Winter 2010-2011, My Indiana Home

my-indiana-home.com Winter 2010-11

Go for the Red Gold Family-owned company grows tomatoes and jobs for Indiana and beyond

Healthy Hoosiers Get fit this winter with help from INShape Indiana

Sweet

Success Century-old Hunter’s Honey Farm continues family tradition

A magazine for Indiana Farm Bureau members

Winter 2010-11 Features

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Sweet Success

Century-old Hunter’s Honey Farm continues family tradition

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Go for the Red Gold

Family-owned company grows Indiana tomatoes and jobs

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Healthy Hoosiers

Get fit this winter with help from INShape Indiana

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Spurs of the Moment

Whitley County couple crafts cowboy gear with artistic touch

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Departments 4 IN Almanac

Eagle-watching hot spots, high-tech farmers and more

20 Travel IN

Shipshewana is a small town that's big on adventure

26 Eat IN

Warm your winter with healthy baking and breakfast recipes

30 INsurance

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Learn the importance of mortgage protection

31 IN the Garden

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Seed catalogs are the true harbingers of spring

32 In Focus

Reader photos sent in by you

On the cover Tracy Hunter of Hunter’s Honey Farm Photo by Jeffrey S. Otto Winter 2010-11

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Volume 1, Number 2

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my-indiana-home.com

A magazine for Indiana Farm Bureau members

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

Farm

Discover facts about Indiana’s top crops, corn and soybeans

Multi-Media Specialist Mike Anthony Administrative Assistant Charla Buis

Editorial Project Manager Jessy Yancey Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Contributing Writers Rebecca Denton, Kim Galeaz, Cris Goode, Susan Hayhurst, Colletta Kosiba, Amy D. Kraft, Jessica Mozo, Cassandra M. Vanhooser, Jessica Walker Media Technology Director Christina Carden Senior Graphic Designer Jessica Manner Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw, Yamel Hall, Alison Hunter, Marcus Snyder

Travel Food

Find exclusive online recipes, such as Beef Bourguignon or Butternut Squash Soup

Share the best places to see holiday lights displays throughout the state

Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf Ad Traffic Assistants Marcia Millar, Patricia Moisan Information Technology Director Yancey Bond Accounting Diana Guzman, Maria McFarland, Lisa Owens Sales Support Manager Cindy Hall Sales Support, Custom Division Rachael Goldsberry Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan Office Manager Shelly Miller

Connect With Us

Receptionist Linda Bishop

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Chairman Greg Thurman

watch our videos on youtube

Sr. V.P./Operations Casey Hester

youtube.com/ myINhome

President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Sr. V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom Holmberg V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.P./Content Development Teree Caruthers V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens Controller Chris Dudley Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris Distribution Director Gary Smith Advertising Sales Manager, Custom Division Tori Hughes 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 0018-4748 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, 225 S East St Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290.

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e truly appreciate all of the kind words sent in by readers of the first issue of My Indiana Home. From questions about the articles to all of the reader photos sent in for the IN Focus page, we’re always happy to hear from you. Please continue to send in your messages so we can help improve your reader experience – and we may even feature your note in the next issue!

I’d like to say how much I enjoy seeing My Indiana Home in my mailbox. This is a great publication with interesting stories. After reading about the local farmers, I’m left with a sense of Hoosier pride. As a farmer’s daughter who moved to the “bigger” city (from Jasper to Evansville), I love reading about farming and appreciate the reminder that there are still farming families thriving in this state.

Julie Mehringer Evansville I could not be more impressed with the My Indiana Home magazine! The photography was outstanding and I enjoyed all of the features and departments. What a great magazine to educate our non-farm folks about what goes on in farming.

Hopefully, you will include articles in the future about livestock farming, how we care for our animals and what we're all about; grain farming and why it produces noise and dust; and anything else our neighbors need to know so we can live together as good neighbors. Keep up the good work.

Debi Hill Hancock County Editor’s note: Thanks, Debi! Yes, you can look forward to a feature on grain farmers in our spring issue. We also have plans to include articles on livestock farming, with a focus on animal care and food safety. In the meantime, you can check out www.conversationsoncare.com to learn how farmers provide care for their animals in order to bring consumers the healthiest and safest food possible.

I was reading the new magazine, which is very very nice. When I was reading the Dairy Fun Facts on page 13 [“Reinventing the Farm,” Fall 2010]. I was wondering if the following fact is correct: Cows eat about 100 pounds of food.

Is this a misprint? Thanks.

Love the new look.

Cheryl Groves, via e-mail

Editor’s note: That number comes from the U.S Department of Agriculture (www.usda.gov) and is correct, though it may vary depending on how much milk they produce. Cows producing more milk will eat more, and vice versa.

Thanks for asking!

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

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice Make your eats a little more interesting while also keeping them fresh by ordering from American Spice, a Fort Wayne-based company offering canning and pickling supplies such as sour salt, fruit pectin and ground seeds.

American Spice also sells hot sauces and peppers sure to heat up any meal, as well as barbecue and grilling spices, marinades and condiments. Visit them on the Web at www. americanspice.com.

High-Tech Farmers Farmers all across the country are making an effort to be kind to the environment by taking advantage of the latest technology.

• With the goal of increasing the amount of water in the soil while also decreasing erosion, many farmers are using a technique known as no-till farming.

• Buffer strips, typically located in areas of permanent vegetation, stop runoff and help protect rivers and streams.

• Biotechnology creates higher yielding plants that need fewer crop inputs (fertilizers as well as products that protect plants against pests and diseases) to thrive.

Eye Spy You don’t have to have an eagle’s eye to spot the regal birds out and about this winter. While bald eagles were once on the country’s endangered species list, they have regained their numbers and can be seen throughout Indiana during a few weeks in the winter.

Enjoy a whole weekend of eagle watching at Eagle Pointe Resort in Bloomington from Feb. 4-6, 2011, during the 11th annual Eagle Watch Weekend. Learn more at www.eaglesatlakemonroe.com.

