Klamath Life - Sep/Oct by Herald and News

Klamath Life Change of Pace River run

The Klamath: A river teeming with migrating salmon

County culture on the Ross Ragland stage

Community theater caters to a dichotomy of Basin tastes

Listening, growing & providing warmth

BEEN THERE

SEE SOME UNFAMILIAR SIGHTS AT FAMILIAR BASIN DESTINATIONS

Basin volunteers lend their talents where they see need

Cattle drives done the old-fashioned way Community roots: Growing potatoes from generation to generation Regional magazine for Klamath, Lake, Modoc and Siskiyou Counties

Herald and News ❘ September/October 2012 ❘ www.heraldandnews.com

2 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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Change of Pace On the cover: Visitors to Crater Lake National Park enjoy the views beyond the Watchman Overlook. Take a look at places to visit at Crater Lake that go beyond the rim on page 11. Cover photo by Andrew Mariman

Inside: Destinations The Klamath: A river soon teeming with salmon. Page 6

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Been there: Unfamiliar features at some familiar destinations. Page 11

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Culture County culture: Ross Ragland caters to a variety of tastes. Page 15

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A helping hand: Volunteers pitch in where there’s need. Page 19

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Country living Community roots: Growing potatoes for generations. Page 26

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Long drive home: Cattle drives done the old-fashioned way. Page 29

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Home & garden

Forced: Prepare now to have blooms inside during winter months. Page 33

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New baby (puppy): How to prepare for an addition to the family. Page 37

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In the next issue of Klamath Life 2012 November/December Close to Home

Also inside: Views on the Basin: Readersubmitted photography. Page 52

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On the Calendar: Community events. Page 53

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What’s your story? Do you have a story idea that fits a theme for an upcoming edition of Klamath Life? Let us know what your idea is. Send information to Herald and News Lifestyles editor Holly Owens at howens@heraldandnews.com. Please put “Klamath Life Story Idea” in the subject line.

Quintessentials:

A close-up look at one of the personalities from the region who helps shape and make the Basin a great place to live. Page 51

Cuisine Turning over a new leaf: Changing to a vegetarian diet. Page 42 ■ Soup’s on!: It’s the season for simmering goodness. Page 45 ■

Nature

Flora & Fauna: A look at Big-eared bats, mountain mahogany. Page 50

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❘ Destinations

6 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

H&N photo by Andrew Mariman

The Klamath: A

A river teeming with salmon

Views from Iron Gate Dam: This fall’s chinook run is anticipated to be the largest in modern history By ANDREW MARIMAN H&N Staff Photographer

fter traversing 191 uninterrupted miles of Klamath River water, chinook will soon return to the place of their birth — the Iron Gate Hatchery. Anglers, hot on their tail fins, are chasing them upriver. Soon, the Klamath River, in the stretch below the dam, will be teeming with exhausted salmon and jammed with drift boats and wader-clad, pole-toting sport anglers. Fishery management officials are predicting this fall’s chinook run will be the largest in modern history. This is a busy time for area residents. The Iron Gate Hatchery will be buzzing, harvesting countless eggs and the nearby Klamath Ranch and Resort anticipates it will be booked solid through the end of October.

❙ Iron Gate Hatchery Each year, Keith Pomeroy, Iron Gate Hatchery manager, oversees the hatching and rearing of some 6 million chinook, to offset the estimated loss of natural production in the ecosystem between Iron Gate Dam and the Copco Complex, 11 miles upstream. See SALMON, page 8

Life in the river: Keith Pomeroy shows what salmon look like in 10-day intervals during their development in the first 100 days of life at the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery.

❘ Destinations

7 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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❘ Destinations

8 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

SALMON, from page 6 “There is a misconception that we produce for the ecosystem lost further up, but this isn’t the case,” Pomeroy said. “Still, these are huge numbers we’re responsible for, right here.” According to Pomeroy, this is shaping up to be a huge run, but there are several tributaries in which the fish spawn in the nearly 200 river miles between the hatchery and the mouth, so only time will tell.

❙ From run to river Fish that make it all the way to the dam are loaded in trucks and taken to the spawning facility where they are sorted by sex and ripeness. “We’re looking for about 4,000 females to get the allotment of eggs we need for our numbers,” Pomeroy said. In order to get the best representation of the run, fish are pulled from the collection tank at the top of the hatchery’s fish ladder

H&N photo by Andrew Mariman

Ready for the river: Keith Pomeroy, manager of the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery, walks across two raceways filled with yearlings set to be released in conjunction with the mature salmon run reaching the hatchery.

throughout the approximately five-week season. Salmon will be pulled two or three days a week for the first couple of weeks, five days a week during the peak week in mid-October then tapering back at the end. Inside the spawning facility, eggs and sperm are harvested and placed in approximately 1,300

incubator trays. Each tray contains some 9,000 eggs for a total of nearly 12 million eggs. This helps assure the facility will be able to reach its goal of producing 6 million yearling chinook for release into the Klamath River the following year. Although a total of 6 million chinook are released each year, 5.1 million are released in the fall and

900,000 during late spring. “Releasing them right here is the best way to assure we get the returning numbers we need each year to continue the process,” Pomeroy said. Once the fish are old enough — after about six months — they are transferred into one of six long raceways where they will mature until they are about three inches long. At that point, they are released into the wild. The hatchery also is responsible for mitigating some 75,000 coho in November and December, and 200,000 steelhead between January and the end of March.

❙ Paying it forward In a natural spawning scenario, salmon swim upriver, returning to the stream where they were hatched, to spawn and die. At the hatchery, the fish are collected, eggs and sperm are harvested, then the salmon are processed for their meat by American-Canadian Fisheries. See SALMON, page 9

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❘ Destinations

9 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

SALMON, from page 8 There they are filleted, packaged, frozen and return to the area, at which point they are given to nonprofit organizations and handed out right there at the hatchery, according to Pomeroy. “These fish feed a lot of people; last year we got 15,000 lbs. of fillets back,” Pomeroy said, “people lined up to get them for free with absolutely no money exchanging hands.”

❙ Local business

The last stop before Iron Gate Hatchery and the dam is the Klamath Ranch and Resort, home to Blue Heron RV Park and the Fish Hook Restaurant. Owned by Jim and Kathy Burney, the RV park will be filled during the entire month of October. The restaurant and bar also see a large spike business during the season. “Things really pick up as people follow the fish up from the mouth,” said waitress Cindy Lavasser earlier this month. “They’re slaying them down around the mouth. I’ve heard it’s supposed to be a good year,” Lavasser said. “I’m not really sure how they tell, but they’re coming. “You should see the river in the middle of October, it’ll be a traffic jam of boats out there.”

Born and raised on the Klamath River Donny Daman, 58, was born and raised on Our Ranch in the hills overlooking the stretch of the Klamath River just below Iron Gate Dam. According to Daman, as an offshoot of the Klamath Basin Liskey family, his grandfather and four brothers settled in this portion of California while it was still part of the Oregon Territory. Daman’s father helped build the dam. He remembers as a child playing in the foundation of the Fish Hook Restaurant before it was framed. Daman, like many in the area, used to guide as a teen. He escaped to Stanford University for several years to pursue a degree in nuclear engineering. He came back to take care of his ailing parents and their ranch, giving up the prospects of a prosperous future in his chosen field — something he’d do all over again. “I love this area, this river helped grow my family tree,” Daman said as he ate lunch at the local restaurant. He spoke about annual visitors, drawn to the salmon and the river.

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“This has to be an enjoyable time for visitors to our little bend in the river. I’ve grown up doing this my whole life,” Daman said. “There are loads of people here in October, lining up to launch their boats like kids in a line at Disneyland. They look like bumper cars on the river when the fish are running thick.” Although Daman admits the run is probably good for the local economy, it can bring a few bad apples with it. “The bad is, there are so many people here, a few of them littering and being loud, showing a lack of respect for the locals, (it) can tarnish the experience for everyone involved.” Daman lives on his family’s 2,700acre ranch. His mother passed away six months ago, and he has no plans on leaving any time soon. The family, before Iron Gate went up, used to own 14,000 acres of rugged, secluded land on the north side of the river. “Times are changing. There is more and more outside influence, but I’ve been trying for the last 23 years to hold onto to this ranch and I’m not sure I’ll ever stop trying.”

IF YOU GO: To reach the Iron Gate Hatchery from Interstate 5, exit at the Henley Hornbrook turnoff onto Copco Road. Follow the hatchery signs east for 8 miles. The hatchery is on the right, across the river at 8638 Lakeview Road. Hatchery hours are 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. when staff will be available. The grounds are open to visitors during daylight hours. The Iron Gate Hatchery will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13.

❘ Destinations

10 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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❘ Destinations

11 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

land Lake

BEEN THERE By LEE JUILLERAT: H&N Regional Editor

Everyone goes to Crater

Lake National Park and nearly everyone visits Lava Beds National Monument.

Both are among places in the Klamath Basin that people, residents and travelers, visit. Seeing Crater Lake from the rim is dazzling, but there are other, often more intimate ways of experiencing the lake and park. Captain Jack’s Stronghold and Mushpot Cave, the only lighted cave at Lava Beds, are among the usual stops, but there’s much more to see. In some cases, it’s a matter of been there, haven’t done that. Following are suggestions on hikes at Lava Beds and Crater Lake, along with the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge and the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area, that most visitors don’t experience.

ISLAND LAKE H&N photo by Lee Juillerat

But haven’t done that yet ... ❙ Island Lake SKY LAKES WILDERNESS

In 1888, Oregon Judge John B. Waldo and four friends were traveling horseback along the southern reaches of the Oregon Cascades. Waldo, regarded as Oregon’s first preservationist, had made several earlier Cascades journeys, but never south of Crater Lake. On Sept. 13, Waldo’s party camped alongside a small lake that, in his journal, he called “Lake Camp.” During their stay, Felix Isherwood, the group’s youngest member, carved the names of the five expedition members into the trunk of a large mountain hemlock. According to Jeff LaLande, author of “A Wilderness Journey with Judge John B. Waldo” in the

summer 1989 Oregon Historical Quarterly, one of Isherwood’s duties was to carve “the date and names of the party on a tree … at each and every camp we struck.” Although none of the other marked trees has survived, the markings at Lake Camp, since renamed Island Lake, remain visible on the tree known as “The Waldo Tree.” Waldo’s name is imprinted throughout Oregon, most notably at Waldo Lake west of the Willamette Pass. The Waldo Tree, with its chesthigh carvings, is about 200 feet north of the trail and about a halfmile west of the junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. The 200-yearold tree was named an Oregon

See VISITS, page 12

If You Go Located in the Blue Canyon Basin of the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area, Island Lake and the Waldo Tree used to be a short, easy 2-mile hike from a spur road off Forest Road 3651, which accesses the Cold Springs Trailhead. In recent years, however, the Fremont-Winema National Forest removed direction signs, renumbered the access road, removed trailhead signs and stopped trail maintenance to prevent overuse at Island Lake. It’s still possible to make the hike by the old route, which is shown on existing but outdated Sky Lakes wilderness maps. The Forest Service’s preferred access is a longer walk using the Cold Springs, Sky Lakes and Pacific Crest trails, a distance of about 6 miles.

