Around Alabama

An oyster tasting on the lawn at the Wharf on Nov. 19 will showcase the many sides of the oyster industry along the Gulf Coast. PHOTO BY COLETTE BOEHM

NOVEMBER

3-13 Gulf Shores and Orange Beach 38th annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival. More than 200 songwriters perform their original songs and tell stories of how the songs came to be, in venues throughout Gulf Shores and Orange Beach as well as Perdido Key and Pensacola, Florida. FrankBrownSongwriters.com

4-13 Dothan National Peanut Festival. This major Southeast entertainment event features a midway with rides, fair food, live entertainment, vendors, agricultural competitions, car and truck show, dance demonstrations and more. Acts scheduled to perform include Jordan Davis, Lainey Wilson and Dylan Scott. Visit the website for opening and closing times and ticket information. NationalPeanutFestival.com

4-6 Mobile Alabama Pecan Festival. Live music, crafts and vendors, food and games, midway rides, carnival games, antique vehicles and a model railroad. Free admission and free parking at W.C. Griggs Elementary School. AlabamaPecanFestival.com

5Fairhope Barnwell Community Day. The farming community of Barnwell is holding its second community day at the historic schoolhouse (now a community center), 13319 County Road 3. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free. Live entertainment, dedication of historic marker, arts and crafts vendors, bake sale, bounce house, inflatable axe throwing, tractor displays, face painting, restoration updates and more. BarnwellCommunity.org

5Pike Road 57th annual Pike Road Arts and Crafts Fair at the historic Marks House, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors sell decorative crafts, jewelry, mixed media art, paintings, photography, pottery and ceramics. Barbecue, home baked goods, sweets and more will be for sale. Children’s corner has hands-on crafts for little ones. $5 per person; children under 8 free (cash only). PikeRoadArtsAndCraftsFair.com 5 Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown. A series of educational classes, art exhibits, vendors and demonstrations, including sporting dogs, cooking, carving and live animal presentations. Live music, artisans, children’s activities, food vendors and plein air artists. TheKelly.org or call 334-478-3366.

11-13 Tallassee 25th annual Bill Anthony Memorial Battles for the Armory, 19359 Rifle Range Road. Friday is the school day living history encampment, where school children will experience history of the 1860s. Public invited Saturday and Sunday for a live portrayal of a Civil War battle put on by re-enactors at 2 p.m. each day, plus a working blacksmith shop, carriage rides, period foods and Sutler’s Village with unique shopping opportunities. $5 per person admission. TallasseeArmoryGuards.org

11-12 Gardendale 2022 Christmas Arts and Crafts Show at the Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main St. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Free admission and parking. More than 80 booths of arts and crafts. NorthArtsCouncil.webs.com

11-13 Springville Homestead Hollow Arts and Crafts Christmas in the Country, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fine arts, handmade crafts, pioneer demonstrations, tours of original cabins built by early settlers, children’s activities, food from the food court and more. Adults $10, ages 3-12 $5 and under 2 free. Free parking. HomesteadHollow.com

12 Foley Chocolate and Cheese Festival, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Heritage Park. $5 admission; ages 12 and under free. Chocolatiers, vendors selling chocolate, cheese and other food items, live music, arts and crafts, chocolate martinis, large kids’ zone and more. Contests throughout the afternoon include cheese toss, chocolate cheesecake eating, chocolate toss, beer stein holding and guess the cheese. BeachLifeEvents.com 19 Orange Beach Oyster Festival, 12 p.m. on the Marina Lawn at The Wharf. The inaugural “experience the oyster,” presented by Murder Point Oyster Company, seeks to highlight the Gulf Coast oyster industry. Featuring more than 35 oyster farms and chefs from all over the region; proceeds benefit local charities. MurderPointOysters.com

19 Brewton Porchfest. Local and regional bands play from porches fronting 30 of the town’s oldest, grandest or most charming homes, many built in the mid-1800s. Event celebrates Brewton’s musical heritage as well as its preserved structures. Daylong concert culminates at the portico of the 1903 Downing House. CityofBrewton.org

19 Pelham A Southern Christmas Bazaar presented by the Alabaster-Pelham Rotary Club, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pelham Civic Complex. Craftsmen, artisans and merchants from across Alabama and the Southeast sell gifts, clothing, ornaments, decorations and food. Adults $8, and children $3. RotarySouthernChristmas.com

20 Montgomery Poetry slam and spoken word. Montgomery Botanical Gardens and AARP will host this open mike performance at 3 p.m. in the Wisdom Woods classroom. Refreshments will be served; participation is limited. Registration required. States.AARP.org/ alabama/events-al or email vonnie1335@yahoo. com

DECEMBER

1-4 Union Springs “A Tuna Christmas” at the Red Door Theatre. This delight for all seasons is performed by two quickchanging comedians and tells the yuletide stories of Tuna, the third-smallest town in Texas. Visit RedDoorTheatre.org for information on tickets, performance times and evening optional seated dinners.

