Contents
JUNE 2021
Events
Features
11
SOME LIKE IT HOT
Concerts, festivals, and more fun in the sun
6 8
VO LU M E 3 8 // I SS U E 6
REFLECTIONS by James Fox-Smith
NEWS & NOTEWORTHIES
26 29 31
Publisher
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEEKEEPERS
James Fox-Smith
In search of the perfect swarm by Jason Vowell
Associate Publisher
Ashley Fox-Smith
Managing Editor
BIRDING BLIND You can tell a lot about a bird by its song. by Catherine Schoefller Comeaux
Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Alexandra Kennon
THE GREEN PROJECT Almost thirty years of creative sustainability in New Orleans by Matt A. Sheen
On the Cover
Creative Director
Kourtney Zimmerman
Contributors:
Lucie Monk Carter, Catherine Schoeffler Comeaux, Denny Culbert, Ed Cullen, John Flores, Lorin Gaudin, Paul Kieu, Matt A. Sheen, Jason Vowell
OUR NATURAL WORLD
Cover Artist
Cover by Lucie Monk Carter
Lucie Monk Carter
A busy mother takes a breath in the carefully curated wildnerness of West Louisiana, examining the flowers that capture her four-year-old’s attention more closely, learning their names (page 50). A birding couple spend a winter entranced by a timberdoodle in their yard (43). A curious foodie holds a queen bee in his fingers (26). And a family opens their ears a little wider, hearing—really hearing, for the first time—the layers upon layers of birdsong right outside their backdoor (29). In our 2021 “Our Natural World” issue, our writers carve out time to focus in on, and wonder about, a few of the countless wonders making up the massive mysterious ecosystems of our region. How does a moth spend its brief two weeks of life? Can a bee near a blueberry farm produce a sweeter honey? What actually makes a Creole tomato superior to any old other tomato (34)? And finally, what happens when we, the oh-so-unnatural human being, enters into the picture? What do we bring? What do we take?
Cuisine
34
35 36
THE TRUTH ABOUT CREOLE TOMATOES This sun-ripened treat is more controversial than you think. by Lorin Gaudin
TOMATO PIE A cheesy, mayo-y take on Creole tomatoes by Alexandra Kennon
VESTAL Chef Ryan Trahan unveils his modern masterpiece in downtown Lafayette. by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Culture
38
42 43 45
46
HISTORY’S A HELIX
ON OUR ISLAND
Jazz and freedom at the Kid Ory House
The Juneteenth Legacy Project is only one reason to visit Galveston this summer.
by Alexandra Kennon
REMEMBERING DR. ODENWALD A remarkable teacher leaves a legacy of beauty and growth behind him. by Kathryn Kearney
WINTERING WOODCOCK A timberdoodle spends a season in a subdivision. by John Flores
WHEN SUMMER COMES BACK AROUND An essay on the seasons by Ed Cullen
4
Escapes
J U N E 2 1 // C O U N T R Y R O A D S M A G . C O M
by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
50 54
Advertising
SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM
Sales Team
Heather Gammill & Heather Gibbons
Custom Content Coordinator
Lauren Heffker
Advertising Coordinator
Kathryn Kearney
President
Dorcas Woods Brown
Country Roads Magazine 758 Saint Charles Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phone (225) 343-3714 Fax (815) 550-2272 EDITORIAL@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM WWW.COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM
Subscriptions 20 for 12 months 36 for 24 months
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ALLEN ACRES A sensory exploration in West Louisiana by Lucie Monk Carter
PERSPECTIVES John Taylor: Guardian of the Wetlands by Lauren Heffker
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ISSN #8756-906X
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