Living Magazine July 2018 by Havre Daily News

Contents REAL ESTATE LISTINGS Ruff Real Estate LLC Flynn Realty Northern Land & Realty Koefod Agency Havre Hi-Line Realty Property West Fort Benton Realty FEATURES Lawn ...Lawn Tuneup 101 Kitchen Cache ...The best one-pot, notfried, refried beans ever ...Portrait of A Pony Carol Gabrielson

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OFFICE

(406) 265-6795

PUBLISHER EDITOR

Stacy Mantle smantle@havredailynews.com

COPY EDITOR

Pam Burke

PHOTOGRAPHER

Colin Thompson/Ryan Welch

DESIGN

Stacy Mantle Jenn Thompson

ADVERTISING SALES

Jenn Thompson Josh Miller

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

Jodene Leeds jleeds@havredailynews.com

Tim Leeds tleeds@havredailynews.com

For advertising information, contact Havre Daily News 119 Second Street / P.O. Box 431 Havre, MT 59501 406-265-6795 Please be aware that due to the time lapsed between publications some Real Estate listings may have changed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

226 8th St ~ $179,000

1200 3rd St ~ $68,000

This recently updated home is over 1,800 sq.ft. & an easy walk to downtown, newer kitchen, 2 remodeled bathrooms, 2 bedrooms mainfloor, 2 non-conforming bedrooms, large TV room & an amazing 3 stall garage.

This house has made a nice home for the sellers dad and is now a rental with a duplex unit in the downstairs area.

1333 County Road 800 NW

This gorgeous Ranch has River & Creek frontage only a few minutes from Havre. With farm & ranch land and an incredible custom built 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom home. Partially heated shop, 2 barns and large storage building for machinery. Contact Ed Ruff for your private showing.There is also 224 +/- acres of pasture land and irrigated hay land. Asking Price $790,000

1918 1st St. ~ $420,000

This lovely 21+/- Acre Ranchette has a huge riding arena with a spacious 8 stalled finished barn, hay barn, large shop with work area. Complete with 3 bedroom, 2 bath home recently updated.

Meadow Lark Estates, West Havre, MT ~ $30,000 This lot is in a developed subdivision that is located west of Havre, south of WalMart approx. 1 mile and east of the Havre Airport approx. 1 mile.

9336 US HWY 2 W ~ $490,000

A stream runs through it. This gorgeous 5 bedroom home on Sandy Creek has been completely remodeled and comes with 30+- Acres, a big shop, corrals and fences.

Hall Ranch Chinook, MT

CREATIVE LEISURE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PRICED AT $650,000

Several business rentals on the main floor with good rental history and plenty of parking. Downstairs is a complete living facility comprised of nothing but the best for a home...there is a down under driveway with lots and lots of inside storage for equipment, trucks & vans...

Hall Ranch, Chinook, MT, 1,929+- Acre Ranch consisting of 289+- Acres Irrigated land, 80+Acres Fallow land and the remainder in pasture land, with Headquarters that are well maintained and are set up to accommodate 150+- cow, calf herd with all the Barns, Corrals, Shop, Home & Garage to run such an exclusive operation.

BULIDING LOTS WEST OF HAVRE FOR SALE CALL ED FOR MORE INFORMATION AT 390-1574

Hi-Line Motel

Own your own business!!! This well kept jewel has new roof overlayment and siding with 14 units total, living quarters in office area and everyone of the units have had recent updates. This Motel shows a great cash return and the old Radio Shack (an extra large building) could be used for another business. Contact Edward Ruff for more information.

6 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE | JULY 2018

STORY BY PAM BURKE • PHOTOS BY RYan welch

Whether they are a barbecue spot, a place to sit in the shade, a nook to pitch a tent, a safe space for the kids and dogs to play, or the emerald jewel accenting a home, lawns are a featured piece of summer, and keeping the lawnmower up and functioning is a key to keeping the fun growing.

Staying up with regular maintenance of a lawnmower will extend its useful life and can ultimately keep down its expenses. Many lawnmower manufacturers offer online resources in the form of repair manuals and video to help maintain mowers, and Youtube has a wealth of how-to videos from professionals to show how to get most repair and maintenance done.

Stores that sell mowers often have repair shops with mechanics who can work on all makes and models, or at the very least, they can recommend a shop in town. Knowing what you should be doing for regular maintenance and understanding when you have a serious problem for the professional repairmen is pretty simple Chase Hoffman, repair technician at Red’s Auto Parts, said.