❘ Destinations

12 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

❙ Lightning Springs CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK

WA L D O T R E E

VISITS, from page 11 Heritage Tree in 1999. It’s the only known tangible evidence of Waldo’s 1888 two-month journey. A year after the trip, Waldo, then a newly elected state representative, introduced legislation to “set aside and forever reserve” the forests of Oregon’s high Cascades. In 1893, the 4.5 million acre Cascade Forest Reserve was created, a region that includes portions of the FremontWinema, Siskiyou-Rogue, Umpqua, Willamette, Deschutes and Mount Hood national forests. Visiting The Waldo Tree is a hike in history. And fall is the season for wild huckleberries.

One of Crater Lake National Park’s least-traveled hikes is the Lightning Springs trail. It’s only about threequarters of a mile and an elevation loss of 250 feet to the spring, which unceremoniously pops from the ground and creates gentle Lightning Springs Creek. Like the trail, the adjacent backcountry campground is sparingly used. The hike meanders in large sweeps through meadows. Chances are you won’t see anyone, but it’s not uncommon to see grazing deer and, depending on the time of year, fields of abundant wildflowers.

If You Go

To reach the Lightning Springs trailhead from Rim Village, follow Rim Drive 2.5 miles north. The trailhead is signed at a parking area large enough for a few vehicles.

❙ DeGarmo Waterfall HART MOUNTAIN NATIONAL ANTELOPE REFUGE

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beautiful waterfall, but that’s one of the charms of the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. The 35-foot DeGarmo Waterfall is located near the mouth of DeGarmo Canyon. I had hiked up and down DeGarmo Canyon several times, mostly on treks from the Hot Springs Campground, but I had never seen the waterfall. DeGarmo Canyon is one of several gorges that slice into the western front of Hart Mountain, a massive fault block ridge that abruptly rises 3,000 feet above the Warner Valley and Plush, the ranching community that’s the closest place to buy a snack, beverage or gas. On other hikes, some with friends, I wandered through dense aspen groves and startled mule deer and California bighorn sheep. Following the directions in William Sullivan’s book, “100 Hikes in Eastern Oregon,” before the ford and above a smaller 15-foot waterfall, I scrambled along a rock ledge along the right side of the stream and — presto! — there was the trail and an easy creek crossing. The trail goes up, over and around talus, scree and rocks. At times the route temporarily disappears into a jumble of rocks and sagebrush before

re-emerging. Use a hiking pole for better traction, especially where the trail follows slippery scree slopes in the gorge. Finding the way is easier when the falls, cozily nestled at the back of a steep cliff and sheltered by a canopy of trees, become visible less than a mile from the canyon opening. At the falls, water spills over a mossy basalt wall where the trail ends. Once there, scramble down to the pool and tiptoe across the creek for another vantage. If making a short day hike, reverse the route. Take time to scan the canyon walls and admire the rugged scenery, and look back toward Warner Valley. If wanting a longer outing, retreat about 100 feet from the falls to a faint route that steeply winds and climbs around the cliffs sheltering the falls to a trail that works its way up another 3-1/2 miles to DeGarmo Notch.

If You Go

To reach the DeGarmo Trailhead from Lakeview, drive north on Highway 395 five miles and turn east on Highway 140 toward Adel and Winnemucca. After 16 miles, turn left at a sign to Plush and Hart Mountain

See VISITS, page 13

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❘ Destinations

13 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

VISITS, from page 12 on Road 3-13 about 20 miles to Plush. From Plush, the well-signed road makes a series of 45-degree angle right and left turns to the base of Hart Mountain. About 9-plus miles from Plush watch for a small DeGarmo Canyon sign and go a half-mile on the dirt road (right at 0.2 of a mile and left at 0.3 of a mile) to the parking area. People in low-clearance vehicles may choose to park along the road.

❙ Symbol Bridge LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT

It’s a walk in time. The distance from the parking area to Symbol Bridge, an open collapse notable for its array of pictographs at Lava Beds National Monument, is about three-quarters of a mile but the sights at Symbol Bridge were created as long as 1,500 years ago. Just what the symbols represent is unknown as is the history of the people who made them. Unusually, some of the pictographs painted onto smooth basalt surfaces are black while others are white. Research indicates

the white images were made with clay mixed with water or spit, while the black images were mixtures of animal fat and charcoal. Scientific dating techniques done on organic substances in the paint were used to determine the age of the pictographs, which park rangers say vary in age from 400 to 1,500 years. In addition to studying the paint, dating also is based on images. Horses, for example, were introduced by early pioneers and settlers and not used by early American Indians. Pictographs are sometimes confused with petroglyphs, which are images carved or pecked into rock. Petroglyph Point, located elsewhere in the park, which was an island in Tule Lake before the lake was drained for agricultural use nearly 100 years ago. It’s the best place to view carved rock images. More than 5,000 individual carvings are found on the walls, which were fenced off in the 1930s because of extensive vandalism. Rangers say geometric patterns dominate the rock art found at Lava Beds, although human, animal and other natural figures are sometimes represented. At Symbol Bridge, the range of images is fascinating. Some

look like Japanese figures, others like suns with rays pointing down. Along with Symbol Bridge, explore neighboring Big Painted Cave, which also has pictographs. Interpretive signs provide information about the rock images.

If You Go To reach the trail to Symbol Bridge, from the park visitor center drive north on the main park road about 2 miles to the Skull Cave Road, Turn right and follow the road to the first parking area and trailhead.

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❘ Culture

15 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Ross Ragland

Theater

COUNTY CULTURE By ALEX POWERS H&N Staff Reporter

Community theater brings together a dichotomy of tastes A

fter about a year and a half on the job, executive director Mark McCrary is still trying to process the dichotomy of the Ross Ragland Theater’s most popular programs — live country shows and locally produced Broadway plays. “Those really are the two standouts I hear the most about,” he said. “I’m still trying to process it.” While they’re not seemingly mutually exclusive genres of entertainment, they do simultaneously demonstrate theatergo-

Ready, set, go: Volunteer Phyllis Fairies moves props from the Ross Ragland Theater on Sept. 11. H&N photo by Alex Powers

ers’ values, McCrary said. “Klamath is an extremely family oriented town,” he said. A community theater in a relatively limited market, the Ragland is charged with providing a season that appeals to a wide variety of interests. McCrary said the theater’s approximately 20-member programming committee must set a balanced season, or risk alienating part of the Ragland’s audience. Although deluged with mailers, invitations to artist showcases and

online samplings from performing artists, the group each year manages to vet options in subcommittees for country, rock and pop, jazz, Broadway and big band music, among others, before nailing down a widely varied season. This year’s lineup stretches the traditional Ragland season, adding a comedy show and indie rock band among many others. “You never want one person to dictate the cultural taste of the community,” McCrary said. The theater unveiled its 2012-13 season in June, chock full of fam-

Choices: Ross Ragland Theater executive director Mark McCrary says there is a dichotomy of tastes in the Basin’s theater audience.

Spotlight: Lighting director John Griffin adjusts a bar of lights on Sept. 11 at the Ross Ragland Theater.

At the controls: Chords and control panels cover walls backstage at the Ross Ragland Theater on Sept. 11.

H&N photo by Alex Powers

H&N file photo by Andrew Mariman

ily shows theater officials hope will appeal to that country- and Broadway-loving audience without relying too heavily on rompin’ stompin’ western shows or classic musicals.

However, McCrary said, the theater too is working on a second series, one of local productions and artist showcases offered in the theater’s cultural center. The shows, yet to be announced, would supplement the season in the main theater. See THEATER, page 16

❘ Culture

16 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

THEATER, from page 15 In past years, holiday and spring musicals produced by the theater have been some of the Ragland’s bestattended shows, directors say. The executive director hinted audiences at second-series shows could see more musicals and more local bands, where in the main theater “you have to be really careful,” he said. McCrary said the theater will be dabbling in community competition, pairing local celebrities with a professional ballroom dance company from Utah for “Dancing With Your Stars” that hits the stage in May. The show is based loosely on the popular reality TV series “Dancing With The Stars.” Some Oregon communities have seen success with local singing and dancing competition. In Klamath Falls, “Klamath’s Got Talent” has attracted audiences to an “American Idol”-esque local competition at Oregon Institute of Technology. “That’s why I wanted to test the waters,” McCrary said. See THEATER, page 17

2012-13: A season of variety The Ross Ragland Theater unveiled its 2012-13 season in June, full of community productions, fundraiser dinners and performances from the Eugene Ballet Company Klamath Falls has come to expect from its premiere live theater. But theatergoers will see a few irregularities this year, including a comedy show and performance from a Canadian indie rock band. In Pow Wow Comedy Jam, which hits the stage at the Ragland on Nov. 15, comedian Marc Yafee makes light of his efforts to discover his Native American heritage, taking what in some ways is a very narrow topic and turning it into a widely relatable — and hilarious — routine, said theater executive director Mark McCrary. The theater usually stays away from comedy, he said, but he kept coming back to Yafee’s routines on YouTube.

“I figure if I’m laughing the third time after seeing the same set, then maybe there’s something here,” he said. The theater also brings Canadian indie rock band The Matinee to the stage in April, where most of the theater’s live music tends to be Broadway, big band, classic rock or country. “We wanted to stretch things a little bit,” McCrary said. “They had a really excellent sound and just dropped a CD.” Drawing on the popularity of competitive reality TV, theater officials anticipate Cirque Zuma Zuma will be a hit with local audiences in January. The program rose to prominence following appearances on “America’s Got Talent,” and sellout shows across Europe and Australia. “That should be a really fun family show,” McCrary said.

