Enjoy Magazine: South Valley Living - March 2015 by Enjoy Magazine: Northern California Living

South Valley Living Magazine

MARCH 2015

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South Valley Living MARCH 2015

Good Finds 10 Orange Works Café Serves it Up in Strathmore 16 Judy Gibson’s Just Sprouted Juice Bar & Healthy Café

INSPIR ATION 6 The Farmer’s Daughter CSA Keeps it Fresh 18 Pro-Youth’s Color Run to Support HEART

INTER EST 9 Dirk Dole’s Lemon Cove Village

loca l s 14 Rosa Brothers Milk Company in Tulare Steps Back in Time 26 A Bike for Just About Everything at Visalia Cyclery 28 Say Cheese to the Dairy Goddess of Lemoore

on the m ap 12 The Visalia Breakfast Lions Club Irish Festival

In Ev ery issue 30 Enjoy the View—Christy Canafax 32 What’s Cookin’—Penne with Italian Sausage, Onions, Peas, and Fennel 34 Spotlight—Calendar of Events 36 Store Front—Miguel Pujol, Repurposed Creations 38 Giving Back—Assistance Service Dog Educational Center Photo by Christopher Cardenas

Enjoy magazine is not affiliated with JOY magazine or Bauer German Premium GmbH. MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 3

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south valley Living

Yvonne Mazzotta publisher Michelle Adams publisher Ronda Ball editor-in-chief Kerri Regan copy editor Michelle Adams graphic design

MARCH 2015 May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures. May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours. - Irish blessing Love and laughter, peace and plenty - we wish this for all of you this St. Patrick’s Day, and we hope the offerings on our pages this month provide joy that endures. Sometimes a little indulgence makes life worth living, and Lemoore’s “dairy goddess” has mastered the art of cheese - an experiment she began in her husband’s tiny office. Pair her creations with some of the planet’s freshest produce, courtesy of Farmer’s Daughter CSA. They deliver customized boxes of fruits and vegetables grown right in Kingsburg. Ready for dessert? Fresh oranges bring the magic to the orange ice cream that’s the hallmark of Orange Works Café, and we’re sure you’ll find yourself wanting to lick the bowl. We’ll also share the fun, fascinating concept of the tiny house movement – where folks can pare their lives down to the bare essentials, yet still enjoy the many benefits of home ownership and community. Pair a troubled teenager with an eager-to-learn dog, and you’ve got the recipe for a beautiful relationship. The Assistance Service Dog Educational Center enlists at-risk students to train service dogs, who then become the eyes and ears of people with disabilities. Ready for some St. Patrick’s Day fun? Visalia Lions Breakfast Club hosts an annual parade and the Irish Fest, a celebration of local craft beer. It’s the perfect excuse to raise a pint with friends, and all proceeds benefit charity. And finally, learn how tragedy turned to triumph in Visalia through Pro-Youth, which helps youth succeed academically, socially and emotionally by providing a safe, supportive learning environment that equips them to make healthy lifelong choices. May the luck of the Irish smile upon you always. Enjoy!

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Under The Oaks Ranch, Tulare Photo by Christopher Cardenas www.instagram.com/christopherlondoncardenas

monica fatica consultant/ advertising sales representative luci long advertising sales representative brandi barnett sales assistant/event calendar/website Hayden McCaw Alex PUjol deliveries

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MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 5

f o x bogoodness

INSPIRATION

By jordan venema

Photos: Christy Canafax

t he farmer ’ s da u g hTer C S A K E E P S IT F R E S H

The community-supported agriculture movement began in the United States in the 1980s, but CSAs are as old as the earth. Old as the earth, maybe, but still revolutionary because, like any revolution, CSAs bring us back to our roots. Fresh and local food delivered in a box: the CSA model. Our foods have grown more complicated through more remote shipping patterns and hyper-processing – genetic modification, even – but CSAs remind us that ingenuity isn’t incompatible with simplicity. Compared to the typical ingredients in processed foods, a carrot becomes something of a wonder, a rare artifact, a buried treasure. So while most foods are moving further from us, some local farmers are doing their part to keep the harvest close to home. Farmer’s Daughter CSA of Kingsburg is doing just that, by providing its members with a customized box of fruits and vegetables grown just down the road, and delivered weekly to local pickup spots and businesses.

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Kristi Bravo, the farmer’s daughter herself, started the CSA in 2010, a year after she moved back to Kingsburg. Even though Bravo graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in kinesiology, she had no problem making the transition to agriculture. She’s one of the Ks in KMK Organic Farms, which her parents, Michelle and Kyle, own and operate.“I like being on the farm,” Bravo says with a laugh, but “I learned pretty quick that I didn’t want to work for my parents.” Instead, Bravo runs Farmer’s Daughter independently of KMK. “I’m a customer rather than an employee,” she explains, and 90 percent of the vegetables offered through Farmer’s Daughter CSA are grown by KMK Organic Farms. The idea for a CSA probably came naturally to Bravo who, growing up on the family farm, helped regularly at farmer’s markets. Even in high school, she enjoyed the environment, enjoyed interacting with customers. “(The farmer’s market) is an easy way to know your farmers and where they’re coming from,” explains Bravo, but it’s also a way for the farmers to get to know their customers, too.

That’s really how KMK Organic Farms grew and diversified — by listening to customers. The family purchased the farm in 1993, when Kyle brought his family to Hanford through a work transfer. That farmhouse had 60 avocado trees around the property… and the people that lived in the house before us, they did farmer’s markets,” Bravo says. So the family picked up where the last homeowners left off, and sold avocados on the side. And then, says Bravo, customers began asking if the Bravos would grow something else. “We got a lot requests at farmer’s markets,” says Bravo, “and my dad, he loves to grow unique things.” Now the 90 acre farm grows almost any veggie imaginable: kale, turnips, carrots, radishes, arugula, chard and cabbages, kohlrabi, squash, mustard greens, beets and cilantro – and that’s only the winter crops. That diversity is one of the qualities about Farmer’s Daughter CSA that sets it apart. Most CSAs don’t offer a customizable box – as a CSA member, what you get is what you get. But with Farmer’s Daughter, Bravo gives her customers the option to pick what they want. “If people want to try new items, they can,” she explains.

Furthermore, Bravo doesn’t expect long-term commitments from her customers. “I wanted to make it where a college student could try it out,” explains Bravo. “If they want to order once and try us out, that’s fine, or they can order once a month or every week.” It’s that lack of flexibility that hurts most CSAs, Bravo insists. Farmer’s Daughter CSA offers both a large and small box, with either eight or 16 units. A unit might be a pound of broccoli or a bunch of carrots, and the customer chooses those units from a list. The customized box costs a couple dollars more, but allows the box to be packed with whatever vegetable or fruit the CSA has to offer. As with any business, customers want to relate to a product (or produce). And CSAs provide that special relationship. “People feel connected to our farm and our family” because it’s accessible, says Bravo. Her father writes a newsletter that goes in each box, and recipes can be found on their Facebook page. Customers can also also pick up their box at the KMK Organic Farm Store, where they can meet the family who farms their produce. That’s probably the real secret to the success of Farmers Daughter CSA, and other CSAs like it — the direct connection between farmer and customer. But let’s not forget the fresh vegetables and fruit. Because really, Bravo provides the most essential product our community has to offer: food straight from our soil. Put that way, it’s like giving back to us a little bit of ourselves. • www.farmersdaughtercsa.com • (559) 994-9938 Find them on Facebook

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native. He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan.venema@gmail.com.

MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 7

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interest

By FACHE DESROCHERS

Photos: Ericka Ramirez

Lemon Drops d i rk d o le ’ s lem o n c o ve v i lla g e

Home ownership is one of the cornerstones of the American Dream. For generations, purchasing a home has been a sign of having arrived as an adult. But recently, the tide of this philosophy has been turning. As the median age for first-time home buyers continues to rise, the view of home ownership is appearing to diversify: young couples just starting their lives together are often travel-oriented and may not want (or be able) to invest in the financial commitment of a full-sized house. Similarly, recent retirees are interested in a balance of manageability and community. And increasingly, people across the board are just interested in simplicity: paring their lives down to the things that matter the most to them, and identifying their own essentials. Enter the Tiny House Movement: a new paradigm of home ownership that achieves this magical trifecta of simplicity, affordability and independence within a community. As the owner and founder of Lemon Cove Village, Dirk Dole is one of the frontrunners of this burgeoning movement. Although the idea has been around for some time, a tiny house community is often difficult to implement due to common zoning issues, which strictly enforce the minimum sizes of homes allowed on lots. As a real estate retailer experienced in buying and selling properties, Dole knew this well. But one day, as he was driving up to Three Rivers, Dole glanced at an RV campground in the foothill community of Lemon Cove. This was his habit, as Dole admired this particular space for its beauty and accommodations. But on this day, something different was there: a for sale sign. It was perfect: “I had been thinking about a tiny house community for awhile,” says Dole. “But the biggest problem in building one is finding a place to park the tiny homes that is zoned correctly, and has the facilities necessary to make home, home.” So Dole decided to buy the RV park, and set to work with a vision. “We wanted this community to feature tiny houses exclusively. But this is pretty much the ground floor of the tiny house movement. There’s no one who has done it on a 50-plus-unit scale, so we’re still feeling it out a bit, seeing what works,” says Dole. So what is a tiny house? In many logistical ways, a tiny house is not much different from an RV: it is mobile, it is compact, it is designed to be easily hooked up to the same kind of water, electric and sewer services designed for RVs. But something new and important defines the tiny house movement: a

sense of practical aesthetics combined with a philosophy that does not sacrifice or uproot the idea of home, but in many ways, merely condenses it and makes it more achievable. This pervading philosophy has not escaped Dole, who understands that those interested in tiny houses are not so much nomads as they are modernday homesteaders. That’s why Lemon Cove Village has partnered with a builder out of Idaho, whose tiny houses are inspected and certified as they are built. Although the Village offers monthly rental rates, they have also aligned with a bank that will finance their tiny homes with five- or six-year loans for individuals wishing to buy. It’s an incredibly manageable process; the construction of a tiny house only takes about six to 14 weeks from the time of order. “I think the most incredible thing is that - as far as I know - we are the only company whose tiny homes are both certified and able to be financed,” says Dole. “But as amazing as that is, my favorite thing about Lemon Cove Village has to be the community feel. It’s wonderful for people to be able to create their own neighborhood together with other like-minded people.” In addition to like minds, Lemon Cove Village offers an impressive resume of amenities, including a pool, laundry room, community kitchen, immaculate shower and restroom facilities, high speed internet and garden area, to name just a few. Tiny home inhabitants also have a choice regarding how much they would like to be “on the grid,” with sites that offer varying combinations of water, electric and sewer services to suit any inhabitant’s preference. “I think the tiny house community is a great opportunity for someone to live more simply, and within their means,” says Dole. “Many people just get so overtaken by their finances that it ends up controlling their whole lives. But here, they can be in charge. It’s an empowering place, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”• Dirk Dole, Lemon Cove Village: A Tiny House Community (559) 370-4152 • www.lemoncovevillage.com Find them on Facebook

Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

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GOOD FINDS

By jordan venema

Photos: Christy canafax

In the Works o ra n g e w o rks caf É serves i t u p i n s t rat hm o re Throw an orange down the street and watch how far it rolls. Not very, right? Well, that’s inertia for you. But Orange Works Café in Strathmore seems to have found a way to defy the laws of physics. Basically built out of oranges, this café has been on one tremendous roll and shows no signs of slowing down – if anything, it’s picking up steam. In the years since Isabel and Jacquen Khal purchased Orange Works Café, they’ve kept themselves busy – busy enough to lose track of time. “It’s been 12 years,” says Isabel, “but I keep saying it’s been 10.” A testament to their success, the Khals have renovated and doubled the size of their café, but they still speak about it modestly. “It’s just a small café,” says Isabel, “known for our orange ice cream.” Between the four acres of orange trees behind the café and the Khals’ residential grove, that’s a lot of ice cream to make. And every

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day, the Khals make it fresh, and with their own fresh oranges. But when the Khals bought Orange Works Café from the previous owners, the recipe wasn’t included with the title. “He didn’t sell me the recipe for his orange ice cream,” Isabel says. “I had to make up my own.” That was before the advent of do-it-yourself videos on the Internet, and Isabel had never made ice cream before. “The last time I even sold ice cream I was maybe 14 years old and working at a Baskin Robbins,” she laughs. So she taught herself the old-fashioned way (basically, any way not involving the internet). “I kept experimenting till I got it perfect,” she says. Not just perfect, but better. “For the last 12 years I’ve had people come back and say, ‘Wow, this is better than we remember.’” In the world of orange ice cream, the Khals have planted their flag, but they’ve conquered more than just desserts. They sell whole oranges and orange smoothies, and then there’s the sandwiches. “We have five

“ I have the best customers. Our customers are wonderful, and they’re excited to be there, and that makes me excited to be there.” different kinds: a vegetarian with grilled eggplant and roasted garlic, and we do tri-tip, turkey, ham and pastrami,” she says. They may have found their niche with oranges, but that doesn’t meant the Khals glossed over the heartier foods. “I’m going to tell you,” she admits, “you can get sandwiches anywhere.” But read a few reviews on Yelp and you’ll see that customers come for the sandwiches just as much as for the ice cream. That’s because everything’s fresh, Isabel says. “Fresh bread, fresh product every single morning… and I cook the tri-tip every single day.” The Khals also takes suggestions from their customers through social media. One customer wrote, “Hey, I’m coming home form the Army. Can you do this for me please?” Whenever they get requests like that, Isabel says, “I try my best to do it.” That’s because the Khals credit their customers with making Orange Works work. “That’s how we became what we are,” says Isabel. “I have the best customers. Our customers are wonderful, and they’re excited to be there, and that makes me excited to be there.” The Khals use their Instagram and Facebook accounts not only to take requests from their customers, but also to announce their daily ice cream special. Isabel always makes her famous orange ice cream, but she also makes a second, unique ice cream. A customer offered the Khals fresh cucumbers if Isabel would make a cucumber ice cream. Cucumber ice cream? Sure, why not? The daily ice cream might be unique, but never not delicious. They’ve made pomegranate,

honeydew, watermelon, even a chili mango, which Isabel admits was an experiment. “But I tried it and it was out of this world.” Yes, good eats can’t be beat, but if you’re willing to make the drive to Strathmore, you’ll be rewarded with more than a good meal and hearty dose of vitamin C. The Khals say there’s something about the atmosphere at Orange Works Café that can’t be found anywhere else. And they know because they’re looking – they would like to open a second café, “but I can’t find it,” says Isabel, there’s just no other place like Orange Works. Here, she says, “there’s a beautiful view of the Sierras. You just have to come and feel the atmosphere. You can get lunch, sit outside on the grass under an orange umbrella and have an orange smoothie made with fresh orange juice.” That’s not a bad deal, especially when for only $8.99, customers get a sandwich, chips, drink and a small ice cream. But the atmosphere and view – well, that’s free, of course. • The Orange Works Café • 22314 Avenue 196, Strathmore (559) 568-2658 • Open Monday through Saturday, 11am – 4pm Find them on Facebook