Turkey Run State Park in western Indiana also has a weekend devoted to the birds in early February. Other places to see these majestic creatures include Salamonie Lake in Andrews, Ind., or Patoka Lake in the southern part of the state.

save the date

Deck the Halls, Walk the Streets Enjoy the 2010 holiday season by taking part in Metamora’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Walk, an event that features nostalgic activities including horsedrawn carriage rides and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

During the walk, which takes place each weekend from Nov. 26 until Dec. 19, attendees can also listen to carolers, sip coffee or cider, and shop while enjoying the decorated streets of historic Metamora.

For more information, visit www.metamoraindiana.com.

• GPS devices assist farmers in placing fertilizer and other materials in specific areas, exactly where they’re needed.

• Instead of using commercial fertilizer, many farmers are using analyzed organic material (manure) to help grow their plants.

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Photo Courtesy of marcus rae photography

Sweet Holiday Celebrate National Pie Day on Jan. 23 by indulging in the official Hoosier state pie: sugar cream pie.

The recipe for the pie appears to have originated in eastern Indiana, dating back to the early 1800s when the creamy dessert was likely eaten at various Quaker settlements. Today, sugar cream pie can be enjoyed at many locally owned restaurants statewide.

New Discounts for Homeowners Effective Dec. 1, 2010, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance has two new discounts for homeowners: • Has your policy been active at least a year? With our new loyalty discount, the longer your policy is continuously active, the greater the discount you can earn.

A few Indiana eateries that offer traditional versions of the sweet treat are Storie’s Restaurant in Greensburg, Concannon’s Bakery, Café and Coffee Bar in Muncie, and Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington (pictured).

Green Your Thumb Successful care of indoor plants can be tricky.

To ensure your plants survive to see the next season, follow these simple tips: • Create a watering schedule. By following a plan, you’re less likely to overwater or underwater your plants.

• No recent claims? Earn a “Claims Free” discount. The longer your policy remains active and the fewer claims you have, the lower your rates will be.

• Learn which plants need humidity and how much they require. If your plant craves a wet, steamy environment, move it to an area in or near a bathroom.

If you have qualified for one or both discounts, they will be automatically applied to your policy premium and printed on your renewal notice.

• Consider how lighting affects your plants. Plants that receive too much light turn brown or appear to have burned leaves, while plants that are in too much darkness grow longer stems and fewer leaves.

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13,000

pounds of honey produced by the Hunters’ bees

100

years honey has been harvested on the Hunters’ farm

4,000

Christmas trees grown on the farm

1,000

Tracy Hunter works hives in his apiary. Hunter, a high school science teacher, learned the art of beekeeping from his grandfather, Gilbert Perigo, who started the family honey farm in 1910.

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visitors to the farm during the holiday season Indiana Farm Bureau

Sweet Success Story by Cris Goode Photography by Jeffrey S. Otto

Century-old Hunter’s Honey Farm continues family tradition

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hether enjoyed in hot tea, on a peanut butter sandwich or in the form of a scented candle, honey makes life a little sweeter.

For Tracy and Christina Hunter, honey is a way of life. Though they both have full-time jobs as teachers, they also carry on a 100-year legacy of beekeeping at Hunter’s Honey Farm, their fourth-generation honey farm in Martinsville, Ind.

The Hunters’ family-friendly farm attracts thousands of Hoosiers each year with opportunities to take tours, make their own candles, purchase local honey and bee products, and harvest their own Christmas trees.

An on-site store, open Monday through Saturday, features Winter 2010-11

hundreds of products made from the honey, pollen, propolis and beeswax produced on their farm.

The family also sells its products through its online store and at various farmers markets, events and orchards throughout the state.

Shoppers will find everything from half a dozen different

varieties of honey, 33 flavors of honey sticks, six types of honey candy, honey snacks, beeswax products, sauces and honey fudge (their newest product). Christina Hunter, a family and consumer science teacher, develops many of the recipes for the items in the store. She makes all of the gourmet spun honey, beeswax candles and many of the honey treats.

Tracy Hunter, a high school science teacher, learned the art of harvesting honey from his grandfather, Gilbert Perigo, who was also a teacher. Perigo began his honey farm in 1910 by managing several hives on behalf of his father’s orchard and eventually built his apiary – or bee yard – to more than 800 my-indiana-home.com

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hives. Perigo passed along his love for beekeeping and teaching to both his daughter and grandson. Today, Tracy and Christina continue the family tradition with their children.

The farm hosts a Fall Harvest Celebration each September, inviting the public to watch the family extract and bottle the honey, in addition to many family activities such as horse rides, hotair balloon rides, face painting, candle rolling and more.

“People really enjoy that they can come to a local honey farm, meet the beekeeper, purchase local honey and tour our honey house,” Tracy Hunter says. “They are just amazed at how many different items are produced on our farm, from the honey to bee pollen, propolis and royal jelly.”

There are 300 known varieties of honey. Based on the crops the bees pollinate, honey ranges from white in color and mild in flavor to dark and strong. The Hunters’ bees provide pollination services for everything from melons in southern Indiana to orchards in central Indiana to blueberries in the north. The bees’ cross-state journeys result in six to eight varieties of honey.

During a high production year, the farm produces 13,200 pounds of honey. Considering that one worker honeybee produces onetwelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime, that is a lot of bees.

“It is important to remember that honey is not just for bread and butter,” Tracy Hunter says.

“There are many uses for honey and bee products from nutrition to immune system assistance to treatments for wounds.”

Bee pollen, known to relieve allergies and boost energy, is

considered to be the most nutritious food on the planet.

Each member of the Hunter family takes bee pollen every day.

Royal jelly, the substance that feeds the queen throughout her lifetime, contains many properties that boost the immune system.

Propolis, a waxlike compound collected by bees from the resins of various trees and flower buds, is known for its antibacterial benefits in wound treatment.

The Hunters also note that honey is the only food that never spoils. Their website shares tips on how to easily substitute honey for sugar in cooking and baking.

Carrying on the Hunter honey tradition are 16-year-old Ross and 9-year-old Mackenzie. Ross is the farm’s No. 1 queen grafter – a job that entails taking eggs from a queen and placing them into queenless hives to grow new queens. Mackenzie has developed her own moisturizing honey soap, sold at the farm’s on-site and online stores.

