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662-393-2121 Mon - Sat 9am-6pm. Closed Sunday
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J U LY CONTENTS 2020 • VOLUME 17 • NO. 7
features
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Road Tripping Along The Natchez Trace
Hurricane Katrina 15 Years Later
The Palmer Home Celebrates 125th Anniversary
departments 16 Living Well Be Prepared
40 On the Road Again Dothan, Alabama
20 Notables Tom Bradley
43 Greater Goods 64 Homegrown Pride of the Pond Catfish
24 Exploring Art Blair Hobbs 28 Exploring Books Playing the Devil
68 Southern Gentleman Kyle Cunningham 70 Southern Harmony J.T. Cooper
30 Southern Roots Strong Scents
72 In Good Spirits A Spirited Fourth
32 Table Talk Rafael Rios & Yeyo’s 36 Exploring Destinations Reelfoot Lake
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74 Reflections Two Great Birthdays
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editor’s note | JULY
Celebrating Summer and More Each July, the DeSoto Magazine team looks at significant anniversaries. Although some events may have been things we’d have preferred to skip, they are significant none the less. Hurricane Katrina is one of those catastrophes that made an indelible impact on the South and the nation, and it’s something we hope to never live through again. As the 15th anniversary of this storm approaches, Cheré Coen writes about how the Mississippi Gulf Coast has rebounded since Katrina. Her story celebrates the dedication and resolve of coastal residents who have not only bounced back from Katrina’s devastation but who also serve as stewards for the area’s beautiful natural resources. The Palmer Home is marking its 125th anniversary this year and has grown far beyond its founders’ dreams. Writer Tracy Morin looks at how this Hernando gem has transformed the lives of abandoned, neglected, and abused children. A road trip along the historic Natchez Trace is one way to celebrate after months of self-quarantining at home. Writer Debi Lander drove the entire route last fall from Nashville to Natchez and shares some of her favorite memories. Whether you plan to drive the entire Trace or just a portion, you’ll find some helpful hints for family fun along this historic parkway. This month we also offer a variety of special stories about food,
JULY 2020 • Vol. 17 No.7
PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Adam Mitchell PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paula Mitchell ADVERTISING CONSULTANT Melanie Dupree CO-EDITORS Mary Ann DeSantis Cheré Coen
destinations, art, music, and interesting people. We know you’ll find something of interest for those long, hot summer days when a glossy magazine and a cool glass of lemonade are just the ticket to while away an afternoon. Finally, July marks my own special “anniversary.” It was three years ago this month that I became editor of DeSoto Magazine. It has been an honor to work with the publishers and with so many talented writers. I’ve been amazed at the variety and the depth of the stories we’ve covered. I’ve tried to pick my favorite issues, but it’s difficult because they’ve all been my favorite. I hope you feel the same. Enjoy the summer!
CONTRIBUTORS Tom Adkinson Sarah Blevins Cheré Coen Mary Ann DeSantis Jackie Sheckler Finch Verna Gates Pamela Keene Debi Lander Tracy Morin Karen Ott Mayer Sue Nolley Elizabeth Tettleton Karon Warren Priscilla Willis Pam Windsor PUBLISHED BY DeSoto Media 2375 Memphis St. Ste 208 Hernando, MS 38632 662.429.4617 ADVERTISING INFO: Paula Mitchell 901-262-9887 Paula@DeSotoMag.com SUBSCRIBE: DeSotoMagazine.com/subscribe
DeSotoMagazine.com
on the cover Summer celebrations usually involve cookouts, and it is hard to beat the classic hot dogs and hamburgers as we dive into outdoor festivities. Whether you are celebrating July 4th or a special anniversary or birthday, we wish you a season filled with family fun… and good food!
©2020 DeSoto Media Co. DeSoto Magazine must give permission for any material contained herein t o b e re p ro d u c e d i n a n y m a n n e r. Any advertisements published in DeSoto Magazine do not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s services or products. DeSoto Magazine is published monthly by DeSoto Media Co. Parties interested in advertising should email paula@desotomag.com or call 901-262-9887. Visit us online at desotomagazine.com.
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living well | BEING PREPARED
Jordan Smith
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Getting ‘Prepped’ By Karon Warren | Photography courtesy of Jordan Smith
You never know what life is going to throw at you or when, so being prepared is essential to navigating stormy situations. If we have learned nothing else in the last few months, it’s that life can be turned upside down in a heartbeat. One of the main keys to surviving such upheaval is planning ahead to make sure we have what we need to make it through the dayto-day task of living. As the host of the “A Family Affair” podcast on the Prepper Broadcasting Network for the last two years, Jordan Smith of Como, Miss., has been educating listeners on how to get prepped for emergencies. The first step is understanding what a prepper is. “A prepper is someone who is ready for anything life throws at you,” she says. “It could be fire, loss of work, tornado, hurricane, injury, flood, illness — anything that could alter, derail or disrupt your life or way of living in any way.” When stocking up on supplies, Smith says to start with food. “I recommend for individuals to try to keep a minimum of 30 days’ worth of food or supplies in their home,”
Smith says. Shelf-stable foods that won’t spoil quickly are the best items, things such as canned vegetables, soup, canned ravioli, rice, beans, frozen meat, frozen fruit, and so on. However, don’t just choose what you think will last for an extended period of time, she suggests. “People need to store what they will actually eat,” Smith says. “If you’re not familiar with dried food or even like the taste, it’s not going to do you any good to invest in something you won’t eat or enjoy. Make sure whatever you store that you and your family know how to cook it and will eat it.” Next, make sure you have a good supply of personal hygiene items on hand. This includes shampoo, soap, toothpaste and deodorant. “[Maintaining] proper hygiene is essential to being clean, to being healthy,” Smith says. “Being able to eat is great, but being able to wash and maintain your health is another issue.” DeSoto 19
Along these same lines, it’s important to have enough dish detergent — both for hand washing and a dishwasher — and laundry detergent on hand. A good selection of activities also could be valuable when life throws you a curve. Think board games, cards, puzzles, crafts, — even gardening. “[Think of] things in which you can disconnect from all the media, but reconnect with each other,” Smith says. “Pick up a hobby, read a book, start a garden. Be proactive within your space.” In the event severe weather strikes and the utilities go out, make sure you have the right supplies at the ready. One of the most important is having a means to store water and a water filtration system. For storing water, Smith recommends using a water bladder (available at many big box and sporting stores as well as online). Filling bathtubs and sinks also are good options for storing water. When selecting a water filtration system, choose a product from Sawyer or Lifestraw that fits your style and needs. Smith recommends Sawyer systems because you can back flush and clean it out after repeated use. Regardless of which you choose, learn how to use it ahead of time rather than taking it out of the box for the first time when you need it. Other items to have handy include a flashlight, batteries, candles, matches, a weather radio, a generator, gasoline, portable power banks, and portable solar panels (also for charging). In the event you have an emergency requiring you to leave your house, Smith recommends having an emergency bag for each family member. 20 DeSoto
“An emergency bag is a bag that holds any and all of your essential items for any emergency situation,” Smith says. “Fit your bag to your needs.” Essential items can include a water filter, waterproof container, an extra set of clothes (include socks and underwear) in a zip-top bag, rations (snacks like dried fruit, peanut butter crackers, granola bars, etc.), a pocketknife, fire starter, flashlight, and a comfort item such as a blanket. For kids’ bags, light sources could include glow sticks or a battery-powered string of lights. Comfort items can be a lovey, a favorite small toy, or a blanket. Also, include a piece of paper with their name, address and medical information in with their clothes. All bags also should include a first aid kit with gauze, bandages, saline, alcohol wipes, antibiotic cream, gloves, surgical mask, pain relievers, and needed medications such as an Epi pen or asthma inhaler. Smith suggests that parents teach their kids how to use all the items in their first aid kits. When stocking up on supplies, don’t rush out and buy everything at once. Instead, do a little at a time. “Take it at your own rate,” Smith says. “Don’t feel like you have to buy 30 days’ worth at once. Fit it into your family and financial plans.” Just remember that emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. “Plan for a general emergency, and go from there,” Smith says. “Prepare based on your own family’s needs and budget.” A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Karon Warren also writes for Lending Tree, MoneyGeek and eHow as well as her blog, ThisGirlTravels.com.
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notables | TOM BRADLEY
Complete Home Center 32 E Commerce St, Hernando, Miss. 38632
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Nailing Down Service By Karen Ott Mayer | Photography courtesy of Adam Mitchell
Celebrating 10 years in business, Hernando’s Complete Home Center specializes in the nuts and bolts of knowledge and service. When 16-year-old Tom Bradley started working at Central Hardware in Memphis, Tenn., he accidentally found his calling and life career. “I decided college wasn’t for me and I got a job there during the summer,” Bradley says. That one summer turned into 28 years at the iconic Midtown store where he became store manager. When the store closed, a chapter in both the city’s life and his own came to an end. From there, he joined Hyman Builders Supply, working for another 19 years, gaining even more expertise. “I’ve been doing this work all my life,” he says. One day, Bradley happened to walk into the former Minor Brothers Hardware store in Hernando, Miss., and had a fleeting thought. “I remember thinking I’d love to have this place.”