MARCH 2015 Enjoy | 11

ON THE MAP

By FACHE DESROCHERS | Photos courtesy of Visalia Rawhide

If there’s one thing the Irish love, it’s a good toast. And rightly so. A toast is the ultimate shorthand for celebration, combining the two most essential elements of good times: a drink in the hand, and a wish for the health and happiness of friends and loved ones in the heart. They say that on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish, and Visalia residents have long been happy to take that sentiment to heart. The city commemorates this luckiest of holidays with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and a celebration of local craft beer called the Irish Fest. Presented by the Visalia Breakfast Lions Club, the Fest is spearheaded by members Nick Seals and Terry Culotta, who were looking for a way to celebrate for a cause. In addition to showcasing the best efforts of local brewers, 100 percent of the event’s proceeds go toward the Lions’ annual Thanksgiving turkey distribution, and to the other 30plus local charities assisted by the club. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is historically the domain of Events Visalia, but this year will see the Lions Club taking charge of the parade as well as the Fest, and segueing from one to the other in a kind of perfect storm: if the parade is the rainbow, the Irish Fest is the pot of gold at the end, rather literally. The parade starts at Garden Street Plaza and terminates in front of the Vintage Press, just a few short blocks away from the t Fest’s location at Rawhide Stadium, as if to illustrate the day’s suggested celebration breakfasval sal i a i i t schedule: parade, then lunch, and finally, adventures in craft beer. v The r i sh fes i b Participation in the parade is open to anyone, and this year’s processional u cl lions will feature about 80 entries, including Grand Marshal Mrs. Jeanne Hoey, and the stylings of the district’s finest school marching bands. Mary Jo Eastes — a founding member of Events Visalia — is the Lions’ liaison for this year’s parade, and couldn’t be happier about the marriage of civic-minded community members. “Partnering with the Lions Club has been great; the members are incredibly helpful,” says Eastes. “They’re doers and givers.” She recommends showing up

k c LouF the h s i Ir

t Lions Club, Visalia Breakfas Fest Parade and Irish St. Patrick’s Day rg kfastlions.o www.visaliabrea lia. Downtown Visa Parade location: e Stadium id wh Ra lia sa n: Vi Irish Fest locatio 14 Saturday, March sh Fest: 1-5pm Parade: 10am; Iri e box office e at the Rawhid Tickets availabl ns’ Club Lio e th d through and website, an . rs be website and mem at the door. rchase, and $35 $30 advance pu r $10. kets available fo Non-drinker tic

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to the parade a bit earlier than its 10am start time, as this year will feature a few expositions on the street before the parade, including a “pickleball demo,” upon which a tight-lipped Eastes declined to elaborate. “It’s a surprise!” Eastes says with a grin. “You’ll have to come and see!” Although it’s called the Irish Fest, this event’s brew selection is a celebration of craft beer that is much closer to home. “We try to source all our brewers locally,” says Seals. “And we work with local brewers and distributers to seek out anyone who might want to be a part of this.” As it turns out, quite a few people do. Visalia’s own Brewbakers and Sequoia Beverage Company are longtime participants, but the Valley’s best emerging brewers are always well represented. Kaweah Brewing out of Tulare, Tioga Sequoia and House of Pendragon out of Fresno, Riley’s Brewing Co. and Three Monkeys out of Madera, and Dustbowl Brewing out of Turlock are just a few of the vendors to get excited about. The Tulare County Homebrewers Organization will also be on the scene, showcasing the latest in local, small-batch brewing. Upon arriving at Irish Fest, ticketholders receive a 4-oz. taster glass, and are free to sample whatever strikes their fancy. But be sure to leave one hand free, because members of the Goshen Volunteer Fire Department will be on the scene as well, grilling up sausages to pair perfectly with your brews of choice. And if a wonderland of local beers doesn’t get you into the spirit of St. Patty’s, the entertainment of the day certainly will. The

contagiously festive sounds of Irish folk music will be provided by a live lineup, including local favorite the High Grade Pats. The Irish propensity for general merriment is the lifeblood of Visalia’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, and the Lions Club and its organizers have taken thoughtful precautions to make sure that the good times aren’t clouded by worries of being able to get around safely. After its appearance in the parade, the Visalia City Trolley will repeat a circuit from Rawhide Stadium to the parking structures downtown to promote safe driving between the parade and Fest venues. Also servicing the event is We Be Sober, a local organization that drives both people and their cars safely home. So this year, raise your glass high, and toast to friends, fun, and local community. Because after all, on St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish. And if you are lucky enough to be Irish, well then, you are lucky enough. • www.visaliabreakfastlions.org/event/irishfest2015 Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

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LOCALS

By jordan venema

PHOTOS: jacki potorke

r o sa br o t hers m i lk c o mpa n y i n t u lare s t eps back i n t i me You may not know it, but you shouldn’t be surprised: Tulare County is the largest dairy county in the nation. But have you ever stopped mid-pour over a bowl of cereal, while thanking your lucky lactose-tolerant stars, and wonder, “Just where does this milk come from, anyway?” Well, good chance your morning ambrosia didn’t come from a local dairy, or any other udder nearby, for that matter. And unless you’re already drinking Rosa Brothers’ Milk, you’re likely drinking milk that’s been processed in Turlock, maybe even Los Angeles County. Even third-generation dairy farmer Noel Rosa admits he doesn’t know where the milk ultimately ends up – just as likely on the East Coast as butter, he says. “All this time we were milking cows and selling the milk by the tankard load and the truck would come and pick up the milk and we’d never see it again.” In 2009, milk prices plummeted and dairies across the nation struggled to survive the rising costs of fuel (dairy farms are responsible for shipping the raw milk to processing plants). Brothers Noel and Rolland Rosa began to explore creative ways to weather the economic storm. “Should we start making cheese, should we start making butter, should we start making yogurt?” Noel asked. After a little research, the brothers discovered something udderly shocking. “Locally, there was no milk,” says Noel. “Even though we’re the largest dairy-producing county in the nation, there was no milk being locally bottled.”

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Why nobody had thought to bottle milk locally, Noel couldn’t say. But one thing he did know was how to milk a cow. His grandfather bought the family farm in 1949 and began milking 50 cows in 1953. When brothers Rolland and Noel took over the farm from their father in 1998, they were milking more than 500 cows. With a lifetime of experience milking cows, Noel and Rolland only needed the creamery. The brothers found and purchased an old warehouse, which they gutted and refurbished with 50-year-old equipment. “It’s an oldfashioned setup,” admits Noel, “and I even bought a washing machine that they haven’t made for over 40 years.” The equipment may be antique, but ‘old’ is the new ‘new,’ so to say, and necessary to producing milk the way Noel believes it should be done. The brothers are part of a small business “movement,” a movement in which really only small businesses can survive. Integrity to a product sometimes requires staying small and staying local, because as companies grow, quality sometimes gives way to cost, and craftsmanship sometimes gives way to mass production. That’s why glass gave way to plastic and cardboard, explains Noel, because it was cheaper for larger companies to “bottle” milk using those materials. As a small business, the Rosa brothers have this advantage: they can bottle their milk in glass. “That’s what’s so exciting about it,” says Noel. “We’re going back to the way milk used to be. It tastes better in glass, it stays colder, it last longer. It’s just a better package, and there’s a real nostalgia feel to it.” You could say the Rosa brothers are throwing back to another time, but they’re still pushing the dairy envelope. “There’s a lot of new things we’re doing,” says Noel, before he goes down the list of their flavored milks: chocolate, root beer float, strawberry, vanilla, and orange cream – “it tastes like a Creamsicle.” Of course they also bottle nonfat, whole, 2%, and, during the holidays, eggnog. They also make high-end ice creams, like pistachio and honey-almond, both nods to locally grown nuts. Through the addition of the creamery to their farm, “that’s how we came full circle,” says Noel. First they brought their milk to the community, and now they’re bringing the community to their farm. “We believe in the local food movement, and people want to know where their food is from, so we actually have a farm tour open from April through November,” says Noel. There’s a visitors’ center, a calf petting zoo and a bus tour around the farm. The creamery also has a retail store that sells, in addition to Rosa Brothers Milk, other locally produced goods. Their milk is also available at local grocers throughout the valley, including Save Marts. The coolest thing in the store, though, might not even be something you can buy. “In the back of our store is a viewing window where you can watch the process, watch us bottle the milk and make the ice cream,” says Noel. From the window, anybody can catch a glimpse of the oldfashioned creamery, where they’ll see not just how milk used to be bottled, but also how it should be. • Rosa Brothers Milk Company • Creamery: 2400 South K St., Tulare Tour Information Line: (559) 582-2209 www.rosabrothers.com • Find them on Facebook

