BROADBAND: MAKERS EDITION
Network COMMUNITY
JULY/AUGUST 2019
FOLLOWING A DREAM
Illinois couple relocates to start a B&B
FINDING THE LIGHTHOUSE Inside Sulphur Well’s famous restaurant
HONORING MAKERS Broadband empowers creativity
INDUSTRY NEWS
Rural Connections
Precision agriculture Rural broadband creates opportunities
BY SHIRLEY BLOOMFIELD, CEO NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association
Celebrating 65 years
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his spring telco leaders from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. We met with regulators and elected officials to not only champion the success of rural broadband providers who are expanding their reach with the support of good public policies, but also to advocate for all the good work our member companies do. We also celebrated our strong legacy of success and commitment to rural America through service excellence, kicking off a number of activities that led up to our big day: On June 1, NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association celebrated its 65th anniversary. While the early rural telephone program was born out of the rural electrification program in the mid-1940s, local providers began to realize that a national organization was needed to represent the unique needs of those new companies (many of them cooperatives) that were borrowing federal dollars to build critical communications services to rural parts of the nation. On June 1, 1954, NTCA was born. We have seen many changes in the ensuing 65 years. Membership in NTCA has grown considerably, with cooperative and independent telcos serving an ever-expanding portion of the population. Regulations and funding mechanisms that impact how communications services are deployed have changed considerably. And, of course, the technology and ways people connect have gone from party lines to broadband. As a member of NTCA, your telco is part of a large family that connects homes and businesses, farms and small towns, country roads and growing cities across rural America. And that’s a reason to celebrate!
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BY NOBLE SPRAYBERRY
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he difference between success and failure for those who work in agriculture is, as it has ever been, small and frequently dependent on unpredictable factors: Too much rain. Not enough rain. Fickle prices. And more. The goal is to manage the challenges in the best way possible, maximizing opportunity and limiting risk. Increasingly, internet-based technology can better balance the margin between losses and gains. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture made the case for further extending broadband internet services to rural areas by highlighting the benefits of fast internet for agribusiness. The report “Insights on Rural Broadband Infrastructure and Next Generation Precision Agriculture Technologies” offered a broad look at the possibilities for broadband to make use of data-driven tools to improve results. Farmers and ranchers can follow the path of other modern businesses by using digital tools across the production cycle, according to the report. These new tools can support decision-making with integrated data. Automation can increase efficiency. Real-time insight can improve productivity. And entering into global markets becomes more attainable. The trend can benefit farmers, ranchers and others in agriculture while also supporting technology companies leveraging these new or expanded markets. In fact, they have an opportunity to capture a portion of a global digital agriculture market projected to be between $254 billion and $340 billion. New tools are needed to help farmers and ranchers better estimate the potential profit and economic risks associated with growing one particular crop over another. They may help with decisions about which fertilizer is best for current soil conditions or provide guidance on the best applications for pesticides. There are opportunities to create better water management strategies and to provide ways to use sensors to monitor animal health and nutrition. “Connected devices equip farmers with a clear picture of their operations at any moment, making it possible to prioritize tasks more effectively and to triage the most pressing issues,” according to the report. Rural broadband capable of supporting these data-intensive tools makes it all possible, and the financial potential of the market emphasizes the need to continue to expand broadband networks throughout the nation. If fully realized, fast internet services paired with new “precision agriculture” technologies have the potential to add $47-$65 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
Lifeline
SERVICE
LIFELINE IS A FEDERAL PROGRAM TO HELP LOW-INCOME AMERICANS PAY FOR PHONE OR BROADBAND SERVICE
FAQ: How much will Lifeline save me? Eligible customers will get at least $9.25 toward their bill.
What services are covered by this credit? You have the choice (where applicable) of applying your benefit to one of three types of service offerings: • Fixed or mobile broadband • Fixed or mobile voice-only • Bundles of fixed or mobile voice and broadband NOTE: Lifeline can only be used for one source of communication from the list above.
Can I receive more than one Lifeline credit? No, consumers are allowed only one Lifeline program benefit per household.
How do I qualify? You are eligible for Lifeline benefits if you qualify for and receive one of the following benefits: • SNAP • Medicaid • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) • Federal Public Housing Assistance • The Veteran’s Pension or Survivor’s Pension benefit Additionally, consumers at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will continue to be eligible for a Lifeline program benefit. (State determinations of income will no longer be accepted.) There are no changes to the eligibility criteria for Tribal programs. NOTE: Some states have additional qualifying programs, allowances and stipulations. Check with your local telecommunications provider for information about benefits that may be available in your state.
