Aprilmay issue

LAKESIDE LIFE OUTDOORS FROM WATEREE TO SANTEE

When doves cry Releasing doves for stuff

1 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

p i e r t d S B 5 a 1 s 0 2

s

l a v i t s e F

APRIL - MAY 2015

s t n e t n Co 6

Pigeons fly the coop, but usually return

about us EDITOR Rick Carpenter rick@theitem.com

PHOTOGRAPHY Keith Gedamke keith@theitem.com COPY EDITORS Jessica Stephens jessica@theitem.com Melanie Smith melanie@theitem.com Ivy Moore ivy@theitem.com Rhonda Barrick rhonda@theitem.com COLUMNISTS Deanna Anderson

2 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

12

Celebrate National Trails Day CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jade Reynolds jade@theitem.com Adrienne Sarvis adrienne@theitem.com Jim Hilley jim@theitem.com Matthew Bruce matthew@theitem.com Hamlet Fort hamlet@theitem.com Konstantin Vengerowsky konstantin@theitem.com PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Cary Howard cary@theitem.com Eddie Hodges eddie@theitem.com Leigh Bruce leigh@theitem.com

24

Living life in an RV Camper

Great views, modern convenien require minimalist mindset Rosie Peavy rosie@theitem.com Sarah Williams sarah@theitem.com CLARENDON COUNTY MANAGER Gail Mathis gail@theitem-clarendonsun.com ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Waverly Williams waverly@theitem.com Mark Pekuri mark@theitem.com Paige Macloskie paige@theitem.com Karen Cave karen@theitem.com

from the lake

It’s always interesting to discover unique people who live or work in the Lakeside coverage area.

Just look at what we offer in this issue: a young duck caller, a guy who handles nuisance wildlife, a man who races boats and one who collects old tractors for his grandchildren. Each one adds color and a glimpse into personalities in the community. (Now that I wrote this, I just realized that we need more stories about women.)

If you think you’ve got an interesting story to tell the Lakeside community, give me a call or email me the idea.

I’d rather have more stories to write about than time to write them.

Email ideas to rick@theitem.com or call me at (803) 774-1201.

52

nces

Rick Carpenter

36th annual Striped Bass festival

EDITOR OF LAKESIDE

MIDLANDS EVENTS

4

WHY RODS MATTER

16

LOW REPRODUCTION RATE COULD GOBBLE UP TURKEY SEASON

18

LOW-IMPACT DEVELOPMENTS MANAGE STORMWATER

21

CRAPPIES SEASON HITS THIS MONTH

34

OLD MCCASKILL’S FARM

37

JORDAN COMMUNITY

40

THINGS EVERY FISHER SHOULD HAVE

44

FROM TREE TO TREASURE

50

Choosing the right one depends on species

Bed and Breakfast with a farmer’s touch more than a crossroads

ON THE COVER Photo by Keith Gedamke

W.L. McCabe Jr stands with his favorite 1928 McCormick Deering Tractor. McCabe does not restore the tractors he brings them back to working order.

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 3

Community Calendar

BERKELEY • CLARENDON ORANGEBURG AND SUMTER

Puddin Swamp Festival

Clarendon County

The 7th Annual Puddin Swamp Festival, Turbeville, will be held April 16-18. Event includes the Taste of Puddin Swamp, bands, street dance, and kritter kontest. Call Christina Darby at (803) 435-4405.

An annual celebration of spring, a tribute to the beauty of Clarendon County, and a special salute to the striped bass, the Clarendon County Striped Bass Festival weekend begins on Friday, April 24, with a street dance featuring the Harry Blanding Band and several vendors with children’s games and food. On Saturday, April 25, there will be a parade, children’s games, arts and crafts, food, street band and dancing, and catfish wrestling. For details about this fun-filled family event, call the Clarendon County Chamber at (803) 435-4405.

The Santee Cooper Open Team Fishing Tournament will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, at the John C. Land Landing. Contact the Clarendon County Chamber at (803) 435-4405 for entry information.

The Annual Taste of Clarendon will be held May 10-26.

Event features food and entertainment at the Cypress Center. For details, call the Clarendon County Chamber at (803) 435-4405.

Orangeburg County Striped Bass Festival

The Annual Governor’s Frog Jump and Egg Strike will be held at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 3, at 1505 Georgia St., Springfield. Entertainment, food, games, frog jump, egg strike and egg hunt. For information, call the Town of Springfield at (803) 258-3152.

Have a hopping good time at the Town of Santee Easter Egg Hunt! The fun will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, at the Santee Cultural Arts and Visitors Center, 176 Brooks Blvd. Call Joanie Pinter at (803) 854-2152, extension 203.

The Elloree Pork Fest, featuring cook-offs, bands, and the Pork Fest Pig Auction, will be held April 10-11, at Joe Miller Park. Contact Robin Newton at (803) 897-2821 or clerk@ elloree.com.

The 44th Annual Orangeburg Festival of Roses Golf Tournament will be held Friday-Sunday, April 24-26, at Hillcrest Golf Course, 1280 State A and M Road, Orangeburg.

Contact the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce at (803) 534-6821.

Held to celebrate the beginning of the rose blooming

4 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

season, the Orangeburg Festival of Roses will be held Friday-Sunday, May 1-3, at Edisto Memorial Gardens, 250 Riverside Drive Southwest. This three-day event features food, crafts and entertainment. Call (803) 533-6020, (803) 5346821, or (803) 533-6020.

Spend your Memorial Day weekend (May 22-24) enjoying live music and entertainment at the 13th Annual Bluegrass & Country Music Hoedown in Santee. Call the Lone Star BBQ & Merchantile at (803) 854-2000.

Berkeley County The 6th Annual Kiwanis Golf Tournament will be held Thursday, May 14, at the Berkeley Country Club, Old Highway 52, Moncks Corner. For details, call Judy Cronin at (843) 761-9880, Bill Greene at (843) 813-4395 or Lynn Smith at (843) 312-0621.

Visit www.kiwanisinmonckscorner.com.

Sumter County Enjoy the USC Sumter Nature Walk with Naturalist Austin Jenkins from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Monday, April 13, at Swan Lake Iris Gardens.

Festival of Roses Sumter Iris Festival

Green Earth Day will be celebrated on Saturday, April 18, at Swan Lake Iris Gardens. Call Lynn Kennedy at (803) 436-2640 for details.

Go on a musical journey with the Heritage Blues Orchestra as it performs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, at the Sumter Opera House.

The Sumter Little Theatre will present Robert Harling’s “Steel Magnolias” April 30-May 3 and May 7-10. Call (803) 775-2150 or email sumterlt@ ftc-i.net for details.

South Carolina’s oldest continuous festival, the Sumter Iris Festival will be held May 2224 at Swan Lake Iris Gardens, 822 W. Liberty St. The festival will include concerts, arts and crafts, a flower show, quilt show, car shows, great food and more. Call Lynn Kennedy at (803) 436-2592 for details.

