JULY | AUGUST 2013
GRANGER does it
Life & culture in Granger
Mirko’s seven
secrets for life
The most important creature in Grangerorld the w Sous-vide cooking
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Inside Granger's naturist park page 16
Pablo Picasso’s “Nude under a pine tree”, painted in 1959, is one of countless works of art featuring nudity by the renowned artist. Photo courtesy of Yuxuan Wang.
Take your pick 4
A BEAUTIFUL QUESTION
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THANK YOU, MIRKO: 7 SECRETS FOR LIVING A MEANINGFUL LIFE Most people remember him
Sometimes a few words can change the way you see the world.
for his role on the 1988 Notre Dame Championship Football Team. But Mirko Jurkovic, who passed away in January, was an extraordinary man off the field too.
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HONEY BEES: THE MOST IMPORTANT CREATURE IN THE WORLD? If they became
extinct, your life would change drastically. A Michiana beekeeper reveals just how much the world relies on honey bees.
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THAT MAGICAL FEELING
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SOUS-VIDE 101: HOW TO COOK THE MOST WONDERFUL STEAK YOU’VE EVER TASTED
Tired of the routine of everyday life? This one little change can make life exciting again.
Move the grill over. This “new” way to cook steak, chicken and pork chops, which no Michiana restaurant currently offers, will make your friends think you’re a five-star chef.
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Cover Story 16
INSIDE GRANGER’S NATURIST PARK: WHAT NUDE RECREATION IS REALLY ALL ABOUT
Ever wondered what goes on at Sunny Haven Recreational Park? Or the purpose of social nudity? It’s probably not what you think. Learn the truth about nude recreation as we take you on a tour of Granger’s naturist park.
CONTACT US Advertising Inquiries media@grangerdoesit.com Comments and Feedback info@grangerdoesit.com www.GrangerDoesIt.com www.Facebook.com/GrangerDoesIt All content herein is produced by Granger does it staff or used with permission from the original artists. Copyright 2013 by Granger does it
A beautiful question It
really hit me. So much that I just have to share when he looked up at me and asked, “What color is it with you, hoping that it will make you feel the there the most of in the world?” same way. I haven’t heard or thought of a question like that in Not long ago I visited my good friends Matt and a long time. I knew right away it was a good one. Jenny in Elkhart. They’d gone into the house for a Nolan was waiting patiently for an answer, so I moment to tend to their 4-year-old, Dylan, while thought quickly and said, “Probably blue or green.” I stayed out back with their 7-year old, Nolan. We were breaking twigs off a stick, trying to get it down He nodded and went back to the stick. A few seconds to the perfect size so it would make a good staff, later the subject changed again. But I was stuck on the color question. 4
Granger does it | July - August 2013
I think Nolan was asking: if he had the magical power to fly over every square inch of the world and record how many times he saw each color and how much space it took up, what color would cover most of the planet? The answer to that question is probably blue. After all, the sky and the oceans take up a lot of space. And even though they aren’t actually blue, they appear so from the reflection of the sun. Of course, to be thorough, he’d also need to record the colors of fish, reefs and the rest of the underwater world.
minutes. I’m pretty sure it came to him at the same time he asked it. At that moment, he wanted to know what color there is the most of in the world. A few minutes later, Matt called Nolan inside to put on a sweatshirt (it was chilly that evening), and I had the back patio to myself. I looked around and noticed many things that were there the entire evening, but that I’d paid no attention to. The dark green leaves of the maple tree, the crescent moon in the east side of the sky, the yellow patch of dandelions by the fenceline, the red feathers of a male cardinal perched on the neighbor’s gutter, the blue sky turning shades darker right before my eyes. And I thought to myself, what a colorful world.
I love that Nolan made me think about color. It’s one of those things I probably take for granted more than I should. My favorite thing about his question is that he wasn’t trying to be profound. Or pretentious. Thanks for reminding me, Nolan. Or anything, for that matter. I don’t think he’d been thinking of that question for weeks or days or even
Ryan Michael Faist Publisher
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July - August 2013 | Granger does it 5
Thank you,
Mirko
Seven secrets for living a meaningful life
J
ohn Donne said it best in 1617: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the maine; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less … any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind.” What he meant was: anytime someone passes away, we all lose a little part of us. And that goes for people you’ve never met too. When Mirko Jurkovic (pronounced yer-ko-vich) passed away to cancer in January, our region lost a good man. Michiana was the less, as Donne may have put it. You don’t have to search hard to find people who echo this
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sentiment. “Mirko Jurkovic is one of the bravest men that I have ever met,” said Jack Nolan in a video tribute to Mirko. Nolan worked alongside Mirko for years on the official Notre Dame Football Postgame Show. “His passing leaves a void that will never be filled.” Mirko’s football achievements are no secret to most Notre Dame fans. Monogram winner as defensive tackle on Coach Lou Holtz’s legendary 1988 national championship team, a two-year starter as offensive guard in 1990 and 1991, consensus All-America pick and Notre Dame Lineman of the Year in 1991, and 9th round NFL draft selection of the Chicago
Granger does it | July - August 2013
Bears in 1992, to name a few. But those who knew Mirko know he was an extraordinary man off the field as well. In fact, we can all learn something from the way he lived...
