Illinois Country Living August 2010 by American MainStreet Publications

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Your Cooperative’s

PAGE 10

Electric

August 2010

D rivin g M e m or y L a n e t-heart young-a

Volume 68, No. 4, August 2010

Young and you Route 66 s on still get kick

COVER STORY

COMMENTARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Lyle Roberts, CEO of the Illinois Soybean Association, says to feed the world farmers must double production by 2050.

CURRENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Grants available for a limited time for schools, libraries, hospitals and municipal buildings that need high efficiency geothermal heat pumps.

AM 7/12/10 8:18

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SAFETY & HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Find out how to prevent the second leading cause of injury related death for adults and the number one cause for toddlers.

DRIVING MEMORY LANE

Let the magic of historic Route 66 sweep you back in time.

YARD & GARDEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 David Robson loves plants. Find out about the one plant he loves to cuss.

ENERGY SOLUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Doug Rye has a solution for an air conditioning system that leaves you sweating.

Published by Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives 6460 South Sixth Frontage Road East, Springfi eld, IL 62712

AN OLD FASHIONED BARN RAISING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 A new “antique” barn is built north of Geneseo for the Antique Engine and Tractor Association.

SMART POWER STRIPS SAVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

www.icl.coop

Learn how new smart power strips can stop phantom loads and cut your electric bill.

800-593-2432 • aiecinfo@aiec.coop John Lowrey........................................................................Editor Jonie Larson........................................................ Assistant Editor Catrina McCulley Wagner ...........................Contributing Editor Ed VanHoose ...............................................Contributing Editor Lisa Rigoni ..................................................Advertising Manager Sandy Wolske ........ Advertising Coordinator/Graphic Designer Jennifer Danzinger, Kathy Feraris & Chris Reynolds ....................................... Graphic Designers Connie Newenham ............................. Circulation Coordinator

MARKETPLACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 GROWING YOUNG LEADERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Find out why so many students have found the Youth to Washington program to be the experience of a lifetime.

FINEST COOKING . . . . . . 22

DATEBOOK . . . . . . . . . . 29

Illinois Country Living is a monthly publication serving the communications needs of the locally owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives of Illinois. With a circulation of more than 181,000, the magazine informs cooperative members about issues affecting their electric cooperative and the quality of life in rural Illinois. Illinois Country Living (ISSN number 1086-8062) is published monthly and is the official publication of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, 6460 South Sixth Frontage Road East, Springfield, IL 62712. The cost is $2.50 plus postage per year for members of subscribing cooperatives and $10 per year for all others. Periodical postage paid at Springfield, Illinois, and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfi eld, IL 62708. ADVERTISING: Contact Lisa Rigoni, Advertising Manager – 1-800-593-2432 or lrigoni@aiec.coop. Acceptance of advertising by the magazine does not imply endorsement by the publisher or the electric cooperatives of Illinois of the product or service advertised. Illinois Country Living is not responsible for the performance of the product or service advertised. For change of address, please contact your local cooperative.

www.touchstoneenergy.com

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The Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives and 25 Illinois electric cooperatives are members of Touchstone Energy, a national alliance of 660 electric cooperatives. Touchstone Energy cooperative employees adhere to four core values — integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.

7/16/2010 4:02:29 PM

COMMENTARY 4 Aug_Base.indd 4

Finding ways to feed the world Illinois farmers are tops in production, but more is needed

have had the honor to work for Illinois farmers for the past 40 years, with much of that work being in development and research activities for soybeans. Each year, Illinois is either number one or number two in U.S. soybean production. What a great position to hold! Soy is such a diverse crop. Most of our soy protein goes to livestock to produce our meat, milk and eggs, but an increasing amount of soy protein is being consumed directly by people around the world. Of all the soy oil we produce, about 75 percent is consumed by people directly as vegetable oil, with the rest going into products such as biodiesel, plastics and an array of other products. About half of our soybean crop and products are exported, making soybean farmers extremely important to the balance of trade and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Illinois. Today we have about 6.7 billion people in the world and they are pretty much using up our soybean production worldwide. That population number is expected to reach 9.2 billion by 2050, with virtually all new growth occurring in the underdeveloped and developing world. For a perspective, over the next 43 years, the population will grow by the equivalent of what the world population was in 1950. We are very fortunate in Illinois. We know that available land to feed people in these population growth countries is scarce and two-thirds of available land is located across only 13 of these developing countries. In the year 2000, the Illinois Soybean Association and the University of Illinois worked in conjunction with the American Soybean Association to form the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH). This program was meant to assist the least developed countries in filling their protein needs through the use of soy. We knew at that time that from 2001 to 2025 world protein consumption would increase by 75 percent, and we wanted to be sure that soy was out front helping fill that demand. Whether populations consumed soy directly or consumed meat, milk and eggs, soy could be there to help fill the need. Many of the lowest income people (about 3 billion) live on less than $2 per

day. We also know that as growth occurs in these countries and people improve from $2 to $10 per day, they will eat more meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables and edible oils causing rapid demand. Here in the United States we have developed biodiesel as a great alternative and clean burning fuel, improved soybean varieties that produce healthier vegetable oils for people and continuously increased yields in an environmentally sustainable fashion. Over the course of my career we have been through some great research innovations, especially in the areas of biotechnology, gene transfer and nanotechnology. I continue to be amazed at how rapidly our research innovations come forth. Of course, each new innovation brings challenges, skepticism and fear of the unknown. With vigilant oversight and testing, we seem to be able to keep moving forward with amazing new genetics and products that are not only safe, but help each of us to eat and live healthier. And, amazingly, soybeans always seem to be in the middle of all the action. All of my life farmers have done a great job of working together for their own common good, and I certainly hope farmers continue to work together for their future. I think when we look back even 25 years from now, the rapidness of change we have seen over the past few decades will seem like a snail’s pace compared to then. Collectively, farmers can work to be sure that here in Illinois we are the first adopters of new technologies and to provide ourselves with information tools that help us compare best and least cost practices of products offered by private companies. We are very blessed to have millions of productive acres in Illinois, most of which do not require irrigation. And the good news is today, and certainly for the foreseeable future, the world needs everything we can produce. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says that global food production alone must double by 2050. What a great opportunity and what a bright future for what Illinois farmers do best – produce! Lyle Roberts is the CEO of the Illinois Soybean Association.

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:03:34 PM

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CURRENTS RESEARCH TRENDS

Reservations for most Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) campsites, cabins, group campsites and picnic shelters can now be made online. Reservations can be made on the ReserveAmerica web site at www.reserveamerica.com using Visa and MasterCard. IDNR camping and shelter reservations will no longer be taken through the mail or over the phone. Camping fee information for IDNR sites is available at www.dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/PARKS/.

Grant money available for geothermal heat pumps

For a limited time geothermal heat pump grants are available through the GeoAlliance for not-for-profit and public/governmental entities such as schools, libraries, hospitals and municipal buildings that receive electricity from Illinois electric cooperatives. Grant awards are for one-third of the incremental difference between the cost of the geothermal heat pump system and a comparable fossil fuel heating and air conditioning system up to a maximum of $50,000 per installation. Eligible systems must be a minimum of 10 tons in size. Homeowners are not eligible. The GeoAlliance is a partnership between the

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation in Chicago and the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in Springfield. Additional information and an application can be found at www.aiec.coop under the “energy efficiency” tab. Grant applications must be submitted no later than October 1, 2010. For grant questions contact Nancy Nixon at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives by phone at 217-241-7954 or by e-mail at nnixon@aiec.coop. For technical system questions or for installation bids contact your local geothermal dealer. A list of dealers can be found in several ads within this publication or go to www.geothermalallianceofillinois.org.

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ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:05:03 PM

EPA vote fails, but effort to curb regulation likely to continue On June 10, a U.S. Senate vote that would have blocked the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act came up short. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who sponsored the resolution, said she was pleased that it came to a floor vote so the public knows how her colleagues feel about the issue, even though it failed on a 53-47 vote. “With 47 senators voting for this resolution, and another five senators who are co-sponsors of Sen. Rockefeller’s two-year “time out” legislation, there is a majority of the Senate in favor of reigning in the use of the Clean Air Act,” said Kirk Johnson, NRECA vice president of energy and environmental policy. Murkowski said the resolution was less about the science of the issue and more about preventing a federal agency from implementing plans that could have serious economic consequences, so Congress can act on a climate change bill.

