOSE

s FROM LEFT: Rick sands a decoy with a Dremel in his workshop. Rick’s shop shelves are packed with ducks in a variety of stages of construction. The hundreds of ribbons he’s won for his waterfowl carvings inspire him to keep carving.

says. “And whatever it is, if it’s church or your family or carving or a mixture of those, you have to have something to get up every day.” To learn, Rick sought out the best. “I was already 62 when I retired,” he says. “I figured, if I’m going to be any good at this, I’ve got to find my people and learn quickly.” Rick traveled to North Carolina to study with Vic Kirkman. “I carved with him for 11 days,” Rick says. “While we were there, he took me to my first world carving championship in Ocean City, Maryland. That was the final spark to see, oh my goodness, the quality of work. Everything from a working decoy to these masterful pieces that sold for a lot of money to sit on shelves.” While in Ocean City, Rick met more masters, including Pat Godin, who won the world championship more than 14 times. Later, Rick flew to Ontario, Canada, to work with Pat. He spent five summers studying with him in Edmonton. Quality Craftsmanship Rick saves his stock of old-growth red cedar for special occasions and mostly works with tupelo wood. Tupelo trees grow in Carolina and Louisiana swamps. Rick says

the water-submerged tree bottoms are soft wood that’s light and carves easily. “That’s the preferred wood of 90% of carvers,” Rick says. “Balsa would work, too, but tupelo and bass wood are the two most popular woods. Of course, in the old days you’d carve what you had available.” Rick’s shop is packed with wood, carving tools and birds—not just the carved ones. “When I get to the painting, I always get out a real bird and lay it here and try to match the colors as best as I can,” he says. Rick’s collection includes taxidermy birds and a freezer packed with frozen fowl. While he bought a few of the specimens, many were acquired as trades for carvings. Carving Out Community Rick sells and trades his decoys and takes his best to competitions. He travels to compete, making sure to attend the Canadian nationals and the Ward World Championships. “The competition is really about showing our artwork,” Rick says. “Yeah, we do compete against each other, and yes, there are some prizes, but really, it’s the camaraderie and getting to know each other. And finding out, ‘How did you do that?’ And, ‘This is how I do it.’ ”

Rick doesn’t have to travel far to find camaraderie. There’s plenty at home. Regulars drop by his shop to work, watch him work or just chat. “People stop by, we create problems, we solve world problems,” he says. “It’s just as much about those kinds of things as it is about carving. A lot of problems are solved in this shop. Once we walk out, the problems are still there in the world. But we do hash them over a little bit.” Rick worries that decoy carving is a dying art. His sons—a riverboat pilot and a pharmacist—haven’t gotten into it yet. His grandchildren have tested the waters a bit and even gone to competitions. But every year Rick sees fewer carvers. “People just don’t do it anymore,” he says. “If you’re going to go hunting, you buy your decoys. It used to be if you wanted to go hunting, you made your decoys because you didn’t have the money to buy them.” Rick plans to stick with the art and with Astoria. “We’ve had a great life,” Rick says. “I love it here. This is where we grew up, and it’s quite a special place. Our boys went sturgeon fishing, salmon fishing right out there. It’s pretty hard not to love this place.” n MARCH 2026

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SPOTLIGHT

Western Arts Preserving Traditional

By Ginger Meurer

Forging Ahead Eatonville, Washington, blacksmith Darryl Nelson started at 19 as a farrier. “I had wanted to be a vet but didn’t want to do another eight years of school,” he says. “So, I decided I’d shoe horses.” In farrier class, Darryl met a young man fresh from blacksmithing school in New Mexico who told Darryl about the trade. “I was quite inspired by what you could do with a little piece of steel,” he says. Darryl shod horses while building skills in architectural ironwork. “I found that I enjoyed my time at the anvil more than under the horse,” he says. After 13 years as a farrier, he moved into full-time blacksmithing. In 1979, Darryl and a group of other artists formed the Northwest Blacksmith Association. As a cooperative nonprofit, they pool funds and bring in blacksmiths from around the country to teach master classes. Through the association, Darryl met Russell Maugans, second in a line of resident blacksmiths at the iconic Timberline Lodge on Oregon’s Mount Hood. They began working on projects together. Eventually, Darryl became the lodge’s third resident blacksmith. He continues to perform repairs and craft a line of artistic ironwork sold in the gift shop. Darryl is also involved with the Cascadia Center for the Arts & Crafts in nearby Government Camp. Every summer at CCAC, former U.S. Forest

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In today’s throwaway culture, traditional Western craftsmanship endures. Area organizations and artisans strive to keep these centuries-old techniques alive.

Service buildings are packed with artists taking classes in a variety of disciplines, including blacksmithing, glass, jewelry arts, textile and fiber arts, visual arts, printmaking, and even writing. The big draw for Darryl is Blacksmith Week, which features classes for all levels. There are demonstrations from skilled smiths and hands-on experiences, too. He says the event has grown considerably since its creation 20 years ago. The national Western States Blacksmithing Conference has been held at the camp twice. “Usually at Blacksmith Week, we have between 50 and 75 people in attendance,” Darryl says. “For the western states conferences, we literally filled the whole town of Government Camp with 400 smiths from around the country and even had some from South Africa and Australia.” “We also have group projects where everybody from all levels is encouraged to try their hand,” Darryl says. Blacksmith Week is mostly about passing on the craft. “I almost feel an obligation to the master smiths who taught me 50 years ago,” Darryl says. “For centuries, blacksmithing was pretty common. At the same time, there were a lot of closely guarded secrets because it was so common that it was highly competitive. So, for a long time, it was hard unless you were an actual apprentice or in most places, it stayed within a family.” Darryl’s great-grandfather was a blacksmith who came to America in the late 1800s to forge his own path in business. Because he was not the eldest son, he wasn’t expected to inherit the family shop in Denmark, so he began working in North Dakota. Shops like his adapted as equine-driven economies turned to tractors and cars. Many

