Mud & Magnolias October 2021 by Journal Inc

Mud&Magnolias October. November 2013 October 2021

THE MEN'S ISSUE

MEN'S FASHION HELMS CUSTOM KNIVES SUPERIOR ARTISAN WOOD RAGGIO CUSTOM CALLS STEELE MAGNOLIA BEARD CO.

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CONTENTS

40 24 21

RECIPES

We offer a complete guide to fall's best eats. From a comforting shepherd's pie to a sweet and cozy apple fritter bread, you'll want to welcome October with us.

CUSTOM CALLS 24 RAGGIO Josh Raggio has a big name in the world of

Chad Fletcher has a heart for history. That's why he is the only Mississippian reclaiming certified urban wood. Read up on what's next for him.

outdoorsmen. It's likely you know someone with one of his world-famous duck calls, which are just as musical as they are practical.

HELMS CUSTOM KNIVES

During the day, Spence Helms is a lineman at 4 County Electric in Starkville. At night, he's an expert bladesmith. Learn more about his company and the craftsmanship behind it.

ALSO:

SUPERIOR ARTISAN WOOD AND SLAB

October 2021

STEELE MAGNOLIA BEARD COMPANY Richard Colton Armstrong is as kind as he is tenacious. He can often be found creating beard salves in the back of his studio. Our favorite scent? Blueberry pancake.

FALL PUMPKIN VASE

We love fall florals, and this year's arrangment doesn't disappoint. We'll teach you how to turn a plastic pumpkin pail into a luxurious piece.

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MEN'S FASHION

ON THE COVER Wildrose Xander of Wildrose Kennels in Oxford. Above, Wildrose Xander, Wildrose Danny and Wildrose Mattis.

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few years ago, when our team started The Men's Issue, we weren't quite sure where it would take us. We wanted to make it something men would appreciate, but women would also enjoy. I think we have captured that in this edition with many cool stories. One of the features that really stood out to me this month is when we talked with Clarke Gordon about his rodeo lifestyle (page 29). His story reminded me of when I was child entering rodeos with my horse, Walter. Walter was a skinny, brown and white horse that wasn't much to write home about but he got the job done. I mostly competed in barrel racing, but I can't say I did much more than dressed the part and hung on to the saddle. Walter always got us around the barrels in record time. I even won a few larger-than-life trophies and several shiny belt buckles. I hope you find something in this month's edition that brings you fond memories. Happy fall, y'all.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sarah Brooke Bishop

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Lindsay Pace Adam Armour

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meredith Biesinger Kristina Domitrovich Anna Glidewell

FEATURED SALES CONSULTANTS Leigh Knox Teresa McDonald June Phillips Tyler Vuncannon John Turner Angie Quarles Justine Hook Krystal Black

subscriptions@mudandmag.com advertising@mudandmag.com info@mudandmag.com mudandmag.com This magazine is a monthly publication of Journal, Inc.

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RECIPES

Fall favorites When temperatures drop, we turn to the meals that comfort us most. From the coziest apple fritter bread to crispy pancetta risotto, we're ready to celebrate crisp air and fall flavors.

MUSHROOM AND CRISPY PANCETTA RISOTTO, PG. 21

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BEEF STEW, PG. 21

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POTATO SOUP, PG. 21

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RECIPES

CREAMY MUSHROOM CHICKEN, PG. 21

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RECIPES

WINE-BRAISED SHORT RIB WITH POLENTA, PG. 21

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RECIPES

SHEPHERD'S PIE, PG. 22

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RECIPES

APPLE FRITTER BREAD, PG. 22

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RECIPES MUSHROOM AND CRISPY PANCETTA RISOTTO Ingredients: 1 pound thick-cut pancetta, cubed 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 sprig sage 1 pound sliced portabella mushrooms 3 shallots, finely diced 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup white wine 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan Black pepper to taste Italian parsley (optional) Directions: In a pot, begin to warm the chicken broth over medium-low heat. In a large pan over medium heat, dry-fry the pancetta cubes until very crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Carefully wipe down the pan, to remove excess grease. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add the mushrooms and sage. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Keep the sage and transfer the mushrooms to a bowl, discarding excess liquid, and set aside. Return the sage back to the pan, add the remaining olive oil along with the shallots. Sauté until soft; discard the sage. Add the rice to the pan, and stir regularly until the rice is pale and almost translucent. Add the wine, and gently stir until it’s completely absorbed. Add a 1/2 cup chicken broth, and gently stir until absorbed. Continue this process for the rest of the chicken broth, over the next 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add in the butter and Parmesan, and stir until completely melted. Stir in the mushrooms and pancetta, and season with pepper to taste (salt shouldn’t be needed thanks to the pancetta). BEEF STEW Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 pounds sirloin roast, cubed 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 yellow onion, diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cubed 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 11/2 cups long-grain basmati rice 1 sprig of thyme 2 bay leaves 1 sprig of sage 4 cups low sodium beef broth 4 cups water 12 ounces frozen corn