The Hunter kids also assist with the planting, care and sales of the family’s Christmas tree farm – or “college fund,” as Tracy refers to it. This season, the Hunters expect around 1,000 families to visit the farm in search of the perfect tree.

The old-fashioned family experience of cutting down a Christmas tree comes complete with hot honey spiced cider and a warm fire – along with a saw to cut down their choice of the Scotch and white pine trees. The Hunters then shake out the loose needles and ready the sold-by-thefoot tree for transportation.

You can plan your trip to the farm by calling (765) 537-9430 or visiting www.huntershoneyfarm.com.

Tracy Hunter and his daughter, Mackenzie, top right, survey a pine sapling on the family’s Christmas tree farm. Hunter’s Honey Farm attracts visitors looking for the perfect tree, as well as homemade honey and beeswax products, such as the scented candles made by Christina Hunter, bottom left.

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get More online Add some honey to your holidays with the Hunters’ recipe for Honey Pecan Pie at www.my-indiana-home.com.

To learn more about Hunter’s Honey Farm and their beeswax and honey products, visit www.huntershoneyfarm.com.

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Go for the

Story by Susan Hayhurst Photography by Antony Boshier

Red Gold Family-owned firm grows tomatoes and jobs for Indiana and beyond

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hile going green is a popular and eco-friendly choice these days, Hoosiers also can’t go wrong going red with juicy, homegrown Red Gold tomatoes. The fourthgeneration, family-owned firm’s products are a boost to the health of Indiana residents and the state’s pocketbook.

Red Gold Inc. is a family-owned business that is dedicated to its mission statement, “To produce the freshest, besttasting tomato products in the world.”

To that end, “Red Gold tomato products are grown on Midwest family farms where conditions are ideal for

food products during World War II. The name changed to Red Gold in 1970. Its corporate offices and one processing plant are in Orestes, with other manufacturing plants in Elwood and Geneva.

Family Values

“The core values of Red Gold have always been quality, customer service and competitive pricing,” says Selita Reichart, vice president of quality of work life. “Our family is involved in all aspects of the company, and the 1,300 employees work with family members every day. We feel our employees are our most valuable resource.”

The family moniker continues with the company’s growers, who are all part of family farming operations.

Smith says Red Gold grows a Roma tomato.

“The tomato has been carefully bred and selected for our geographic region and environment,” he says. “The planting consists of several varieties with different maturity times. Our growers all own their own planting and harvesting equipment, [which is] a sizable investment in this industry.”

What is there not to like about the Indiana tomato? growing red, ripe tomatoes,” says Steve Smith, Red Gold’s director of agriculture.

“Being family owned since 1942, the company is committed to producing its products at the peak of freshness.”

Red Gold began as Orestes Canning when Grover Hutcherson and his daughter, Fran, rebuilt the Midwest cannery to provide fresh-tasting, canned

Scott Smith, president of Triple S Smith Farms, and his wife, Terri, grow Roma tomatoes for Red Gold at their farm in Windfall.

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Fun Facts About Red Gold • Red Gold contracts with 54 growers, 31 from Indiana and the rest from Ohio and Michigan.

• Between 10,000 and 11,000 acres of tomatoes are grown for Red Gold.

• Red Gold products are shipped throughout the United States and to 15 foreign countries.

• Red Gold’s growers plant more than 150 million tomato plants, averaging around 11,000 plants per acre.

• Red Gold’s tomato trailers carry about 23 tons per load and are destined for its three processing facilities.

Tons of Tomatoes

• Red Gold annually processes more than 20,000 semi-loads of tomatoes.

Photo Courtesy of red gold

• Indiana ranks second in the nation for production of tomatoes for processing.

The Indiana-grown tomatoes harvested from Triple S Smith Farms may end up as whole peeled, diced and stewed, juice, ketchup, sauce, or salsa. What’s more, Red Gold uses other local companies for ingredients when available, such as peppers for their salsa.

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Scott Smith (no relation to Steve), a grower for Red Gold from Windfall, has contracted with the company since the early 1980s and currently grows 389 acres of tomatoes.

“Tomatoes are a specialty crop and are all about timing and the details to make it happen,” he says. “As a team, Red Gold and I work very closely together throughout the growing season.

The company provides all the growers [with] information to organize a timely planting and harvest schedule. This is very important so the tomatoes can be harvested and processed at optimal times. Growing tomatoes on a mass scale requires good management skills.

Paying close attention to the details is key to success.”

Scott Smith says the tomato plants don’t contain any pathogens, and are grown in such a safe and natural environment that his family eats what it grows and is proud of that.

His operation alone produces more than 13,000 tons of tomatoes, or more than 20 million cans of tomato products.

Indiana Farm Bureau

Tina Anderson, Red Gold’s vice president of quality assurance and research and development, says the company strives to make its products as fresh as a tomato off the vine.

“The preservation of food via the canning process allows consumers to enjoy some of the safest foods on the planet,” she says. “The Red Gold process produces whole peeled, diced tomatoes and fresh-squeezed tomato juice that rivals the taste of tomatoes just picked from the garden, but with a two-year shelf life.”

The products have no artificial flavorings or colorings and no thickening agents. Red Gold’s tomatoes are grown in Indiana, northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Anderson says local companies are used whenever possible for the other ingredients in Red Gold products, such as peppers in the brand’s salsa.

From Farm to Table

Once a Red Gold tomato is planted, it matures in about 110 days and is then machine-harvested and transported in bulk containers to a processing facility. When tomatoes are received at the plant selected for processing, the period of time from the trailer to the can is only about 10 minutes. The products are cooked in the can for about 20 minutes and then cooled, stacked and warehoused.

The efficient processing results in more than 100 styles and flavors of tomato products, including whole peeled, diced, stewed, juice, ketchup, sauce and salsa.

Scott Smith says the growers and Red Gold want the public to know they are producing a safe, economical, nutritious food. “What is there not to like about the Indiana tomato? People desire to be connected to the land, and want to know where their food is coming from,” he says. “Buying locally, the consumer is supporting their own community, while being confident what they’re buying is good.”