good finds

By FACHE DESROCHERS

Photos: Josiah AlteR

Foocnus g n i v i r Th

J u dy G i bso n ’ s J u s t S pro u t e d J u i c e B a r & H e a lt hy C a f É The World Health Organization defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” For all its official pomp and circumstance, this definition is highly intuitive, wonderfully holistic and absolutely true. To be healthy is to be like a thriving plant: sowed with care, watered with love and blooming beautifully where you are planted. This layered nature of health is something that Judy Gibson has understood, valued and practiced throughout her life. And now, as the proprietor of the Exeter café Just Sprouted, she is on a mission to bring the joy of health to full flower, right here on the Valley floor. “The first motivation for Just Sprouted was family,” says Gibson.“My dad got cancer, so I started juicing for him because it was the only thing he could hold down. He ended up passing away, but I feel so privileged to have been able to help him during that time. And before he passed, he made me promise that I would do something to help other people.” True to her word, Gibson started asking around to find out what Exeter locals wanted to see in the community, and voice after voice chimed in for a healthy café. But not just any healthy café; it seemed that people were hungry for a place where the philosophy of health would be not merely practiced, but actively celebrated. This desire resonated richly with Gibson, who understood exactly what her friends and neighbors were looking for, and precisely how to bring it to them. “We wanted this to be a place where you would feel good from the minute you walk in the door, and then feel even better as you go throughout the day,” says Gibson. Just Sprouted focuses on food that is fresh, seasonal, locally sourced, and as pesticide-free and organic as possible. Honing in on local resources for her menu’s ingredients was of utmost importance to Gibson. “We are an agricultural mecca, but we ship almost all of our food to the rest of the world,” she says.“We have all this wonderful produce around us, and I want to take advantage of it as much as I can.” And so she does. Just Sprouted’s menu is wonderfully robust, with a wealth of fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, snacks, smoothies and hand-pressed juices to tempt any palate. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free menu options are abundant, and the café’s offerings are constantly evolving in response to suggestions from customers and friends.

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And if you can’t get out to Exeter as often as you’d like, you’re in luck: Just Sprouted is now a regular fixture at the Visalia farmer’s market. Gibson and her staff are there on Saturday mornings, and will also be present at the upcoming Thursday evening markets, serving bottled juices, sandwiches and even soups in the colder months. Although Just Sprouted is still a young business (having opened only last April), Gibson and her vision have accelerated quickly past the seedling phase, with a whole host of plans for the café’s future, including handmade, fresh, locally sourced baby food available for purchase; plans for a back garden for the café; the introduction of private, hand-prepared farm-to-table dinners; and a possible expansion into a second Valley location. Gibson has also concentrated her focus on a cherished idea for a community-oriented food movement that she has affectionately named Sprouting Together. “We are looking

to expand into a community garden and test kitchen to teach people how to grow their own food, and then prepare it as well,” enthuses Gibson.“The purpose is to provide a way for people to come together and experience the joy and the beauty of food from start to finish.” The future is busy and resplendent for Just Sprouted – as well it should be. But although Gibson is excited for growth, her priority is to keep her establishment’s initial philosophy of healing and helping at the forefront. “We do have plans to expand, but we wanted to make sure we took root here first,” explains Gibson.“We’re a part of people’s day here, a part of their lives, and I don’t ever want to lose that essence. We want to be the place where someone comes to feel comfortable.” She pauses, casts a glance around the café’s bright, welcoming interior, and smiles deeply. “Sometimes, some of our regulars will come in and sit here for hours, and it just makes me feel so good. That feeling is exactly why I started Just Sprouted, and why we do what we do.” • Just Sprouted Juice Bar & Healthy Café • (559) 936-7056 114 N. E Street, Exeter • Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 am-5:30 pm, Sat 9 am-3 pm, Sat. Visalia Farmers Market 7 am-11 am www.downtownexeter.com/store/justsprouted/ Find them on Facebook Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 17

INSPIRATION

By jordan venema | Photos courtesy of Visalia Pro Youth/Heart Program

COLOR FOR LOVE P R O -YO UT H ’ S c olor r u n TO S U P P O R T H E A R T

This article will begin where it ends, with a name, a place, and a question – and an answer. Twenty years ago, Kelly Scott, a 35-year-old father of two, was shot and killed while waiting at a stoplight near Ben Maddox and Houston. Flowers probably no longer mark the place he died, and few remember that Scott was the first innocent bystander killed by gang violence in Visalia. Few remember how his death stunned the community, all the anger and grief, the outcry and questions that followed. Shocked residents asked themselves, “How could this happen? How do we respond?” Violence like this wasn’t

18 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

supposed to happen here, not in Visalia, not in this agriculturally based, family-oriented community. Even Los Angeles, long inured and resigned to the realities of gang violence, seemed surprised that it had finally caught up to this quiet town north of the Grapevine. A week after the shooting, the Los Angeles Times published an article, New Town, Same Old Sad Song, which paints the portrait of a smaller, quainter, almost innocent Visalia. It describes mourning community members pouring into City Hall, filling its seats and foyer, standing outside, together saying: not Visalia, not again.4 continued on page 20

But if Scott’s death raised a question, the community didn’t have an answer. The police chief, the plumber, the teacher, mayor, and mother – like caricatures in a play, they offered suggestions. What these kids need is more discipline. No, another said, compassion. Or better parenting, communication, more jobs. In this community snapshot, one thing was certain: they were resolved not to let this happen again. Still, a question hangs at the end of the article. Is Visalia really any different? It’s in the title: it’s just the same old sad song. Perhaps through the eyes of an outsider, Visalia appeared caught off its guard, destined to succumb to the inevitable tide of gang violence. But when those community members walked out of City Hall 20 years ago, they set out to write a different song. Truth is, Visalia wasn’t unprepared. In 1991, volunteers founded Visalians for a Gang-Free Community in response to growing concerns. In ’93, the group gained nonprofit status and changed its name to Pro-Youth, and began emphasizing education. By 1994, Pro-Youth existed on a small budget of $21,000. Pro-Youth CEO Daryn Davis says 1995 was a turning point for a community stirred by Scott’s death. “Out of that tragedy, we built a real community consensus that as a community we need to respond. This isn’t a problem with one neighborhood, or in one part of the county. This is everybody’s problem.” The following year, Pro-Youth renamed its signature event the Kelly Scott Memorial Walk/Run, and the

community rallied in support. With renewed momentum, Pro-Youth reexamined ways to care for the children in Tulare County, “to keep the kids safe after school,” says Davis. “I think it’s as high as 90 percent of all crime involving juveniles occurs between 3 and 6pm. So let’s keep them safe during those hours.” As funds became available, Pro-Youth started programs for kids during crucial after-school hours. In 1998, ProLife started its flagship program, HEART: Homework, Enrichment, Acceleration, Recreation and Teamwork. In that first year, with eight people on staff, HEARTserved 220 children at three school sites. HEART has grown rapidly since. “Now we’re at 46 sites, have 500 staff, and 10,000 kids a year that we have the privilege of supporting,” says Davis. Beside HEART, ProYouth offers other programs, High School XL, HEART Reads! and Growbiotics, programs “meant to engage students into becoming lifelong learners,” Davis says. The reality, Davis says, “is that our students face every challenge, in terms of poverty, in terms of lack of support, regardless of circumstances.” And while these programs are an alternative to the street, they also exist to help students “make the right choices to become future leaders in our community.” Such a goal requires community by example, which ProYouth has in plenty. “Community support,” says Davis, “is our backbone. Kaweah Delta, Food Link, all of the school districts – law enforcement,” she continues, “has been one of our major partners from the very beginning; the sheriff 4 continued on page 22

“I think it’s as high as 90 percent of all crime involving juveniles occurs between 3 and 6pm. So let’s keep them safe during those hours.”