Make as many friends as possible Life is more meaningful when you share it with others. Mirko believed this. “My brother made friends everywhere he went,” says John “Jurko” Jurkovic, who cohosts the "Mac, Jurko and Harry" show on ESPN 1000. “He always had people around him. In the summers, I’d visit his home in Granger and there’d be people
everywhere. It was like he had an open-door policy.” “Mirko was a great friend to many,” remembers his wife, Angie. “He loved spending time with his friends, whether it was at home, over a game of poker, on golf trips, or wherever. He was a true people person.” Mirko knew the importance of having good friends. He realized that each of us is put on Earth for a finite amount of time. So while you’re here, meet as many people as you can. The more good friends you have, the happier you’ll be. It’s that simple.
Laugh a lot You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh. Even curmudgeons like it, although they probably won’t give you the pleasure of admitting it. Everyone loves to laugh. There are other benefits to laughter besides enjoyment. Laughing has been clinically proven to help lower blood pressure, reduce stress and improve blood circulation. But perhaps the greatest perk to maintaining a good sense of humor is the way it affects your outlook on life. People who laugh a lot tend to be more positive-minded. “Mirko was one of the funniest people I ever knew,” says Jurko. “Even during tense or stressful times, he sometimes relied on his sense of humor to keep himself level-headed. During one of our last golf trips together, we finished a round and he turned to our friend and said, ‘I beat you, and I have cancer.’ No matter what was going on in his life, he could always find a way to lighten the mood.”
Respect your passion Not everyone is lucky enough to be blessed with a passion – that one purpose in life you just know you were born to pursue. It could be painting, raising horses, building homes, anything. When you have one, you know it. Having a true passion for something is a gift; a magical feeling that’s impossible to fully describe. So if you’re lucky enough to have one, do the rest of us a favor and embrace it. Mirko’s passion was football. He
discovered it when he was young, even before his high school football days in Calumet City, Illinois. You could argue it’s hard to ignore a passion for football when you’re being recruited by universities like Notre Dame and Michigan. But even after Mirko’s career in the NFL ended much sooner than he expected, he didn’t let his passion go. He found other ways to pursue it. Mirko volunteered as an assistant football coach at Niles High School, and later, at St. Joseph High School. He co-hosted the Notre Dame Football Postgame show. Even
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when he was too ill to attend his son’s high school football games, he watched taped practices and shared insight with Mirko, Jr. He always found a way to pursue his passion. The moral? Your passion doesn’t need to be your money-maker. If it is, more power to you. But just because you might not get rich pursing your passion doesn’t mean you should give up on it. Passion is not about money; it’s about fulfillment. Mirko never gave up on his love for football. And he was happier for it.
Set your dreams high There’s no feeling in the world like seeing one of your dreams come true. Not all of them will. But if you don’t have the courage to try, you’ll never know. And the not knowing will hurt worse than trying and failing. Mirko not only set many goals for his life, he set them high. “Growing up near Chicago, one of his biggest dreams was to play for the Bears,” says Angie. “That dream came true in 1992 when he was drafted in the 9th round. And even though he only played for one season before he was injured, he was thrilled to have achieved something that meant so much to him.” Mirko refused to let go of his dreams. Because of it, many of them came true. “Mirko spent years co-hosting the Postgame Show, but he always wanted to be the third man in the booth as a play-by-play announcer during a live game. And guess what? One day, one of the regular announcers was sick, and they asked Mirko to fill in. It was proud day.”
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One of Mirko’s biggest dreams was one he knew would probably never come true. “Most people know Mirko as a football guy,” says Angie, “but he loved golf too. And he always wanted to the play the Master’s, which was pretty much impossible. But when he was going through chemotherapy, he got a call from Coach Holtz, who’s a member at Augusta. A few months later, my husband’s dream came true. He played the Master’s.”
changes cut Mirko’s tenure as a professional athlete short after just two years.