Directions: Preheat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, followed by the roast cubes. Try to evenly spread the cubes out. Season with salt and pepper, and brown on each side for about 2 minutes. Remove, and set aside. Add the butter, followed by the onions, carrots, potatoes and garlic. Sauté for about 7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste and rice, and stir until the rice is slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Return the beef cubes, and add in the fresh herbs (tie together with food-safe twine, or in a small piece of cheese cloth), water and beef broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the fresh herbs and add in the corn. Once the corn is heated through, serve immediately. POTATO SOUP Ingredients: 6 russet potatoes, baked with skins removed (optional) 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/2 yellow onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 4 tablespoons AP flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream 4 cups milk 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed For serving: Bacon crumbles Diced yellow or green onions Shredded cheddar cheese Directions: For an ultra smooth potato soup, beat the still-warm baked potatoes in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until creamy with no lumps. Otherwise, roughly cube. For the soup: In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle in the flour, along with the seasonings, followed by the potatoes. Stir well, until a paste forms. Cook for another 2-4 minutes, or until thickened. Slowly drizzle in the chicken broth, cream and milk, stirring constantly. Add in the cream cheese and stir. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer for about 30 minutes, or until thick and cream, stirring regularly. Serve immediately with desired toppings. CREAMY MUSHROOM CHICKEN Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast filets 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 shallots, finely diced 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 pound sliced mushrooms 3 tablespoons AP flour 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup white wine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 4 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs rosemary Pairing suggestions: Mashed potatoes Shredded Parmesan Directions: Preheat a large, deep-sided pan over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken down with a paper towel, and season with half of the salt and pepper. To the pan, add the oil, followed by the chicken filets. Sear each both sides of the chicken until golden brown. After 10 minutes, or once cooked through, transfer to a plate and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the butter, shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, and sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft and some of the liquid has evaporated off. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir. Slowly drizzle in the liquids (broth, wine and cream), stirring continuously. Add in the sprigs of thyme and rosemary, and lightly simmer for about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling the filets into the sauce. Let simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened further. Serve immediately. WINE-BRAISED SHORTRIBS ON POLENTA Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 pounds short ribs 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 yellow onions, cut into rough wedges 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3 tablespoons AP flour 4 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon 1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise 6 sprigs thyme 4 sprigs rosemary 4 sprigs oregano 2 bay leaves 6 stems Italian parsley For the polenta: 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt

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RECIPES sauce over the dish. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and shaved Parmesan as desired.

1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1 cup yellow cornmeal 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Directions: Preheat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with the salt and pepper. Add the vegetable oil to the pot, followed by the short ribs (depending on pot sizes, this may take working in batches). Brown the short ribs for about 3 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350. Add in the onions, celery, carrots and tomato paste. Stir and sauté until fragrant; sprinkle in the flour, and stir until combined. Slowly drizzle in the beef broth, whisking continuously. Then add in the wine, and return the short ribs. Bundle the fresh herbs (tied in food-safe twine, or secured in cheese cloth) and add to the pot, along with the garlic. Place in the oven, and cook until tender, about 2 1/2to 3 hours. About 40 minutes before removing the braised short ribs, make the polenta: In a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth, salt and seasonings to a boil. Slowly pour in the polenta, whisking continuously to avoid clumps. Reduce heat to low, and bring to a simmer, stirring regularly. Once thickened, cover and let cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent clumping. Once creamy and tender, turn off the heat and add butter, stirring continuously until melted. Add in the Parmesan, and stir until melted. Remove the braised ribs from the oven, and discard the herbs and vegetables. Serve the short ribs on a bead of polenta, and spoon

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SHEPHERD'S PIE Ingredients: 2 pounds 85% lean ground burger 1 yellow onion, diced 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon red chili flake 1 teaspoon chili powder 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons AP flour 2 cups beef broth 12 ounces frozen peas & carrots mix For the potato topping: 2.5 pounds russet potatoes, skinned and cubed 4 cups low-sodium beef broth 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Directions: In a large pot, combine the potatoes and beef broth, and bring to a boil. Once fork-tender, pour out the excess liquid. Mash, and combine the pepper, salt, garlic and butter. Preheat the oven to 350. In the mean time, in a very large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add the meat. Use a spatula to break it up into small pieces, and cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until the meat is nearly cooked through. Add the onion, seasonings and tomato paste. Mix well, and cook until the onions have softened. Use a spatula to create a well in the center of the skillet, which should fill with liquid. Sprinkle the AP flour into this well, and use a fork or whisk to combine. It should thicken. Slowly drizzle in the beef broth, stirring continuously. Semi-thick gravy should form; mix with the rest of the skillet’s contents. Mix in the frozen peas and carrots, and then smooth over the top of the meat. Scoop the mashed potatoes on top, and use the back of a spatula to smooth over. Transfer to the center rack of the oven (place a pan below to catch any drippings), and bake for 30 minutes. Remove to add the cheddar cheese, then bake for another 10-15 minutes, until melted. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. APPLE FRITTER BREAD Ingredients: 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon AP flour 3 green apples, skinned, cored and cubed