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., who co-sponsored the resolution, said, “It is a widely shared view, that the Clean Air Act, with its command-and-control approach to regulating air emissions, is the wrong fit for addressing greenhouse gas emissions.” She added that the new EPA permitting process could threaten more than a dozen Southern biomass plants. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he still intends to move ahead with a climate change bill this year. Some predict an end-run on the controversial carbon cap and trade debate with the Senate passing a bill with popular wind, solar and electric vehicle incentives and adding a carbon cap and trade measure in conference with the House after the elections. Electric co-op members across the country are learning more about the issue and contacting their elected representatives through a co-op sponsored web site – www.ourenergy.coop. Source: Electric Co-op Today

Regulators expect environmental costs will increase energy rates The results from a recent Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions survey of 35 state utility commissioners shows most are bracing for increased residential electricity costs next year, which is affecting their opinions on other issues—from ratemaking to renewable energy. Eighty-five percent of regulators polled expect the cost of residential electricity to increase next year. More than half (65.7 percent) expect environmental costs to drive increases, and 48.6 percent see capital costs as a culprit. A growing number of regulators fear rate increases will be too burdensome for an already cashstrapped public. More than one-third (34.3 percent) said consumers would not accept any rate increase at all. Sixty percent of respondents are considering implementing “timeof-day” rates, which would charge more for use during periods of peak demand. Time-of-day rates, also called time-of-use rates, provide consumers with more control over bills, although this rate structure requires appropriate metering and

billing capabilities from utilities. Sixty-eight percent of respondents to the Deloitte poll said cost to consumers is the leading barrier to bringing more renewable energy online. Consumer energy efficiency

was ranked high as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (51.4 percent favor it), followed by nuclear power (45.7 percent). Only 17.1 percent see renewable energy as a viable option. Source: CFC News Bulletin, July, 2010 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • August 2010

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Teach your children to pack a safe lunch Packing for outdoor picnics and cookouts will soon transition to packing school lunches, says University of Illinois Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator, Jenna Hogan, and she reminds parents to teach their children the basics of food safety. “Pregnant women, elderly, and children are more vulnerable to becoming victims of foodborne illness than healthy adults,” says Hogan. Not packing school lunches correctly can cause harmful bacteria to grow and multiply. Perishable foods like meats, cheese, yogurts and milk should be kept cold by using freezer gel packs or a frozen juice carton. Insulated, soft-sided lunch boxes are best for keeping food cold. Preparing the food the night before, storing it in the refrigerator and packing it in the morning can help keep food cold longer. Have your children ever smelled sour milk or seen mold growing on breads or cheese? Teach your children that food may spoil after a given amount of time or if foods have not been stored properly. If they detect a bad smell or an odd taste, they should throw the food in the garbage. Washing hands is one of the biggest ways to stop the spread of bacteria and viruses, so be sure to remind your children to always wash their hands before sitting down to eat. Teach them to never use the same utensils for raw meats for other products unless they are thoroughly washed. In addition, throw away all sandwich bags, plastic wrap, and paper bags instead of reusing them. Source: Jenna Hogan, MPH, RD, University of Illinois Extension, Nutrition & Wellness Educator Springfield Center, 217-782-6515.

Renewable energy produced in the United States between 2004 and 2009 grew by about 23 percent, according to a report issued by the leaders of the 25 x 25 Alliance. Other conclusions from the report show that: • U.S. renewable energy consumption at the end of 2009 was 8.3 percent of total energy consumption, up from less than 6 percent in 2004. • Ethanol production tripled in the last 5 years with 10.8 billion gallons produced in 2009, while biodiesel production climbed in 2008 to almost 700 million gallons. • Biomass power generates 15 million megawatt hours of electricity annually on and off the grid, while biogas recovery systems produced 374 million kilowatt-hours of useable energy in 2009. • The electricity generating capacity from wind facilities has grown an astonishing 429 percent since 2004, with total generating capacity now over 35,000 megawatts. • Solar production capacity for both thermal and electricity generation has grown 41 percent since 2004. Some 40 megawatts of solar energy were installed off the grid in 2009. • Geothermal production capacity has increased 7 percent since 2004 with 3,000 megawatts of currently installed capacity from 77 power plants. With 152 projects in development, there is potential for up to

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Photo by P. Roth, courtesy Flickr.

Report underscores need to transition to a new energy future

100,000 megawatts being online by 2025. • Hydroelectric power has remained constant since 2004, but with facility upgrades and dam retrofits, could increase as much 23,000 MW by 2025. • And energy efficiency, which is the option of first choice in a 25 x 25 renewable energy future, has met 75 percent of the United States’ new demand for energy since 1970 through increasing the efficiency of buildings, machinery and appliances. For more information go to www.25x25.org.

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:06:44 PM

Wow, it’s hot out, right? You’re probably not thinking much about the frigid winds of winter, but they’ll be here before you know it. Log on at www.togetherwesave.com and learn how simple things you do now like sealing your doors and windows can keep you cooler yet this summer and warmer this winter for less.

For more information contact your local Touchstone Energy® Cooperative. ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • May 2008

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9 7/15/2010 3:30:09 PM

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here’s one common theme when you take this driving tour. Like an old newspaper, it’s black and white and read all over … no joke. For 2,448 miles stretching from Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, the same sign is posted over and over: Historic Route 66. It’s unmistakable. While the actual sign and various strips of asphalt are the true insignias of the famous road, the stops along the way are anything but predictable. They trigger memories for some, for others – a yearning for a time they never experienced but wished they could. On an overcast day in May, I decide to drive a small stretch of the

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nondescript but famous road from Towanda to Odell during Red Carpet Corridor Days. Those true to Route 66 are out in droves, coming from Chicago to California and visiting from foreign countries. Meanwhile, the hub of traffic motoring on down U.S. Route 55, is unaware of the tribute being paid to the Mother Road nearby. Spirits are high in Towanda. While a festival with the usual fare is being offered up in the park, it is Schenk’s Garage that picks off many a motorist, including a host of curious police officers. Everything, from a refurbished antiquated refrigerator to a tile floor

by Jonie Larson

laid strategically in a 66 pattern, greets visitors from around the world on this stop. Hundreds of signs grace the walls and travelers can pick up souvenirs. Dawn Schenk tells how she got started getting her “kicks” along the route – a term coined in the lyrics sang by Nat King Cole. She was born in Dwight, Ill. and moved to her presentday location about 11 years ago. After about a year it just struck her that she was living right on Route 66. She started collecting. It wasn’t long before her collecting turned into a museum-sized display that would no longer fit in the house. She took over the garage. And it’s there that thousands of visitors

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Left: It was a mix of today and yesterday when a 1940s Cadillac and some foreign visitors on motorcycles pulled up to the restored gas station in Odell. Top right:Dawn Schenk of Towanda has turned her garage into a Route 66 museum, right down to the floor. Bottom right: Big Red perked up when visitors to Henry’s Rabbit Ranch and Route 66 Emporium stopped in from the Quad Cities. Rich Henry, right, owns the Staunton facility. have stopped, somewhere between 300 and 400 a year, conservatively calculated, Schenk says. Oh, and don’t forget the festivities. The garage of Towanda often plays host to showers – the baby and bridal kind. In fact, on one particular Christmas Eve, a couple was married there. “I just love showing it,” Schenk says, pointing out some of the older pieces in the collection. Perhaps a 1956 map is one of the oldest or maybe it’s the desert water bag. While a visitor pulls Schenk aside to ask questions, her mother Dagny Patterson steps up to share her memories. It seems she, too, has had a love affair with the roadway. As a child

she lived along Route 66 just south of Gardner. She said it was always so busy, giving her pause to wonder where all the traffic could be going. After she married, she moved away to Victorville, Calif. at a place known as the Black and Orange. That strip of roadway was also located on the famous route. “It made me feel right at home,” Patterson recalls. Indeed, there is a sense of family that comes with stopping along Route 66. On up the road in Lexington, there is nothing short of a party going on as some folks from a church family gather in what was once an old !

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blacksmith shop. Church of Christ Uniting Pastor Jan Proeber and her sister, Linda Myers of Chicago, could be described as giddy, taking time out from a card game of Hand and Foot to parade around in their poodle skirts. More demure members are trying to sell baked goods. Part of the profits are slated for a mission trip to the Appalachians. Moving away from the crowds, I take a little detour through town, winding around to a stretch of road that’s actually part of the original Route 66, coined Memory Lane. A tranquil mile or so, no longer used to get from here to there, it’s still a wonderful tree-lined piece of the past.