Face bad news courageously
Perhaps there’s no better example of Mirko’s courage in the face of adversity than the way he dealt with his battle against colon cancer. “He’d gone through surgery and eight months of chemotherapy,” Jurko recalls. “He thought he had it beat. Then he found out the cancer had metastasized and he was facing a stage four diagnosis. That news rocks you. And there’s only two ways to deal with it: you either feel sorry for yourself or you
A wise person once said that a person’s character is revealed in the way he or she responds to challenges. This includes personal setbacks. In 1992 Mirko was drafted to the Chicago Bears. Like all young NFL players, he looked forward to a long, successful career. But a knee injury and a few coaching staff
Granger does it | July - August 2013
“I’m sure it bothered him,” says Jurko, “but my brother wasn’t the kind of guy to sit around and feel sorry for himself. He knew he was at a crossroads. So he moved forward. He went back to school and focused on finding a new career that would allow him to support his family.”
but he accepted it gracefully and honorably because he knew he had lived a good life, even though it was far too short. He loved his family more than anything, and we all knew it. That made him happy. I think because of it, he was at peace with his life when he passed.”
Leave the world a better place People always ask about the meaning of life like it’s some riddle that can’t be solved. Maybe it is. It could be we’re given the gift of life for no other reason than to experience it. It could also be something more. If you were to die tomorrow, would you be content with the choices you made along the way? Would the people whose lives you touched be thankful they had the opportunity to know you? Suppose you could watch your entire life in a movie and see all the choices you made, all the people whom your choices affected, both positively and negatively. Would you be okay with the results? Is the world a better place because of you?
forge ahead. Mirko forged ahead, enjoying the time he had left with the people he loved. He was a truly brave man.”
Love your family more than you love yourself Nothing is more important than family. It’s hard to argue with this. Every good parent puts the welfare of his or her family before their own. Even when your life is on the line. “Through his entire bout against cancer, Mirko always stayed strong
and positive,” says Angie. “He didn’t want anyone to worry about him, especially his children. After he was diagnosed, he continued on exactly as normal. He helped coach our son’s football team as a volunteer assistant, co-hosted the Postgame Show, spent time with his friends, and took care of us exactly as he had before. Even in his final days, he never wanted pity from anyone. He didn’t want us to hurt.” Jurko remembers talking to his brother right before the end. “He didn’t want to leave the world,
In Mirko’s life, the answer is yes. He achieved a lot in his short, happy life. He made his dreams come true, met a lot of good friends, married his true love, adored his children beyond belief, overcame setbacks with courage, and spread a lot of cheer along the way. On January 9, 2013, we lost a good man. But Mirko left us with an example of how to live a fulfilling life. And that makes the world a better place. Thank you, Mirko. We miss you. ***
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Honey Bees the most important
creature in the world?
“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.” - Albert Einstein
S
uppose you woke up tomorrow and there were no more honey bees. Your life would soon change drastically. So would the world.
“A lot of people don’t realize how important honey bees are,” says 21-year old Alex Lesniak of South Bend. “Most of us depend on them every single day, in one way or another. After all, honey bees are responsible for a third of the world’s food supply.” Alex has been studying honey bees for nearly half her life. At just 12 years old, she was already running her own bee farm with her father. “They’re just amazing little creatures. The more I learn about them, the more fascinated I become with the role they play in the world.”
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Alex admires one of her honey bees at LaSalle Square Unity Gardens in South Bend. Alex’s passion for honey bees has earned her numerous distinctions over the years. In addition to being named Beekeeping Grand Champion numerous times at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair, Alex was also named 2007 Young Beekeeper of the Year by the Indiana Beekeepers Association. And in 2011 she was crowned the Indiana Honey Princess by the Indiana State Beekeepers Association, which included the honor and responsibility of giving presentations across the state on the health benefits of honey,
cooking with honey, beekeeping and the importance of pollination to our crops and food.
A 21-year-old CEO Despite these awards, Alex’s proudest achievement to date is founding PeaceBees.org, a local non-profit organization devoted to educating people about honey bees. “When I was younger, my friends thought it was weird that I loved bees. So I made information sheets to help them understand how bees aren’t just
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little insects with stingers. That’s how I discovered I really enjoy helping others learn about the importance of honey bees.” She named her organization “Peace Bees” to help fight the common misconception that bees are aggressive. “It’s not in a bee’s nature to sting you for no reason. They only attack when they’re provoked, out of self-defense, which is no different from any other animal. European honey bees, which is what we have in America, are actually peaceful.”
Life without honey bees
Honey bees probably have no idea how much they do for the world. As Alex explains, all they care about is making enough honey to get them through winter: “Bees make honey. That’s what they do. But while they’re collecting nectar for their hives, they’re also helping to feed the world. Wind and other insects help pollinate crops too, but honey bees are responsible for 80% of all pollination. It’s just incredible how much responsibility they carry.”
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Most of us depend on honey bees every single day, in one way or another.