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Photo Courtesy of red gold

Preserving the Freshness

Hearty Red Gold Chili Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes 1 pound lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped Salt and black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cocoa

1 (15-ounce) can hot chili beans

1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Diced Tomatoes Chili Ready, or 1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Diced Tomatoes Chili Ready with Onions

1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, or 1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes Mexican Fiesta

1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes, or 1 (14.5-ounce) can Red Gold Diced Tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes

Brown ground beef, onion and bell pepper in a large skillet.

Transfer to colander and rinse with hot water to remove fat.

Transfer meat mixture to large kettle and add salt, pepper, chili powder and cocoa; mix well.

Add chili beans and all of the tomato products. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Additional recipes can be found at www.redgold.com.

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Healthy

Hoosiers Get fit this winter with help from INShape Indiana

Indiana First Lady Cheri Daniels, right, spearheaded a six-week program for INShape Indiana called Ready, Set, Walk, designed to encourage people to walk.

get More online Resist the urge to bundle up and sit on the couch all winter long.

Get moving with seven winter exercise strategies at www.my-indiana-home.com.

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Story by Cassandra m. Vanhooser

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any New Year’s resolutions involve big plans for diet and exercise as well as kicking bad habits such as smoking once and for all.

Hoosiers with these goals in mind can take advantage of healthy lifestyle initiatives set up

by Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

When he took office in 2005, the fitness-minded governor launched INShape Indiana, a Web-based program designed to encourage state residents to eat better, move more and avoid tobacco. Today, more than 87,000 Hoosiers from all 92 counties have signed up to get INShape.

“Governor Daniels lives and breathes the message for INShape Indiana and so does the first lady,” program director Ellen Whitt says.

“The first lady walks every day, and Governor Daniels runs, swims and lifts weights. You can usually find him at the gym on his lunch break when he’s in town.”

GetTing Started With INShape

Participants can get involved with INShape a variety of ways.

Everyone who signs up gets a weekly e-mail featuring topics that range from goal setting to what kind of walking shoes to buy. All deal with some aspect of improving nutrition, increasing physical activity or stopping smoking.

Quarterly programming initiatives aim to further engage Hoosiers and get them personally involved. Last year, First Lady Cheri Daniels spearheaded INShape’s Ready, Set, Walk initiative – a six-week program Winter 2010-11

designed to encourage people to walk. Other incentives have included the Quit Now Indiana contest, where Hoosiers who successfully gave up tobacco had the chance to win $2,500.

INShape’s website also serves as a clearinghouse for health information, healthy recipes, current and past initiatives, and links to community programs.

Perhaps most inspiring is the section that features individual, community and corporate success stories. Hoosiers can read about the overweight Indianapolis police detective who lost 80 pounds and now runs triathlons; a YMCA that partnered with an elementary school to address a growing pediatric diabetes problem; local businesses that help employees stop smoking; and others.

Residents can even follow Gov. Daniels’ personal fitness plan.

Enhancing Quality of Life

Though the program stems in part from Daniels’ personal commitment to fitness, INShape Indiana is also a direct response to the state’s staggering obesity and

smoking rates. Some 65 percent of the population is either overweight or obese, and 23.1 percent smoke.

“First and foremost, addressing these issues improves the quality of life for each individual,” Whitt observes. “These three behaviors – or lack of them – lead to or exacerbate almost every chronic disease you can name. But these issues also impact our state in so many different ways. Governor Daniels’ goal is to bring the state together to conquer its health problems.”

Though it’s been six years since it was launched, the program continues to grow and change. In 2008, INShape Indiana partnered with the Indiana State Department of Health to win a five-year CDC grant to address the growing problem of obesity. INShape also helped craft the state’s 10-year obesity plan released last fall.

It may be years before the true impact of the program is known, but the governor hopes he has planted seeds that will grow well past his two terms in office.

Sign up for INShape Indiana at www.in.gov/inshape.

AVERAGE YIELD $10,000 TO $20,000 PER ACRE Ever wonder why people are getting into the

WHITE TAIL DEER FARMING INDUSTRY? Let me show you how!

• Complete deer farming turn-key operations (info, material, livestock, etc.)

• Small acreage, only 2 to 3 acres needed • Low start-up cost • Minimal hours per work week

Midwest Woodlots LLC (574) 265-6996 www.midwestwoodlotsllc.com my-indiana-home.com

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Get in touch: Ocken Bit & Spur Makers 7585 W. 400 S. South Whitley, IN 46787 (260) 723-6170 www.ockenbitandspur.com

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Spurs of the Story by Jessica Mozo Photography by Todd Bennett

Moment

South Whitley couple crafts functional art for horse enthusiasts

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hen Jay and Lyn Ocken of South Whitley began making heirloom-quality bits and spurs from sterling silver and steel, they never dreamed it would bloom into a family business.

“My husband and I are both teachers, and we both have shown horses all our lives,” Lyn Ocken says. “We wanted some nice cowboy gear but didn’t have the money, so we began making bits, spurs and other products for ourselves as a creative outlet.”

Soon, people began asking the couple to make customized buckles, spurs, bits and conchos (a silver ornamental disk often found on horse-related items), so in 2003 the Ockens launched a part-time business, Ocken Bit & Spur Makers, after being awarded a teacher creativity grant from the Lilly Foundation.

“We went to Canada and worked with a bit and spur maker there, and I went to Texas and worked with an artist and engraver,” Ocken says. “I fell in love with that aspect of it, so now Jay does all the metalworking, and I do the engraving.”

Metalwork is one of many hats the Ockens wear.

Jay teaches industrial technology for high schoolers and also shoes horses (a job he has loved since the age of 14), while Lyn teaches elementary art. They live on 16 acres with their three children, Jarrett, Justine and Jhett, along with their dogs, horses and ponies.

Appropriately, Lyn and Jay met in college while

competing on the Ball State University Equestrian Team. Now, they’re passing their love for horses on to their children; the oldest two already show horses.

The Ockens spend a lot of late evening hours in a small shop on their property where they fashion their cowboy gear. “We’ve kept the business small and manageable, but we’ve been surprised at the positive response we have gotten,” Ocken says. “We pay close attention to detail and create functional and artistic pieces nobody has had before.”