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice For the bread: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 eggs, room temperature 1 1/2 cups AP flour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup buttermilk For the glaze: 3/4 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons water 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla Pinch of salt Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 bread loaf with non-stick cooking spray, then line the long sides with parchment, making sure to press into the corners; spray with more non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of flour; set aside. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the bread, and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar, until slightly fluffy. Add in the vanilla and eggs, and mix until well combined. Stir in half the dry ingredients, followed by half the buttermilk; repeat with remaining dry and wet ingredients, being sure to stir between each addition until just combined. To the bowl with the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture, add the cubed apples. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, then mix until all well combined. Add about a third of the batter to the pan, and sprinkle evenly with a third of the apple mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Once everything is in the pan, take a butter knife to lightly swirl through the batter and apple layers. Smooth over the top, and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Rotate throughout as needed. Let cool for an hour before glazing. In the meantime make the glaze: In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, and mix together with a whisk or a fork until very smooth. Drizzle over the bread, and let set for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving. M

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RAGGIO

CUSTOM CALLS story and photos by LINDSAY PACE

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E BEGINS AT HIS LATHE, AN EXPERT

tool covered in soot and sawdust. This is only after he drills two small holes into a block of wood imported from the Southern Hemisphere. The timber nestles into the lathe to be turned, like a potter smoothing wet kaolin, until his signature shape emerges: a Raggio custom duck call. By most measures, Josh Raggio is nondescript: a white man in khakis and a denim shirt, gray hair slicked into a short mohawk. What brought him to prominence, at least in the world of modern huntsmen, is his resolve. Some say the genesis of Raggio Custom Calls began when 10-year-old Raggio experienced his first hunt. With his father, he stood shin-deep in floodwater, breathless, until what felt like a thousand waterfowl descended. “Shoot!” his father cried. Raggio’s finger coiled. While this is a nice memory, it's not the whole story. It was seeing a friend's duck call two decades later that sparked something in Raggio. He wanted to craft something that magnificent.

Over the next 18 months, then 30-something Raggio collected everything from a lathe to jigs. He learned to be dexterous and unyielding when turning wood, or when branding calls with tin-plated steel. Before long, his work sold. And it sold well enough that in 2013, Raggio left a 13-year career at Caterpillar Inc. to go fulltime. His children were the push. “I really want to tell my kids to do whatever they want to do when they grow up,” Raggio said. “It'd be tough for me to tell him that if I didn't do it myself, so I had to do some serious self-examination. And it took a lot of courage.” Now, Raggio has a timber-scented workshop in Raymond, Mississippi, where he works his way through an ever-stocked queue of customers: A far cry from his early days of blowing calls in his car at midnight, hoping desperately his infant would not wake. Every two to three hours, Raggio shapes a new call. He places a reed into an insert, and an insert into a barrel, where the caller positions his mouth. His air, however forceful, wills the reed to vibrate, and sound emerges.

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Opening spread, left to right: Raggio leans against his lathe; Raggio's father's duck hunting journal from 1971-1973, which was given to him. He hopes to present his son with his own journal one day; Raggio custom duck calls, which have a 1-2 year waitlist; An anthology on Raggio's coffee table. Left: Josh Raggio in his studio. Below, left to right: Raggio turns wood with his lathe; A fresh batch of calls; An antique chair in his studio, given by a 94-year-old neighbor, who carved world champion duck decoys while sitting in it. Raggio estimates his decoys, if resold, would be priced near $50,000. Next page: The front of Raggio's father's hunting journal, which is filled with handdrawn maps and anecdotes from the field.

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Raggio doesn’t measure much. Instead, he relies on sense and intuition. “There’s such a mystery to every call I make,” he said. “The beauty of the wood is one of my favorite parts. The cutting and the drilling — all that gets a little mundane.” Sound is enigmatic, too. Skilled callers know a lot of technical jargon, such as greeting or hailing calls. They know to hold their mouth as if they are drinking from a Coke bottle, and that steady back pressure — or wind resistance — is imperative for certain melodies. A good call comes from one’s senses, the way jazz is improvised. After all, Raggio says a duck call is simply a musical instrument. “I love everything about it, from the loud to the soft,” Raggio said. “The fast, the slow. All the cadences you can do with them.” The hunt itself is sort of musical. Each hunter contributes to an adagio, articulated by living slowly. The kill is negligible. Beyond the hunt itself is the heirloom. Not everyone will have a Labrador Retriever or know how to roll and stretch scratch biscuit dough for camp breakfast. But from a lanyard, against the heart of every hunter, hangs a call. That’s why Raggio takes no shortcuts with craftsmanship. He knows many of his calls will be opened on a child’s 18th birthday, with a letter he wrote to them before their first breath. Their children, and their children’s children, will receive this call, which will be worn in wetlands or kept in sacred spaces. Raggio hopes his calls will mean to them what his heirloom products mean to him: A point of connection between the call maker, the call, and the hunt, a way for stories to exist in the present and traverse generations, like his father’s command to shoot, or turning calls he once dreamed of making. “There's so much more to hunting than just pulling the trigger,” Raggio said. M

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CLARKE GORDON story by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

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Opening page: Clarke Gordon in his stable, which he and his family built. This fall, Gordon is attending the University of West Alabama on a rodeo scholarship. For his rodeo career in college, he said he’s “Looking forward to being able to compete in a little bit bigger, more demanding set up. I’ll be kind of back at the bottom of the totem pole; I’ll be the young kid again. (But I’ll) just see if I can get myself better, and get where I can win on the next level."