2-3 Bay Minette 40th annual Christmas Fest, Baldwin County Courthouse Square. Vendors, food, music, twilight parade, kids’ activities, entertainment, performances, ping pong prize drop and more. Search for the event’s page on Facebook.

3Demopolis 50th annual Christmas on the River. Features a 5K run, state barbecue championship, Fair in the Square (featuring arts and crafts, retail merchants and food vendors), day parade, nautical parade and fireworks. ChristmasOnTheRiverDemopolis.com

Like Alabama Living on facebook Follow Alabama Living on Twitter @Alabama_Living To place an event, e-mail events@alabamaliving. coop. or visit www.alabamaliving.coop. You can also mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.

Garlic gratitude: Time to plant this flavorful crop

Garlic is an essential ingredient in virtually every cuisine around the globe and in every savory dish we cook, yet we rarely have a chance to fully appreciate just how delicious fresh, homegrown garlic can be. That’s an easy fix, though, and this is a great month to fix it.

Native to central Asia, garlic has been cherished for its culinary and medicinal qualities for thousands of years and is one of our oldest horticultural crops so hundreds of named garlic varieties are available, many of which are suitable for home gardens.

Garlic varieties typically fall into two classifications — hardnecks and softnecks. Hardneck garlics, which are so named because their stems are stiff and inflexible, generally grow best in colder climates and produce larger bulbs with stronger flavors. Softneck garlics, which tend to grow better in warmer climates, produce softer, more pliable stems and smaller bulbs with milder flavors. Within each of these categories, however, are myriad varieties offering flavors ranging from hot and spicy to buttery and nutty so there’s lots of deliciousness to explore in the garlic world.

Though often touted as an easy crop to grow here in Alabama, garlic isn’t always fool proof, so I asked someone with hands-on garlic-growing experience for a few hints.

That someone is Sabrina Mauro, co-owner of Wicked Garlic LLC in Ardmore, Alabama. She and her husband, Adam, began growing organic garlic eight years ago for their family and last year decided to turn that hobby into a small farming business. They just completed their first year of selling their products, which include fresh garlic, garlic seed and powders, at farmers markets and online.

According to Sabrina, the primary rule for garlic growing success in Alabama is understanding its growing season.

“A lot of people don’t realize that you need to plant garlic in the fall and let it grow for nine months,” she said. That means planting it anytime from October through December in most parts of the state and into January and February in south Alabama.

Choosing the right variety is also important, she said, and the Mauros experimented to figure out what worked best. “We planted three varieties of soft necks, which did great,” she said. “Then we decided to do some hard necks, and they did great, too.”

The Mauros’ tried-and-true varieties, which she said will grow well throughout the state, are softeneck garlics Lorz Italian, Silver white and Inchelium red and the hardneck variety Chesnok red. But Sabrina plans to keep experimenting with other varieties including elephant garlic (which is actually a leek) and she recommends home gardeners start with reliable varieties but also experiment with a new ones, too.

The good news is, it’s easy to plant several varieties at a time because garlic doesn’t require much space. The Mauros plant in raised beds on a five-by-five-inch grid and two inches deep but garlic can also be planted in pots and other containers.

While there’s lots more to learn about growing garlic (see resources below), Sabrina offered a few basic tips to get started. • Use a loose, well-drained soil and provide garlic six to eight hours of sunlight a day. • Keep beds or containers well weeded. • Harvest, usually in late May or June, after stems turn yellow about onethird up stalk. • Save biggest bulbs to replant cloves next year. • Try to buy seed early (May or June if possible) and grown in the South so it will be adapted to the region.

Katie Jackson is a freelance writer and editor based in Opelika, Alabama. Contact her at katielamarjackson@gmail.com.

To learn more about growing garlic in Alabama and the Southeast, check out “Add Garlic to Your Garden” (publication ANR-1093) at aces.edu, the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange’s article on growing garlic at southernexposure. com/garlic-growing-guide/ or follow the Mauros on social media (they’re on Facebook and Instagram). Then enjoy the deliciousness!