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Grass is growing in the cracks and old signs that once marked popular stops still stand as ghost-like reminders. Good ghosts. Heading north again, Pontiac appears on the horizon. In the downtown, history abounds. In fact, the largest-known painting of Route 66 graces the wall of the building, which houses the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Historic Museum. It is there I meet Marty Blitstein. Blitstein and Cathy Stevanovich are co-founders of the museum. They opened it in Oct. 2003. Tourists, on this day, wander around studying old pictures and reading tales about those who’ve made it into the Hall of Fame. “It’s about the people, not the asphalt,” Blitstein says with admiration in his voice. One such story is about Ernie Edwards, 92, former owner of the Pig Hip Restaurant in Broadmoor and an inductee into the Hall in 1990. It seems a man and his family were broken down along the route many years ago. With no money in his pockets, he had to depend on the kindness of strangers. It was Ernie who came

to the rescue. He put them up for the night, put gas in their car the next day and got them back on the road. What did Ernie ask for in return? According to Blitstein, his response was: “Just come back someday.” Eighty-some plaques with accompanying pictures and stories are in showcases around the museum. On this festive day, some of those with ties to the museum wander in with the tourists. Jim Jones, whose father had a garage in Odell, takes me to his family display. He points to a picture of himself. “I started pumpin’ gas when I was 7 years old,” Jones says. Blitstein appears to live and breathe the famous route. He and his grandsons even take me outback to show me the largest known painting of the Route 66 sign. The grandsons, Cyle and Ryan, are junior members of the club to the old road which Blitstein claims is the second largest tourist attraction in the state, second only to Navy Pier. The more you talk to Blitstein, the easier it is to catch the driving

tour fever. Before long I am on my way to the Log Cabin Restaurant, just a stone’s throw away from bigger city life. It’s nothing fancy, but it has a story all its own and the owner, who doubles as the cook, is well-known to many. An old clipping on the wall tells of its beginnings. Built in 1926 of cedar telephone poles, the restaurant was a hub of activity with Route 66 running along the eastern side of the building. But eventually the road was realigned to the western side. Instead of losing business, the owner razed the restaurant and rotated it to once again face the roadway. The restaurant continues to be a favorite place to dine. While many farmers come for breakfast, others stop for a break along the way. As I wait for owner Brad Trainor to come out of the kitchen, dining patrons are gah-gahing the old cuisine of a toasted bun and Tator Tots. “You don’t see that anymore,” one says to the other, followed by an “Mmmm, mmm.” The waitress gives her boss a thumbs up, too.

Right: Weezy’s in Hamel was a hot spot on the Motor Tour. A quilt made by Cathy Stevanovich, won at the 2009 Hall of Fame Banquet, was on loan to the restaurant’s new owner, Karen Wiesemoyer, pictured on the right. Bottom:The Deck brothers receive a plaque from Cathy Stevanovich as they are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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Pastor Jan Proeber, left, and her sister, Linda Myers, both decked out in poodle skirts, played some cards with church folks, including a camera-shy teen. “His cheeseburgers are just the bomb,” she says. One last stop on this day. I putz on up to Odell pulling in behind some international visitors at the Standard Oil Filling Station, a 1932 site restored and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. I park alongside some British motorcyclists – all of us dwarfed in comparison to the 1940s black Cadillac beauty casting its royal shadow in the lot. Inside the tourist hotspot is a guest book. While there, two motorcyclists from Prague sign in, as did Thomas Pawlak, a screenwriter with a script in hand with high hopes for a pilot series. If successful, he hopes Jay Leno will play in one of the episodes and claims he has been lucky enough to slip the script into Leno’s hand. The storyline of the series is about a grandfather who leaves an inheritance along with letters buried along Route 66. While Pawlak hopes to hitch a ride on the Route 66 fame bus, there are people all over Illinois who are famous by association. On yet another day, by invitation of Blitstein, I join up with Route 66 enthusiasts for the June Motor Tour, to meet some of the “real” famous 66ers. While the tour crosses the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in the morning, I start my day at Henry’s Rabbit

Ranch and Route 66 Emporium in Staunton. At first approach, owner Rich Henry is too busy preparing for the Motor Tour to greet me – so Big Red does the honors. The flopped-eared host just recently got his post, but he’s comfortable with it. Did I mention he’s a rabbit? The furry friend and others like him have been rescued by Henry. In addition, the VW Rabbit finds a home here, too. Hence the name. When Dave and Sandy Claeys, vacationers from Davenport, Iowa stop in on the first leg of their trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Red is very welcoming and obliging. They make two purchases – some T-shirts and a travel book. Red is the first to sign the keepsake book. On the Staunton page, he nips out a reminder with his big front teeth. The thrill of the drive has the Claeys questioning where to go next. Will they cut back over for dinner at the well-known Ariston in Litchfield or move on down through Illinois? Like a courting young couple, the married pair scurries to their automobile saying, “The only thing lacking is having a convertible” to take on their adventure. A late afternoon storm knocks out power interrupting some area festivities, but it won’t stop the show at !

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the Hall of Fame banquet. Culminating a day of fun for the Motor Tour drivers, a crowd of true fans packs a banquet hall at the Best Western in Carlinville. And it is there, where those who have made Route 66 what it is today, are recognized for doing business and being state ambassadors along the famous route for years on end. Those inducted into the Hall of Fame this year are: ! 817 Hillsboro in Edwardsville – once known as Barns Cash Market. It is now operated by Sam Makler and Colette Andre as Springers Creek Winery. ! Lewis (Zoo) Barrick of Lincoln, Ill. (posthumous) – who founded Barrick Transfer & Beverage Co. ! Robert and Wyman Deck, brothers who operate a drug store/museum in Girard. It originally opened in 1884 as Deck’s Drug Store, owned by Lewis Deck. ! Snuffy’s Grill in McCook, owned by Tony and Nancy Nikitopoulos. A special honor – the 2010 Tom Teague Ambassador Award – went to longtime artist and ecologist Bob Waldmire (posthumous.) His brother accepted the award.

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SAFETY & HEALTH 14 Aug_Base.indd 14

Poison proof your home You can prevent the number one cause of toddler deaths

he Illinois Poison Center (IPC) is a non-profit health service that provides comprehensive and trusted information and treatment advice on potentially harmful substances via a free, confidential 24-hour hotline staffed by medical experts. You may think to yourself, “I would never get poisoned. I would never need the poison center.” But the call center gets over 100,000 calls each year and that means on average someone is poisoned every 5 minutes in Illinois. In fact, poisoning is the second leading cause of injury related death in the United States overall and it is the number one cause for toddlers. When most people think of the word “poison”, they think of unusual or esoteric chemicals like arsenic or cyanide. But anything even potentially harmful can be considered a poison. Here are three categories of poisons that you come across every day in your own home: 1. Medications. Prescription medications are the largest toxin category involved in poisoning deaths. Drugs and medicines are ubiquitous. People are taking more medications than ever before: over the counter, prescription, herbals, supplements and vitamins. It is easier than you may think to make a mistake in taking a medication or mixing the wrong medications together. The very things that are meant to heal us when we are sick can be poisonous or toxic as well. 2. Household chemicals. This category includes things such as cleaning products, pesticides and auto or RV products. When used as directed, these items are safe but accidental ingestion, inhalation or skin and eye exposure can be very serious in some cases. 3. Natural poisons. Some of the most toxic substances known to man come from Mother Nature herself. Some plants, berries, mushrooms, bugs, snakes, reptiles and fish contain toxins and venoms that can be very harmful to humans and animals. Now that you know what some everyday poisons are, here are tips to keep you and your family safe from household poisons: • Always store these items locked out of sight and reach of children and pets.