How do I enroll in the Lifeline program and start receiving this benefit? To find out whether you qualify for Lifeline assistance, please visit www.lifelinesupport.org or call your local telecommunications provider. NOTE: Your telephone company is not responsible for determining who qualifies for these programs or who receives assistance. Consumers must meet specific criteria in order to obtain assistance with their local telephone or broadband service, and qualifying is dependent upon government-established guidelines.
DO YOU QUALIFY
?
Stay connected with a Lifeline discount.
Apply today! Lifeline is a government assistance program that can help pay a portion of your telephone, mobile phone or internet bill each month. Consumers are allowed only one Lifeline program benefit per household. July/August 2019 | 3
FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
Building communities locally and globally
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he internet has changed the way we define community.
Sure, we’ll always have the community where we live. Many of us have a community of faith through our church or a school community with our kids. But one of the things people discovered early on with the internet was the amazing ability to connect people with similar interests into an online community. If no one else in your town JEFF EATON was into quilting or vintage motorcycles or jewelry-making, there General Manager were thousands of enthusiasts online who shared those hobbies. Unique, long-distance relationships formed during those early days of group email lists, message boards and online forums. Whatever our hobbies or interests, many of us have benefited from sharing ideas, swapping stories and soliciting advice with fellow enthusiasts. As you’ll read in the pages of this magazine, creative folks like artists, bakers, photographers, carpenters, seamstresses and metalworkers all use broadband to enhance their skills or to even turn their passions into moneymakers. Even if your hobbies don’t involve creating anything tangible, your broadband connection from SCRTC has likely helped you find joy in your interests. There are hundreds of active online communities for gaming, hunting, hiking, gardening, music, genealogy, sports and more just waiting for new members to plug in. Many of these are global groups that would be impossible to assemble if not for the reach of broadband networks like ours. Personally, I’m gratified to know that small business owners and craftspeople from our region have a chance to share work that celebrates our local culture. Through their skill, they hopefully earn money to support themselves, as well as export our culture to the rest of the country to help ensure our way of life thrives. There is more good news for anyone wanting to learn those old ways — or something new. Whether it’s refinishing furniture, replacing a headlight, or learning to play the trombone, there are probably videos from experts on YouTube to walk you through the learning process step by step. This is the kind of skills library that has never before been available. Thanks to broadband, it’s right at our fingertips. While I normally use this space to discuss large scale impacts of broadband — such as economic development, educational opportunities or telemedicine — I think it’s important to remember the hundreds of small ways a broadband connection makes our lives a little better. Whether you’re learning a new skill or sharing community with fellow enthusiasts, we’re proud to be the company in the middle that helps you make those connections.
Network COMMUNITY
JULY/AUGUST 2019
VOL. 4, NO. 4
The SCRTC Community Network is a bimonthly newsletter published by South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative © 2019. It is distributed without charge to all customers of the cooperative. South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative is a member-owned corporation dedicated to delivering advanced telecommunications technology to the people of Central Kentucky, including Adair, Allen, Barren, Green, Hart, LaRue, Metcalfe, Monroe and Nelson counties. South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc. 1399 Happy Valley Road • P.O. Box 159 Glasgow, KY 42142-0159 270-678-2111 www.scrtc.com SCRTC BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ralph J. Thompson, District I Bonnieville and Munfordville exchanges Billy Smith, District II Canmer and Horse Cave exchanges Jerry Polson, District III Cave City and Hiseville exchanges Ronnie Tucker, District IV Center, Edmonton and Summer Shade exchanges Stanley Greer, District V Glasgow and Temple Hill exchanges Zack Kender, District VI Fountain Run, Gamaliel and Lucas exchanges Robert E. Thompson, District VII Buffalo and Magnolia exchanges Jeff Eaton General Manager Bobby H. Richardson Attorney Produced for SCRTC by:
On the Cover: Greg and Amy Hiser moved to the Barren River Lake area to start a bed-and-breakfast, which they named the Barren Breeze. See story Page 12.
