Winter 2013: My Indiana Home

my-indiana-home.com Winter 2013-14

Sweet Escape Explore the Wayne County Chocolate Trail, plus chocolate recipes for breakfast, dinner and dessert

All Aboard!

Train museums celebrate the state’s railroad heritage

A MAGAZINE FOR INDIANA FARM BUREAU MEMBERS

my-indiana-home.com

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 2

A MAGAZINE FOR INDIANA FARM BUREAU MEMBERS

Connect to your food, your farmers and a uniquely Hoosier lifestyle FOOD TRAVEL

FARMS

HOME & GARDEN

MY INDIANA

President Don Villwock Vice President Randy Kron Second Vice President Isabella Chism Chief Operating Officer & Treasurer Mark Sigler Editor Andy Dietrick Managing Editor Kathleen Dutro Marketing & Public Relations Specialist Mindy Reef Web Designer/Developer Diane Brewer Administrative Assistant Charla Buis

Content Director Jessy Yancey Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Content Coordinator Rachel Bertone Contributing Writers Kim Galeaz, Susan Hayhurst, Celeste Huttes, Hannah Klare, Colletta Kosiba, Jessica Mozo Creative Services Director Christina Carden Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher, Jake Shores, Vikki Williams Creative Technology Analyst Rebecca Ary Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord

WIN SOY CANDLES MY INDIANA HOME GIVEAWAY After you read our story on page 12 about Harvest Lights, visit my-indiana-home.com/candles to enter to win a selection of soy candles from Harvest Lights.

Staff Photographers Michael Conti, Wendy Jo O’Barr, Frank Ordoùez, Michael Tedesco Web Creative Director Allison Davis Web Designer II Richard Stevens Web Developer I Nels Noseworthy Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan I.T. Director Daniel Cantrell Accounting Diana Guzman, Maria McFarland, Lisa Owens Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Receptionist Linda Bishop

CHOOSE AND CUT Planning to get a fresh tree this holiday season?

Find a listing of Indiana Christmas tree farms at my-indiana-home.com/christmas-trees.

Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Sr. V.P./Operations Casey Hester Sr. V.P./Sales Todd Potter Sr. V.P./Agribusiness Publishing Kim Newsom Holmberg V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./External Communications Teree Caruthers V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens Controller Chris Dudley Senior Integrated Media Manager Robin Robertson My Indiana Home is produced for the Indiana Farm Bureau

by Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (800) 333-8842. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

My Indiana Home (ISSN 2157-1465 USPS 249-880) is published quarterly by Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., 225 S. East St., Box 1290, Indianapolis IN 46206-1290.

Controlled circulation. Subscription price of $2 per year included in the dues of Farm Bureau members in Indiana.

Periodical postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana and additional entry points.

Postmaster: Send address changes to My Indiana Home, P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290.

Member Member

Association of Magazine Media Custom Content Council

Please recycle this magazine

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Winter 2013-14 FEATURES

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All Aboard!

Train museums celebrate the state’s railroad heritage

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Lights in the Window Soy candles offer cleanburning warmth

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Make It Quik NestlĂŠ plant in Anderson uses Indiana milk

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DEPARTMENTS 6

IN Almanac

Find holiday events in Indiana

20 Eat IN

Discover chocolate recipes for breakfast, dinner and dessert

24 Travel IN

Explore the Wayne County Chocolate Trail

30 INsurance

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New phone system designed with customers in mind

31 IN the Garden

Make backyard gardening easier by building raised beds

33 IN Focus

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Reader photos taken by you

ON THE COVER Chocolate creations at Ghyslain, a chocolatier in Richmond, Ind. Photo by Michael Conti my-indiana-home.com

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Connect to your food

Your farmers

And a uniquely Hoosier lifestyle

M Y - I N D I A N A - H O M E . C O M

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IN BOX We love hearing from you, whether by email, comments on our website, my-indiana-home.com, or even a tweet or Facebook post. In many cases, your notes can help us improve the experience of other readers or website visitors, so please keep them coming!

IN This Issue

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Editor’s note: In our Fall 2013 issue, we announced a popcorn giveaway in our “Popped to Perfection” story. To enter, readers had to comment on our website, my-indiana-home.com, with why they enjoy Indiana popcorn.

Congratulations to our winners, and here are a few of our favorite responses: I love Indiana popcorn for its flavor and great “pop-ability.” It’s healthy and low calorie. It provides lots of satisfaction at an economical price.

What more could a person ask for?

Michael Szedenik

Popcorn mkes the house smell SOOO good while it’s popping … revs up those tastebuds for total enjoyment!

Gail Woolever

Indiana popcorn is great on a Sunday afternoon on a crisp fall day accompanying a crunchy Indiana apple.

Marsha Ludden

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1 1. Attend a Victorian Christmas at the Reitz Home Museum in Evansville.

2. Read about butterflies, gourds and more from a Martinsville blogger.

3. Treat your sweet tooth by following the Wayne County Chocolate Trail.

4. Climb aboard the Hoosier Valley Railroad in North Judson.

5. Learn how Nesquik and other dairy products are made at the Nestlé factory in Anderson.

While growing up in Indiana, Mom fixed a big bowl of popcorn every Sunday evening for the family to share. It was a great family time together, and my wife and I continued the tradition with our kids after we married.

Even though Mom and Dad are gone now and our kids have left home to make their own lives, my wife and I still enjoy popcorn together as senior citizens.

