Come Home Magazine

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Vol. 3, Issue 7

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Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

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2 Come Home / Volume 3, Issue 7

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Heather Hinrichs ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Monique Wilson COPY EDITOR

Donna Kay Bell GRAPHIC DESIGN

Sarah Knight/Wheelhouse Design CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nate Jordon Janet Bracken Wagner Beverly Cothran CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kerrie Szabo Heather Knapp

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Black Bear Publishing LLC All content is protected by U.S. copyright law and may not be reproduced without permission.

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Letters I had been married for two years

when we moved to Chris’s home town so he could start a new job. Since we had our first baby on the way, I left teaching and decided to just stay home until the baby came. We could not find a house right away so we lived in his grandparents’ home that had been in the family for many, many years. It was a beautiful older home that had the neatest features, nooks, and crannies, which I loved. If it could be moved, I would probably still be living in it today. The only problem with this home is that town had grown up around it. It sat on a beautiful lot full of pecan trees right in the middle of an industrial business district. A heating and cooling company were my neighbors behind us, to our right was an upholstery shop. Across the street was a the law office of John Bloodworth (you might have heard of his famous sister Linda) and to my left was a busy business district bypass.

Coming from a small town this was a big change. I didn’t know a soul and spent most of my days alone waiting on a baby and for Chris to come home from work. One day a black man in his sixties knocked on my door.

He introduced himself as Sam and asked if he could talk to me about my pecans in the yard. My husband hated those pecan trees because he spent his youth picking up 1000s of pecans every year. I told him he could have all the pecans he could pick up and so began the unlikely friendship of me and Sam. He came everyday to pick up pecans. He then shook the pecan trees for the last of its remaining bounty and began to gather up those. Before Sam, I was a little scared to be in that big house all by myself but I looked forward to my daily visit with Sam as he collected the pecans. When we brought Carson home from the hopsital, Sam was so proud for us. He checked on me and the baby almost everyday for a while whether he had pecans to gather or not.

It wasn’t long before we had made an offer on a different house and would be moving into it right after Christmas. As fewer and fewer pecans fell Sam visits grew further and further apart. I was no longer afraid of my surroundings. John the attorney checked on me every time I was outside with the baby and I knew Sam would be stopping by. Life with a new baby began to get so busy I didn’t even realize when Sams visits stopped completely.

One day right before Christmas there was a knock at the door and by the time I put the baby down and answered it, the person knocking was gone.

I looked down to find a five gallon bucket of pecans and a Christmas card from Sam that said thank you for being my friend. I was never able to return the favor. We moved a few weeks later. I never saw Sam again. I never even knew Sam’s last name but he was my friend that came to my home and I was proud to have known him. Twenty years have passed since I met Sam and there is not a holiday season that I am not reminded of him, our friendship, and pecans. We need to get back to the business of opening our hearts and homes and sharing what we have. Thank you Sam for being my friend.

Heather Hinrichs PUBLISHER & EDITOR

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Contents VOLUM E 3 // I SS UE 7

6 Classic Fall Decorations Written and Photographed by HEATHER HINRICHS

8 Get Savvy about Succulents Written by JANET BRACKEN WAGNER

Great Divides and Old 18 Of Forrests: An Interview with Stefan Szabo of National Park Radio Written by NATE JORDON Photographs Courtesy of KERRIE AND STEFAN SZABO

in a Square, Making 25 13 Dancing Super Supper Side Dishes a Circle of Friends COME HOME KITCHEN

Written by BEVERLY COTHRAN

Prepared and Photographed by HEATHER HINRICHS

Photographed by HEATHER KNAPP

30 Harvest Treats to Share COME HOME KITCHEN

Prepared and Photographed by HEATHER HINRICHS

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Classic Fall

Decorations COURTSEY OF DEBBIE REEVES Written and Photographed by Heather Hinrichs

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Mums and pumpkins are everyone’s go to fall decorations.

They are classic, simple and they just look beautiful on a porch but if you are ready to kick it up a notch take some tips form Debbie Reeves and use items you already have around your yard and maybe just one trip to the nursery.

Debbie Reeves makes decorating for fall look easy with her elegant magnolia leaf garland draped around her entry way. The magnolia leaves create a warm and inviting frame for the rest of her decor. To add color to her evergreen planters Debbie placed bright green hedge apples around the base. The hues and tex-

tures of the the evergreens and the apples give the classic planters a fun twist for the season. Debbie effortlessly places hedge apples, gourds and pumpkins in her beautiful metal fabricated window boxes. On her gathering bench Debbie places a tray of pansies and a family favorite fall afghan in beautiful fall colors.

