Around Alabama Baldwin County Bluegrass Festival
Bay Minette
October 15 & 16
If toe-tapping, foot-stomping bluegrass music gets your heart pumping, you’ll want to join us for the inaugural Baldwin County Bluegrass Festival where The Gary Waldrep Band will headline both days. Also scheduled to perform are The Golden Valley Crusaders, The Chestangs, The McPherson Family, TruGrass and The Wayfarers. The fun begins at 4 p.m. on Friday and again at noon on Saturday at the Carol
Hodgson Arena in Bay Minette, ending around 10 p.m. each night. Tickets are on sale for $10 per day or can be purchased at the door. Children 12 and under will be admitted for free. Sponsorships are still available for businesses or individuals who would like to support the event. For tickets or sponsorship information you may call 251-510-7650 or 251-379-2058.
Greenville – Oct. 1- Nov. 6 Greenville Haunted Firehouse 1198 Norman Road, Greenville Fri. and Sat. nights – 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Admission: Charged Contact: John Haire at 334-382-9529 or john@cityofgville.com
Garden City – October 9 Homecoming Jubilee Dedication of Historic Marker at the Little School House – 9 a.m. All other events 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Free Contact: 256-352-5408
Enterprise – October 21 Jeremy Davis and The Fabulous Equinox Jazz Orchestra Enterprise Civic Center – 7 p.m. Contact: Coffee County Arts Alliance at 334-406-2787 www.CoffeeCountyArtsAlliance.com
LaFayette – October 1-31 “Homegrown” Pumpkin Patch Jack-O-Lantern Lane Admission: Charged Contact: Glenn Morgan at 334-864-0713 www.jackolanternlane.com
White Plains – October 9 & 10 White Plains Country Fair Hwy. 431, 7 miles north of LaFayette 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Contact: Jenny Still at 334-750-1433
Oneonta – October 23 27th Annual Covered Bridge Festival Downtown Oneonta – 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Silverhill – October 1-31 Pumpkin Patch Express Sundays – 1 - 9 p.m. Train ride, pumpkin decorating and refreshments Wales West Light Railway Contact: Marty at 1-888-569-5337 Gulf Shores – October 7 -10 39th Annual National Shrimp Festival Main Public Beach, Gulf Shores Admission: Free to public Contact: 251-968-4237 www.nationalshrimpfestival.com Stewartville – October 8 & 9 Quilt Show and Trade Day West Coosa Senior Center Fri. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.- Noon Admission: Free Contact: Linda Goswick at 256-249-2024 Dothan – October 9 Alzheimer’s A Walk to Remember Westgate Park Registration at 7:30 a.m. Contact: Kay Jones 888-702-8689 www.wesharethecare.org Eclectic – October 9 Alabama Cotton Festival Downtown Eclectic, 7:30 a.m. - until 5K Cotton Run – 7:30 a.m. Rook Tournament – 9:30 a.m. Contact: 334-541-3581
Georgiana – October 15 & 16 October Fest Friday: 2 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m. Admission: Charged, under 12 free Contact: Sherri Brackin at 251-490-5026 or www.hankwilliams internationalfanclub.com Guntersville – October 15-17 Lakeside Quilters’ 2010 Quilt Show Guntersville Recreation Center, Sunset Drive – Fri. Noon-5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Admission: Charged Contact: Anne Barrett at 256-659-5654 Tallassee – October 16 Annual Trade Day Arts & Crafts Historic King Street, 8 a.m.- 1 p.m. Admission: free, charge for Kidz Zone Contact: Tallassee Chamber of Commerce at 334-283-5151 or chamber@tallasseechamber.com Hanceville – October 16 Mud Creek Art Festival Contact: Erica Mead at 800-3135114 emead@cullmanchamber.org www.cullmanchamber.org Cullman – October 16 & 17 Alabama Gourd Festival Contact: Pam Montgomery at 256-355-4634 or visit www.alabamagourdsociety.org
To place an event, fax information to 334-215-8623; mail to Events Calendar, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124; e-mail to calendar@areapower.coop. (Subject Line: Around Alabama) or visit www.alabamaliving.coop
Cullman – October 23 County Wide Yard Sale Smith Lake Park Gates open at 6 a.m. for sellers 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Admission Free, sellers $10 fee Contact: Denise Caudle 256-739-2916 or smithlakepark@co.cullman.al.us Stockton – October 23 Haunted Trail Bicentennial Park Admission: Charged, under 3 free Contact: Cathy Welch-Warren at 719-352-7320 or www.co.baldwin.al.us Opp – October 30 Opp Fest 2010 Downtown Main Street Contact: Kyle Gantt 334-493-1454 Car Show contact: Brett Ballard 334-493-2265 St. Clair Springs – October 30 White Mountain Chimney Corner Celebration Admission: charged per car Contact: 205-467-6927 www.whitesmtnbluegrass.com Greenville – October 30 Old Time Farm Day 4 miles west of I-65 on Sandcutt Road Contact: Deborah Salter 334-3829814 or www.oldtimefarmdays.com