NOVEMBER TIPS

• Plant carrots, beets and radishes. • Prepare and store lawn and garden equipment and tools for winter. • Get soil tests for garden plots and lawns. • Turn the compost pile. • Bring potted plants into the house or place in protected area before the first hard freeze. • Plant leafy greens such as lettuce, arugula and spinach. • Plant spring-blooming bulbs. • Plant pansies and other cool-season annual flowers and bedding plants. • Keep bird feeders cleaned and filled.

The joy of running a family business

Joy Sorensen is president of Majestic Caverns, the family-owned business in Childersburg that was formerly known as DeSoto Caverns. As a child, she grew up near the caverns which have been in her family for more than 100 years. Her parents, Allen and Danielle Mathis, opened up the caves to the public in 1975 as a tourist attraction. Today, Joy and her husband, Jared, are the fifth generation to manage the caverns. She attended Taylor University in Indiana where she gained a passion for travel and history. After college, she had her own photography business in Chicago, backpacked in Australia, and upon returning to the states met and married her husband. The pair worked as photographers in New York City before returning to Alabama in 2013 to help manage the caverns. — Lenore Vickrey

Tell us about your early involvement with Majestic Caverns.

Anyone who has grown up in a family business knows that heartaches and successes are shared and hard-work is a team effort. I remember when I was 5, my father had a Native American Festival at the cave and mentioned wanting more booths. So my brother and I came up with a plan and the next day we had booths next to each other, his selling dream-catchers and mine selling seashell ribbon necklaces. For nearly a decade, I continued having my own booth at every festival, and at 7, I also started working several hours a week packaging and mailing marketing materials. When I turned 11, I was so proud to be able to work some of the cave attractions and get to serve our guests in a more personal way. For many years, I also had the pleasure of going on cave convention trips with my family where I developed a deeper love and appreciation for caves as I explored unique caverns and listened to cave experts from around the world. Years later, Jared and I were married and working in NYC when I had a major back injury. We came to Alabama to see some gifted spinal doctors and during our visit Jared heard God call us to work at the caverns. I’ll never forget when I came home from an MRI and he told me he had something big he wanted me to pray about. He then told me that he believed God had spoken to him about moving here and working at the caverns. It brought me to tears because although I had lived in many places, no place felt like home the way the caverns had. We moved to Alabama in 2013 and have loved working in our family business ever since.

Why was the name changed from DeSoto Caverns?

We knew we needed to change the name years ago, as many guests would assume we were located within DeSoto State Park, which is around two hours northeast. It wasn’t until 2018 that the caverns were named as the Most Historic Caverns in the nation by the National Cave Association. When President George Washington heard about the caverns he listed it as the first cave on record in the United States. In searching for the right name, we believed it deserved a title that both honored its history as well as adequately described its unique beauty. As we researched historical documents, we noticed that a consistent description used about the caverns was majestic. As exciting new accolades were given to the cave, including being named one of the top caves to visit in the United States, we felt it was time to rename it. It has always been majestic. Now it’s simply official.

What’s the most fascinating thing our readers should know about Majestic Caverns?

If people are looking for a family friendly bucket-list cave to visit, this is it! Not only because it’s the Most Historic Caverns in the Nation, but also because it has one of the top rated underground laser light shows on every tour. It features a vast collection of unique formations and contains the largest accumulation of gemstone quality onyx in the U.S. For Alabama foodies, our delicious house-made fudge has been named one of the Top 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama by the Alabama Tourism Department. Oprah named our park one of the wackiest parks in America because of its many unique attractions. Any hesitant firsttime visitors won’t have to squeeze through small spaces, as its massive cathedral room could house a 10-story building and a football field inside.

How do you spend your spare time?

Jared and I have two daughters that are 2 and 3, so spare time is limited!

But, when I am not singing songs or playing house with my girls, I enjoy listening to podcasts, reading, and doing yoga while my daughters climb on me, and eating sushi or Mexican food with Jared. I still carry my love of travel and adventure, so I also enjoy planning our next family trip! To me, there is no better experience than sharing what I love, and I am grateful I get to do that both at work and at home.

Co-ops unite for a good cause

By Allison Law

Ayear ago this month, electric utility lineman Chad Morris lost his life while working to restore power to members. For his family, as well as his extended Southern Pine EC family, the loss was unimaginable.

Morris’ death is a heartbreaking reminder that this industry can be dangerous and unforgiving. Despite a tremendous daily focus on safety by all of our cooperatives, serious injuries and death do happen. When they do, the Fallen Linemen Organization, a non-profit based in Louisiana, can step in to help families with unexpected costs.