The Basics The basic concerns for lawnmower maintenance are oil, air cleaner, spark plug and blades, Hoffman said. The engine oil should be checked before each use, he said. And while it should be changed in the spring, it will also need changing at some point

in the summer if you do a lot of mowing, or if it could be getting dirty. “Most people don’t mow their lawns enough to do it more than

(once a year), but if it’s overly dusty, like you’re mowing a lot of pasture land, you should maybe do it two or three times a year,” he said. Dust can also be a problem with the air cleaner, so that should be pulled out and checked once a month or more under dusty conditions. Air cleaners can be blown out with an air compressor if you are careful, he said. “The paper filter is really easy to puncture,” he said. “It’s just a paper velum, and if you get too close with an air gun you’re just going to blow a hole right through.” You can turn down the pressure on the air compressor or hold the nozzle away from the air filter, he said, or just use canned air like the type used for cleaning computer equipment. If the air filter gets damaged or is

just worn out, they don’t cost much to replace, he added. You can figure on replacing a spark

plug every year or so, he said. In fact, they are replaced as a regular part of spring maintenance work in the shop at Red’s, he said. You will know when the spark plug needs replacing because the engine will run roughly and the metal element

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

on the end will be black or corroded. Usually the tip is oily black, he said. “Any carbureted machine is going to run a little bit dirtier than a fuelinjected machine,” Hoffman said. “Just about every push mower out there and most riding lawnmowers are still carbureted, so they’re going to eat plugs faster.” A thorough yearly maintenance schedule for a lawn mower includes sharpening the blade and cleaning the deck, which is the metal cover over the blade or blades on the lawnmower. Blade sharpening is covered in a breakout box with this article, but remember that cleaning the deck is an important part of blade maintenance. “You get a lot of build up under

there and that will actually start eating the blade,” Hoffman said. “You wouldn’t think that grass would get to it, but eventually it just kind of eats the ends of it as that grass buildup grows under there.” What happens is that the cutting edge on the blade will develop a curved, or swept-back, tip. This wear dulls the blade and shortens its useful

life. This wear is more important with riding lawnmowers that have multiple blades, he said. Multiple blades are configured in an offset pattern so the swath of lawn each blade cuts overlaps the blade or blades next to it, he said. This requires the blades be a certain length in order to overlap sufficiently. That curve is the same as cutting off the end of the blade, he added. A too short, or curved, blade is likely the problem if you notice a thin line of grass that isn’t getting cut each pass, and this uncut strip often widens in turns, he said. Mowing in wet grass can quickly cause buildup, he said, and a deck can hold as much as three or four shovels full of grass.

cheaper than cleaning them. Ethanol-free gas can be found at local stations, but usually only in premium fuels. You need to ask for it at gas stations, he said. Battery: Batteries will last from one to three years, Hoffman said, and generally when they are no longer holding a charge they are just dead and need to be replaced. Keeping them stored in a warm building might help with their longevity, he said, but keeping them charged is more important because the charge keeps them from freezing. “Once they freeze, they’re done,” he said, “but as long as you keep any

charge on them, they’ll last.” Red’s Auto Parts manager Larry Tilleman said that battery tenders, or maintainers, a type of small trickle charger, have leads to attach to the battery. They plug in to an outlet and turn on when they sense a lowcharge. They can extend the life of a battery up to three times, he added. Pull rope: If you pull out a pull rope on a push mower, or the rope breaks, you need to replace it with a rope of about the same length. The key to this is that you have to wind the recoil spring so that it has tension to retract the rope, Hoffman said, or “you’d pull and the rope would just stay out.” Visuals from manuals and videos help demonstrate this, Hoffman said, but a repair shop mechanic can do it in less time than it takes to describe the procedure so it might be easier to take it to a professional for a small fee. “It depends on your comfortability with it if you want to replace it at home,” he said.

General Maintenance Fuel: One of the most important mower maintenance points, which also applies to all small engines, is to use the right gas, Hoffman said. “The biggest thing I’d recommend is that everybody use ethanol-free gasoline in all their small engines,” he said. “Ethanol is an oxygenated fuel and oxygen is what makes fuel go bad over time. It works good in the short term because if you get water in your gas the ethanol will actually bond to it and the water will come out. “(In the spring) it’s actually a good thing,” he added, “but if you’re going to let something sit over the winter, it’s actually going to taint your gas much faster. That’s a big cause when people get their mower out in the spring and it won’t start — it’s because that old fuel turned into gum in the carburetor and plugged everything up.” At that point the carburetor will likely require replacing, he said, because new carburetors are generally

8 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE | JULY 2018

Signs of an Issue Smoke: “If you’re smoking, you probably should check your oil and your air filter,” he said. Too much oil can cause smoking problems, and a plugged air filter will cause the engine to start burning more oil.

Blade not turning: If you hit a big enough rock with a push mower, the key on the flywheel will sheer and the blade won’t run anymore, Hoffman said. This is a safety feature to save the crankshaft and the key will need to be replaced. Though, sometimes,

the crankshaft bends anyway, he said. Vibration: “Best case scenario, you’re going to have a damaged blade, worst case you got a bent crank shaft. You’re probably just going to run your mower until it quits, if you got a bent crank shaft,” Hoffman said.