Debbie effortlessly places ornamental cabbage in containers around the entryway that will last well into the coldest of days of fall. Debbie’s fall decorations can be done early and take you straight through the Thanksgiving holiday. CH

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Soil for Succulents 3 parts commercial potting soil mix high in bark 2 parts pumice 1 part calcined clay For more soil tips check out Classy Plants on facebook and ask Janet.

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Get Savvy about

SUCCULENTS

BY JANET BRACKEN WAGNER

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DEFINITION A succulent is a plant that stores water in their leaves and stems so they can tolerate dry conditions. There are 50 plant families considered succulents and they are most often found in semi-desserts all over the world.

Succulents can be divided into 2 types- tender and hardy.

Hardy succulents can grow outdoors from zones 3-9. Some examples would sempervivum (hens and chicks) and perennial stonecrop (sedums).

Tender succulents such as crassula, aloe and haworthia will not withstand frost and are more suitable for indoor gardening or container gardening in warm weather. They should be brought indoors during our winter months.

CARE The secret to growing succulents successfully is to give them conditions similar to their native habitat, which for the most part are arid and warm and recieve minimal rainfall. (under 20� a year) WATERING Water thoroughly once a week in summer, twice a month in spring and fall and cut back to just enough to keep the roots from drying off in the winter. You can apply a liquid fertilizer (diluted to half strength) once or twice in the spring if you like.

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LIGHT Ideally succulents need half a day of full morning sun and the rest of the day bright or dappled shade. Sunburn appears as permanent beige or brown patches. Variegated, or striped succulents, which have less protective pigment, want less sun than their solid-colored cousins.

SUCCULENTS ARE EVERYWHERE right now and we want to get you savvy on how to care for them. Janet Bracken Wagner has shared with Come Home some basic tips on how to make your succulents thrive in every season.

Succulents do very well indoors under grow lights. A light meter should be used to check the foot candles of light they are receiving so you can adjust your grow lights accordingly.

Most cacti and succulents require light levels at a minimum of 1000 foot candles to survive.

SOIL Succulents like coarse, fast-draining soil mixes.

Bagged succulent or cactus mix is okay as long as it doesn’t contain peat moss. Peat moss holds moisture in. Pumice is a volcanic rock with air pockets and is excellent in succulent soil. Check out my recipe for mixing the perfect succulent soil.

103-D Industrial Park Rd, Harrison, Arkansas • (870) 741.3441

IN GROUND VS. CONTAINERS We can’t grow many succulents outdoors in the ground in our climate zone (6) in Northwest Arkansas. No matter where you live you can grow succulents in sheltered microclimates or containers. Succulents are shallow rooted and thrive in pots that can be moved and sheltered when the weather turns hot, cold or wet.

SUCCULENTS IN CONTAINERS Succulents are very popular to plant in containers becuase of their easy care. Choose shallow containers ALWAYS with holes for drainage.

You can pair succulents with rocks and even top dress the pot with sand, rocks, and gravel. This adds polish to the pot. Use different shapes and textures in your pot and always use healthy plants. Choose carefully when you buy. CH

Janet Bracken Wagner is the owner of a plant business, Classy Plants. she has “hands-on” workshops on how to grow and design succulent planters, wreaths and fairy gardens. She may be found on facebook or email her at jhutchbw@windstream.net.

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DANCING IN A SQUARE

MAKING A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS B Y B E V E R LY C O T H R A N Photographs

by Heather Knapp

“Square Dancing is Friendship set to Music.”

This is the slogan of a special band of fun-loving friends called the Twirling Funtimers, a square dance group that meets at the Van Matre Senior Activity Center in Mountain Home. Weekly participation in the social and physical recreation has forged life-long relationships that serve to uplift, encourage, and assist one another.

Friendship was the thread that prompted

Craig and Karen Grothaus, (moderators and contacts for the club), to participate in the Northwest Arkansas organization.

Enduring friendship has been a determining factor of their continued activity.

“In 1998, we were living in Illinois,” Grothaus explained. “I was nearing retirement with plans to move to Mountain Home.” He said that close friends of Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

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theirs had relocated to Arkansas from California and informed the couple about the square dancing groups in Mountain Home.

“I noted that Square Dance lessons were being offered by the Park District where we were living,” Grothaus shared.

They wanted to remain involved in social and physical activities and decided to check out the square dance scene. “We tried the sample lessons and we were hooked!”

When the Grothaus’s landed in Mountain Home, they reconnected with their friends from California and entered the special ring of friendship of the Twirling Funtimers.

“Unfortunately,” Grothaus shared, “Due to back issues Karen can no longer dance, but she is still involved socially and in the support of the activity because we have many friends in and as a result of the activity.”

Dancing is the draw, but the evening get-togethers are also packed with cordial interaction, skits and games, and a smorgasbord of delightful refreshments.

Members who can no longer participate through dance have abundant options.