Don Farr

I was born and raised in Indiana, and nothing says home better than a huge bowl of freshly popped Indiana corn. The texture is firm, yet melts in your mouth with a savory flavor that is abundant throughout. There is no need for butter, salt or other flavoring when you pop Indiana corn. However, if you decide to add a topping/seasoning … well, it tastes like heaven!

Barb Blashill

Do you have a question about something you read in My Indiana Home? Send questions, feedback and story ideas to myindianahome@jnlcom.com.

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IN ALMANAC

A Victorian Christmas Take a trip to Evansville this Christmas to visit the only Victorian House Museum in the state as it transforms for the holiday.

The annual Victorian Christmas at the Reitz Home Museum provides tours of the ornate museum, which will be decorated for the season in the style of the Victorian era. Stop by the gift shop to pick up presents for the history buff in the family, and know that the proceeds go to benefit the museum.

The event, open to all ages, runs from Nov. 17 through Dec. 29.

For tour times and more information about the event, call (812) 426-1871 or visit reitzhome.com.

Going Social Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance is social! Follow them on Twitter @INFarmBureauIns, on Facebook at facebook.com/ INFarmBureauIns and YouTube at youtube.com/INFarmBureau.

Farm Facts BEEF

Sources: National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Agricultural Statistics Service

INDIANA 12,500 is home to more than

beef cattle farmers.

$2.3B Indiana residents annually spend $2.3 billion on beef.

1.7oz

In 2012, the U.S. beef industry contributed $44 billion in farm gate receipts.

235,000 head of cattle in Indiana

Americans eat an average of 1.7 ounces of beef every day.

A 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides 10 essential nutrients including protein, vitamin B-12, zinc and niacin.

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Jolly Days Visit the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for family holiday fun as you explore the winter wonderland-themed Jolly Days exhibit, which runs through the holiday season beginning Nov. 29.

Kids can ice fish, go “ice skating” in socks and watch as Santa Claus races into the world’s largest children’s museum in a real IndyCar before getting the chance to visit with him.

For more information, contact the museum at (317) 334-3322 or visit childrensmuseum.org.

Blog Spotlight Butterflies, Gourds and More Seventy-three-year-old blogger Ann Lankford found her passion for blogging after taking a class offered by Indiana Soybean Alliance in 2010. Others have taken a liking to her blog, as well as her successful gourd-decorating business, Homestead Primitives, which she owns with daughter Debbie Myers in Martinsville. Known as the “gourd gal,” she has been mentioned in several publications including The Herald Times, Lifestyle Magazine and Creative Visions of Morgan County Artists.

On her blog, “Butterflies, Gourds and More,” Lankford shares family stories, recipes, gardening tips, and photos of nature and her day-today life. She hopes all of her blog readers enjoy being a part of a simple life and the happenings on and off the farm.

Lankford has been married to her husband, Jim, for more than 30 years, and has three children, two grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Follow along at butterfliesgourdsandmore.blogspot.com.

Save the Date DEC. 7, 2013

You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out For many families, watching the movie A Christmas Story has become a holiday tradition. And that’s especially true for Indiana residents.

Based on a book by Jean Shepherd, the 1983 film is set in Hohman, Ind., a fictionalized version of Shepherd’s hometown of Hammond. It tells the story of a young boy named Ralphie and his wish to receive a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

Fans of the movie know the gaudy leg lamp acquired by Ralphie’s father has become an iconic symbol over the years. Hoosiers can display their very own leg lamp thanks to the Indiana Historical Society, which sells half-scale replicas of the item.

They also offer the leg lamps as night lights and light strands – perfect for your holiday decorating.

Check them out at shop. indianahistory.org.

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Light It Up Celebrate the holiday season in downtown Columbus at the annual Festival of Lights on Dec. 7, 2013. The streets of the city come alive with thousands of twinkling lights at this free event, which features an exciting parade complete with floats, animals, local walking groups and the man of the hour – Santa Claus himself. Cap off the night with dazzling fireworks as Santa passes by City Hall.

The event starts at 6 p.m. on Washington Street in downtown Columbus. For more information, call (812) 390-6912 or visit columbus.in.us. my-indiana-home.com

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All Aboard!

Indiana train museums celebrate the state’s railroad heritage Story by Jessica Mozo Photography by Todd Bennett

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hug along through Indiana’s train and railroad museums for some unforgettable family fun. The railroad played a vital role in Indiana’s transportation history, and the state’s railroad heritage is celebrated at more than a dozen train museums from La Porte to French Lick.

“You can hardly cross east to west through the United States without passing through Indiana, so trains have always been important here,” says Harold Harvey, a train enthusiast and weekend tour guide at the Monon Connection Museum.

“Chicago is one of the biggest railroad hubs in the world, and you have to cross Indiana to get there

from the East Coast. We have a map of Indiana from 1911 that looks like it’s full of highways, but they’re actually railroads.”

THE MONON CONNECTION

Travelers from all over the world come to the tiny town of Monon (population 1,781) to tour the Monon Connection Museum. Owner Dale Ward acquired most of the museum’s 6,000 artifacts in just 11 years.

“Dale Ward bought the first two pieces of railroad memorabilia in 1993,” Harvey says. “He had worked hard all his life and never had time for a hobby. Today people tell me this is the finest detailed railroad museum in the world.”

Ward’s collection includes one of the largest public displays of railroad dining car china and silver in the United States and 282 different switchman’s lanterns with no duplicates. The museum also has 38 brass steam locomotive bells, 60 railroad pocket watches, and lamps from the Pullman Palace railroad cars of the 1870s. Its gift shop sells train toys, coffee mugs, T-shirts and souvenirs.