With all of his experience, Bradley imagined how he could transform the store, focusing particularly on his unique brand of customer service and merchandising. Several years later, the business became available, and he and wife Cherie sat down and talked. “We weighed the options and decided the time was right, so we bought it and haven’t looked back,” he remembers. Today, the Bradleys’ award-winning store has become a recognizable and reliable brand for the community. Complete Home Center employees 24 people, including teenagers and retirees. Bradley particularly enjoys leading with a defined sense of purpose that focuses on watching people, as well as his business, grow. Unlike the big box stores where Bradley also worked, Complete Home Center prides itself on tailored service and knowledge. DeSoto 23
“My folks know what they do and they know it well,” he says. “We greet our customers and then help them. You’ll never wander around looking for someone.” That dedication to service resulted in recognition from industry peers, such as the 2014 Beacon Award for Retailers from The Hardware Connection and two back-toback DeSoto’s Best Awards from the DeSoto Times Tribune in 2018 and 2019. When the Bradleys decided to purchase the store in 2010, they dedicated all of their resources and time to ensuring its success. And they knew their first goal was to win back the community’s confidence. “It took Hernando a minute to accept the fact that we had merchandise because of the former store’s set up,” he says. “We also worked hard to make women customers feel comfortable and welcome.” Bradley says the store has tailored services for women who constitute nearly 25 percent of his customer base. “We see widows and singles needing advice or guidance with a project or problem. Or, many times a woman is on an errand for her husband and acts as the go-between,” Bradley says. “We also offer small signature services like lamp repair, pipe and glass cutting, and key cutting.” The store has experienced continual growth for the last 10 years, and over that time, Bradley says the community has grown accustomed to its presence. “Now, people are shocked when we don’t have something,” he says with a chuckle. Service drives Bradley’s core philosophy. “We have a store, not a department. That means our employees are free to help anyone and aren’t restricted to just one area like with big box stores,” he says. Accessibility, however, doesn’t dilute his team’s knowledge. “I have employees who may be retired from another industry and wanted to go back to work,” he says. “We have employees with expertise in painting and refinishing, welding, pipe fitting, building maintenance, and electrical.” 24 DeSoto
Bradley also likes hiring teenagers, especially those from farm or agricultural families. “The kids from farms are used to working and repairing stuff. Here, they can lay a foundation for perhaps a future career in a related area. I have former employees who have gone on to medical supply, welding trade schools, and one that started a wrought iron fence company.” The Bradleys faced another big decision recently when they decided to expand. With the Fred’s store closing next door to his building, Bradley took advantage of the opportunity and added 7,000 square feet. “We expanded the lumber section, adding more than 30 types of lumber and several hundred different hardware and tool items,” he says. The store continues to sell the popular Big Green Egg, offering six sizes. “The ceramic holds heat and it’s all-natural flavor.” Complete Home Center is also a Benjamin Moore paint dealer and a Midwest Fasteners destination store. “We offer more than 120 linear feet of nuts and bolts,” Bradley says, adding that they keep outdated and older parts that can be hard to find. Unlike other hardware stores in small towns which close at noon on Saturday, Complete Home Center is open all day on Saturday until 6 p.m. Considered an essential business during the pandemic, Complete Home Center remained open and took all the necessary precautions. “I understand how hard this [the pandemic] was for small businesses,” he adds. For someone who has spent his whole life in the industry, Bradley’s views haven’t changed. “It’s still fun,” he insists. “The store is like a playground for adults and we enjoy helping people.”
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exploring art | BLAIR HOBBS
Della Robia Blue by Blair Hobbs
In a Jellyfish Skirt by Blair Hobbs
Roman Tour by Blair Hobbs
Mississippi Goes To Rome by Blair Hobbs
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Art in the Narrative Form By Elizabeth McDaniel Tettleton | Photography courtesy of Blair Hobbs
Oxford’s Blair Hobbs shares her Southern stories through vibrant mixed media artwork. Although Oxford, Miss., is known for strong literary culture — boasting the likes of Faulkner, Barry, and Grisham — some of the town’s talented authors are crafting stories with more than just a pen. Artist, poet, and essayist Blair Hobbs is celebrated for more than the creative writing courses she teaches at the University of Mississippi and her pieces in Oxford American and The Georgia Review. Hobb’s art has become a North Mississippi favorite, with fans of her work likening it to the robust colors and imagery of Russian Orthodox religious art and Oaxacan art. Most notable is Hobbs’ ability to craft a narrative within a series of work. She often begins with an overarching title for the series and then lets the process take her on a journey with each subsequent painting. “I’m always interested in a narrative, a story,” says Hobbs. “When I was in the MFA program at the University of Michigan, I always had a collage in process, even as I was working on my poetry thesis. I took a year-long course in critical theory and my professor encouraged me to make art a part of my final paper.” Hobbs has a framed piece she created in that class that hangs on her and her husband’s —Southern food writer John T. Edge — den’s wall. Hobbs’ proclivity for art came at a young age. Her passion was fueled by her mother, who was an art professor at Auburn University, where Hobbs also attended and received her bachelor’s in English. “I’ve always been surrounded by art,” Hobbs says. “My mother allowed me to dive into her supplies and kept a butcher paper-wrapped stack of large drawing paper for me. I
spent hours drawing dollhouse interiors and dolls.” To this day, Hobbs’ work incorporates the human form in a similar fashion. “I like beginning with drawing, and I sort of think of the drawings as paper dolls, and I arrange them on canvas until they tell me a story,” she explains. “Then I lay gesso and acrylic paint on the canvas.” Hobbs keeps a unique cornucopia of materials at her disposal: handmade papers from Japan and Thailand, broken Christmas tree balls, fabric, Duct tape, sequins, glitter, oil pastels, doilies, and even tacky placemats. “I have a studio full of supplies. I like to have lots of things to reach for,” says Hobbs. “I also like to sew embroidery thread into the work.” Travel has played a strong role in her artwork. Her series “Rome Sweet Rome” was inspired by her two trips to Italy with her husband where she drew upon imagery and colors from their photographs. The pieces are all mixed media collages. Hobbs’ art has been compared to pieces created by native artists in Mexico, with many encouraging Hobbs to visit the country for muse. “An art professor once told me that I should pack up and move to Oaxaca and just soak it up,” says Hobbs. “That was in my early 20s.” She and her husband made the trip to Oaxaca a couple of years ago. “I’ve never seen such saturated color,” says Hobbs of Oaxaca. “The trip was profoundly inspiring.” Hobbs faces ruts from time to time like all artists, DeSoto 27
but she pushes through them with the help of friends, her love of the South, Mother Nature, and the painter Marc Chagall. “He’s the only ar tist I’ve mimicked,” she says of Chagall. “I love his color palate, his love of Bella, his wife. I love that there is no such thing as gravity in his paintings — everyone and everything is free to float.” A friend of Hobbs made a suggestion which blossomed into her series, “Places I’ve Never Been,” which imagines “herself ” in many fascinating situations: shoved into a teapot, attending a beach party in a Funyuns bag, and as a guest at a squirrel party, to name a few. The collection has collages with mixed media ranging from paper cut-outs and gold leaf, to sequins, glitter, and dried flowers. The collection can be viewed on her website. The South is an ever-present component in Hobbs’ art and regularly serves as a subject for her to revisit. “Lately, I’ve been thinking of the Alabama landscape of my youth and my Mississippi landscape now,” she says. Currently, Hobbs’ art is featured at Fischer Gallery in Jackson and Southside Gallery in Oxford. Hobbs is toying with the word “Ground” as a verb and noun for a collection to be displayed at Southside Gallery at a future date, hopefully later this year after being postponed due to COVID-19. She is inviting quilting artist Cathy Fussell of Columbus, Ga., to join the show. Last summer, she created several collages for the Mississippi Book Festival based on Eudora Welty’s stories and photographs. “It was fun to create works that blend my job as a literature and creative writing teacher with my visual artist self,” she says. BlairHobbs.com Based in Oxford, Elizabeth McDaniel Tettleton is a freelance writer and the leader and co-founder of The Oxford Comma creative writing workshop group. She is an event planner for the Ole Miss Alumni Association and part-time MBA student at the University of Mississippi.
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exploring books | PLAYING THE DEVIL
The Name Game By Mary Ann DeSantis | Photography provided by Kensington Books.
Oxford writer combines intrigue, a bridge game, and a cast of characters that reflects the best and worst of the Old South in his latest book. If anyone can explain what’s in a name, it’s Rob Kuehnle who has a plethora of best-selling books under a variety of pen names. His latest book, “Playing the Devil,” is the second book in his “A Bridge to Death” mystery series, and his newest alias – R.J. Lee – actually pays homage to his late father. Before getting too confused, though, it is important to know that Kuehnle is the man behind several book series – all under different pen names. There’s Robert Dalby, who wrote 30 DeSoto
seven novels including the Piggly Wiggly series recognized by the Mississippi Library Association; Ashton Lee produced another six books known as the Cherry Cola Book Club series, which ran from 2013 to 2017; and R.J. Lee is the author for the new mystery series. “My real name, Kuehnle, was hard to pronounce, difficult to spell, and even harder to remember,” he says. “When I got a New York agent, I decided early on to use a pen name.”
When Kuehnle changed publishers from Putnam to Kensington after Dalby’s Piggly Wiggly series ended, the new publisher wanted a more androgynous name that could be exclusively associated with Kensington. He chose Ashton Lee, because he says, “there aren’t many names as Southern and iconic as Lee.” After he was with Kensington for about nine years, Kuehnle decided to return to his father’s roots and write mysteries as R.J. Lee. “I think I’m a writer because of my father, who wrote detective novels as R. Keene Lee.” he says. “I took a cue from him.” Kensington is the largest publisher of “cozy” mysteries, a genre made famous by Agatha Christie – an author whom Kuehnle admires greatly. It’s a niche he plans to stick with. “Cozy mysteries are exploding in this country,” Kuehnle says. “Like the Agatha Christie books, they do not contain graphic violence. It’s the sort of thing people prefer because it’s a lighter read.” But his books in the “A Bridge to Death” series have enough gruesome details to keep readers enthralled and guessing. Released in January, “Playing the Devil” revolves around Wendy Winchester, a reporter in the fictional town of Rosalie, Miss., which Kuehnle says is a tweaked version of his native hometown of Natchez. In both his latest book and the first in the series – “Grand Slam Murders” – the protagonist is obsessed with learning how to play bridge. Murders, however, get her sidetracked and her uncanny ability to uncover clues helps her solve the crimes along with her detective boyfriend. National publications such as Kirkus and Publishers Weekly gave both novels great reviews, and “Grand Slam Murders” has gone into its second printing. Kuehnle had hoped for as much success with “Playing the Devil,” but the COVID-19 pandemic halted his book tour last spring before it really got started. He plans to complete that tour for “Playing the Devil” later this year. He’s even been known to play bridge at some of the book club meetings where he speaks. “My parents were bridge players and they taught me as a teenager,” he remembers. “I found three guys – all named Steve – who liked to play in college. It sounds like fiction, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.” Non-bridge players, however, will still enjoy the series because the stories blend the Old South with more progressive characters and attitudes. There are also references to golf, football, and Ole Miss allegiances. “My writing is greatly influenced by Natchez,” explains Kuehnle, who grew up in the river port city. “It’s impossible to grow up in a town like Natchez and not be. Natchez has its own rules and is not typical Mississippi.” His books reflect the tensions between Old South socialites and new progressives, and Kuehnle believes those tensions are still around.