“It was January. We were sitting at the house. We were bored, “Donna Gellenbeck reflected on the initial reason she and husband Rob joined the group. “We heard there were dance classes, came once, and after that we were here each time.” Rob and Donna were immediately drawn into the intimate crew and eventually opened their home at Bull Shoals for meetings.

For many of the Twirling Funtimers, square dancing is more intimate than friendship. It is a family affair. Like the Grothause’s several of the dancing pairs are partners in life. The Englands, Tom and Aneita , are another couple with loyal participation at the Mountain Home circle. With them, square dancing was not just the beginning of life-long friendships but the beginning of their partnership in marriage.

“As a youth I accompanied my parents, brother, cousins and close friends to square dances.” Aneita England said of her early introductions. “My greatest joy was to be my Dad’s partner when Mom wanted to set out a few tips.”

The Englands have been swinging their partners and promenading with the Twirl-

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ing Funtimers for decades. Both have roots in the recreational activity from youth. Aneita shared the details of the unusual location of dances she attended as a girl, “Most of the dances were held at my elementary school a little two room rock building, but others were held at the local nudist camp, clothes required until the dance was over. I smile just thinking of that time. By 10 p.m. there wasn’t a dancer left on the premises.”

While many square dance pairs are partners in matrimony, Grothaus asserted, “One needn’t be a part of a couple to enjoy this activity because we do not like to leave anyone sitting for lack of a partner and ‘share’ to assure that everyone gets to dance.” Grothaus said that many dancers are proficient at dancing both parts and that pairs of the same gender (generally female) are often seen on the floor without a problem.

Arkansas is one of nineteen states in the U.S. that have declared Square Dance as the official state dance.

“Not only is it the official dance of Arkansas,” according to Craig Grothaus, “It is an American Folk Dance. Though the dance is done worldwide, the calls are always done in English.”

The dance necessitates eight participants to complete a square. “You always need many more than eight,” Grothaus expounded, “because all club members will not be in attendance at each event, and when dances last two hours, people need breaks.” Grothaus said the current roster of the Twirling Funtimers is 22, with 3 new dancers plus 2 regular visitors that have not yet joined. The group meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the senior center in Cooper Park. The hour from 6 to 7 p.m. is reserved for Round Dancing and workshop (sometimes called “Angel” time). The “Angels”, (participant Gerrie Prewitt explained), “are the special volunteers who teach “Newbies” to dance.”

The Angels dedicate hours of service to train new dancers and extend hospitality to the Newbies. After a year and one-half of mentoring form the Angels, Prewitt mastered the basic steps and graduated to the next level. Throughout the process, she said the group offered her the open arms of friendship. At prime time, 7 P.M., the music is ramped up and the caller engages experienced dancers in the full square dance. Dancers grace the floor

until 9:00 p.m.

Once per month the group performs in full traditional square dance costume. On September 13th, I attended such an event with my daughter and two grandsons in tow. The dance floor was jam-packed with four groups, a West Plains group, (whom Grothaus said was in attendance to retrieve their banner), A group from Alton, Missouri, The Arkansas Camper’s Dancers , as well as the hometown team of the Twirling Funtimers. The dancers were on the floor in full swing when we arrived. As the ladies stepped lively, the ruffles of their cotton print skirts swirled and bounced in time with the music as the petticoats rustled beneath. An old country western tune chimed as the 45 record churned on the record player. The caller chanted the motions and sixteen pairs glided across the floor with feet tapping, hand clapping, Ferris Wheeling, and Promenading. Sounding a bit like an auctioneer, the caller changed instructions every few seconds keeping the partners sprightly on their toes!

“Square dancers love to dress up and play,” Aneita England said. “When I attended the dances of my parents folks didn’t dress up. They wore their regular clothes. Then prairie dresses started to appear. By the 70’s full square dance attire was encouraged for both the men and women.”

At the September 13th dance, full square dance attire was on display from black shiny western boots to tall cowboy hats. Many ladies twirled in patterned layered skirts with petticoats, while others donned the more modest prairie length skirts. Married pairs could be identified by matching ensembles. Many Twirling Funtimers members, (like the Englands), enjoy donning costumes at seasonal and special dances like the Sadie Hawkin‘s dance, Halloween dances, and year’s end dances.

“The skits at break are a hoot.” Aneita England declared.

As an anticipated observer, two things completely caught me off guard the incredible energy and endurance of the dancers and the elaborate details of the dance. Square dancing involves memorization of hundreds of patterns of steps and formations. The square is formed by four sets of pairs. Dancers interact in a series of twirls, hand touches, and

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steps where pairs weave in and out of circles and the square in response to calls. Some of the calls include, “trade the ocean” or “trade the wave,” and a few more prominent square dance terms like Promenade and Do Se Do. Grothaus explained that the popular square dance in mid-western states, “do not resemble the “Barn Dance” or “Community Dance” as seen in the old western movies.”