“It’s the huge variety of small stuff that makes the Monon Connection unique,” Harvey says. “There are more than 100 railroads represented in the museum, and each railroad had its own pattern of china. Some is quite gorgeous.”

Visitors to the Hoosier Valley Railroad in North Judson can ride real working trains, explore the depot brimming with photos and artifacts, walk the grounds to see equipment on display and under restoration, and marvel at the museum’s massive steam locomotive.

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The Monon Connections Museum

Harvey, 70, has been fascinated with trains since childhood. He even recalls the image of a train that was engraved on his baby spoon.

“I grew up close to the railroad, and I’ve been spoon-fed this stuff from day one,” he jokes.

Coincidentally, Harvey sold Ward the first two pieces of his railroad memorabilia collection.

“I guess I gave him the disease,” he says, chuckling.

Adjacent to the Monon Connection is the Whistle Stop Restaurant, which has sandwiches, soups, a salad bar and homemade pies.

“There are four scale-model trains running around the restaurant,” Harvey says, “and kids ages 2 to 92 have trouble sitting down to eat because they want to play with the trains.”

HOOSIER VALLEY RAILROAD

The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy “throttle time.” Guests can pay for the chance to learn how operate a train engine and pull cars along the museum’s rail line.

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The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson doesn’t simply showcase railroad memorabilia – it also gives guests the opportunity to ride a train. The museum’s “Guest Engineer Program” allows visitors to experience “throttle time” and operate one of the museum’s diesel switch engines.

Between May and October, Hoosier Valley offers train rides on authentic railroad cabooses, openair cars and a vintage commuter coach. (Fees apply for train rides.)

“I enjoy meeting visitors from all walks of life and literally around the world,” says Loretta Kosloske, marketing specialist for the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum. “There have been visitors from almost every state in the country and from Canada, England, Brazil, Poland, Nicaragua, Spain, Japan and the Philippines, just to name a few.”

The museum celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013. Visitors can explore the depot, walk the grounds and marvel at the museum’s massive Chesapeake & Ohio No. 2789 steam locomotive.

“HVRM offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and smells of railroading during its heyday,” Indiana Farm Bureau

Kosloske says. “In the early 1950s, up to 125 trains ran through North Judson every day.”

The Green Express

MORE RAILROADING FUN

Indiana’s railways will soon be carrying a different type of cargo along the tracks – fresh food.

At the Whitewater Valley Railroad in Connersville, you can take a train excursion that’s sure to leave lasting memories. In December, its Polar Express train gives riders a journey through the countryside to visit Santa Claus at the “North Pole.” (The French Lick Scenic Railway also operates a Polar Express in southern Indiana.) The Metamora Holiday Special is another Christmas train excursion that takes riders to Metamora’s Annual Christmas Walk.

Whitewater Valley Railroad has nearly a dozen other excursions throughout the year, including Rails to Romance, a Valentine’s Day dinner excursion; the Easter Bunny Express, which includes an egg hunt; Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine; fall foliage and pumpkin patch excursions; a Dinosaur Train patterned after the hit PBS television cartoon series; and a Wild West Train complete with bandits and marshals.

A new rail line, the Green Express, has been developed by CSX to move frozen and refrigerated products from northwest Indiana to Tampa, Fla., with several stops in between. This is good news for Hoosier farmers, as the transportation line will give them a direct connection to markets in the Southeast. It also opens the door to international opportunities, with products being able to be loaded onto export ships out of Tampa.

The route for the Green Express will begin at the INland Logistics Port in Kingsbury, where it will connect to a main CSX rail line located a mile south.

Along with fresh fruits and vegetables, the Green Express will carry dairy and meat products from Indiana. The state may even become a new destination for imported produce such as pineapples, mangos and avocados that have been delivered to the southeastern U.S., creating a possibility for new jobs in the processing industry.

“The Green Express opens up trade doors for Indiana agriculture,” says Gina Sheets, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “The availability for Indiana agriculture products to reach the southeast and a global market faster and fresh makes our products very appealing to a broader customer base.”

The reliability of the rail line also makes it appealing. Time is critical in moving fresh food from one place to another, as there are risks of spoilage and contamination. The Green Express has state-of-the-art technology that monitors the food in areas including temperature and contamination control. In fact, the service is even offering trip history temperature downloads to its customers.

For more information about the Green Express, visit grnexp.com.

The Monon Connections Museum in Monon, Ind., contains the contents of one man’s railroad memorabilia collection. Dale Ward spent 11 years building his extensive collection that’s now housed in the museum and the adjacent Whistle Stop Restaurant.

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Lights

Window

in the

Harvest Lights soy candles offer clean-burning warmth

Story by Susan Hayhurst | Photography by Michael Conti

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ragrant candles cast welcoming, warm radiance in today’s homes – thanks to the small but mighty soybean.

Indiana-based Harvest Lights Soy Candles makes environmentally friendly soy-based candles that leave no soot and burn longer than their petroleum-based counterparts.

The Purdue University student winner in the 1997 Student Soybean Innovation Competition developed the soy candles, which became the Indiana Soybean Board’s (ISB) first major commercialized product. The candles set the standard for similar, wildly popular, all-natural products

that grace many stores’ shelves today. Now named the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the organization holds six patents on soy wax in candles.

The farmer-funded Indiana Soybean Checkoff, the research and promotion arm of the ISA, sponsored the development of Harvest Lights candles. It began with replacing petroleum oil with soybean oil, derived from Indiana’s No. 2 agricultural commodity.