This page, clockwise from bottom left: Gordon rides one of his horses. Each morning, he and his mother wake up early to exercise the animals; Gordon displays one of his many championship saddles on a saddlerack. “Of course, the ultimate dream is to be at the (National Finals Rodeo) and win world championships. That’s definitely a very lofty goal and I have a long ways to go, but you can never dream too big I don’t guess,"; A wider look at the Gordon family stable.

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Above: A few of Gordon's championship buckles. Gordon’s recents achievements include: National Little Britches Rodeo Association World Champion Header in 2020; the Mid-South Little Britches Rodeo Association Champion Heeler in 2019, and the Champion Header in 2016, 2018 and 2020. He and his team roping partner Corey Reed won at the United States Team Roping Championships National Finals XXXI, getting an 8.0-second time on their last run, 31.75-seconds on all four runs. This won the two $43,340 and Scott Thomas trophy saddles.

HEN IT COMES TO RODEOS, BULL RIDING IS probably the first thing that comes to mind for a lot of people. But not for Clarke Gordon and his family. “It’s been around in our family for a long time, and it’s what we do,” he said. “Every day, when we wake up, we go feed the horses and start saddling.” Gordon grew up around rodeos, because they run in his blood. He said his great granddad “always had horses,” but that was on a farm and “back in the days of pulling a plow on his horse.” But Gordon’s grandfather had other ideas. “My granddad, my mom’s dad, really kind of started the roping legacy in her family,” he said. “He started up when he was a teenager, and pretty much made his living riding horses for people and roping.” Gordon has two uncles on his mother’s side, who ride, too, and Gordon grew up going to his uncles’ college rodeos. “About the time I started getting fairly big enough to remember, I went to their college rodeos all the time," he said. "I always loved being around rodeo, and all the sights of rodeo. Everybody knew who I was, because I was always with Bart and West.” Gordon said that the rodeo regulars would call him his uncles’ coach. He said his favorite part of rodeos growing up was getting to feel like he was helping, though he was too small to do too much. For Gordon’s family, roping is usually what comes to mind

for rodeos. While there are several standard rodeo events — bull riding, for sure, bronco riding, barrel racing (that’s what his mother used to do, and what his sister does now) and a few others — for Gordon, his uncles and granddad, roping is the niche. There are several different roping events, like the ones Gordon does: team roping and calf roping, sometimes called tie-down roping. Each comes with its own challenges. For most rodeo events, and for all the roping events, it’s all about time. Whoever finishes their run in the least amount of time wins. The standard rule in roping is to let the steer get a head start. If the roper comes out of the gate too quickly, that’s called “breaking the barrier,” and it comes with a 10-second penalty. After the steer gets a head start, the rider must rope it around the head. There are a few different throws that are legal in roping, like both horns. In 2020, Gordon was the header, the one who lassos the head, in his team-roping event, where he and his teammate won the World Championship at the National Little Britches Association. Once the head has been roped, the other roper (called a heeler) then secures its feet in some fashion. For teams, that’s just a quick throw of the lasso around both of its back legs, but when Gordon’s riding individually, he’s got to hop off his horse and tie three of its legs. The leg ties have to hold for six seconds for it to count.

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"THE WAY UP, I THINK, THE WAY TO MASTER RODEO IS NOT NECESSARILY WINNING, BUT JUST LOVING THE RODEO. TO HAVE FUN." Gordon learned the ropes when he was 6, and by the time he was 7, he had won his first saddle in Duncan, Oklahoma — in rodeos, wins are measured in saddles, buckles and cash. But it was a hard sell for him initially; he kind of drifted away from rodeo and started doing team sports. He tried basketball, football and baseball. “I figured out I wasn’t any good at any of that,” he said with a smirk. “So I decided that I was going to go back to rodeo all the time.” There’s a lot of training that goes into each run. Of course, the rider has to know what they’re doing, but there’s a lot of behind-thescenes work that may not be visible to the nonrodeoed eye. The biggest aspect is probably horse training. Gordon’s family, like his uncles and grandfather, still train horses to this day. One uncle’s stable usually has upward of 35 horses being trained, some are his own and others he’s been hired to get into shape. Gordon’s stable is a little more modest, for now, with nine horses, though sometimes he takes a few to his family’s farms to help ride during peak rodeo season when he knows he won’t be home much, like during the summers. The horse Gordon rodeos with the most is Chocolate Chip, which he traded another horse for a few years ago. “He’s definitely been a blessing,” he said. “He’s one of the best horses I’ve ever owned, and he’s a good one. He gives me a good chance to win every time I take him somewhere.” Gordon said he more or less keeps his relationships with his horses as a team partnership. While both he and the horse trust each other implicitly, he said he thinks they both want to win. “I guess we both know what we’ve got to do, and we both expect the other to do what they’re supposed to do,” he said. “Very rarely does Chocolate Chip mess up, but when he messes up, he knows before I have to get on to him, and it’s kind of the same (for him). I feel like sometimes, when I go somewhere, when I mess up, I feel like I can feel him (think), ‘Oh my goodness, what is he doing?’” Another grueling aspect is the travel. Gordon,