Ross Ragland Theater 2012-13 season lineup ◗ Ragland Classical Series: Tien Hsieh — Oct. 13 ◗ Christian rock artist Ryan Stevenson — Oct. 25 ◗ United States Air Force Band of the Golden West: The Commanders — Nov. 9 ◗ Pow Wow Comedy Jam — Nov. 15 ◗ The Nutcracker — Dec. 1 ◗ The Esquire Jazz Orchestra — Dec. 8 ◗ Holiday community production, “Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical” — Dec. 13 -16 ◗ John Denver Tribute with Ted Vigil — Dec. 22 ◗ Cirque Zuma Zuma — Jan. 25 ◗ Ragland Classical Series: Dan Kocurek and Christine Eggert — Feb. 2 ◗ Story teller and song writer Norman Foote — Feb. 28 ◗ Ragland Classical Series: Classical Jam — March 8 ◗ Musical group, The Matinee — April 6 ◗ Harpist Anna Maria Mendieta — April 13 ◗ Ragland Classical Series: High School Honors Recital — April 14 ◗ Pirates of Penzance — May 7 ◗ Dancing With Your Stars — May 17

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17 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

THEATER, from page 16

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Ross Ragland Theater Guild volunteers Volunteers love their local theater so much they don’t just give time to the Ross Ragland, taking tickets, ushering audiences to their seats and working concessions, said one organizer, but pay to do it. Ross Ragland Theater Guild volunteer coordinator Bonnie Sims said on Sept. 11 that volunteers were at their annual low point, numbering 70 before the guild headed into its annual volunteer drive that night. Throughout the year, volunteers — what the guild calls its active members — averaging 70 to 80, work around the theater doing anything from feeding artists to selling merchandise or painting props, and pay $20 each year to do so. “They have a love for the arts and want to help,” Sims said. Shadow members, those who donate money but don’t labor, pay $40 for memberships to help build up the guild’s coffers. When they have the money, the guild can help complete requests from the theater, most recently for new mats, backstage curtains and assistance funding for a new air conditioning system, Sims said. Otherwise, the guild is organizing fundraisers. “If we’ve got it in our treasury, we’ll help them out,” she said. Call Sims at 541-884-0651, ext. 18 for more information about the guild.

Theater history A community theater that began with community collaboration in the 1980s, the Ross Ragland has become a staple of local arts and entertainment known as a venue for occasional high-profile acts and community productions. Heavy-hitters including JeldWen, Meyer Charitable Trust, Weyerhaeuser foundations and Modoc Lumber footed most the funding on a $2 million renovation project that turned the 1940 Art Deco-styled cinema, previously the Esquire Theater, into a performing arts center. The project came close to failure in 1987 when the building’s owner had decided to demolish the theater. But the Ladies Community Lounge League purchased the building, donated it, and renovations began later that year. The Ross Ragland opened its doors in 1989 with a local production of “The Music Man” and today is a nonprofit corporation.

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Making a difference VOLUNTEERISM: A talent for serving others By RAMONA DeNIES H&N Staff Reporter

Volunteerism is alive and well in the Klamath Basin. From knitting for the needy to sharing a good book with a child, these three local organizations transform simple acts into a better world. ❙ Charity in Stitches ❙ Lapghans, baby booties, warm wool hats and mittens. Weekly knitting group Charity in Stitches makes these items by the bagful, and gives them all away. Among the organizations that have received the group’s handiwork are Pelican Pointe Assisted Living Community, Klamath Crisis Center, Sky Lakes Medical Center pediatrics, the Soroptimists Community Baby Shower and the Dewey Powell Chapter No. 12-Disabled American Veterans. On Wednesdays at 1 p.m., most of those clinking needles around the coffee table at Laize-Dayz Yarn & Tea Shoppe are ladies. But one regular is Carmine Filice, the husband of group founder Kay Filice, both of Merrill. On a recent Wednesday, Carmine rested a mauvish afghan in his lap — a project for a relative with stage three cancer — while recounting stitches. “I taught my husband how to knit, so he’s been coming to the group,” said Kay Filice, who coordinated weekly meetings at the Klamath County Library before the

group found their current home at Laize-Dayz. Retired and on a fixed income, Kay said she and Carmine — like many members of the knitting group — now have more time for volunteering but less leeway for charitable giving. “We can’t do what we used to, with prices going up, and this is something we can do at home and still give to the community. It’s also a

nice little social gathering,” Kay said. Highly visible on Wednesdays inside the cozy store, the dexterous members of Charity in Stitches are sometimes fueled by surprise yarn donations from shoppers — which Kay says are always welcome. “This year at the Soroptimists, they had to get out an extra table for us — and we covered that table, two feet deep in items,” Kay said. See VOLUNTEERISM, page 20

‘We can’t do what we used to, with prices going up, and this is something we can do at home and still give to the community.’ — Kay Filice, Charity in Stitches

Comforting touch: Charity in Stitches members meet weekly at Laize-Dayz Yarn & Tea Shoppe to create knitted items for the needy. Carmine Filice, above, is knitting an afghan for a cancer patient. H&N photos by Ramona DeNies

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20 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

VOLUNTEERISM, from page 19

❙ Read out loud: Start

Making A Reader Today ❙ The kids passing Chuck Brandsness give him hugs, high-fives, or holler his name. Standing next to the Start Making A Reader Today reading tree, just inside the entrance to Fairview Elementary, the 76-year-old retiree beams. The love is not limited to Fairview, though. After eight years as a volunteer with SMART, Brandsness is a local reading celebrity for many. “You don’t know how good it makes me feel to walk down Main Street and have a kid come up and give me a hug,” Brandsness said. It’s great that the kids like Chuck so much. Come Oct. 15, they’ll be seeing a lot of him — as well as the 50-plus reader volunteers he’ll be supervising as site coordinator for the SMART program at Fairview. See VOLUNTEERISM, page 21

H&N photo by Ramona DeNies

A good story: Start Making A Reader Today volunteer and site coordinator Chuck Brandsness is recruiting readers for this year’s program, which starts Oct. 15.

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21 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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At the beginning: Start Making A Reader Today volunteer and site coordinator Chuck Brandsness believes he could have been helped by a program like SMART when he was a child.

VOLUNTEERISM, from page 20 SMART is a volunteer-based nonprofit that has worked to nurture a love of reading in Klamath County area youngsters for more than 20 years. Paired with vetted adult reader volunteers, children selected

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23 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

VOLUNTEERISM, from page 21 “The theory behind SMART is if you can get a kid to read up to standard by the time they reach third grade, then they will finish school,” Brandsness said. Serving preschool through third grade students in 21 area sites, the SMART program is currently gearing up for the new school year, with Brandsness actively recruiting reader volunteers. “All the schools are short on readers. Half an hour to an hour a week is all we’re asking. And since we have a lot of kids from one-parent families, we are looking for men — that influence is very important,” Brandsness said. According to Fairview principal Tony Swan, in addition to precious self-directed reading time, the one-on-one attention from an adult role model is a key benefit of the program. “And the volunteers love it. They know they’ve got half and hour every week to build that relationship, so it’s attainable,” Swan said. For Brandsness, the value of the SMART program goes beyond adult role models and early literacy. Through that one weekly interaction, a caring, committed adult can boost a child’s confidence and improve a range of skills, not just reading. H&N photo by Ramona DeNies “When I was small, I had a speech impediment. Sharing the crop: Friends Church Garden volunteer If I’d had something like the SMART program back Ken Magee checks on the group’s cabbage crop. The then, I probably would have progressed a lot faster,” Brandsness said. garden produces food for the church’s food pantry.

❙ Feeding the hungry ❙ Ken Magee hopped over rows of spent cabbage to a giant head, the size of a volleyball, nestled among the blue-green leaves. He picked roma and yellow pear tomatoes. He nudged an acorn squash with his foot and twisted a giant white pattypan off the vine. So when Magee said he spends three hours a week in the Friends Church Garden, fellow volunteer Molly O’Shaughnessy raised an eyebrow. “I’d say he’s being modest. He just doesn’t like thinking it’s work,” O’Shaughnessy said. Magee and O’Shaughnessy are among the lead volunteers that produce the impressive organic vegetable garden that for the past five years has expanded across the property next to Friends Church at 1910 Oregon Ave.

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24 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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H&N photo by Ramona DeNies

Now and later: Friends Church pantry garden volunteer Molly O’Shaughnessy shows off a giant sunflower bursting with seeds for later eating and replanting.

VOLUNTEERISM, from page 23

3 0

The abundant brassicas, squashes, herbs, fruits, and greens grown here are for emergency food boxes across town — most notably the 939 boxes given out right here last year, at the Friends Church Food Pantry, open the last two Tuesdays of each month. “For our pantry clients, our produce is generally gone within half an hour. People are so thrilled to be getting fresh, local produce. Many can’t afford it in the stores,” said Pastor Faith Marsalli. For volunteers like Magee and O’Shaughnessy, the appeal of providing healthy food to hungry people — like the more than 3,200 served here last year — dovetails perfectly with a lifelong

love of gardening. In between an intense medical career that has taken him to crisis zones across the globe, Magee, a farm kid from the Willamette Valley, said he’s “gardened whenever I had a chance, ever since I was a kid.” For Molly, growing vegetables allows her to help others while helping herself. “I like to garden — it’s very therapeutic for me, seeing things grow,” O’Shaughnessy said. Molly’s enthusiasm breeds ideas for ways to extend the church’s food relief work. A current vision is to build raised beds in the current food pantry parking lot, forming a community garden for nearby families in need. See VOLUNTEERISM, page 25

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25 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Finding your volunteer niche Knitting, reading and gardening are only three of the ways Klamath area residents are turning personal skills into public service. Below are just a few programs that could use your support. For additional ideas on ways to make a difference, contact the United Way at 541-882-5558.

Charity in Stitches Founder Kay Filice invites interested charity knitters to stop by the group’s weekly meeting, from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, at Laize-Dayz Yarn & Tea Shoppe at 2617 Pershing Way in Klamath Falls.

Habitat for Humanity Among the volunteer services that this home-building nonprofit seeks: individuals who can help with church relations, family support, public relations and special events. A volunteer application form is available online at www.klamathbasinhfh.org.

H&N photo by Ramona DeNies

Boxing day: Knee-deep in yellow pear tomatoes, pantry garden volunteer Burt Clark harvests produce for emergency food boxes distributed through the Friends Church at 1910 Oregon Ave.

Klamath Falls Friends Pantry Garden Pastor Faith Marsalli is happy to help gardeners find a way to flex their green thumbs. Contact her at 541-882-7816.

Klamath Hospice From providing companionship to a person facing a life-threatening illness, to recording their life story, there are many ways to help at Klamath Hospice. To learn more, contact Tara Garlock at 541-882-2902 or tgarlock@klamathhospice.org.

Klamath-Lake Counties Food Bank

VOLUNTEERISM, from page 24 “It’s that ‘teach a man to fish’ concept,” said O’Shaughnessy, who said vegetable gardening classes would accompany membership in the community garden. Pastor Marsalli said today’s growing food insecurity calls for

Executive Director Niki Sampson said she received a very welcome 28,000 pounds of produce from Rotary First Harvest last year. But with record demand for food boxes, veggies aren’t the only thing local food pantries need. Visit klamathfoodbank.org/help.htm for more ideas.

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COMMUNITY ROOTS

Growing potatoes in the Basin from generation to generation

Sam Wong came to America from China and was determined to grow potatoes. He tried in several places in California and Nevada before finding the right place: the Klamath Basin. Today his grandson, Dan Chin, carries on with his own passion for potatoes and revels in the advantages the Klamath Basin give his crop. The Basin’s short 80- to 100day growing season is just right for potatoes. It’s long enough for the crop to mature, but short enough that pests and diseases

don’t get a foothold. The warm days and cool nights also lend to good potato growth, said Brian Charlton, cropping system specialist with Oregon State University’s Klamath Basin Research and Extension Center. “You get a lot of people that complain about our frequent freeze events and the short growing season,” Charlton said, “but all that blends well to potato production.” During long summer days, the potato plants generate carbohydrates by pulling the sun’s energy

with photosynthesis. During those cool nights the plant transfers the carbs to potatoes as starch. The high elevation and soil lend themselves to growing potatoes, too, Chin said. All these things factor into better flavor, texture, appearance and aroma. They’re so great, Wong Potatoes won the gold award from the Oregon Potato Commission for its specialty and red potatoes in 2011.