Carol and Bill Gardner, originally of Richmond, had been making petroleum-based candles since 1993.

Five years later, they heard about ISB’s soy candle development and

sent samples of their candles to ISB’s product promotion manager Randy Smith, who asked them to work on a soy formula to mass produce candles.

“We fine-tuned the soy candle formula and began producing the candles in 1998 with the product’s first launch to be at the Indiana State Fair in 1999,” Carol Gardner says.

When Bill passed away prior to the fair, Randy Scruggs, family friend and now business partner, helped Carol complete the fair order.

“We made 150,000 sample candles in 1- and half-ounce jars and 30,000 each of 4- and 8-ounce jar candles in black cherry, cinnamon, lemon, blueberry, clover and vanilla scents,”

Harvest Lights Soy Candles, which use soy wax instead of petroleum, were developed in 1997 during a soybean innovation competition.

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Growing Soy Uses Soybean uses burst onto the Indiana scene through Purdue University’s Student Soybean Innovation Competition, which launched in the mid-1990s. A Corn Innovation Competition has since been added. The soybean event allows students to use their abilities and creativity to develop innovative new products made from soybeans.

“These contests benefit corn and soybean farmers just as much as they benefit students,” says Jane Ade Stevens, CEO of the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

Soybeans are now the basis for consumer products for animal care, cleaning supplies, clothing, crayons, flooring and furniture. Industrial products use soy in goods such as adhesives, solvents, odor reduction and printing inks.

Plastics, oils, emulsifiers and waxes are also frequent end uses for soybeans.

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Gardner says. “All of these were made in our three-car garage.”

After several years, Smith purchased the Harvest Lights business from the ISB and eventually sold it to Fred and Helen Henderson of Sharpsville, along with Fred’s sister, Virginia Chambers. The Hendersons, who were familiar with one of ISB’s other successful ventures, the Soybean Science Kit used in schools, launched another business, Pick ’n Pack, to fulfill both kit and candle orders.

“The soybean candle has come quite a long way,” Fred Henderson says. “In the beginning, Harvest Lights was the only soybean candle, to ISB’s credit. Now soy candles are produced and distributed all across the country. We have adhered to the original formulas and can claim the ‘original soybean candle’ title. The only changes we have made over the years have been in containers and fragrances.”

Henderson touts the candles’ attributes compared to petroleumbased competitors. “Our candles are

cleaner burning – made from soybeans, a naturally renewable resource – and offer people that have allergies to petroleum a healthier option with no side effects,” he says. “They also leave no sooty residue and have a lower melting point, which allows the candles to scent a room more quickly than traditional candles.”

Soy wax, unlike petroleum-based wax, is not available in craft or supply stores, according to Gardner.

“We still use the original blend in production so we could be considered more of a high-end soy candle,” she says. “The candles are also packaged in attractive containers.”

Harvest Lights are offered in an array of sizes, fragrances and containers certain to match any room’s décor. The 4-ounce and 8-ounce “Traditions” line of candles is packaged in traditional glass canning jars. The 11-ounce “Visions” come in various stout glass jars, while “Heritage” is featured in old-

fashioned canning jars complete with wire bale closures and glass lids. Soy melts, wax bars that snap off into miniature squares for use as flameless air fresheners, sell very well, as do gift packs and votives.

The candles are primarily sold through harvestlights.net but are also available through fundraisers.

“We offered Harvest Lights in the FFA Pavilion at the Indiana State Fair this year, and continue to offer them as fundraisers for other groups,” Henderson says. They also occasionally do trade shows and special events.

“I think the soy candle, along with the development of other early soy-based products, have definitely been effective in the awareness and creation of additional uses for soy,” Henderson says.

more online

Go online to my-indiana-home.com/ candles to enter to win a variety pack of Harvest Lights candles.

Helen and Fred Henderson of Sharpsville and Fred’s sister, Virginia Chambers, now own Harvest Lights soy candles and handle the fulfillment of orders.

The candles use the original formula for soy wax, pictured above, which is then combined with fragrances and melted down to fill containers.

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Make It

Quik NestlĂŠ plant in Anderson uses Indiana milk to produce Nesquik, Coffee-Mate and Boost BRIAN McCORD

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WENDY JO O’BARR

Story by Kathleen M. Dutro

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f you head north from Indianapolis on Interstate 69, you can’t miss the Nesquik Bunny, an elaborate sign located just south of Anderson, Ind., which towers 50 feet above the surrounding countryside and entertains travelers with mini-videos and animations presented on its enormous electronic marquee.

It’s become a landmark along that stretch of interstate, but it also announces to the world that Anderson is home to Nestlé USA’s state-of-the-art factory and distribution center, which will be celebrating its five-year anniversary this year.

The plant produces what are known as “aseptic ready-to-drink

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products.” Aseptic means “free from pathogenic microorganisms.”

For Nesquik, Nestlé uses ultra-high temperature pasteurization, or UHT, to eliminate virtually all bacteria from its Nesquik products, making it commercially sterile. One of the benefits of this process is that Nesquik can be stored in the pantry and cooled down just before you drink it.

According to informational materials from Nestlé, the company uses the aseptic packaging technique on all of the products it makes in Anderson: ready-to-drink Nesquik (available in chocolate, strawberry, banana strawberry, vanilla and double chocolate), Coffee-Mate liquid products and Boost nutritional drinks. The products are made here

in Indiana and distributed throughout the United States, according to Nestlé.

But it all starts with milk that Nestlé gets almost straight from the cow.