This applies to all small engines and generators, too. • Keeping a lawn short is easier on the mower, so if you have a smaller, lighter-weight mower keep this in

mind. Doing a lot of rough mowing might need a heavier duty mower. • But just because you have a large yard doesn’t mean a big mower will do the job better. Hoffman said. You need to consider the need for maneuverability around trees, shrubs, rocks, walkways and garden edges and whether you have to fit into tight spaces. You might need to have a combination of push and riding mowers. “If you have a lot of detail work, you can’t beat a push mower,” he added.

Final Tips • Make sure the vents on the mower’s shroud are clear of debris, Hoffman said. The flywheel acts as a cooling fan that uses those vents. • In the fall, make sure the battery is fully charged, stored in a warm place or hooked to a battery tender. And make sure all the gas is run out of the tank “If you can in the fall, empty your fuel tank. Start your mower and run it till it dies, then everything is dry and there’s nothing to turn into varnish (that will gum up the carburetor),” Hoffman said.

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

Blade Sharpening

Lawnmower FAQs Dennis Laumeyer, aka The Mower Man, who repairs and refurbishes lawnmowers, offered some interesting facts: • A rotary mower with a 21-inch blade and an engine speed of 3,000 rpm has a tip speed of 187 mph. • If the operator walks at 3 mph, the blade tip will pass over any given area six times. • A blade sharpened 3 inches on each end with the engine rpm at 3,000 only uses the half-inch on the end of the blade to cut the grass. In order for the blade to cut with the full 3 inches of sharpened area, the mower would have to travel 18 mph.

Chase Hoffman, repair technician at Red’s Auto Parts, said keeping mower blades sharp is one of the keys to mower longevity, and added that he sharpens the blade on his push mower as often as once a month. If mowed grass ends look damaged or ragged rather than cut off, it’s definitely time to check the blade or blades on your mower. To do this at home, the first thing you have to do is make the mower safe. Start with an empty gas tank for push mowers, by using the gas or draining it. Pull the cap off the spark plug on all mowers. Detaching the wire from the plug ensures the engine cannot start by accident. At this point, push mowers can be tipped on their side, keeping the air filter side of the mower up to prevent oil from running into the filter and the carburetor. For riding mowers, most recommendations found online say removing the deck — the part of the mower with the blades and their protective cover — from the mower is ultimately the easier route. It allows you to check the belts for wear and more easily clean the deck, both top and underside. Just keep track of the loop of belt that attaches the deck system to the mower so it stays threaded properly. The deck then can be flipped over for easy access to the blades. Put on a glove to protect your hand from the blade while holding it secure, or wrap the blade in a thick rag. Using the correct sized wrench, usually a 9/16 or 5/8, unscrew the nut holding the blade or blades. Make sure you’re turning the nut “lefty loosy, righty tighty” as the saying goes. If this nut is stuck, try fitting a pipe, about 2 feet long give or take, over the wrench handle to extend its length and give yourself more leverage. Evaluate the blade’s condition, if it’s too chewed up or worn down — or in the case of a mower with multiple blades, if the cutting edge looks curved at the tip rather than straight — it might be time to replace the blades. Blades only need sharpened on the beveled edge, and the flat side might only need a touch of filing at most to smooth off any roughness left behind after sharpening. Using a grinder, belt sander or a metal file, sharpen the full length of the beveled edge, Hoffman said, maintaining the same angle the blade started with. Continue sharpening until the cutting edge no longer has a line of dull, dark, metal.

It doesn’t have to be as sharp as a knife, but be careful because it could still cut you once it’s sharpened, Hoffman said. Before you declare a blade finished, you need to check the balance, he added. In a repair shop, the center bolt hole is fitted onto an upright metal cone and let loose to allow the blade find its balance. If a blade, free of grass and dirt buildup, doesn’t sit level, Hoffman said, file a little more off the lower side until the blade will sit level. An unbalanced blade will cause a vibration that can, in turn, cause damage to the mower and is, he said, at the very least, annoying. If the blade isn’t too far from sharp, you can use a file, Hoffman said, but it can take a lot of time and elbow grease to get the job done. You’re better off taking very dull and chewed up blades to a shop to have the edges ground and balanced, he added. Clean built up grass and dirt from the underside of the deck before putting the blades back on and flipping the mower upright or replacing the deck. When replacing a blade, make sure the blade is on the right way. Each blade is stamped to say “up” or “down” or “grass side,” but if you can’t find this, remember that the beveled edge faces the deck. And more importantly, the arched or winged edge of the blade will be closer to the deck as well. This arch creates an airflow that pulls the grass up for cutting and blows the cut grasses out the blower, Hoffman said. And if the arched edge is closer to the ground it will hit the ground, causing damage to the blade and crankshaft.