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Roseburg, Oregon, artisan Steve Harris demonstrates the hackamore reigns he uses as he rides an Appaloosa. PHOTO BY SANDRA HANNON Steve relies on his wife, Rebekah, photographed with their then-four-year-old son, Tom. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HARRIS FAMILY

blacksmith shops transitioned into auto shops. When Darryl’s father was growing up, there was still a forging station in the corner. Darryl’s father left the family trade and moved to Washington to work for Boeing. But Darryl had the support of his family when he chose to take up blacksmithing. He even had a chance to do some forging with his grandfather, and he holds precious the few tools he inherited from him. Darryl loves everything about blacksmithing—the fire and the hot steel and “just being able to shape and manipulate something that is as resistant as steel,” he says. He’s known for crafting expressive animal heads, but his favorite thing to make is tools. “Really, the key thing with blacksmithing is tool making,” he says. “Most of the tools I have that I use daily, I made myself. I love making a tool and then being able to use it to make other things.”

When asked what advice he has for people considering the trade, Darryl laughs. “We used to tell people, which is probably still fairly accurate, to make sure your wife has a good job. And there’s a lot of female blacksmiths now, too. But one of you had better have a steady job.” Darryl’s wife, Suzan, has been extremely understanding, he says, and tolerant of the mess he makes. “They don’t call us blacksmiths for nothing,” he says. Smithing in Silver Silversmith Beau Compton is in his second term as president of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. He has been a member of the organization for 10 years, but getting in wasn’t easy. It took the Tombstone, Arizona, artist five years of hard work to finally join the ranks. The small, elite group of master-level artisans formed more than 25 years ago to preserve and honor cowboy arts.

Divided into four traditional disciplines— silversmithing, bit and spur making, saddlemaking and rawhide braiding— members offer an education program with mentorship training to aspiring artists from around the world. The association awards two scholarships annually to help craftspeople participate in the program. Beau says the old masters were afraid to teach anyone aside from family or apprentices. “They were scared of anybody taking their glory away, I guess, or their money,” he says. The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association thinks differently. “We’re open to discussing and showing new makers anything,” Beau says. “That’s what’s really cool. We don’t have anything to hide. We all just love teaching and just really support it.” Beau studied with silversmith Mark Drain in Seattle. Then, he headed to Canada to work with Scott Hardy. In both MARCH 2026

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Silversmith Beau Compton puts countless hours of work into his one-of-a-kind custom belt buckles, rings and more. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEAU COMPTON

fellowships, the master artisans were kind enough to put Beau up in a spare bedroom and teach him the finer points of the trade. Beau’s family was active in ranching and professional rodeo, so cowboy arts came naturally. After graduating in 1997 from high school in Colorado, he contemplated bit and spur making. Marlo, his thengirlfriend and now-wife, had a family connection to Vic Vasquez, an Arizona saddlemaker, silversmith, and bit and spur maker. “He was very kind to me,” Beau says. “He never charged me anything, and I got to learn from him for about four years before he passed away.” Vic’s widow gave Beau the first shot at buying the shop. “I got to buy all his equipment and everything right off the bat,” he says. “I was pretty set up.” Now, Beau passes on that kindness through the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. He also opens his home and workshop to several fellowship recipients. “We have some wonderful donors and supporters who give us that money every year to help further that education,” Beau 14

says. “It’s only through our generous supporters that we can do that.” Silversmithing isn’t without its challenges. Lately, the stress has been the skyrocketing price of metals. Beau says the cost has increased significantly since last summer. “Silver was at $25 an ounce,” Beau says. “It’s up over $80 right now. And gold was around $2,200, and yesterday it was at $4,600. It’s getting very costly. We’re treading water that we’ve never been in. We’ve seen silver hit $50 before, and it’s always come back down. But this just feels different. I’m not so sure that it’s ever going to come back down. “We’ll do what we have to and flow with whatever change we need to and adapt,” he says. “We’ll be all right. Silver has always been a fun metal to play in, and now it’s like, ‘Wait, this is getting serious.’ We can’t waste any of this stuff anymore.” Lining Up for Saddles Chiloquin, Oregon, saddlemaker Mario Hanel doesn’t advertise his business because he doesn’t need to. He has a threeyear waiting list. Part of the reason that line forms is because Mario is slow but steady.

“This isn’t a factory,” he says. “It’s a one-man shop, and I’m very meticulous. It takes longer than an average saddlemaker for me to build a saddle. The more I learn about making a saddle more functional and aesthetically pleasing to look at, the longer it takes. “I’ve never focused on production. I was raised around craftsmen, and I was taught that it doesn’t matter how long it takes. The end product is the important thing.” Mario’s work begins at the core as he hand-carves the tree, which is the wood scaffolding beneath the saddle’s leather. Mario mastered tree-making through a fellowship with the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association and training with master craftsman Troy West in Texas. “Some people will walk up to a saddle and say, ‘Man, that’s a really pretty saddle,’ ” Mario says. “It’s not just the curving—it’s the lines and shapes and the flow and things like that. There’s a lot more to it. Building a tree to me is a lot like sculpting. You’re actually carving wood into a shape. If your horn isn’t shaped right, it doesn’t work as well. There’s a whole art to it. And that’s what really interests me.”