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This isn’t just Alex’s opinion. “Without bees to pollinate many of our favorite fruits and vegetables,” the Natural Resources Defense Council states on their website, “the United States could lose $15 billion worth of crops.” For a clearer picture of what would happen if America lost its bee population, look no further than China. Urbanization and pesticide use has depleted much of China’s honey bee population. As a result, some of their most important crops like pears
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and apples now have to be handpollinated. Otherwise they will simply die off. Without honey bees, the following are just some of the foods that would either become extinct or so rare that their prices would skyrocket: almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, oranges, cranberries, grapes, kiwifruit, macadamia nuts, olives, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, cantaloupe, honeydew, onions, pumpkins, squash, watermelons, alfalfa hay, cotton, peanuts, soybeans and beets. It gets worse. Honey bee pollination isn’t just important for fruits and vegetables. “If there were no honey bees and you ordered a value meal from McDonald’s,” says Alex, “you’d probably only get a bun with maybe a little ketchup. There’d be no lettuce or onions, and if there were, they’d be too expensive for McDonald’s to stock. The same goes with the potatoes needed to make French fries. You probably wouldn’t get any hamburger either. Honey bees pollinate grass, hay and other livestock food. Without them, most of us would be forced to become vegetarians, whether we like it or not.” One of the few crops that honey bees don’t pollinate is wheat. So you can expect to pay a lot less for bread if honey bees disappear. But you might not have any butter to go with it.
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The good news Although the bee population has declined in some parts of the world, we’re far from facing the reality of life without them. That said, protecting honey bees is something everyone needs to be aware of. “Urbanization and pesticides are probably the greatest threat to honey bees,” explains Alex. “When we replace forests and fields with cities and neighborhoods, we also take away the honey bee’s natural habitat. And there’s growing evidence that common pesticides used by many farmers weaken the immune system for bees, making them more vulnerable to mites and other dangerous parasites.” This is why hobby beekeepers are more important today than ever. Beekeepers provide a safe, reliable environment for honey bees to thrive in. The more beekeepers in the world, the more stable the honey bee population will become. That’s good for everyone. But you don’t have to become a beekeeper to take a proactive step in protecting one of the world’s most important organisms. Here are several simple things you can do to help honey bees flourish: • Buy local honey • Don’t kill honey bees; they don’t want to hurt you • Don’t use pesticides in your yard • Plant nectar and pollenproducing flowers like
Geraniums, Iris, Foxglove, Cosmos, Zinnia, Sunflowers, Dahlias, Asters, Marigolds, Hyacinths, Crocuses, Daisies, Daffodils, Tulips or Catnip • Grow flowers that bloom over a range of seasons so there will be food for bees yearround • Grow plants native to your area in your yard and garden • Help spread the word about honey bees These are all simple ways you can help create a stronger environment for honey bees. In doing so, you’ll play an important role in protecting this amazing little creature. The next time you see a bee buzzing around your backyard, don’t swat at it. Instead, admire it. Take a second to appreciate how much bees do for the world while they go about their simple business of making honey. Isn’t that sweet of them?
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Inside Granger's naturist park What nude recreation is really all about It’s
been said that people are afraid of things they don’t understand. Assuming this is true, the editors at Granger does it feel the need to caution you. Some may find the subject of social nudity offensive. That’s precisely why we wanted to write about it – not to offend, but to correct some popular misconceptions about social nudity and people who embrace it. Regardless of your current attitude toward this topic, we encourage you to proceed with an open mind.
If you drive down Anderson Road in Granger, you might notice the sign for Sunny Haven Recreation Park perched at the foot of a dirt road that leads into the woods. Most people who see this sign drive right past it… but not without wondering – at least briefly – what it’s like back there. Suppose you decide to turn down that dirt road. You follow it as it winds into the forest. Coming around a corner, a sign catches your attention that reads: Smile, You’re On Camera. You notice the surveillance camera recording you as you pull forward to an eight-foot tall privacy gate. Out your driver’s side window, there’s a wooden post with a large, red button. You hesitate for a moment, staring at the gate, contemplating if you really want to go through with this or not. If you really want to see what’s inside Granger’s nudist park.