Rob Kuehnle writes as R.J. Lee in his latest book.
“It’s the dichotomy of Natchez,” he says. “In my debut mystery, these battles surface. We have made a lot of progress, but my writing reflects the fact that not everything has been solved.” After studying creative writing at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., Kuehnle became a library vendor representing publishing companies to pay the bills until his own books were published. “I’m very grateful to librarians,” he says. “They helped me on my writer’s journey.” He lived in New Orleans for 30 years before returning to Mississippi in 1999. He now lives in Oxford, where he’s working on the third book in the “A Bridge to Death” series. Called “Cold Reading Murder,” the book is scheduled to be published in March 2021. “Next year’s book will be my 16th novel in 25 years,” he says. “I’m very grateful for whom I am as a writer and thankful to have this platform to communicate. It carries a great responsibility to do the best I can for readers.” A native of Laurel, Mary Ann DeSantis serves as the co-editor of DeSoto Magazine. For now, she writes under only one name.
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southern roots | PLANTS THAT MAKE BUGS BUZZ OFF
Onions: Wild and tame onions flavor your cooking while working as a broad-spectrum insect repellant.
Lemon Grass: Lemon grass works much like citronella, its scent discouraging marauding insects.
Plant those Pests Away By Verna Gates | Photography courtesy Mark Peavy
A wide variety of plants have natural defensive actions against bugs and planting these repellants in the garden can aid you too. As I was purchasing a can of Skoal dipping tobacco at my neighborhood convenience store, the confused neighbor standing behind me asked, “Picking up some bad habits, are we?” “I’m not, but my roses are,” I replied. We proceeded to hold up the line for the next 10 minutes, along with other interested parties joining in, discussing aphids and homemade insecticides. The store sold out of Skoal, so they didn’t mind. 32 DeSoto
Tobacco, like so many plants, are natural bug repellants, and bug killers. In the centuries before man began growing and harvesting, plants were being chomped on by insects. The plants launched defensive actions against these savage attacks by developing toxins, like nicotine, in their leaves and stems. That is why tomato leaves emit such an unpleasant aroma, designed to discourage bugs, which certainly hasn’t slowed down human consumption for the tasty fruit.
Citronella: Plant citronella in your garden to repel mosquitoes, or use the candles or oil as your protection.
Some of the smarter plants evolved defenses that even smarter humans have taken advantage of for centuries. Long before chemists produced insecticides, humans borrowed defenses against pesky bugs from marigolds, rosemary, and lavender. Marigolds welcomed visitors at the doors of old homesteads with their bright flowers. While they are pleasant plants for human guests, these plants roll out the unwelcome mat for fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. “Marigolds are the real deal when it comes to insects,” said Blake Layton, Mississippi State University Extension. Layton is an entomologist and avid gardener. “Plant them next to tomatoes, and nematodes won’t grow and impact your tomatoes.” As the bane of any summer night, mosquitoes can make backyard barbecues miserable with itchy bites. Citronella, or lemongrass, is a major ingredient in many repellants, such as candles. You can get a swat up on mosquitoes by growing it either in clumps around the patio, or in pots that can be moved from the grill to the picnic table. Its strong scent blocks the human smell that attracts bugs to our blood. Chrysanthemums produce an ingredient often found in insecticides, pyrethrums, which can be found in indoor sprays, pet shampoo, and bug bombs. It can kill everything from bedbugs, roaches, ants, Japanese beetles, ticks, silverfish, lice, and fleas to root-knot nematodes. My grandmother kept a sachet of fresh lavender in her drawers to keep out moths. A plot or pots of lavender will discourage mosquitoes, gnats, fleas and flies. You can even use lavender oil as a repellant on your skin. An added benefit, unlike stinky marigolds and citronella, lavender will aid sleep in two ways — no itchy bites and a pleasant, soothing fragrance. It used to be so effective, it was burned in hospital rooms through the time of Napoleon as a sanitizing agent and to rid the place of pests. Scent is in the nose of the sniffer. While humans love the scent of rosemary, bugs do not. Rosemary can be planted as a companion plant to discourage vegetable garden pests, or closer to home to ward away mosquitoes. Burn
Mint: While the smell of mint is refreshing to us, bugs avoid it.
it in the charcoal or fire pit to spread its oils. Make your own homemade repellent by boiling a quart of rosemary in a quart of water. Strain. Store it in the refrigerator for a refreshing bug spray! When the scent fades, it loses effectiveness. Insects rely on scents to find their prey and few things put out a stronger scent than the onion family. Plant any of the alliums in your garden for a broad-spectrum pesticide. Critters such as slugs, carrot flies, cabbage worms, and aphids dislike onions and your tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots will thank you. So will your roses. Whether you are growing chives, leeks, shallots, or onions, you can also spice up your vegetable pot with their flavor. For personal protection, many of the herbs provide relief from the bugs that see you as a personal snack. Basil, lemon thyme, lemon balm, mint, and bay leaves can be planted to distract the flying pests. Catnip uses a chemical called nepetalactone to attract flies and felines; it can also draw away mosquitoes, deer ticks, and roaches. For vegetable gardeners, a number of plants repel specific attackers. Petunias are sometimes referred to as “nature’s pesticide.” This powerful plant can ward off tomato hornworms (which are big, ugly plant killers), asparagus beetles, leafhoppers, and squash bugs. As an added benefit, they are easy to grow and can be planted in your vegetable beds. Other plants help out in the vegetable garden, such as thyme (whiteflies, cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, corn earworms, whiteflies, tomato hornworms), parsley (asparagus beetles), and dill (squash bugs, spider mites, cabbage loopers, and tomato hornworms). If these plants fail you, Layton recommends a good dose of Permethrin, which is a chemical insecticide based on the killing properties of the Permethrin daisy, a native to Australia and South Africa. Verna Gates is a freelance writer and the author of 100 Things to Do in Birmingham Before You Die.
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table talk | YEYO’S MEZCALERIA & TAQUERIA
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A Trio of Unique Flavors By Priscilla Willis | Photography courtesy of Priscilla Willis and Yeyo’s Mezcaleria
Yeyo’s Chef Rafael Rios brings distinctive Mexican dishes to Northwest Arkansas — and earns himself a Beard nomination. Yeyo’s Mezcaleria & Taqueria rounds out the elevated food and beverage experiences within the historic building known as The 1907. In the 1900s, the prominent red brick building in downtown Rogers, Ark., was the economic hub of the city, an open-market grocery and storage warehouse where trains loaded and unloaded goods before they were distributed to local businesses. The ambiance of the dimly lit interior captivates customers with its worn brick walls and striking gold and turquoise Mesoamerican deity art piece. The well-appointed bar is lined with bottles of mezcal, tequila’s smoky cousin,
ready for tasting. On some evenings, Owner/Chef Rafael Rios, his two brothers and business partners Roman and Fernando Rios, and patriarch Hector Rios can be caught brainstorming over late-night street tacos. Yeyo’s Mezcaleria is the first of its kind in Northwest Arkansas and the third jewel in the Rios family restaurant enterprise. The business began as a family farm (still in operation), which beget a food truck whose popularity morphed into their flagship restaurant, Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico at 8th Street Market, Northwest Arkansas’ first food and entertainment hall. DeSoto 35
It Started with a Farm The Rios family came to the Ozarks from California in 2006. Hector, nicknamed Yeyo, started growing vegetables on the family’s seven acres in Little Flock, Ark., for personal use and, eventually, for the food truck Rafael launched in 2012. Parked on the Bentonville Square, Yeyo’s Mexican street fare made fresh daily with produce from the farm quickly became a hit in an area starved for authentic Mexican food. The food truck’s success led to Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico, the first restaurant in the 8th Street Market, the regional culinary hub which opened in 2018 in Bentonville. Last year, Rios opened Yeyo’s Mezcaleria & Taqueria in Rogers. The hard work and popularity led to culinary recognition. Rios was named a semifinalist for the 2020 James Beard Best Chef: South award in February. Like the Oscars are to the movie industry, the James Beard Awards are the most coveted honors for restaurants, chefs, authors, and other leaders in the food and beverage industry. And Then Came Coronavirus In March, restaurants across the nation faced monumental challenges as the battle against COVID-19 devastated the restaurant industry. Yeyo’s initially was forced to lay off over 90 percent of its personnel. A few employees were brought back to meet the Paycheck Protection Program Stimulus Package requirements. However, with only a limited menu for carryout and rotating family meal specials, they were not working fulltime. Fortunately, Yeyo’s was ahead of the curve in developing user-friendly online ordering that automatically links to their POS system. Customers can place orders from any of Yeyo’s social media platforms and have contactless payment and curbside pickup. Restaurants are accustomed to adapting to customer tastes and industry trends. Yet, closures resulting from COVID-19 took “adapt or die” to a whole new level. Chef Rios and partners decided to use this time for fine-tuning: revising their processes and recipes and soliciting expert advice on particular areas they were working on, such as a better bar program. Rios says that now, more than ever, it is vital to innovate and come up with new ideas. He gains inspiration by looking at what other restaurants are doing in New York City, Seattle, and West Coast cities. However, while he and his partners gain knowledge from following innovative restaurants in other areas, it doesn’t tell them everything; they must read the market here and ask themselves what their customers are doing, what they want. Yeyo’s plans on continuing the family dinners and weekly rotating specials (eloté, barbacoa, and carnitas). He also plans to keep playing to his target audience of vegans and vegetarian diners. “For the majority of Mexican restaurants, it’s a little more challenging to accommodate because it’s a cultural thing — for the most part, we’re not very much vegetarians,” Rios says. Yeyo’s menu, as well as that of the food truck and mezcaleria offers appetizing vegan and vegetarian dishes incorporating fresh local produce from Rios Family Farms. Guests, vegetarian or otherwise, may savor grilled veggie street tacos brimming with grilled zucchini, squash, and mushrooms, meaty mushroom barbacoa, and flavorful vegan al pastor. Weekend Brunch Destination During the COVID-19 closure, Rios and partners were busy honing their ordering and kitchen processes to increase efficiency and testing new recipes. “The brunch program that we are going to present will be mind-blowing,” Rios says. “Yeyo’s will absolutely be a destination for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.” The new brunch menu will still feature Yeyo’s Mexican favorites such as chilaquiles and huevos rancheros as well as American breakfast fare like pancakes, 36 DeSoto
Chef Rafael
bacon, and chorizo. New to the brunch lineup is a “Conscious Menu,” a simple breakfast incorporating more farm ingredients. And, for those “not so conscious” guests, there is the other side of the menu with Yeyo’s incredible jalapeño biscuits and chorizo gravy and eggs Benedict with their unique twist of Mexican flavors. The Rios family roots stretch to Michoacan, Mexico, whose cuisine is the inspiration for many of the house recipes for Yeyo’s dishes. Michaocan is known as “the soul of Mexico” for its distinctive food that reflects the state’s generous, warm, hospitable, and caring people. This is exactly what you’ll experience at Yeyo’s. yeyosnwa.com
Priscilla Willis is a freelance writer and author of the website She’s Cookin’ | food and travel. She recently traded 30 years of urban living in Southern California to return to her roots in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas.