Calls from Big Lake Outdoor Products are available from these local stores: Simpsons Hardware, Sumter & Manning Helmly Bros Ace, Elloree Woody’s Pawn Shop, Orangeburg

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 5

6 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

Pigeons fly the coop; BUT USUALLY RETURN

D

by ADRIENNE SARVIS adrienne@theitem.com

oves are seen as religious birds by many and, as such, the animals are released during religious ceremonies to symbolize happiness, peace, purity and the memory of loved ones.

But according to Alan Flamish, founder of Blessed Wings in Lugoff, S.C., it is best to work with pigeons instead because domesticated doves are more likely to have a difficult flight home after being released. Aside from the predator birds, Flamish said domesticated doves would have a hard time finding food and water after being cared for by humans.

“You could work with doves but that’d be cruel,” he said. “The birds would never make it on the outside.”

Pigeons and doves are closely related and the terms can be used interchangeably though dove and pigeon are usually used to identify small and large birds, respectively.

It is a truly exhilarating sight to see the stunning white birds fly from the crate, but the flight back home can sometimes be a little less than fantastic. Although pigeons will fair better with navigation and survival than doves, they still have to worry about the threat of predator birds, especially hawks.

Some of Flamish’s pigeons have been attacked and “taken out” by hawks while training in his yard and soon after being released during funerals. Now, he makes sure to put a cover over the top of the bird crates to keep the predators from catching a peek at the pigeons.

Low temperatures, high winds and rain cannot only stop a ceremony but can also interfere with the birds’ flight home.

Flamish said he’s had birds return from within half an hour to five days of being released. The pigeons will not train on days that the weather is unfavorable because it could cause too much strain the birds.

According to Flamish, hiring birds can be a costly feature for ceremonies. He said he knows of other businesses that charge as much as $100 per bird. “That’s because they lose their birds,” he said. With Blessed Wings, $100 will secure 10 birds.

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 7

When he started Blessed Wings, Flamish reached out to funeral directors in the Kershaw County area and mostly provides his birds for funerals in Lugoff and Camden. Sometimes Flamish will have several services a week and multiple services a day.

“You have to be ready all the time,” he said.

Flamish said he was able to charge $200 for two birds for a wedding in Charlotte, N.C. “There’s money in the weddings if you do it,” he said. If he could work with a wedding planner, Flamish said he would like to provide his birds for more weddings.

If a service is outside of the 50-mile radius from the coop, Flamish increases his rates because there is a greater chance that he could lose a bird on the ride to the ceremony or on its flight home.

On the day of a service, Flamish will deliver the birds to the funeral director and return to the coop to wait for the birds to come home. Clients can choose to release the birds from the metal crate or let the birds fly from their hands. There is no specific way to hold the pigeons but like humans, they will let you know if they do not want to be bothered, said Flamish.

Pigeons, like any other domesticated animals, have personalities and express emotions, said Flamish. One day, a male pigeon did not make it home after a funeral service and Flamish saw that its mate noticed the male pigeon’s absence.

“His hen is depressed because he didn’t come back,” he said. “These birds have feelings.”

If you are going to train pigeons, it is best to start out with baby pigeons that are about 35 days old to make sure that they get settled into the coop, said Flamish. The first training sessions take place at Lake Wateree where the birds are released and have to find their way back to the coop. When the birds are young, it may take them a few hours to find their flight path back home.

Sometimes, young pigeons can even take days to make it home and in rare cases, they do not come back at all. As the training progresses, Flamish will release the birds from farther distances.

Health is the most important thing when it comes to caring for birds, and it’s not an easy job.

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It is a truly exhilirating sight to see the stunning white birds fly from the crate

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“I treat them how I would like to be treated if I were a pigeon,” he said. For Flamish, every day starts around 7:30 a.m. and the majority of his time is spent caring for and training the pigeons.

The birds are fed mixed grains twice a day and sometimes brown rice, barley and safflower are added to their diet. “Safflower is good for the winter weather. It’s a warming grain,” said Flamish.

Every other day, the birds are given water mixed with organic vinegar - three tablespoons of organic vinegar to one gallon of water - to help keep the birds from getting sick.

“If you keep them healthy, they’ll come home,” he said. Flamish said he even has an eight-year-old bird that is still used for ceremonies. A lot of time and effort goes into caring for the birds but Flamish said its worth it, especially if you have a fascination for the animals.

“Birds are beautiful creatures,” he said, “Even the predator birds.”

(For more information about Blessed Wings, call Alan Flamish at (803) 438-5244.)

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 11

How to celebrate national trails day

by DEANNA ANDERSON Special to Lakeside 12 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

E

very year, parks and recreation areas in all 50 states host camping, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, kayaking or canoeing, bird watching, geocaching, gear demonstrations and stewardship events to bring awareness to National Trails Day. This year, the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, Midlands SORBA, Glendale Outdoor Leadership School and Poinsett State Park are combining their resources, staff, and volunteers to host an activity-filled adventure the firstt weekend in June.

Activities will include several hikes for different hiking abilities, mountain biking, a bonfire, story-telling, S’mores, and the option of camping out for two nights or attending only Saturday’s activities. In addition to the activities on the trails, Poinsett also offers swimming, fishing, peddle boats, canoes, Jon boats and paddle-boards.

This event is not only in honor of National Trails Day but also brings support and awareness to the Palmetto Trail. This crossstate trail is the signature project of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation and is the premiere trail in South Carolina for hiking, backpacking, biking, camping and other outdoor recreations.

This year’s event will also see the addition of two new programs: mountain bike maintenance, and an orienteering program, both of which are made possible by an outdoor opportunity grant from the Eastern Outdoor Reps Association.

The events are all family friendly and are ideal for beginners to the more experienced hikers or mountain bikers.

The Palmetto Conservation Foundation is also organizing a one-night camping event at Croft State Park in Spartanburg with activities on Saturday and a guided hike on the Awendaw Passage of the Palmetto Trail.

What is National Trails Day?

It evolved in the late ’80s with trail advocates, outdoor industry leaders and political bodies who wanted to tap into the potential of the American National Trails system.

This eventually led to one day a year, the first Saturday in June, where the nation could come together behind the moniker of National Trails Day to “promote and celebrate the importance of trails” all across the country.

With more than 200,000 miles of trails in the country and every state in participation National Trails Day has become the largest celebration of trails in the nation. It also highlights all of the work that thousands of people do annually to care for the trails. The construction and maintenance of our trail systems takes hours of dedicated planning and labor of both paid and volunteer staff.

For more information on National Trails Day, or to register your own event, go to www.nationaltrailsday.org or the American Hiking Society at www.americanhiking.org.

Past Events

My first involvement with National Trails Day was in 2013 at Poinsett State Park for the two-night camping event.

My husband, Bill, and I took our daughters, Kalista and Shanna, to Poinsett for the weekend and I signed us all up for the Intermediate Hike (approximately 4 miles). Over the course of the weekend, we gathered with like-minded people from all over the state to share our meals and our adventures. We tried kayaking for the first time; we laughed; we played; and we were there the weekend swimming was allowed in Old Levi Mill Lake for the first time in 20 years.

This event also led to a lasting friendship with the park rangers and has helped us network with like-minded people

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 13

which has led us to further involvement with not only the state parks but with the Palmetto Conservation Foundation and Midlands SORBA. This event, in a roundabout way, also led me to a membership in Sumter County Active Lifestyles.