The plant works with a dairy cooperative, which collects milk from farmers and coordinates getting milk to the plant, a Nestlé spokesman says.

Most of that milk comes from Indiana farmers, notes shift manager Charlie Turner, who grew up on a dairy farm in Hancock County and received his degree in food science from Purdue. The remainder comes from surrounding states.

The milk comes into the plant by truck, is tested for quality and is my-indiana-home.com

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pumped into Nestlé’s system before being made into the various products, Turner explained. In the case of Nesquik, Nestlé says they process the milk, which is used to make chocolate, strawberry or vanilla milk.

And Nestlé processes a lot of milk – the equivalent of the production of 15,000 cows per day, according to Nestlé, a figure that becomes even more impressive when you consider that according to Purdue University, a cow typically produces around 6.5 gallons each day.

A September 2012 article in The Anderson Herald Bulletin quotes company officials as saying that the Anderson facility produces on average 3 to 4 million bottles of its three products every day.

Equally impressive is the plant itself, which employs around 600 people and covers around 1.1 million square feet. Originally constructed between August 2006 and June 2008 at a cost of around $359 million, the plant has been expanded at a cost of an additional $200 million, Nestlé says, making it one of the largest of its kind in the world and one of Nestlé’s largest-ever capital investments.

Everything is there under one roof: the milk receiving area where the milk trucks come to deliver their loads of whole milk; shiny stainlesssteel processing machines and conveyor belts; pallets full of flavorings (and, on the day My Indiana Home visited, smelling enticingly of vanilla cookies); the intriguingly named “Cocoa Room,” which, alas, was not accessible to chocoholic visitors; streamers of colorful labels being fed through the labeling machines; and endless moving lines of brown, cream or pink Nesquik on its way to being boxed for shipping and cooled before heading out to supermarkets, other vendors and lovers of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla milk across the U.S.

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How Milk Becomes

NESQUIK

1. Milk comes mostly from Indiana farmers plus those of a couple of surrounding states.

On a daily basis, Nestlé processes milk the equivalent of the production of 15,000 cows.

2. A dairy cooperative picks up the fresh milk and delivers it by truck to the Nestlé plant in Anderson.

The plant employs around 600 people.

3. The milk is checked for quality, stored and then processed by adding flavor. Ultrahigh temperature pasteurization (UHT) “locks in the freshness” and eliminates virtually all bacteria. The now-flavored milk is bottled, labeled and checked for quality a final time.

4. Nesquik is then shipped out to stores across the country.

The Anderson facility produces a daily average of 3 to 4 million bottles of its products, which end up on grocery store shelves nationwide.

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EAT IN

The Season of Chocolate Celebrate this sweet with recipes for the holidays, parties and Valentine’s Day Story and Recipes by Kim Galeaz | Photography by Jeffrey S. Otto | Food Styling by Mary Carter

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About the Author Registered dietitian Kim Galeaz is an Indianapolisbased writer and culinary nutrition consultant to the food, beverage and agriculture industry. She’s passionate about blending good taste with good health in every culinary creation – even decadent dessert – and balancing with daily power-walking. A link to her blog, “The Dietitian Does Dessert ... Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Too” is at www.kimgaleaz.com.

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hocolate is a lot like that popular holiday song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

It doesn’t matter who sings it – Harry Connick Jr., Garth Brooks or Andy Williams – you love it, enjoy it and feel supremely happy while singing along.

Likewise, true chocolate lovers enjoy it regardless of the variety, shape or how it’s served. You’re happy with a jumbo mug of steaming hot cocoa with marshmallows.

Or homemade Christmas cookies filled with chocolate chunks and chips. You’re downright blissful when you can dunk and dip fruits and cake pieces in pure chocolate fondue or flowing fountains.

And a heart-shaped box of Valentine’s candy gives you an ultimate indulgence – a surprise in every bite.

Traditional holiday chocolate favorites are mandatory, but this year, expand your seasonal must-haves with these unique recipes using a variety of chocolate ingredients. For a family brunch or breakfast, whip up some Double Chocolate Whole Grain Pancakes.

Semisweet and white chocolate star in these fast, easy, 100 percent whole grain pancakes. (That’s the blending and balancing factor!) Try Oven-Roasted Pork

Tenderloin with Cocoa Chili Rub for an easy yet elegant lunch or dinner entrée.

The dry rub of cocoa powder, herbs, spices and chili peppers makes this lean pork entrée both rich and spicy. For dessert, bake a batch of Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Icing. They feature bittersweet chocolate along with cocoa powder and receive this dietitian’s seal of approval for the perfect, decadent dessert.

Happy, healthy holidays to all!

Bitter is Better Can chocolate really be good for you?

Yes, if you like darker chocolates, which encompass both semisweet (aka dark) and bittersweet (aka extra dark). They contain more “flavanols” than their lighter counterparts. These powerful antioxidants help prevent premature aging and cell damage while also promoting a healthier heart and vascular system. Semisweet chocolate contains more sugar and less cocoa solids. If you have to substitute semisweet for bittersweet, use ¾ semisweet and ¼ unsweetened chocolate to compensate.

Read more about dark chocolate, white chocolate and the best cocoa powder to buy at my-indiana-home.com/chocolate.

Indiana Farm Bureau

Double Chocolate Whole Grain Pancakes 2 cups quick oats, uncooked 1 ²⁄³ cups white whole-wheat flour ¹⁄³ cup light brown sugar 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Coat griddle or large skillet with oil, and preheat to medium-high heat. In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add eggs, vanilla, oil and buttermilk. Mix just until combined, then stir in chopped chocolates. Pour batter in ¹⁄³-cup portions onto hot griddle.