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Need more speed? The lowdown on internet capacity
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igital devices on a home network crave data and compete with each other for attention. Deciding how much bandwidth is sufficient is a critical question you should ask, and choosing an internet package from SCRTC is similar to how consumers consider other essentials. For example, if you have more people in the house, you’re going to use more water for additional showers, especially if the kids are involved in sports. And you’ll need increased water for washing all those clothes. In this comparison, browsing the web or checking emails is much like getting a glass of water or washing your hands — these tasks don’t require much capacity. Listening to online radio, telecommuting from home or taking online classes requires more bandwidth. Those tasks are the equivalent of taking a shower or doing a load of dishes. Streaming movies or TV programs has another variable involved, depending on whether you’re trying to view standard definition or the latest 4K video. Think of it as the difference between washing a Mini Cooper versus a Ford F-150. Most people use their technology daily and for much longer than a Sunday car wash in the driveway. For those who
have a greater data demand, it’s critical to increase internet speed to avoid buffering. Now, let’s look at some real-world numbers showing how quickly bandwidth usage adds up. Web browsing by just one person requires about 1 Mbps. Online shopping requires about 1 Mbps. Sending emails uses around 0.5 Mbps. Texting and messaging apps use about 0.5 Mbps. Video streaming — such as Netflix, YouTube or Hulu — needs about 5 Mbps. Online gaming uses at least 5 Mbps. Streaming audio — such as Pandora, Spotify or iTunes — uses about 0.5 Mbps. So if just one person in a home is browsing the web, shopping online, sending emails, texting and streaming music, usage would total around 3.5 Mbps. Then, stream video to one TV, and that would add another 5 Mbps — even more if streaming in high-definition. With these activities, one person could easily use 8.5 Mbps. Add three more people in the house doing similar activities, and usage really goes up. When considering a broadband service, think about how you use your devices to project the internet bandwidth speed you need for your household. If the internet seems to be slow or locks up, the first thing to consider is the number of devices and the tasks they’re doing. SCRTC has an array of internet packages to fit the digital demands of your family and their devices. Call 270-678-2111 or stop by our offices in Glasgow, Munfordville or Greensburg to learn more.
THE SPEEDS YOU NEED 5 MBPS
SOCIAL MEDIA
5 MBPS BROWSING EMAIL
5 MBPS
STREAMING STANDARD DEFINITION
8 MBPS
TELECOMMUTING
8 MBPS
REMOTE STUDENT
10 MBPS
ONLINE GAMING
10 MBPS
VIDEOCONFERENCING
15 MBPS
STREAMING HIGH DEFINITION
25 MBPS
STREAMING ULTRA HD 4K
South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
July/August 2019 | 5
TRAVEL
Beat the heat Slip and slide through summer BY ANNE P. BRALY
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he start of summer means travelers will be flocking to beaches and lakefronts in droves. When it comes to enjoying the purity of a dip in the water, there’s no better way to do it than by taking the plunge at a water park that sparkles with fun. So grab a towel — don’t forget the kids — and slip-slide your way to a day of excitement. And they all come to play at Kentucky Splash, a water park that includes an 18,000-square-foot wave pool, a lazy river and a tower with three slides that will take your breath away as you plunge down one of two tube slides or body surf your way down 40 feet to the water below. The Aquatwist is a water ride that is totally enclosed. You twist and turn your way along its 180-foot length from a 30-foot-high starting point, and you’ll get a thrill as it drops you into the water in 10 seconds — or less. Small children have their own place to splash around out of the way of the big kids at play. Tadpole Island features a Caribbean-themed playhouse with kidsized slides and lots of bells and whistles to entertain the little ones. And, of course, mom and dad will enjoy taking it easy on the lazy river. “There’s lots to do, but the park isn’t so big that it’s hard to keep up with everyone,” says manager Diane Bruers.
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Families enjoy the water slides at Wilderness at the Smokies, including the Cyclone Racer.
Kentucky Splash opened in May 2001, so this marks its 18th year of providing aquatic fun for kids of all ages. One thing that sets Kentucky Splash apart from other water parks around the state is price, Bruers says. Tickets are $10 per person, and children 2 and under are admitted free. Prices have not changed in almost 10 years. Like many small towns, Williamsburg, Kentucky, faced a dilemma when it came to deciding what to do with an aging municipal swimming pool that had provided summer fun for families for decades. The choices were to demolish it or transform it into a facility that would attract people from all around. The answer: a water park now named Kentucky Splash that brings visitors from across Kentucky. And because Williamsburg is just 11 miles from the Tennessee line, it attracts folks from the Volunteer State, too. A number of familiar chain hotels are located nearby, along with some that are independently owned. The water park itself has a campground, offering 25 RV sites with full hookups — water, sewer, electricity, Wi-Fi internet and cable TV — along with a fire pit and picnic table. Six tent sites are available for primitive camping, each with a fire pit and picnic table, and there’s a bathhouse on-site. During busy months, reservations are recommended. No outside food or drink may be brought into the park, but there are two full concession stands and several food booths selling burgers, hot dogs, chicken strips, pizza, nachos, cheese fries and more. Online: www.williamsburgky.com (click on the Kentucky Splash link). Families enjoy the numerous water slides at Wilderness at the Smokies.
