Berthoud Weekly Surveyor September 5, 2013 Page A5 The historical society and Mark French are interested in obtaining and copying old photos from Berthoud’s past. Please contact Mark at 532-2147 if you have any photos you would like to share.
A LOOK AT BERTHOUD
Marching to a different beet H eirloom vegetables call for heirloom recipes. That maxim was put into practice last week when my mother and I used a recipe passed down from my great-grandmother to pickle the summer’s red beet harvest. Surveyor When word of Columnist our plan got out our ranks were bolstered by three fellow gardeners — Jessica Bellows, Diane Levy and Katy Woods — who brought enthusiasm, six more Mark helping hands French and an extra bucket of beets to the day’s event. When the process was completed six hours later we admired a kitchen table laden with 64 pint jars of the red beauties that promised to tide us over the winter. My great-grandmother, Laura Yates, came with my great-grandfather, Dr. Absolom Yates, to Boulder in the 1890s. Laura who was a trained nurse worked at the Boulder Sanitarium while Absolom completed his medical training at the University of Colorado. In 1900 they moved to Lyons where Dr. Yates established
a medical practice and conducted a drugstore where he sold ice cream made from milk produced at his own dairy. When the Yates and their two children, Alice and Solon, moved to the old Preffer farm one mile south of Berthoud in 1915 they turned their attention to farm life even though Laura continued to work as a private nurse. Later Dr. and Mrs. Yates lived in Stringtown — the line of houses extending east from Berthoud along present-day Highway 56 — and then in a house at the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Bimson Avenue in Berthoud. The recipe for pickled beets that was passed to Laura Yates during her youth in Kansas remains a family legacy. The list of ingredients my greatgrandmother used for her pickled beets is short and simple — red beets, water, vinegar, sugar and salt. The canning process she followed, however, is filled with subtleties that can spell the difference between failure and success. The process begins with a bucket of red beets — ideally no larger than golf balls — that have been thoroughly scrubbed and rinsed. The green top of each beet should be trimmed to a length of about one inch but the tip or root of the beet should be left attached. The beets are then boiled in a kettle of lightly salted water for several minutes or to the point where the peels slip off easily when the
beets are submerged in cold water. At this stage it is absolutely essential to retain the water in which the beets were boiled since it will be used later to make a pickling solution. When the beets have been peeled the one-inch top and root should be removed. Then a solution of two cups of water reserved from the first boiling is added to one cup of vinegar and one cup of sugar. The peeled and trimmed beets are then added to that mixture which is brought to a boil. When the pot containing the beets and the pickling solution has been removed from the stove burner, the beets are ready for canning. A tray of pint jars that have been turned mouth-down in a deep baking pan filled with about an inch of water is then taken from a 200 degree oven where they have been sterilizing for a half-hour or more. After the tray has been removed from the oven several jar lids are tossed in the hot water where they will remain until they are needed. The canning commences when the hot jars are filled to within about a quarter-inch of their rims with the piping hot beets and pickling solution. The process is completed when a jar lid is retrieved from the pan of hot water, a moistened finger is rubbed around the jar rim, the jar lid is placed in position and a jar ring is screwed on. As the beets cool over the next several hours the jar lids pop to
farm and antiquing auctions, tinkering with cars and Cushmans, genealogy and the history of Germans from Kenneth Krieger Russian, and blessing us all with Jan. 11, 1939 — Sept. 2, 2013 homemade smoked German sausage and egg noodles. His laugh, abundant Kenneth Roy Krieger, 74, of humor and helpfulness Berthoud, passed away will be sorely missed. Monday, Sept. 2, 2013, Ken is survived by his in Loveland from a heart wife Judith Krieger of related illness. Ken was Berthoud; his children born Jan. 11, 1939, at the Mary (Tim) Gorman of family home in Berthoud Berthoud, Jeff (Chandra) to Conrad and Leora Krieger of Loveland, Lisa (Dreith) Krieger. He Schramma of Loveland, graduated from Berthoud Chuck (Kris) Krieger of High School in 1957. This Osakis, Minn.; siblings farm boy found his way Alvin (Betty) Krieger to Chicago, Ill., where of Loveland, Laurene he worked for Midway Ken Krieger Ellis of Loveland, Jim Airlines and met his fu(Marilyn) Krieger ture bride, Judith M. Petre of East of Fort Collins; granddaughters Aurora, N.Y. They married Oct. 15, Jocelyn Powell, Caitlin Hummel, 1960, in Chicago then made their Erica Schramma, Kelsey Schramma, first home in Longmont, Colo. They Kendal Krieger, Jacie Krieger; greathave lived in Berthoud since 1968. grandchildren Samantha Sorenson, Ken was a worker, holding a vaAspen Sue and Rowan Hummel; as riety of jobs before retiring from well as numerous cousins, nieces, Adolph Coors Co. after 20 years, first nephews and a wealth of friends. at the Longmont barley receiving Cremation has been completed. station, then the brewery in Golden. Visitation with the family will be In retirement he continued to work held at the Viegut Reception Center on projects at home, at his children’s on Friday, Sept. 6, 2013, from 4 -7 properties, for extended family and p.m. Per Ken’s request, a celebration friends and, most recently, on the will be held at a later date with derelocation of a historical cabin for tails to follow. Donations in his name the Berthoud Historical Society. He to the Berthoud Historical Society, dabbled in many hobbies including PO Box 225, Berthoud, CO 80513 or gardening, prospecting, attending
Pathways Hospice, 305 Carpenter Rd. Fort Collins, CO 80525. Go to www.viegutfuneralhome.com for condolences.