Cook until bubbles form, flip and cook other side until browned and done. Serve plain or with toppings of choice.

Makes about 15 pancakes.

6 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil 2 ¹⁄³ cups low-fat buttermilk 2-3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 2-3 ounces white chocolate, chopped

A semisweet bar coarsely chopped melts better in pancakes than chocolate chips.

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Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Chili Rub 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons ground ancho chili pepper 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground Mexican oregano* ½ teaspoon ground roasted Saigon cinnamon* 1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt 2 pork tenderloins (2 to 2 ¼ pounds total)

*If you can't find these stronger spices, you may substitute regular oregano and cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with vegetable cooking spray.

In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, spices, herbs and salt until thoroughly blended. Completely cover pork tenderloins with all of rub mixture. Place tenderloins in prepared pan.

Roast for 20-25 minutes or until temperature in center of pork is 145 degrees. Remove pork from oven and let it rest 3 minutes before slicing.

Makes about 8 servings (each serving about 4 ounces)

The dry rub can be made a day ahead and refrigerated in a tightly covered container.

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Indiana Farm Bureau

A metal pan works better than a glass pan for baking brownies.

Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting 1 cup (2 sticks) butter 2 ounces bittersweet baking bar, coarsely chopped 1 ½ cups sugar 1 ½ cups light brown sugar 4 large eggs 1 ounce (1 bottle) red liquid food coloring 1 tablespoon vanilla 3 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Frosting 1 cup (8 ounces) ¹⁄³-less-fat cream cheese 4 tablespoons butter, softened 1 ½ cups powdered sugar ¹⁄8 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with butter or shortening.

Microwave butter and bittersweet chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl on high 1 ½ minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals.

Whisk in sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition.

Add red food coloring, vanilla and buttermilk, and whisk until thoroughly blended.

With a wooden spoon, gently stir in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Pour and spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake 25-35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on wire rack before frosting.

While brownies cool, make frosting. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Frost cooled brownies, and store in refrigerator.

Makes 24 large or 36 small brownies

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TRAVEL IN

Sweet

Escape Wayne County Chocolate Trail satisfies the appetite for indulgence

If You Go

Richmond

To obtain your free Chocolate Trail Passport and Chocolate Trail Bucks, visit the Old National Road Welcome Center (just off Interstate 70 at exit 156A) in Richmond, Ind. (Groups of 10 or more, please call the visitor’s center in advance.) To learn more, call (800) 828-8414 or go to visitrichmond.org.

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Story by Celeste Huttes Photography by Michael Conti

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f you’re loco for cocoa and craving an adventure, plan a culinary journey along the Wayne County Chocolate Trail.

The free trail celebrates east-central Indiana’s most delectable treats, from the homespun to the elegant. With about a dozen stops in Richmond and surrounding areas, the self-guided trail leads you to historic candy factories, charming bistros and unique gift shops.

“For anybody who loves their chocolate, this is the place to come to indulge yourself,” says Nancy Sartain, leisure marketing manager for the Richmond/ Wayne County Visitors Bureau.

Your first stop should be the Old National Road Welcome Center to pick up a Chocolate Trail Passport. Just flash this

passport at each stop to receive a free chocolate sample or giveaway. You’ll also receive Chocolate Bucks that can be redeemed for exclusive discounts.

The trail is just a few years old, but chocolate has long been a part of Wayne County history. After all, Abbott’s Candy Shop in Hagerstown has been tempting taste buds for more than a century. There, you can watch candy being crafted while savoring a sample of Abbott’s buttery chocolate-dipped caramel made from original formulas.

“Abbott’s Candy has been making chocolate since the 1890s right here in Wayne County,” says Sartain, who is charmed by the quaint look of this factory.

“It’s in the cutest little pink building – like one of their pink boxes of chocolates.”

Indiana Farm Bureau

Ghyslain Chocolatier and Bistro in Richmond serves decadent gelato in a chocolate shell as one its many elegantly handcrafted sweets.

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An employee wraps and boxes a selection of candies at Abbott’s Candy Shop, which has been making chocolates in Hagerstown for more than 100 years. Top right: For shoppers with an appetite, Pour House Antiques & Sweets offers vintage finds in addition to homemade fudge brownies and other cafe fare.

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More old-fashioned favorites can be found at Olympian Candies, a fixture in downtown Richmond since 1909. Your Chocolate Trail Passport will earn you a free taste of the store’s smooth specialty, Greek chocolate cream candy.

If you prefer your chocolate to look as good as it tastes, don’t miss Ghyslain Chocolatier & Bistro.

Located in Richmond’s Depot District – where the hip meets the historic – Ghyslain chocolates are nothing less than edible works of art.

“Our store is French bistro style, and our specialty is hand-painted and molded Belgian chocolate,” says Ghyslain Maurais, president. “Cocoa butter is used for the color, and we fill them with ganache made of chocolate and cream and nuts.

We also do a lot of caramels, turtles and truffles.”

At this premier chocolatier, Chocolate Trail travelers are greeted with a palate-pleasing palette of colors made with the finest ingredients.

“Naturally, they receive a piece of our specialty hand-painted chocolate to try,” Maurais says. “It is key to experiencing our bistro.”

Indiana Farm Bureau

Left: J&J Winery may not offer traditional chocolate, but Chocolate Trail visitors can sample a wine flavored with dark chocolate and raspberry from this award-winning winery in Richmond. Right: Warm Glow Candle Company in Centerville offers a calorie-free option: chocolate-scented candles.