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18 and headed to the University of West Alabama on a rodeo scholarship, was homeschooled throughout high school because the schedule is so demanding. He said almost every weekend is spent going to a rodeo, and when every rodeo is usually at least a five-hour drive from his home in Tupelo, which can easily turn into far longer when he’s going to Oklahoma or Nebraska, it can become a lot to handle. “You’ve got to definitely control your mind for all the travel and everything, to not get down on yourself when it’s not going good,” he said. “It’s definitely a lot more fun to win, but the way up, I think, the way to master rodeo is not necessarily winning, but just loving the rodeo. To have fun, even when you’re not winning.” Along with keeping his emotions in check, Gordon, like any athlete, has to remind himself where he needs to improve. Every rodeo, before he gives the nod to come out the gate, he’s thinking of what elements he’s had to practice that week to make sure that’s the last thing on his mind before his run starts. At this point, he said most of his runs are muscle memory, so he really has to fight to make those improvements. But he still has fun. “For a guy like me that’s not very athletic, you get a major send when you’re going so fast," he said. "You feel like you’re not going to be able to stop, just to be able to be running that fast and being pulled down the rope at Mach 9, it’s just a feeling like — I guess it would kind of be the feeling like when you just hit one and you know it’s gone, like you hit the ball and you know it’s a homer all day. The rush is definitely a major part of why a lot of people do it.” Luckily for Gordon, he usually enjoys getting there, too. “I don’t necessarily like to drive, I’d just as soon sit in the passenger seat and let somebody else drive,” he said. “I just turn the air conditioner way down, get the music really loud, get me a cold Coke, and I make it pretty good. It’s definitely lots of late-night traveling, and it’s long, hard hours," he said. "When you’re winning, it doesn’t take 30 minutes to get anywhere it seems, but when you’re losing, it takes an hour and a half to get to Pontotoc.” M

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the

s OUTHSIDE GALLERY story by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

HE SOUTHSIDE GALLERY ON OXFORD’S Square has been around since 1993, when now-nationally recognized photographer Milly Moorhead West opened its doors. In 2002, Moorhead left Oxford to get her MFA in Tulsa, Oklahoma; that’s when the Cooks stepped in. Vickie Cook, an accountant in Oxford, regularly spent her lunch breaks in the gallery. “Her office used to be down around the corner,” said Will Cook, her son and the gallery’s manager. “They’d come and eat lunch on the Square, and then she would come in here, and she bought some art from Milly when she owned it. I think she always kind of enjoyed. It was a place, where if things got stressful, this is the place she might kind of wonder into and I think kind of leave it all out (there) when she came in here. She does really enjoy art.” When Vickie bought the gallery, her son had recently graduated from the University of Mississippi with degrees in art history and English. At first, he fought the urge to join the team. Eventually he came around to the idea, and has been managing the Southside Gallery for 17 years. His mom is still involved to this day; he said she’s “doing the hard work,” like keeping the books, since she’s an accountant, and still participates in gallery events. But as far as curating exhibits and working with artists, that’s mostly left to Cook. “Her objective was just keeping it open at the time, because she loves the gallery and she loves the arts,” Cook said. “But she’s been kind of hands off as far as she lets me choose who’s going to exhibit, so that’s really nice because there’s that freedom.”

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The Southside Gallery tries to feature regional artists, mostly from the Southeast. Artists like William Dunlap, Charlie Buckley and Coulter Fussell. The Gallery doesn’t limit medium or genre; it’s featured artists who create ceramics, quilts and textiles, paintings, prints and more. Cook personally prefers nonrepresentational art, but he tries to ensure his personal preferences aren’t the only things making it into the gallery. “It’s just whether or not the work will be a good fit with what we do here,” he said. “We want work that is kind of marketable to our customers. It puts you in a real difficult place, because you want to maintain a high integrity with the art, and you want to really like the work you exhibit. And at the same time, you want the work to be really agreeable to a lot of other people and for them to buy it.” Cook said his job can be difficult, because occasionally he has to turn away artists whose work he really enjoys and appreciates, simply because he doesn’t think Oxford has the right market. While Southside could still exhibit the work, if there’s no real interest in it, “That won’t be doing them any favors,” he said, “or us.”