“Although,” he added, “this type of dance is still practiced down in Mountain View at the Ozark Folk Center as part of their evening concert programs at the park theater.”

According to Grothaus, the dance of the local clubs, (including the Twirling Funtimers), is known as, “Modern Western Square Dance.” This type of dance, Grothaus explained, “was adapted and developed in Colorado in an effort to standardize a set of calls and method that would allow people to participate anywhere in the country (and now worldwide).”

“Modern Western Square Dance is a club activity,” Grothaus elaborated.

“The club may be ran by the dancers or may be actually Caller-Run. There are levels of dance with progressive sets of call/movements. The simplest form is “Basic” which is really minimal and is learned on night one. This is followed by “Mainstream” where a few calls are added (primarily made of combinations of calls) to make up the “Plus” level. Following “Plus” come 3 levels of “Advanced” followed by, I believe, two levels of “Challenge.”

The Twirling Funtimers is a Dancer-Ran dance club with a club level of Square Dance, Plus Level, and Round Dancing.

Craig Grothaus further accommodated me by defining some of the dance terminology. “A Promenade,” he described, “is really only a single move which means moving in a circle (singly or as a couple) from where you are to your “home” position.

The “Do Se Do”, (one of the more familiar terms), “if done properly,” Grothaus stated, “is executed by partner dancers circling one another or walking around one another back-to-back.” He said this particular move is, “often executed by dancers as a swing move or as a ‘highland-swing’ with one arm extended

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upward.” And you may see all three done in the same square.

“The Ferris Wheel,” he shared, “is a motion more difficult to put in lay terms.” Grothaus indulged me with the more detailed description. “The set-up is two, two couple lines, with two couples facing in and two out, diagonally. The two couples facing in step forward and when they are shoulder-to-shoulder, they pivot about the center-point and come to a facing position. You now have two columns when the move has been made.

The term ‘Ferris-Wheel’ comes from the two couples forming the large spoke shoulder-to-shoulder and then pivoting into their ending position.”

“Four hands,” he stated, “is just as it sounds. The move involves taking four hands in hand-to-hand moves, square through four hands, right-left, right-left.”

Learning the steps and patterns of the dance is the first part of the process. Participants train their minds to listen and respond on impulse as the Caller chirps out changes while the dance progresses.

Pat Christie is the Club Caller. Grothaus estimates that she has been calling more than 30 years. The caller’s role is to keep the couples in motion and mix-it-up.

Often, the caller sings a song like Moe Bandy’s, “Rodeo Romeo” while intermediately interjecting commands for the dancers.

Craig Grothaus explained, “A dance, or “set”, in Square Dance is a “Tip” and is generally made up of two parts; “patter” and “singing” calls. In the patter the caller is ‘calling’ the moves to be done over an instrumental and dependent upon the Caller’s style may be set (written or memorized), or improvised. In the “singing call” moves are called and blended into a “song”.”

As well as the social and emotional health benefits members reap through the positive relationships and interactions among fellow square dancers, participants feel their physical and mental health is boosted through the continuous exercise and engagement.

“Learning the steps definitely help your memory and your brain,” participant Donna Gellenbeck stated. She shared that a typical night of square dancing is equivalent to a two and a half-mile walk.

For participants who engage in both the “Angel” session and the full dance session,

it would be at least twice that amount.

“Square dancing gives me is a joyful, energetic soul-fulfilling sense of wellbeing,” Aneita England asserted. England added that the lively steps and intricate choreography of the dance, “keeps your mind and body worked out.”

The guidelines for square dancing include more than patterns, steps, and calls. There are also terms of etiquette.

The dance itself is not considered competitive but rather a “courtesy” recreation. Partners are encouraged to smile at one another and listen carefully to the caller. England stated that another perk of the square dancing club for her was that it was, “a place to meet people and make friends in an alcohol free environment.”

Mountain Home is one of the communities in Arkansas where the lively activity still thrives, but Grothaus shared that participation has waned. The Twirling Funtimers group’s numbers have declined and most members are senior citizens.

The Club’s caller Pat Christie has taken steps to inspire a new generation of square dancers. She volunteered to instruct 90 students, from 3rd - 5th grades over a three week period last summer.

The Englands reminisced on their observations of the evolution of square dance through the years, “Learning to square dance in the 60’s up to and through the 90’s took 6 months before receiving a basic main stream certificate of completion. After completing that process a dancer was welcome to the regular square dances. There followed 6 weeks of Plus classes but by then a dancer was already dancing with the group.”

England shared that after the year 2000, “Basic or “Mainstream” lessons were now completed in just 3 months and the Plus classes may or may not be offered, which downsized the skills and training of the dancer. The regular dances become the practice/training ground for the new dancer.”