The Gatekeeper On your first visit to Sunny Haven, you’re greeted by the Gatekeeper. His name is Herb. As the Gatekeeper, he’s responsible for welcoming new visitors to the park as well as ensuring the safety of current visitors and members. Herb is the first person you meet when you come to Sunny Haven. And also your first impression. You might feel a bit of relief when you see he’s fully clothed. He’ll wave you inside and motion for you to park next to the front office on the left. Directly ahead, a large banner sign stretches over the road that reads: Welcome to Sunny Haven. We may sound biased here, but believe us when we tell you Herb is one of the friendliest, most down-to-Earth people we’ve ever met. The latter is particularly important, since it’s no secret that many people are uncomfortable with – or flat out object to – the idea of nude recreation. Herb is completely aware of this, which is somehow comforting to a person who is completely new to social nudity. “If you’ve never experienced nude recreation, then yeah, it probably seems weird,” he says.. “A bunch of people being naked around
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each other? What’s wrong with clothes? I used to think the same way. The first time I visited a nudist park, I didn’t want to take my clothes off.” Herb’s personality makes it easier for someone who’s never been to a nudist park to feel comfortable; almost like you have a friend who just wants to show you around a private club. There’s nothing manipulative about it, either. “I never subject my viewpoints on others, unless you ask,” he says. “Social nudity isn’t for everyone. That’s perfectly fine. What bothers me, and probably most nudists, is the way society depicts us as some sort of threat. If more people took the time to understand the true nature of nude recreation, they would be amazed at how many misconceptions there are.”
Taking the tour With the exception of nude people, Sunny Haven looks like a normal, well-kept campground. Only with more amenities. Weaving around rows of campers, RVs and chalets, Herb takes you in a golf cart tour of the entire 20-acre park. It doesn’t take long before you see your first nudists relaxing outside their camper. They smile and wave to Herb as he drives past, like friendly neighbors. You notice how they seem perfectly at peace, almost as though you expected them to cover up when they see you. This is how you know, right or wrong, that you regard nudity as taboo. Herb drives you around, offering enthusiastic descriptions of the various events and activities
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If more people took the time to understand the true nature of nude recreation, they would be amazed at how many misconceptions there are.
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that take place at Sunny Haven. Potluck dinners, volleyball and horseshoe tournaments, campfires, card games, body painting, bands and parties. There’s even a tennis court. Afterward he shows you the clubhouse, where you can shop around at the gift shop, cool off from the summer heat in the lounge, even enjoy a meal at Toasted Buns Café (and yes, the restaurant at Sunny Haven adheres to all health code requirements, just like any other dining establishment). Your tour of Sunny Haven isn’t complete until you’ve seen the 24’ x 50’ crystal clear pool, the oversized hot tub, the steam room and the kind of beautiful patio area that you’d be proud to have in your backyard. That’s not an exaggeration, either. Sunny Haven is a gorgeous campground. Anyone would agree.
The elephant in the park Okay, now that you know what the inside of Sunny Haven looks like, it’s time to address the elephant in the park: what’s the purpose of nudism? It’s a fair question. After all, in our society – and most societies around the world – clothing is considered normal. Not only that, it’s actually the law here. Walk around public in the nude and you might face an indecent exposure charge. “It makes sense that some people think nude recreation is weird because society trains us to hide our bodies and to regard nudity as something dirty,” Herb says. “But being nude is natural.
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Nudism is about freeing your mind of social constructs and becoming comfortable in your own skin as nature intended.” Herb is quick to point out that the number one misconception about social nudism is that it’s some kind of sexual exhibitionism. “Nothing could be further from the truth. There is absolutely no sexual component to nude recreation whatsoever. The true sense of nudism has to do with shedding the guilt that society has trained you to associate with nudity, and to experience a more natural state of being.” Herb argues that people associate nudism with sex mainly because of the media and entertainment industry. “The media, television and movies teach us at a very early age that there’s something taboo about nudity. Nine times out of ten, when someone is nude in a movie, he or she is being portrayed in a sexual manner. And since movies and T.V. play such a big role in most Americans’ lives, it’s no wonder we learn to associate nudity with sex.” He makes a strong point. After all, Europeans as a whole have a much different attitude toward nudity. You can find evidence of this in the way it’s portrayed in their cinema. European films contain much more non-sexual nudity than American films. And it’s not as restricted as it is here. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a European advertisement to contain nudity. Can you imagine a billboard in Granger with a nude woman on it? It’s just a cultural difference.
Aerial photo of the pool and tennis court at Sunny Haven. According to Herb, another common misconception is that nude recreation is a voyeuristic hobby. “You don’t come to a family nudist park to look at naked people. And you don’t come to have people look at you. That’s the opposite of what social nudity is about. If you’ve come to a nudist park as a voyeur, you’re still associating nudism with sex. And that’s not what it’s about.”
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The rules Nudists are nonconformists. They reject society’s insistence that nudity is taboo. But that doesn’t mean they rebel against every facet of society. Actually, nudists depend on one of the very fundamentals of society to remain a safe and peaceful environment: the rule of law.