One project the couple completed was a set of spurs for a woman who had survived cancer.

“We worked the cancer ribbon into the design, so the spurs tell her story,” Ocken says. “We also made conchos for her saddle, and each told the story of one person in her life who was really meaningful.

One concho was designed with praying hands to remind her of what she had been through.”

The kids like to help in the shop whenever the opportunity arises. Jarrett even sold handmade silver necklaces to raise money for one of his classmates who was undergoing treatment for leukemia.

In addition to giving the Ockens a creative outlet and extra income, the business is a tribute to their heritage. Both come from a long line of equestrians, and Jay’s great uncle was a silversmith in Chicago.

His great-great grandfather was a watchmaker.

Ocken Bit & Spur Makers is a member of Indiana Artisan, a collaborative program that unites Hoosiers who create everything from jewelry to chocolate.

“We didn’t even see ourselves as artists at first,” Ocken says. “We’re very honored to be a part of it.”

Lyn and Jay Ocken make their own unique spurs, bits, buckles and conchos. Jay, top, does all of the metalworking, while Lyn does the custom engraving.

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antony boshier

Travel in

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Explore Shipshewana This small town is big on adventure

Story by Rebecca Denton Photography by Todd bennett

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on’t let the size of Shipshewana fool you.

This tiny northern Indiana town has plenty to offer.

With a population of fewer than 600 people, Shipshewana is home to one of the nation’s largest flea markets, a huge indoor water park and some 150 shops and other attractions that draw more than a half million visitors each year.

Quaint downtown buildings and horse-drawn buggies are the norm in this bustling rural village, which is located in the heart of the third-largest Amish and Mennonite community in the country.

Ring It Up

Shoppers, slip on your comfortable shoes. Here, you’ll find a variety of establishments selling locally handcrafted

furniture and home décor, antiques, fine art, heirloomquality gifts, specialty foods, outdoor gear and much more.

Shipshewana Trading Place of America includes the Farmstead Inn & Conference Center, the Auction & Flea Market (the flea market runs from May through October, but the auction takes place Wednesdays year-round), and the Antique Gallery, which is home to more than 100 antique dealers. The auction offers a oneof-a-kind shopping adventure, with 10 auctioneers taking the mike every Wednesday at 8 a.m.

Nearby, the Davis Mercantile is home to more than 20 stores, from clothing and home furnishings to entertainment and food. Don’t miss the Mercantile’s fully restored 1906 carousel and its hand-carved farm animals.

Yoder’s Red Barn Shoppes

offer 25,000 square feet of retail shopping under one roof, including handcrafted furniture, rustic home accents, collectibles, clothes and tasty treats, such as hand-rolled pretzels, chocolates and kettle corn.

Fast Facts: Shipshewana is less than one square mile in size.

The town of Shipshewana was named for Potawatomi Indian Chief Shipshewana, who settled the area with his tribe. He died in 1841.

Be sure to stroll through the Courtyard of Arts, a working artisan village in the heart of downtown Shipshewana. This eclectic spot is home to Jerry’s Eggs – eggshells intricately hand-

Clockwise from top: Visitors to Shipshewana can enjoy a scenic Buggy Lane Tour through Amish country; learn about the history and heritage of Amish and Mennonite communities at Menno-Hof; browse through the antiques at a variety of locally owned shops; and ride on the 1906 Davis Mercantile carousel.

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If You Go Shipshewana

Shipshewana offers some of the best shopping in Indiana’s Amish country, but remember that most businesses there are closed in the evenings and on Sundays. For a detailed list of shops, restaurants, lodging and attractions, visit www.shipshewana.com.

Another excellent resource for planning your trip to Shipshewana is the LaGrange County Convention & Visitors Bureau website, www.backroads.org.

Here you’ll find a list of upcoming events along with maps, directions, brochures and more.

Aunt Millie’s, offering treats ranging from penny candy to fresh roasted nuts, is among the many shops at Davis Mercantile.

save the date

Breaking the Ice

Shipshewana is a magical place to visit in December, when the town gears up for its annual ice festival that takes place Dec. 27-31, 2010.

Stores throughout town will host ice carvers from the Michiana Ice Carving Association. The ice artists will be shaving, drilling and sawing blocks of ice to form

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intricate shapes such as gingerbread houses, snowmen and full nativity scenes beginning Dec. 28.

Most stores will stay open until 8 p.m. that night.

Master carvers will test their skills with elaborate competition pieces during the sculpture competition in the Davis Mercantile parking lot on Dec. 29 from 11 a.m.

to 2 p.m. The ice-carving displays will be followed by snowmobile drag races on grass and a chili cook-off on Dec. 30. Visitors can enjoy the ice sculptures throughout Shipshewana on Dec. 31, but most stores will close early.

For more information, visit www.shipshewana.com.

Indiana Farm Bureau

Best of AlAskA carved by Jerry Bontrager – along with a blacksmith, visiting artists, musicians and a café.

Down-Home Dining

From an Amish steakhouse to family-style dining at Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery, or madefrom-scratch pies at Daily Bread in Davis Mercantile, Shipshewana offers an array of down-home dining options.

An assortment of coffee shops, pizzerias, quaint cafés and bakeries also can be found along the shop-lined streets downtown.

More To Explore

No visit to Shipshewana would be complete without a trip to Menno-Hof, a nonprofit information center just south of downtown that explores the history and heritage of northern Indiana’s Amish and Mennonites.

Exhibits include replicas of a 19th-century print shop and meeting house, a glimpse into a northern Indiana Amish home and a simulated tornado.

For a different sort of family adventure, check out Splash Universe Indoor Water Park & Resort Hotel. This year-round water park features a 500-gallon splash bucket, lazy river, twisting water slides, family spa and much more – and the temperature inside is always a comfortable 84 degrees. Mousetrap Puppet Theater recently moved to Splash Universe, and it offers free marionette shows to the public.

Families can also enjoy Branson, Mo.-style entertainment at Blue Gate Theater, and the classic car collection at Hostetler’s Hudson Auto Museum is another popular spot. A scenic ride on a horsedrawn buggy, including a farm tour, brings the Shipshewana experience full circle.