Through changing times, for the circle of friends at the Twirling Funtimers Square Dance Club, one constant has remained. As active member Aneita England proclaimed, “There are no strangers at square dance.” CH For more information about the Twirling Funtimers. Contact: Craig and Karen Grothaus, 39 Crestview Road, Mountain Home, AR 72653-8075 (870) 424-2957

Ferguson Country Store has been welcoming folks to Buffalo River Country since 1972.If you haven’t been by in a while, we invite you to come visit us during this fall season, shop in our gift shop, have a homemade cinnamon roll right out of the oven and see our line of Arkansas made, solid cherry, maple and oak furniture. We can have a new table crafted for you in time for the Holidays. We have a variety of styles that will fit in any decor, sold wood (no veneers or particle board), with a durable finish you can enjoy.

Two new tables we are excited about: the Live Edge, rustic but with a finish silky to the touch, that comes with a powder steel base or choose a wood base from our large selection, matched with a bench or chairs; our other new table is a solid wood stained top and a white rubbed base as you have frequently seen on design TV shows.

It is a great time of year to be out in the Ozarks‌. Come see us!

Located 30 minutes South of Harrison, Arkansas on Hwy 65 1 mile north of the Buffalo National River 870 439 2234

Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

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of GREAT of GREAT DIVIDES DIVIDES

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OLD OLD FORESTS: FORESTS: AN INTERVIEW WITH STEFAN SZABO OF NATIONAL PARK RADIO

BY NATE JORDON Photographs Courtesy of Kerrie and Stefan Szabo.

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A

QA

QA QA

In early Spring I met with Stefan Szabo of

National Park Radio,

a homegrown band out of Harrison, Arkansas, at Neighbor’s Mill. Over several cups of coffee we talked about nature, growing up in the Ozarks, spirituality, and how it all comes together to produce the homegrown unique blend of folk pop National Park Radio creates.

a genre. I think of it as singer-songwriter with bluegrass and folk influences, but . . . folk songs are more storytelling and mine aren’t really storytelling. My songs are more like pop songs, in a way.

I mean, my songs are a blend of a lot of different stuff. I like elements of pop music that provide hooks and melodies that are catchy and the instrumentation of bluegrass. The banjo has become a big part of the music I make. So not getting too far away from that style and keeping people’s attention and having good energy, that’s important to me. The songwriting itself is inspirational, hopeful. In a lot of ways I try to write songs about encouragement for myself and others, y’know, something that people can relate to. That’s really my goal whenever I write songs. I want to see if I can write something that a majority of people can relate to and be affected by positively.

Q:

In a sense, I can identify NPR’s music as being distinctly Ozarkian. Is that a word? I mean, there is a particular culture here in the Ozarks, one that has a unique blend of Appalachia, Western and Southern ideals and roots. Would you agree NPR’s music is culturally rooted in the Ozarks?

QA A:

Last year Chelsea and I took your album, “The Great Divide,” with us on a road trip up to Badlands National Park. It’s a great road trip album, by the way, we listened to it over and over again. In that sense, it’s a great album to listen to while tooling around the backroads of the Ozarks. It really gives the listener a sense of place, and an interior sense of space – something I’ll ask you about later. NPR’s music, in my opinion, has a unique blend of folk music with bluegrassy tones. How would you describe it?

It’s not purposely done that way. It may seem that way because that’s who I am. I’m from here, I’ve always lived here, I’ve always been here. I’ve been able to travel a little bit, especially over the past three or four years, but . . . I feel independent. That’s a big goal for me. To just be me and not be anybody else. To not try and live up to any expectations that people might have for me. So, I want to be me and unique and not really care if other people . . . or if I’m the same as other people around because I know I’m not. I would feel weird if there were a lot of people that do the same things I do and think the same way I do. It would feel weird to me. That being said, just me living here and being from here, I think it affects the music. To me it doesn’t sound Ozarkian because I’m not even sure what that means! It’s just sounds like me. So you’re going to have to be the judge of that. It’s just who I am.

A:

Q:

Q:

I think that’s a pretty good description. It’s hard to put it in

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Something we were talking about earlier was how I felt

that Ozark culture has been at best misrepresented, most likely misunderstood, so to have a band get out there attracting a new audience to this area is a good thing. People can identify you and your music with what’s going on out here.

A:

Y’know, a lot of this culture has a lot to do with a do-it-yourself type of mentality, which is kind of the mentality I have with my music. I don’t depend on anybody else to make it the way I want it to be. Some people will come and contribute, but it’s kind of been like that do-it-yourself mentality.

So that kind of represents the culture around here, too.

Q:

I was at your gig at Steel Creek along the Buffalo National River to celebrate the National Park System’s centennial last year. What a beautiful setting. And what a crowd.

Was that also to celebrate the debut of your first album?