You’re our neighbor, NOT A NUMBER Independence Bank

You are unique. So are your real-estate loan needs.

We offer options, products and flexibility you just won’t find with an online lender. With our tools and personal touch, we’ll find the right solution for you, just as we have for 45 years. Stop in or call one of our experienced lenders for a great loan at a great rate. Karene Faber

AVP Consumer Lending NMLS #473305

Jennifer Anderson

Retail Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS #857565

Christy Smith Loan Officer NMLS #813203

Conventional • Construction • In-House RD • FHA • VA • Home Equity Lines of Credit

435 Third Street | Havre, MT | (406) 265-1241

ibyourbank.com Independence Bank NMLS #462921

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender

1108 Bullhook Dr. SE $470,000

4 bedroom, 3 ½ bath single level home located on approx. 7.34 acres that includes 2 fish/duck ponds, landscaped yard and outdoor fireplace/patio. This beautiful home is approx. 4500 sq ft with attached oversized double heated garage and includes a separate oversized unheated double ga-

PRICE REDUCED!

rage/shop. Call Janis Flynn Pyrak @ 406-390-4900 or Nick Pyrak @ 406-390-2867

520 2nd Avenue ~ $475,000

Beautiful Brick 5 bdrm, 3 bath Home in the Historic District on 2nd Avenue. Original hardwood flooring, updated kitchen, fireplaces, well kept yard & double car garage. This home is ready to make it your own. Call today for your personal showing!

Call Kristi Parrotte @ 390-4912 or Ken Nelson at 406-439-0595

720 9th Street ~ $159,900

Holland Apartments - 407 4th Ave.

14-Plex. Spacious Apts. - Good cash flow. Close to downtown. 8 1 Bedroom. 6 Studio.

Spacious 3 bdrm, 3 bath home with open kitchen, main floor utilities, deck, fenced back yard & double car garage. Short sale.

Call Kristi Parrotte @ 390-4912

910 7th Avenue

Are you looking for the perfect starter home? Look no further. This 3 bedroom, 1 bath home is waiting for you to fix it up and give it your personal touch. Call today for details.

Call Ken Nelson @ 406-439-0595

Flynn Realty

Call Kristi Parrotte @ 390-4912

114 5th St E~4-Plex Chinook, MT~$139,900

Four (1) bedroom, 1 bath units close to the downtown area and the High School in Chinook, MT. Many updates and Good Income Potential.

Call Paul Kuka @ 265-7845 or 265-2060

1637 Rich St W~$299,900

4 bdrm, 3 bath Ranch style home located near Schools and Park. Open floor plan, lots of updates, large backyard, double garage and great views from 2 decks.

Call Janis Flynn Pyrak @ 265-9400

929 2nd Street ~ $104,900

Charming 3 bdrm, 1 bath , move in ready home. Newly remodeled kitchen, new carpet, paint, new furnace, electrical & plumbing update & new bathroom remodel. Spacious partially fenced back yard & single car garage. Call Kristi Parrotte @ 390-4912

815 Missouri St. Chinook ~ $166,000

Updated 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in Chinook, MT. Large kitchen & living area, den & main floor laundry. 2 stall garage, large patio & deck, all on 2 1/2 lots.

Call Janis Flynn Pyrak @ 390-4900

595 Jefferson Ave. W. Chester, MT ~ $110,000

3 bdrm, 2 bath home in Chester, MT. Single car garage.

Call Derek Fraser @ 262-4603

Land for Sale

Bullhook Bottoms Casino ~ $650,000 A large Commercial property that includes a Casino & Liquor License on 1st Street/ Hwy 2 frontage in Havre, MT.

Call Ken Nelson at 406-439-0595 or Larry Martinson @ 390-1509

Joplin Bar ~ $210,000

Casino-Food-Lounge! Nice small town business in the Hi-Line farming town of Joplin, MT. Located halfway between Havre and Shelby. Includes full Liquor License & large dining area for restaurant use.

Call Ken Nelson @ 406-439-0595

1137 11th Street ~ $123,800

2 bdrm, 1 bath home that sits on 5 vacant lots. Double detached garage. Lots of space to add on or build.

Call Kristi Parrotte @ 390-4912

605 & 611 2nd Street

Adjoining properties that may be purchased together or separately & are zoned Commercial Intermediate on 60x140’/30x140’ lots. 605 is the former Salvation Army Church Building & living quarters and 611 has over 2000 sq ft main floor & 1800 sq ft bsmt. Many possibilities for these buildings.

Call Paul Kuka @ 265-7845 or 265-2060 for more info

Shop For Sale ~ $85,000

Oil City Saloon 132-134 W. Dawson Shelby, MT ~ $145,000

Nicely remodeled Bar with full liquor license and 6 rental units. Busy location at crossroads of I-14 and Hwy 2.