National Trails Day always sees a lot of participation and, according to Kari Hanna, director of Glendale Outdoor Leadership School, at Croft State Park last year there were 175 participants in Saturday’s activities and 80 people camped out for the weekend. In addition to regular trail activities, visitors participated in a bike rodeo, games, campfire stories, S’mores and a night hike.

Poinsett had a one-day event last year that included two different hikes, a bike ride and several other activities including slack-lining (a balancing sport involving a piece of nylon webbing between two anchor points), paddle boards, fishing and canoeing.

The staff and volunteers from all the groups sponsoring this event are always very friendly, supportive and knowledgeable. There is really no better way to spend the weekend, or even just the day, with family and friends.

What to Bring

Campers need to bring their own camping equipment and extra snacks are always advisable but breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided. Meals will also be provided for those coming down just for the day on Saturday but, again, snacks and water are always a good idea.

Anyone participating in the mountain biking events need to bring their own bike and helmets are mandatory. Hikers should wear proper attire, including footwear.

It is also a good idea to bring a camera, water bottle, swim suit, bug spray and sunscreen.

More importantly, bring your sense of adventure and fun!

Registration Information

Registration opens April 1 and is required. Registrants can either sign up for the camping weekend or for Saturday’s activities only. This event is free to Palmetto Conservation Foundation members but fees may apply to non-members and will be posted along with registration information in April.

For more information, to sign-up for the events or to become a member, visit the Palmetto Conservation Foundation website at Palmettoconservation.org or contact the program director, Mary Roe, through her email: mroe@palmettoconservation.org.

A schedule of events and other pertinent information will be posted later. The website is currently under construction but should be up by early spring.

Anderson enjoys hiking, advocating for the protection and preservation of wildflowers, and visiting the state parks. She is a self-published author and freelance writer. Contact her at seakla@yahoo.com or andersondeanna. weebly.com.

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 15

Why rods matter

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ONE DEPENDS ON SPECIES

by HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com

A

s spring develops and the temperature starts to rise, anglers are taking to the water.

South Carolina is home to a diverse array of fish species.

There are different strategies for fishing them, including varying equipment combinations, times of day, location and sprinkled with a touch of luck.

The most basic piece of equipment is the rod, and expert fisherman say the type of fish you’re chasing can dictate which rod to use.

The most common species for fishing in the state is the bass. “In the bass fishing world, your most popular is a six-and-a-half or seven foot casting rod,” said Jeff Fralick, owner of William’s Sporting Goods in Sumter. “Different techniques require different actions on the rod – medium action or heavy action.”

The action is the amount the rod can bend under pressure. Smallmouthed bass average six pounds in weight, and the record South Carolina is more than nine pounds.

Most fish can be caught with either a casting rod or a spinning rod, the latter of which can allow for a variety of lures and baits, such as a spinner bait or a jig. The spinner rod is a lighter rod that generally uses a light line. Fralick calls it a “finesse rod.

The main difference between the two, he said, is the reel that’s used to haul in the line. But you can’t go wrong with either. “The spinner rod lets you do things that the casting rod won’t let you do,” said Fralick.

“And vice versa.”

After bass, Fralick thinks the second-most common species for capture in the state is the catfish, which poses different challenges than the bass. Fralick says the line and the action need to be heavier since the angler’s going for a “beefier” fish. The rods used for catfish are also generally longer than your average casting or spinning rod, measuring in at around eight feet.

A group of species referred to as “panfish” comprise a very common goal for fishermen. They include crappies, brim, blue gills and redbreasts, among others, and can be caught with a normal casting bait or spinning rod.

Though not very common around the state, fly fishing is an entirely different ballgame, and uses rods that are low in action and very light, he said.

Whether you’re going for the big trophy or simply looking for a quiet afternoon on the water, knowing your equipment is the best way to increase your chances this spring and summer.

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 17

Low reproduction rate could gobble up turkey season

by HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com 18 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

F

or local hunters, April 1 is a highly anticipated day, but not for the practical jokes.

Turkey season starts April Fool’s Day, and preparations for the season have been happening all winter and early spring.

Turkeys are one of the most populous wildlife species in South Carolina, and is the second-most popular species for hunters in the state behind the white-tailed deer, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The art of hunting turkeys is a subtle one that requires practice, patience, a deep knowledge of the bird and its habits.

Mike Hoffstatter, district field supervisor for the National Wild Turkey Federation in South Carolina and Georgia, is an expert in hunting turkeys. He said the most important aspect to preparing for turkey season in the spring is knowing your land and the turkeys that populate it.

“The biggest thing is knowing your property,” said Hoffstatter. “Knowing where the turkeys roost and where they feed.”

Hoffstatter said hunters have to be patient, and they have to be still.

Turkeys are skittish and have vision like few other animals. Unlike deer, who can stand and stare for up to a minute, Hoffstatter said, “if a turkey sees you, he’s gone.” The biggest mistake some hunters make, he said, is that they call turkeys “too much and too often.” That can create an unrealistic environment where the turkeys are better off hearing fewer calls.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources estimates 50,000 hunters will take to the woods this season. Charles Ruth, coordinator for the Department’s Deer and Wild Turkey Program and a certified wildlife biologist, said they may have a harder time than in previous years.

That’s due to low reproduction levels. “Spring harvest trends have followed the trends in reproduction in recent years so the outlook for the 2015 season is not terribly encouraging,” said Ruth. He said the year 2013 was a record low in reproduction for the wild turkey in South Carolina, and more generally, Ruth said.

“Reproduction in turkeys has generally been poor to fair for the last decade.” The SCDNR reaches these conclusions based on the annual Summer Turkey Survey which estimates reproduction and recruitment of turkeys in South Carolina, using agency wildlife biologists, technicians and conservation officers, as well as many volunteers from other natural resource agencies and the general public.

The “only fair” outlook for the spring 2015 season means hunters will really have to put their skills to the test. Hoffstatter said he’s seen the declining reproduction numbers firsthand, and says the hunter has a duty to not “overhunt” in am area where the numbers of breeding turkeys is known to be low. “We selectively harvest,” said Hoffstatter. You may not bag many in a certain year, but it hurts you more next year if you overharvest.”