As a way to give back to this organization – and as a way to honor the memory of their friend and colleague – Southern Pine EC reached out to neighboring rural electric cooperatives to create a charity softball tournament, which they called Home Runs for Heroes. The response was far more than the co-op had anticipated.

“It was overwhelming,” says Vince Johnson, Southern Pine general manager. Seven co-ops in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle responded and fielded teams (and brought along families and supporters) to the Brewton Area YMCA Sports Park on Sept. 24. Baldwin EMC, Black Warrior EMC, Covington EC, Pea River EC, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, Escambia River EC and Gulf Coast EC brought teams, and Southern Pine fielded two teams of their own.

Right, Chad Morris’ brother, Dave Morris, and their mom, Amy Morris, at the Home Runs for Heroes softball tournament. The event was held in memory of Chad, an electric lineman who lost his life a year ago.

PHOTO BY PATTY SINGLETON-SEAY

“I think everybody can identify with the cause,” Johnson says. “It is a good cause. Unfortunately, some of the co-ops have had experience with this organization. It’s fortunate to have it, but it’s unfortunate to have to use it.”

The co-ops raised $20,000, all of which will be donated to the Fallen Linemen Organization. Several sponsors also supported the effort.

For Southern Pine, the organizational effort was much like an annual meeting – everyone participates in some way. The concession stand, T-shirt sales and home run token sales were all especially popular.

And the event was a family affair. Chad’s brother, Dave, warehouse/stores/purchasing manager for Covington EC, attended, as did several other family members, including Chad and Dave’s mom, Amy Morris. “He loved life, he loved people, and he loved his family, especially his girls,” Amy Morris says, remembering her son. “And he enjoyed his work. … He enjoyed taking care of people.” Johnson says the success of this inaugural event convinced everyone involved that the tournament will continue next year, and in the future could move around for other co-ops to host. “We’ve created this living thing,” Johnson says. “Every dime they raise is for a good cause.”

Below, The Gulf Coast EC and the Southern Pine EC teams faced off in the gold bracket playoff game.

PHOTO BY ALLISON LAW

Raising a kitten

PART TWO: Food and behaviors

This month we continue from the last column.

More on food: As we talked about in the last issue, we heavily favor wet food over dry. We buy the 12.5 oz tall cans (cheaper) of Halo, Nulo, Wellness, and maybe Friskies original chicken. You do not need to use these brands, but you can read the labels and use them as a starting point. Make any food switches slowly over 3-4 days.

I think it is useful to add some fiber (like wheatgrass) to their wet food. Our cats get a tiny bit of steamed broccoli, cauliflower, etc. mixed with their wet food. A professor at Iowa State University has shown that cats who eat a wider variety of food have a broader and healthier gut flora.

If you have an adult cat who is addicted to dry food, check out this excellent article:

catinfo.org/docs/TipsForTransitioning1-14-11.pdf

Indoor vs. outdoor: We like cats to be strictly indoors for three reasons: a. It is very painful to lose a cat we love so much and invested our heart into b. Cats cause havoc on small native wildlife c. It is not that hard to provide them with a rich environment indoors!

Toys and scratching posts: Sometimes a crumpled-up piece of paper can be the greatest toy for your cat. Many cats will learn to fetch. Six months ago, we went on a cat toy binge. The most enduring one seems to be a “cat fishing-toy.” They are quite inexpensive. There are many, many to try. Please AVOID the laser toys.

Cat trees are a must, as cats love high spaces. You can buy them at any pet store. However, for the creative folks, there is a dizzying amount of DIY cat stuff on YouTube. Do a search for “cat wall.”

Dangers: Cats have sensitive livers and cannot break down many chemicals. Things that are not toxic to us can be very toxic to them. One common example is Tylenol. And check out the names of your house plants on the Internet to see if they are safe for cats. Also please be very careful with string toys, rubber bands etc. If a string gets caught on a cat’s tongue, they cannot get it out. So, the string goes down their stomach. The only way to get the string out is surgery, and these surgeries take a while to perform and can be hard on the intestinal tract.

Goutam Mukherjee, DVM, MS, Ph.D. (Dr. G) has been a veterinarian for more than 30 years. He owns High Falls Holistic Veterinary Care near Geraldine, Alabama. To suggest topics for future discussions, email him at contact@alabamaliving.coop Scratching and declawing: What can I say? Don’t declaw your cat! That is so 1990s! Declawing is like cutting off the last part of your fingers. There are many resources on the Internet about how to deal with scratching issues. Microfiber seems to work well to discourage scratching. The following link is a very good starting point:

aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/ common-cat-behavior-issues/destructive-scratching

Spay and neuter: It is highly likely that your kitten is the product of a cat who was not spayed on time. It is of great importance to spay/ neuter cats. Most vets will spay/neuter cats when they are at least 3 months old and over 3 pounds. For an indoor cat, it is better to wait longer. Cats can get pregnant when they are still nursing.