WILDERNESS AT THE SMOKIES Sevierville, Tennessee www.wildernessatthesmokies.com This state-of-the-art water park offers year-round fun under a glass dome that makes you feel like you’re in the great outdoors. Even during less-than-perfect weather, you can enjoy 66,000 square feet of fun under the dome. Water features include a hair-raising ride on the Storm Chaser — a 55-foot plummet down a dark tunnel before a zero-gravity fall into an oscillating funnel, which gives way to a pool below. Runaway Canyon is a five-story raft ride that rockets you through water curtains, huge tunnels, explosive turns and loops before a 60-foot drop. Wilderness at the Smokies is one thrill after another. Tickets: $49 per person (must be purchased online). Overnight guests at the resort’s hotel receive complimentary admission.
ALABAMA SPLASH ADVENTURE Bessemer, Alabama www.alabamasplash.com Upsurge takes you up, up, then drops you down 216 feet through twists and turns. To take a break from the excitement, tube the lazy river or ride the waves in the 800,000-gallon wave pool. Splash Adventure is an 89-acre water park that operates from May to July, and then on weekends during August and early September. Tickets: $27-$32 (day passes). Season tickets available.
CAROLINA HARBOR WATER PARK Fort Mill, South Carolina www.carowinds.com Located on the grounds of Carowinds Amusement Park, Carolina Harbor is the largest of all noncoastal water parks in the state. There are more than 20 waterslides, two wave pools and a 1,000-foot-long lazy river that takes riders across the state line into North Carolina. Blackbeard gets his revenge on a six-story waterslide that features death-defying twists and turns, along with exhilarating slides. The kids have their own play area, featuring Kiddy Hawk Cove and Myrtle Turtle Beach. It’s all part of your ticket to Carowinds, a park that also features the world’s tallest giga coaster just steps outside the water park. Private cabanas, providing shade and a place to relax, are available for rent. Tickets: $33-$45 (depending on time of day). Discounts available for seniors and military.
The Hal Rogers Family Entertainment Center is home to the Kentucky Splash Water Park.
July/August 2019 | 7
Tiki Island is a popular attraction at Splash Lagoon Water Park. Other features include three award-winning and thrilling water slides and rides, a lazy river and a wave pool. Splash Lagoon is included with park admission.
HISTORIC HANGOUT Beech Bend Park and Splash Lagoon keeps the thrills coming BY JEN CALHOUN
W
hen families first started packing up their buggies and heading to Beech Bend in the late 1800s, they brought picnic baskets and bathing suits to enjoy the river and the summer air.
More than a century later, the crowds keep coming. But the attractions offered at the Bowling Green destination are a bit more sophisticated, says Charlotte Gonzalez. Gonzalez helps run Beech Bend Park and Splash Lagoon with her parents, Dallas and Alfreda Jones, and her sister, Dana Porter. “We have over 400 campsites now,” Gonzalez says of the 368-acre park situated on a bend of the Barren River. “We have a drag strip and a stock car track, an amusement park and a water park.”
RICH HISTORY Once a farm, the park grew popular in the late 1890s as a place for families to picnic and enjoy what was then a beach on the bend of the river surrounded by Beech trees. Beginning in the 1940s, however, then-owner Charles Garvin started building other attractions for visitors to enjoy, including a large pool, carnival rides and a drag strip. It wasn’t until 1984 that Dallas and Alfreda Jones got involved, Gonzalez says. “My family bought the racetrack 8 | July/August 2019
in 1984,” she says. “Charles Garvin had passed away, and the amusement park had gone into disrepair. The Garvin family came to us and asked us to buy the rest of the property. They believed it all belonged together. So, in 1987, that’s what we did.”
ROLLING, RIDING AND RACING At first, Gonzalez says the family wasn’t quite sure what to do with the old-time amusement park. Slowly, however, they began bringing it back to life, one ride at a time. Today, the amusement park features more than 30 rides, including the Kentucky Rumbler, a wooden roller coaster that brings in coaster enthusiasts from around the world. “Just recently, four men from the Netherlands were here to ride it,” Gonzalez says. But if riding the rails sounds exciting, the water park facilities sound downright exhilarating. The water park started with an improved version of the large leisure
pool first built by Garvin around 1950. In 2010, the family added a lazy river, a wave pool and a large children’s play structure called Tiki Island. In 2016, they contracted with one of the top waterslide design companies in the world to add four new waterslides — The Tidal Wave, Riptide, Polynesian Plunge and Cyclone Saucers. “They’re all thrill slides,” Gonzalez says. “They’re fast and exciting. People just love them.”