All visitors and members at Sunny Haven must adhere to a defined code of conduct, which Herb calls “common sense rules of courtesy, safety and health.” Here are a few exactly as they appear in the official Sunny Haven rule sheet: • CONDUCT requiring no apology is the rule • PROFANE LANGUAGE is not acceptable behavior • ALCOHOL is permitted; INTOXICATION is frowned upon • QUIET HOURS are from 12 midnight to 8 a.m. PLEASE REFRAIN from noisy activities during this time • FIREARMS are not permitted on park grounds (except in transport or State licensed officer) • SHOWER WITH SOAP BEFORE USING POOL OR HOT TUB Also prohibited is public sexual activity or behavior, camera use unless under the supervision of a board member, and any type of behavior that would threaten, jeopardize or disrespect other members. “We’re a family park. Basically, anything that is typically prohibited in a public campground is prohibited here. Besides being nude, of course.” Herb is realistic about this, too. He admits that every now and then a nudist park will attract the wrong kind of visitor. Sometimes it’s a person expecting a swingers park; other times it’s just a
You have Granger’s attention... Now what’s your message? | media@GrangerDoesIt.com
July - August 2013 | Granger does it 21
curious teenager. This is one of the reasons why Sunny Haven reserves the right to perform background checks on all applying members. But that’s just one way the park protects its members. In addition to the long list of safety codes and rules, there’s a certain camaraderie among Sunny Haven members that helps keep the park safe. “Our members are like family,” Herb says. “We look out for each other. If someone is acting suspiciously, it won’t take long before they’re reported to the office and immediately confronted. We never hesitate to eject anyone from the park if they’re posing a threat to our members or visitors. We take safety seriously. That’s one thing we don’t joke about.”
“I have a photo of my mother, pregnant with me, at a nudist park in the 1930s,” Ron says with a friendly smile. “So the concept of social nudism has never been strange to me. Most people discover the beauty of nudism differently.”
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Our members are like family. We look out for each other.
Ron and Marlo During our tour of Sunny Haven, we were lucky enough to meet a California couple who has embraced social nudity for more than forty years. It was their first visit to Sunny Haven, and they were kind enough to share a few thoughts with us about nudism.
Ron’s wife Marlo nods in agreement. “I grew up on a farm in Indiana with five brothers who were all protective of me. I guess you could call us a traditional family. The idea of social nudism never entered my mind until I met Ron. After we married, he took me to my first nudist park. I remember being too embarrassed to undress. But eventually I did, and it didn’t take long before I felt completely comfortable.”
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Since then, Ron and Marlo have spent time in nudist parks all over the world. They even produced a documentary film about nudism along the Adriatic Sea in the early 1980s called Yugoslavia Naturally. “We’ve been to more nudist parks that we can count,” Ron says, “and we can honestly tell you that Sunny Haven is one of the nicest we’ve been to. It’s beautiful, well-maintained and has much nicer amenities
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than many parks we’ve seen. Most of all, the people here are friendly. We’re definitely coming back to Sunny Haven the next time we visit Indiana.”
Freedom and equality Many people who live in the region are surprised to discover there’s a nudist park nearby; even more-so when they learn it’s been around since 1947. “Sunny Haven is a quiet and peaceful community,” says Herb. “We don’t force our values or beliefs on anyone. Nudism isn’t for everyone, and we all respect that. But we believe that people who want to embrace or experience social nudism should be able to. Our mission will always be to provide a safe, friendly environment for nude recreation.” Nude recreation has come a long way in terms of public tolerance, but it still has a long way to go. “If there’s one thing I’d like people to take away from this interview, it’s that nudism is about freedom. Not just freeing yourself from social constructs, but also from the most common judgments we make about other people. When a person is nude, you have no way to judge them other than the way they behave, the way they truly are. You could be talking to a lawyer, a police officer, a student. They could be wealthy or poor, white collar or blue collar. You have no way of knowing, and it doesn’t matter. That’s the point. We are all equal.”
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That magical feeling
T
his is what we mean when we say “good photography.” Other publications might not care, but we do. A photograph like this makes us feel. It makes us want to write about that childhood feeling of racing down the street on your bike with not a care in the world. You’re never too old for that feeling. The problem is: many of us believe we’ve outgrown it. We’ve lost that little spark of magic and excitement that makes each day a new adventure. Isn’t that the way it is when you’re a kid? The days, the weeks, the months... they
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passed by much more slowly. Because back then, the future – even the near future – was full of promise and excitement. Then, as the years pass, the future loses its luster. The days and weeks run into each other. The seasons seem predictable. The years become routine. Worst of all, usually you don’t even realize it when it happened. Sometime between now and back then, you lost that excitement that comes with thinking about the future. What used to be a brand new day
full of adventure and surprise has somehow become like every other day in the week: almost perfunctory. Please don’t make this mistake. It’s one you don’t want to regret. Instead, get back to the state of mind where the future seems like one big dream just waiting to come true. Try not to view your upcoming days and weeks and months as routine. Because they aren’t... unless you make them that way. Every day is another opportunity for you enjoy a new experience. Take advantage of it. After your work for the day is finished, try doing something you normally wouldn’t do. Instead of going home and watching T.V., maybe go for a bike ride. You’d be surprised at how a little change in your routine can make a big difference in your life. Before long, you won’t see each work week as the same... because you’ll never know what you decide to do the next day. That’s the secret to getting back that magical feeling you had when you were little. Go out of your way to remind yourself that each day is another chance to try something new. Every morning is the beginning of a new adventure; an untraveled road that can take you anywhere. Embrace it. Let life surprise you. You’ll be thankful you did when you’re older. Think about it.