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LEFT: Blacksmith Darryl Nelson demonstrates during Blacksmith Week. While Darryl is best known for creating animal heads, he frequently stretches the limits of the medium with creative sculptures in metal. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DARRYL NELSON

And comfort is key for customers who sit in a saddle every day. “I have customers that go ride on the weekend every chance they get, but most of my customers are making a living at it,” Mario says. “They use it in the rain, the snow, the sun, all those things that are hard on stuff, especially leather.” Having a pretty saddle is important, but it’s not enough. “A guy who sits in a saddle all day if the seat’s not right, they’re not going to keep that saddle very long,” Mario says. “You can carve the prettiest flowers in the world, but if it doesn’t work, a cowboy is just not going to hang onto it, and a lot of cowboys are going to hear about it.” Mastering the Braid Roseburg, Oregon, artist Steve Harris is a master of the hackamore, a bitless bridle that uses pressure on a horse’s nose, chin and poll, rather than inside the mouth, to guide and control. He and his family raise cattle to produce the rawhide that he braids into elaborate, artistic and functional pieces. Steve grew up on horseback, riding bareback as long as he can remember. “I actually am the fourth born in my family, but the third born was a horse,” he says. “He was born to a mare that belonged to my mother out of a stallion that was owned by my grandfather. I always had to

Oregon saddle maker Mario Hanel starts with a hand-carved tree, which is a scaffolding beneath his elaborate custom saddles. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIO HANEL

take a backseat to him. He grew up before I did, so he raised me.” Steve learned to braid from his brother when he was 15. “He and I got to braiding together, and it was just a treat,” Steve says. “I really loved it.” He loved it so much he kept at it. Steve makes and repairs saddles and more, but it’s hackamores he loves. “I really love making hackamore best because when you’re riding hackamore, it really cleans up all your signals,” he says. “Because you’re just riding the horse. Your signal can be really nuanced or really simple, but it’s the horse you’re riding, not the gear. “When I was a kid and riding bareback, there was that. I was just riding the horse. I think philosophically that’s influenced me as a saddlemaker and as a teacher and as a horseman. It influences me as a parent and in everything I do.” The whole Harris family is involved in the craft, from Steve’s wife, Rebekah, to his 13-year-old daughter and apprentice Caitriona, and his younger children, who make everything from earrings to braided keychains.

Although seemingly simple to the eye, hackamores are intricately designed and crafted for communication between the rider and horse. “A strand of rawhide is a strand of rawhide, but if you and I put 16 strands of rawhide together, braid them around a core and get the nose button in the right shape, suddenly we’ve got something that talks to a horse in a real nuanced way,” Steve says. “That same volume of rawhide in just one single strip is pretty useless as anything but a dog chew. But if you put the effort it takes into refining all those strands and putting them together just right, you get results that look like magic.” n MARCH 2026

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IN THE KITCHEN

Meals From the Heart INSPIRE LOVE WITH PROPOSAL-WORTHY DISHES Marry Me Slow-Cooker Chicken 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, about 2 pounds 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon salted butter 1 cup chicken stock 1 tablespoon cornstarch 4 cloves garlic, minced Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY FOMAA

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¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional ½ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ½ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped 1 cup heavy cream, warmed slightly 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat, then sear chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Transfer to slow cooker along with any leftover butter and juices from the skillet. In a bowl, whisk chicken stock with cornstarch, garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano and thyme. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Top each chicken breast with chopped sundried tomatoes. Cover. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1½-2 hours, until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove chicken to a plate, and keep warm. Stir heavy cream and Parmesan into the hot liquid in the slow cooker until smooth. Return chicken to sauce. Spoon sauce over the top, and let rest for 5-10 minutes on warm. Garnish with basil before serving.

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t

Marry Me Chocolate Cake 18.25-ounce package devil’s food cake mix 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix 2 cups sour cream 1 cup melted butter, cooled 5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips Strawberries, optional Powdered sugar, optional

Heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes. Make a well in the center, and add sour cream, butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, then beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Mix in chocolate chips by hand. Pour batter into greased pan, and bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a plate and cool completely. Garnish with strawberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup drained sundried tomatoes packed in oil, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red sliced, plus 4 tablespoons pepper flakes tomato oil, divided 2 cups chicken broth 1 pound large shrimp, 1 cup heavy cream peeled, deveined, tails 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning removed 5 ounces baby spinach Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 ounce Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for 16 ounces rigatoni or penne serving pasta Torn fresh basil leaves, 4 garlic cloves, finely for serving chopped

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons tomato oil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook in oil, stirring occasionally, until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Stir occasionally, until al dente, according to package directions. Drain. In the same skillet over medium heat, cook garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and remaining tomato oil. Stir until tomato paste deepens in color, about 1 minute. Add sundried tomatoes, broth, cream and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce slightly reduces, about 5 minutes. Add spinach. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Add pasta, shrimp and Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until pasta is coated and sauce is glossy. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove skillet from heat. Cover, and let sit 2 to 3 minutes. Stir pasta again to coat. Divide the mixture among bowls. Top with basil and more Parmesan.

Marry Me Chicken Soup 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup yellow onion, diced 2¼ teaspoons salt, divided Pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons tomato paste 6 cups chicken stock 1 ⁄ 3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped

3 cups shredded cooked chicken 2 cups small-shape pasta, such as orecchiette ½ cup heavy cream 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 cups baby spinach 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften. Sprinkle in garlic powder and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Pour in chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and sundried tomatoes. Add chicken, and stir to combine. Cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta. Stir. Cover, and reduce heat to a strong simmer. Cook for 8-15 minutes depending on the pasta type. Stir occasionally, until pasta is just cooked through. Turn off heat. Add cream, Parmesan cheese, spinach and vinegar. Stir to combine and melt the cheese.