Gulf Shores – October 30 The Original German Sausage Festival Elberta Town Park Admission: Free Contact: 251-986-5805 www.sausagefest.elbertafire.com
The CHAFAR Tour The CHAFAR (Children and Forests are Alabama’s Resources) Tour is a 454-mile bicycle trip through some of Alabama’s most beautiful, vibrant and productive forests. The tour is open to the public, and although it averages 76 miles a day, it has been designed for comfort, convenience and fun.You do the miles; we do the rest. Riders can sign-up to cycle the entire distance, or for just a leg of the tour. The ride begins Oct. 7 in Auburn, and ends six days later with a celebration at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear. All proceeds go toward Alabama’s Children’s Hospitals in Mobile and Birmingham. For more information about riding in the tour or volunteering to help the riders, call 256-383-8990.
For more information on these and other events coming up around Alabama, go to www.alabamaliving.coop and click on the Around Alabama button.
Follow Alabama Living on facebook ®
Each submission must include a contact name and phone number. Deadline is two months prior to issue date. We regret that we cannot publish every event due to space limitations.
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
9
Alabama’s Gulf Coast seafood is not only safe, it may be safer than ever By Darryl Gates
I
t’s Tuesday night before Labor Day weekend and Villaggio Grill gets its seafood from major suppliers in the outside deck at Shipps Harbor Grill in Orange Atlanta, says Olive, which in turn receive most of their Beach is nearly full of diners. A pleasant Gulf breeze seafood from Gulf Coast fishermen. Even when federal is blowing from the east, and the temperature is a mild authorities closed large chunks of the Gulf of Mexico to 85. The spicy smell of fried shrimp wafts gently through fishing last summer due to the oil spill, “there was still the air. Jimmy Buffett songs and the occasional pop of of lot of water to be fished out there,” Olive says. wine corks break the casual conversation of diners. Although Olive saw the cost of seafood soar over the But all is not well along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Just summer, he rarely saw a decrease in the quantities he down the road from Shipp’s some businesses already could buy. He thinks the prices are still higher than they have closed for the season, and some have closed should be, but the fresh seafood he’s getting is better permanently. This before one of the three major tourist than ever. holidays of the year. A fragile economy has nearly been “We’re getting great, beautiful shrimp,” he says. “The broken by tourist fears that the flounder, red fish and speckled recent BP oil spill tainted the qual‘Overall, I think seafood from trout are doing very, very well, ity of the area’s nationally known and the Apalachicola (Fla.) oysopen waters is probably safer than ters are as strong as ever.” seafood. Business along Alabama’s Gulf from anywhere else because of all Business, though, is down. Coast, says Chamber of ComAlthough the Villaggio Grill is the testing that’s being done.’ merce Special Events Director Don seeing about the same number of – Dr. Robert Shipp customers as last year, manageMcPherson, is off 50 percent. Yet, not one case of oil-tainted ment’s projection was for a much seafood has been reported by Gulf Coast restaurants, stronger year. Next year, Olive hopes, will be better. according to Brody Olive, chef at Villaggio Grill, one of Blalock Seafood sells fresh seafood from the Gulf of the premiere restaurants located in the Orange Beach Mexico to 15-20 restaurants and to retail customers at development The Wharf. Olive was last year’s Zatarain Blalock Seafood and Specialty Market not far from the chef’s challenge winner, crowned annually at the NaVillaggio Grill. Owner Pete Blalock says he’s gotten tional Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores (see sidebar). some questions about the quality of the fish he sells. “Our locals perfectly trust in the product we sell Some customers have asked, “Does here,” Olive says. “I know what (the authorities) go this fish have any oil in it?” through to ensure the quality of the seafood. The folks I “Our seafood in the Gulf is buy from would not sell tainted seafood.” probably tested more often Happier times: The 2007 Red Snapper Tournament in Orange Beach
10