What’s in a name? The “netted gem” was the nickname for the Russet Burbank potato. Though it is still the most-widely planted potato in the U.S., it was once known as a Klamath variety: the Klamath gem. It was so well known, the local baseball team was named after it.

By SAMANTHA TIPLER

Crop check-up: Dan Chin, third-generation owner of Wong Potatoes, checks on the September crop of Yukon gold potatoes in one of his fields outside Merrill. A potato bulker harvests the field, pulling potatoes from four rows at a time.

H&N Staff Reporter

H&N photo by Samantha Tipler

See POTATO, page 27

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POTATO, from page 26 “Customers like the quality of Klamath potatoes,” Chin said. “That’s one thing we can hang our hat on. People that buy our potatoes like to come back and get these potatoes.”

❙ Evolving business ❙ Chin took over for his father, George Chin. Under the younger Chin’s leadership, Wong Potatoes has diversified to include 17 varieties including reds, yellows, purples, Russets and fingerlings. It also produces organic crops which can translate to higher profits and a less fluctuating market. Each year Wong potatoes packages about 60 million pounds of potatoes.

“We are pretty proud of what our family has done, what we’re trying to do in the future,” Chin said. “Taking the experience of what my grandfather and father did and making it better. We’re evolving with change and it’s been good.”

❙ Potato history ❙ Twenty years ago there were 30,000 acres of fresh potatoes growing in the Klamath Basin. Chin estimates there were 30 packing sheds. Today, Chin estimates there are 7,500 acres of fresh potatoes in the Basin with four packing sheds. “Fresh potatoes are a supply and demand commodity,” Chin said. There were variations in the market and a lot of farmers lost money when prices were low. They got out of growing fresh potatoes,

Photo by Russell Lee, Library of Congress

In the bag: Potatoes are weighed and sewn into burlap sacks in this photo from the 1941 potato harvest in Klamath County.

or changed to another option. Fresh potatoes are different from potatoes meant for potato chips, or for freezing. Today there are about 6,000 acres of chip potatoes grown in the Basin.

In the past about 2,000 to 2,500 acres were used for seed potatoes. Now Chin estimates that is down to about 1,000 acres. See POTATO, page 28

SCRAPING FOR GAS MONEY? H&N photo by Samantha Tipler

Beyond the Basin: Workers at Wong Potatoes sort out any unsuitable potatoes from a crop of Colorado rose potatoes from Washington. Wong Potatoes employs about 110 people.

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28 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

KLAMATH BASIN POTATO FESTIVAL

H&N photo by Samantha Tipler

From field to storage: Workers load Yukon gold potatoes into a storage facility for Wong Potatoes near Merrill.

POTATO, from page 27

❙ Economic impact ❙ “Potatoes are real important in this Basin,” Chin said. “People know Klamath from the name Klamath potato. The name associates it.” Today the potato industry makes up a supporting piece of the Klamath Basin’s economy. Wong Potatoes employs about

110 full- and part-time workers every year. Money Chin makes he spends on tractors, farm equipment and supplies for his business. “I believe they really are big to the economy,” Chin said. “That helps put money back in the local economy.” Charlton estimates potatoes make up a $30 million commodity for the Basin. stipler@heraldandnews.com

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❘ Country Living

29 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

The Long Drive Home Dawn. The sun oozes over the horizon and leaks under the brim of a cowboy hat covering the eyes of a man slumbering under the open sky. Hard-faced and unshaven, the man wakes with a start. Last night’s baked beans and bacon are encrusted on the cast iron skillet lying on the still-smoldering campfire. A horse is tied to a juniper tree, dutifully awaiting its master’s call. The man secures his lasso, sets his leather chaps and checks the rounds in his six-shooter. It’s done quickly, efficiently, with the assurance borne from a life on the trail. The daylight is burning, after all. And there are cattle to drive. By ANDREW CREASEY H&N Staff Reporter

Few Basin area ranchers still bring cattle in the old-fashioned way — on horseback For many, this may be the scene still associated with a rancher’s annual cattle drive, but the modern version of the ritual is growing farther from its roots. Today, “drive” is the operative word, as ranchers are increasingly switching out four-legged horses for four-wheelers and semi-trucks. There are a few ranchers, like Lucky Ackley, who still run their drives on horseback, the old-fashioned way. But it’s not to

cling to some woebegone cowboy lifestyle loyalty; it’s because there’s no other option. “Our country is so rough. That’s the only way you can get around,” Ackley said. “You can ride a four-wheeler out there, but it would beat you to death.” But still, much of Ackley’s cattle drive conforms with expectations. He wakes up at four in the morning to start his work before the heat starts. See DRIVE, page 30

‘OUR COUNTRY IS SO ROUGH. THAT’S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET AROUND. YOU CAN RIDE A FOUR-WHEELER OUT THERE, BUT IT WOULD BEAT YOU TO DEATH’ — Lucky Ackley, Modoc County rancher — Coming home: Lucky Ackley stands in a pasture area on his Modoc County ranch. Most of Ackley’s cattle are still on grazing lands miles away. In October, Ackley will drive them back to the ranch by horseback. H&N photo by Andrew Creasey

❘ Country Living

30 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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Ranchers’ profits and losses can be at the mercy of the grazing season Like most in the agriculture industry, ranchers’ profit margins, in large part, are subject to the whims of Mother Nature. Heavy spring rains, or a lack thereof, can be the beginning, or the end, of a successful grazing season. And for Ackley, Mother Nature has not been cooperating lately. “The water outlook has been poor. We’re dry. The grass was minimum,” Ackley said. “We had some decent spring rains that kind

of brought grass up, but it’s nowhere near what it should be.” With the amount of grass decreasing, Ackley was forced to wait 15 extra days to take the cattle out to graze. And he will likely bring them in 15 days early in October, he said. That’s 30 days when Ackley has to pay for the hay to feed cattle that would usually be blissfully chomping the free food outside his ranch. See GRAZING, page 31

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DRIVE, from page 29 “After lunch it gets so hot that the cows won’t move,” Ackley said. In all, Ackley has 500 cow-calf pairs to move, as well as 30 bulls. His range spans 13 miles south from his ranch in Modoc County, and runs 20 miles from east to west. It’s a lot of land to cover, but the freedom is good for the animals, that are able to avoid the packed confines of feed lots and pasturelands. The strategy of the drive is simple: Rustle up 10 to 15 riders, arrange them in a line, and start pushing the cattle toward the gate of the pen. With the land choked with brush and juniper trees, you never really see the animals, Ackley said.

You just cause a ruckus and hear the cattle move through the vegetation. Particular attention must be paid to the bulls. “Bulls will hide under a tree because they’re lazy and stay out of the sun,” Ackley said. While there will be some stragglers, most of the cattle are familiar with the drive routine — Ackley will usually keep an animal for seven years — and they know when it’s time to leave and which way to go. “Our cows are so trained, once you get them pointed in a direction and get them moving, they know where they’re going,” Ackley said. “Most cows do, if they’re home raised.” See DRIVE, page 31

❘ Country Living

31 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

GRAZING, from page 30 And it’s not cheap. It takes 30 tons of hay a day to feed his herd, Ackley said. Hay costs $150 per ton. Do the math and that 30 days off the range will cost Ackley $135,000. And the persistent dry season heightens the danger of the greatest threat on ranchers: wildfire. Ackley said he knows three ranchers who lost their land due to the Barry Point fire that burned 93,000 acres southwest of Lakeview. Once that land is burned, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management rules dictate ranchers must stay off the land for three years to let it heal, Ackley said. And with the amount of dry tinder filling the mostly untreated public lands, the fires burn hot and can render five inches of the soil sterile, Ackley said. “When the fires burn, there’s nothing left. It’s devastating,” Ackley said, who had firsthand experience with these wildfires when he spent more than a week this summer fighting the Rush fire in Northern California. When a rancher loses their graz-

ing land, they have no choice but to sell their herd at the auction yard, Ackley said. “If that happens to a rancher, they don’t recover from that,” Ackley said. “You sell your whole cow herd, which has taken your entire life to build up. They’re your cows, they know how to take care of themselves on your specific range.” After the taxes are taken out of the rancher’s big payday from the auction yard, and with the steadily increasing cost of beef, they are often left with the capacity to only buy 25 percent of their herd back when their grazing lands are available again, Ackley said. The number of cattle in the country is at its lowest level since 1958, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Yet, the nation’s demand for beef has hardly waned, according to a study by Oklahoma State University. While this means ranchers are selling their cows at a price, it also means the cost of a calf has increased, Ackley said. “That’s why replacement costs are so high,” Ackley said. “When your range burns out, you’re done.”

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ONCE THE CATTLE ARE READY TO MOVE ON, IT’S A THREE OR FOUR DAY PROCESS TO DRIVE THEM BACK TO THE RANCH. AND IT’S ALWAYS ON HORSEBACK.

‘YOU CAN’T ROPE A COW OFF A FOUR WHEELER.’ — Lucky Ackley, Modoc County rancher —

Sale good until November 1, 2012 DRIVE, from page 30 The cattle also will let them know when it’s time to leave. Ackley’s grazing land is on federal property, and the government mandates that Ackley must leave 50 percent of the grass untouched so it can be used by wildlife. And while Ackley doesn’t have an official way to gauge the amount of land his animals have eaten, the cattle can be outspoken. “You can drive out there every

day, and they won’t even look at you,” Ackley said. “But when you drive out there when they’re ready to leave, they’ll start bawling at you and chasing the truck around, or run to the next gate.” Once the cattle are ready to move on, it’s a three or four day process to drive them back to the ranch. And it’s always on horseback. “You can’t rope a cow off a four wheeler,” Ackley said. acreasey@heraldandnews.com

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❘ Country Living

32 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Walking is an easy, cost-free way to lose weight and significantly improve your overall health. You don’t need a treadmill or a trainer — just a little commitment, some creativity, and the world around you. Sky Lakes Medical Center is challenging every Southern Oregon resident to get into better shape by trying to walk 10,000 steps per day. Walk with a friend at lunchtime, park at the back of the parking lot, or take the stairs. Find little ways to walk farther each day and start stepping towards your goal for improved health. It’s closer than you think.

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❘ Home & Garden

33 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

FORCED

To Bloom

In the bleak months of winter, having fresh flowers growing in the house can lift spirits — a colorful harbinger of spring before bulbs in the ground even peek through the soil.