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exploring destinations | REELFOOT LAKE
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Quake Lake By Tom Adkinson | Photography courtesy of David Haggard and Tom Adkinson
It’s quiet now where Mother Nature’s hissy fit created Tennessee’s only natural lake. Jerry Lee Lewis’ classic “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” should be Reelfoot Lake’s theme song to acknowledge why this hauntingly beautiful natural wonder exists in the far northwestern corner of Tennessee. The place really did shake in the winter of 18111812, when the largest earthquakes on record east of the Rocky Mountains made the Mississippi River flow backward and rang church bells half a continent away in Boston. There were almost no westward-pushing American settlers present for the temblors, but the quakes left plenty of proof they happened. When the quakes hit, a lowland cypress forest sank even lower, and the Mississippi River flooded in, toppling ancient trees inside a natural basin. That left a shallow lake littered with the corpses of giant trees that simply do not rot when they stay underwater.
Distinctive-looking cypress trees, some pre-dating the earthquakes, tower into the sky at the lake’s edge. They grow in shallow water and are easily identified with their wavy bases and peculiar knees (vertical cone-shaped growths) sprouting from the roots. Reelfoot is Tennessee’s only natural lake. The TVA and the Corps of Engineers had nothing to do with its creation. It is a gem, although small by TVA and Corps standards — 18,000 acres compared to nearby Kentucky Lake’s 160,000 acres. For more than a century, Reelfoot has been a magnet for fishermen and waterfowl hunters. It remains popular for those folks, but people with other interests are discovering this destination. In recent decades, it became famous because of a few DeSoto 39
Guaranteed Eagle Sightings
State park ranger David Haggard guarantees you’ll see a bald eagle at Reelfoot. Expect other raptors, too, such as hawks and owls, in Haggard’s educational programs. The birds on display cannot survive in the wild. Since the 1990s, the park has had a raptor rehabilitation program, too. Go to the park’s visitor center to see the birds in permanent residence. Then, seek their wild cousins around the lake. wintering bald eagles. They came south to forage for fish since Reelfoot seldom freezes. In the 1970s, people made pilgrimages to see the rare visitors. Today, North America’s eagle population has rebounded so much that there are approximately 50 nesting pairs around Reelfoot. It’s more common than not now to see America’s national bird here. Scout for them yourself, see some on a Reelfoot Lake State Park pontoon boat trip, or spy one as a bonus while on the lake with a fishing guide otherwise seeking crappie and bluegills. Billy Blakley started guiding in 1982 at the tender age of 14. Fish with him, and you’re bound to go home with fillets in your ice chest. “I have it great — 10 months of fishing, two months of hunting waterfowl, and lots of time to show people eagles, eagle nests, ospreys and beautiful scenery,” he says. “I’ll fish one end of the lake to the other. I don’t care where, as long as I catch some fish.” Blakely guides out of Blue Bank Resort, the largest and most diverse property on Reelfoot (traditional hotel rooms, cabins, a bunkhouse sleeping six, a retreat cabin sleeping 15, and even a honeymoon cabin). Until recently, fishermen and hunters were the primary reason Blue Bank and other lodges existed, but times are changing, according to Blue Bank owner Mike Hayes. “We have reinvented ourselves in the last five years,” Hayes says, explaining how he upgraded his restaurant’s menu, introduced live music with local entertainers on weekends, 40 DeSoto
scheduled crafts festivals and wine tastings and even added a butterfly and hummingbird trail. “We needed to bring in a totally new market. We needed a place nice enough for families.” The butterfly trail is a huge success, attracting thousands of monarch butterflies in summer and then an avalanche of the delicate fliers in September, when a threeday butterfly festival is scheduled, complete with an Iowa State University butterfly expert as a speaker. “If you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be planting flowers for butterflies, I’d have said you were crazy,” Hayes says. The state park’s pontoon boat sightseeing trips (reserve space online) are a perennially popular activity, according to ranger David Haggard, who in 35 years at the park has become a wellregarded nature photographer and observer of area changes. “Two markets have exploded,” Haggard says. “First is nature photography, made possible by digital cameras. You can capture so much here — eagles, white pelicans (especially in September and October) and beautiful sunrises and sunsets. If you can’t get good photos here, just throw your camera in the lake. Second is canoeing and kayaking. Reelfoot is ideal for paddling because it’s small and there aren’t big motorboats and jet skis because the sunken timber makes them illogical here.” Change comes gradually at Reelfoot, and tradition is respected. For instance, Boyette’s, one of the few substantial restaurants on the lake, marks its centennial in 2021, the Hayes family has been receiving guests at Reelfoot for five generations, and Blakeley is approaching 40 years on the water.
Reelfoot remains in a bit of a time warp. The pace is slow. It’s not fancy. It’s a bit off the beaten path, although just a hundred miles from Memphis. It’s a place to relax, gear down, chill out — and trust nothing shakes too much. reelfoottourism.com bluebankresort.com
Tom Adkinson, who took Boy Scouts to Reelfoot Lake in the 1980s for winter bald eagle trips, is glad eagles reside there yearround now. He is a Marco Polo member of the Society of American Travel Writers who especially enjoys writing about outdoor destinations. He is from Nashville and wrote “100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die.”
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on the road again | DOTHAN, ALABAMA
, n a h Dot Alabama
8:30 Rise and shine with a visit to Mural City Coffee Co. in downtown Dothan. Ironically, it is here at one of Dothan’s newest establishments that you will feel right at home in the near century-old Carmichael building turned coffeehouse. Grab a seat, relax, and sip freshly roasted coffee fireside. 9:30 Speaking of murals, downtown Dothan is home to almost 20 vibrant murals, colorful works of art that salute the peanut industry, local celebrities, and the history of the Wiregrass as well as provide the perfect backdrop for photos. 10:00 Stop by The Carver Museum housed in what was once a Greyhound bus station. The museum serves as a source of both education and inspiration, highlighting the life and contributions of Dr. George Washington Carver. 11:45 Before departing downtown, enjoy lunch at KBC where you might sneak a glimpse of Chef Kelsey Barnard Clark, who won Season 16 of “Top Chef.” Make sure to order The Bee’s Knees, made up of a fried chicken breast, Southern slaw, house pickles, and house ranch dressing, all on a toasted bun. Locals love dining outside in the lush courtyard, but the newly renovated interior is as welcoming too. 1:00 Work off that amazing lunch at Forever Wild Trails at Beaver Creek. With over 10 miles of wellmaintained hiking and biking trails, this is the perfect outdoors spot to spend an hour. There are three access points to the trail and if you start at 384 Narcisse Drive and head east on Connector A toward the boardwalk, you can watch the turtles swim below. 2:00 Landmark Park, Alabama’s Official Museum of Agriculture, lies on the north side of Dothan. This 135-acre park is home to an 1890s living farm, six historic buildings, nature trails, and a planetarium. Pop into the Martin Drugstore to enjoy a milkshake or malt from their soda fountain. 3:30 Just around the corner from Landmark Park is the Dothan Area Botanical Gardens. Stoll the lush 50-acre gardens and make sure to bring a padlock for a loved one. Just past the herb garden, you will find the Padlocks of Love where you can write your initials on the lock and attach it to the iron gate to secure your love for eternity. 6:00 A trip to Dothan would not be complete without a visit to Hunt’s Seafood. Located on the south side of the Ross Clark Circle, Hunt’s is on the way out of town if you are heading toward the white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. For over half of a century locals and passersby have enjoyed oysters in this service station turned restaurant.
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To plan your visit: www.visitdothan.com
Fairs and Festivals Foster Fest Enjoy live entertainment and Southern food at this free, family-friendly, community event held the first Friday of the month from spring into fall. Downtown streets are closed off and lined with various vendors starting at 6 p.m. Grab a cold one and enjoy live music performed over several stages.
Dothan Murals Forever Wild
The National Peanut Festival Peanuts rule in Dothan and it is here that you will find the Peanut Queen and her royal court. This 11-day fair — this year Nov. 5-16 — kicks off with the Miss and Little Miss Peanut Festival Pageant, a tradition in Dothan, and continues with carnival rides, entertainment, agriculture, and more. Stop by The Corndog Man for the best corn dog in the South.
Peanut Festival
New Year’s Eve Grab your friends and head downtown because at the stroke of midnight a giant peanut drops to ring in the new year. Complete with a kid’s zone and balloon drop, this family-friendly celebration is one you will not forget.