Breakfast à la Granger H
andmade blueberry crepes. Oven-baked German apple pancakes. Strawberry-stuffed French toast. These are just a few ways Copper Creek Cafe is redefining breakfast in Granger. As the only family-owned pancake house in the heart of Granger, Copper Creek Cafe combines artisan culinary dishes with a casual environment. No jacket or tie required here. Just bring your appetite and experience breakfast à la Granger!
Copper Creek Cafe of Granger Open daily 7am - 3pm 12634 SR23, Granger, IN 574-217-7764 www.TheCopperCreekCafe.com July - August 2013 | Granger does it 25
Sous-vide 101 How to cook the most wonderful steak you’ve ever tasted by Alan Henry
D
ry turkey and overcooked steaks don't have to be a staple of your family dinners or homemade meals. Sous-vide [pronounced sue - vead] is a cooking method that uses immersion in hot water to cook food over long periods. The results are some of the most succulent and tender meat you'll ever taste. Sous-vide has gotten a bit trendy, but it's for good reason. It's surprisingly easy and not nearly as fussy as it might seem. Here's a primer to what sous-vide cooking is, why it's incredible and how you can get started on the cheap.
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and difficult meats like turkey breasts and flank steak. Professional chefs use high-end, thousand-dollar immersion circulators that regulate the temperature of the water within fractions of a degree, and are well insulated to lose as little heat as possible while cooking. Home cooks like you and me don't need that kind of gear to get started. Below, I'll suggest some starter sous-vide methods that don't require you to buy much at all.
What makes it better or worse than cooking on a stove or grill? If you're still unsure if sous-vide cooking is for you, here are some pros and cons to consider:
What is sous-vide, anyway? Sous-vide involves cooking food in sealed plastic bags immersed in hot water for long periods of time. Depending on the cut, type and thickness of the meat, cooking sous-vide for several hours is not out of the ordinary. The key to sous-vide is managing the temperature of the water so it stays hot enough to cook the food thoroughly and evenly, and long enough to kill any food-borne pathogens that may be in the bag along with the food. Cooking in sealed bags (usually vacuum sealed) at lower temperatures also results in juicier food (which makes it tastier), since the no moisture can escape. Another benefit of sous-vide is being able to control the water temperature so the food can’t dry out. As long as you maintain the right water temperature, it’s impossible to overcook meat when you sous-vide. Meat and fish are best suited to sousvide cooking. You can cook vegetables too, but because they usually require higher temperatures than meat, they can be a bit more difficult. Almost any type of meat is great for sous-vide, and since sous-vide doesn't significantly alter the texture, you can even cook delicate fish
Pros:
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As long as you maintain the right water temperature, it’s impossible to overcook meat when you sous-vide.
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• Cooking sous-vide results in evenlycooked meat and fish • Cooking sous-vide gives you specific control over the final temperature of the meat, avoiding overdone, driedout food • You can hold foods cooked sousvide at their specified temperature for long periods of time without damaging the texture or quality of the dish, making it an ideal cooking method for holiday dinners or meals with multiple components and sidedishes • Bacterial or other contamination is largely not an issue with sous-vide cooking. While you may be cooking at minimum-safe temperatures, the amount of time it takes will pasteurize your meat and ensure the safety of your food. Still, keep your meat thermometer handy and test before serving. Remember, sousvide lets you hold foods at precise temperatures for long periods without diminishing the quality of the food, so if it's undercooked, you can seal the bag and put it back in.
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Cons: • Cooking sous-vide usually requires equipment you might not already have
some
• Sous-vide takes a long time – sometimes an hour or so for thin cuts of meat, and sometimes several hours and longer for thicker cuts and large portions • When cooking meat sous-vide, you're cooking at low temperatures, which means the Maillard Reaction, characterized by the delicious browning of the outside of the meat, doesn’t occur. You can get around this by applying a finishing sear to the meat after cooking, or by pre-searing it at very high temperatures to brown the surface without cooking the interior. • While sous-vide cooking is largely considered safe, care must be taken to make sure the food reaches the appropriate internal temperature before serving. Even though sous-vide cooking times are long and hot enough to pasteurize meat, people with immune disorders and pregnant women have been advised to eat sous-vide cooked meats with caution, if at all.