If you go. . .
Beech Bend Park and Splash Lagoon offers an amusement park, a water park, campgrounds and a racetrack. About six times in the summer, the park holds a fireworks display on Friday evenings along with extra evening hours for the water park and amusement park. The park is open from May to September, but the raceway holds events from March through most of November. For information on ticket prices, hours, directions, attractions and more, check out their website at beechbend.com. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
TECH TIPS
POWER ON
Guarding against a surge Hi! I’m Kenny McGuire SCRTC employee Kenny McGuire is a special equipment technician, which means he knows the importance of safeguarding your electronic devices. For more tips or help with your devices, the SCRTC Help Desk is available 24/7 yearround at 270-678-2111. We are always happy to help!
DEVICE OF THE MONTH
A
ll big-ticket pieces of electronic equipment are at the mercy of power spikes: your desktop computer, your big-screen TV, your audio system and more. Fortunately, surge protectors offer relatively lowcost solutions that can help keep your gear and your data safe.
POWER STRIPS The most basic models of power strips offer little surge protection. So, consider them as nothing more than multi-outlet extension cords. While often equipped with a circuit breaker, they aren’t very effective in shielding your gadgets from harm. A true surge protector comes with a rating, typically measured in joules, that shows how much energy it can absorb before failing. Generally, a strip with a higher joule rating will offer greater protection.
SURGE PROTECTOR The website Wirecutter spent more than 100 hours testing surge protectors to come up with its recommendations. Their top pick is the Tripp Lite 12-Outlet Surge Protector, which features plenty of outlets, coaxial and telephone connectors, an 8-foot cord, a right-angled flat plug that doesn’t jut out from the wall, and the important auto-shutoff feature. Price: $37 on Amazon.
Surge protectors come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from a large block with more than a dozen connectors to a single-outlet travel version. Consider a joule rating of 2,000 and above for your expensive or delicate equipment. Any wire that goes into your devices can produce a power surge, so a good surge protector for your home office will also include connections for a phone line or network cables. For your cable system or TV, some surge protectors also come with a coaxial cable connection. Surge protectors work by absorbing excess voltage, so protection will degrade over time, depending on how much voltage has been absorbed. Once that protection is gone, it’s
South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
gone. While some devices have lights that indicate they are no longer working as intended, they are impossible to see when they’re behind the furniture. So, make sure you choose a surge protector with an auto-shutoff feature. Once it is unable to provide protection, the surge protector will stop providing power.
UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLY Commonly known as a UPS, uninterruptible power supplies offer surge protection and keep your equipment working when the power goes out. A blackout won’t damage your devices, but if a sudden power outage occurs while you’re saving a computer file, it can lead to data corruption and render the file inaccessible. A UPS can buy enough time to save files and shut down equipment properly. A UPS, however, cannot take the place of a generator for long-term use during an outage. It’s still a battery, and its cost is typically tied to its capacity for providing power. If you only need enough time to save your work or power your internet for an hour, there are options starting under $100 that can do the job. Whatever you choose, a surge protector is a wise investment that more than pays for itself.
July/August 2019 | 9
TRAVEL
THE IMPACT OF BROADBAND: MAKERS EDITION
MAKING ART and a living
How the internet helps creative people thrive
BY JEN CALHOUN
F
or centuries, artists gathered in big cities to share ideas, sell their art and connect with other creatives. But with greater access to faster internet, more and more creative people are choosing to live in rural areas where the cost of living is low and connectivity is just a click away. Take John George Larson, for example. He, an accomplished sculptor and painter from rural Minnesota, chose to live with his family in a nearly century-old farmhouse about three hours east of Minneapolis. “Part of my process as a ceramic sculptor involves working with a kiln that uses wood as fuel,” Larson says. “These kilns are kind of dirty and large, and I can’t really do that in a residential area.”
INTERNET EQUALS OPPORTUNITY Larson is one of a growing number of rural residents who use the internet to help fuel creative careers. From candlemakers to photographers to musicians, millions of people have found a way to share their talents and make a living online. According to a recent article on the website The Motley Fool, Etsy, the online marketplace that offers artisans and crafters a place to sell their handmade items, 10 | July/August 2019
Cynthia Parsons, who lives in rural Alabama, uses her YouTube channel to provide instructional videos, inspiration and more.
continues to grow. Revenue in its fourth quarter of 2018 came in at $200 million — an increase of more than $63 million from the previous year’s fourth quarter. The company’s chief executive officer, Josh Silverman, expects more increases through 2019. If it sounds unbelievable that artists are no longer mostly starving, think again, says Mark McGuinness, a poet, podcaster and creative coach. The internet has not only opened doors to creativity, but it’s also opened the doors for artists of all kinds. Period. “We are now living at a time of unprecedented opportunity for artists
While sculptor and painter John George Larson lives a rural lifestyle outside Minneapolis, the internet connects him to other creatives.