• Keep chemicals and medications in their original container and never store them near food. • Never take medicine in the dark. • Make sure your doctor and pharmacy know all medications you are taking, including vitamins and herbal supplements, so they can be aware of any potential interactions. • If you have leftover medication, dispose of it promptly: extra, unused bottles of pills in the house contribute to medication errors and pediatric ingestions. • Read and follow all package directions on cleaning products and pesticides; never mix two chemicals together. • Most poisoning exposures occur when the product is in use. Always close and put away products immediately after using them. • If you or someone you know has been exposed to a potentially harmful substance, whatever it is, always call the Illinois Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. • Specialists at the IPC are health care professionals: physicians, pharmacists and nurses. We do not have any veterinary staff, so for pet poisonings we recommend calling the ASPCA animal poison center at 1-888-426-4435. It is important to remember that poisoning is a matter of dose, and pretty much anything can be toxic if taken in the wrong amount. Children are especially prone to poisonings because they learn about their environment by touching and putting things into their mouth. And because they are smaller, it often takes a smaller dose to poison a child than an adult. That being said, a poisoning can happen to anyone, and that is why the Illinois Poison Center is here to help. No issue to big or small, just call! To learn more about the IPC and to take our free online poison prevention training course, visit www.illinoispoisoncenter.org/outreach. For more information on poison safety, check out the IPC blog at ipcblog.org. Write this number down where you can find it easily and enter it in your cell phone 1-800-222-1222. Carol DesLauriers, PharmD, DABAT, is the Clinical Services Manager for the Illinois Poison Center.

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YARD & GARDEN 16 Aug_Base.indd 16

A plant worthy of a good cussing Poison ivy is only good for feeding the birds

here are few plants that provide some interest to me. While others ignore the sweet gum tree, I view the annoying mace-like seed pod as a nuisance, and concentrate on the fact that the tree has few pests, and few superiors when it comes to fall colors. I don’t have a tree in my yard or anywhere nearby. It’s not something I have to walk over or around. For those that have it, they swear at it. Native plants usually make my heart beat faster, as these plants have adapted to all sorts of weatherrelated conditions and native creatures to thrive. When I come across smooth hydrangea or green dragons in the woods, I smile. When purple cone flowers are blooming in a ditch, my spirits perk up. Poison ivy is one plant I would just as soon wipe off the face of the earth, though there are those that expound on its benefits. Folks like it because it is one of the top 10 berries bird feast on during the winter. Doing away with it would probably do away with some of our song birds and I do like birds. However, it’s a purely hate-hate relationship with me. Poison ivy serves no purpose in my yard or the surrounding park except to keep my doctor and the local pharmacy in business. When my skin comes in contact with the plant for a nano-second, the poison ivy’s oils do their wicked job. Within 24 hours, it’s off to the doctor for a prescription, and a chastising talk that usually centers around, “If anyone should be able to identify and keep away from the plant …” The response is usually a “yeah, yeah, yeah. Can I have my medicine prescription?” Over the years, I’ve discovered the little seedlings that look somewhat like miniature maples, but more deadly even at that stage. When you’re doing weeding and planting, sometimes you don’t discover what you’ve encountered until later. Then there are times you protect your hands with garden gloves only to wipe the sweat off your brow and out of your eye.

Pets are another possible carrier of poison ivy. If pets are allowed to wander in wooded areas, their fur may carry the plant’s sap for a long time. A soap-and-water bath is just about the only way to get the contaminants out of the pet’s coat, but make sure you are clothed top to bottom. For cats, it’s almost easier to not bathe them and resign yourself to the poison ivy. Garden tools may spread poison ivy. A thorough scrub with soap and water is the only practical way to prevent recontamination. You may have to dip them in a bleach solution to remove all the plant’s oil. The most annoying aspect about poison ivy is that not everyone is allergic to it. However, resistance can slowly ebb away, until that day when a person develops a full-blown case. Usually, sus ceptibility increases with age. Just another thing to look forward to. Eating the leaves in the spring will not make you less susceptible later on as some people claim. It’s not a wise practice as you can develop rashes inside your mouth and throat, which are difficult to scratch. Most experts give you a five-minute window for reducing the injury potential. There are some products on the market that can be applied to the skin before coming in contact with poison ivy. They work, but time and sweat can diminish the effectiveness of the products, reapply regularly. There are towelettes available that can be used soon after touching the plant to break down the oils. Just remember to throw the towelettes away in a plastic bag Contrary to popular opinion, poison oak and poison sumac are seldom found in Illinois. They are traditionally found in other parts of the United States. Poison ivy can take on several forms, all of which have the tradition three-leaflet leaf. Soap and water is still the best control if you catch it in time. After five minutes, the value of washing, goes down fast for controlling poison ivy. David Robson is an Ex ten sion Ed u ca tor, Hor ti cul ture, at the Springeld fi Exten sion Cen ter, Uni ver si ty of Il li nois Extension, P.O. Box8199, Spring field, IL 62791. Tele phone: 217-782-6515. E-mail: drobson@uiuc.edu.

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ENERGY SOLUTIONS 18 Aug_Base.indd 18

Give your air conditioning system some air Doug has a solution for a system that leaves you sweating

t's hot outside. When you receive this copy of Illinois Country Living magazine, which should be in early August, it could be the day of my wedding anniversary. Several years ago in early August, I was on my way to a Baptist church in Jacksonville, Arkansas. I was driving a blue 1963 Volkswagen Beetle with a 40-horsepower motor and no air conditioner. I was marrying the prettiest and sweetest girl in Jacksonville. I thought, “It can’t get any better than this.” But it was hot. There was a large group of folks in the church. It appeared there were many who wanted to see the lady who would marry a nut like me. The reception was held in the Willie Wiredhand room at the First Electric Co-op where my new father-in-law worked and later retired as a lineman. Did I mention it was hot? The cooling systems at both locations could not keep up with the demand. Just after our wedding, I began to be involved in heating, cooling and energy efficiency and I am still doing that today. Each August, I can count on receiving many calls about cooling systems that can’t keep up. Two months ago, I discussed some of the reasons why some systems have problems. Many people have questions about whether or not they can enlarge the size of the return air system, a few have more technical questions. But one question that really got my attention was from a lady who had recently had a new system installed and it was not cooling her house. Our phone conversation went something like this: Me: Hello. How may I help you? Caller: We live in an older house and a few months ago we had a local company install two new package units. Me: What is the size of your house? Caller: It is a two-story house with about 1,000 square feet upstairs and 1,600 square feet downstairs. They installed two 3.5-ton systems. Does that sound about right?

Me: I haven’t seen your house so I do not know what it needs for heating and cooling, but 7 tons is probably plenty of capacity. Caller: I just finished reading your column, “Thou shalt provide adequate air.” If I understood correctly, you said each unit needs 7 square feet of return air. Me: No, each unit needs about 3.5 square feet of return air. However, the return air filter grille does need to be 7 square feet. Caller: No wonder my house isn’t cool. My upstairs return air filter is 11 by 16 inches. Me: How about the downstairs? Caller: That filter is 20 by 24 inches. I removed the grille from the wall and there was no ductwork at all. All you see is a 2 by 4-inch wall with a hole about 3 by 14 inches chiseled out for the air to go through. Me: You have 3.5 tons of cooling equipment, which means you need 504 square inches of return air but it only has 42 square inches available. You are probably getting only a ton of cooling from the 3.5-ton unit. As I have thought about her situation, I came up with this demonstration to help illustrate it. Raise your hand and touch your thumb to your first finger. That should form an O with a diameter of about 1.5 inches. Blow one breath of air through the O. Now, make the O smaller and blow another breath into it. Repeat this process. Notice that every time the hole gets smaller, it takes more energy and more time to move the air. The air sound also gets noisier. A cooling system with an undersized return air has to work harder, longer and is noisier, none of which is beneficial to the equipment or the energy bill. The solution is to get a reputable and knowledgeable heating and air company to check your system for ductwork leaks, proper sizing of the return air, etc. Also, many local electric cooperatives will do free energy audits of your home as well. See you next month when it will still be hot during the day, but cool at night. Doug Rye, the “Doctor of Energy Effi ciency-the King of Caulk and Talk” can be heard on several different Illinois radio stations. Or you can go to his Web site at www.dougrye.com, e-mail him at info@philliprye.com, or call 501-6537931. You can also sign up for a free newsletter and order his “how to” videotapes.

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7/16/2010 4:11:20 PM

Working Farm Show gets new home Bill Cole and Company build antique barn By Alexandra M. Newbern

fter almost a quarter of a century without a permanent meeting location, the Antique Engine and Tractor Association (AE&TA), which hosts the Working Farm Show, will finally have a place to call home. “Our club was on rented ground and we were having a lot of trouble negotiating to purchase the

20 Aug_Base.indd 20

land. My brother Chuck and I were talking about looking for land. Bill happened to overhear our conversation,” said Kevin Bos, President of the AE&TA, “and he said that he had some land for us. When we asked about negotiating a contract to buy it, Bill said, ‘I just want to give it to you.’ We’re very fortunate to have Bill help us out like this.”