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2015 Striped Bass Festival Events

APRIL 18TH Poker Run 4404 Greenall Rd Summerton, SC 29148 4-Way Stop Band John C. Land Landing

APRIL 18TH Striped Bass Festival Pageant at Weldon Auditorium 5:00 pm ages 0-6 / 8 pm ages 7 & up

Children’s Art Show

Dancing groups: The Dancers Workshop 12:30pm Carolina Dance Studio 1:00pm at Gazebo Boat show sponsored

by Berkley Outdoors

Lakeside Pullers Gates: Open Noon/ Starts at 2:00 pm 4315 Nelson Ferry Road, APRIL 23RD Summerton Contact Fish Fry Floyd McLeod 4:30 – 7:00 pm, at the 803-481-4659 Manning Restaurant on North Brooks Street Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament at APRIL 24TH John C. Land Landing Opening Ceremonies sponsored by Santee 6:30 pm Rides Automotive 7:00 pm-11:00 pm Black N Myld Band Master Gardeners (Harry Blanding) Plant Sale Kiss My Striped Bass at Land, Parker & Praise Dancers from Welch Courtyard Grace Christian Friday, March17 Fellowship Church 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Saturday, March 18 APRIL 25TH 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Parade at 10am & Festival until 4pm Truck and Car Show sponsored by Sumter Cruisers

Rachel Osteen, Pharm. D. Pharmacist

904 Holly Street • Post Office Box 370 Holly Hill, South Carolina 29059 (803) 496-0007 (803) 496-0015 fax Hours: M-F 8:30am-6pm • Sat. 8:30am-5pm • Closed Sunday

803-435-4405 chamber@clarendoncounty.com

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 19

20 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

Low-impact developments manage stormwater

by BREANN LIEBERMANN Water Resources Agent, Clemson Extension

W

hat do green infrastructure, best management practices and green stormwater controls have in common?

Everything!

They are all essentially expressions to describe low-impact development. Low-impact development, or LID, is a fancy term for a style of land development that mimics natural processes for managing stormwater. Think of it this way: in land altered by humans, rain water runs off of impermeable surfaces like buildings, parking lots, and sidewalks into a storm drain.

It collects whatever is on the surface and can contain things like trash, motor oil and pet waste. This stormwater is then carried directly into streams and rivers untreated.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the most natural way that stormwater is managed is in pristine land untouched by humans, like a remote forest. There, rain slowly soaks into the ground while plants and trees use excess nutrients in the water, trap sediment, and essentially act as a natural filter.

LID aims to mimic these natural ways of holding and treating stormwater. Years ago, our approach was to transport stormwater away from our cities, homes and businesses as quickly as possible.

The new LID approach views stormwater as a resource rather than a nuisance. The goal in LID is to collect stormwater and allow it to slowly infiltrate into the landscape while also treating it.

For example, in a rain garden stormwater is collected in a depression in the surface. It then slowly filters into the ground where it becomes groundwater. The neat thing about rain gardens is they are also landscaped, so vegetation removes some of the pollutants in stormwater. When the water finally does become groundwater, it is much cleaner than it was in the beginning.

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 21

Rain gardens aren’t the only type of LID practice. There are many other examples of LID practices: • bioswales; • stormwater wetlands; • green roofs; • permeable pavement; and • rain water harvesting.

We know that LID practices hold and treat stormwater. But what’s the big deal? Well, stormwater has been deemed our nation’s largest threat to water quality in our lakes, streams and rivers.

Stormwater contains pollutants such as sediment, excess nutrients, bacteria, heavy metals and litter.

Traditional approaches to managing water, such as ponds, gutters, ditches and storm drains, do not treat stormwater. So the pollutants in stormwater end up in the lakes, streams and rivers that we love to swim in, fish in, canoe on and even get our drinking water from.

Many LID practices work to treat polluted stormwater, as I explained before, by using vegetation to filter out contaminants.

Besides treating stormwater quality and quantity, LID practices help brighten and beautify communities. In my opinion, rain gardens are much easier on the eyes than stormwater drains.

LID practices aren’t just a pipe dream; they are actually being implemented in our communities. There is something called the LID Atlas, which documents LID practices around the entire country.

In South Carolina alone, there are more than 100 documented projects. That number is a severe underestimate because many LID practices have not yet been documented.

In Sumter County, an upscale neighborhood aptly named “The Cove” uses LID practices like rain gardens, bioswales and curbless streets to allow water to infiltrate. There are also singular LID practices scattered throughout Sumter: rain gardens in Patriot Park and at Sumter County Public Works, permeable pavement at a doctor’s office, and rain barrels at various residences.

In Clarendon County, LID practices are not very common – yet.

But, if you own a home there, you can change that.

What can you do to advance LID practices? You can install LID projects of your own! Projects can range from simple to complex.

Buy a rain barrel and use the rainwater to water your plants. Build a rain garden by using a natural depression in your yard or by digging one out. Construct your own rain barrel. If you notice green roofs, permeable pavement, or any other type of LID practice, document them in the LID atlas. Spread the word about LID practices, and we will be one step closer to achieving communities where stormwater is a treasured and beautiful part of our landscape.

• For more information on LID, check out the Richland County Consortium: http://www.clemson.edu/public/carolinaclear/ • To access the LID atlas: http://www.clemson.edu/public/ carolinaclear/lidmap/ • To view or buy a rain garden manual or rainwater harvesting manual, call 803-773-5561, email blieber@clemson.edu, or stop by the Sumter County Extension office at 115 N. Harvin Street , 5th floor, in Sumter.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

Tammy S. Cupp

Broker Associate/Shareholder “For all of your real estate needs, contact your friendly real estate professional.”

Mobile: (803) 460-7090 E-fax: (843) 725-7072 tammycupp@gmail.com www.tammycupp.com 22 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 23

Campers at -Randolph’s Landing. | LAKESIDE 24 APRIL MAY 2015

Living life in an RV camper GREAT VIEWS, MODERN CONVENIENCES REQUIRE MINIMALIST MINDSET

by KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY Konstantin@theitem.com

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 25

View of Lake Marion from the campground.

Campers at Randolph’s Landing.

W

ant a smaller space, with a great view and a reasonable price? Want to have the freedom to move anywhere with the snap of your fingertips? Then you should consider living in an RV. There are many advantages to choosing this type of lifestyle. An RV, or recreational vehicle, is the usual term for a motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.

An RV normally includes a kitchen, a bathroom and one or a few sleeping facilities. Less common found features are a hot tub, a dining room, a desk and a vanity closet. Most of RVs are single-deck, however double-deck RVs also exist.

There are many reasons why people choose to live in an RV. Roger and Doris Dennis have been living in a camper at Randolph’s Landing for about 15 years. Doris has always loved to fish, and to spend time by the water, so after the couple retired it seemed like a perfect option.

“For 25 years we’ve been coming out here to fish and enjoy the lake,” said Doris. “This is a great place to live. Everyone knows each other, and are always willing to lend a hand.”

Being a camper is somewhat of a social lifestyle. It’s easy to meet people because of the closeness of the community and the physical proximity of the RVs themselves. Often these casual meetings turn into long-lasting friendships as people bond over the type of RV they own, or the activities they like to pursue.

Living in an RV also encourages you to spend more time outside

as most campgrounds are great places to enjoy the outdoors.

“It’s a stress-free environment,” said Gloria Ethridge, who moved to Randolph’s about eight years ago.

Ethridge said that some of the campers like to walk the Santee Dam, which is right next to the campground, fish off the dock or take their boat out on the lake. During the summer months, as more campers come down to enjoy the weather, community barbeques are a common occurrence.

“It’s a great place for families, and anyone really who enjoys the outdoors,” Ethridge said.

There is also an economical advantage to living in an RV. You can get a million dollar view for a reasonable price. Randolph’s charges about $175 per month for the space, plus an electricity fee, and $15 for cable. No need to worry about a mortgage payment.