A:

No. I have a first album that I did all by myself, pretty much, with help from my brother. It was released in April 2013. It was five songs. An EP. We did it like I’m doing the new album right now, in the garage. It was amazing. That’s really what got people interested in the music. It got a lot of attention locally and then across the country. The Great Divide was a project that started from us wanting to make a second album, or a real full length album. The Steel Creek show happened towards the end of that process. That was the start of our publicity campaign to release the album in July.

Q:

I love the album name – “The Great Divide.” I bet it has a double entendre, maybe more meanings. Would you like to illuminate our readers to the meaning or leave it interpretive?

A:

“The Great Divide” represents this mountain that a lot of people don’t try to climb. Because it’s uncomfortable, it’s scary, because it’s difficult.

I felt like I was climbing a mountain that I may or may not be able to get up.

“The Great Divide” kind of feels like

something a few people climb and get past in life to conquer or chase their dreams. “The Great Divide” is that thing that separates the few who do go chase that dream from those many more who either try and fail, which is part of life, or just never attempt it in the first place. I felt like I wanted to be one of the ones who would continually attempt to climb that mountain as long as I could. I want to be an inspiration to people, so every time I think about giving up, I think about that.

Q: A:

Who came up with the name National Park Radio?

In 2012, when we were just playing and jamming, we spent months trying to come up with a band name. It was one of the hardest things to do. We were out at Marble Falls, real close to the Buffalo, and I had always liked the idea of traveling and adventure and the National Parks is one of my favorite things in the world. We had tossed around several goofy band names for months and then I came up with The National Park something, I can’t remember exactly what it was. Eventually my brother came up with National Park Radio. I didn’t like it at first but after a while it made sense to me. I started thinking about all the artwork that could go with it, the logo, and everything like that.

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Q:

It’s a good fit. For the sound that The Great Divide has, that NPR has in general, it’s a good fit. Kind of what I was alluding to earlier, I was on this road trip and it was just perfect. It gives you a little bit of room to get lost in the moment. It combines this natural environment type of thing going on where I thought, “Oh, I get it. I could totally listen to this while I’m in a National Park.”

A:

One of my dreams is to go around to all the National Parks and play at their amphitheaters. It would be amazing. Camp there, hang out with the people, go hiking and exploring then play music for them and then go to the next one a week or two later. A National Park Tour. That’s what I want to do.

We’ve already played several National Parks. We’ve done the Buffalo National

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Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

21

River three times and the fourth is coming up in April. We did Shiloh National Military Park. It was so much fun. It’s a Civil War battlefield. The people were amazing there. We’re supposed to go back at the end of the summer. But I want to do more. I don’t care if they pay me. It’d be nice to get some gas money.

Q: A: Q:

To make it to the next show.

Yeah. Some food or something.

Nature appears to be very important to NPR songs and to its music in general. Do you think growing up in a rural town in the Ozarks with America’s First National River in your backyard, do you think these experiences inform your music and songs?

A:

Yeah, definitely. I want them to. I feel like a lot of songs I write are emotional. But the sound and the feel of the music I like to be natural. The last album [The Great Divide] had a lot of that extra stuff, y’know, electric guitar, piano, all that stuff. That doesn’t really work outside around a campfire. I would like my music to feel good and sound awesome but also be able to fit into a setting, theoretically, that doesn’t need all these cords to plug in and all these amps and pianos to lug around into the woods. Y’know, we could just go out with our acoustic instruments and you could hear what you hear on the album and you could hear that down by the river. That’s one of things I’m trying to do with the new album, to just make sure there’s not too much in there.

Q:

What else influences your songwriting?

22 Come Home / Volume 3, Issue 7

A:

Family. Love. The big ideas. Hope.

Optimism. I’ve written some songs that are just fun, that just had some cool music and I put lyrics to go along with it. A couple of songs on the new album are a bit dark. But in general, as a whole, I want my music to be hopeful. I want a majority of people to relate to what I say.

I want to talk about things that everybody goes through. I want to encourage people. I want to inspire people.

Q:

In terms of other singer/songwriters, bands, who influenced and/or influences you?

A:

The Lumineers. I really love their style. The Avett Brothers, as far as their songwriting and simplicity and their banjo, guitar stuff. I was really into Fleet Foxes about five, six years ago.

I grew up in the 90s and liked a lot of harder stuff back then and into my twenties. But after having kids I mellowed out quite a bit.

Q:

You embarked on a big tour out west last year. You played in some gorgeous places. So far, what’s been your favorite venue?

A:

Probably Steel Creek. There was an awesome place in Napa Valley we played at. We played in a beautiful city park in Calistoga, California – we’re going again this year. We played in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with The Tetons as a beautiful backdrop.

Q: A:

Tell me about the new album.

It’s called Old Forests. There’s a song on it called “Old Forests”

that explains the meaning behind it.