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:12:09 PM

Longtime members of the AE&TA, Bill and June Cole of Hillsdale, donated a 40-acre plot of land to the AE&TA in 2008 to provide a permanent place to hold the annual antique engine and tractor show. The land is located off of Route 92 approximately eight miles north of Geneseo. “I just wanted to do something to support and promote agriculture because it’s my roots … It all just kind of evolved from there,” Bill said. The Coles donated more than just the land. Bill supplied the timber, his knowledge and the construction company, Trillium Dells Timberworks. Bos said, “Bill has worked in the timber business for many years. He knew the builders because he has sold a lot of wood to them over the years. Bill has been very involved in everything with this project.” Trillium Dells Timberworks was able to get help from the Builders Guild and local members of AE&TA in order to erect the timber-frame barn in only 10 days. Approximately 48 feet wide and 70 feet long with 16 feet high sidewalls, the large timber-frame barn is built to look as if it is from the 19th century. Robert Delp, manager of Farmers Mutual Electric Company, lived on the property when he was a small child. He said, “Kevin and Chuck have been instrumental in making everything come about.” The grand opening of the barn will be the 2010 Working Farm Show. The event will be Sept. 17 – 19. AE&TA are expecting club members to bring 400 to 500 pieces of farm equipment for the show this year. There will be approximately 100 pieces of equipment for this year’s

featured tractor brand, Minneapolis-Moline. All things promoting Minneapolis-Moline will be inside the new barn during the Working Farm Show. Some of the items are toys, clothing, farm equipment and memorabilia. Past featured tractor brands include Oliver, Ford and Massey. John Deere will be the 2011 featured tractor brand, when the show is celebrating its 50th anniversary. “We still have a lot of work to do on the barn and the land before the Working Farm Show,” said Bill, “but the barn is already very impressive.” “We’re feeling nervous, but we’re happy that we have our own ground. We are really excited,” said Bos, “but we’re trying to be cautious because we don’t want to appear unorganized. People used to know where to go and what to do at our old location, but this year nobody will know. It will be different for everyone this year because we have been in the same place for the previous 24 years. ” For more information about the Antique Engine and Tractor Association, The Working Farm Show and the new barn visit AE&TA’s website at www.ae-ta.com. ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • August 2010

Aug_Base.indd 21

21 7/16/2010 4:14:04 PM

FINEST COOKING

Cooking With Crossroads Who: Crossroads Baptist Church in Terre Haute, IN Cost: $10, plus $4 shipping Details: paper-backed, comb-bound Pages of recipes: 97 Send checks to: CrossRoads Baptist Church, c/o Glenna Hiett, P.O. Box 258 West Terre Haute, IN 47885 or call 217-826-2685.

Garlic Cheese Dip 8-oz. cream cheese 8-oz. sour cream 8-oz. mayonnaise 1/2 C. margarine 6 green onions, chopped 9 cloves garlic, chopped 1 C. Cheddar cheese, grated 1 loaf round sourdough bread Hollow out the center of the bread, saving the cap. Sauté onions and garlic in margarine. Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and cheese. Pour cheese mixture into the hollowed bread and put the cap back on. Wrap the bread bowl up in aluminum foil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours. Can be served hot or cold.

Good Cauliflower Dish 1 med. head of cauli ower 1/4 C. water 1/2 C. mayonnaise 1 tsp. nely chopped onion 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese

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Visit www.icl.coop to see an archive of past Illinois Country Living recipes.

Place cauli ower and water in a 1-1/2 quart glass casserole dish (covered). Microwave for 9 minutes on high. Drain. Combine mayonnaise, onion, mustard and salt in a small bowl. Spoon mustard sauce on the cauli ower. Sprinkle with cheese. Microwave 1-1/2 – 2 minutes before serving.

Temptation Tea Chocolate Cherry Cake 1 chocolate cake mix 2 eggs 1 C. water 1 can cherry pie lling

Mix cake mix, eggs, water and pie lling together and bake according to the directions on the cake box.

4 tsp. instant tea 1/2 C. sugar 2-1/4 C. cold water 1 (28-oz.) bottle lemon-lime soda, chilled 1 (12-oz.) can apricot nectar 1 (6-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate

Mix instant tea, sugar, water and apricot nectar together in a large pitcher, stirring until sugar dissolves. Before leaving home, add frozen lemonade concentrate, undiluted, and ginger ale. Serve in a thermal container.

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

Cooking0810.indd Sec1:22

7/15/2010 2:07:53 PM

Now And Then

Busy Day Casserole

W ho: Cumberland County HEA, Toledo, IL Cost: $10, plus $3 shipping Details: sof-backed, comb-bound Pages of recipes: 362 Send checks to: Cumberland County HEA, PO Box 218, Toledo, IL 62468 or email www.cumberland_co@extension.uiuc.edu

2 pared potatoes, thinly sliced 1/2 C. uncooked rice 1/4 C. diced celery 1/4 C green pepper, diced 1 lb. ground beef 1 can kidney beans and juice 1 C. tomato juice Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 C. diced onion

Layer ingredients in order given in a greased casserole dish. Season each layer with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serves 6.

Tex-Mex Burger With Cajun Mayonnaise 1/2 C. mayonnaise 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning 1-1/3 lbs. ground beef 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 1/2 C. diced white onion 4 slices tomato 1 clove garlic, minced 1 T. Cajun seasoning 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 4 slices pepper jack cheese 4 leaves lettuce

Texas Sheet Cake (above)

Preheat grill for medium-high heat. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, using your hands. Divide into 4 portions and atten into patties. Lightly oil the grilling surface and place the patties on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until well done. During the last 2 minutes, lay a slice of cheese on top of each patty. Spread the seasoned mayonnaise onto the insides of the buns. Put burgers in the buns and top with lettuce and tomato. Serve.

1 C. water 2 sticks butter 4 T. cocoa 2 C. sugar 2 C. our 2 eggs 1/2 C. sour cream 1 tsp. baking soda

Icing: 1 stick butter 1 box powdered sugar 6 T. sour cream 4 T. cocoa Chopped pecans (opt.)

Over medium-high heat, boil water, butter and cocoa together. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and our together. Once mixture boils, remove from heat and pour over sugar/ our mixture. Beat in eggs, sour cream and baking soda. Pour into a greased jelly-roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Icing: Melt butter, powdered sugar, sour cream and cocoa together. Add nuts and pour over warm cake. Spread evenly. Serve.

Creamy Fruit Salad (right) 1 can fruit cocktail, drained 2 bananas, peeled and sliced 1 sm. apple, diced 1/2 C. seedless grapes, halved 5 maraschino cherries, halved 1/4 C. miniature marshmallows 1/2 C. whipping cream Strawberries for garnish

In a large bowl, combine fruit cocktail, bananas, apple, grapes, cherries and marshmallows. Fold in whipped cream; refrigerate. Just before serving, garnish salad with strawberries.

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING â&#x20AC;˘ August 2010

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Outsmart the vampires

Have you ever gone to unplug an AC adapter from a wall outlet or surge protector and noticed it was warm to the touch? That heat is energy and it’s costing you money, even when the electronic device that’s plugged into it is turned off. Devices that draw power even when they are off are said to be using “standby power.” Many have dubbed them “vampires” because the plugs look like two fangs that suck electricity at night while you sleep. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) (http://standby.lbl.gov/) estimates that a typical American home has 40 products constantly drawing power. Although various agencies have reported energy losses from these devices, most agree that together vampiric devices amount to at least 10 percent of residential electricity use. So what can you do to stop the vampires? Aside from garlic and a wooden stake (which don’t work on this particular variety), you could always unplug the devices each time you’re finished using them. However, that could be problematic because it requires a significant change in behavior. Also, your outlets might be located in awkward places that are not easy to reach. In addition, unplugging and re-plugging devices can lead to frayed wires, causing a fire hazard. Enter the Smart Strip! Here is a product that stops the vampires without changing the way you use your devices. It does however, require a little bit of knowledge and planning. A Smart Strip is basically a surge protector with some added functionality. Most are color-coded and labeled to avoid confusion. One outlet on the strip will be marked as the “Control Outlet.” The Control Outlet is wired to the outlets marked “Switched Outlets.” A sensor monitors the flow of electricity to the Control Outlet and when there is a sig nificant drop (as when you turn the device off ), then the Control Outlet switches power off to the Switched

24 Aug_Base.indd 24

Outlets. There are several other outlets on the Smart Strip marked “Constant Hot Outlets.” These outlets act like the standard outlets on a surge protector in that they always receive power regardless of what the device plugged into the Control Outlet is doing. Let’s look at a real-world example of this: On your desk you have a computer, a computer monitor, some speakers, a printer and maybe some other devices. In this example, let’s add a cell phone charger and a scanner. For a setup like our example, you would plug your computer into the Control Outlet. Then, you would plug the monitor, speakers, printer and scanner into the Switched Outlets. Now, every time you turn your computer off, the Smart Strip stops sending power to those devices you only use when the computer is on. You don’t choose to plug the cell phone charger into the switched outlet because you sometimes charge your cell phone even when your computer is off. Smart Strips are especially effective when used in places where multiple devices are plugged in. Generally, changing to a Smart Strip is only a matter of unplugging the devices from your existing surge protector and then re-plugging into the Smart Strip.