While candy is king of the Chocolate Trail, visitors will also be treated to gooey fudge brownies at Pour House Antiques & Sweets in Cambridge City, chocolate raspberry wine at J&J Winery in Richmond and a scoop of hand-dipped chocolate ice cream at Maria Mitrione’s Italian Market, also in Richmond. One of the newest stops on the trail, Square Donuts, offers a chocolate doughnut in their trademark angular shape.

At Warm Glow Candle Company in Centerville, travelers along the Chocolate Trail can choose between two different chocolate-scented votives: Chocolate Bing Cherry or Grandma’s Brownie – mouthwatering scents that won’t add an ounce to your waistline.

“We offer a non-caloric chocolate option,” says owner Jackie Carberry.

However, you no longer have to Winter 2013-14

settle for just the scent of chocolate at Warm Glow Candle Company. As part of a 9,000-square-foot expansion, the store recently added a chocolate counter offering an array of treats.

“We offer a good variety, from turtles to truffles. It should be very enticing,” says Carberry.

Exploring the Chocolate Trail can easily fill a day or a weekend – not to mention your tummy. To accommodate those who want to spend more time savoring the trail’s delights, the visitors bureau offers overnight packages featuring affordable lodging and even more free chocolate.

Unlike other trails, the Chocolate Trail is open year round. After all, chocolate is always in season.

“A lot of people come in the wintertime when they get cabin fever,” says Sartain. “It also makes for a nice romantic getaway.”

Or “bring a gaggle of girlfriends and just make a great, fun day of it,” as Carberry recommends.

On the off-chance that you’re not sweet on chocolate, other area attractions offer a feast for the eyes.

On Richmond’s Mural Trail, you can explore more than 50 colorful paintings that bring local history to life. More dazzling attractions can be found along the Tiffany Windows Trail.

From unique museums to art, antiques and architecture, there’s something for everyone in Wayne County.

“Wayne County is one of the oldest counties in Indiana – there is a lot of history and heritage here,” says Sartain. “It’s a fun place to come and spend a weekend – we have so much to offer.”

But for many, the chocolate is quite enough. my-indiana-home.com

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Member Benefits Did you know that your Indiana Farm Bureau membership comes with exclusive savings?

As a member, you can take advantage of the discounts on products and services listed here.

Dental Care Advantage

For more information on member savings and benefits:

Members have seen an average savings of $3,046 off MSRP*

1-800-777-8252 www.itpaystobeamember.org

It pays to be a member.

See how much you could save on new and used cars!

Save up to 55% The goal of Indiana Farm Bureau Member Benefit Programs is to provide discounts, value-added benefits and convenience to you, our members. Indiana Farm Bureau does not endorse these products or services. Indiana Farm Bureau and the companies offering these programs do not guarantee that program discounts will be the lowest available price at any given time.

Farm Bureau members should provide the ID number if applicable or identify themselves as members of Indiana Farm Bureau when calling any program. Programs are subject to change or termination without notice and some rules and restrictions may apply.

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Farm Bureau Auto Buying Program

For only $36 per year, access a network of providers for discounts on dental and chiropractic services.

Call 855-322-4322 – and be sure to mention that you are an Indiana Farm Bureau member.

This program is not a health insurance policy, and the program does not make payments directly to the providers of health services.

• Get your Guaranteed Savings on new vehicles and see dealer-guaranteed prices and discounts of up to $1,000 on used vehicles.

No cost. No obligation.

• Work with our prescreened Certified Dealers for a better, hassle-free car-buying experience.

• Unlimited access to new car price reports and used car market reports so you know you’re getting a good deal.

See how much you can save on ANY vehicle.

Visit www.fb.truecar.com or call 888-718-9053. *See site for details

Indiana Farm Bureau

Prescription Savings

T-Mobile

GM

$500 Savings

Save 12% and receive discounts on new activations New customers, call 1-866-464-8662, option 3.

Existing customers call 1-877-453-8824.

Povide Indiana Farm Bureau membership number and use Promotional Code 13032TMOFAV.

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Eligible Indiana Farm Bureau members can now receive a $500 discount on each qualifying model year Chevrolet, GMC or Buick vehicle they purchase or lease. This Farm Bureau member exclusive is offered for vehicles purchased or leased at participating dealerships through Farm Bureau’s GM Private Offer.

To qualify for the offer, individuals must have been a Farm Bureau member for at least 60 days prior to the date of delivery of the vehicle selected.

• Members simply go to www.fbverify.com/gm, enter their 10-digit membership number and zip code, and print off a certificate to take to the dealership.

• Very Important: Discount must be processed at time of delivery.

•The Farm Bureau discount is stackable with some incentives and non-stackable with others. GM Business Choice is an approved incentive program. See dealership for full details.

Instant Savings on Prescription Drugs Average savings of 36%, with potential savings of up to 75% (based on 2012 national program savings data). Accepted at thousands of participating pharmacies nationwide. Plus, valuable savings on vision products and accessories at over 13,000 locations!

Call 1-800-777-8252 or visit the Members Only section at www. itpaystobeamember.org for your ScriptSave® card. DISCOUNT ONLY – NOT INSURANCE Discounts are available exclusively through participating pharmacies. The range of the discounts will vary depending on the type of provider and services rendered. This program does not make payments directly to providers. Members are required to pay for all health care services. You may cancel your registration at any time or file a complaint by contacting Customer Care. This program is administered by Medical Security Card Company, LLC (MSC) of Tucson, AZ.