Marry Me Meatballs

18 ounces ground chicken 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided 2 teaspoons paprika, divided ½ cup grated Parmesan, divided Pinch of sea salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 5 ounces sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 cup chicken stock 1/2 lemon Basil leaves, for garnish

Place the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika and ¼ cup Parmesan in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Use clean hands to mix everything together, then roll mixture into 16 meatballs. In a large, deep frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry meatballs, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until golden all over. Remove them to a plate. Add garlic, sundried tomatoes and remaining dried oregano and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until garlic has softened. Add cream, stock, remaining Parmesan, and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Stir well. Add meatballs, and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure meatballs are cooked through, then remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle basil over the top.

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READER EXCHANGE

Crafts/Hobbies I am in need of yarn to make hats for homeless people and people who are receiving cancer treatments. Leftover yarn is used to make hats for newborn babies. The person who makes these hats is a homebound person on oxygen. This not only gives him an activity, but it also helps those in need. From 2019 to the present, he has made over 2,000 hats. I distribute these hats to the people who need them. Deb Darr 3550 Sample Road Falls City, OR 97344

I am looking for unwanted stamped post cards, stamp albums, world stamps, old stamped envelopes or any stamps you don’t know what to do with. I’m filling in unfinished stamp albums I inherited from my dad. I would love any you can send. Thank you.

Camp Elkanah is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and we would love to hear from you. If you were a camper, staff member, dream team member or volunteer, we would appreciate your memories or photos. What were your favorite activities, food or games? You can write a sentence or a book. All will be appreciated. Contact us at the address or email below. Camp Elkanah P.O. Box 150 La Grande, Oregon 97850 Email: elkanah@campelkanah.com Website: campelkanah.com (click on “Share your story”)

Thanks I want to thank everyone for all the cards, letters, gifts and flowers. Everything was amazing. Mom received over 320 handmade cards, and kindness and prayers. I cannot express how much it meant. It also was good for residents seeing her get mail.

Lori Arola 82162 Red Bluff Road Seaside, OR 97138-5037

Susan Mascall North Powder, Oregon

Milestones

Thanks to everyone who sent recipes. Reading comments was fun. I started looking forward to getting mail again. I received lots of good-looking cornbread recipes; even the one I had asked for.

Our incredible mother, Elizabeth Gwiazdon (aka Betty), celebrates her 100th birthday in March. She was born in Hawaii and traveled the world with her Army dad and mom. She married a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and raised 6 amazing children. She has 13 grands, 19 great-grands, and 2 great-great-grands. She started as a secretary for a property management company in the mid ’70s and rose to the ranks of executive director of the Sacramento Apartment Association. She then worked for another tenant/landlord group, taught classes at our local college and then started a consulting business to continue to help educate and mediate tenant/landlord issues. She just retired at 98. She’s been an incredible role model and positively influenced countless people her entire life and career. She is full of life, love and laughter. She’s a fashionista. She dresses every day as if she was greeting the president or the queen of England. We would love to share cards and wishes with her and the family. Please send to: C/O Michele Skupic, P.O. Box 207, Graeagle, CA 96103-0207. My sincerest gratitude. Michele Skupic Graeagle, California

Odds Looking for screws for long genealogy books. I need 6 or 8 metal extension screws to hold more pages for each book. Thank you. Lucile Stecklein P.O. Box 116 Blackfoot, ID 83221

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Elena Nightingale LaGrande, Oregon

Submitting Requests Is Free

Send your request (no attachments) 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 (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 if they are 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.

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ADVENTURE AWAITS

Watch Wildlife Wander Through Pristine Nature in Northern Nevada at

Sheldon

National Wildlife Refuge

What Is It? Thousands of pronghorn, deer, bighorn sheep and more roam on hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness in Northern Nevada at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge—which also has beautiful mountains, dark skies and geological features—was originally established to benefit pronghorn populations. 20

History

Wildlife

Pronghorn populations in Nevada rapidly shrunk in the early 1900s. Nonnative animals, such as horses, sheep and cattle, were overtaking the habitat. The Audubon Society and Boone and Crockett Club bought the more than 30,000-acre Last Chance Ranch to create an antelope refuge. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enlarged the refuge to nearly 540,000 acres.

Thousands of pronghorn live in the greater Hart-Sheldon area, straddling the Oregon-Nevada border. Pronghorn can run sustained sprints of about 50 mph, making it the fastest North American land mammal. The refuge is also home to bighorn sheep, mule deer and sage grouse. Visitors may even see an American pika, a small herbivorous mammal that looks like a mix of a mouse and rabbit.

Pronghorn graze at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. PHOTO

A Gorge Trip The refuge has a rugged landscape ready for those willing to explore it. One popular site is Thousand Creek Gorge, a slot canyon with 500-foot-tall walls. Visitors will likely need to take a moderate hike or have a higher clearance vehicle to get there. Many make their way to Virgin Valley Warm Spring to camp, while others head out to watch the wildlife at Catnip Reservoir.

COURTESY OF USFWS

More Information Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge is very remote. While that can be great for getting away from it all and diving into nature, be sure to have a full tank of gas and carry extra fuel—visitors will be more than 100 miles from a gas station. To learn more, call 775-941-0199 or visitfws.gov/refuge/ sheldon.