How can I identify products that draw standby power?

According to the LBNL almost any product with an external power supply, remote control, con tinuous display (including an LED), or charges batteries will draw power continuously. Sometimes there is no obvious sign of continuous power consumption and you need a meter to be certain.

Written and compiled by Ed VanHoose 217-241-7941 evanhoose@aiec.coop ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:16:28 PM

MARKETPLACE Authorized Rainbow distributor. Repairs, supplies and service. Living air purifiers. L&L Distributing, 116Â S. VanBuren St., Newton, IL 62448. 618-783-3755.

Fish, Camp, Relax. 80 Acres of water stocked twice a year. Permanent camp sites. Full hook-up. Leave year-round with lake frontage. G.C. Fishing Camping Club. 309-826-8444.

Filter Queen/Defender sales, service and supplies. For free information, call 800-753-5401, 618-948-2874 or write She-N-I, Inc. RR1, Allendale, IL 62410.

Lake Weed and Algae Control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mother Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Way.â&#x20AC;? No chemicals. Biological method with live bacteria that dissolves plant nutrients, black muck, and rotten egg odor. Controls all aquatic vegetation. Proven product. Guaranteed results. 309-826-8444.

Insulation. 4x8 sheets, foil-backed foam. Also rolls of foil-bubble pakinsulation. All factory seconds. www.nichols5.com.Contact Ken Nichols, 800-424-1256. Midwest Bird and Animal Swap & Sale, August 29 and Sept. 26 at Monroe County Fairgrounds, Waterloo, IL from 5:30 to Noon. 618-939-6809. 4' white pine trees, delivered, planted, mulched. $64.50 per tree. Buy 10 get 1 free. Call for other sizes, varieties or shades. Price may vary depending on geographical location. www.atwoodtrees.com. Call 217-886-2316 Miniature Mediterranean donkeys. Pet, show and breeding quality. Gray duns, chocolates, spotteds and blacks. Visitors welcome. Canton, IL. 309647-7162. www.copperascreek.com. First Street Restaurant Equipment used slicers, tenderizers, grinders, meatsaws, ss sinks, tables. New and used cooking equipment, pottery wheels and kilns. 2615 So. First, Springfield, 217-522-3934, 217-971-8592.

Fiberglass corrugated, 26-inch wide. 8-12- foot long. 8 ft.-$6. 12 ft.-$9. Large supply, all colors. Dongola, IL. 618-827-4737. Wanted to buy: Standing timber. All species. Pay top price. Clear or select cut. Call 815-434-4141. Sick camper refrigerator? Specializing 30 years in rebuilding cooling units. New and used units available. Camper repair. Crutcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RV, Cropsey, IL. 309-377-3721. Earn $2,000 to $5,000/mo. without leaving your job! Call this 3 min. message and listen to what these people have done. 866-274-0657.

Wanted: Indian artifacts of all kinds. Free appraisals. 309-338-3281. Central/ Southern Illinois Properties Wanted: Crop or horse farms, land, motels or parks, Victorian & country homes, estates or lake houses. Since 1925, United Country has the premier marketing program, pertinent to country lifestyle! Our specialty catalogs, ads, & websites are seen monthly by millions of local & nationwide country buyers. Realtor Affiliates for Progressive Farmer, DU, Deere, FFA & Purina. Featured as the #1 Country Real Estate by ABC News, MSNBC, D&B, and the Wall Street Journal. Visit our booth at eight Farm & Sport Shows throughout Illinois! Consumers rate us as having the top Internet exposure in the industry- visit United Country at www.FarmAndLakeHouses. com. Nineteen years of experienceCall Broker Jerry Grodesky (217)Â 386-4220. Stay and Play in Southern Illinoisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hardin County. Shawnee Forest, Ohio River, Garden of the Gods, Cavein-Rock. www.hardincountyil.org. Illinois Mile After Magnificent Mile. 618-287-4333.

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Vacation cabins-Ohio River, Shawnee National Forest, Elizabethtown, IL. Cedar Hill River Cabins, Ohio River National Scenic Byway, www.cedarhillriverresort.com. 217-652-4257. Guest House Vacation Rental. Elizabethtown, IL. 2BR, 2Bath. Overlooking Ohio River. Near Garden of the Gods/Shawnee Forest. www.Hardincountybluehouse.com 618-876-9118.

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s planting time. We have white pine and Norway Spruce to plant as wind break or privacy screen. Call John at TurfGreen Landscaping. 217-7931114 or 217-306-0248. Cabins in Shawnee Forest of Southern Illinois. Five beautiful cabins of all sizes. All amenities. Everything provided but food. Meals and massage therapist available. Pet friendly. Horseback riding nearby. Near Garden of Gods, adjacent to Rim Rock, close to Pounds Hollow Lake. On scenic byway. Pavillion. Excellent for group gatherings. www.rimrocksdogwoodcabins.com. 618-264-6036. Great income property in North Normal. 6100 sq. ft. commercial building fully leased to 3 tenants. Also commercial empty 1 3/4 acre lot for sale. Owner wants to scale back. Call 309-242-1507. Annâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DayLilies: 1500 varieties starting at $5.00. All colors - North of Glatia, IL. 618-647-2286. 926-1548. 19th Century limestone vacation house, lower Illinois River Valley: History, scenery, antiques and food, design a vacation and stay at one of the remaining native limestone houses in Greene County. Call 217837-2685 or visit our Web site at http://mcgees1860rockbottomretreat. pbworks.com.

Wanted Griswold iron skillets, lids; hay trolleys from barns; hors drawn farm wagons; Maytag wringer washer. 217-834-3331.

Log Home: 5 BR, 3,700', on 11 acres in Murphysboro. Also, 980' cottage. $299,000. 618-559-1334 or ksep624@hughes.net.

Wanted to buy: Standing timber, most species. Pay top prices. Call 217-285-2760.

Wanted to buy: Ginseng (in season), Goldenseal, other roots, barks, leaves, herbs.618-282-3267

Timeshares. Chain of twentyeight lakes, Wisconsin. Weeks 22-23-52. $1800 to $3000. Phone:Â 309-820-8177.

Western Ill. 53 acres, home, campground, store, A-frame building, 2Â stocked shing lakes, swimming pond. 309-772-3609.

How to place an ad: 1) Type or print ad neatly. 2) Count words. Cost is $30 for up to the first 20 words. $1.50 each additional word. Ads with insuffi cient funds will not be printed. 3) Prepayment is required. Include check or money order with ad for amount due. Also include address label from Illinois Country Living or other proof of Illinois electric cooperative membership. Only members of Illinois electric cooperatives may place Marketplace ads. 4) Mail to: Illinois Marketplace, P.O. Box 3787, Springfi eld, IL 62708, by deadline. Deadlines: October issue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August 20; November issue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; September 20. We reserve the right to reject any advertisement. Ads postmarked after the deadline will be placed in the next available issue.

Renew energy! Unblock your bio energetic fields. Open the energy already in your body. Check it out at www.2renewhealth.info. and www.eomega.com/lbrenewhealth. 309-825-3485.