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tour & Cruise

with Great alaska state Fair Visit 14 days from $2,499* per person (add $299 tax & port charges)

Departs August 23, 2011 Fly to Anchorage, travel to Denali, visiting a local Musk Ox Farm and Botanical Gardens. Enjoy a Tundra Wildlife Tour before heading back to Anchorage via rail. Here you’ll visit the State Fair and Iditarod Headquarters. Then onto Seward before boarding Holland America’s “Zaandam” for a seven-night cruise on the inside passage and Glacier Bay, with stops in Haines, Juneau and Ketchikan. From Vancouver, transfer to Seattle for overnight and city tour.

Call for low-cost airfare prices. Space is very limited and will sell out fast! $100 deposits are due now to reserve your tour.

For information, reservations and full itinerary, call:

YMT VACATIONS

(800) 888-8204

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It pays to be a member.

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 below.

For more information on member savings and benefits:

1-800-777-8252 • www.infarmbureau.org

Save 40-50% Off the National Average Price for traditional LASIK! Call 1-866-979-2030 www.qualsight.com/-infb • QualSight’s network of the nation’s most experienced LASIK surgeons has collectively performed over 2.5 million procedures

We’re proud to be able to help you and your family with your health care costs by offering you the ScriptSave® Prescription Drug Savings Card at no cost. This card gives you and everyone in your family – even pets – discounts on all brand name and generic prescription medications.* • Instant savings with no qualifying • Accepted at over 55,000 participating pharmacies • Absolutely no enrollment fees and no monthly or ongoing fees

Card is perfect for: • Families with no prescription coverage • Drugs not covered by insurance • Those whose coverage has deductibles and limits • Families with pets that need medications available at retail pharmacies

• One card provides discounts for everyone in your household, even pets • There’s no limit to the number of times your card can be used • Savings on vision care, daily living products, diabetes care and supplies

Start saving now Go to www.ScriptSave.com and log in with Group # 188E. Print your card and take it to a participating pharmacy near you. It’s that simple. *Savings average 28%, with potential savings of up to 50% – based on 2009 national program savings data.

• Choose from over 800 locations nationwide for your free LASIK exam

DISCOUNT ONLY – NOT INSURANCE. Discounts are available exclusively through participating pharmacies. You may cancel your registration at any time by contacting Customer Care.

Provides screenings for potential strokes, aneurysms and other vascular diseases before they become life-threatening. Life Line Screening tests are painless, noninvasive and take less than 10 minutes each. Indiana Farm Bureau members can take advantage of these screenings at local community events at a discounted price. Call 800-778-6081 or visit www.

LifeLineScreening.com/INFB to schedule your screenings.

Pre-registration is required. Please use priority code BCKA-026.

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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Indiana Farm Bureau

Individual voluntary benefits – dental, vision, and critical illness/ cancer - available through Humana with your Indiana Farm Bureau membership can help protect your health and finances!

How can you benefit:

Choose benefits that match your needs

Save up to 55%

For only $33.60 per year – that’s only $2.80 per month – Indiana Farm Bureau members can access Dental Care Advantage, a network of providers for discounts on dental and chiropractic services.

• Discounted Dental Services: The DCA program offers 2055% savings on dental services when seen by a participating dentist, dental group or location. Included dental services: examinations, cleanings, fillings, x-rays, root canals, crowns, cosmetics, oral surgery, dentures, periodontics and orthodontics.

• Discounted Chiropractic Services: The program includes 50% savings on diagnostic and x-rays, 30% on other services, a no-charge consultation, unlimited visits per member and treatment for acute, chronic and preventive care.

To Enroll: This special rate is only available to Indiana Farm Bureau members with an annual pre-paid membership of $33.60. To join Dental Care Advantage contact Indiana Farm Bureau at 800-777-8252 to request your enrollment application.

For additional information please call 888-540-9488 – be sure to mention the “Indiana Farm Bureau Dental Care Advantage Program.” *This program is not a health insurance policy and the program does not make payments directly to the providers of health services.

With a critical illness/cancer plan, directly receive benefits when you need them most Coverage available to spouses and dependent children Members of Indiana Farm Bureau can purchase dental coverage for less than $15 a month, vision coverage for less than $17 a month, and $10,000 in critical illness and cancer coverage that starts at less than $10 a month.* * $10,000 coverage for non-tobacco user, ages 18-29 To learn more, please call 1-877-720-4851 or visit farmbureau. humana.com

15% Retail Discount

All members and their immediate family members (grandparents, parents, spouse and children) will receive complimentary hearing screenings and a 15% retail discount off the usual and customary retail price of any Beltone hearing instrument at any of over 1,500 locations throughout the United States, including 50+ locations in Indiana.

To find a Beltone location visit www.Beltone.com • 15% retail discount cannot be used with other discounts or special offers • All members must show membership ID at first appointment • Beltone professional please use Managed Care #42200

Healthcare Protection for your dog or cat.

You care for every member of your family in the very best way. This includes your beloved pet.

However, with modern treatments involving the best in veterinary technology and medicines, vet costs can add up to surprisingly high bills.

With your Indiana Farm Bureau membership you can choose PetPartners, one of the most experienced companies in this field, to help you plan ahead with a superior range of pet healthcare plans.

5 great reasons to choose us!

• No pre-set limiting payment schedule • Diagnostic testing costs included • Superior benefits for cruciate ligament ruptures • Richest ‘Wellness’ benefits available today – 80% of covered costs after annual deductible • Spay/neuter option available Significant discounts for Farm Bureau members. For your noobligation quote and to find out more, visit www.fbphp.com or call toll free 1.877.738.7888

Don’t let your pet’s unexpected accident or illness lead to agonizing decisions.

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Eat IN

Story and Recipes by Kim Galeaz Photography by Jeffrey S. Otto Food Styling by Betsy Williams

Wholesome for the Holidays Warm your winter with nutritious baking and breakfast recipes About the Author

Registered dietitian Kim Galeaz is an Indianapolis-based 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 powerwalking. A link to her blog, “The Dietitian Does Dessert ... Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Too” is at www.kimgaleaz.com.