Opening Spread: The Southside Gallery rotates artists on display, such as Jere Allen's figurative oil paintings (left); This page, top to bottom: The gallery exterior, streetside. Each season, the name of the current artist-in-residence is shown on the window; A Rod Moorhead sculpture.

"I HOPE IN THE FUTURE, THERE’S MORE ASSOCIATION WITH THE VISUAL ARTS HERE, BECAUSE I THINK IT’S BUILDING A STRONGER LEGACY THAN IT HAD IN THE PAST.” Finding the equilibrium can be challenging. Art is transitional and it’s meant to be interpreted differently. Quite regularly, the Southside Gallery has landscapes on exhibit. It’s not that Cook specifically hunts these pieces down, but he said it really resonates with people and artists alike, especially in Mississippi. “I think (Mississippi has) some really beautiful views sometimes, but we don’t have any like breathtaking landscapes like mountains or like really beautiful natural lakes, I think most of our lakes are man-made lakes here,” he said with a chuckle. “The landscapes (artists) might select are going to be something that’s maybe more sentimental or familiar, like a cotton field or a soybean field with a little shade tree. … I think those scenes are a natural draw to a landscape painter here just because that’s what’s the most readily available. I do think it’s something that we all kind of recognize if you’re from here, and it resonates with you.”

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Above: Will Cook sits on a bench upstairs. Many large-scale painting are displayed on the second story of the gallery.

For Cook, he’s noticed art can resonate differently with him from day to day. “Being around (art) so often, I will find work routinely like (it’s) something new,” he said. “And it might be something that’s been on display for a month in the gallery, and it might all of a sudden become my favorite work that day.” A lifelong Oxford resident, Cook has seen the city's visual arts expand. In fact, some of the artists featured in the Southside Gallery were finishing up school at Ole Miss around the same time

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Cook was. He said that’s been a really fascinating piece of his job, watching his classmates’ careers grow over the years. He hopes to see the visual arts keep growing, and Oxford getting its name on the map for its influence. “I think when most people think of Oxford, it’s literature and for good reason,” he said. “But it’s nice to have this little small art scene, which I think is quality. And I hope in the future, there’s more association with the visual arts here, because I think it’s building a stronger legacy than it had in the past.” M

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HELMS custom KNIVES story and photos by LINDSAY PACE

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Left: Helms displays a knife's dremeled spine. He rotates the dremel back and forth to create a zigzag pattern. This page: To polish knives, Helms attaches a belt — usually 60-grit —to this belt grinder.

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Left: Spence Helms; Right: A belt grinder whirs quickly, producing a similar sound and feeling to having one's teeth polished.

Above: Helms's signature is electro-etched using a transparent stencil. The Anatomy of a Knife: Below his signature is the edge of the knife, then, to the left, the edge, tip and point. Circling to the top of the knife is the blade and spine, and completing the circle, the heel.

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N ANY GIVEN WEEKNIGHT, YOU’LL FIND Spence Helms asleep in a leather-torn ivory recliner. After a long day as a lineman for 4 County Electric in Starkville, the knifemaker needs a nap. Once Helms rises, it's time for his second shift. He’ll spend the next four-and-a-half hours crafting custom knives for his clients. His workshop, a reclaimed horse stable in Ackerman, quickly gets hot, the only reprieve coming from a black pedestal fan, drowned out by the sound of Def Leppard, and the occasional sip of Milo's sweet tea. Like many noble artists, his story began with an apprenticeship. In 1996, he caught wind of a cutler in Starkville whose work enamored him. He had “an itch” to build knives, too, so in his spare time, he visited the artist. “[I liked] his style, his quality. It was so clean,” said Helms. “Everything was so precise about it. It really wasn't a knife. It was a work of art.” One of the most necessary skills Helms learned from him was precision and attention to detail. Knives must be practical and built to last. They must fit the hand they’re in and cut swiftly. Fortunately, Helms is a self-proclaimed perfectionist — someone who can execute the vision bladesmithing requires. “I will not send out anything that has a blemish or a scratch,” said Helms. “I just like it all clean and perfect. That’s gonna be your separator between this person's work and your work.” Helms’s earliest designs, however, were “crudely” made. While he refined his technique, he circumvented selling knives by donating them. Certain wildlife conventions, like those held by the National Wild Turkey Federation, require a donation in lieu of an attendance fee. It was in this way that he built a clientele.

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Below: Knives have different levels of shine throughout the sanding process. The bottom knife is a finished result, and the top has several steps left. Left: This block of resin-coated pinecone will be cut and shaped into a knife handle.