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ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING â&#x20AC;˘ www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:18:01 PM

51 Years of Youth To Washington by Alexandra M. Newbern Looking weary from a 20-hour bus ride, 66 of Illinois’ brightest high school students did not let exhaustion override their enthusiasm for the week’s previous events. As the students hugged and said their goodbyes next to the bus at the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC), it was apparent they hoped to hold onto the newly formed friendships and certainly did not want their week in Washington, D.C. to end. More than 1,500 high school students from electric cooperatives across the country participate in the Youth to Washington Tour every June. According to Tour Director John Freitag, “The main purpose of the Youth to Washington Tour is to give young leaders an inside introduction to government and the cooperative business model.” The Youth Tour is celebrating its 51st year and Freitag has been on 24 of those trips with the AIEC. “The Youth Tour is a great opportunity for electric co-ops to do something positive for young leaders in the rural communities. The program is something that has really had staying power,” said Freitag. One student from each state is selected to be a representative on the Youth Leadership Council (YLC). To be chosen for the YLC, students must turn in a 500-word

essay about leadership and an application, go through a selection committee and then must be voted on by a group of their peers. The YLC, simply put, is a selection of students who are the best of the best. Being part of the YLC will help the students to build public speaking and leadership skills. Steven Myers from Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative was chosen to represent Illinois on the Council for 2010. “I felt very proud when I first learned I had been selected as the YLC Representative. I also feel a lot of pride knowing that I will be representing Illinois,” Myers said, “This trip has made me want to set my goals higher. I want to get involved with my government, co-op and community. It has opened my eyes to things other than small-town rural Illinois.” Some of Myers’ duties will include attending the Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., the AIEC Annual Meeting in Springfield, the NRECA Annual Meeting in Florida, the Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperative Youth Day and providing input for the NRECA’s Youth Education and Leadership programs. The Youth Leadership Conference in July will help to prepare the selected students for the events and functions they will attend the rest of the year. ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • August 2010

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“Honestly, I did not really have Tour Coordinator, said, “Many of the an interest in govern ment before the young people talk about how imprestrip. I initially wanted to go on the sive it is that the Representatives and Youth to Washington Tour because Senators are willing to take time out I had only been east of Illinois one of their schedules to meet and speak time. I never had the chance to with them.” Each student was able experience anything like Washington, to meet and speak with their State D.C. and I thought it might be a Representative and both Illinois U.S. good way to jumpstart my life,” said Senators. Myers. Myers said, “It was really a fasFreitag said, “A high percentage cinating and honorable experience to of young people who go on this trip meet the people who represent me in have an interest in government, but Congress. I was very honored because for some it is an introduction to not many people have the oppor tunity government. Some of the students to meet a person who represents the go on to work in state or federal voices of so many other people … This government after school.” Some of [the Youth to Washington Tour] was the more notable past participants truly the experience of a lifetime. I of the Youth to Washington Tour just feel so thankful and in awe that I are Art Tenhouse who was a State was able to be part of it.” Representative from 1989 to 2006 For more information about the Steven Myers and Tom Ryder who served as an Youth to Washington Tour contact Illinois State Representative from 1983 to 2001. 217-529-5561 and ask for John Freitag (jfreitag@aiec. For the students, one of the most exciting parts of coop) or Kristin Banks (kbanks@aiec.coop). To see pictures the Youth to Washington Tour is the opportunity to meet from this year’s trip, search “Illinois Youth to Washington with their Senators and Representatives. Kristin Banks, Tour” on Facebook or Google.

June

12-19,

2009

6/2/20

Cooperative Design & Print has faithfully served cooperatives and other businesses for more than 40 years as part of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives. We’re proud to continue in that tradition, providing for your business needs from concept to delivery!

Our team of editors and graphic designers can help bring your ideas to life. Web sites Signage Newsletters Stationery Annual Reports Brochures We deliver on our promises, and also your materials – even to the post office, if you like. Yes, we can prepare, print and deliver your mailing for you! Our pressmen and silkscreener take pride in ensuring that you’ll be pleased with your finished product.

For more information or to request a bid, please contact:

Angie Bingenheimer, Manager 217-241-7942 • abingenheimer@aiec.coop Connie Newenham, Assistant Manager 217-241-7943 • cnewenham@aiec.coop Lisa Rigoni, Sales/Marketing Associate 217-241-7953 • lrigoni@aiec.coop

www.coopdesignandprint.com

28 Aug_Base.indd 28

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

7/16/2010 4:19:53 PM

DATEBOOK SEPTEMBER 2010 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Downs Village Market,selling lo-

cally grown and select regional produced baked goods and honey, plants and flowers, crafts and handmade items. Master Gardeners are available to answer your questions. For details call Carol at 309378-4223 or Ruth at 309-378-4294.

2-3, Annual Autumn AKC Responsible Dog Owners Event

at the Stephenson County Fairgrounds in Freeport. Meet the breeds and find the dog that is right for you. Enjoy an AKC Licensed All Breed Conformation/ Obedience/Rally/Show. 815-519-0130.

3-6, The 57th Annual Hog Capitol of the World Festival,

Kewanee. 50,000 pork chops will be grilled and sold to the public. Events include a parade, a carnival, concessions, a craft show, a three-dayflea market, live entertainment stages, etc. 309- 852-4644.

4, Baker’s Memorial Fun Flyat Bakers Field in Freeport. Pilots fly radiocontrolled model airplanes all day. Enjoy a share-a-dish picnic at noon both days and primitive camping for pilots. 815235-4777.

4-6, The 23rd Annual Casey Popcorn Festivalat Casey Fairview

4-5, Shawnee Hills Wine Festival in Downtown Cobden. Sample

4, 11, 18, 25 Concerts in the Vineyard at Mackinaw Valley

wines from 12 wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. Enjoy music, arts, crafts and food. 618-893-4898.

Park in Casey. Enjoy live bands, kids stage shows, a carnival, arts and crafts, a car show, tractor pulls, karaoke and more. Free popcorn. 217-232-2676.

4-6, Herscher Labor Day Celebration in Downtown Herscher.

Now in its 89th year, this two-day event features a parade, sporting events, entertainment and down home cooking. 815-935-7390.

Vineyard in Mackinaw. Live music concerts performed Saturdays from 7-10:45 p.m. featuring local classic rock music groups. Bring your own folding chair or blanket for lawn seating or call to reserve a spot on the deck for a small fee. Pizza and cheese and crackers available or bring your own picnic. Admission is $5. www.mackinawvalleyvineyard.com or 309-359-WINE.

4-6, Jersey County Victorian Festival at Hazel Dell Historic Farm

5, Grape Stomp and Harvest Festival at Mackinaw Valley Vineyard

in Jerseyville. Enjoy this living history event, featuring a large Civil War Reenactment, Bluegrass music, tours of the Fulkerson Mansion, working artisans, 3-6, The 12th Annual Prairicrafts, antiques, collectibles and a variety eland Chautauquaat Community Park in Jacksonville. Event features musical of food. Working steam engines, tractors and crawler tractors will plow, thresh and shows, historical storytellers and re-enactors portrayed by professionals, communal power sawmill. A Duel of Honor, stagecoach robbery and Gettysburg Address suppers and more. 217-243-5678. will take place daily. 618-498-5590.

in Mackinaw. Guests compete in two big tubs while “Lucy” style stomping! Judging is done by audience applause and children are welcome to compete as well as adults at this family friendly event. Live musical entertainment to stomp by and wine tasting is available throughout the day. Admission; adults $5, children 12 and under free. www.mackinawvalleyvineyard.com or 309-359-WINE.

9-11, Atlanta Fall Festivalin

Atlanta. Enjoy entertainment, including music, a carnival, free petting zoo, a car show and lots of art and craft vendors. Don’t miss out on the great food available from the different vendors, or the pie and cake baking contest and auction. 217732-8687.

2-6, Allerton Music Barn Festival

at Allerton Park in Monticello. Concerts by classically-trained musicians, jazz ensembles, soloists and chamber groups. 217- 333-1594.

Visit our Web site, www.icl.coop

Photos by Chris Brown

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • August 2010

Datebook0810.indd Sec2:29

29 7/14/2010 10:36:28 AM

DATEBOOK SEPTEMBER 2010 9-12, The 39th Annual Homestead Festivalin Princeton.

The Bureau County Pork Producers will serve butterfly pork chop sandwiches and dinners at Soldiers and Sailors Park. Take in free tours of the Owen Lovejoy Homestead, the Junior Women’s Club ice cream social, the 5K Run/Walk, a flea market, helicopter ride, arts and crafts show, a burger eating contest, a blues concert in the park, live entertainment at the street dance, a beer garden, parade, pancake breakfast, three-on-three basketball tournament, tug-of war competition and much more. www.homesteadfestival.com.

9–19, “Taffeta Memories” at

the Country Theatre Workshop in Cissna Park. 815-457-2626 or www.countrytheatre.org.