Call Ken Nelson @ 439-0595

Call Ken Nelson @ 406-439-0595 or Larry Martinson @ 406-390-1509

~HORSE PROPERTY~

Good location- 2 Bay Shop with Hwy 2 Frontage. Oil change pit, office, rest room & new siding to cover bldg.

Call Ken Nelson @ 406-439-0595

• +/- 640 Acre Farmland located N. Joplin, MT ~ All Farmed • +/- 1280 Acres Farmland located S. Inverness, MT - All CRP • +/- 160 Acres Farmland located N. Joplin, MT - All Farmed • +/- 2390 Acres Farmland located N. Havre, MT - Nearly All Organic • +/- 400 Acres Farmland located S. Gildford, Mt - All CRP

Income Property 410-422 W Harrison Ave~ Chester, MT~$210,000

(2) 3-Plexes~(4) 3 bdrms and (2) 2 bdrms Good occupancy rate with approx. $28,000 gross yearly income.

Call Derek Fraser @ 406-262-4603

+/-20 Acres located near Havre. Includes a nice 3 bed/2 bath single wide trailer house w/ addition, well/septic, storage shed, livestock fenced with shed & automatic waterer. Possible Owner Finance.

Call Ken Nelson For More Info @ 406-439-0595

Acreage For Sale

106 Acres. Flood frigated. Hay land for sale. Located near Chinook, MT

Call Ken Nelson @ 406-439-0595

We Have Potential Buyers! Call Us Today!

1.800.332.1201 | itstriangle.com

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LISTINGS

3401 13th Street West

225 1st Street, Rudyard

5-bed/3-bath home, oversized 2 car attached garage and separate shop building on 1 acre.

Property is approx. 1 city block; includes organic 300-tree apple orchard, strawberry beds, commercial kitchen and store front/shop, as well as an updated family home with a 2-car garage and a 2nd rental house

836 7th Street

1 bed/2 bath home with main floor laundry, hardwood floors and lots of natural light. detached garage, great back deck and lovely yard.

Possible owner financing!

1916 Heritage Drive

End unit Condo, 3-bed/2-bath, 2 car attached garage. Newer Roof, updated carpets and paint. Home is very clean and move in ready! Close to schools and parks.

1240 11th Street

4 bed/2 bath home with 2-car attached, finished garage. Large yard, great location, clean and move in ready!

Budget Inn ~ Havre

Multi-unit motel complex with daily, weekly & monthly rentals plus several commercial rental spaces, owner/manager accomodations & laundry facility. Located on busy US Highway 2, a great business opportunity that offers low vacancy history.

600 17th Street

3-bed, 2-bath home with 2-car detached garage. Exterior extras include sprinklers & storage shed. Great south end location!

Commercial Lots Commercial lots located in Havre with US HW 2 and 15th Avenue access.

320 10th Street

4 bed/2 bath home, 1488 sq. ft of space only $130,000!

301 2nd Street West

816 sq. ft. home features 2 beds/1 bath. Convenient to downtown!

100 Frontage Road, Shelby 310 & 316 10th St. & 1009 3rd Ave.

commercial/office building sits on 8.59 acres of space.

934 5th Ave and 427 10th St. 2 houses for the price of 1! Great investment opportunity! Only $115,000

This 4-unit property makes a great investment opportunity! All units have 2 bedrooms with 1 bath and are close to college and convenient to downtown.

606 1st West - Arctic Circle For Sale or Rent. Seat in dining or drive through. Great restaurant prospects or conversion to other use.

LAND LISTINGS 8860 US Hwy 2 West

This 4-bedroom, 4 bath home with 2-car garage offers country living and close to town convenience! Home sits on 11 acres with a creek running through the property.

11135 River Rd.

Minutes from town, Country Living at its finest! 5061 sq. feet on 60 acres. 5-bed/4 baths, 3 fireplaces and wet bar. Home has separate living space in walkout basement. Fencing for horses.

We have qualified buyers for farm and ranch properties.

160 ACRES Âą DRY CROPLAND NEAR HOGELAND, MT. Call Jim for more details! 406-799-2253

12 5th Ave. North, Sunburst

6,300 sq. foot shop with office sits on .321 acres; complete with city water, sewer and natural gas, the building is insulated and completely finished. 4 overhead doors vary in size, all with electric openers. Equipment included: (1) 2-post autolift, air compressor, piped throughout shop, restroom with shower, washer/dryer hookups!

"Looking to be your own boss? Call on our Business Listings today!"

Unlock the possibilities!

406-945-9039 â&#x20AC;˘ www.havrehilinerealty.net Let me, Kim Cripps, help you with your homework!