OBITUARIES
Wally Birkley Oct. 30, 1941 — Aug. 29, 2013 Wally Gene Birkley, 71, passed away at his home in Berthoud on Aug. 29, 2013. Wally was born Oct. 30, 1941 in New Castle, Neb. to Orville and Lyla Anfinson Birkley. Wally moved with his family to Loveland in 1948. Wally graduated from Loveland High School in 1960. On March 14, 1964 Ruby Dreith and Wally Birkley were married in Astoria, Ore. Wally enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard in February 1963. Wally was stationed aboard the USCGC Mallow in Astoria, Ore., and Honolulu, Ha. Wally was honorably discharged as an E-5 Storekeeper February 1969, serving four years active duty and two years in the reserves. Wally and Ruby returned to Colorado upon completion of his active military duties. Wally went to work for Community Finance in Denver. Wally then went to work as a manager for Local Loan Finance Company in Arvada. Wally and Ruby moved back to Loveland in 1975. Wally and Ruby moved to Berthoud in February 1977, when Wally ob-
Photo by Mark French
Shirley French, Katy Woods, Jessica Bellows and Diane Levy hard at work peeling beets before canning them.
indicate that a seal has been formed. The filled jar of beets joins its previously-canned comrades when it is placed beneath a towel or newspaper. Beets fade and lose their vibrant red color when exposed to the light and after all that work, who wants a jar of faded beets? The beets store nicely for several months and are best kept covered or stored in a dark location until they are ready to be eaten. Simple is often times best and my great-grandmother’s pickled beet recipe that forgoes such ingredients as cinnamon and allspice allows the
beet’s flavor to shine through with little interference. This winter my friends and family will enjoy the product of the old recipe that dates back at least a century and quite likely much longer. Visions of my great-grandmother preparing the beets at her childhood Kansas home will render the beets even sweeter for my mother and me since neither of us who can remember a time when pickled beets were not a family delicacy.
tained employment at Berthoud Marissa Fisbeck and husband Scott National Bank. Wally worked for of Windsor; granddaughters Ali Berthoud National Bank for almost Hensel, Sophia Fisbeck, and Stella 26 years, retiring in January 2003. Fisbeck; grandsons Merick Fisbeck During his employment at Berthoud and Breckin Fisbeck; sisters Marlys National Bank, Wally Arndt of Loveland and was manager of Berthoud Phyllis Crispe and husIndustrial Bank and a band Jack of Castle Rock; loan officer in construcbrother Wayne Birkley tion lending. and wife Colleen of Hawk Wally was a member Springs, Wyo.; brothersof the Berthoud Chamber in-laws Mart Dreith and of Commerce and the wife Sue of Milliken, Dick Berthoud Lions Club for Dreith and wife Margie many years. Wally served Rosborough of Loveland, as treasurer in both orgaDennis Dreith and wife nizations. Wally was also Rose of Milliken, Bill Wally Birkley a member of the Mead Dreith of Loveland; nuFishing Club and the merous nieces and nephBerthoud Gun Club for several years. ews. Wally enjoyed fishing, camping, Wally was preceded in death by his riding his motorcycle, rides in his parents, in-laws Reuben and Emma dune buggy and “Beemer,” and fourDreith, and a brother-in-law Mike wheeling. Wally was also a skilled Arndt. woodworker. If you showed Wally a Services for Wally will be held picture of something, he could build Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11 a.m. at his it for you. Wally won many blue ribhome in Berthoud. In lieu of flowers, bons at the Larimer County Fair for the family requests memorial contrihis woodworking skills on the lathe. butions be made to Pathways Hospice Wally built several pieces of furniture or Wounded Warriiors, c/o of Viegut for his home and family. Funeral Home. Wally is survived by his wife Go to www.viegutfuneralhome.com Ruby of Berthoud; daughter for condolences.
STUDENT OF THE WEEK BERTHOUD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
During the last school year Joel Sexson ccompeted in the WordMasters Challenge, aan analogy and verbal reasoning test for ggrades three to eight. Out of nearly 150,000 sstudents nationwide, Sexson, along with 54 oother students, attained a perfect score on tthe WordMasters Challenge. “They introduced it to us and then we sstarted studying the words,” said Sexson. ““Studying for the challenge was mostly like n normal school work, but a little bit more ffun.” Math and science are Joel’s favorite subjects.
Berthoud Family Physicians B 401 10th St., Berthoud, CO www.BannerHealth.com To schedule an appointment, call (970)
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