To make a knife, Helms thinks first of the customer's desires: do they want a chef ’s knife? A utility knife? Then, he puts ink to paper, sketching the size and shape of the blade and tang, where the handle will attach. He transfers the drawing to cardboard, which serves as a more resistant template for the blade. Using an old belt grinder, Helms cuts a sheet of CPM154, a high-carbon stainless steel. It resists corrosion, but is not impervious to it. This happy medium between quality and cost makes it a common choice for bladesmiths. Helms grinds the knife, the heat steadily rising to 1,850 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the critical moment, because when the knife is tempered there is no going back. Any imperfection will be sealed into the blade forever. Helms sands it again, and in some instances, uses a dremel to engrave designs onto the blade’s spine. He attaches a handle to the scale of the knife, typically made with resin or stain-soaked wood. If it's the latter, the handle has already been baked in a toaster oven to seal tint. Rivets — the shiny silver pins on a knife’s handle — keep everything in place. Finally, he sews a custom leather sheath, a skill he learned from his mother, and slides the knife into it. He uncaps a black Sharpie, solvent scenting the room, and signs his name onto a single Band-Aid. Most won’t need it. “But some of them will,” Helms said with a nod. M

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SUPERIOR artisan WOOD and slab story by MEREDITH BROWN BIESINGER photos by LINDSAY PACE

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HAD FLETCHER OF Superior Artisan Wood and Slab in Tupelo believes that every tree has a story. As the only certified Urban Wood supplier in the state, Fletcher takes great pride in rebirthing timber into professional-grade slabs of wood. Wholesalers or artists buy slabs and create functional artwork, such as tabletops or cutting boards. Perhaps most importantly, though, is that customers aid in Fletcher’s vision: To reclaim timber to preserve the history and integrity of communities, families. In fact, the business began with family in mind. "My family and I were getting ready to build a home,” Fletcher said. “I had always been interested in sawmilling, so I purchased a small, manual sawmill to do some custom

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work for my home. Not much longer after that, I started doing some side work with it as well." Eventually, his 20-year career in a different industry began to wane. He enjoyed sawmilling, so he bought a larger sawmill that gave him significant production and mobile sawing capabilities. That's when Superior Artisan Wood and Slab came to life. Business picked up quickly, and Fletcher's longtime friend Allen Murphree was interested in some side work at the time. As if by design, timber fell on Murphree’s property. So, the pair invested in a Lucas Mill Model 8-30, hailing all the way from Australia. This particular sawmill enables them to process massive logs, putting the power to create everything from a kitchen-island countertop to a Friday-night charcuterie board in their hands.

Opening page: A stack of reclaimed wood in Fletcher's workshop. Most wood is sourced within 90 miles of the region; This page, left to right: Fletcher outside of his workshop. Often, his father and friends come by to visit as he works, and they sit in the garage together; Fletcher and Murphree. They rent the property from Murphree's mother. Next page, clockwise from top; An associate sands wood until is perfectly level, a skilled process, since it is challenging to measure perfectly; Fletcher salvages all kinds of certified urban wood, including black cherry, black walnut, honey locust and bodock. Recently, he salvaged limbs from the second largest poplar tree in Pontotoc County history; Fletcher steadies a plank while associates pull a nail from it. Occasionally, metal bits are found within urban woods.

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Preserving Mississippi history is a tenet of the company’s faith, a Southern revelation through pine and oak. Fletcher and Murphree have salvaged logs from Tammy Wynette’s birthplace and osage orange wood that Chickasaw tribe members would have used for longbows. They even recovered a poplar limb from the second-largest poplar in Pontotoc county history. Having been involved with deeply personal, historic projects in the state, it comes as no surprise that Superior Artisan Wood was recently featured on an episode of HGTV's Hometown in Laurel. "It was a pleasure to work with craftsmen who understand the importance of using wood that might have otherwise been thrown away,” Fletcher said. “It was heartwarming to find that, even though the crew have become renowned for their work, they still totally get [the importance of it].” M

Right: Fletcher carries a tape measurer with him, as many serious craftsmen do. Above: To preserve the wood's natural beauty and integrity, Fletcher recreates a climate similar to that of Mt. Everest with a special machine. The climate allows the wood to dry without humidity, speeding up the drying process by years, in some cases.

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McCarley Cabinets Inc. serves its community and surrounding areas as a manufacturer of high quality custom cabinetry. We offer not only a friendly and experienced staff to help you design the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams but also a 1500 sqft. stocked showroom where we can help design your upcoming projects with our 3-D design software. When you decide it’s time to build your dream home or remodel your existing home you deserve to get the finest quality cabinets and countertops available. We offer a wide range of colors to choose from and several options for the countertop of your dreams consisting of Quartz, Granite, Italian Marble, Cultured Marble and Laminates. We put in the extra time, attention to detail and customer service you expect and deserve.

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Warranty & Service CERTIFIED MECHANIC SHOP Offering Service & Repair on Small Engines, Handheld Equipment, & Lawn Mowers

HOURS Mon - Fri 7a.m.-5:30p.m. Sat 8a.m-12noon

4855 Cliff Gookin Blvd • Tupelo, MS • 662-346-4810

www.westside-hardware.com

STEELE MAGNOLIA beard co.

story by ANNA GLIDEWELL photos by LINDSAY PACE

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Opening Page: A few of Armstrong's products displayed on a vintage barber chair, where he cuts hair. Above: Richard Colton Armstrong at his barbershop in Tishomingo. Right: Armstrong sells a variety of beard and haircare products, which can be purchased online, at certain retailers or in his shop. Scents range from cedarwood to blueberry pancake.