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THE GREAT PICTURE HUNT

Shining a Light

NIKON D200, 180mm lens ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/200 By Dave LaBelle Every calendar month is dedicated to bringing awareness to its own cause or observance, some lighthearted and others profoundly meaningful. October, for instance, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, yet it also shares space with National Pizza Month. In the United Kingdom, 30 days across May and June are recognized as National Smile Month. And while we might celebrate whimsical Mustache March, the month is also designated as National Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s contributions to history, culture and society. Throughout my career, I have photographed many famous women—movie stars, civil rights figures and humanitarians from all walks of life. In 2011, I photographed Eva Schloss, a survivor of Hitler’s death camps and Anne Frank’s stepsister. Eva died Jan. 3 in London at the age of 96. Approachable and generous with her time, Eva told her story to audiences for two days. Like Anne, Eva and her family went into hiding from the Nazis, and after two years, they were tracked down, arrested and deported to concentration camps. Eva barely survived Auschwitz, and her brother and father died in captivity. “The horrors that she endured as a young woman are impossible to comprehend and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience through her tireless work for the Anne Frank Trust UK and for Holocaust education across the world,” 22

Reader Challenge

While I advocate photographing famous people whenever and wherever you can, don’t limit documenting only those society or fate has shined a light on. Ask yourself, “Is there is a person I admire in my world, a giving soul in my community I can honor?” Try to make a portrait that celebrates their character. 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.

King Charles says in a piece written by Thomas Mackintosh and published by the BBC on Jan. 4, 2026. Beneath Eva’s positive public face, she shared with me after a lecture that waves of pain linger. I watched for images that might reveal that pain and often shot as tight as possible, usually with a telephoto lens to compress the face, hoping to capture subtle expressions that reveal the pain in her heart. n To learn more of Eva’s story, check out bit.ly/4qYVuC4 or pick up one of her books, “Eva’s Sto­ry: A Sur­vivor’s Tale by the Step­sis­ter of Anne Frank” and “The Promise: The Moving Story of a Family in the Holocaust.”

Photographer, author and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century, sharing photo tips and life perspectives with readers. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and his blog at bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

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NORTHWEST GARDENING Think ahead to reap the rewards of juicy strawberries. ADOBE

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PLANT STRAWBERRIES IN EARLY SPRING Plan well to pick ripe fruit most of the growing season Strawberries fall into three categories, each with several varieties. June-bearers produce one crop per year, usually during June. Everbearers produce two crops per year, one in June and one in August. Dayneutrals produce an almost continuous crop from May through early fall. After selecting a category you would like to grow, choose a variety. For Junebearing, Hood gives a good flush of berries in June and July and is the standard-bearer for flavor. Day-neutral Albion has large fruit and stores well for fresh eating, while Seascape bears smaller fruit throughout the season. Quinault is readily available in the everbearing category. Plant strawberries in full sun for best production. Build a raised bed 12 inches high by tilling in organic material, preferably compost, but anything is better than nothing. There are two ways to plant strawberries: the matted-row and hill systems. Matted row is the preferred method for June-bearers, and hill method is preferredfor day-neutral and everbearers. To make a matted-row system, place plants 12 to 15 inches apart in 2-foot-wide rows with beds 3 to 4 feet apart. The runners, which root and form new plants, will fill in the remaining space—resulting in a

dense planting. As the runners grow outside the bed, push them back inside. In the hill system, keep plants 12 to 15 inches apart, alternating in double- or triple-wide rows. Aisles should be 1½ to 2 feet wide. Cut off all runners every two to three weeks. It’s best to wait until runners have formed “daughter” plants but have not rooted. This will give you one large plant in each spot. Use a balanced fertilizer with the three numbers—percent nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium—on the front label equal or close to equal: 16-16-16, for example. Check the label and divide the overall amount recommended by the number of applications needed throughout the season. Strawberries are self-pollinating. They have better yield and larger fruit with increased pollination from bees, so keeping a bee-friendly garden is a good idea. Don’t be dismayed if strawberries don’t bear much the first year. Plants produce a full crop the next year and two to four seasons after that before production dwindles. Then, new plants need to go in. Start a new patch the year your existing one is in its last season, so you don’t skip a year of fruit. Day-neutral strawberries should only be kept for two years and will produce a nice crop the first year.

Remove the first two flushes of flowers to encourage a well-developed root system. To achieve maximum yield, do not let plants become stressed by lack of water. Keep newly set strawberries well irrigated with about 1 to 1½ inches of water a week. Don’t saturate the soil. Let the soil dry out to the touch—up to the first knuckle— before watering down to 6 to 8 inches. June-bearers need to be cut back substantially every year. After they have finished producing berries, use a string trimmer or rotary mower to cut plants to about 2 inches above the crown. Remove the debris, but don’t rake vigorously. Strawberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt, so rotate beds periodically. Spotted wing drosophila can be a pest. The best control is to keep your beds clean. Pick berries regularly, try to avoid a wet environment, and keep runners pruned. The natural pesticide spinosad, sold under various brands, is one of the best treatments, if needed. n Look for more information in Oregon State University Extension publications “Growing Strawberries in Your Home Garden” and “Strawberry Cultivars for Oregon.” Visit https://tinyurl.com/4krydzze and https://tinyurl.com/3av6vfyx, respectively. Information courtesy of OSU Extension Service. MARCH 2026