10-11, Mt. Pulaski Fall Festival in downtown Mt. Pulaski. Check

out the flea market, entertainment, food and watch the parade Saturday. 217-7925419.

10-11. Kenney Fall Festival

in downtown Kenney. Visit craft booths, food booths and play games. Enjoy the Kenney Fire Department’s chicken dinner. Live entertainment, car show and children’s activities. 217-944-2433.

10-12, Pekin Marigold Festival in Pekin. 309-353-3100. 10, Cedarhurst Craft Fair Preview Night in Mt. Vernon. Jazz, food and beverages, as well as hundreds of vendors’ merchandise. 618-242-1236.

10-12, Cache River Days in downtown Ullin. Flea market, parade, softball tournament, yard sales, BBQ and music. 618-845-3445.

24-26, Geode Fest in Hamilton at Chaney Creek Boat Access, Hwy.

11, 6th Annual Veterans on Parade, 11 a.m. from the Marion Jr.

25, What Women Want NOW Expo’ at Cellular Coliseum in Bloom-

High School on East Main St. Russell St. Units from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard, ROTC, VA, VFW, American Legion, bands floats, etc. 618-889-5330.

96 North. Call Mike Shumate at 573518-4739 for details.

ington, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Call 217-7256074 for information.

25, Effingham County Old Settlers Reunion on the Old Courthouse lawn in downtown Effingham.

16-19,Old King Coal Festival 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs.

honoring the coal miners past and present. Fun for all ages, games and prizes, food 618-937-6419 or www.oldkingcoal.com. and re-enactments, period costume characters and more. 217-663-8101.

17-19, The 40th Annual Abraham Lincoln National Rail Splitting Contest and Crafts Festival at the Logan County Fairgrounds in Lincoln. Something for all ages- rail splitting, corn shucking, tomahawk throwing, a pioneer village, antique cars and tractors, historical displays, a quilt show, crafters, a flee market, kids games, food vendors, Lincoln presentations, etc. 217-732-8687.

17-19, Marshall Autumn Fest at the Courthouse Square in Mar-

shall. A weekend on the Clark County Courthouse Lawn filled with a variety of events: arts, crafts, a car show, food and entertainment. 217-826-8087.

25, Bean Days in Wayne City. Parade, quilt show, flea market, car and truck show and free ham and beans. 618895-2215. 25, Jo Daviess County HCE 55th Annual Fall Old Market Day, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Old Market

House Historic Site, 123 Commerce Street, Galena. Call Marcella Arnold at 815-858-3392 for additional information.

26, The Original Boneheads, a.k.a. The St. Louis Trombone Quartet performance in the lobby of

George T. Dennis Performing Arts Center – $10/ticket.

17-19, Annual Corvette Funfest - 2010at Mid-American Motorworks in Effingham. Join Corvette enthusiasts at one of the largest car shows in the nation. More than 10,000 Corvettes expected to be on display. Activities include a live Corvette auction, burn-out competitions, technical seminars, live musical entertainment, celebrity autographs, etc. 217-540-4200.

10-11, Viva Quad Cities Festival. Family friendly fiesta on

Friday 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. and Saturday 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. Live music, food and arts and crafts vendors during the festival on Bass Street Landing in downtown Moline. 309-277-0937.

10-11, Two Rivers Festival in Aroma Park. Family Fun starts off with a talent show on the 10th. Live music, parade, games and a pet festival on the 11th. 815-937-1769.

To be considered for inclusion, please submit events in the format used above. Preference is given to events sponsored by non-profit entities. Submitting an event is not a guarantee of publication. Photos are welcome, but will not be returned unless a self-addressed and stamped envelope is provided. Events are subject to change, so please contact the event sponsor for confirmation. Deadline:August 15 for November Events.Mail to: Illinois Datebook, PO Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. E-mail to: Lrigoni@aiec.coop

ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • www.icl.coop

Datebook0810.indd Sec2:30

7/14/2010 10:04:45 AM

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Effi ngham (217) 994-2989

Keck Heating & A/C

R & H Plumbing & Heating Inc.

Altamont (618) 483-6159

Rightnowar HVAC

Keenes (618) 732-8268

South Side Hardware

Quincy (217) 223-5325

Greenfi eld (217) 368-2705

Kuchefski Heating & A/C

Stevens Heating & A/C

Engel Heating & Cooling Collinsville (618) 344-0359

Danville (217) 442-1454 Champaign (217) 373-1454

Davis Electric

LD Mechanical Contractors

Rushville (217) 322-6677

Charleston (217) 345-9633

Lawrenceville (618) 943-2243

Ernst Heating & Cooling

Mark's Heating & Cooling

Weeke Sales & Service

Quincy (217) 222-5220 www.stevensquincy.com

Tracy Electric

Greenville (618) 664-2499 www.markshc.com

Okawville (618) 243-5333 www.weekecustomcomfort.com

Marion (618) 997-5288

Neal's Heating & Cooling

Weidner Refrigeration

Jaenke Heating & Air Conditioning

Neuhaus Heating & Cooling

Hamel (618) 633-2244

Fowler Heating & Cooling

Waterloo (618) 939-8029 www.jaenkeheating.com

Marissa (618) 295-3402

Litchfi eld (217) 324-2818

Divernon (217) 628-3400

Whitt Sales & Service, Inc. Farina (618) 245-6404

Philhower Electric, Plumbing, & Heating Tiskilwa (815) 646-4481

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Thanks to the 30% federal tax credit, a flood of inexperienced, questionably trained dealers are now offering geothermal. While some companies allow anyone to sell their products, WaterFurnace requires an ongoing commitment to the most extensive training and education programs in the industry.That’s why WaterFurnace is the most recognized and respected name in residential geothermal. Or maybe it’s because WaterFurnace units use the clean, renewable ener gy found in your backyard to provide savings up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. Or is it thanks to the industry’s best a wrranty? Decide for yourself. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today... or be prepared to deal with a flood of your own.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALER Albers Toennies Service Co. (618) 248-5130 Bloomington Wm. Masters, Inc. (309) 662-8481 Brighton Den-Son Heating & Cooling (618) 372-8375 Canton Spoon River Mechanical Services (309) 647-5009 Carbondale GL Morris (618) 457-0190 Charleston Jansen’s Heating & Air (217) 235-5223 Chester Schumer Bros (573) 547-6517 Cobden Davis Heating & Cooling (618) 893-2821 Decatur Design Air (800) 452-7845 Delevan Jeckel Plumbing & Heating (309) 244-8265

Effingham Jansen’s Heating & Air

Litchfield Snell Enterprises, Inc. (217) 324-4560

Energy RSP Heating & Cooling (618) 942-2424 Fairbury Popejoy Plumbing, Htg & Electric (815) 692-4471 Fairfield Electro Electric (618) 847-8102 Flora Electro Electric, Inc. (618) 662-4520 Gifford Duden and Silver (217) 568-7954 Goodfield Hinrichsen Heating & Air (309) 965-2604 Hamilton Peters Heating & Air, Inc. (217) 847-2777 Harrisburg D&C Heating & Air (618) 997-6577 Lawrenceville Tracy Electric, Inc. (618) 943-2243

Pontiac Kupferschmid (815) 844-4109

Macomb Quincy Arnold Brothers Heating & Cooling Peters Heating & Air, Inc. (309) 833-2852 (217) 222-1368 Marion D&C Heating & Air (618) 997-6577

Red Bud DeRousse Heating & Air, Inc. (618) 282-2224

Mount Vernon Holloway Heating & Air, Inc. (618) 242-5481

Salem Booher Tin Shop (618) 548-1295

Oglesby John’s Service & Sales (815) 883-3637

Springfield Collins Plumbing & Heating (217) 793-8031

Pana Jansen’s Heating & Air (217) 562-5201

Taylorville Jansen’s Heating & Air (217) 824-4138

Paxton Houston Plumbing & Heating (800) 379-2165

Thomasboro Hoveln Heating & Cooling, Inc. (217) 643-2125

Peru Service Pro’s Heating & Cooling (815) 223-0715

Tilton Blackie’s Automatic Engineering (217) 442-1440

Petersburg Collins Plumbing & Heating (217) 632-3670

Virden Snell Enterprises, Inc. (217) 965-3911

Pittsfield Peters Heating & Air, Inc. (217) 285-1600

Waterloo DeRousse Heating & Air, Inc. (618) 282-2224

Edwardsville Cummings Heating & Cooling (618) 656-8953

Winchester Little Heating & A/C, Inc. (217) 742-3332

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