20 | Enjoy MARCH 2015

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department, probation.” In fact, once a week, the probation department sends an officer to each of the 46 school sites “just to spend time with the kids, to throw a basketball.” Community, Davis says, “makes it possible to grow and serve more and more students. We look for the day when we’ll be serving every student in Tulare County.” In the meantime, the reality is that Pro-Youth programs exist thanks to funds. So last year, when the national organization Color Run contacted Pro-Youth looking for a local nonprofit partner to benefit from their run, “we jumped on it,” Davis says. The Color Run is a 5K “race” during which runners are doused, head to toe, in different colors at every kilometer. The original paint run, Color Run calls itself the “Happiest 5K on the Planet,” and its runners’ smiles prove the point. Last year, about 3,000 people ran the Color Run, and this year Davis hopes for an even larger turnout. But the purpose isn’t only to raise money, says Davis. “It’s to raise money that goes straight to our program, since at any time we have 1,000 kids on our waiting list,” she says, “but also we want this to be an event for the families.” Unfortunately, Davis realizes some families see HEART as free daycare. She hopes the Color Run might challenge that perception while encouraging parents to participate in the program in a healthy way. “We push for everything from exercise to emotional wellbeing to making good choices, and were looking for ways to promote positive family experiences,” she says. Since many kids in the HEART program come from economically strained families, Pro-Youth is making the Color Run free to children 12 and under.

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At 9am on April 4, runners will start at the Rawhide parking lot and race a course along Goshen to Demaree and back. Runners will no doubt have fun, but they will also get the opportunity to hear about Pro-Youth. Last year’s run “reached people with our message that we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to reach,” Davis says. Significantly, the Color Run will be held downtown, which in a way brings the community back to the streets where this story begins. The tragedy of Scott’s death woke the community to a problem that had been long coming, and forced the community to seek answers. Twenty years later, Pro-Youth has proven to be one of those answers, and it remains a testament of this community’s resolve by caring for the county’s children. The Color Run might only be a five-kilometer race, but really, it represents a much longer course that stretches back 20 years. Because, says Davis, this run “is commemorative of our roots, and commemorative of where we’ve come from and how far we’ve come.” In that sense, this run also symbolizes that this community has every intention of running the race – and moving forward. • Pro-Youth: proyouthheart.org • (559) 624-5810 Color Run: www.thecolorvibe.com to register Find Them On Facebook

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Locals

By jordan venema

Photos: PETER Amend

a b i ke f o r JU S T ab o u t ever y t h i n g at v i sal i a c y cler y There are some things that will never grow old, even though we do. Popular culture depicts the wheel as the first major invention, and yet we’re still finding new uses for it. As far as inventions go, you’d be hard-pressed to find another that’s gotten as many miles out of itself as the wheel. Think of the bike, and marvel at its profound simplicity and versatility. It is arguably the most accessible form of transportation, both geographically and financially, and heck, even a 4-year-old can learn to ride one. And when he does, the skill is his for life. Considering this, bike peddlers are doing the community a considerable service. What beside a bike can so perfectly combine recreation with exercise while providing transportation? Thinking this way, Bill and Cindy Kelly, owners of Visalia Cyclery, seem to have picked the right business: bikes will never go out of style. Smart business move, maybe, but what really propelled Bill (beside his feet against the pedals) was passion. He’s been selling bikes for more than 40 years, “and I still do love the business, after all this time,” he says. Even when he began farming walnuts in 1994, he couldn’t quite quit the shop – as anybody who has ever chased the wind on the back of a bike will understand. Once you’re on, it’s hard to get off. Kelly’s history with bikes probably goes back further than his college years, but that’s when the business began. “I was going to College of the Sequoias and riding a lot,” he explains. And like any normal, forward-thinking college student, Kelly reasoned, “Gee, hey, maybe I should be in the bike business.” Kelly opened a small shop in Hanford in 1971, and College Cyclery near College of the Sequoias the next year. “Not a lot of places sold bicycles then,” he says. “You went to a bike shop to get a bicycle.” This was fortunate for Kelly, since during the gas crisis of the early ‘70s, people wanted bikes. He sold his entire stock his first day in business. “We had a waiting list of about 100 people wanting to buy bikes.” In 1982, in order to franchise with Schwinn, the “it” bike of its time, Kelly moved his shop to its current location on Caldwell near Mooney. “There was nothing out here but grapevines and farmland,” recalls Kelly. That didn’t stop him from building one of the more unique buildings in town. It’s impossible to miss Visalia Cyclery against its strip mall backdrop, standing out like the architectural offspring of a Swiss chalet and pagoda. “When we were building this thing, we had a sign that read, ‘This is not a restaurant,’” Kelly says with a laugh. “People thought it was a restaurant.”

26 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

The building’s the same, but a lot else has changed about the shop, and the industry, since Kelly sold his first bike. Back then, they really only sold road bikes until mountain bikes came out in the ‘80s. “That opened up a while different deal,” he says. “There’s a bike for everything now, whatever you want to do.” Road bikes are still the bulk of Cyclery’s business, especially brands like Trek and Specialized. In fact, says Kelly, “We’re the only Specialized dealer in Kings and Tulare County right now.” But Visalia Cyclery sells other styles: cruisers, mountain bikes, recumbent bikes, touring bikes; and if they don’t sell it, they can probably get it for you, and find the perfect fit. “It’s a big deal to fit somebody properly,” says Kelly. Peter Amendhas worked at Visalia Cyclery for 11 years, and loves to get his hands dirty in the shop. He’s also a successful photographer, and says biking provides him balance while complementing his career. “I love the sense of adventure and freedom two wheels give you to find your own path,” says Amend. “It’s a good exercise, it’s a good lifestyle, but it doesn’t feel like a workout.” Amend should know. He’s

constantly hitting the trail or “bikebacking,” as he calls it. “It’s like an overnight backpacking trip,” he explains. “Hit the trail, end up in a tent somewhere, cook up a steak, and come back the next morning.” For all the uses we’ve made of the wheel, and all the types of bikes we’ve built, it’s good to remember that biking isn’t just timeless; it’s practically ageless. “We get kids started on bikes sometimes before they’re 2 years old,” says Amend, “and then we’ve got a guy here at the shop that rides more than a lot of us, and he’s going to be 75 this week.” Regardless how soon or late you start, you’ll never outgrow biking, though you might outgrow a bike. And when you do, Visalia Cyclery will have the right bike to meet your needs, and the needs of anybody else who cares to feel the wind in his hair. • Visalia Cyclery • 1829 W. Caldwell Ave., Visalia • (559) 732-2453 Weekdays 9:30 am-6 pm; Saturdays 10 am-5 pm • Sundays noon-5 pm www.facebook.com/VisaliaCyclery

MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 27

Locals

By jordan venema

Photos: Christy Canafax

Cheese Solution The

28 | Enjoy MARCH 2015

s ay c heese to t he d a i ry go d d ess o f lemoore It’s practically the lifeblood of Tulare County. Sure, it has its detractors, but let’s take a minute to appreciate the virtues of milk. It’s one of the USDA Food Pyramid’s essential five food groups and a source of 16 nutrients. Packed with vitamins A and D, calcium and protein, you can thank milk for those sturdy bones and that beautiful hair. Milk is the gift that keeps on giving: butter, ice cream and, yes, of course, cheese – all the cheese. You’ve got your fresh cheeses, aged cheeses, soft cheeses and hard cheeses, and all the in-between cheeses; common cheeses like cheddar and the rarer, unintelligible cheeses like Milbenkäse. There are goat cheeses and cow cheeses and even donkey cheeses – yes, a Serbian Pule that costs about $600 a pound. Ah, cheese, you’re as beautiful as you are diverse. Cheese makers and mongers, like vintners and viticulturists, are historically rich and remote professions. Like wine, cheese has a localized history dating back to the Old World: Spanish Manchego, Italian Parmesans, English Cheddars and French Brie. Perhaps wine and cheese pair so well together because of their deep traditions and pedigree. No wonder California couldn’t break into the international wine scene until the ’70s – through the eyes of their European forebears, Californian vintners must have looked like upstarts. Similarly, California is still the new kid on the cheese block. But California cheese makers are doing it right: there’s Point Reyes Blue and Humboldt Fog and, just around the corner in Lemoore, an award-winning Fromage Blanc. In 2010, Barbara Martin, aka the Dairy Goddess, began making cheese in her husband’s 250-square-foot office. Though new to cheese making, the Martins have their dairy pedigrees, dating back three generations. In fact, says Martin, “Our family farms were only three miles from each other.” In 2006, they relocated to Lemoore from Chino “because it became really difficult to farm down in Southern California,” she explains. “So we just decided to move our cows up here,” and they started Tony Martin Dairy. Like most dairy farmers, the Martins struggled in 2009. “We lost some 400 dairies in California, and I felt like we were going to lose everything,” says Martin. “I thought, now I have to do something to take control of our milk.” For some of us, cheese is the answer to all life’s problems. But for the Martins, cheese really proved a practical solution in a struggling market. Martin, who took a cheese-making

class at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2008, began using their farm’s milk to make fresh cheese, which she then sold at farmer’s markets. When she proposed the idea to her husband, “well, he was leery,” Martin admits. “We had no background in marketing or cheese making. We’re farmers, so he was apprehensive… Things were tight, and it was a risk.” That risk quickly paid dividends. Martin transformed her husband’s office into a cheese factory, where she created recipes for Fromage Blanc, a fresh, yogurt-like, French-style cheese. She has a plain “Naked” Fromage Blanc, but she also makes others, “my favorite flavors named after my favorite places,” she explains. That includes a bacon and ranch “Ol’ West” and a spicy red pepper “Azores” Fromage Blanc, a nod to her family’s origin. Martin’s cheese is proof that you don’t necessarily need years of experience to do something well. “I just won first place at the American Cheese Society Awards,” says Martin. Her “Valley” Fromage Blanc, a peaches, almonds, and honey flavored cheese, took the blue ribbon in the flavored fresh cheese category. “It’s pretty exciting to be my size and win a nationally recognized cheese award,” she admits. And with more than 1,800 cheese makers participating in the competition, it’s safe to say that Dairy Goddess is doing something right. Besides Fromage Blanc, Dairy Goddess also makes cheese curds and bottles non-homogenized milks. “I’m actually the only one in California that does non-homogenized whole chocolate milk,” she points out. But she hasn’t and doesn’t want to stop there. She’s expanded beyond local farmer’s markets and now sells her products in Northern California Whole Foods stores, “and I should be starting in Southern California soon.” Martin hopes to add more cold storage and an aging room, which would allow her to make hard cheeses like cheddar. Maybe in the future, she mulls, since they’ve recently expanded the old office by 300 square feet to accommodate her growing business. Does Martin’s husband expect ever to get his office back? “No,” she laughs, “but he’s been with me every step of the way.” He’s even suggested they rename their dairy to Dairy Goddess. “The dairy industry is such a male-oriented place, so for him to relinquish his own name to Dairy Goddess,” says Martin, that just goes to show “how much he stands behind the product.”• www.dairygoddess.com www.facebook.com/DairyGoddessCheese

MARCH 2015 Enjoy | 29

enjoy the view

photo: christy canafax

30 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

Nature preserve in Kern County Christy Canafax is a photographer based out of Central California who specializes in wedding and lifestyle photography. She is a hopeless romantic who thrives on capturing people in love. Christy is a lover of the outdoors who has a borderline unhealthy love for chocolate and peanut butter. She spends most of her free time enjoying a good cup of coffee, warm laughs and traveling the world with loved ones. www.photophilous.co MARCH 2015 Enjoy || 31 31 MARCH 2015 ENJOY

what’s cookin’

by lana granfors

photo: betsEy walton

March Recipe It’s your lucky day! Well, that is if you have been looking for a new pasta dish, perfect for a weeknight or Sunday supper. Also, if you have not tried fennel, this is a great way to try it. This recipe is easy and nicely represents the subtle flavor of fennel. It is a great base, easily adapted to your own taste. It’s really good with chicken and steamed asparagus, or make it vegetarian and add zucchini along with the peas. This pasta reheats nicely, but not sure you will have any leftovers to deal with! Enjoy!

32 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

P enne with I talian S ausage , O nions , P eas , and F ennel Serves 6-8

ingredients

1 lb Penne pasta 1 lb sweet Italian sausage 1 large fennel bulb, about 1 pound total ¹⁄ ³ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 medium onions, cut in half-moon slices ½ tsp salt ½ tsp red pepper flakes ½ tsp fennel seeds 6 oz tomato paste 2 cup frozen peas ½ c finely chopped fennel fronds

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino or Parmigiano – Regiano cheese (additional for serving)

Total Time: 30-35 minutes Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20-25 minutes

step one Heat a large pot of salted water, about 6 cups, to boiling for the pasta. Cook the pasta just until the penne is not quite al dente. Drain and reserve 3 cups pasta water. Toss penne with a little olive oil to prevent pasta sticking together. step two While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium- high heat. If using links, remove the sausage from its casing. Break up the meat into pieces as you add to the skillet. As the sausage cooks, stir and continue to break it up, cooking until it begins to brown, about 3 – 5 minutes. step three While the sausage cooks, add the red pepper flakes and fennel seeds to a dry skillet and toast on high, about 1 - 2 minutes, stirring, careful not to burn. Once toasted, stir into the sausage. step FOUR For the fennel, cut off the stalks, just at the top of the bulb, and reserve the fronds. Remove any tough outer parts from the bulbs. Slice the bulb in half lengthwise, removing core and then slice each half in ¼ inch thick slices. Cut slices in half for about 1½ cups matchsticks of fennel. step Five Push the sausage to the one side of the pan, and drop the onion slices into the clear part of the pan; sauté, stirring, until they sizzle and wilt, another 3 – 5 minutes, then stir them in with the sausage. Push this to one side of the pan and drop in the fennel and heat to just wilting, about 2 more minutes. Stir into the sausage and onions. step six Next, clear a spot in the center of the skillet and add the tomato paste and cook for a good minute of more, until it is sizzles and starts to caramelize. Then stir it into the sausage mixture. step seven Add about 2 cups of the reserved pasta water into the skillet, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the frozen peas and let cook until the sauce thickens, but not too thick, and the fennel is soft. step EIGHT Add the cooked penne into the simmering sauce. Toss everything together, sprinkle in the chopped fennel fronds, and continue to cook until the penne is perfectly al dente. (Add more water if more sauce is desired.) step NINE Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle the grated cheese over the penne mixture and toss. Serve the hot pasta right out of the pan or on the table in a large pasta bowl with additional grated cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

Lana Granfors enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with her friends and family– especially her grandchildren, Jillian and Garet.

MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 33

SPOTLIGHT

MARCH 2015

in the march spotlight

F R O M F OOD TO F UN , S O M E T H ING F O R E V E R YON E TO E NJOY Artists Studio Tour

(Tulare County) Chocolate Romance

(Exeter)

Exeter Memorial Building March 28 | 5 pm

The Optimists Club of Exeter presents its seventh annual Chocolate Romance dessert, entree and champagne tasting and silent auction. All proceeds benefit programs for students at Kaweah High School in Exeter and Deep Creek Academy in Farmersville. At the Optimist Club of Exeter, the motto is “Bringing Out The Best In Kids.” Without the support of the community, they would not be able to reach as many youth. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.optimistsofexeter.org.

Handmade Craft Fair Sci-Fi Con

(Tulare)

International agri-center March 7 - 8

The Tulare Sci-Fi Con was created in January 2014 when the Tulare Library Foundation reached out to raise funds for the Tulare Library children’s section. With the idea of a convention with different vendors, the Tulare Sci-Fi Con was born. Proceeds from this year’s show help to benefit social services programs for homeless children. There will be a costume contest as well as plenty of vendors to shop from. For more information, visit www.tularescificon.org.

34 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

Whites Music Shopping Center March 21 | 10 am - 4 pm

The Addams Family

Library for London 5k

(London)

Corner of Kate road and denver avenue March 28

More than 40 professional artists throughout Tulare County invite the public into their personal workspaces for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the world of a local artist. South Valley Artists Studio Tour Tickets will be available at the Porterville Art Association. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ SouthValleyArtistsStudioTour.

(Visalia)

Come look through the Looking Glass “Handmade and Homegrown” craft fair featuring more than 30 different artisans from the Central Valley. For more information, call (559) 732-2787.

Various Studios March 20 - 22

Support the Library for London cause by participating in the second annual 5K and kids’ 1K. There will be food, games and fun for the whole family. The Library for London project is an effort to improve the London community through the creation of a library. For more information, visit www.libraryforlondon.com.

(Visalia)

College of the Sequoias March 13 - 22

Come enjoy the musical comedy “Addams Family” put on by College of the Sequoias. Music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Directed by James McDonnell and Linda Amaral. For tickets or more information, please visit www.costheatre.org.

Porterville

Exeter March 15 • Rocky Hill Triathlon, Exeter Union High School, 505 Rocky Hill Drive, 8 am, (559) 592-9457 , www.rockyhilltriathlon.com March 22 • HOPE Relay for Life 2015 golf tournament, Exeter Golf Course, noon, (559) 786-1188, www.exeterchamber.com March 28 • Optimist Club’s Chocolate Romance entree, dessert and champagne tasting and silent auction, Exeter Memorial Building, 324 North Kaweah Avenue, 5 pm, (559) 909-2996, www.optimistsofexeter.org

Hanford

March 5 - 8 • AKC Dog Show hosted by Sequoia Kennel Club Inc., Kings County Fairgrounds, (323) 727-0136 March 20 • Do You Want to Build a Snowman? - 2015, Hanford Teen Center, 401 North Douty Street, 6:30 - 9 pm, (559) 585-2529 March 21 • Spring Kids Fest, Hidden Valley Park, noon - 3:30 pm, (559) 585-2525, www.facebook.com/HanfordRecreation

Kingsburg

March 29 • Wedding and More, Village Mall, 1332 Draper Street, 2 - 6 pm

Lemon Cove

March 28 • Bathtub race for charity, Lake Kaweah Recreation Area, 11 am - 4 pm, (559) 561-4270

Lemoore

March 7 • Lemoore Lions Mongolian Barbecue, Civic Auditorium, www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com March 20 • Lemoore Youth Golf Tournament, (559) 924-6767, www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com

Lindsay

March 4 - 5 • East Central Farm Show, Lindsay Fairgrounds, 354 Angeline Street, 9:30 am March 6, 7, 13, 14 • Zombies from the Beyond presented by Lindsay High School Drama Club, Lindsay Community Theater, 190 North Elmwood Avenue, 7:30 pm, www.lindsaycommunitytheater.com March 21 • Joni Morris: A Tribute to the Music of Patsy Cline, Lindsay Community Theater, 190 North Elmwood Avenue, 7:30 pm, www.lindsaycommunitytheater.com

London

March 28 • Library for London 5K and kid’s 1K, Kate Road and Denver Avenue, 8:30 am, (818) 482-8140

March 14 • Chamber auction, 5 pm, www.portervillechamber.org

Selma

March • Legally Blonde Jr., the musical, Selma Arts Center, www.selmaartscenter.com

Springville

March 7, 14, 21, 28 • Farmers Market, Springville Ranch, 36400 Highway 190, 9 am - noon, (559) 359-0713

Three Rivers

March 7 • First Saturday celebration, vatious participating businesses, 11 am - 5 pm, (559) 561-3463, www.1stsaturdaytr.com March 27 • Armed Forces Celebration, Three Rivers Historical Museum, 7 - 9 pm, (559) 561-4270, www.threerivers.com

Tulare

March 7 - 8 • Tulare Sci-Fi Con, International Agri-Center, 4500 South Laspina Street, 10 am - 5 pm, (559) 303-0156, www.tularescificon.org March 18 • Urban Art tour reception and crafts, Tulare Public Library, 4 - 6 pm, www.tularepubliclibrary.org March 28 • Young Citrus Farmers Market, Tulare Public Library, 1 pm, www.tularepubliclibrary.org

Visalia

Through March 15 • Baby with the Bathwater, Ice House Theatre, 410 E. Race, (559) 734-3900, www.visaliaplayers.org March 3 • Kids Day, Various participating locations, downtown Visalia, (559) 353-8619, www.downtownvisalia.com March 6 - 8 • Sidewalk Sale, downtown March 13 • Tom Brosseau with Swimming in Paint, Amigo Row, 514 East Main Street, 8 pm March 13 - 22 • Addams Family musical comedy, College of the Sequoias Music Theatre, 915 South Mooney Boulevard, www.cos.edu March 14 • St. Patrick’s Day Parade, downtown Visalia, 10 am, www.downtownvisalia.com • Irish Fest, a celebration of craft beer, Visalia Rawhide Ballpark, www.visaliabreakfastlions.org/event/irishfest2015 March 20 • 2015 Leadership Visalia Golf Tournament, Valley Oaks Gold Course, noon, www.visaliachamber.org March 20 - 22 • South Valley Artists’ Studio Tour, various locations, www.artsconsortium.org, (559) 802-3266

March 21 • The Looking Glass craft fair, Whites Music Shopping Center, 10 am - 4 pm, (559) 732-2787

Fox Theatre www.foxvisalia.org

March 7 • Tulare County Symphony presents Eroica, 7:30 pm March 16 • An Irish Hooley: Slugger O’Toole, 7:30 pm March 21 • The Count Basie Orchestra

Tachi Palace Casino www.tachipalace.com

March 7 • South 65, 8 pm March 8 • Legends and Idols, 5 - 10 pm March 13 • Bryan Vickers Band, 9:30 pm

Tulare Encore Theatre www.tulareencoretheatre.org

March 7 • Annual fundraising murder mystery dinner: Murd-arrr!!! Pirates of the Salty Dog, 6 - 9 pm

The Cellar Door www.cellardoor101.com

March 5 • Deep in the Cellar, house and techno music with live art show, 9 pm March 6 • Mezcal March 24 • Toro Y Moi with Vinyl Williams, 7 pm March 27 • Yonatan Gat of Monotonix and Gooch Pams, 9:30 Event times and dates are subject to change without notice. Please check event phone number or website to verify dates and times. Enjoy Magazine is not responsible for any inconvenience due to event changes.