Mardi Gras Each spring the Mardi Gras festivities in Dothan are more and more impressive. With new celebrations debuting each year, leading up to the Krewe of Kolosse Mardi Gras Parade, you are sure to head home with beads around your neck, a smile on your face, and a Moon Pie or two.
Botanical Gardens
-- Compiled by Sarah Blevins of Dothan, Ala. Photography courtesy of Sarah Blevins
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greater goods | OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING
Outdoor Entertaining
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1. Silicone Wine Glasses, Merry Magnolia, 194 E Military Road, Marion, AR 2. Swig Slim Can Coozies, Paisley Pineapple, 6542 Goodman Road, Olive Branch, MS 3. Summer Classics outdoor dining set, Keep it Casual, 106 S Industrial Rd, Tupelo, MS 4. Architec EcoSmart serving pieces, Mimi’s on Main, 432 Main Street, Senatobia, MS 5. Mudpie spatula set, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS 6. Cookbook for outdoor gatherings, The Pink Zinnia, 134 West Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 7. Happy Everything serving pieces, Ultimate Gifts, 3075 Goodman Road E, Southaven, MS 8. Big Green Egg, Complete Home Center, 32 E Commerce St, Hernando, MS 9. Bogg bags, The Pink Zinnia, 134 West Commerce Street, Hernando, MS 10. Mudpie taco night dinnerware, Cynthia’s Boutique, 2529 Caffey Street, Hernando, MS 11. Lamp Berger Paris citronella lamp, Bon Von, 230 W Center Street, Hernando, MS 12. Outdoor plates, Commerce Street Market, 74 W Commerce St, Hernando, MS
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Road Tripping Along the Natchez Trace By Debi Lander | Photography courtesy of Debi Lander
Road trippin’ appears to be the favored mode of travel this post-quarantine summer, and the Natchez Trace offers a variety of experiences for family fun. DeSoto 47
Grand Old Opry
Pantheon in Nashville
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Think back to your childhood, and you’ll likely recall a family road trip. The Natchez Trace Parkway, running through three states from Natchez to Nashville, makes an ideal outing for those wishing to stay close to home while covering a lot of ground. Native Americans followed the “trace” of bison and other wild game to create the initial foot trail; eventually, Ohio Valley riverboat traders, European settlers, soldiers, slaves, and future presidents all trekked along the historic travel corridor. It took about 35 days by foot or 25 days on horseback. Later widened for wagons and stagecoaches, the route was eventually abandoned in favor of steamboat transit. The paved roadway began as a Civilian Conservation Corps project during the Great Depression, and the Daughters of the American Revolution raised funds for markers and monuments along the way. Today the National Park Service maintains the 444-mile long renovated highway, a two-lane road with a maximum speed limit of 50 mph. Attempt the drive in one day, and you’ll spend close to 10 hours behind the wheel without any rest stops. A far better way to enjoy this part of the South is to break up the trip, making it like a relaxing Sunday drive on a rural country road. Stop to explore the tree-lined trails, campgrounds, historical markers, and bodies of water for hiking, biking, fishing, and even horseback riding. Or veer off the Trace to discover the many attractions in small and large cities. Some suggested highlights are below.
Begin in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, or Music City, makes a great starting or ending point. Take in a performance at the Grand Ole Opry and tour the Country Music Hall of Fame. Marvel at Nashville’s full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Greece, reminding visitors that the city is dubbed “Athens of the South.” Next morning, head to the Trace’s entrance with a full tank of gas and some picnic provisions. The scenic road offers no gas stations, convenience stores, or hotels; however, you’ll find public restrooms and mile markers (MM) running from 444 in Nashville down to zero in Natchez. About an hour down the road, DeSoto 49
Double Arch Bridge from hiking trail
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MS Capitol Dome
stop by the Merriweather Lewis Monument (MM385). Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame died under mysterious circumstances at Grinder’s stand. His grave marker features a cut-off column signifying a life cut short, at just 35 years. Stretch your legs on a hiking trail or browse the exhibits. Music lovers should consider visiting Muscle Shoals (MM340), just about 15 minutes off the road. FAME Studios, Muscle Shoals Sound, and other recording studios made the Alabama city the “Hit Recording Capital of the World in the 1960s.” You’ll find the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Florence. According to Randa Hovater, tourism manager for The Shoals, “The area is rich in music history and still continues to showcase local musicians daily.”
Pay Tribute to Tupelo’s King
On the way to Tupelo, stop and walk along the footpath of the Old Trace (MM 270) imagining how vulnerable travelers felt some 200 years ago. Pause for reflection when you come to 13 Confederate graves with stone markers. The Parkway Headquarters and Visitor Center (MM 266) provides a mustsee educational opportunity. Enjoy the wellproduced introductory film and browse displays covering the trail’s 10,000-year history. Ask the ranger questions and pick up the official Trace map. Motor on to Tupelo, “the town that enabled a young Elvis Presley to dream big,” says Jennie Curlee, director of the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau. To understand the full meaning of that statement, visit the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum. You might not expect it, but children dig this complex. The Presley house contains just two rooms and takes only five minutes to tour. The museum portrays Elvis’ early years, and the grounds include some fantastic statues. Spend a night in downtown Tupelo where colorful murals, guitar-shaped artworks, and Tupelo Hardware (the place where Elvis’ Mama bought him his first guitar) pay homage to Tupelo’s native son. Back on the Trace, head toward the French Camp Historic Village (MM 180), one of the few restaurants on the Parkway, and discover an early American log cabin village. The museum and other buildings are typically open Monday through Saturday. DeSoto 51
Windsor Ruins
Movie fans will enjoy the small town of Canton (MM115), eight miles off the Trace, the site of the motion picture “A Time to Kill,” adapted from the novel by John Grisham. Photo ops in front of the stunning Greek Revival courthouse anyone? Canton’s other movie credits include “My Dog Skip,” based on the memoir of Mississippi native Willie Morris, and scenes in the Coen Brothers’ film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Jackson (MM100), the state capital lies just 10 miles off the Trace with two eye-opening museums in one: the handson Mississippi History Museum and the interactive Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. The two attractions jointly cover 200,000 square feet and include 22,000 artifacts. State capitols are always worth a visit, and the Beaux-Arts architecture of Mississippi’s capitol is no exception. Follow a self-guided tour using the visitor brochure and discover grandeur in the domed building that was completed in 1903. Port Gibson (MM41), known as “the town too pretty to burn,” and the Windsor Ruins put you smack in kudzucovered territory. The ruins are all that remain of what was once a palatial mansion, but they make a haunting sight, a favorite of photographers. National Park Ranger Jane Farmer, Chief of Interpretation, says Emerald Mound (MM10) is the must-see in the area. “It’s the second-largest Indian mound in the U.S.”
Onward to Natchez
Reaching Natchez means you’ll be basking in elegance and charm. Historic homes showcase antebellum splendor with costumed, knowledgeable guides who share the history of the houses, families, and city. 52 DeSoto
“Natchez was the richest town per capita in the U.S. from about 1820 to 1860,” says Mimi Miller, executive director of the Historic Natchez Foundation. Tour Longwood, the grande dame with a grand tale. The immense octagonal house was designed to show off wealth, but only the lower floor was completed. Greek Revival Stanton Hall, built in the 1850s by a cotton merchant, remains the most opulent antebellum mansion in town, covering an entire block. Rosalie Mansion, or Our Lady of the Bluffs, overlooks the river on the site of Fort Rosalie. During the Civil War, the home and grounds served as Union Army headquarters, but the owner’s wife and daughter remained in residence. “Natchez voted against secession,” added Miller, “so the city was spared.” There’s more to Natchez than the remnants of old wealth. You can’t leave until you’ve gone down by the river’s edge. Stop at Natchez Under-the-Hill, a row of riverfront restaurants and shops far tamer than the brothels, taverns, and gambling halls that stood there 200 years ago. Locals and tourists alike sip drinks in the lively atmosphere, especially popular at sunset. Whether you’re a National Park enthusiast, history buff, or just enjoy driving, the Natchez Trace Parkway delivers memorable miles. “Come visit us and experience a different point of view than the one inside your house,” adds Ranger Farmer.
Debi Lander is a freelance travel writer and photographer. She and a friend took an entire week to drive the Trace last fall. “Slower is better because there is so much to see and do on and just off the road,” she says. She recommends Civil War buffs add Shiloh and Vicksburg into their plans.
Please Remember to Plan Ahead • Visit the National Park website for all park openings/closings: nps.gov/natr • Cell phones may not work everywhere. • Bicycle riding along the Trace is designed for experienced riders, not families with young children. The road is just two lanes wide. • Three primitive campgrounds are free and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They do not offer electricity, showers, or dump stations.
Forks in the Road If you get hungry traveling the Natchez Trace, consider these local favorites. Before leaving Nashville, pull into the Loveless Café for their famous homemade biscuits and pick up some finger lickin’ good picnic provisions. By the time you reach Tupelo, you’ll be hungry for dinner. Try Kermit’s Outlaw Kitchen downtown. Next morning fuel up at the King Chicken Fillin’ Station with breakfast fit for the King, aka Elvis. Take a break in Jackson and stop for old-fashion ice cream treats at Brent’s Drugs. In Natchez, celebrate the completion of your journey at The Magnolia Grill overlooking the River. Adults spending the night will enjoy lingering at The Camp or the Under the Hill Saloon.
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FROM STRUGGLES
TO SUCCESS By Tracy Morin Photography courtesy of Elizabeth Looney Photography
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For 125 years, Palmer Home for Children has been transforming the lives of abandoned, neglected, and abused children.