223 3rd Ave. â&#x20AC;˘ Havre, MT 59501

residential Listings

116 2nd Ave. SE ~ Harlem $45,000

726 6th Ave. $345,000 Completely remodeled historic home with all of the character of an older home but all new on the inside! Single garage in the front of the home and a 3 stall fully finished and insulated garage in the back. Fully fenced in back yard with a patio and a deck. Underground sprinklers throughout the yard.

If you or anyone you know is looking to sell a home we would love to help them get it sold quick!

826 1st Ave. ~ $129,900 3 bedrooms, 2 baths

849 5th Street N $77,700 3 Bedroom, one level

410 11th Ave. ~ $134,900 3 bedrooms, 2 baths

974 Assiniboine Ave. $167,900 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths

623 16th Street $174,900 2 Bedrooms, 2 baths

20 Saddle Butte Dr. $189,900 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths

814 1st Avenue $189,000 4 Bedrooms, 2 baths

2097 Road 125 Street S Rudyard, Montana $265,000 3 Bedrooms, 2 baths

Sale Pending! 338 Sagebrush $189,900 4 bedrooms, 2 baths

I GET MY HOMEWORK DONE!

The best one-pot, not-fried, refried beans ever STORY & PHOTOS BY PAM BURKE The healthy and low-calorie nature of this not-fried refried bean substitute is just a weird coincidence that people — people who make healthy choices — can capitalize on. Those of us who don’t see a problem with, say, eating ice cream for breakfast can shrug off the nutritional perks with an ironic laugh and just enjoy the flavor. I am not a particular fan of refried beans for a host of reasons. First of all, canned refried beans, or canned beans of any kind, have never really done much for me beyond: meh. That underwhelmed feeling is not a strong endorsement for including them in a meal. Also, the standard American restaurant refried beans

look like a weird pool of bean paste. My apologies to all the restaurants that serve them and the diners who enjoy them, but those beans are just a “double-meh” to me. I was not any more inspired to like refried beans when the first recipes I read about making them from scratch used lard as a key ingredient. Lard. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against fatty foods, many of them are good friends of mine, like heavy whipping cream, barbecued ribs, french fries or mashed potatoes made with cream cheese. But solid-fat lard just doesn’t appeal to me. It probably goes back to the old, old olden-days when my grandma and mother would drain off bacon grease and leave it to congeal in a can that sat on or by the

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

stove to be used as pan grease in preparation of future meals. It did not look appealing. Lard looks to me like the solidified bacon grease, minus the bits of overbrowned bacon. Plus, unlike butter, olive oil or the slightly charred fat of a barbecued steak, lard tastes like nothing. Meh. I am not elitist, I swear. For example, I will admit without shame, I get the occasional and unexplainable craving for those cheap, greasy burritos found in many delis and in possibly every last convenience store in America with a deep-fat fryer. All these things considered, why don’t I make refried beans with a lard substitute? It seems like a logical solution. Simply put, though, I am too lazy. The worst thing about homemade refried beans is that the recipes call for two stages of cooking. This is a waste of time and resources. The name says “re”-fried, which literally translates to “done again.” As in, you cook a food, then turn right around and cook it again in a whole different, second, process to arrive at the final food product.

I find something fundamentally wrong in the idea that I have to cook something twice to get what I wanted in the first place. I don’t want to take the time and effort and dirty dishes it takes to make two things but only get one food’s worth of enjoyment out of it. In defense of my extreme laziness I like to think of myself as being an energy conservationist and an efficient resource manager. Cooking something twice takes more gas, electricity or other heating method. It takes more water to clean more dirty dishes. It takes more effort from me to get all that done. That just won’t do. The only time recooking is acceptable is when you’re rebranding leftovers, such as turning leftover mashed potatoes into potato pancakes. For years I just replaced refried beans with fresh-cooked beans. Sometimes, though, whole beans weren’t quite right, like for nachos — whole beans seem to leap off of tortilla chips. They need binder, so I started researching bean recipes and experimenting and developed this unfried bean recipe.

Information that’s actually useful The recipe is simple and easy to follow, but I like talking about food, my favorite hobby — which also saves lives, by the way — so here are some tips for the recipe. You can soak your beans overnight, but you don’t have to. In fact, I never soak beans overnight. It’s too much commitment to planning ahead. I recommend rinsing mostly because one time I found dirt in my beans … after I cooked them. Bye-bye beans, hello McDonald’s. The beans need to be cooked until they’re soft. A little mushy is fine if you’re going to err on cooking time, and undercooked is definitely edible, but not quite as good. You can cover the beans for cooking, just add less water, maybe only 6 cups. But the beans are easy to scorch in those last minutes, and I’ve had more problems or near misses when I’ve had a lid on the pot. In fact, if I’m running late and preparing the meal like a mad woman, I keep a glass of water by the stove, so I can quickly save the beans from total burnt disaster. The beans can be cooked beforehand and reheated for the meal. Or if things are getting crazy distracting at the wrong time, just turn the beans off for a bit and cover them, then turn them back on and take the lid off when