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H

ow can winter be cold and dreary when you have so many opportunities for baking, cooking and eating with family and friends? Big family gatherings and festive holiday parties will undoubtedly provide plenty of warmth. We know they’ll provide plenty of food, because food is an integral part of every celebration in our culture.

Celebrations and nutrient-rich foods aren’t mutually exclusive, though – just blend and balance. For example, most holiday cookies are made with lots of high-calorie ingredients. Balance those calories with extra exercise, smaller portions or by adding nutrient-rich ingredients. Almond Shortbread Thumbprints contain the prerequisite flour, sugar and butter (Indiana dairy farmers will take comfort knowing this dietitian won’t use anything but real butter in all her cookie baking!), but one-half of that flour is whole-wheat with whole-grain nutrients.

If you want a treat where every ingredient is nutrient-rich, make a batch of Chocolate Fruit & Nut Clusters.

Have fun creating your own version, such as Date Fig Walnut or Cherry

Cranberry Pecan. Boost heart-healthy chocolate antioxidants by using dark instead of semisweet.

When extended family is home for holidays, serving pancakes is easy with Oven Baked Apple Walnut Pancakes.

They’re 100-percent whole grain and nutrient-rich. Even better, these pancakes give you a jump-start on that New Year’s resolution to lose weight, because the latest research shows that breakfast eaters are more likely to lose weight and keep it off. Pair the pancake with protein-rich ham or Canadian bacon – two lean breakfast-meat choices – and you’ll up your chances for success even further.

Studies show that eating more protein at breakfast fills you up, keeps you satisfied and helps control overall calories.

Happy, healthy and tasty holiday and 2011 to all!

get More online Spark culinary adventure with food-lovers on your holiday gift list. Find directions for creating your own around-theworld seasonings gift basket at www.my-indiana-home.com.

Indiana Farm Bureau

Oven Baked Apple Walnut Pancakes 1¾ cups old-fashioned oats 1¼ cups white whole wheat flour 1/3 cup ground flax seed 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon ground Saigon cinnamon 1½ cups low-fat buttermilk 1 tablespoon orange juice 3 large eggs ¼ cup canola oil 2 cups peeled, finely diced apples ¾ cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk buttermilk, orange juice, eggs and oil together in smaller bowl.

Stir lightly into dry ingredients until just combined; don’t over-mix. Lightly stir in apples and walnuts. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out nearly clean. Cut into 18 squares (6x3) and serve warm with desired toppings.

Serves 4 to 6 (3 to 4 squares each).

Oven Baked Apple Walnut Pancakes • Oats and white whole wheat flour make these pancakes 100 percent whole grain and high fiber.

• Apples and oats contain cholesterollowering soluble fiber.

• Flaxseed and walnuts provide heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

• Every teaspoon of cinnamon contains as many antioxidants as ½ cup blueberries! This pancake contains 3 teaspoons.

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Almond Shortbread Thumbprints • Every cookie is one-half whole grain from the white whole wheat flour.

• Almond meal adds antioxidant Vitamin E to these decadent and delicious butter-rich treats.

Almond Shortbread Thumbprints 1 cup white whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup almond flour (also known as almond meal) 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2/3 cup sugar ½ teaspoon almond extract ½ teaspoon each lemon and orange zest, finely grated

¼ cup each strawberry, blackberry and apricot preserves or jam* *Use any favorite flavor of jam or preserves

Whisk together three flours in medium bowl and set aside. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer with paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Mix in almond extract

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and lemon and orange zests. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture slowly, mixing well after each addition.

Place dough on large piece of plastic wrap, form into slightly flattened disk and completely cover with wrap.

Refrigerate at least one hour.

Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1 to 1-1/4-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Make deep indentation in center of each ball with thumb.

Edges may crack slightly, but that’s okay. Fill each indentation with at least ¼ teaspoon preserves or jam.

Bake for 14 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand one minute on cookie sheet then remove to wire cooling racks. Once cooled, store in tightly covered container in single layer.

Makes about 42 cookies (3 ½ dozen).

Indiana Farm Bureau

Chocolate Fruit & Nut Clusters • Dried tart cherries are rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, which provide anti-inflammatory benefits to promote a healthy heart and ease arthritis pain and muscle/joint soreness after exercise.

• Figs and dates are a good source of fiber, potassium and anti-aging antioxidants.

Chocolate Fruit & Nut Clusters

1 bag (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1 ½ cups dried fruit, chopped if necessary* 1 cup finely chopped nuts*

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper; set aside. Melt chocolate chips in double boiler over slightly simmering water. (Create your own double-boiler by using a small saucepan or heat-proof bowl over a bigger saucepan that contains the simmering water.) Combine the dried fruits and nuts in a small bowl. Add to melted chocolate and stir to completely coat all ingredients.

Using a measuring tablespoon, dip leveled clusters onto covered baking sheet about 1-inch apart. They will look uneven and shaggy. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until clusters are hardened and set. Store clusters

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in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature. (The clusters taste most flavorful at room temperature.)

Makes 30 to 36 clusters.

Cherry Cranberry Pecan Version:

Dried fruit: 1 cup dried tart cherries and ½ cup dried cranberries Nuts: 1 cup chopped pecans

Date Fig Walnut Version:

Dried fruit: ¾ cup chopped dried figs and ¾ cup chopped dates Nuts: 1 cup chopped walnuts

*Create your own version using any mixture of dried fruits and nuts – dried apricots and almonds, golden raisins and pistachios, or dates and cashews for example.

Smart Selection & Storage White Whole Wheat Flour: All the fiber and nutrients of traditional whole wheat with a milder flavor, lighter color and lighter texture in baking. Replace up to one-half regular flour with this 100 percent whole grain flour.

Best Baking Apples: You can’t go wrong with Granny Smith apples; they always retain their crispness.

Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, Golden Delicious, Idared, Rome Beauty and Cortland also work well.

Saigon Cinnamon: Also known as Vietnamese cinnamon, it’s the most coveted variety with an intense flavor and aroma. Look for jars of it in the spice aisle. Store in a cool, dry and dark location. (Not above the stove!)

Dried Fruits: Look for dried tart cherries, dried figs and chopped dates in the raisin aisle.