“It’s just like being on vacation year-round,” said Ethridge. “It’s about downsizing and living more economically.”

Not only are campers smaller and easier to clean, but they also tend to be equipped with more drawers and cupboards to store things, helping to keep your small space neater. There is also no need to mow the lawn or do yard work. Employees at RV parks and campgrounds do all the work for you.

Without giant closets and extra rooms to store all that stuff you might need one day, you will be forced to adapt a minimalist lifestyle.

The Dennis’ have a 40-foot long camper with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living/dining area and kitchen. Their RV also includes

Dee's Rentals

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803-433-7355

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a refrigerator and freezer and washer/ dryer. They use one of the bedrooms for sleeping quarters and the other to store some of their extra clothing and items.

Freedom is a huge part of RV living, and the freedom to pick your view, and change it as often as you like can be amazing.

Chris “Catfish” Gist, a native of Kentucky, has been living at Randolph’s for about seven years. One of his major reasons for moving to the campsite was the fishing opportunities.

“You have some of the largest catfish in the country here,” he said.

Gist said that he enjoys the quiet and peacefulness of the lake and campground.

The campground also includes a bait shop with basic grocery items and a restaurant. Campers have access to the pier and boat ramp.

The landing was founded in 1948 and currently includes 62 campers.

“There’s a variety of people here,” said Nick Lucas, who owns and operates the campground with his wife, Lena. “You have retirees, families and fishermen. It’s a great community.”

Randolph’s Landing is located at 1022 Randolph’s Landing Way at the southern end of S.C. 260. The phone number is 803478-2152.

Doris and Roger Dennis enjoy their camper.

Inventory Reduction Sale!

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 27

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 29

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Lisa Bair Rentals Vacation & Long Term Rentals 323 S. Mill Street Manning, SC 29102

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Equity Homes

SC’s Largest Retailer of Used Mobile Homes

SINGLEWIDES: $10K-$26K DOUBLEWIDES: $16K-$55K www.equityhomes.shutterfly.com Office: 843.821.6441 10097 Hwy. 78 Fax: 843.821.6550 Ladson, SC 29456

Lisa Moore PMIC/Owner

803.433.RENT (7368) Office 803.928.6095 Cell www.LisaBairRentals.zoomshare.com lisabairrentals@hotmail.com

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Your professionals for pest control... protection for your home or business.

AMERICA’S #1 TERMITE DEFENSE IS THE BEST DEFENSE FOR YOU. 535 S. Mill St. • Manning 803-435-8689 Jake Buddin & Chuck Buddin

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Morris Animal Clinic Wayne Morris, DVM

2093 Alex Harvin Hwy Manning, SC 803-435-8001

Mon-Thurs: 7:30am - 5:30pm • Fri: 7:30am - Noon • Closed: Sat & Sun

AUTO-HOME-MOBILE HOME COMMERCIAL-MOTORCYCLE-BOAT WE CAN FINANCE FOR YOU! AMY BRIGGS • JUNE BRIGGS • ROBBIE BRIGGS 10 WEST RIGBY STREET MANNING, SOUTH CAROLINA 29102

TO LIST YOUR BUSINESS ON THIS PAGE CALL (803) 435-8511 OR (803) 464-1157

30 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

803-435-2368 OFFICE 803-435-8292 FAX

ACE PARKER TIRE, INC. 930 N. Lafayette Blvd • P.O. Box 131 • Sumter, SC 29150 E-mail: aceparker@ftc-i.net

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775-1277 Office 938-9848 Fax Tammy Coleman Office Manager

Clarendon, Sumter and Surrounding Areas

Summerton Baptist Church 215 East Main Street In Summerton • 803-485-6023

Bullock Funeral Home & Crematorium 1190 Wilson Hall Rd., Sumter, SC (803) 469-3400 www.bullockfuneralhome.com

SUNDAY SERVICES

8:30 AM Worship Service 9:45 AM Bible Study 11:00 AM Worship Service

Didn’t bring your church clothes to the lake?

Don’t worry, Come as you are!

“Whatever it takes to see God’s purposes accomplished!”

Life & Jimmy’s

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Heating and Air, LLC

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Serving Clarendon County For Over 33 years!

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803-460-5420 OR 803-478-5957

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 31

Wine. Dine.

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525 SOUTH MILL STREET • MANNING • 803-433-4634

13028 HWY 260 • MANNING, SC 29102 803-478-3805

Friends & Family Gather Here COMFORT FOOD - HOMESTYLE MENU

MON: 6AM - 2PM • TUES-SUN: 6AM - 8PM

32 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

Phone (803) 473-7333 Don Lyles, Owner

Lakevue Landing

Deep Water Houseboat & Pontoon Slips Beach & Full Service Campground Breakfast - Sat. & Sun. 6:00am Snack Bar - Mon. - Sun. Dinners - Thurs. - Sat. 4:00pm - 10:00pm Fresh Seafood & Steaks Sunday Dinner - 12 Noon until

Tuesday , Friday & Saturday Nights

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APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 33

Crappie season hits this month

by MATT BRUCE matthew@theitem.com

34 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

T

he fresh waters in the Midlands turned balmy earlier this year, making it prime season for fishermen to bait their rods for crappie.

Crappie are a persnickety, freshwater fish known for their elusiveness and firm, white texture. Die-hard anglers hit the waters all year round to fish for the highly-regarded fish, which often submerge themselves in the deep water areas of lakes. But as temperatures rise to a mild chill between late January and April, local experts say the crappie rise closer to the water surface. That is the height of crappie season, as the conditions become best suited for catching the fish.

“That’s when they really start biting,” said Jeff Fraylick, owner of William’s Sporting Goods, an outdoor store in Sumter. “Crappie are really finicky. They’re hard to find, and it’s hard to make them bite.

So it’s a challenge.”

It’s the challenge that draws many fishing enthusiasts to try their luck at the prickly game fish. With freshwater supplies such as Lake Murray, Lake Greenwood and the Santeee Cooper system, South Carolina is regarded as one of the best areas in the nation for reeling them in. Lakes Wateree and Marion provide local examples of the fish’s supply, offering abundant selection of both white and black crappies.

Fraylick said local fishermen use two methods to catch crappie, using jigs or trolling minnows when they cast their respective lines.

Minnows are artificial lures used to bait the fish in, while jigs are small, whirly lures created to mimic prey. The divergence in methods used to catch the fish stem from crappie’s varied diet.

William’s Sporting Goods, 844 Broad St., offers a wide variety of crappie rods and all kinds of fishing lures and other equipment used to hook the game fish. The world record for the largest crappie ever is 5.2 pounds. Fraylick noted a 3-pound crappie is monstrous, but such sizeable ones have been found in local waters. He said 1- and 2-pound crappie are caught more often.

According to trend reports from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, it’s been a relatively slow season this year, as many crappie have not yet moved all the way into their respective creeks and lakes, instead remaining in their winter patterns. In the SanteeCooper system, DNR officials said the fish are making for difficult catches so far as they’ve stayed as many as 25 feet beneath water levels.

“They like structure – brush or any types of lay down,” Fraylick said. “They really like to be around some sort of structure. Because that’s where the bait hangs around, and they’re going to be where the bait’s at.”