Coaxing other plants, like poinsettias and amaryllis, to bloom a second year or encouraging a “Christmas” cactus to produce its trumpets of pink or scarlet blooms can be accomplished, as with bulbs, by providing the right environment at the right time. Early October is the time to start the process so the plants have their period of “rest” before being moved to direct light and warmth to stimulate flowering during the holidays. Start later for color in those grey days of January into March. Master Gardeners at the Oregon State University Extension office shared information about those “short-day plants” suitable for forcing or encouraging blooms because they don’t need as much light compared to other flowering plants. They referenced their gardener’s handbook, a text they use when they take the Master Gardeners class. See BLOOM, page 34

By LEE BEACH

Seasonal color: This poinsettia at Cordy Starr’s home has been in a cool, shady hallway since the holidays and is already showing the first color of the season.

H&N Staff Reporter

H&N photo by Lee Beach

❘ Home & Garden

34 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

BLOOM, from page 33

Holiday cacti Christmas cactus will bloom if given long uninterrupted dark periods, about 12 hours each night. Begin the dark treatments in about mid-October to early November, according to Bernie Johnson, owner of Mountain Valley Gardens, to have plants in full bloom by the holidays. You can place the plants in a dark closet or cover to completely block light each night for six to eight weeks or until you see buds forming. Once buds are set, the Christmas cactus needs to be relocated to a sunny, draft-free area. Christmas cacti don’t like to be moved to drafty or cold locations; this will cause buds to drop.

File photo

Christmas cacti also will bloom if they are subjected to cool temperatures of about 50 to 55 degrees, eliminating the need for the dark treatments.

Purdue Gardening News notes that “Christmas cacti will also bloom if they are subjected to cool temperatures of about 50 to 55 degrees, eliminating the need for the dark treatments. Other species of holiday cacti bloom at different times of the year and have slightly different growth habits. “Christmas cacti have scalloped stem segments and bloom at the stem tips. Thanksgiving cacti have two to four pointy teeth along the edges of the sections and will bloom earlier than Christmas cacti if left to natural day-length. Easter cacti have rounded teeth along the segments and bloom primarily in the spring but may also periodically re-bloom at other times of year,” according to Purdue. See BLOOM, page 35

— Purdue Gardening News

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❘ Home & Garden

35 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

BLOOM, from page 34

Forcing Bulbs Bernie Johnson, owner of Mountain Valley Gardens, gave this advice about the bulbs that will be available in September at garden and home improvement centers. Three of the varieties she finds easiest to force are hyacinth, paperwhite/narcissus and amaryllis. Other bulbs that can be forced, according to Hillary Rinaldi of Gardener Writers Association are: crocus, fritillaria, muscari, oxalis,

Poinsettia ‘blooms’ Poinsettias’ bright red foliage is just that; the leaves that turn red (or other colors) are specialized leaves and are called bracts. Tiny yellow flowers actually form at the center of the leaf branches. In late spring, the holiday poinsettia can be cut back and repotted and in summer, put outside in a protected sunny area. Water and fertilize. Master Gardeners at the extension service recommend the following to encourage last year’s poinsettia to develop its colored leaves: Bring it in if it has been outside. Limit watering in September/October, but give enough moisture to keep it alive. Cover or closet the plant no less than 12 hours a day so the plant is in complete darkness at a temperature of about 60 degrees for several weeks. Then, bring it out into direct sunlight at

scillia, regular daffodils and tulips. Hyacinth Bulbs purchased in stores this time of year for planting in the ground have been pre-cooled and are dormant, and they will remain so during the cold of winter planted in the ground. To have them blooming in the dead of winter in the house, keep them cool by refrigerating bulbs between 35 to 40 degrees in a paper bag for 12 to 15 weeks before planting in pots or See BLOOM, page 36

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temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees for the energy to develop its color. Cordy Starr, a long-time Master Gardener, has been keeping her poinsettias inside, watered and fertilized through the summer. One is located in a shady inside hall, and when the days shorten in winter, the hallway is dark, giving it a period of rest. It is already showing some color on one leaf. Another is in a sunroom, enjoying some sun every day, but it will color after the holidays. Starr cut back the tops of these after the holidays, then repotted them in a slightly larger pot. As an example of how important periods of darkness and rest are in encouraging reblooming, Starr told this story: “There is a nursery in Portland that had poinsettias they were preparing to sell during the holiday, and when the holiday came, none of the poinsettias had turned color, although they had been treated the same as always — lights were turned off early evening to morning. What they finally realized was that street lights had been installed alongside their building — giving the plants light through the windows all night long.”

❘ Home & Garden

36 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

❙ Forcing – How does it work? ❙ Basically, when bulbs are being forced, they are being “tricked.” The normal sequence for bulbs starts with a period of dormancy in the ground through winter when it is cold, but roots are being formed. When the ground begins to warm in spring, the bulb “wakes up,” draws on all the “food” stored in its structure to produce sprouts that grow into leaves and stems, ultimately developing buds that flower. By artificially storing bulbs in a cool place (no more than 45 degrees) for 12 to 15 weeks, then bringing them out into the light and planting them in shallow dishes or pots, they simply follow their natural course, grow and bloom.

❙ Choosing your bulbs ❙ For the best results, according to Master Gardeners at the Oregon State University Extension office, choose bulbs that are: Large, firm, unblemished with no evidence of mold or decay, and if they come with a cover (that papery tunic) it should be complete. The term “bulb” is used loosely, because some spring flowers, such as crocuses, are actually corms, and Eranthus, also known as winter aconite, is a tuber. If more than one variety is being planted, look for information from the producer as to whether they are early or late varieties so those planted together bloom at the same time.

AMARYLLIS

BLOOM, from page 35

into warmth and light, you could have blooms in three to four weeks. Master Gardener Cordy Starr believes paperwhite/narcissus are the easiest to force, and she sometimes mixes bulbs in a big pot, putting tulips and daffodils in the bottom and smaller ones like crocuses and paperwhites on top, so just the tips are above soil level. She has had success cooling paperwhites for only about a month in the fridge or outside in a shady, protected area where they won’t freeze.

other containers, timing planting for approximately the month before you would want to be enjoying the blooms. Paperwhites/narcissus As with hyacinth, refrigerate bulbs at between 35 to 40 degrees (not below; they will freeze) in a paper bag for 12 to 15 weeks. The bag can be open slightly to allow air circulation. After planting them in pots and bringing them

Amaryllis

Amaryllis bulbs purchased in late fall and early winter also have been pre-cooled, are dormant and ready to plant, and Bernie Johnson, owner of Mountain Valley Gardens, said they make great holiday gifts. They come with the container and the necessary planting medium. Just follow the directions for planting and watering, and within a few weeks, they will produce spectacular blooms. Keep turning the plant, and stake if necessary as the tall spikes will seek out the sun. After they finish blooming, trim out the flower stalk, water lightly and let the leaves get plenty of sun during the spring and summer to build up the bulb’s strength. To encourage it to bloom again, decide in the fall when you want it to bloom, then let the plant go dormant, watering only occasionally in a cool, dark place. When the foliage dies back, said Johnson, trim it off. After 8 or 10 weeks of cold, take it out of the dark place. If you are using a different container, trim the roots and repot in fresh soil with about one-third of the top of the bulb showing. Place in a warm, sunny spot. She recommends using a diluted fertilizer. “You should have blooms in about six to eight weeks,” she said.

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Planting bulbs for forcing

Master Gardeners at the Extension suggested the following process for planting bulbs for forcing: Choose containers the right size for the bulbs, about six inches deep and six to eight inches across with bottom drain holes. Plant so the bulbs are not touching each other or the sides of the container. Use a potting mix over a layer of pot shards or gravel for drainage. The pointed tops of larger bulbs should be just above soil level. Smaller bulbs like crocuses should be barely but completely covered. If you have room in an extra refrigerator or other cool environment, the bulbs can be potted before the cooling phase. Following that period, bring them out into a location which gets at least eight hours of light at 60 degrees or above. Water well at planting, and thereafter when the surface of the soil seems dry, so the bulbs don’t rot. When sprouts are coming up, keep turning the pot as they seek light, and when they turn green, put them in a sunny window. Bulbs can’t be forced twice, but when they are through blooming, let the tops die down, cut them back and plant the bulbs outside. It may take two years for the bulbs to restore their strength, but they may bloom again.

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❘ Home & Garden

37 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Be prepared: There’s a new baby (puppy) in the house By SHELBY KING H&N Staff Reporter

At home: Herald and News reporter Samantha Tipler plays with her new puppy Gadget. H&N photos by Shelby King

e’ve got puppy fever here in the newsroom.

In early August, my 3-year-old son and I welcomed a 3-monthold Australian shepherd-German shepherd mix named Pinta into our household. It appears my son is going to win the race to be potty trained, but the competition was neck-andneck for a while. On Sept. 4, a fellow reporter, Samantha Tipler, and her husband Eric brought home a 4-month-old boxer-hound mix named Gadget. Samantha hasn’t had her puppy long enough to have anything really ruined (yet) but around my house

I’ve lost a pair of shoes, several kid’s toys, a tent and more than a few food items stolen right out of my son’s hands. “The only things we really did to puppy-proof our house was get a garbage can with a lid and close off the exercise room because the kitty litter box is in there,” Eric said. For Pinta, I didn’t do a lot at first to puppy-proof the house, thinking that if it was 3-year-old resistant, the puppy couldn’t be much worse. I was wrong. See PUPPY, page 39

PINTA

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38 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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❘ Home & Garden

39 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace



PUPPY, from page 37

‘People really need to realize how much attention raising a puppy requires. People think they can just throw them in the backyard and they’ll raise themselves, but it doesn’t work that way.’ — Crystal Gagnon, director Klamath Animal Shelter

          

As a result, I’ve learned to close the bathroom door so she doesn’t eat the contents of the garbage can, close mine and my son’s closets so our shoes are safe and separate the dog from my son when he’s eating lest I have to remake that peanut butter-andjelly sandwich. “It’s also a good idea to move electrical cords out of sight and reach,” said Crystal Gagnon, director of the Klamath Animal Shelter. “Puppies often like to chew on those.” This led me to ask: What could I have done to protect my things and better prepare my house for the arrival of a wiggly,

enthusiastic and endlessly cute puppy? It appears, first of all, I should have thought about whether or not I was ready to commit the time a puppy needs. “People really need to realize how much attention raising a puppy requires,” said Gagnon. “People think they can just throw them in the backyard and they’ll raise themselves, but it doesn’t work that way.” Gagnon compared a puppy to a human infant, saying they take similar amounts of attention from adults. “The time frame isn’t for as long,” she said. “A puppy is only really needy for about six or seven months, but they require nearly as much time out of your day for that period.” See PUPPY, page 41

      

      

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Pup in training: Eleven-week-old Zeus mugs for the camera while owner Erika David holds his leash at a puppy training class held at Double C Dog Training facility.

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40 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Want a puppy? Why not adopt?