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Back in the 1890s, as citizens continued to struggle in the aftermath of the American Civil War, an abundance of orphans and needy children populated the Southern landscape. In response, children’s homes cropped up to care for the youth – including the Palmer Home for Children, which opened its doors in 1895, led by a Presbyterian church and named after a pastor in honor of his tireless efforts to help. Though its Mississippi campus is now located in Hernando, the organization began in Columbus, still home to its administrative offices. In earlier decades, a dedicated staff tended up to 10 children in need, but the model has since grown far beyond its founders’ dreams. “About 15 years ago, the board made a decision to buy land in Hernando and built three homes on its campus,” explains CEO Drake Bassett. “Though we have lived through a lot over many decades – World Wars I and II, the Great Depression – it has always been our mission to provide a safe home for abandoned, neglected, and abused children. We’ve certainly retained that mission, but we have expanded on the original model.” Today, a four-pronged approach is designed to help children at every stage of life. The campus, now with six homes, first creates a sense of stability and normalcy for those who enter on the heels of traumatic experiences, while staff such as family counselors determine the appropriate path to help them heal. Once they are more stabilized, the team can introduce a foster family (who are also trained by staff) and move children to a foster care home, where they can permanently live with 56 DeSoto
one family to create the optimal outcome for their futures. A third aspect involves transitional care to help older members on the path toward responsible adulthood – a feature that Bassett believes sets Palmer Home apart, as an average of 60 to 70 percent of these cases nationwide show children reverting back to the damaging habits they learned from their troubled upbringings. “Historically, when children reach a certain age, they have to leave, but we continue to work with them, and they stay part of our family,” Bassett says. “Our coaches and counselors help them obtain their first job, attend college or technical school, or find an apartment – and that’s where they really begin to break the cycle. We’re excited to see these kids find success.” Finally, a fourth area focuses on family care. This facet is helpful when, for example, a pregnant woman enters prison and cannot immediately care for her child. The staff helps facilitate child-parent bonds and has counted numerous successful reunification stories in its history. Therefore, Palmer Home works with children of all ages, from newborns to high school-age, though the majority of residents are in elementary school or junior high. A large number are recent success stories, from ages 17 to 24, who are transitioning to healthier lives. And those who received the organization’s care in past decades have never forgotten its contribution to their futures. “People who grew up here in the 1940s or 1960s still tell me about the core values they learned here, of hard work
and faith,” Bassett notes. “It’s interesting to talk to people, now in their 60s or 70s, who became nurses, teachers, businesspeople, plumbers, or pastors. Those different success stories reflect not perfection – because not every situation turns out perfect – but progress. To know that they’re loved and that they have a family helps them in life.” As a faith-based operation, a number of evangelical denominations support Palmer Home’s work, whose mission is rooted in the scriptural obligation to care for orphans. Its 60 hard-working staff members are united in their passion to contribute. “When you realize what has happened to these children, we’re so glad we’re here,” Bassett says. “We have an opportunity every day to help them heal with our staff, house parents, and counselors, and help them embrace a big future.” The future also looks bright for the Palmer Home itself. An additional two homes are planned for the campus, and it’s in the process of building a wellness center, to be open next summer – an $8-million project that will encompass counseling rooms, a pool, and a gymnasium to offer the DeSoto 57
residents positive outlets, as well as room to house staff, train foster families, and engage the public through awareness-building and fundraising events. In fact, the move to Hernando from its Columbus base was a calculated one: The children are allowed to enjoy freedom and safety on 150 acres of countryside, while staff can tap into the vast market of medical service providers, residents, and resources in the greater Memphis area. To select the children who would best benefit from the program, Palmer Home staff members evaluate each applicant’s unique situation and history. “We ask, ‘What are we best at, and what is in the best interests of the child?’” Bassett explains. “We always want to say yes to any child in need, but if it’s not us, we’ll find the right place for them.” Requests for help may come from family members, state agencies, or churches, while enduring concerns such as poverty or drug use make the Palmer Home’s services an ongoing necessity. Though it’s always the goal for a family to stay together, the team is there to uplift anyone who is struggling and, hopefully, help them emerge as a success story. And, as the adage says, it takes a village – in this case, the entire state. “What’s so great about the state of Mississippi is, we’re the most giving state in the country,” Bassett notes. “The bottom line is that this is a partnership; we can’t do this alone.” Luckily, there has always been an outpouring of support from the community. Those who want to pitch in can visit the Palmer Home website to volunteer or contribute, and the organization will be posting on its social media accounts ways in which the public can help them celebrate its amazing milestone of 125 years in 2020. “It’s a great mission for everybody in Mississippi to be proud of, and a great program that’s changing lives,” Bassett says. “We give everyone a big thank-you, and we hope they feel they’re partners with us, because that’s exactly what it is. Mississippi 58 DeSoto
has sustained Palmer Home for 125 years, and without that kind of giving, prayer, and connection, it wouldn’t happen. Our hope is that in the future, that partnership continues, and we continue to change lives and create more and more great stories.� palmerhome.org
Based in Oxford, Miss., Tracy Morin is an award-winning freelance writer and editor with a passion for covering food, beverage, beauty, and boxing.
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KATRINA 15
Y E A R S L AT E R
By CherĂŠ Coen | Photography courtesy of CherĂŠ Coen, Louis Skrmetta, Coastal Mississippi
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The Biloxi Lighthouse, which has survived several hurricanes, stands in front of the new Biloxi Visitors Center built to resemble the Dantzler House, a structure that stood on the site until it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Photo by Coastal Mississippi
The Mississippi Gulf Coast looks back on the unprecedented storm of 2005, facing this year’s hurricane season stronger and more prepared. Captain Louis Skrmetta had ferried 650 people to Ship Island off the Mississippi Gulf Coast and was feeling confident that all was right in his world. A tropical depression had formed over the Bahamas earlier in the week and grown as it entered the Gulf, but experts believed it would head north and hit the Florida Panhandle. “The whole coast thought it would go to Apalachicola,” says Skrmetta, who owns and operates Ship Island Excursions.
But on that sunny Saturday in August, Skrmetta kept his eyes and ears on the weather, learning that Hurricane Katrina had developed into a Category 3 storm with top winds exceeding 115 miles per hour. And she wasn’t turning. “I monitor the weather every day for my business and we knew the hurricane was approaching,” Skrmetta says. Nikki Moon spent years working in New Orleans tourism when she decided upon a new career. In 2003, she
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Trees killed by Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge in Bay St. Louis, and many other places along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, have been remade into art by sculpture artists. Photo by Coastal Mississippi
The new Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor Photo by Cheré Coen
Nikki Moon stands in front of her restored Bay Town Inn in Bay St. Louis.
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purchased the Bay Town Inn, a bed and breakfast overlooking the water in the heart of Bay St. Louis. Business really picked up in her second year of ownership. “I was doing great, had a banner year,” Moon says. And then, on the morning of Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, Katrina arrived. Before landfall, the storm grew to a massive Category 5, the highest reading on the Saffir-Simpson scale which monitors hurricanes, and then slammed into the coast as a Category 3. The storm surge reached as high as 30 feet, overtopping Ship Island and flooding Bay Town Inn. It tore homes and buildings from foundations, moved boats and floating casinos off their moorings and on to land, and took hundreds of lives. In New Orleans, the storm’s ferocious winds pushed Lake Pontchartrain’s water to break levees, flooding 80 percent of the city and every single building and home in neighboring St. Bernard Parish. The devastation reached from west of New Orleans, all the way to Mobile, Ala., with the Mississippi Gulf Coast being ground zero. Fifteen years later, that weekend is as clear to residents as if it happened yesterday.
‘Like the Normandy Invasion’ When Skrmetta realized Katrina wasn’t turning north, but rather heading further west before hitting weather patterns to create the turn, he ordered one of his ferries to move 300 people off Ship Island, then bring the boat to Bayou Bernard, a safe haven behind the city of Gulfport. When Skrmetta returned with his 300plus passengers, daylight was falling so he decided to wait to move his boat until sunrise. “No boats were moving, they were just getting started,” he says of the evacuation off the Gulf. As the sun rose on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2005, he faced a flotilla. “As I was coming around, I could see the big shrimp boats coming,” he explains. “It was like the Normandy Invasion the Sunday before Katrina. Thank God we got ahead of the herd.” Skrmetta tied up his family’s fleet along with two 65-foot yachts owned by friends who also needed a safe harbor. They anchored the massive boats but used a 2 1/2-inch nylon line to secure them all together. DeSoto 63
The family business of Skip Island Excursion consists of, from left, Peter Skrmetta, Louis Skrmetta, Pete Skrmetta Sr., Robert Skrmetta, and Steven Skrmetta in front of the Pan American Clipper, built in 1937 by the family’s patriarch. Photo by Louis Skrmetta
Monday morning the winds picked up and the tidal surge arrived. Boats rose to tree level, Skrmetta remembers, causing anchor lines to break. The massive line Skrmetta utilized to hold the boats together was his lifeline, but the wind swung the boats back and forth like a pendulum. Debris flew everywhere from the homes around them being torn apart, making it difficult to get outside. “We were up so high, I could see Biloxi, Gulfport, the residences around us, the boats that lost their moorings,” he remembers. “I was thinking we’re an 80-yearplus family business, and we’re about to lose it.” Just then, a jet ski floated by, miraculously with the keys still in its cup holder. Skrmetta grabbed it and used it to resettle the raft of boats to keep them from swinging. After everyone was safely back on board, the jet ski disappeared. “It was a morale boaster,” he says. “It gave us hope. The one line saved us and the jet ski came just in time.”