and creative professionals,” McGuinness writes in a blog post on his website, wishfulthinking.com. “Once upon a time, if you wanted to get your work in front of an audience, you had to submit it to an editor, agent, manager, curator, talent scout, whoever. A gatekeeper who had the power to open the gate and usher you through, or slam it in your face.” The gateway shouldn’t close anytime soon, either. According to the 2018 Global Digital report, more than 4 billion people around the world now use the internet, making the possibility of sharing ideas and selling creative goods greater than ever before. Today, musicians from Texas can share music or give lessons to someone in Tanzania. Folk artists in Alabama can sell paintings to a collector in Albania.
COUNTRY IS COOL AGAIN For Larson, a rural area offers other benefits. His work requires some solitude, not to mention the natural clay found in the area where he lives. “I don’t use that clay in all my work, but I try to incorporate it as much as possible,” he says. “That’s kind of a big reason why we chose to live in a rural area.” But Larson, who studied ceramics at Utah State University and under the tutelage of a sculptor in Japan, is far from being isolated from other artists or even art buyers. Thanks to a fast fiber optic internet connection provided by a rural broadband company, he learns new things and explores new ideas every day through online articles. He also connects with others and showcases his craft through his Instagram account, @johngeorgelarson, and his website, johngeorgelarson.com. “When we moved here, we didn’t realize this kind of high-speed internet was already offered at the house,” Larson says. “I don’t even think I realized how important it would be until after we started using it. Now, we use it every day, all the time. I use it for research for my own work or commission work that I do for other people and businesses. I read a lot of research articles about different topics, and it helps me develop a project or a design.”
While marketing his work used to tire him, Larson is finding ways to make art through apps. “I just started doing animation of my artwork on Instagram,” he says. “One of the things I’ve been thinking of lately is motion and movement in my work. Some of my pieces are made to be viewed from a variety of different angles. So, if you place them on a shelf one way, they’ll look different than if you place them another way. It’s an allegory for our lives and human experience because we can experience life from different perspectives.”
SPREADING THE WORD Cynthia Parsons, an award-winning artist and painter who lives in a rural region of northern Alabama, says the internet has opened a whole world of connectivity and possibility. On her YouTube channel, Open Art Studio of Cynthia Parsons, she offers videos of students working through challenges during class or clips of cotton fields at sunset so others can paint them. She might film a farmer harvesting his corn or make an instructional video about how to save old watercolor paint. She also records regular videos of her son, Elbert, as he recovers from an injury that nearly took his life years ago. Parsons, who regularly sells her artwork and has taught classes everywhere from Birmingham, Alabama, to France, believes art is everywhere. “You can’t look through your eyes and not see art or the potential of some kind of creation,” she says. “It might be someone doing crafts and using popsicle sticks or carving a bar of soap. All those things are art, and all that creative energy we use when we do it resounds through the universe.” Parsons finds joy in moving her work and the work of others through time, space and physical boundaries. “For me, the internet is about sharing,” she says. “That’s what it’s been able to do for me. It lets me share these moments of decisionmaking from my students. The videos of my students are about one minute or two minutes or maybe three. When I show
people what they’re dealing with, it lets others see how they might solve any problems they might be having with their work.”
Get creative Creative industries and people make jobs for Americans. Here are a few facts: • The value of arts and cultural production in America in 2015 was $763.6 billion, amounting to 4.2% of the gross domestic product. The arts contribute more to the national economy than do the construction, mining, utilities, insurance, and accommodation and food services industries. • Artists are highly entrepreneurial. They are 3.5 times more likely than the total U.S. workforce to be selfemployed. • Arts and cultural goods and services drive industries primarily focused on producing copyrighted content, accounting for just over half of their combined $1.17 billion value. • 97% of U.S. employers say creativity is increasingly important to them. Of the employers looking to hire creatives, 85% say they are unable to find the applicants they seek. Sources: National Endowment for the Arts, Artists and Arts Workers in the United States, 2011, The Conference Board, Ready to Innovate, 2008, National Endowment for the Arts, The Arts Contribute More Than $760 Billion to the U.S. Economy, and U.S., Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Value Added by Industry as a Percentage of Gross Domestic Product, 2017, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Data for 1998-2015, 2018
July/August 2019 | 11
THE IMPACT OF BROADBAND: MAKERS EDITION
Savory siestas BARREN BREEZE B&B OFFERS A TASTE OF LUXURY BY JEN CALHOUN
I
f you’d told Greg and Amy Hiser a few years ago that they’d be running Barren Breeze Bed & Breakfast today, they’d have laughed in your face. “I’d say, ‘What?’” Greg Hiser says with a laugh. The dream came about gradually for the Hisers, who bought the 9,000-square-foot Lucas retreat in March 2018. Before that, they lived in the little town of St. Anne, Illinois, about 80 miles south of Chicago. Greg Hiser owned a construction company, and his wife worked in corporate human resources. “We had always preferred staying in bed-and-breakfasts over regular hotels when we traveled,” he says. “But we didn’t think about owning our own until later, when we became empty nesters a few years back. My body was getting pretty worn out from running my construction company, and it just sort of gradually became a dream of ours to run a B&B.”