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 35

36 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

Old McCaskill’s Farm: BED AND BREAKFAST WITH A FARMER’S TOUCH

by JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

A

few miles north and east of Rembert, South Carolina, is a unique bed and breakfast that is also a working farm.

The farm and the bed and breakfast are not meant to be an interactive experience, however.

“Some people want to make this a destination, but it is not an interactive farm stay,” said Kathy McCaskill, who owns and operates Old McCaskill’s Farm with her husband, Lee. “I don’t have time to spend with them and take them through the barnyard and milk a cow. I don’t even have a cow to milk.”

If you are lucky enough to have Kathy show you around the farm, you will realize that Kathy is a very busy woman.

“It’s self inflicted,” she said. “I love what I do.’

That may be so, but she and her husband didn’t plan things to work out the way they did.

“We bought the land in 1989 and there was nothing here, just one old barn, she said. “It was just a big open pasture.”

They built a house and moved onto the property in 1990.

“That one burned to the ground in 2007,” she said.

It took a year and a half to build the house that stands on the property today, and though it isn’t old, Lee McCaskill has a talent for making things the old-fashioned way.

“We patterned it after the Kershaw-Cornwallis House, in Camden,” Kathy said. “We didn’t have plans we just figured it out as we got to it.”

Not long after the fire, Kathy said, their last child graduated, and they realized the house, though fully furnished with a wealth

of antiques, was way too large for the two of them.

“We decided to do a bed and breakfast,” she said. “It wasn’t in our thoughts when we rebuilt the house, but we had four bedrooms upstairs with Jack and Jill baths.”

The McCaskills have been installing bathrooms in each bedroom over recent months.

“We took the closets out so each room would have a private bath,” she said.

Each morning, guests are served a farm-to-table breakfast, with sausage, bacon and eggs from animals raised on the property.

Located across an open area is a fully certified commercial kitchen.

“We built it because I raise the garden organically and I have canned all my years -jams and jellies,” she said.

“When we had the fellow come out from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control to do the kitchen, we told him what we wanted was a canning facility, which the department of agriculture regulates as well as FDA and DHEC,” she said.

He told them they might as well build a full retail food establishment and have DHEC regularly inspect it, which allows them to cook and sell wholesale and to the public.

“My daughter, Ashley Robinson, is making a living out of the kitchen, Kathy said, “That was unexpected.”

Just in front of the commercial kitchen is a small retail store which her daughter operates on Thursdays and Fridays. On Fridays, the daughter has a first-come first-served farm-to-table APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 37

lunch usually including a meat and a vegetable.

All grown on location, of course.

“She is the one doing the cooking on Fridays for lunch,” Kathy said.

In addition, she sells prepared foods in the retail store packaged under the label “Ashley’s.”

“She does pies, we do a lot of our own pie fillings when the apples and berries are in season,” Kathy said.

“She makes an awesome chickenpot pie people love, and preparer meals that are just about fully cooked and then frozen,” she said. “You can take them home and heat them up and you have a home-cooked meal.”

Kathy says the store is not open on Saturdays because she is out selling her meats at farmers’ markets.

“I don’t raise my vegetables and sell them at the farmers’ markets, we can everything we raise,” Kathy said.

“What I do is I raise all the animals for meat -- lamb, goat, beef, pork and chicken.”

She said her animals do not contain vaccines or medications, and she has her own feed grown North Carolina and it does not contain growth hormones or antibiotics.

“I am about as organic and you can get without being certified,” she said.

“I can’t be certified (organic) because the corn in the feed is GMO corn. I just can’t afford to do organic corn, I am feeding way too many animals.”

She said her animals are taken to a USDA facility for slaughter, which has to be done in order to sell the meat to the public.

That is what she takes to the farmers markets she said.

“I do two farmers’ markets a week -Sandhills (in Columbia) on Tuesdays and Kershaw County on Saturdays,” she said.

Old McCaskill’s Farm also hosts

two Farm Day events each year. The spring event was on March 29 and the fall event will be the second Sunday in October (Oct. 11), she said.

At those events, visitors can watch sheep shearing, visit a petting zoo, grind corn into grits – a kid’s favorite – learn about Border Collies, take hay rides and more.

“This started about six years ago,” she said “We open up the farm and it just gets bigger and bigger and bigger.

“It’s on Sunday from 1 to 6 and it gives people time to go to church and just come to the farm in the afternoon,” Kathy said. “It’s a massive effort.”

Kathy said her husband has talked about having the events stretch over two days.

“We will never do that,” Kathy said, leaving no doubt that she meant it.

“It’s kind of a hobby farm with a little bit of this and a little bit of that and a whole lot of nothing and it still pretty much is,” Kathy said. “I would love to have the multitudes coming to the store but not yet, I would have to be open more days a week and it is just not possible.”

She said the bed-and-breakfast business is year round.

“People come for different reasons,” she said. “Some are just passing through.”

There are no plans for expansion, but she does want a sheep shed.

The first one she built now has two 20-foot tables in it.

The retail store is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and from noon to 6 p.m. Fridays.

The bed and breakfast is open year round. No reservations are required but it is best to call ahead, Kathy said.

As of the date of this interview, rooms were $125 a night.

For more information, call (803) 432-9537.

Farmers Market CLARENDON COUNTY

Cypress Center Farmer’s Market at Clarendon Health System Contact: Travis Pruden (803) 435-5200 Location: on Clarendon Health System Campus, Manning Wednesday afternoons 2 to 5 p.m.

Manning Farmers Market Contact: Carrie Trebil (803) 435-8477, ext. 132 Location: Corner of Boyce and Church Streets, Manning Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon June 13 – Oct. 31

FLORENCE COUNTY

Florence Downtown Farmers Market Contact: Allene Glapion-Tellis (843) 678-5912 Location 160 W Evans Street, Florence Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

April 1 through Aug. 26

City of Lexington Farmers Market Contact: 803-356-8238 206 N. Church St. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m June through October

ORANGEBURG COUNTY

Right Choice, Fresh Start Farmer’s Market Contact: Sylvia Ellis: 803-534-4548 Location: Family Health Centers, Inc. at 3300 Magnolia Street, Orangeburg Fridays 8:30 to 12:30 p.m.

June through mid October

RICHLAND COUNTY

Sandhill Farmers Market Contact: Stan Perry, 803-788-5700, 803-699-3190 Location: 900 Clemson Road, Columbia Tuesdays, 2 to 7 pm or dusk (whichever occurs earlier) May through November

Lake City Farmers Market Contact: Stan McKenzie, (843) 373-8547 Location: 111 Henry Street, Lake City Thursdays 1 to p.m.

Mid May through December

KERSHAW COUNTY

SUMTER COUNTY

Sumter Downtown Market Contact: Leigh Newman (803)-436-2535 Location: Near the Rotary Centennial Plaza 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

May 2 thought Sept. 26 (No market May 23)

Kershaw County Farmers Market Contact: Renea Eignor, (803) 729-7146 Location: 222 Broad St, Camden Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon April 4 through Nov. 21

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Johnnie James (left) and Warren James, local businessmen in front of the “Welcome to Jordan” sign built a few years ago.