These giant trees, they’ve been through a lot throughout the years. They’ve experienced a lot of things and with that comes wisdom and knowledge and experience. Experience is very important, it’s the thing that shapes you. It’s the same thing with an old forest. There’s a lot of history there.

Q: A:

Growth.

Yeah, growth. And so with the hard times, they keep on growing through it. That’s what I see with this new album. It represents that, in a way.

It’s going through these ups and downs and rough patches, things not being the way I want them to be, but still growing through that, learning from that. Hopefully it will be a positive experience. I think it will be. It’s been a positive experience, overall.

Q: A:

So we can expect a stripped down, less produced album?

A little bit. It won’t have a ton of extra instruments like the last one. It will have acoustic guitar, banjo, bass, lighter percussion – mainly kick drum beats, some tambourine and shaker type stuff. Also, we’ll have the whole album available for free download from our website, so if anybody wants to hear it they can hear it for free. They can stream it from our site or download the mp3s. That’s something I want to do.

You don’t make money off of recordings anymore unless you get a big hit and get millions of streams on Spotify. It’s not a good source of income anyways. And it’s not really the point of it for me. I just

want to get it out to as many people who want to hear it.

Q: A:

What’s in the future for National Park Radio, for your music?

I really don’t care about being successful, personally. The only focus is the music. If I do what’s in my heart and everything works out the way it’s supposed to, there’s a chance that more opportunities for travel will happen and we’ll share the music with larger audiences. My goal is to just make good music that people can relate to. If the other stuff happens, then it happens.

That’s one of the reasons I want my music to be successful, so I can travel with my family to all these awesome places and just hang out, play music for people.

That’s all I really want to do.

Q:

You’ll be playing at Steel Creek along the Buffalo National River again this year. This time it will be for Earth Day. Will this be an annual gig?

A:

We’ll see. They’re the ones who ask us. They asked us last time, they asked us this time. I think they were surprised how well it went last time so they were like, ‘We got to do this again.’ This year it’s going to be powered by solar energy which is cool. There’s a solar energy company out of Fayetteville who’s offered to power the whole sound system and stage and everything so it will be an Earth Day, green, lower carbon footprint event and hopefully we’ll have albums to sell. CH To check out Stefan’s music and discover more about National Park Radio, visit their website at nationalparkradio.com.

Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

23

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Come home

SUPER SUPPER

SIDE DISHES

GREAT FOR DINNER EVERY NIGHT NOT JUST THE HOLIDAYS.

BY HEATHER HINRICHS Photographs

by Heather Hinrichs

Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

25

Creamy Garlic Mushrooms We double this for a regular family dinner in our home

and thickened for 4-5 minutes before

Instructions

removing from the heat.

1. Add all ingredients into the crock

Squash Casserole

Ingredients

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

4 yellow squash

1 T of chopped garlic

1 yellow onion

8 oz baby bella, baby portobella,

1 pan of cornbread

cremini or some white mushrooms,

1 20 ounce cream of chicken

whole

2 cups of cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons of cream cheese, room temperature 2 tablespoons of parmesan, freshly grated

Instructions Bake a 9 x 9 pan of cornbread according to package directions. While cornbread

salt and black pepper

is baking, slice squash and onion and

small handful fresh parsley, finely

boil until tender. Save the squash water

chopped

in case your casserole is to dry when you begin to mix it up. In large baking

Instructions

pan break up cornbread, stir in soup and

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over

cheese then add boiled squash and onion.

medium heat.

2. Add garlic and mushrooms, gently cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and starting to caramelise and take on colour, about 5-6 minutes.

3. Remove from heat while adding the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and salt and pepper - season up to your taste.

4. Bring back to heat and continue to stir and cook for another minute, until it come to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer until slightly reduced

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Cream Croc Pot Corn Ingredients 36oz frozen corn 6 tablespoons butter 6oz cream cheese 1/2

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (less for

more subtle garlic flavor) 1/4

teaspoon dill

1/3 cup milk

26 Come Home / Volume 3, Issue 7

1/4

cup of light soy sauce

pot and cover. Cook on high for 2 1/2

Instructions

hours.

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13

2. Stir until creamy and cover and cook another 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Green Bean Bundles Ingredients 3 (14.5 ounce) cans whole green beans, drained (You can sub. frozen whole green beans) 1 pound bacon, cut in half 1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar 1 Tbs of chopped garlic

inch baking dish.

2. Wrap 7 green beans with bacon and place in prepared dish. Repeat, using all the green beans and bacon.

3. Combine melted butter, brown sugar, garlic and soy sauce. Pour over green bean bundles. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook 15 minutes until bacon has browned. Turn over bundles carefully and return to oven for 15 minutes until browned. CH

Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

27

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Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

29

HARVEST TREATS TO SHARE

BY HEATHER HINRICHS Photographs

by Heather Hinrichs

30 Come Home / Volume 3, Issue 7

just one small potato to instantly bring back a cherished memory.