you return or can pay attention. If the beans are a bit behind schedule, then add a little extra water and turn up the heat. Those beans will cook fine at a boil. When I separate them to mash half, I just shove half the beans to one side of the pot and do the mashing on the other side. This saves me from dirtying an extra bowl during preparation. Yes, I’m that “conservation-minded.” I know that the recipe sounds like it has a lot of onion and garlic, but I swear it cooks in. That said, I do prefer a sweet or mild onion. If I get a strong one, I’ll cut back a bit on the onion and maybe add a touch of sugar in the final prep if I guessed wrong about the onion’s flavor. Some recipes call for more spices in the beans, but I always consider them to be the subtle accent to all the other spiciness in the meal so I keep the beans pretty lowkey. Always, always, always wait until after the beans are done cooking to add the cilantro. Always. Other than the scorching risk, these are a very simple and surprisingly healthy substitute for refried beans, and you will not want to go back to canned beans once you’re hooked.

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UNFRIED BEANS Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups pinto beans, rinsed 8 cups water 1 medium onion, peeled, quartered 10 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole 1 - 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ cup cilantro, chopped fine Salt to taste Instructions: Bring 8 cups of water to boil and add beans, onion, garlic, oil, chili powder and cumin. Bring to boil again then turn heat down to simmer. Cook uncovered until the beans are soft — about 1 1/2 hours — stirring at about the one-hour mark. Be careful not to let the beans scorch; add water if needed. Pull beans from heat, separate out half the beans and any garlic cloves and onion slices still visible, and use a potato masher, or food processor, to mash these. Stir together mashed and whole beans and the cilantro. Add water if the mixture seems too dry. Salt to taste. Use as a bean dip or as a side dish to a meal.

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

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PORTRAIT of a pony STORY BY Chris Peterson Photos by colin thompson

If it’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words, then Carol Bymaster Gabrielsen should have enough stories for a lifetime.

If you don’t know Carol Gabrielsen, then there is a good chance you aren’t very familiar with Havre, Montana — at least not with the high school sports scene anyway. That’s because you can’t go to a local sporting event that features the Havre Blue Ponies without seeing Gabrielsen

somewhere, with her camera, doing what she loves to do — taking pictures and documenting memories. Of course, as a sports parent, taking pictures is nothing new. Who hasn’t seen a mom or dad taking pictures at a local football or basketball game? It’s what parents do and that’s

exactly what got Gabrielsen into sports photography, which eventually led to the project affectionately known as Portrait of a Pony. Portrait of a Pony is essentially the collection of Gabrielsen’s photos. It’s something that started as a hobby, but has grown into so much more.

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

“I had always taken pictures of my kids at all their sporting and school events,” Gabrielsen said. “When I finally joined Facebook, I started posting pictures from their games and different things they did. It didn’t take long and I had parents asking me to get some pictures of their kids, too. I have been very blessed to be able to attend everything my kids were involved in, and I know not everyone gets to do that. So after a while I decided, since I am there anyway, I might as well take pictures of all the kids.” As one could anticipate, the response was overwhelming, and soon Gabrielsen decided she needed a place of her own to post pictures, instead of posting onto others’ personal pages. That’s when she named and created her own Facebook page, with some help from her husband. “I wanted a place to be able to post the pictures so the people who wanted to see them could, and it wouldn’t dominate anyone else’s page,” Gabrielsen said. “So I decided to create a Facebook page just for my pictures of all the Blue Pony activities. We brainstormed on the name, and I think my husband, Stan, was the one who actually came up with the name Portrait of a Pony.” Gabrielsen said that when she started the Portrait of a Pony page, she had little idea it would become so popular so fast. “I had no idea it would ever get as big as it is,” she said. “It does make me feel really good to know how much everyone appreciates it, though. I have kids, parents, grandparents, coaches and community members thanking me all the time. It is wonderful to get a message from grandparents who live out of town thanking me for making them feel like they were right there watching through my pictures.” In terms of photography, Gabrielsen said she has never taken any classes or learned anything professionally, it’s just always been a passion, one that she has been pursuing for close to 30 years now. “I have always loved taking pictures. When I was younger, I enjoyed taking scenic pictures and pictures of wildlife,” Gabrielsen said. “I had

Photo by Portrait of a Pony Katie Wirtzberger and Kyndall Keller pose for a photograph after winning the Class A State Girls Basketball title.