H&N photo by Shelby King

Ready to go home: These chihuahua-mix dogs were rescued from a house fire in Dorris that left 23 dogs homeless. They await adoption at the Klamath Animal Shelter.

Some people go in for fancy pure-bred dogs, but there are several homeless animals waiting to find their forever family at the Klamath Animal Shelter on Washburn Way. People surrender their animals for various reasons: The arrival of a new baby, an inability to feed them properly due to financial issues or just finding they don’t have enough time. But whatever the reason, the animal shelter is full of puppies and adult dogs waiting for adoption. A few months ago, said one shelter employee, they took in 23 puppies and adult chihuahua-mix dogs after a house fire left them all homeless. For information on how to adopt from the Klamath Animal Shelter, call 541-884PETS (7387) or stop by their new location at 4240 Washburn Way. The shelter is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Choosing, acclimating and training your puppy Jo Anne Carson from Double-C

Dog Training has some advice for people on how to choose which dog is right for your family, how to prepare your home for its arrival and a few easy tips for training. “Think about your lifestyle and what you’re expecting from your dog,” she said. “If you’re a runner, you’ll want a more active dog than if you lead a more calm lifestyle.” She said there are a few tests you can do to see what type of temperament your puppy has. For instance, Carson said she likes

to have a dog that will follow her around. “When I am choosing a puppy, I would take it to a calm secluded area, set it down and then walk away,” she said. “If the dog turns and walks the other way, that wouldn’t be a dog for me.” After you pick the right dog for your family, Carson said it’s important to be prepared. She suggests having a crate and appropriate chew toys available when you bring your puppy home. “Some people will give their

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puppy an old shoe or slipper to chew on,” she said. “But then get mad at the puppy when it eats their shoes.” She said to make sure to buy good-quality food for the puppy, too, and recommends reading the ingredient list to make sure meat “meal” is at the top of the list. For training, Carson recommends using specific commands and being clear. “The first thing you should teach your puppy is that it needs to come when called,” she said. “This is the

most important thing because it can save the puppy’s life.” Also, don’t use the same command word to mean several things, Carson said. “Don’t say ‘down’ to mean both ‘lay down’ and ‘get off,’” she said. “It will confuse the puppy and make training more difficult.” Carson said to use your new pet’s time as a puppy to your advantage, as they’re forming new habits and are most easily trained during this time.

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❘ Home & Garden

41 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Here is a list of room-by-room tips from the American Humane Association on how to puppy-proof your home:

Kitchens/bathrooms ◗ Use childproof latches to keep little paws from prying open cabinets ◗ Place medications, cleaners, chemicals and laundry supplies on high shelves ◗ Keep trash cans covered or inside a latched cabinet ◗ Check for and block any small spaces, nooks, or holes inside cabinets or behind washer/dryer units ◗ Keep food out of reach (even if the food isn’t harmful, the wrapper could be) ◗ Keep the toilet lid closed to prevent drowning or drinking of harmful cleaning chemicals

Living/family room

H&N photos by Shelby King

Training break: Ed Fallon and his puppy, Jake, listen during a puppy training class at the Double C Dog Training facility.

Puppy care tip: ... and look out for paws, noses and tails when you shut doors behind you or scoot chairs.

◗ Place dangling wires from lamps, video equipment, televisions, stereos, and telephones out of reach ◗ Put away children’s toys and games ◗ Check all those places where your vacuum cleaner doesn’t fit, but your puppy does, for dangerous items, like string ◗ Move common house plants that may be poisonous out of reach. Don’t forget hanging plants that can be jumped onto from nearby surfaces ◗ Make sure all heating/air vents have covers ◗ Put away all sewing and craft notions, especially thread

Garage ◗ Move all chemicals to high shelves or behind secure doors ◗ Clean all antifreeze from the floor and driveway, as one taste can be lethal to animals ◗ Keep all sharp objects and tools out of reach

Bedrooms PUPPY, from page 39 I leave the office at least twice a day to let Pinta out (I’ve got a secured laundry room where she stays during the day without my having to worry about her tearing too much up) for potty breaks, we go on long walks every evening after work and my son and the neighbor dog play with her to help burn off her leftover energy. sking@heraldandnews.com

Ready and waiting: This small dog is waiting for the perfect family to adopt it from the Klamath Animal Shelter.

◗ Keep laundry and shoes behind closed doors (drawstrings and buttons can cause major problems if swallowed) ◗ Keep any medications, lotions or cosmetics off accessible surfaces (like the bedside table) ◗ Move electrical and phone wires out of reach of chewing ◗ Be careful that you don’t close your puppy in closets ◗ And look out for paws, noses and tails when you shut doors behind you or scoot chairs.

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42 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

CHANGING TO A VEGETARIAN DIET

Turning over a new Leaf

Thinking about changing to a vegetarian diet? Research is key By LEE BEACH: H&N Staff Reporter

Becoming a vegetarian — making a change from what has been the standard U.S. diet for many decades — is a decision more people are exploring these days, not lightly, but after much thought, research and experimentation. It requires new ways of thinking about food, trying new foods, learning new ways of cooking those unfamiliar vegetables and other protein sources. Whether you are an adult contemplating this change, or you have a teen who has

Why be a vegetarian? Paula Ann Smith is a dietitian/ nutritionist and certified diabetes educator at Sky Lakes Medical Center. She shared a significant amount of information for this article, and she speaks from experience; she is a vegan (pronounced vee-gan). Vegans won’t touch anything that is made from or with any part of an animal — no meat, fish or fowl; no eggs, cheese, milk or broths from animal sources. Health reasons are of prime importance to her. Eating too much meat, sweets and other animal products contributes to “heart disease, diabetes, many types of cancers, high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” she said. Changing to a vegetarian diet can change or at least control those diagnoses. Smith’s reasons for being a vegan are also personal, including

avoiding animal cruelty. “If you have ever been through a slaughterhouse, you’ll never eat meat again,” she said. For several years after such a visit and reading the book “Diet for a New America,” about the processing of animals raised for food, she became “like Paul McCartney. If it had a face, I wouldn’t eat it.” Another factor she considered is the potential impact on the environment, in her opinion, that stockyards have on the ozone layer. Also, all the grain that is fed to livestock would feed a great many more people in the world than the animal itself. “The only danger to going vegetarian, said Smith, “is not doing it in a healthful manner. You can become a vegetarian and still eat poorly. Do your research before you jump in.”

RECIPES: Grilled Eggplant, Mushroom Quesadilla, Page 44

come home declaring herself suddenly to be a vegetarian, there are resources that will help. Start by deciding why making this change is important; this will motivate you when change is a struggle. Define the degree of vegetarian diet which may be suitable in your personal lifestyle and might fit into the family scene when only one member is pursuing it. Experiment with new foods and recipes and make changes gradually; they are more likely to stick.

Eating too much meat, sweets and other animal products contributes to heart disease, diabetes, many types of cancers, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Changing to a vegetarian diet can change or at least control those diagnoses. — Paula Ann Smith Sky Lakes Medical Center dietitian/nutritionist

Types of vegetarian diets The term vegetarian encompasses degrees of strictness in eating or excluding animal meats or animal products. The least restrictive is the person who does not eat red meat. Another type of vegetarian will eat fish. A “lacto-ova vegetarian”

will eat milk and eggs and sometimes cheese. The vegan won’t touch any of those, except possibly, “milk and eggs or cheeses if they are made without killing an animal,” said Smith. See VEGETARIAN, page 44

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43 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

VEGETARIAN DIET PYRAMID

Online resources: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website, www.eatright.org, is recommended by dietitians at Sky Lakes Medical Center. It has information available about being a healthy vegetarian and meal ideas to use when getting started. Under the Public tab on the home page, a drop-down box includes “Food and Nutrition Topics — Vegetarian Lifestyle.” Other helpful websites include www.myplate.gov and the Diabetes Association website, www.diabetes.org.

Eggs and Sweets

WEEKLY

Egg Whites, Soy and Nuts Dairy Plant & Seeds Oils

DAILY

Whole Grains Fruits & Vegetables

Legumes & Beans

AT EVERY MEAL

Based on information from the Mayo Clinic

OUR CARE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

An Oregon Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation

❘ Cuisine

44 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

VEGETARIAN, from page 42

Healthful or harmful? All of the food groups (except dairy) have foods in them that are vegan, so it can be a healthy way to eat. The Mayo Clinic offers a vegetarian’s food pyramid on its website, much like the USDA previously used (see a representation on page 43). Grains form the base; then legumes, nuts and other protein-rich foods; vegetables; fruits, and last and least: fats. Food substitutions that can be made for essential nutrients include: For calcium: dark green vegetables, such as turnip and collard greens, kale and broccoli, calcium-enriched and fortified products, including juices, cereals, soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu, are other options. For iodine, just 1/4 tsp. of iodized salt provides a significant amount of iodine. Iron : Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark, leafy green vegetables and dried fruit are good sources of iron. To help the body absorb iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C at the same time. Omega-3 fatty acids: Canola oil, soy oil, walnuts, ground flaxseed and soybeans are good sources of essential fatty acids. Protein: Eggs and dairy products are good sources, and you don’t need to eat large amounts. Plant sources include soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains. One cautionary note: Smith said to be sure not to become B12 deficient. B12 shots are available if the family physician feels they are necessary for the individual. Also called cobalamin, it is important for maintaining a healthy metabolism and central nervous system. It is present in many foods, including eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish, milk and fortified cereals.

Is it all or nothing?

Even if you don’t follow a vegetarian diet every day, there are definite benefits from preparing vegetarian meals a couple days a week. “You are eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains,” said Smith. “How can you go wrong with that?” It isn’t necessary to cook a separate meal for the vegetarian in the family. Simply replace the meat with beans or vegetarian-style soy products. If care is being taken to see that all the food groups and their nutrients are represented, everyone in the family is getting those vitamins and minerals needed to be able to efficiently digest and utilize the calories they eat, according to Smith. lbeach@heraldandnews.com

Even if you don’t follow a vegetarian diet every day, there are definite benefits from preparing vegetarian meals a couple days a week. Grilled Eggplant

This is a vegetarian appetizer Sky Lakes Medical Center dietitian and nutritionist Pamela Sue Smith enjoys.

1 eggplant 1 or 2 tomatoes Peanut butter or tahini (sesame butter) Oregano (fresh diced or dried) Swiss, provolone or soy cheese

Mushroom Quesadilla 1/2 cup prepared barbecue sauce 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, (see note), minced, or 1/4 tsp. ground chipotle pepper 1 Tbsp. plus 2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided 1 pound portobello mushroom caps, (about five medium), gills removed, diced 1 medium onion, finely diced 4 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Slice the eggplant and tomatoes. Spread the eggplant with peanut butter or tahini. Place the slice of tomato on top. Sprinkle with oregano. Set a slice of cheese on top, or leave it off. Broil until toasted or cheese is slightly browned.