It's easier than you think: some easy sousvide dishes If you're ready to try cooking your next meal sous-vide, you don't have to run out and spend several hundred dollars on a sous-vide cooking kit, or a home-version of a professional immersion circulator or water oven. We've discussed sous-vide cooking in the past at Lifehacker.com, and one way you can get started is with small cuts of salmon and your kitchen sink. This method relies on the fact that low temperatures — even temperatures within the danger zone — can still pasteurize meat and fish if held at temperature for the appropriate amount of time. Because a large volume of water loses its heat more slowly than smaller ones, a kitchen sink full of hot water makes for a great sousvide cooking vessel if you're only going to cook a thin cut of fish for a matter of minutes before crisping it up in a pan.
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You don’t need an expensive sous-vide cooker to make succulent steak, chicken and pork chops at home. With a little practice, the beer-cooler method will give you equally tasty results.
My first sous-vide recipe utilized the “beer cooler method.” I picked up a 5-quart personal cooler from Amazon for $16, and thawed out a pair of thin (less than a quarterinch) strip steaks. I seasoned the steaks and dropped them into a pair of sealed plastic bags along with a little canola oil. In a separate pot, I brought some water up to 145 degrees, and poured it into the cooler. I removed as much air as possible from the plastic bags by dipping them in the water and letting the air come out before sealing them shut. Then I shut the lid and walked away for just over an hour.
retain its heat, which it did (mostly, I lost a few degrees, but not much) for the duration of the cooking time. When I took the steaks out, the results were incredible. They were some of the juiciest steaks I've ever eaten.
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If you’re ready to try cooking your next meal sous-vide, you don’t have to run out and spend several hundred dollars on a sous-vide cooking kit.
Since I was using a typical beer cooler designed to keep cold in and heat out (now converted to work in reverse), I couldn't heat the water in the cooler to keep the temperature. Instead, I relied on the cooler to
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From there, I moved on to experiment with salmon and cod fillets, both bagged with a little olive oil and some spices and herbs. I cooked each in 120-degree water for well over an hour. It worked like a charm. The fish was flaky, flavorful and perfectly cooked.
To that point, there is a bit of blind faith that comes with sousvide cooking. You're trusting that the cooking process is running its course. You can measure with a meat thermometer to make sure your meat or fish is always cooked enough, but you'll never have to worry about overcooking with sous-vide.
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Professional sous-vide equipment can be costly, and even though the food is worth the price, it's a good idea to try the cooler method first. Once you get the hang of it and taste the results, you’ll be hooked on sous-vide! To learn more about sous-vide cooking, visit www. LifeHacker.com. ***
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Special thanks to Alan Henry and Tessa Miller from LifeHacker. com for contributing this article to Granger does it. Currently no restaurants in the Michiana area offer sous-vide entrées. We appreciate both Alan’s expertise and desire to want others to discover the art of sous-vide.
With a little help from our friends
W
e’re not loners. A BIG ‘thank you’ to everyone who helped in the production of this 3rd issue of Granger does it, including: Angie Jurkovic, John ‘Jurko’ Jurkovic, Pat Leonard, Herb from Sunny Haven, the Notre Dame Archives, Ron and Marlo from California, Alex Lesniak, Kate Laughlin, Chris Cox, Mike and Ann Sullivan, Arielle Schmitt, Kelly Campbell, Chad Hall, Alan Henry from Lifehacker, Duke the French Bulldog, all the great photographers who contributed work, the many wonderful businesses who continue to support and carry Granger does it, to the entire Granger community for inspiring us, and to Nolan Gilbert... for reminding us to appreciate all the colors of the world.
Photo Credits 4
SAD WORLD
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PROPHETS IN STAINED GLASS
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GOLDEN DOME
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ND MAGAZINE COVER
Dandelions photo by Pitrisek
Photo by Sharon Mollerus
Photo by Lazuries
Photo provided by Notre Dame Archives
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HONEY BEE
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VINTAGE AUDIENCE
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BIKE IN MOTION
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SOUS-VIDE MACHINE
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GIRL WITH BALLOON
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MICROPHONE
Photo by Nicole Beaulac
Photo by Kheel Center
Photo by Kheel Center
Photo by alt10trader
Photo by sfrancisball
Photo by Mustafa Khayat
Speak up. It
takes an active person to make a change. If you see something in Granger that needs improvement, or better yet, if you have an idea of how to improve something, speak up! Send your concern in an editorial to Granger does it. Make your voice heard.
You are the eyes and ears of Granger. Nobody knows more about this area than you. We’d love to provide a centralized forum where you and your fellow residents can openly exchange concerns about how to make Granger a better place to live for everyone. Send your thoughts to info@GrangerDoesIt.com.
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