RIVER OASIS When they found Barren Breeze — formerly known as The Narrow Way Bed and Breakfast — the Hisers knew they’d found their dream location. Situated on 13 acres near The Narrows on Barren River Lake, Barren Breeze is just seven minutes from Barren River Lake State Resort Park and two minutes from The Narrows’ boat ramp and marina. Many guests at Barren Breeze stop by between explorations of Nashville — 80 miles south of 12 | July/August 2019
Lucas — and Louisville, which is two hours away. Nearby attractions include the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Mammoth Cave. “We’ve had guests from different places in Europe,” Greg Hiser says. “One couple from Germany knew people in the area, but another couple from Europe flew in to the East Coast and just started driving west. They were going to a wedding in St. Louis and found us on the way.” South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
The retreat offers a total of 10 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, including several en-suite rooms with four-poster beds and luxury accommodations. It also contains a separate suite called the Fisherman’s Quarters in the basement, which includes four beds and two bathrooms, a kitchen and an outdoor grill. Available rentals include a pontoon boat and kayaks. A separate wedding venue and gazebo are located on the property, as well. “There are people who rent the whole house for a wedding party or family reunions,” Hiser says. “We also see a lot of couples looking for a romantic retreat, and of course, we have people coming for fishing tournaments.” Others hold special luncheons or dinner events for Christmas get-togethers or club conventions. Last year, the Hisers prepared lunch for a couple of dozen Corvette enthusiasts who were visiting the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. Customers make most of the bookings online, Greg Hiser says. “The internet is our No. 1,” he says. “If we were to lose the internet, we’d be in big, big trouble because bed-and-breakfasts are usually out in a rural area, not on an interstate or a highway. People don’t just come across us while they’re driving.”
Greg Hiser put his background in construction to work at the Barren Breeze, completing a space for weddings and events earlier this year.
ALL THE RIGHT TOUCHES The Hisers say they enjoy serving others, taking care of them and finding new ways to delight and surprise their guests. “We do everything ourselves for the most part,” Greg Hiser says. “We love doing it.” Some of the biggest draws for guests include the gourmet breakfasts and the B&B’s famous cinnamon rolls. “This place has always had its signature cinnamon rolls, and there are a lot of guests who rave about them,” he says. “But we really kicked it up a notch on the gourmet side of things. We serve berries and cream French toast and lemon ricotta pancakes. A new big hit that was unexpected is the Dutch Baby Pancakes, which are very light pancakes with fruit in them. We bake them in the oven in a small cast-iron pan. They’ve been a big hit.” While the Hisers don’t have a formal background in cooking or innkeeping, they honed their skills over many years. “We just do it because we enjoy it,” Greg Hiser says. “By enjoying it, you do it a lot. Practice makes perfect, you know.” In the early evenings, the couple invites guests for a wine hour, when they can roam the inn’s wraparound porch with a complimentary glass of wine served with cheese and crackers. “It’s just the small touches that mean so much to people,” he says.
Weekend guests enjoy wine and cheese on Barren Breeze’s wraparound porch in the early evenings.
The B&B offers high-quality accommodations in a clean and comfortable atmosphere.