Almond Flour: Also known as almond meal, it’s very finely ground, blanched almonds and adds moist texture and rich buttery flavor to all kinds of baked goods. Usually found in 1-pound bags, look for it in the baking aisle or specialty foods area.

Refrigerate or freeze. my-indiana-home.com

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INsurance

Protect Your Home Farm Bureau Insurance provides security for your family and your mortgage

F

Public Affairs Specialist, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance

inancial experts applaud the benefits of a monthly family budget. However, no matter how well you follow its guidelines, losing a contributing income would make it very hard to meet all your obligations. Usually, the largest expense is the mortgage on your home. If your family loses a source of income, could you keep the house? That is why mortgage protection is so important.

The downside of life insurance is that it forces you to face the reality that you, or someone you love, may die unexpectedly. The upside of life insurance is that it protects your family even if a tragedy occurs. In this world where two-income families are the norm, would you be able to pay your mortgage if your income was cut in half?

Mortgage companies require homeowners to have insurance to protect the companies’ risk. A homeowner’s policy protects you if you suffer a loss from circumstances such as fire, theft or Mother Nature. However, it will not cover your home if a portion of your family income is lost.

That is why Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance provides options to help you protect your mortgage.

The Mortgage Protector and Mortgage Protector Plus plans provide security and peace of mind in case a tragedy strikes your family.

The plans are simply a life insurance policy that acts like a savings account. You pay into the policy for a set number of years and either receive the benefit of the policy in the event of a death or receive a refund of premium paid at the end of the term.

“I encourage my clients to get this policy,” says Janella Newcomb, insurance agent in Vanderburgh County. “It’s not just life insurance but a forced savings account that protects your home.”

Should you outlive the term of the policy, you can use the money to pay down your mortgage or for anything else that you need.

“Life happens, and maybe at that time, paying down your mortgage isn’t a priority,” says Michelle Dilling, manager of life products. “Maybe sending your child to college is a bigger priority. You can 30

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use the money however you see fit. We provide much more flexibility than the bank does.”

That flexibility is key to this product. Banks also offer mortgage protection, but the bank is the beneficiary. At the time of a loss, the money does not go to your family, removing any flexibility they have in regards to how to use the money.

The best part of a Mortgage Protector policy, according to Newcomb, is “you control the money.”

The policy is beneficial for anyone with a mortgage, and those with little time left on their mortgage could use the money for other life events.

“I took out this policy myself,” Newcomb says.

“My husband and I like to ride motorcycles, and hopefully, in 20 years, we’ll get the return of premium and take one heck of a ride.”

Photo Courtesy of kathleen m. dutro

Story by Amy D. Kraft,

Indiana Farm Bureau

IN the Garden

Got Seeds?

For gardeners, seed catalogs are the true harbingers of spring Story by Colletta Kosiba

R

ight around the time when we have just finished putting our garden to bed for the winter, spring seed catalogs begin arriving. The excitement of seeing the new varieties offered, checking on an old favorite or finding the unusual plant not available in our area makes reading the catalogs a treat.

We gardeners are an optimistic bunch. Never daunted by past failures, we are eager to once again try a new variety of vegetable, a unique shrub or an easy-to-maintain flower.

Ordering from reliable companies, such as Burpee, will ensure you get good-quality plants. While we are all tempted by catalogs that offer “real deals” for “only 99 cents,” some offerings are excellent buys, but

most are a disappointment. All companies will give you new plants if the originals do not survive – that is, if you can find your receipt and whatever else they require. Any time we order and a plant fails, we lose a whole growing year.

When you’re thinking ahead to the 2011 growing season, it is also an excellent time time to review the last one. Were those cucumbers as good as advertised?

Did those tomatoes that were heralded to produce a large crop do as promised, but produce a crop that tasted like hothouse tomatoes? What is your preference on tomatoes: a highacid, flavorful tomato like Rutgers, a low-acid yellow or something in between?

A huge flower success for me was a winter-hardy native hibiscus, Hibiscus moscheutos. It produced 8- to 12-inch white

blooms (also available in pink, red or purple) with red centers from midsummer to frost. It grows in sun or part shade, 2 to 12 feet tall, 2 to 4 feet wide, without special care.

Why doesn’t my hydrangea boom? Wish I had a dollar for every time I get that question.

There are many kinds of hydrangea, so the problem could be too much sun or too much shade, or you could have trimmed off the blooming branches. Try Hydrangea paniculata “Limelight”; it will not disappoint you. This shrub has 6- to 12-inch panicles of chartreuse flowers that slowly change from mauve pink to burgundy in the fall. It grows in sun to part shade, 3 to 25 feet tall, 8 to 16 feet wide.

After perusing the catalog offerings, it will be time to start those seedlings before you know it. Do as your grandparents did and try planting the seeds you saved from your biggest and best plants for your 2011 garden.

For now relax, enjoy and use the seed catalogs to research and help plan your new garden. It is exciting and inspiring to look at all those glorious photos!

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 and president of the Hendricks County Master Gardeners’ Association. She became a Master Naturalist in 2008, received a Gold Level Master Gardener Status for more than 1,500 volunteer hours teaching gardening programs and won the 2007 Honeywell Award for Excellence in Horticulture. “Colletta’s Gardens” have also been featured on Channel 8 television in Indianapolis.

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IN Focus

photo subm itted by Dann

y and Judy Redm an, Brem

Photo Submitt ed by mauric e and

en

Photo Sub mitt

Photo Submitt ed by adam and krystl

ed by Ste ve and

Am ber bos, Wa

cherie berend es, evansv ille, IN

natah, IN

e wiese, reynol ds, IN

Indiana Farm Bureau members are welcome to submit photos for the IN Focus page. To submit a photo via e-mail, send a high-resolution JPEG (4x6 inches at 300 dpi) to myindianahome@jnlcom.com along with your name and location. To submit a photo via mail, send the photo to: My Indiana Home, Reader Photos, P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. You can also connect with us online by adding your Indiana photos to our Flickr group at www.flickr.com/groups/myindianahome.

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 Subm itted by jack

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and sharon stra in, prair

ie cree k, IN

Indiana Farm Bureau