This smoky mushroom-filled quesadilla is reminiscent of pulled pork. A touch of chipotle chili pepper adds extra heat. Serve with coleslaw and guacamole. Combine barbecue sauce, tomato paste, vinegar and chipotle in a medium bowl. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until the onion and mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the barbecue sauce; stir to combine. Wipe out the pan. Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread 3 Tbsp. cheese on half of each tortilla and top with one-fourth (about 1/2 cup) of the filling. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten. Heat 1 tsp. oil in the pan, over medium heat. Add two quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 1 tsp. oil and quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve. Source: www.eatingwell.com

Quick and Easy Vegan Chocolate Banana Dessert Process in a blender or food processor: one banana, 2 cups silken (soft) tofu, 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Chill for at least one hour.

Serve topped with fresh, sliced strawberries or other fruit. Source: vegetarian.about.com/od/qu

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45 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

It’s the season for simmering goodness

hen the crisp coolness of fall creeps into each diminishing day, a bowl of steaming, hearty soup with warm, crusty breadsticks will lure the family to the table. With the aroma of vegetables, spices, stock and bread — it’s comfort food that’s full of flavor and beneficial ingredients. Soup is a great way to use the fresh bounty of the home garden, farmer’s market or good buys on produce at the grocery store. It can simmer all day in a slow cooker, but it also lends itself to throwing together for a fast, no-guilt nourishing meal using canned vegetables, broth and seasonings. Following are three recipes to welcome fall along with some ways to vary toppings on soups and breadsticks.

Soup’s On!

See SOUP, page 46

By LEE BEACH H&N Staff Reporter

Breadsticks You can make 12 foot-long

breadsticks out of a loaf’s worth of risen dough. Or to save time, thaw frozen bread dough to use. After following recipe directions to prepare the dough, divide dough into 12 parts, form balls and roll into snakes. Place side by side on a greased cookie sheet, allowing room for them to double in girth.

Let rise until a gentle touch makes an indentation that fills in slowly; bake at 325 degrees until lightly brown, usually about 1/2 hour, preferably not near the bottom of the oven. Let them cool somewhat before removing from the sheet. For crisper breadsticks, roll them thinner and bake at a very low heat for as long as an hour. Source: “The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book”

Top ‘em off ... Toppings to make breadsticks interesting, whether you buy or make your own: ◗ Roll breadsticks in sesame or poppy seeds, or if you are adventurous, try caraway or fennel, or more daring: whole cumin seeds, spicy hot. Source: Laurel’s Bread Book ◗ Mix 2 Tbsp. dry parmesan cheese, 1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1 Tbsp. garlic salt,

1 Tbsp. onion powder, 1 Tbsp. oregano. Brush breadsticks with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle topping on, using an empty spice bottle to distribute evenly. Source: www.food.com ◗ Other possibilities include minced garlic, minced onion, cracked pepper, dill weed, coarse kosher salt or shredded cheddar cheese. Melted butter is an alternative to olive oil for brushing on breadsticks to make toppings stick.

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46 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

SOUP, from page 45

Ham and Bean Soup with Vegetables

Garden Soup

1 cup dry navy beans 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds meaty smoked pork hocks or one 1 to 1 1/2-pound meaty ham bone 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup sliced celery 1 Tbsp. instant chicken bouillon granules 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme, or tsp. dried thyme, crushed 1/4 tsp. pepper 2 cups chopped parsnips or rutabaga 1 cup sliced carrots 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 large onion, diced (1 cup) 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 quarts water 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (3 cups) or 1 28-oz. can 1/2 pound green beans, diced 1 medium zucchini, diced 1 potato, diced 1 cup diced leeks 1 cup diced celery 1/4 pound spinach, chopped or 1/2 10-ounce box frozen 3 cloves garlic minced 2 Tbsp. salt 2 tsp. fine herbs Dash pepper 5 ounces vermicelli 1 15-ounce can white or pinto beans 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, grated Saute onion in oil until tender. Add water and vegetables, except canned beans. Add garlic and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered 1/2 hour. Add vermicelli and beans. Cook until vermicelli is tender, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese. Yield: 12 cups

Rinse beans. In a Dutch oven, combine beans and 5 cups cold water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for two minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for one hour. (Or, place beans in water in Dutch oven. Cover and soak beans overnight.) Drain and rinse beans. In same Dutch oven, combine beans and 5 cups of fresh water, pork hocks or ham bone, onion, celery, bouillon granules, parsley, thyme and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 3/4 hours.

Source: “A Taste of Oregon,” Feb. 1982

Thinking beyond the bowl: Soup can be served in natural containers, no washing afterwards, just put them in the compost. For fruit soups, use a halved, hollowed-out melon with scalloped edges; for pumpkin soup, a hollowed-out small pumpkin. Or, remove the top of small round sourdough loaves, hollow out much of the bread (use to make croutons); for seafood soup, use cocktail glasses or wine goblets and hang a shrimp off the side.

Remove pork hocks or ham bone and set aside to cool. Mash beans slightly. Stir parsnips or rutabaga and carrots into bean mixture. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, cut meat off bones and coarsely chop. Discard bones. Stir the chopped meat and the spinach into vegetable mixture. Heat through. Makes four or five servings. Source: Better Homes and Gardens “Easy Everyday Cooking” See SOUP, page 48

Only the pure in heart can make a good soup. — Ludwig van Beethoven

File photo

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47 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Service Directory

TThe heK KlamaTh lamaTh B Basin asin’’ss T Top op Q QualiTy ualiTy aanTiQue nTiQue,,C CrafT rafT & &C ColleCTiBle olleCTiBle m mall all

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Whether you’re a job seeker or an employer, Express Employment Professionals is your local solution. Stop in and visit with us today!

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some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then

(541) 884-5420 1100 Klamath Ave.

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being. We should all expresspros.com Your Challenges. Our Solutions. Whether you’re a job seeker or an employer, Express Employment Professionals is your local solution. Stop in and visit with us today!

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Under NEW Ownership & Operated Still Improving for YOU!

Pet Stylists: burst into flame by

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be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

24 Lanes • Snack Bar Pro Shop • Video Games ~ALBERT SCHWEITZER

541-885-5536 3319 South 6th St

❘ Cuisine

48 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

SOUP, from page 46

Soup toppings

Easy Mulligatawny Soup

Toppings to add flavor and texture to soups: croutons, which can be plain or flavored with herbs, or made from pita or naan cubes or tortilla strips; bacon bits, sunflower kernels, seasoned oyster crackers, sliced green onions or scallions. Source:www.wisebread.com.

2 1/2 cups chicken broth 1 cup chopped apples (2 small) 1 cup chopped carrots (2 medium) 1 cup water 1 7 1/2-ounce can tomatoes, cut up 1/2 cup chopped celery (1 stalk) 1/3 cup uncooked long grain rice 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup raisins 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder 1 tsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper 1/8 tsp. ground mace or nutmeg 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken or turkey

In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, apples, carrots, water, undrained tomatoes, celery, uncooked rice, onion, raisins, parsley, curry powder, lemon juice, pepper and mace or nutmeg. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in the chopped chicken or turkey. Heat through. Makes four servings.

Bagel chips, edible flowers, chopped vegetables for color, such as green or red pepper or avocado; piped mashed potatoes; shredded cheeses such as Monterey Jack or cheddar; salsa, sour cream or yogurt, sliced or slivered almonds and pine nuts are suggested by www.bettycrocker.com.

sier to take a e re a s le b u ro ‘T without.’ with soup than — from an old

Yiddish saying

Source: Better Homes and Gardens “Easy Everyday Cooking”

Seab’s Hardware 115 N. Main St. • PO Box 12 Alturas, CA 96101

Seab’s Electronics Doing business as

115 North Main St. Alturas, CA 96101 530-233-4686

530-233-4686 Fax 530-233-6692 Jason & Jennifer Barcia

Jason & Jennifer Barcia

Locally owned and operated for 25 years

Alturas

FOUR SEASONS SUPPLY CENTER

From foundation to roof, we have everything you need to do the job! We carry Purina feed & Carhartt clothing 304 Court Street Alturas (530) 233-4441 Open Mon-Sat 8am-5:30pm • Sun 9am-3pm

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49 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Anniversary AnniversaryPages Page

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Help these great local businesses celebrate more anniversaries... SHOP LOCAL!

50 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

❘ Flora & Fauna of the Klamath Basin ❘ ◗

Townsend’s big-eare d bat ❘

The Townsend’s big-eared bat is perhaps best known for what its name entails: its big ears. The bat’s ears can be as long as an inch and a half. When the bat lays its ears back, the ears reach to the middle of its body, according to the ArizonaSonora Desert Museum’s fact web page about the bats. When the bat hibernates, it curls up its ears so they look like a ram’s horns. In flight the bat’s ears extend forward nearly parallel with its body. The bat has pale gray or brown fur, a wingspan of 12 to 13 inches and weighs between 9 and 14 grams, the museum’s web page said. The Townsend’s big-eared bat is found across western North America, from British Columbia to central Mexico. They eat small moths, but also like flies, lacewings, dung beetles and sawflies. They tend to eat in forested areas and along streams, according to a fact-sheet from Contra Costa County, Calif. The Townsend’s big-eared bat does not migrate. It hibernates in caves with low, stable temperatures. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s bat web page says the number of Townsend’s big-eared bats is declining in Oregon and it is classified as a state sensitive species. Though rare and considered threatened, this species is doing well at Lava Beds National Monument, according to the National Park Service. If you find the bat in a cave, don’t disturb it, ODFW warns.

National Park Service photo

◗

H&N photo by Holly Owens

There are about 10 species of mountain mahogany in the United States, two native to Oregon.

Townsend’s big-eared bat ◗ Ears as long as 1 ½ inches ◗ Wingspan of 12 to 13 inches ◗ Considered a state sensitive species in Oregon ◗ If you find a bat in a cave, leave it alone

Mountain Mahogany ◗ Found in dry areas of southwest and southeast Oregon ◗ Can grow to be 3 feet to 35 feet tall ◗ Two varieties in Oregon: Birchleaf and curl leaf ◗ Most are evergreens, though some may shed old leaves

By SAMANTHA TIPLER: H&N Staff Reporter

Mountain Mahogany ❘

There are about 10 species of mountain mahogany in the United States, two native to Oregon, according to Oregon State University’s “Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest” website. Mountain mahogany can grow anywhere from three feet to 35 feet tall, according to a U.S. Forest Service study on wildfire and the mountain mahogany. It can have one or several trunks and a main trunk can be as large as three feet in diameter. The Oregon species are curl leaf mountain-mahogany and birchleaf mountain-mahogany. Curl leaf has small, narrow, tough and leathery leaves with smooth edges. The leaves curl under and the plant is an evergreen. The birchleaf has small, eggshaped leaves. The leaves’ edges are serrated near the tip but smooth near the base. It is an evergreen, but old leaves may fall off as new leaves emerge, the website said. The mountain mahoganies produce tiny, hard seeds topped with a feathery tail. They can be found in southwest and southeast Oregon’s dry areas. The tree also is known by its scientific name, “Cerocarpus.”