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ICHARD COLTON ARMSTONG WASN’T looking for a business in 2017 when he created Steel Magnolia Beard Company at his eponymous barber shop in Tishomingo. He was looking for a simple, quality way to make his beard grow better. “When I first started growing my beard out it would grow to a certain point, " Armstong said. "And when it gets long it kind of starts to do its own thing. I always shaved it off because I didn’t think it looked good. I didn’t think anyone else would think it looked good.” Armstrong did what many do in times of uncertainty: He turned to friends. Like him, they all disliked the way their beards looked once they reached a certain length. They tried a few big box products, but the selection was limited — especially when it came to scent. “You could either smell like oil, pine, or menthol. That was kind of it at the time,” Armstrong recalled. “I started following beard products [on social media], and researching what makes good beard products, and the kind of different scents that guys were picking up on.” From there, he tested a few beard oil recipes and shared them, with overwhelmingly positive reception. His friends shared the products with their friends, a before long, Armstrong received Facebook messages from strangers asking how they could get more. “From that point, I started looking at it like ‘maybe this could be a business,’" Armstrong said. "My father and grandfather always owned their own businesses, so I knew from an early age after watching them that I wanted to do something for myself. I didn’t know it was going to be beard care products.” Like most entrepreneurs, Armstrong experiences his share of challenges, but his success, he noted, comes by returning to the drawing board when the inevitable failure happens.

Above: Armstrong's logo. In the reflection is a patron who parks his wheelchair outside of the shop. Armstrong always makes time for him, stepping out to chat with him in between clients.

"I WANT TO OFFER PRODUCTS TO HELP GUYS LOOK BETTER, AND FEEL GOOD.” M &M

And that’s exactly what Armstrong did until Steel Magnolia Beard Company was born. As of now, the company offers seven different scents and is adding its first seasonal scent this year. The business has grown beyond beard oil to beard care, including beard balm and shampoo. Products are sold via Armstrong’s website and at several different retailers across Northeast Mississippi — including his own barbershop, where his career and company collide. Over the last four years, Armstrong has worked hard to understand exactly what his all natural, handmade products do and how they benefit his customers. “Beard oil is actually designed for the skin,” Armstrong explained. “It moisturizes and hydrates the skin, which in turn promotes healthy growth for the beard. It will help fill in patchiness and eradicate itchiness caused by dry skin,” he said. “The beard balm is a leave-in conditioner if you will. It nourishes the hair. It also helps with beard styling.” On step with his care for customers, Armstrong cares for his community. Steel Magnolia Beard Company has partnered with Hinderless22: Ronnie McNutt Foundation — which exists to prevent veteran suicide — to offer an exclusive scent of their beard balm, oil, and shampoo. Armstrong hopes the company will only continue to grow. He has plans to expand his product line to include more styling and care products for men. “[Customers are] using things like pomade,” Armstrong said. “But I want to offer products to help guys look better, and feel good.” M

Left: Armstrong's dreadlocks, which he has grown for several years. He wears them not only because he loves to, but because he hopes to inspire others to present themselves authentically, whatever that means to them.

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Don’t be Afraid

Tupelo De tal Group

will put all your dental fears to rest!

Serving Northeast MS since 1975 105 Parkgate Dr. • Tupelo, MS • 662-844-7231 Peter L. West, DDS; Chris S. Hester, DMD; Sanders West, DMD

Mud&Mag | DIY

by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

LASTING BEAUTIES

WE CREATED a vase inspired by fall arrangments. Use dried or artificial flowers for all-season staying power. MATERIALS: * 1 trick-or-treat pumpkin pail * Coarse sandpaper * Spackle * Putty knife * Textured stone spray paint (neutral-colored) * Spray paint (we used aqua and sage) * Floral glass pebbles * Floral arrangement DIRECTIONS: 1. Cut off the jack-o-landern’s handle, and discard. Use sandpaper to roughen the plastic’s texture, so the materials will adhere better. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth, then let dry. 2. Use the putty knife and the spackle to fill the jack-o-lantern’s facial features, and the holes from the handle. Let dry completely. Sand down if needed. 3. Place open-side down onto a drop cloth, and spray the entire pumpkin’s outside with the textured spray paint. Let dry. 4. Spray paint with the light aqua or sage color. Let dry for about 30 minutes, then, from a distance, lightly and sporadically spray with the white spray paint. This will make the pumpkin look more realistic, like a jarrahdale pumpkin. 5. Once dry, fill with glass pebbles to weigh down the pumpkin, and add a floral arrangement. M

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410 South Gloster St., Tupelo, MS 38801 662.269.2973