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INSURANCE

Calling All Customers New phone system designed with you in mind

Story by Amy D. Kraft, Public Affairs Specialist, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance

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PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHLEEN M. DUTRO

f you’ve called your local Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance office lately, you may have noticed something different – a new automated phone system. Though it might initially be surprising to not hear a person on the other end, the system is designed with you, the

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Marketing representative Zach Shorter (shown using a hands-free unit) talks to a customer via the company’s new unified phone system.

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client, in mind to make your experience with IFBI even better.

The new unified system provides for the first time connectivity between all office locations as well as additional options for clients.

“It was important to provide the clients with improved options,” says

Brenda Worman, senior marketing business analyst and business project manager. “Clients now have the option to contact their intended party directly, leave a voice mail message, make an automatic payment, file a claim and speak with a customer service representative (CSR) or agent.”

The new system also provides the foundation and flexibility to improve efficiencies and enhance customer service.

“The phone system now allows us to track call volume, which helps us effectively staff our county offices,” says Rick Kuster, director of agency support. “If one office is receiving a large number of calls, we can evaluate the staffing in that office and add more support if needed.”

Another benefit to customers is decreased call wait time. Rather than placing a call on hold until a specific CSR is available, calls can be routed immediately to another available CSR. Or, for example, if a severe storm occurs in one particular town or county, CSRs from other offices can help answer calls and assist clients remotely rather than traveling to the affected office.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance is proud of its commitment to customer service and understands the value of having a “live person” available to our clients.

Indiana Farm Bureau

IN THE GARDEN

Raising the Roots Make backyard gardening easier by building raised beds

Story by Colletta Kosiba

GETTING STARTED

Raised beds should be at least 12 inches tall to allow room for the roots. However, they should be no more than four feet wide so you can easily reach the middle from both sides. If you construct multiple beds, remember to leave enough space between them to easily maneuver a wheelbarrow, run your lawn mower or use a wheelchair.

BUILDING THE BED

When choosing materials to build your raised beds, select rot-resistant lumber such as cedar or redwood.

Alternately, use brick, stone or concrete, and you will never need to rebuild.

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My friends made theirs out of cinder blocks two blocks high and five blocks long. It was easy to construct, sturdy, inexpensive and fit their needs. They can sit on the edges to work the soil or harvest.

FILLING THE GARDEN

If you have moles and voles, place chicken wire or a similar material as a base in the middle of the frame. This will prevent the critters from being able to dig upward into your garden.

(If you don’t have this problem, skip this step.)

Lay down a thick layer of brown corrugated cardboard or newspaper right over the grass (or chicken wire).

The paper will decompose, providing food for the worms.

Next, if desired, add any yard waste you would normally compost, such as shrub and grass clippings, kitchen scraps and the like. If you add a lot of woody material, also add a bag of blood meal to balance out the nitrogen.

Finally, add compost to fill to the top. Some folks use black dirt or even garden soil. The soil will need to go about a foot deep, as most roots exist in the top 12 inches. Your soil will be loose because you never walk on it, and well drained due to the raised bed – so don’t forget to water thoroughly.

Building a raised bed is work now, but all the benefits are worth it. You will be able to garden well into your golden years.

STAFF PHOTO

D

uring the winter, many home gardeners are already planning their first steps come spring. But before you start ordering seeds, consider the benefits of building a raised bed.

Yes, they require more work to construct, but you will be happy each time you don’t have to bend over quite so far with your sore back.

In addition to the physical benefits, you get to fill the frames with highquality topsoil, often far superior to the dirt under your grass. What’s more, raised beds help to keep the grass from invading your crops. They also assist in controlling weeds and pests, often increase the yields of your produce and even extend the growing season due to a warmer soil temperature.

Raised beds offer physical benefits, increase crop yields and extend the growing season.

About the Author Colletta Kosiba of Hendricks County has been a naturalist at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis for 15 years.

She is an advanced Master Gardener, Master Naturalist and past president of the Hendricks County Master Gardeners’ Association. “Colletta’s Gardens” have also been featured on Channel 8 television in Indianapolis. my-indiana-home.com

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Peppermint Fudge 3 ¹⁄³ cups (20 ounces) vanilla baking chips 14 ounces (1 can) sweetened condensed milk ½ teaspoon peppermint extract 1 ½ cups crushed candy canes

Find more recipes at farmflavor.com.

dash red food coloring

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, and grease the foil.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk. Stir frequently until almost melted.

Remove from the heat and continue to stir until smooth.

When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring and crushed candy canes. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Chill for 2 hours, and cut into squares.

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Indiana Farm Bureau

IN FOCUS

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY KAY FIELDS, BLOOMINGTON

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LORI LEONARD SWAIM, ROCKVILLE

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JULIE CALLEN, ZIONSVILLE

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY KRISTEN FREEHAUF, LAKEVILLE

Submit Your Photos Indiana Farm Bureau members are welcome to submit photos for this page. To submit a photo via email, send a high-resolution JPEG (4x6 inches at 300 dpi), along with your name and location, to myindianahome@jnlcom.com. You can upload your Indiana photos to our website at my-indiana-home.com/photos.

To submit a photo via mail, send the photo to: My Indiana Home, Reader Photos, P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290.

Due to the high volume of photos we receive, we are unable to include every photo, and if you mail your photo in, we will not be able to return it. So make sure you have a spare – we don’t want to lose one of your family treasures!

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY TODD FREEMAN, ROSSVILLE

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