- Bliss on the Barren -
Barren Breeze Bed & Breakfast is at 554 S. Lucas Road in Lucas. It features six upstairs rooms and a downstairs suite with four beds and two bathrooms. Gourmet breakfasts are included in the price of the room. Lunches and dinners can be accommodated but cost extra. Visitors can also book the dining room for special events and parties. You can reach the B&B by emailing management@barrenbreeze.com or calling 270-646-2957. To find out more or to book a stay, visit the website at barrenbreeze.com. You can also check out its Facebook and Instagram pages. South Central Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
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SOUTHERN KITCHENS
LOW AND SLOW
A
BBQ brings friends together
spark ignited one summer afternoon almost 20 years ago when David “Hoss” Johnson and three friends decided to toss a coin and see where it landed on the field of competitive barbecuing. The four men — Johnson, Jeff Chandler, Steve Hatfield and David Schmitt — were all born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. Johnson played football at the University of Alabama under legendary coach Bear Bryant. Schmitt played football at the University of North Alabama. Hatfield was on the baseball team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Columbia State in Tennessee. Only one of the foursome, Chandler, knew anything about smoking meats and competing in the sport of barbecuing. But that’s all it took when he suggested they enter a competition — not on the amateur level, but as professionals. So, the men paid their entry fee for the WhistleStop Barbecue Festival and gave their team a name: Fork Down and Pork, a riff on the football term “fourth down and short.” They came home with a first-place award in the “anything goes” category for their butterflied scallops stuffed with shrimp, wrapped with bacon and drizzled with hollandaise sauce.
14 | July/August 2019
“The next day was for barbecue, and we didn’t do great,” Johnson says. “We came in about 35th out of 60, which wasn’t bad for a first time, but it wasn’t great. We did barbecued pork, ribs and chicken. And we did a brisket, too. But brisket is very hard to do. Just go to Texas if you want good brisket. “I mean, it’s kind of like football. If you want good football, you come to the South. If you want good brisket, you go to Texas,” he says, sipping on a glass of water and recalling the days when the three men would cook all weekend and go back to their daytime jobs and families during the week. Following graduation from Alabama, Johnson played offensive line for the St. Louis Cardinals under coach Gene Stallings and then for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He left the NFL to become athletic director for football operations for the City of Huntsville, Alabama. Johnson retired after 25 years and is now a missionary and national football direc-
Barbecue master David “Hoss” Johnson.
tor for SCORE International, a position that takes him on mission trips and to football camps around the world. And in several countries — including Italy, Israel and Costa Rica — he’s fired up a smoker and treated those around him to a taste of the South, complete with barbecue, beans and coleslaw. The Fork Down and Pork team quit the competition circuit in 2010. “We had families and kids. Some had grandkids, changed jobs. You know, life happens,” Johnson says. But he continues to cook not only for those in other countries, but also for friends at home, too. One thing he’s learned from all his years of smoking meats is a creed to which every good smoker adheres: low and slow, meaning to cook the meat at a low temperature and not rush things. Johnson says if he’s cooking meat that needs to stay in the smoker for up to 18 hours, he tries to keep a steady temperature of 185 degrees. For meats that need to cook no more than 12 hours, he keeps
the temperature around 250 degrees. Different cuts of meat call for different woods added to the coals. Johnson likes hickory chunks for pork, mesquite for chicken and applewood chunks for ribs. Another trick he’s learned is not to add the injection liquid or rub to a pork butt until the meat has finished cooking and not to discard all the fat and juices that run off the meat. When the butt has finished cooking, let it sit in a covered pan for an hour or so. Then, remove the bone if there is one, and pull the pork apart. Mix the rub and injection sauce together, and massage it into the meat, adding any accumulated fat and juices back in as needed to make the meat moist. “There’s nothing worse than dry barbecue,” Johnson says. FOOD EDITOR ANNE P. BRALY IS A NATIVE OF CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.
SMOKED PORK
VINEGAR SAUCE FOR SMOKED PORK
1 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients, taste and add water to dilute, as necessary.
Note: David Johnson combines this sauce with enough of his barbecue rub to make a thin paste. Then, he massages as much as he needs into the smoked, pulled pork after it has been cooked and shredded. As for amounts needed, it’s a judgment call. Taste as you go using your favorite rub.
COLESLAW
HOSS’S PORK AND BEANS
David Johnson says sugar is the key to this coleslaw. “You need to make sure it’s sweet enough,” he says.
1 (28-ounce) can of baked beans (your favorite) 2 tablespoons Karo syrup Salt and pepper, to taste 1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 6 tablespoons mustard 6-7 tablespoons ketchup 10 pieces of maple-smoked bacon, chopped 2 tablespoons bacon grease 1 green pepper, chopped 1 cup pulled pork Dash of cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
1 head of cabbage, shredded 2-3 carrots, shredded Dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon celery salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon yellow mustard In a large bowl, toss together shredded cabbage and carrots. In separate bowl, mix together dressing ingredients, then add to cabbage mixture, combining thoroughly. Chill before serving. Makes 10-12 servings.
Combine all ingredients, mixing thoroughly, and place in greased baking dish. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour in a 300 F oven.
July/August 2019 | 15
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