Get your Event on the Calendar! Please visit www.enjoysouthvalley.com or email info@enjoymagazine.net to post your calendar events. If you’d like your event to be listed in this section of Enjoy magazine, it must be posted on our website or emailed by the 5th of the month—one month prior to the next magazine issue. For example, an April event will need to post by March 5. Thank you.

MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 35

STORE FRONT

Miguel PUJOL, Repurposed Creations

photos: PETER AMEND

The ClockMaker

MADE IN THE

“I recycle the metal, use the slats of wood on the fire pit and use the round ends for my clocks. Nothing is wasted.” Miguel Pujol

36 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

Repurposed Creations

SOUTH VALLEY EN JOY S

UPP

ORTS

LOC AL ARTISANS

AR &F

ENJOY: How did you begin making your clocks? Miguel: My first clock happened by accident about two and a half years ago. I had painted a cable spool to make it into an end table, but it didn’t turn out as I wanted. The spool was taking room in my garage for a few weeks. I didn’t want to throw it away so I took some time thinking what else I could use it for. That’s when the idea of taking it apart and making a clock from it came to me. As soon as I finished the first clock a friend of mine saw it and wanted to buy it. I then made another clock from the same spool and it sold right away. I was getting a lot of compliments on them, so I knew I had found a unique idea, a niche. ENJOY: What are your clocks made out of? Miguel: To date I have made a little over 100 clocks, all out of discarded cable spools. They usually pile up in the back of the companies that use them until they are taken to the city dump. All spools have two round ends connected by slats of wood and held together with metal bars. I recycle the metal, use the slats of wood on the fire pit and use the round ends for my clocks. Nothing is wasted. My “canvas” is very unique. It has been weathered by the rain and the sun. No two clocks ever look the same, even if I try. ENJOY: Who is your typical customer? Miguel: My typical customer sees the value of supporting small local businesses, buying American made and are conscious of recycling. At the same time, the clocks come in many different colors and styles, to fit a variety of styles and home decors. I sell most of my clocks through stores like Embellish and Restore in Visalia; Rose Petals and Rust in Exeter; Refined and Designed in Hanford; also directly through Facebook and Instagram @ Repurposed Creations.

ENJOY: Do you offer custom ordering? Miguel: About 40 percent of my production is custom orders. I enjoy interacting with customers and I put great effort in trying to understand as best as possible what it is they envision. It’s a big responsibility to create a piece that will take a prominent place in someone’s home. It brings much satisfaction when the customer sees the final product and says, “I love it.” ENJOY: What do you enjoy most about your business? Miguel: I get to meet and interact with a lot of wonderful people. It’s also a great outlet for my creative juices (I don’t get much of that at my job in the corporate world). Sometimes I can’t wait to come home to start putting together an idea that came to me. But I also enjoy the process of transformation that takes place in an old, beat-up spool. It needs to be washed; it needs the rough edges sanded; nails hammered down; hardware added on the back to be able to be displayed; some type of paint or wood finish to complete it. I think many times as I’m working, it’s the same process that God has to put some of us through. Sometimes we need to be rescued, worked on, refurbished to become beautiful and useful again. I sometimes see some of the clocks I made being displayed with pride in beautiful homes. This gives me hope and courage to let the Master craftsman work in my own life, even if the process sometimes is painful. I want to be a blessing to each of my customers and I strive to create a product that is a conversation element and that brings satisfaction for years to come. • Find his products at Embellish and Restore in Visalia; Rose Petals and Rust in Exeter; Refined and Designed in Hanford On Facebook and Instagram

Come see our new store location opening at 505 West Center Street

Inside Embellish & Restore 115 N. West Street Visalia • (559) 804-7411 www.embellishandrestore.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/embellishandrestore @embellish_and_restore Mon-Sat 10-5pm MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 37

GIVING BACK

By FACHE DESROCHERS

PHOTOS: by jacki potorke

DOG GONE GOOD A ss i sta n ce serv i ce d o g e d u cat i o n al ce n t er

As anyone who has ever loved a canine companion can tell you, the term “man’s best friend” doesn’t even begin to cover all that a dog can be. Beneath those soft ears and wagging tail is a creature with incredible potential to assist, love and elevate us to the best versions of ourselves. Dogs are a bit magical, really, which is something that Gerald and Donna Whittaker – owners and operators of the Assistance Service Dog Educational Center - have always known. “I’ve been training dogs since I was eight years old,” says Gerald. “And I’ve just always loved it.” Founded in 2002, the center was the result of the Whittakers looking for a worthy way to spend their free time as they transitioned into their retirement years. In observing their home community of Woodlake, the couple noticed a truancy issue plaguing the local educational system. Students with personal or home environment problems were not completing high school, and some were not even starting it. Fortunately, the Whittakers had an idea: not only would the Assistance Service Dog Educational Center train Golden Retrievers to be service dogs that are placed with people in need, but the organization would also enlist those at-risk students to be the trainers. “We decided to use the dogs as the carrot to make the kids come to school every day,” confides Gerald, eyes twinkling. “We’d give each student a little eight-week-old puppy, and they would be responsible for coming in every day to train it. We also initially made our class the first period of the day, because we realized that once the students had gotten up for that, it was easier to get them through the rest of the day, and they would finish school.” A clever plan indeed. But really, this keen understanding of the way minds (both human and animal) work has long been the foundation of the Whittakers’ training philosophy. “Truly, the main thing that we teach is person-dog psychology,” explains Donna. Students participating in the program not only learn how to train dogs, but the life skills that make that training possible. “In dog training, 38 | ENJOY MARCH 2015

you have to be patient and consistent with the commands that you give the dog and the way you act,” says Gerald. “You have to learn responsibility, leadership, and respect. So in teaching the students dog training, we were also teaching them skills that they were able to apply to their homework, to their classes and to their lives.” The center started out training dogs for people with disabilities: Everything from the familiar seeing-eye dog to truly sophisticated assistance companions who can provide alerts when they sense dropping blood sugar, or the approach of a seizure. From dogs that assist the hearing impaired to dogs who physically help people with equilibrium problems keep their balance, it seems that there is no problem that the Whittakers cannot solve with the right furry helper. And now, with the recent upswing in the return of troops from overseas, the Assistance Service Dog Educational Center’s client base is increasingly populated with veterans. These individuals are especially well served by the Whittakers’ dogs, who are perfectly suited to help with the physical and emotional injuries that time in the service can bring. The center’s dogs perform an incredible number of tasks to help disabled people lead independent lives. In addition to physically aiding the client, the dogs provide companionship, support and comfort. When fully trained, an Assistance Service Dog Educational Center dog can perform more than 90 skills in response to verbal commands, including switching lights on and off, picking up and retrieving dropped items, and even opening a dryer and unloading clothes. Thanks to the Whittakers’ uncanny ability to use every part of the service dog training process to benefit somebody, so much about the center seems frankly miraculous. But perhaps the most wonderful part comes at the very end. After the students have completed their training and the client has come in to be matched up with a canine companion, the Whittakers foster a phenomenon that is like something out of a fairy tale: “Oh, the clients don’t choose their dog, it’s always the other way around,” says Donna, with a matter-of-fact smile. “The dog will choose the client that they are receptive to, for whatever reason. The dog just looks at the person and says, ‘You need my help.’ And that’s what we call the magic of the dog.” ASDEC is a nonprofit, 100 percent volunteer-based organization devoted to assisting the disabled both emotionally and physically by providing full time canine assistance and companionship. • The Assistance Service Dog Educational Center (ASDEC) (559) 564-3575 • www.servicedogcenter.org Find them on Facebook

Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

MARCH 2015 ENJOY | 39

115 1475 N. West Street Placer St. Suite C Visalia CA 93291 Redding, CA 96001

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Embellish & Restore 115 N. West Street Visalia, CA 93291 (559) 804-7411