5. Unwrap candy and slice into 1-inch thick slices and serve or store in airtight container, chilled, up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients 1 small potato equal to 1/2 cup plain mashed potatoes 6-8 cups powdered sugar 2/3 cup peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions 1. Place potato in a small pot, cover with water, and boil until very tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Mash (or use a hand mixer) until smooth and lump-free.

2. Add 4 cups powdered sugar and mix until blended (will be a sticky mess and

Sugared Pecans My family is crazy about sugared pecans.

The problem with the sugared pecans is that we can't manage to make them pretty. Every year we plan to make them to give away but they are so not pretty and my boys end up eating all the ugly ones so I am left with about four pecans to give away. With that being said, don't worry about how they look, just enjoy how they taste. I am more than sure you won't have any friends or family that will mind how they look either.

pecans are covered.

this point). If opting to use vanilla, mix

Spread the pecans out in a single

in now. Mix in more powdered sugar, 1

layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for

cup at a time, until mixture is very thick

about 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15

(slightly thicker than cookie dough).

minutes. The sugar mixture will harden

3. Lay down a large sheet of wax paper

on the pecans.

and sprinkle generously with powdered

Remove from the oven and let the

sugar. Transfer candy mixture to the

pecans cool on the baking sheet. When

wax paper and sprinkle the top with

completely cool, store in an airtight

more powdered sugar. Roll out to ¼

container for up to 1 month.

inch thick rectangle.

Grandma Polly’s Potato Candy

4. Spread peanut butter evenly over candy. Roll tightly (long side toward long side), then wrap in the wax paper.

Cut in half crosswise and put the two

When Chris and I first married he men-

INGREDIENTS:

halves inside a large re-sealable bag.

tioned that his Grandma Polly made this

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Seal the bag and chill for at least 30

candy out of mashed potatoes, peanut

1/2 cup light brown sugar

minutes until firm, or until about 30

butter, and powdered sugar. Every year

1 teaspoon salt

minutes before ready to serve.

when fall rolled around, he always talked

16 ounces (about 4 cups) unsalted

about it. So way before Pintrest existed, I

pecans halves

Harvest Hash My family has been making harvest hash for years. I started this tradition in my classroom so my students could make their very own signature blend. They loved it and years later my boys loved it too. This is our go to weekend snack when everyone is home or when we have parties with lots of kiddos over.

Have cute bags and bowls of ingredients and scoops to let everyone create their very own signature Harvest Hash Blend

Ingredient, Ideas, Suggestions The sky is the limit on what you can put in your Harvest Hash!

Peanuts Cashews Sunflower Seeds M & M’s Reese’s Pieces Golden Grahams Potato Sticks Candy Corn Chex Cereal Peanut Butter Chips Chocolate Chips Pretzel sticks Honey Nut Cheerios Reese’s Puffs

decided I would make his grandmother's

1 egg white

candy because surely I could figure this

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

out. It is simple, three ingredients, how

1 teaspoon water

hard could this be? I boiled 5 pounds of potatoes and mashed them and then

Instructions

began mixing in the 2 pound bag of sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a

I had bought. Then I went and bought 2

large baking sheet with parchment paper

more bags of powdered sugar, and then

and set aside.

I went and bought 2 more bags. By now

In a medium bowl, add sugars, and salt.

I am about $30 into powdered sugar,

Whisk until combined and set aside.

three hours of my afternoon wasted, and

In a large bowl, whisk the egg white,

all I have to show him when he comes

vanilla, and water together until frothy.

home from work was about 15 pounds

Add the pecans and gently toss until the

of runny paste. I was so disappointed I

pecans are well coated. Add the sugar

never attempted it again until Pintrest.

and cinnamon mixture and toss until

It’s amazing what a recipe can do and

Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

31

Eva’s Chocolate Covered Peanuts Eva is a close family friend that shares her recipes with me all the time. She is an extremely talented cook and most often her recipes are too detailed for even me, but her chocolate covered peanuts are so easy and a huge hit with my family. When fall hits, we start making these. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that it makes plenty for your family to enjoy and enough to share with friends.

Ingredients 2 pound white almond bark 4 ounces German chocolate bar 12 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips 24 ounces dry roasted peanuts

Instructions 1. Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Let cook on low for 1 hour without messing with it.

After an hour, stir to combine everything.

Allow to cook for another hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

2. Drop spoonfuls of the candy onto wax paper and allow to cool completely. CH

32 Come Home / Volume 3, Issue 7

Volume 3, Issue 7 / Come Home

33

Top 100

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Site Excellence Award

Governor’s

Quality Achievement Award

34 Come Home / Volume 3, Issue 7