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MARKETPLACE Agriculture

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 43 years in business. btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0426 Seeking summer pasture for 20-80 cow-calf pairs. Call 541-519-7068 or 208-880-2518. ID Eastern, OR. 0326 Antiques and Collectibles 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. 0326 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 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. Automotive 1978 Jeep CJ5. 6 cyl. 4 sp. Good condition. New seats and top. $10K. 208-435-4798. 0326 Books, Magazines, Videos Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com. Community Events Beekeeping Class by Dick Turanski from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Eugene Mission, 1470 W. 1st Ave., Eugene, OR. Advance registration and payment required. Class limit is 70 people. $50 cash or check only. Checks payable to RPT & Associates, P.O. Box 41294, Eugene, OR 97404. Two teachers will answers your questions: Richard T. Turanski, 55 years of beekeeping, first taught at Lane Community College in 1975; and Mike France, former president of Lane County Beekeepers Association, teacher at Lane County Beekeepers Association. Includes coffee, banana bread and lunch served noon-1 p.m. Park in lot or on the street. Contact for registration by email only, Dick.Turanski@GloryBee.com. 0326 Long Creek, Oregon, Emergency Services Appreciation Dinner. April 25. Live auction items are fire engine, flat utility trailer, Hamley saddle, firewood and more. For dinner reservations, call 541-421-3601. For more information, visit cityoflongcreek.org. 0426

26

Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad

Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word. Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information. 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. Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing. Closing deadlines (in our office): May issue—March 31 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 check or money order payable to Ruralite. We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad 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.

Art Center East’s 49th birthday March Membership Drive. Spring Makers Week, March 23-27: art classes for all ages in La Grande, OR. artcentereast.org. 0326 Farm Equipment 1940s Caterpillar D2, hydraulic blade up/ down, full canopy, many photos. Belonged to my late father. Diesel engine stuck so asking only $3.5K, OBO. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073. Water trailer. About 400 gallons, Homelite pump, on heavy-duty ex-military trailer. Photos, no title. Pump not started since before COVID-19. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073. Free Items Free materials—church/government unite. National Sunday Law. TBSM, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. tbsmads@yahoo.com; 1-888-211-1715. 0426AR Help Wanted Camp hosts/caretakers wanted for the Tucannon River RV Park, a small (33 sites), modern RV park in rural SE WA on the Lower Tucannon River. Prefer active retired couple able to meet and greet, take reservations, pull hoses, mow, general maintenance. RV required, FHU provided, plus stipend. Call 509-382-2759.

Livestock, Supplies Live bees by Dick Turanski. New large supplier of 5 frame nucs in nuc box. Available 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Nucs with your choice of queens as follows: Italians, Carniolans or Buckfast (Buckfast is NEW, starting with a limit of 2 nucs per customer). Introductory low price of $200 per nuc or more than 10 at $195 per nuc. Order via email, dick.turanski@glorybee.com. Mail checks to RPT & Associates, P.O. Box 41294, Eugene, OR 97404. Deadline for checks must be postdated April 30, 2026. Pick up location in the gravel yard next to GloryBee’s Distribution Center 29548 B Airport Road, Eugene (directly off Highway 99). Stop by the pop-up tent to check in. 0426 Miscellaneous Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: highdesertmemorials.com; Joe, 541-815-8906 or highdesertmemorials@gmail.com. 0326 Attention landowners. Grants available now. Wildland fire fuel reduction service. Steep ground, remote, rocky, small lot, big acreage are no problem. Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126

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Animal and human wilderness tracking school materials. Writings, slides, physical displays, teaching materials and books. Enormous collection for anyone interested in tracking. Dave, fairbanksaircraft@comcast.net. 0326 Tulsa 3-stage planetary gear reduction, bought surplus from Link Belt Crane, used as final drive for P&H and LB 100-ton crawler cranes. Best use, 4-ft. tunnel drill using ROTEK turntable bearing, $5K. 6 truck tires, 50% tread, Patagonia mud and snow. LT215/R8516, 60% tread. $600. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0326 Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch of preserved freshness by blast freezing at sea, gourmet canned tuna on internet. Sept.June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. Original, jalapeno and garlic flavors available. To order: twofisherstuna.com or 206-799-1082. 0526 Pets, Supplies Havanese puppies in Rainier, OR. Hypoallergenic, great for all ages. Raised by our family as quality pets for you. Visit www.happeninhavanese.com or call Rebecca at 503-728-6241. 0426 Pools/Spas 2010 Artesian Swim Spa for sale. 7x14’ Been inside all the time; excellent condition. $5K. 541-954-3884. 0326 Real Estate 320 acres east of Adel, OR. Borders Hart Mountain views, Steens Mountain and Beaty Butte. Landowner tags, very rural. Reduced price: $145K. For maps: 541-659-1573; thejugglingman3@gmail.com. 0326 Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale; Deschutes Canyon Mountain views 118 acres riverfront. $14.9M. John Gill, johngill@landandwildlife.com; 541-480-916. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0326 Private 10-acre wild tree farm near Sandpoint, ID, with older 3-bd. mobile home, countymaintained road, good building sites. $395K. Steve, 208-290-6505. 0326 Mobiles to mansions. Cabins to castles. Brookings, OR area Principal Broker Pat Piper, Century 21 Agate Realty. Helpful. Educated. Caring. 28 years of area experience. patpiperbroker@gmail.com; 541-251-2152. 0526 For sale/rent: 20-acre developed land, 3,600sqft. shop with “barndominium” potential. Weddings/events, horse property, RV hookups, creek, views. $575K. Seller financing. Goldendale, WA. 509-378-5886. 0326