Jordan Community

more than a crossroads

by KONSTANTIN VENGEROWSKY Konstantin@theitem.com 40 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

An old road that ran through Jordan before S.C. 260 was built.

T

o many people, Jordan is just a crossroads that drivers pass on their way to or from the lake area. However, what some don’t realize is that at one time the region was a booming community, a village of its own.

Driving through Jordan on S.C. 260, one will quickly realize that most of the signs before or at the crossroads bear the name “James” on them. That’s because the James’ family owns several of the businesses in the community, including James U-Haul and Storage and James Septic Tanks.

Warren James, 85, unofficially known as “mayor of Jordan,” remembers moving to the community in 1940. His father, W. Leard James, was a farmer who owned and operated a mercantile store and was also a blacksmith.

“Since many people did not have automobiles at the time, we would have a lot of people walking to the store from every direction,” said Warren. “I also remember people coming with their horses and mules to go to the store.”

The store would sell fresh meats, and groceries. Warren’s father’s store also had a restaurant inside it.

Johnnie James, W. Leard James’ grandson and Warren’s nephew, remembers playing in the highway when he was growing up.

“You wouldn’t have but maybe five or six cars that would come through the crossroads a day back then,” Johnnie said.

Jordan was without electricity until the Santee Dam was built in

1941.

“We would use kerosene lamps before we had electricity,” said Warren.

The Santee Dam, about six miles south of Jordan, was built in the 1940s to supply hydroelectric power. The project was part of the rural electrification effort initiated under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression. Lake Marion, which was created as a result of the dam being built, is one of the 50 largest lakes in the United States among both natural and manmade reservoirs.

“Today we are lucky to have Wyboo Plantation, Deercreek Plantation and other areas around the lake that help bring business to the Jordan area,” said Johnnie. “Jordan is a simple crossroads to many, but it’s home to us.”

One of the first settlers of the community was Joseph Sprott, originally from North Carolina, who purchased more than 500 acres of land from William Hilton sometime before the Civil War. Sprott was never married and willed all of his property to his brother’s son.

Hugh Sprott was his brother’s name and Joseph Sprott’s nephew’s name was also Joseph Sprott. The nephew increased his land holdings to a very large acreage and divided his lands among his four sons—Thomas, Joseph, James and Chovine.

The nephew donated his land to build the first Methodist church in the community, and his son gave the lumber to build the church.

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 41

A man by the name of Rufus Thames, who was the oldest church member at the time, was given the privilege to name the church, choosing to call it Jordan Methodist Church. The village, according to numerous articles from the Clarendon County Archives and History Center, was named Jordan after the church, shortly after.

The nephew also gave the land for the first one-room school house and later for the two-story wooden building. At the turn of the century, a brick-school called the Jordan Academy stood on that spot. From 1900-1912, the Jordan Academy was considered one of the best educational institutions in the state and students came from far away and boarded in homes near the school, according to an article from the archives.

James Morgan “Jim” Sprott of Manning is a descendant of Hugh Spratt (original spelling of Sprott), who was the original settler’s Joseph Sprott’s brother. Sprott’s grandfather, Clarence Nevelle, was a farmer in Jordan, and owned several mercantile stores across the county.

“I remember when Jordan only had one telephone,” said Jim. “The man who had it, had a 435 number that ran from Manning.”

Jordan also had a post office, a cotton gin, a pharmacy, several doctors’ offices, a blacksmith shop and several stores, as well as a junkyard that Warren James has to this day. The first railroad was built in 1892. There was an uncovered open-platform train depot with offices for an agent and telegrapher.

The first post office was built in 1876. The post office was in the same building as the blacksmith shop, owned by Julius A. Sprott and Joe Wilkie. The two men also made wagons.

Joseph Sprott, the nephew, opened the first mercantile and grocery store in 1875. Dr. H.L. Wilson owned the first drug store and also practiced medicine in Jordan for about 30 years. There were at least four other doctors who lived and practiced in the community.

For many years, a sawmill and a cotton gin also operated within

Moses Dingle Road, upahead intersecting with SC 260.

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Johnnie James (left) and Warren James, local businessmen. the town. The gin was operated with a steam engine and later a diesel engine.

A ladies apparel factory based out of New York operated within the community from about the mid-1980s to 2000. The factory employed about 90 people. A few years ago that factory was converted to Bonanza Flea Market, an indoor facility that hosts dozens of vendors from across the state and nation, every Thursday through Sunday.

Buddy Justice, whose stepfather was the manager of the plant, runs the flea market with Moira Kammerer.

“We offer a variety of different interesting items from various vendors,” said Justice.

In 1880, someone signed as ECHO, wrote a letter to the editor on Jordan to the local newspaper, called the Clarendon Enterprise. The writer described the community as a “remarkably healthy place,” with excellent water, and surrounded by fertile farming and finely timbered lands, well watered and drained by numerous streams.

The writer also described the school, Jordan Academy, as “excellent and flourishing,” under the direction of J. Harry Lesesne.

The letter also in great detail described how a man, a few nights before, killed a bear, which weighed nearly 500 pounds, near Santee swamp.

Another interesting note is the writer’s description of some of the farmers’ livestock. “Mr. J.A. Sprott has a pair of hogs as fine as I ever saw. They are thorough-bred Yorkshires purchased of a celebrated breeder of Philadelphia, and although only nine-months old, one of them looks as if it will weigh at least 250 pounds.”

So next time you drive through Jordan, remember it’s not just a crossroads.

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The home of the late W. Leard James, a store owner in Jordan.

His grandson, Robert James, currently lives in the house.

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 43

THINGS EVERY fisher SHOULD HAVE

by JIM HILLEY jim@theitem.com

E

very fisherman’s tackle box is loaded with hooks, lures, sinkers, bobbers, line and hook removers. There is probably a bottle of fireballs from the last century and parts of a rod and reel that came apart years ago.

Then there is gear such as waders, nets, gloves, a goo d knife , sunscreen, bug repellant, a flashlight, a bait box, cooler, and a hat not to mention your rod and reel.

But there are things that you totally need that you don’t even know you need. You are about to be educated.

Tired of dull knives? The solution is a Work Sharp Knife Sharpener. Usually costing less than $100, these belt driven power tools will keep all of your knives razor sharp,as well as axes and almost any tool with a blade. Be careful, don’t cut yourself.

Is looking over your shoulder to see the phase of the moon too difficult?

Then you need the AcuRite Hunting and Fishing Activity Meter, which runs for $50 or less. It will give you a weather forecast, temperature, time of day, phase of the moon and a barometric pressure history chart and more. Not only that, it automatically adjusts for daylight savings time and records daily and monthly high and low temperatures.

Just how big was the one that got away? Find out if your fishing buddies are stretching the truth with the Truth and Lie Scanner for your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Downloadable at the App Store, you can ask anyone relating questionable information around the campfire to place their fingers on an iPhone with fingerprint detection and begin the cross examination. Just have them wash the fish scales off their hands first – if they really caught anything.