Second time around Moon didn’t ride out the storm in Bay St. Louis and instead headed back to New Orleans to stay with friends until Katrina passed. The storm destroyed her coastal inn and livelihood, so she resumed her old job in New Orleans and helped the city rebuild. But she didn’t give up on Bay St. Louis. In 2010, she received a grant to rebuild Bay Town Inn, and this time the accommodations would be bigger and better. She had also met her soulmate and married, so her husband helped with the construction. “My husband passed away in May 2013 and we opened the inn in September 2013,” she says softly. Friends helped with the final details and the inn opened with fanfare, one of the first to reopen on Beach Boulevard. “I had no choice,” Moon remembers about continuing the business after her husband’s passing. “I had to get it done, had to get it cranking. He was watching over me, making sure I was okay.” 64 DeSoto
The Coast today Moon’s determination mirrors the dedication and resolve of many of the Coast’s residents. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has bounced back well since Katrina’s devastation 15 years ago. New construction, revitalized beaches, and reopened businesses greet visitors driving along Beach Boulevard from Bay St. Louis to Ocean Springs. Skrmetta ferries visitors again to Ship Island, the barrier island owned by the National Park Service, and Bay Town Inn offers comfortable accommodations across from the new Bay St. Louis Municipal Harbor. “Everything has blossomed,” Moon said. “It’s amazing how resilient Bay St. Louis residents are. Maybe resilient isn’t the best word. They have grit and are tough.” Buildings were rebuilt stronger, and those close to the water higher off the ground, says Skrmetta. Docks and boardwalks have been improved, new marinas opened, and a safe harbor with special storm moorings established, he says. Several casinos, hotels, and numerous new attractions have opened, as well as the MGM Park for the Biloxi Shuckers, a Minor League Baseball team. Both Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs have developed into vibrant arts communities. Vacant lots and empty foundations still dot the landscape, but overall, the Mississippi Gulf Coast has rebounded and is open for business. “Coastal destinations are no strangers to issues, both natural and manmade, but Coastal Mississippi has recovered with steadfast resilience and resolve,” says Milton Segarra, CEO of Coastal Mississippi. “Our region has seen much progress throughout the years and, in fact, January 2020 proved to be the strongest in the last five years across all major tourism indicators. We look forward to acting as stewards for our beautiful natural resources as we invite visitors to explore ‘The Secret Coast.’”
Food and travel writer Cheré Coen may live in Louisiana, but the Mississippi Coast is her second home, having spent most summers along its shore. She also serves as co-editor of DeSoto Magazine.
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homegrown | PRIDE OF THE POND CATFISH
Bill Battle
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Secrets of Catfish Success By Jackie Sheckler Finch | Photography courtesy of Pride of the Pond
Pride of the Pond is small, but they are mighty when it comes to producing sweet, flavorful catfish. When Bill Battle cooks catfish for his family, he knows the fish will be delicious. How can he be so sure? He raised the catfish himself in his third-generation, family-owned catfish farm Pride of the Pond. “Our goal has never been to be the biggest catfish company in the industry and we aren’t. Our company is one of the smallest,” Battle says. “Our goal has been to have the besttasting catfish available and that’s what we do. That is our claim to fame.” Founded by Battle’s father, Paul Battle Jr., the family’s fish farm is a dual operation. “We both raise catfish and we process catfish,” Battle explains. The Battle fish farm started in
1969; Pride of the Pond began in 1982. Working in the family’s company since he was a teenager, Battle now has three of his and wife Lynda’s children working with him – his daughter, Betsy, and his two sons, Cooper and Houston. Located in Tunica, Pride of the Pond covers about 1,000 acres and employees about 125 workers at the plant and pond. “Tunica is a good place for this because our water table here is shallow,” Battle says. “You can get fresh water by drilling down about 100 feet. The heavy clay soil here holds water like a bowl. It doesn’t leak and doesn’t erode.” DeSoto 67
Since catfish are bottom feeders, the ones that are farm raised taste better and are better for you, Battle says. “Natural catfish are scavengers. They eat whatever they can find. Our farm-raised catfish are fed with floating pellets that are all vegetablebased.” Catfish pick up a flavor of whatever water they call home. “If the water is stagnant or river water, catfish might have a bad taste,” Battle says. Pride of the Pond catfish are known for their consistent good taste, Battle says, because he and his crew work hard to maintain that good taste. When catfish fingerlings are about 4-to-6 inches long, they are placed in manmade ponds filled with fresh water pumped from underground wells. “We feed our catfish every day except for three months in the winter – November, December and January – when sales kind of drop off because that is ham-and-turkey season for the holidays, and the fish sort of hibernate because of the colder weather. They wouldn’t eat even if we fed them,” Battle says. Catfish feed is mainly soybean meal with some corn and rice ingredients as well as being hormone and antibiotic-free under USDA supervision. Because Pride of the Pond catfish are fed a scientifically formulated diet of high-protein pellets that float on top of the water, the fish have a consistently mild, slightly sweet flavor. It takes about 18 months to two years to grow a one-pound fish. Before harvesting, every catfish pond is sampled for good-tasting fish. The product’s biggest challenge is being off flavor. “That’s when the fish picks up an unpleasant flavor from algae while the fish is growing,” Battle says. “We manage our ponds continually to prevent this. Being on flavor is everything to us because we want our customers to be happy with what they eat.” Catfish are harvested using 1 5/8-inch seine nets. Crews use two tractors to pull a net across the length of a pond. Then a mechanic arm scoops the live catfish into a tanker truck. The catfish are then hauled to the processing plant and emptied 68 DeSoto
into a chilled holding tank where the fish are sorted for size and filleted. The fillets are individually frozen in 20 minutes. The fish are tested in several other steps along the way. Samples are tested off the truck when it gets to the processing plant and again when the fish get to the freezer. “We cook the fish and have a taste test lady who is a super-sensitive taster,” Battle says, adding that Pride of the Pond processes about 35,000-to-55,000 pounds of catfish each day. “We also keep a history on how each pond tastes,” he adds. “We pay attention to detail to make sure that every pond is on flavor. We guarantee our product to have good flavor and we take extra steps to be sure of that. We never want our customers to be disappointed.” The COVID-19 shutdown was particularly hard on his business, Battle says. “About 70 percent of our catfish go to food service, and probably 1,200 restaurants in the mid-South were shut down. Our sales have gone down as much as 60 percent.” Part of the problem, Battle says, is that “a lot of the restaurants we serve are mom-and-pop restaurants with an older clientele and older owners. Those are high risk people and we worry about how many are going to reopen and how many will have the same number of customers.” Pride of the Pond has been riding out the pandemic storm, and Battle believes that “eventually it will straighten out and things will go back to some kind of normal. People love their catfish and I think they will always want to eat it.” As for him, although he is happy to share recipes, Battle says his favorite is fried catfish. “I’m an old country boy and like mine fried,” he says. “There aren’t many things that taste as good as catfish and are as good for you.” prideofthepond.com An award-winning journalist, Jackie Sheckler Finch loves to take to the road to see what lies beyond the next bend.
We have two catfish recipes from Pride of the Pond for a delicious twist on catfish on our website! desotomagazine.com/homegrown
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southern gentleman | KYLE CUNNINGHAM
Beaching by Firelight By Pamela A. Keene Photography courtesy of Going Coastal Cabanas and More; Nathan Struck/Fireside Outdoor
Florida entrepreneur offers an environmentally safe way to have bonfires on the beach without harming wildlife or the environment. The glow of a fire at dusk with the sound of the waves lapping the shore can be the ultimate romantic evening. Now, with the help of Florida entrepreneur Kyle Cunningham, it’s a snap and makes you look like the most considerate guy in town. “People often call us about being able to have bonfires on the beach, so we’ve found a great solution that’s also environmentally friendly,” says Cunningham, who operates Going Coastal Cabanas and more on Cape San Blas, Fla. “Our portable fire pits are the ideal way to have a bonfire on the beach without leaving a trace or disturbing the wildlife.” The Going Coastal Cabanas team supplies the wood, sets up the pit, lights the fire, then returns and cleans the site. Cunningham, who grew up in Kentucky has always liked the outdoors. About two years ago he moved to the beach for a change of scenery and so he could hike, kayak, fish, dive, and snorkel in the clear waters of the Gulf. 70 DeSoto
“I’ve never looked back,” says the 33-year-old who created his company late in 2019. “It’s perfect here – a small town on the water with so many activities. For so many people it’s a vacationer’s paradise, but for me, it’s home. I love it.” He also works in real estate and vacation rentals. “Many of our clients wanted to know if they could have bonfires on the beach, so I looked into it. That’s when we discovered Pop-up Fire Pits, a compact, light-weight and portable way to have self-contained fires on the beach without all the hassle and left-over debris. The all-aluminum Pop-up Fire Pit was invented for the Boy Scouts by Fireside Outdoor in Arizona. “Because of its compact size, portability and light weight, it’s popular with campers, kayakers and anyone who wants an instant, safe and environmentally sensible way to have a fire without intruding on the environment,” says Nathan Struck with Fireside Outdoor in Phoenix.
Kyle Cunningham
“This is a safe and environmentally friendly way to have a small-group evening on the beach, roast marshmallows and make S’mores and just relax. And you can even grill out with it, and what guy doesn’t like to be a grill master?” Cunningham asks. “It’s just perfect for people who want the joy of a bonfire without all the work.” Leave No Trace Across the nation, organizations are adopting ways to balance human activity with protecting the environment. Many are following the principles of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, a 501(C)3 non-profit, founded in 1994. The group, based in Boulder, Colo., works to protect the environment and the outdoors in all 50 states through education and ongoing research. Its mission is to minimize human impact on nature, wildlife, and the environment. Local governments have taken the Leave No Trace mission to heart, particularly when it comes to seaside fires. While some Gulf Coast communities have enacted regulations that prohibit bonfires, others have created guidelines that allow fires during certain times of the year. Officials in coastal Mississippi’s Harrison County, home to the nation’s longest man-made shoreline from Pass Christian to Biloxi, decided 15 years ago to create a way for humans and wildlife to co-exist. “We realized that people wanted to enjoy the Gulf beaches and that included building bonfires,” says Chuck Loftis, director of the Harrison County Sand Beach Authority. “Until we put policies in place, our staff would stay busy cleaning up all the debris from beach bonfires and refilling holes from the fire pits.”