51 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Quintessentials Meet Betty Tyree

By ALEX POWERS H&N Staff Reporter

lthough its council meets once a month and city offices are open just four hours each week, being mayor of Bonanza — one of Oregon’s smallest incorporated communities — is a demanding job.

H&N photo by Alex Powers

About Quintessentials: This Klamath Life series takes a close-up look at one of the personalities from the region who helps shape and make the Basin a great place to live.

Betty Tyree has held the seat for more than 30 years, dedicated to the town that she is proud to say offers anything larger cities do, but on a smaller scale. It has street lights, cityowned utilities, and, she said, most of Bonanza’s streets are paved. That wasn’t quite the case when she took over in 1979, when yards were overgrown with weeds, buildings were abandoned or had fallen into disrepair and most the city streets were gravel. With the exception of a two-year interlude in the 1980s, Mayor Tyree has seen the city through “thick and thin,” she said, and dutifully does what she can to improve Bonanza. Sometimes that means helping out at the wastewater plant, mowing the lawn of the town’s little league baseball field or just being on call to answer questions from her constituents. “Anyone can hold a helm in calm seas,” she said. Efforts from community members to seek outside funding and offer volunteer labor have helped build up Bonanza, she said, and the town is able to operate on a tax base of just $32,000 per year. Its budget of $740,000 is fulfilled mostly by franchise fees, grant funding and a lot of volunteer help. “We’re very independent, and that’s how we can operate on a limited budget,” she said. “We’re a town of volunteers.”

52 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Views on life in the Klamath Basin Chuc k Col l ins

Share Your Best Shot: Share your views of the Klamath Basin by posting your favorite scenic photo on our Diversions Facebook page at www. Facebook.com/HandNDiversions. We will print a selection of reader photos in our November/December edition of Klamath Life, “Close to Home.”

Heidi Mal y

Kr ist y Cr eed

Dan iel Mor g an

Linda Dr iver

Ter i Leeper

Chuc k Col l ins

53 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

On the calendar in the Basin On the calendar in the Klamath Falls area through October: SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 ◗ Klamath Falls Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ninth and Main streets. SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 ◗ Farmers Market in Bonanza at a lot on Highway 70 between Fifth and Sixth avenues from noon to 4 p.m. THURSDAY, OCT. 4 ◗ Storm Chasing, a program by Robert Smith, a fish habitat manager based in Montague, Calif., who spends time each summer studying severe weather in the Midwest, will be presented at 7 p.m. in the Klamath County Museum. Free admission. FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY OCT. 5-7 ◗ The musical “Cabaret” will be performed by the Linkville Players at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Linkville Playhouse. Tickets are $13 to $15. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OCT. 5-6 ◗ 69th Annual PEO Rummage Sale, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Klamath County Fairgrounds. SATURDAY, OCT. 6 ◗ Oak Woodland Walk, 10 a.m., the Klamath County Museum’s nearly annual Oak Woodland Walk and Acorn Gathering Event on the Skillet Handle area of the Running Y. Access from the end of Coopers Hawk Drive. Free event. SUNDAY, OCT. 7 ◗ Farmers Market in Bonanza at a lot on Highway 70 between Fifth and Sixth avenues from

noon to 4 p.m. MONDAY, OCT. 8 ◗ Monday Night at the Movies: “Love Never Dies,” 7 p.m., at the Ross Ragland Theater. Free admission with a suggested donation of $5. FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY OCT. 12-14 ◗ The musical “Cabaret” will be performed by the Linkville Players at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in the Linkville Playhouse. Tickets are $13 to $15. FRIDAY, OCT. 12 ◗ Malin Farmers Market & Crafts from noon to 5 p.m. at a corner of Broadway and Rosicky. FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, OCT. 12-14 ◗ Klamath Dog Fanciers Fall Agility Trials, Klamath County Fairgrounds. SATURDAY, OCT. 13 ◗ Klamath Falls Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ninth and Main streets. ◗ Ragland Classical Series presents pianist Tien Hsieh at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for adults are $24, for children 12 and under, $10. SUNDAY, OCT. 14 ◗ Farmers Market in Bonanza at a lot on Highway 70 between Fifth and Sixth avenues from noon to 4 p.m. ◗ Old-Time Fiddlers will hold a jam and dance from 1 to 4 p.m. in the grange hall at Madison Street and Shasta Way. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OCT. 19-20 ◗ The musical “Cabaret” will be performed by the Linkville Players at 7:30 p.m. in the Linkville Playhouse. Tickets are $13 to $15.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OCT. 19 -20 ◗ 75th Annual Klamath Basin Potato Festival in Merrill. Festival events will include a parade, barbecue, football games, vendors and displays. FRIDAY, OCT. 19 ◗ Malin Farmers Market & Crafts from noon to 5 p.m. at a corner of Broadway and Rosicky. ◗ Keno Community Market, 4 to 7 p.m., Keno Open Bible Church at Clover Creek Road and Highway 66. SATURDAY, OCT. 20 ◗ Klamath Falls Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ninth and Main streets. ◗ Klamath & Western Railroad Halloween and Pumpkin Run and Train Ride from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 36951 S. Chiloquin Road. Free train rides and a variety of activities to be offered. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OCT. 20-21 ◗ Klamath Rails Model Train Show and Sale, Klamath County Fairgrounds, Exhibit Hall No. 1. SUNDAY, OCT. 21 ◗ Farmers Market in Bonanza at a lot on Highway 70 between Fifth and Sixth avenues from noon to 4 p.m. ◗ Special Families Day at the Klamath County Museum, 1 to 5 p.m. This event is for families with special needs children or adults. Free admission. THURSDAY, OCT. 25 ◗ “Rustlers, Rogues & Range Wars,” 7 p.m., a program by Klamath County Historical Society president Elizabeth Budy in the Klamath County Museum meeting room. Free admission. ◗ Christian rock artist Ryan

Stevenson, 7:30 p.m. at the Ross Ragland Theater. Tickets are $24 to $16. FRIDAY, OCT. 26 ◗ Malin Farmers Market & Crafts from noon to 5 p.m. at a corner of Broadway and Rosicky. ◗ Keno Community Market, 4 to 7 p.m., Keno Open Bible Church at Clover Creek Road and Highway 66. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY OCT. 27-28 ◗ Fall Gem and Artisan Fair presented by the Rock and Arrowhead Club of Klamath Falls, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 and 9:30 am. To 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28 at the Klamath County Fairgrounds. SATURDAY, OCT. 27 ◗ Klamath Falls Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ninth and Main streets. ◗ Keno Community Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Keno Open Bible Church at Clover Creek Road and Highway 66. ◗ Ragland Rendezvous: Disco Inferno with live music, disco dance demos, door prizes, gaming and more at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. MONDAY, OCT. 29: ◗ Monday Night at the Movies: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” 7 p.m. in the Ross Ragland Theater. Free admission with a suggested donation of $5.

On the calendar: Does your group or organization have a special community event coming up? Let us know and we’ll put it in the community calendar in the November/ December edition of Klamath Life. Send event information to clerk@heraldandnews.com, or call 541-885-4412.

54 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

Advertiser’s Index AETNA Carpet Cleaning............................ 34 Aftershock Restaurant & Nightclub........... 43 Agate Ridge Vineyard.................................. 18 Anderson Engineering & Surveying, Inc... 28 Balin’s Tower Drug....................................... 34 Basin Immediate Care................................. 25 Bear Valley Storage...................................... 49 Black Bear Diner.......................................... 47 Cascades East............................................... 22 Chase Family Dentistry............................... 25 Coldwell Banker-Holman Premier............. 56 Countertops by Topsecret............................ 49 Daisy Creek Winery..................................... 18 Davenport’s Funeral Chapel....................... 16 Del Rio Vineyards........................................ 18 Desert Rose Funeral Chapel........................ 28 Diamond Home Improvement Center........ 55 Diamond Lake Resort.................................... 8 Epicenter....................................................... 35 Epicenter Faultline Arcade.......................... 17 Express Employment Proffesionals............ 47 First Presbyterian Church........................... 17 Fisher Nicholson Realtors, LLC.................... 3 Fisher Nicholson Realtors, LLC /Don & Sharrol Romano........................... 13 Floyd A Boyd Co.......................................... 27 Four Seasons Supply Center....................... 48

Frank and Diane’s Carpets.......................... 40 Gette A Groom............................................. 47 Good-Buy Warehouse.................................. 49 Hamilton Metals, Inc................................... 27 Heartfelt OB/GYN................................. 12, 20 Herald and News.......................................... 49 Herbalife........................................................ 47 High Desert Hospice................................ 9, 43 House of Shoes.............................................. 12 Howard’s Bodyshop............................... 47, 49 Howard’s Drugs............................................ 28 Howard’s Meat Center, LLC........................ 30 Hunter’s Hot Springs.................................... 13 Jack’s Color Chip......................................... 49 Judy Smelcer’s Tax Service.......................... 49 Keeper’s Corner, LLC............................. 47, 49 Klamath Audiology...................................... 39 Klamath Community College..................... 24 Klamath Eye Center.................................... 10 Klamath Hospice.......................................... 24 Klamath Hopsice Treasures Thift Store..... 39 Klamath Metals............................................ 36 Kla-mo-ya Casino......................................... 23 KPEFCU....................................................... 25 Les Schwab Tires.......................................... 13 Main Street Jewelers.................................... 49

Market at the Running Y Resort................. 20 Martin’s Food Center................................... 28 Mia & Pia’s Pizzeria..................................... 49 Microtel Inn & Suites..................................... 9 Mile Hi Tire & Exhaust............................... 28 Oil Can Henry’s............................................ 14 OIT................................................................ 21 Oregon Community Foundation................. 38 Oregon Wine Cellar...................................... 18 Papa Murphy’s Pizza.................................... 49 Paschal Tenuta Winery & Vineyard........... 18 Pelican Pointe................................................. 2 Portland Street Market & Deli.................... 18 Pure Skin Care............................................. 31 Quail Park at Crystal Terrace..................... 21 Red’s Roadhouse/Courtesy RV Center......... 5 Seab’s Electronics/Radio Shack.................. 48 Seab’s True Value Hardware....................... 48 Sears.............................................................. 36 Seasons Change............................................ 35 ServiceMaster Carpet & Upholstery........... 40 Sky Lakes Medical Center....................... 7, 32 St. Therese Chapel....................................... 17 Stringer’s Orchard........................................ 18 Triad School.................................................. 34 Washburn Building Products...................... 49

Klamath Life empowering the community

Look for more great Klamath Life stories in our November 2012 Klamath Life edition!

Home & Garden • Country Living • Cuisine • Arts & Culture • Destinations, Excursions & Travel

55 ❘ Klamath Life ❘ Change of Pace

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