Boyers Cash Store & Keylock. Monument, OR. Thriving turn-key business. $500K. Duke Warner Realty, ddwr@ortelco.net; 541-987-2363. 10 undeveloped rural acres situated on the Rio Grande River, 28 miles south of Taos, NM. Ideal location for off-the-grid homestead, vacation retreat or permanent residence. Asking $75K. Serious inquiries only: rima.sanders@frontier.com. 0326 For sale by owner in Baker City, OR. 2- to 3-bd. home, move-in ready with many new upgrades. Well on the property. Fruit trees. Mountain view of Elkhorns. Call 307-321-1232 for appointment. 0426 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. All house amenities. Winter closure NovemberMarch. Reservations, information email: relax@wavecatcherbeachrentals.com, or text 541-740-2846 or 541-740-9953. 0326 Oceanview Maui vacation rental. Spring break for the month of March. Was $210, now $185. One-time cleaning: $150, 2 TVs, king-size bed, queen-size sofa bed. Beach chairs and umbrellas. Great view. 503-812-6689. Enjoy your ideal Maui getaway. This updated 2-bd., 2-ba. condo sleeps 4 and features a charming “surf shack” design. Just half a block from a beautiful beach, it’s perfect for morning strolls and sunsets. Plus, you’re steps away from shops and restaurants at Azeka Plaza. tinyurl.com/MauiGetaway. 0526 Recreational Vehicles 2010 Northern Lite 8-11QSE Classic Series Slide-In-Truck Camper for short-bed trucks. Queen bed, skylight, wet bath, full kitchen, premium wood paneling. Original owner. Needs new Happijacs. $10.5K. Text, 208-301-3732 for photos. 0326 Coleman 17-R trailer. 1 axel, 8 months old, used once, 2K miles. Aljo Starlink post-hitch 27 ft. long, hitch to rear. Old. Good condition and tires. 35-ft. Wildcat Maxx. 8-ft. slide out, 25 years old. Lived in, one owner. 500 miles on tires. Make offers. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0426

Follow us on Facebook! facebook.com/Ruralite

2015 Artic Fox 29L Travel Trailer. Stored under awning from 2015-24. Double slide, loads of storage and in very good condition. Clean and ready to go. Can send photos. $28.5K. jeff.bartunek@gmail.com. 0326 Services 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. 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; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126 Situations Wanted Looking for woman 25-50 years old. Honest, likes cats, average looking, pleasant. Widow in ID or MT preferred. Would like to meet and see if we are compatible. I’m a retired widower. Christian, firefighter. Bob, P.O. Box 69, Noxon, MT 59853. 0326 Want to Buy 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 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. 0526 Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009; 971-666-0659. 0326 Wanted: older Corvette 1953-63 any condition, cash. Call or text 702-296-2289 or email a62vette@yahoo.com. Even if you’re thinking about selling. 0326

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ENERGY MATTERS

The Cost of Waiting Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act targets delays that drive up disaster recovery costs By Sable Riley When disaster hits, the first tally is personal. For some families, the damage is measured in hours without power or by spoiled food in the refrigerator. For others, it’s floodwaters rushing through living rooms, wildfires that turn homes into ash or nights spent waiting for news that never comes. After any storm or wildfire invariably comes the long, hard work of recovery: clearing roads, rebuilding homes and repairing the systems communities rely on every day. Restoring electricity is crucial. How quickly this happens—and at what cost—depends heavily on what happens next. Between a Rock ... A major ice storm in January 2024 caused nearly $2 million in infrastructure damage to Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative, which serves more than 2,800 members near Eugene, Oregon. The co-op restored power, quickly filed paperwork for federal reimbursement of repair costs and then waited. “Frankly, it was just whether or not we were going to get paid and when,” General Manager Jeff Jones says. Blachly-Lane took out a short-term loan to cover repairs. Reimbursement eventually arrived in late 2025, nearly two years after the storm, after interest costs had already accumulated. “That’s just what we had to do to keep the lights on,” Jeff says. “It felt like being 28

between a rock and a hard place.” That lag time—and uncertainty that comes with it—is one of the main targets of the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025, a sweeping, bipartisan bill introduced July 23, 2025, as H.R. 4669. If passed, it would overhaul how FEMA delivers disaster assistance, including modernizing internal systems, cutting red tape and moving money faster after major disasters. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved it in September, but the full House hasn’t voted on it as of early 2026. The Cost of Waiting If a storm wipes out infrastructure, utilities must rebuild. When federal assistance is delayed, utilities often borrow to front the costs. Those costs ultimately land on local ratepayers. Scott Coe, general manager of Lane Electric Cooperative, which serves about 10,000 members near Eugene, says it places a disproportionate burden on members. “I don’t think it’s fair for our members to bear the sole cost of repairing after those climate-change events wipe out the infrastructure that serves them,” he says, pointing to more frequent winter storms and growing wildfire risk. Lane Electric still awaits about $4 million tied to the devastating 2020 Holiday Farm Fire, which caused more than $4.5 million in infrastructure damage and burned down

about 700 member homes and businesses. To cover costs, Lane Electric took on debt and paid interest—about $250,000 a year, Scott says, with total interest now exceeding $1 million. FEMA is expected to reimburse those expenses eventually, but delays are expensive for members expected to absorb the financial hit when federal funding stalls. What Changes Utility groups say FEMA’s Public Assistance program is a critical backstop after disasters. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association supports H.R. 4669, arguing reimbursement delays can stretch years and force rural electric utilities to carry large, unpredictable costs. One widely supported change would require FEMA to move more quickly to

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The sky glows orange through heavy smoke during the September 2020 Holiday Farm Fire. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE

ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

obligate funds for eligible emergency work once cost eligibility is established. The bill would also make FEMA an independent, cabinet-level agency rather than keeping it within the Department of Homeland Security. For utilities, another practical shift could matter just as much as reimbursement speed. Utilities have long argued “build it back exactly the way it was” rules lock systems into old vulnerabilities. The proposal would allow communities to rebuild stronger—hardening lines, relocating equipment and improving resilience rather than recreating the same failure points. Predictability is the point, Scott says. It helps utilities plan more confidently and avoid making recovery decisions with one eye on interest rates in the loan market. A Paperwork Problem Utility leaders describe FEMA’s process as increasingly complex. Blachly-Lane has about 20 employees. “None are FEMA experts,” Jeff says, noting smaller organizations either pull staff away from core work or hire outside help to navigate changing grant requirements and documentation. Scott describes another drain: staff time spent resubmitting the same documents again and again as FEMA personnel assigned to a claim rotate.