The county built 21 permanent fire pits along the shoreline. People can reserve them as much as six months in advance. “It has made a tremendous difference in how our visitors and wildlife get along, and it’s reduced the constant need to clean up fire debris,” he says. Harrison County issues permits for using the fire pits. A $25 fee that’s non-refundable reserves a specific fire pit and ensures that users do proper clean-up afterwards. “It’s been a great situation for us, especially in light of protecting our special wildlife along the coast,” says Loftis. “We are strong advocates for Leave No Trace,” says Holley Muraco, director of research for the new Mississippi Aquarium opening this year in Gulfport. “We want people to enjoy our beaches, but it’s also crucial that we balance ecological systems’ needs with bringing travelers to the Gulf Coast. The biggest problem about bonfires was the debris that people left behind. With the county’s process, it has really helped protect our shorelines for the wildlife.” Cunningham agrees. “You can leave footprints and you can take away fond memories, but don’t leave any human evidence that you’ve enjoyed our coastline and the shores of the Gulf,” says Cunningham. “By using a Pop-Up Fire Pit or following local regulations about bonfires, it’s a win for everyone, including the wildlife. Plus, you’ll make a great impression with your partner as you enjoy a romantic fireside evening on the beach without all the hassle of actually having to build a fire, then clean up afterward.” Pamela A. Keene is a travel journalist and photographer based in Atlanta who writes about the Southeast.
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southern harmony | J.T. COOPER
Warrior Rounds By Pam Windsor Photography courtesy of Kyle Saunders, Chris Kalbaugh, and Brian Ellison.
Songwriting leads to healing for veterans who have stories to tell, and musician J.T. Cooper knows firsthand they all have stories. J.T. Cooper knows the healing power of music. It helped him through his own struggle as he returned to civilian life after combat military service, and he’s seen it do the same for others through a nonprofit organization he created called Warrior Rounds. It brings veterans together with established Nashville songwriters to help tell their stories through music. “Everybody’s got a war story,” Cooper says. Yet, most vets need help uncovering it. Some can’t see the worth of their experiences, and many battle emotions they often can’t articulate. Cooper sets up monthly retreats where he pairs veterans with songwriters he feels are the right match to get the veteran to open up. Once they feel comfortable talking, a story that best reflects their service or the challenges they might still be working through, emerges. “The healing power of the song,” says Cooper, “is knowing you did something that was worth somebody else hearing about, a story worth telling.” 72 DeSoto
At the retreats, songwriters and vets meet for several hours to get to know each other. Afterward, each vet and songwriter pair will sit down together for an interview recorded on video. The video is played later, just before the songwriters debut each song for the entire group attending the retreat. Sharing the video helps everyone understand the story behind the song they’re about to hear. It’s similar to the concept behind popular Songwriters Rounds at Nashville venues like the iconic Bluebird Café. “We video that interview with the vets so we catch that moment when they’re comfortable being honest,” Cooper explains. “What we’re trying to do is capture that with these veterans, so we can inspire other veterans to open up and find somebody to talk to.” Cooper says every veteran is unique. In a Warrior Round video previewing the song he wrote with Jamie Popwell before playing it for the crowd, Cooper recounts how Popwell
didn’t think he had a song at all, and only attended the retreat at his wife’s request. “I said, ‘Jamie, what do you want to write a song about?’ and he said, ‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘We’ve got to write a song about something. You’ve got to tell me what you want to write a song about.’ And Jamie said, ‘Can you write the song that helps me from putting a gun in my mouth again?’ So, here we go with I’m going to serve ‘Til He Calls Me Home.’” Popwell had a combined service of 30 years, first serving in the Marine Corps, then law enforcement, then as a military contractor going back and forth between Iraq and Afghanistan. He went from one high-risk, life-or-death job to another, but like so many others, believed there was nothing special about what he’d done. “I felt I was just one of thousands, if not millions of guys and gals who do the same thing every day,” he says. “So, I had a problem sitting down and writing with J.T. because I just felt my story wasn’t worth putting in a song.” Cooper’s ability to help Popwell and others express their feelings comes from his own understanding of “having been there.” Cooper, who joined the U.S. Army after high school as an infantryman, was on the ground during one of the most brutal firefights in recent U.S military history, the 1993 operation in Somalia known as Black Hawk Down. “It was 18 hours of pure hell,” Cooper recalls. During the gunfight, several of his buddies were killed, including his best friend, Jimmy Martin. After leaving the military, Cooper struggled with survivor’s guilt and the direction his life should take. There were times he, too, contemplated suicide.
“Of course, with the experience J.T. had with being in Mogadishu and being a part of that grueling battle they went through years ago, he could relate,” says Popwell. “It was easy to talk to somebody who understood. And the therapy behind talking to him and writing the song was incredible. It was something that really helped me get past that part of my life.” Dozens of veterans now have songs that tell their varied stories through Warrior Rounds. And those vets have since heard from other vets who say the songs have helped them, as well. Cooper says one of the many positive ripple effects of a veteran coming forward and helping themselves, is seeing they’re also helping others. He’s found the same is true, even for himself. “When I came back from serving in the military and was trying to figure it all out, what helped me was to find a way to keep serving and do something bigger than me.” He’s found it through Warrior Rounds. And he’ll tell you it’s only the beginning. warriorrounds.com Pam Windsor is a Nashville-based journalist who writes about travel, music, arts and culture, and extraordinary people.
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in good spirits | TENNESSEE’S OLD GLORY
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A Spirited Fourth By Cheré Coen | Photography courtesy of Old Glory Distilling
Tennessee’s Old Glory is one of many U.S. distilleries honoring U.S. veterans and is a perfect addition to an Independence Day cocktail. In the spirit of America, and to honor those who have served our country in its time of need, distilleries across the country have taken a patriotic stand. For example, Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey distills spirits that are hand-bottled with all-natural ingredients by a team that served in every major conflict since the Vietnam War. The name comes from the Green Berets who served in northern Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Because of the mountainous terrain in Afghanistan, one Special Operations team rode horses and were nicknamed “Horse Soldiers.” The company is located in St. Petersburg, Fla., and creates small-batch rums, vodka, and gins with its bourbon aged in Columbus, Ohio. Patriarch Distillers in La Vista, Neb., not only produces various spirits but lists their core values as “family, faith, and service to our country.” They produce four products in their Soldier Valley Spirits line: rum, bourbon, vodka, and a variety of whiskeys. Their Soldier Valley True American 6 Bourbon, for example, is a small-batch, traditional bourbon that’s won a Double Gold Medal award from the 2014 San Francisco International Spirit Competition and a Gold Medal at the 2014 Denver International Spirit Competition. Both companies sell their products at the Memphis Naval Support Activity Mid-South location in Millington, Tenn. Over in Colorado Springs, 1350 Distilling produces craft vodka, rum, gin and whiskey, each representing a different military branch. Blue Jacket Rum produced from Louisiana sugar cane molasses and Colorado sugar beets, for instance, refers to the men in blue who serve in the U.S. Navy. The company name pays homage to the 13 stripes and 50 stars in the American flag. Both Patriarch and 1350 Distilling give to local and national charities honoring veterans. Old Glory Distilling Co. in Clarksville, Tenn., uses regional grains to make its small-batch Tennessee whiskey, bourbon, gin, rum, moonshine, and vodka. The company
started when Matt Cunningham experimented with craft distilling while working as a full-time firefighter. We had hoped to speak with Cunningham for this issue produced in May, but the distillery was working nonstop creating hand sanitizer to combat the COVID-19 virus. Instead, we’ll leave you with his words pulled from the company website: “Growing up right here in Clarksville, the idea behind the distillery was so much more than a business to me,” Cunningham writes on the site. “More than anything, it was an opportunity to bring something to the city that everyone would be excited about and proud to call their own. This is not my distillery. This is Clarksville’s Old Glory Distilling Company, and the products we proudly craft are a representation of the hardworking, patriotic, and unyielding character that embodies our city and this great country.” To celebrate our country’s birth, we’re spotlighting a sweet bourbon lemonade cocktail from Old Glory. The distiller’s products are sold at Wilkinson Liquors, Navy Liquor Store, The Stellar Cellar, and Sasha Wine and Liquor in the Memphis area. For additional patriotic recipes, visit oldglorydistilling.com. Bourbon Lemonade 2 ounces bourbon 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup Lemonade Directions: Mix well the first two ingredients and pour over ice into a cocktail glass. Fill the rest of the glass with lemonade and stir. Garnish with blueberries and thyme. Cheré Coen is a native of New Orleans and thus, a lover of cocktails. Her roots hail back to Mississippi, however, which may be why she loves Four Roses bourbon as much as Faulkner.
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reflections | TWO GREAT BIRTHDAYS
Two Great Birthdays By Sue Nolley | Photography courtesy of Sue Nolley and Time 100
Celebrating a July birthday is a grand time to reflect on the greatest country in the world. There are two great birthdays this month, America’s and mine. America is a little older, but I’ve been around quite a while, and we’ve been through a lot together. As the man on a popular TV commercial says, “We know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two.” My start was in a little white house in a small Missouri town with a doctor on a “house call.” America still had the ravages of the Great Depression on her backside and was looking ahead at war raging in Europe. Everyone was asking, “Are we going to have to participate?” The answer came on Dec. 7, 1941. We were at war! By then, I was a child living with my family in California. America did what she had always done: stood together and faced it head-on. The men picked up weapons and went to the battlefield. The women put on slacks and a headscarf, and went to the factories. My daddy was drafted. After an agonizing four plus years, it was finally over. We won. We lost a lot, but we won. America erupted into shouting, crying, hugging, and kissing (even strangers). It was over; our boys were coming home. My family also won. My daddy came home safe. In the U.S., we then settled down and lived our lives… 76 DeSoto
getting married, having babies, building and manufacturing things, proving to be the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” Over the years, we’ve had other challenges and battles. The fear of the Cold War in the 50s and the polio epidemic. We beat that by standing in long lines to get a sugar cube containing the vaccine. In June 1969, I gave birth to my son. In July, America topped me by putting a man on the moon. We were hit on our own soil again on Sept. 11, 2001. My grown children were shaken and scared, but America did what she always does. After the shock, grief and mourning, she put on that applicable human armor and began to clean up and rebuild. As I was writing this essay, the world-wide Coronavirus slammed into us. It’s been a bumpy, frightening ride, but when it’s all over (and it will be over) America will emerge beautiful again from sea to shining sea. There has never been nor ever will be anything like America. Oh, how proud I am to have been on this journey with her. Happy birthday to me. And God bless America! Sue Nolley recently moved to DeSoto County to be near her grandchildren. She turns 84 this month!
Happy birthday America! Get out and explore her. 2020 Toyota Sequoia Platinum
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