several photo albums full of pictures of my friends and family. When I got married in 1987, we moved to Minnesota and I took all my albums with me. Unfortunately, they were stored in an attic and ended up being destroyed beyond repair with water/humidity. I lost every single one of them. I am still sad about that. I feel like I lost a big part of my life. That is probably part of the reason I go overboard with pictures now. I have also learned from my kids that sometimes you need to put the camera down and just enjoy the moment.” While photography has been a big part of Gabrielsen’s life, sports have played a pretty important role, too. Carol’s father, Dennis Bymaster, was the long-time head coach of the Havre High golf team, and during her time with the Ponies, Carol

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played four years of varsity golf under her father and excelled, earning All-State honors all four years and finishing second as both a junior and senior. Making those feats even more impressive was the fact that Havre was still in Class AA at the time. Her brothers, Bill, Dave and Dan Bymaster, also played sports at Havre High. “I played golf all four years of high school with him as my coach,” Gabrielsen said. “I also took stats for basketball and football throughout high school. My three older brothers were all athletes at HHS, and I loved watching them play, too. I have been around sports all my life. My parents were both teachers in the Havre Public Schools district and they have always shown great support for all Blue Pony activities.” The love for sports is certainly

I have always loved taking pictures. Carol Gabrielsen Portrait of a Pony

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

Photo by Portrait of a Pony The 2018 Havre High School graduatiing class.

something that seems to run in the Bymaster family and Gabrielsen passed it along to her children as well. Four of her five kids played sports at Havre High with Nikki, Randi, Chris and Kane Gabrielsen all being varsity athletes. Nikki, Randi and Kane followed her lead and played golf, while Chris was a standout for the Blue Pony football team. Her fifth kid is Jake Gabrielsen. She also has three stepchildren, all of whom played sports for HHS. The late Levi Huston played football at Havre High and scored a touchdown against Browning on senior night back in 2014. Samy Huston played both softball and volleyball, and Jake Huston, who is going to be a junior next year, is currently involved in boys basketball and tennis. “Jake (Gabrielsen) is my oldest; he graduated from HHS in 2009. He did not play sports in high school, but did compete for HHS in the Ford Troubleshooting Competition in Helena,” Gabrielsen said. “Nikki, Randi, Chris and Kane all played

several sports at HHS. We had six kids at HHS one year. Nikki was a senior, Levi a junior, Randi a sophomore, and Samy, Chris and Kane were all freshmen. They were in football, volleyball, basketball, golf, track and choir. That was a busy year and by far my favorite.” Being the parent of an athlete is never easy and it wasn’t for Gabrielsen, either. And while she said she also enjoyed taking photos of her kids playing sports, she admits it was stressful sometimes. “I absolutely loved taking pictures of my kids while they were participating in everything, but it was stressful at the same time,” she said. “Now, when it isn’t my own kids, I relax a little more and just try to get good pictures for all the parents.” When taking pictures, Gabrielsen definitely has her audience in mind. And over the years, it’s not just parents who have grown to love her pictures. “I have had parents tell me that after a game, on the way home, the kids say they can’t wait to get home

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and see what pictures go up on Portrait of a Pony,” Gabrielsen said. “That makes me happy. Also, parents have said how nice it is when they see me at the events, so they know they can just sit back and enjoy what the kids are doing and still get to see the pictures afterwards, too.” After her photos became more popular and more in-demand, Gabrielsen took her talents even further and began producing collectible items such as coffee mugs and greeting cards. However, she said, she doesn’t make a profit, charging only the cost of making the items. For her, Portrait of a Pony isn’t about money, but instead something much more valuable — memories. “I do have a few items that I sell,” Gabrielsen said. “Blue Pony greeting cards and coffee mugs, that type of thing. Some of the teams have asked for a little memory book at the end of their season, and I have had a lot of fun doing that. Parents sometimes ask for a bigger print of certain pictures, or a collage. When

I do that, I usually just charge whatever it costs me to have it made. I am not making money at it, but it is worth so much more than money to me. It makes me feel good to know that I am helping these kids hang on to some fantastic memories. I try to have a positive impact on the kids — let them know they are supported and remind them to have fun with what they are doing.” Speaking of fun, right now, Gabrielsen said she is having plenty

doing what she’s doing, although she said she isn’t sure how long she will continue once her kids are out of school. “Since Jake will be a junior next year, I will be doing this for at least two more years,” Gabrielsen said. “After that, I can’t say for sure. I have made so many friends and have really started to feel like these kids are all my kids ... so I may continue after he graduates, too. Havre is a great community. The people

here have supported me in everything I do with my camera, and it is a nice way for me to be able to give back. At this point, I think it would be very difficult for me to attend anything at HHS and not take pictures.” If Blue Pony sports fans have their way, Gabrielsen won’t be quitting anytime soon, because after all, no one can paint a portrait of Pony athletics quite like she can.

JULY 2018 | LIVING Havre and the Hi-Line MAGAZINE |

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