“That rotation … results in us submitting the same documentation multiple times a year, up to six times in a year,” Scott says. “It’s amazing.” The bill’s supporters say reforms would reduce duplication, standardize assistance applications through a unified, web-based system, and make the entire process more transparent for organizations and individuals seeking help. The National Backdrop The FEMA debate isn’t confined to rural utilities; it has become a political lightning rod. Last year, President Donald Trump publicly floated possibly restructuring the agency. That spotlight, which shines more intensely with every major disaster, seems to have forced rare bipartisan agreement that the system needs fixing. “These natural disasters are bipartisan,” Scott says. “Unfortunately, all Americans are being impacted by that, so that lends itself to a solution.” What Happens Next The FEMA Act must still pass the full House and Senate before the president can sign it into law. For utilities—and consumers who rely on them—faster reimbursements can mean lower interest costs, less anxiety, better use of resources and less pressure to raise rates during already devastating times. More rebuilding flexibility can mean a grid better prepared for whatever comes next. As Jeff puts it, the goal isn’t to end FEMA. “We want to fix it,” he says. “They’re an important partner, and they could be better.” n

Fix Our Forests Act The Fix Our Forests Act is separate from the FEMA Act, but it addresses another growing driver of natural disasters: catastrophic wildfires. The bipartisan congressional effort aims to reduce wildfire risk by speeding up forest management and restoration projects, particularly in overgrown federal forests where fuel buildup has increased fire intensity and spread. Supporters say decades of delayed maintenance, combined with hotter, drier conditions, have made wildfires more destructive and harder to control. Key provisions of the bill would streamline environmental reviews, expand the use of controlled burns and mechanical thinning, and strengthen coordination among federal, state and local agencies responsible for forest health. Proponents say these measures help protect homes, infrastructure and natural resources from increasingly severe fires. The House passed its version of the bill in January 2025. In October, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry advanced a similar version, moving the legislation closer to a floor vote in that chamber. Many rural and wildfire-affected communities support faster action to reduce fire risk, while some environmental advocates and lawmakers express concern about limits on public review and legal challenges.

MARCH 2026

pp28-29 Energy Matters.indd 29

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE

A January 2024 ice storm downed trees and power lines in Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative’s service area. Lineworkers in two bucket trucks work into the evening to restore power. PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACHLY-LANE

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BEFORE YOU GO

All Wildlife Welcome

While living in Alsea, Oregon, Michelle Flamez frequently had elk visitors in her yard. On this rare occasion, a few turkeys joined the party. PHOTO BY MICHELLE FLAMEZ

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.

Barbecue Halibut Oriental, Crab Enchiladas, Easy Salmon Quiche, Dilled Salmon Fettuccine, Clam Chowder and Salmon Oyster Dip are among the recipes featured in this book from our 1993 contest. The 8½-by-11-inch indexed book is $8 (includes postage). 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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Seafood Cookbook

TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.

Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.

30

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OR-9

105 E. Fourth St. The Dalles, OR 97058 Office phone: 541-296-2740 wascoelectric.com info@wascoelectric.com Office Hours:

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Board of Directors Michael Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Stacy Eakin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President Lissa Biehn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary Mathew Clausen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer Jerry Duling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Shawn Sorensen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Ron Holmes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Larry McNamee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Al Mitchell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director

Board meetings are generally held at 2 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month at the co-op office.

Leadership Team Lindsay Forepaugh. . . . . . . General Manager Jennifer Lindsey . . . . . . . Executive Assistant Traci Brock. . Manager of Business Services Paul Titus. . . . . . . . . Manager of Engineering

Mission Statement Providing our members cost-effective energy. • Safety • Service • Reliability

Working for You in Salem and at Home Oregon’s 83rd Legislative Assembly is wrapping up after a session focused largely on budgets, taxes and transportation funding. Throughout the session, electric cooperative representatives were at the Capitol, advocating for policies that protect the reliable and affordable power you depend on. During the short session, lawmakers considered a proposal directing the Oregon Department of Energy to study the state’s long-standing ban on nuclear power generation. With electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest expected to grow faster than new resources are being built, Oregon’s electric cooperatives support this study to ensure future decisions are grounded in sound science and data. Additional legislation addressed residential solar technology. We support policies that expand access to new options while ensuring systems remain safe, effective and communicated transparently to members. With wildfire season approaching after a dry winter, we also urged lawmakers to consider the financial risks utilities face when wildfires occur. While no legislation passed this session, the Oregon Public Utility Commission recently announced a comprehensive study to balance wildfire mitigation, affordability and fair compensation for those affected. We appreciate the service of Oregon’s legislators and look forward to continued discussions that keep electricity reliable and affordable for the members and communities we serve. At the same time, electrical safety remains a priority. Recent pop culture moments may make power equipment look harmless, but power poles and electrical facilities are not props—and they can be extremely dangerous. This month, we are visiting local schools to share important electrical safety lessons with students, helping the next generation understand how to stay safe around electricity. Finally, as we prepare for Cherry Festival, please note our office will be closed to in-person visits April 20–28. Due to street closures and festival setup around our building, the payment drop box also will be inaccessible during this time. Our member services team will continue to be available by phone to assist with payments, account questions and other needs. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to plan ahead. General Manager Lindsay Forepaugh

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