Giving cats medicine: Cats are sensitive creatures. We want to go out of our way so as not to hurt their feelings. If we reach the point where it becomes a “battle,” then we will not want to continue giving them meds. Our goal is to cultivate peace and harmony. In case of war, everyone loses. There are two ways to get a pill (or liquid) in a cat, either directly by mouth or by mixing it with their food. You can use a Pet Piller. Even better than pilling is giving their meds with their food, especially for long-term medication like methimazole. Start early when they are young. Get them used to wet food. Keep changing brands and flavors so that they do not get used to only ONE kind of food. Then, start getting them used to “other things” in their food.

For a young cat, you can start by mushing in some steamed broccoli. We add liquid children’s vitamins to our young cat’s food. There is no reason you cannot follow that same protocol for an older cat.

It is extremely important to start slow with the medicines and herbs. I mean slow! My cat gets four drops of methimazole twice daily, but I started by mixing even less than a drop into her food and slowly built up to four drops.

Efficiency tips for a festive holiday season

Q: How can I save energy at home during the holiday season?

A: The holidays are a magical time when we come together with our loved ones to share food, gifts and quality time. It’s also the most expensive time of year for many of us. Along with the expense of gifts, meals and travel comes colder weather and darker nights that lead to more electricity use and higher bills.

One way to reduce the financial burden of the most wonderful time of year is by implementing efficiency tips to use less energy at home and lower your monthly bills.

Holiday lighting

Home practices

If you are hosting guests, your household will consume more electricity than normal. Be prepared with efficiency basics: • Have your thermostat programmed at 68 degrees when you are home and dialed back 8 to 10 degrees when you leave the house or go to sleep. • Run the clothes washer on cold with full loads. • When not in use, turn off lights and the TV; fully shut down computers and gaming systems instead of putting them in sleep or standby mode. • Lower the thermostat when guests are over or cooking food. Most gatherings happen in the center of the home, so save energy by turning the heat down in areas you are not using.

This year, make the switch to LEDs for all your holiday lighting. LED holiday lights consume 70% less energy than conventional incandescent light strands. For example, it costs 27 cents to light a 6-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days with LEDs compared to $10 for incandescent lights.

Pick up a few light timers so you don’t have to remember to unplug your lights every evening. You can also choose to upgrade to smart holiday lights that offer a wide range of app-controlled options, including time, colors, music and modes.

Out-of-town efficiency

Cooking efficiency

Whether you are making holiday treats or a feast, here are a few tips to help lower energy use in the kitchen.

Use the oven light to check food. Every time the oven door is opened, the temperature inside is reduced by up to 25 degrees, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). When possible,

make use of a slow cooker, microwave, toaster oven or warming plate, which use less energy than an oven and stovetop. According to DOE, a toaster oven can use up to half the energy of the average electric stove over the same cooking time. Let hot food cool to room temperature before placing it inside the refrigerator. This ensures you don’t increase the temperature inside your fridge and cause it to use more energy to cool down. You can also take some of the stress and expense out of your holiday cooking by asking guests to bring a dish. If you’re visiting family and friends during the holidays, prepare your home to use less energy while you’re away. Water heating is the second-largest energy expense in your home, accounting for about 18% of your utility bill, according to DOE. Switching your water heater to vacation mode will reduce wasted energy by keeping the water at a lower temperature. If your water heater does not have vacation mode on the dial, you can adjust it to the lowest setting. Set your thermostat to around 55 degrees so you’re not wasting energy to heat the home while you’re away. Instead of leaving lights on all day, consider upgrading a lamp or fixture to a smart lightbulb. This allows you to control lights Miranda Boutelle is the vice president of operations and customer from afar and set a schedule for the light to go on and off. Anothengagement at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company. She also writes on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative er option is to repurpose your holiday light timer for one of your living room lamps. Association, the national trade association representing more than Lower your energy bills this holiday season with these simple 900 local electric cooperatives. efficiency tips. Happy holidays!

LED holiday lights consume 70% less energy than conventional incandescent light strands. Consider updating your decorations this holiday season. PHOTO COURTESY MARK GILLILAND, PIONEER UTILITY RESOURCES