44 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

Find it hard to tear yourself away from the lake when the fish are biting? Just jump on to Amazon.com and order “365 Excuses for Being Late to Work” by Andy Sharpe.

These excuses might work for your spouse, too, just don’t let her know about the iPhone app listed above.

Don’t ever let yourself be stuck out on the water with fish finder envy, go for the top-of-the-line Lowrance HDS12 Gen3 Insight USA Fishfinder/ Chartplotter. The Gen3 Insight will let you distinguish between bait fish and game feet more than half a mile away on its 12 inch back lit multidisplay screen. Marvel at its lightning-fast keyboard.

Use your full library of maps with dual MicroSD slots and never get lost with the 10Hz GPS. That’s just touching the surface of this gizmo’s capabilities, and that’s OK, because it’s also water resistant, and since it might cost more than your boat, it better be!

Have have you had enough of those submerged logs sending your boats to the bottom of the lake? Stop that from ever happening again with a custom built unsinkable boat from Everglades Boats, ranging in size from 21 to 35 feet, you can pretend you are the captain of the Titanic as you laugh in disdain at any water hazard.

FROM SOUTH CAROLINA PARKS RECREATION AND TOURISM Three South Carolinians submitted winning photos for the third quarter of the South Carolina State Park Service’s “Making Memories” photo contest. The contest invites people to visit state parks throughout the seasons, snap photos of their memories and submit them for a chance to win prizes.

Brian Fox of Blythewood won first place in the Wildlife category for his photo of a spotted salamander at Lake Wateree State Park. “I was walking the Desportes Island nature trail when I spotted a great blue heron wading in a nearby wooded low flat,” he said. “As I walked towards the heron in hopes of getting a photograph, I stumbled on a half rotten log and exposed a spotted salamander. Although I didn’t get a picture of the great blue heron, I did manage to take several photos of the salamander before it disappeared below the leaf litter.”

Each winner received a prize package valued at $200, including a gift certificate from Mast General Store, a State Park Service Park Passport Plus and an Official Guide to South Carolina State Parks. Each winner also automatically enters into a contest for the grand prize – an ultimate outdoor adventure package worth $1,000.

The Park Service is currently accepting photo submissions for the spring season, the final quarter of the contest. The deadline for submissions is Sunday, May 31. Instructions on how to submit photography for the contest can be found at www.

SCMakingMemories.com.

For more information, contact Marion Edmonds at medmonds@scprt.com or 803-734-1370.

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From tree to

treasure

by HAMLET FORT hamlet@theitem.com

50 APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE

Jeffrey Spigner uses a dremel to carve an Indian face into a scrap piece of wood at his Cane Savannah Carvings workshop. He’s been carving full time for about six months.

Jeffrey Spigner started wood carving about five years ago when a friend gave him a carving as a gift.

“I fell in love with the carving and thought I could do it,” Spigner said.

His newfound hobby led to Cane Savannah Carvings of Sumter, and he’s been carving full time for six months.

Spigner carves pieces from pine knots and cut trees. His most recent project is a large eagle formed from a tree in a retired music teacher’s yard on Teton Road in Sumter. The impressive piece was cut with no major plan in place, according to Spigner.

“I looked at a picture of an eagle and started carving away until it started looking like an eagle to me,” he said. “When I started it, I had no idea what I was going to do.”

Spigner carves whatever customers ask of him, and when he works on his craft, he’ll carve anything from Indians to mountain men, from ducks to a small-mouth bass. He also makes food platters, and in the center he’ll usually carve a palmetto tree.

The hardest part of wood carving, he said, is knowing when to

Spigner created this eagle carving for a Sumter client. stop. If you go too far, you’ll have no more wood to work with. He said there’s a balance you’ve got to find between achieving the right amount of detail without cutting too much material away.

Spigner said he loves wood carving because of the creative license it offers and the feeling of true creation.

“I like creating something out of nothing,” he said, especially out of natural materials.

Cane Savannah Carvings has a Facebook page that shows off Spigner’s work. He has a shop at 150 N. St. Pauls Church Road in Sumter, where he works on his commissioned projects and personal pieces. He said so far he’s carved “six or seven” pieces from cut trees and estimates about 500 pine knot pieces. As with any craft, Spigner said the work and education never stops.

“Heck, I’m always practicing,” he said.

Spigner’s business has so far passed through word of mouth. If more pieces such as the eagle on Teton Road start popping up around town, he’ll only be hearing more.

APRIL - MAY 2015 | LAKESIDE 51

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THE 36TH ANNUAL striped bass festival

by RICK CARPENTER rick@theitem.com

F

estival organizers call it “a celebration of spring, a tribute to the beauty of the county and a special salute to the striped bass, which put the Santee Cooper Lakes – Marion and Moultrie – and Clarendon County on the fishing map of the

world.”

The festival coincides with Mother Nature’s artistic palette of blooming azalea, wisteria, iris, tulips, geraniums, roses, gladiola and other flowering plants across the county.

Events organized around the festival obviously include the fishing tournament but also includes a parade, a beauty pageant, boating events and a host of other activities.

While the festival lasts nine days, the highlights of the event focus

on the weekends.

On Saturday, April 18, the week kicks off with the Striped Bass Beauty Pageant at 5 p.m. for those up to 6 years old in the Weldon Auditorium and at 8 p.m. for ages 7 and older.

There will also be a boat Poker Run on the 18th.

Then the real action starts on Thursday, April 23, with a fish fry from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Manning Restaurant on Brooks Street.

That’s followed by the event’s opening ceremonies on Friday featuring the BlackNMyld Band featuring Harry Blanding from 7 to 11 p.m. including the Kiss My Striped Bass contest and a performance by the Praise Dancers from Grace Christian Fellowship church.

On what locals call Super Saturday – the festival includes a 10

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a.m. parade that will travel down Brooks and Boyce streets in Manning. Following the parade, there will be vendors with children’s games, food, crafts and entertainment. The day includes a truck and car show, a children’s art show, dancing and a boat show.

The boat show will be held at Berkeley Outdoors and a Lakeside Pullers event at 2p.m. at 4315 Nelson Ferry Road.

Gates open for the Pullers event at noon.

The Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament, sponsored by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, April 25, with a first place guaranteed prize of $5,000. Entry fees are $150 with a $10 optional “Big Fish” fee.

The entry deadline is April 22 with late entries charged an additional $25. Entry forms and tournament rules are available to the Chamber office, 19 N. Brooks Street, Manning, SC. The tournament will be held at John C. Land landing.

For a more complete up-to-date schedule of the Striped Bass Festival, go the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce web site, www.clarendoncounty.com or call the office at (803) 435-4405.

Here is a complete list of upcoming Chamber-sponsored fishing tournaments: • April 11 Carolina Bass Challenge team qualifier; • April 25 Santee Cooper Open Team Bass Tournament; • May 3 TBF S.C. High School Championship; • May 30-31 Carolina Anglers Team Trail S.C. Championship; • Sept. 19 Carolina Bass Challenge Championship; and • Oct 9-10 S.C. Bass Federation 6 man tournament .

Each tournament has its own website and registration information, but the Chamber will have brochures about each.

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