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Photo by Jeff Greenberg
Fresh Fish
Fresh Shrimp
than any seafood in the world right now,” he says. “People are afraid of the unknown. But down here, things are fine. There’s no reason to worry about the beach or the seafood. If I was worried, I’d be gone too – and I’ve been here for 40 years.” But what do scientists say? The seafood testing now going on in the Gulf of Mexico “probably means our Gulf seafood is more thoroughly tested than anywhere else in the world,” says Dr. LaDon Swann, director of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. Swann says test results from hundreds of tissue samples of Gulf seafood have been well below “long established thresholds of concern for any of the components of the crude oil.” Furthermore, he says, testing to determine whether any of the oil dispersant chemicals have found their way into seafood has been difficult because the chemi-
Photo by Billy Pope
Gulf Shore’s public pier
39th National Shrimp Festival set for Oct. 7-10
cal levels are too low to be detected. In other words, no chemicals or evidence of oil has been found in seafood sampled since the spill. But that’s not because scientists aren’t looking. LaDon says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have: Tested fish from waters before they are reopened for commercial and recreational fishing. “Sensory tested” seafood by using experts from NOAA’s seafood testing laboratory in Pascagoula, Miss. These experts can detect down to one part of oil in 1 million parts seafood. Conducted chemical analysis, which looks for the hydrocarbon compounds that would be present if a living creature ingested oil. Conducted dockside sampling that tests fish as they are brought to commercial fishing docks. Begun a sampling program at seafood processing plants that targets oysters, crabs and shrimp, which could retain contaminants longer than fish with fins. “This sampling provides verification that seafood on the market is safe,” LaDon adds. So far, all tests have been negative. There is no sign of contamination. “To me the best rule of thumb is if a fish is healthy enough to bite a hook, it’s healthy,” so says Dr. Robert
o o o o o
Continued on Page 37
So now that you know Alabama’s Gulf seafood is good to eat, where’s the best place to eat as much as you want? How about the 39th annual National Shrimp Festival on the beach in Gulf Shores Oct. 7-10. The Shrimp Festival has grown to be one of the most popular events in the South, last year attracting 250,000-300,000 people over four days. This year there will be more than 300 exhibitors showcasing everything from fine arts and arts & crafts, to retail items and, of course, fabulous seafood. There will also be activities to entertain the kids like a sand sculpture contest and the Children’s Activity Village, which encompasses many educational exhibits including ones from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the Naval Air Station Museum. The village will also include entertainment, karaoke, rides and games for most all ages. Also taking place at this year’s festival will be the crowning of the Zatarain’s Chef’s Challenge winner, a NASCAR exhibit, Top Gun simulator and more than 40 musical acts including local, regional and national headliners. This year’s headliners are vocalist and songwriter Lou Gramm and John Rich, half of the popular country group Big & Rich. Gates open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. To get there, take Alabama 59 over the bridge into Gulf Shores. The National Shrimp Festival is located at the intersection of Alabama 59 and 182 at the public beaches. The event is free. The National Shrimp Festival is presented by Zatarain’s and sponsored in part by Baldwin EMC, RE/ MAX of Orange Beach, Organized Seafood Association of Alabama, CenturyLink, Coca-Cola, Miller-Lite, Royal Prestige Cookware, Nanny’s Lemonade and the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau.d
Last year’s crowd topped 250,000 over four days
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
11
A young Guatemalan tries on a hardhat from Central Alabama EC
A Helping Hand Central Alabama EC linemen volunteer in Guatemala
S
everal months ago employees hour days starting at 7:30 a.m. with at Central Alabama Electric Co- an eight-man line crew from the operative (CAEC) were asked municipality. about their interest in working with “With materials and tools being an international program that helps scarce, most of the jobs were difpeople in developing countries attain ficult to complete,” says Smith. “It access to electricity. The response was not uncommon to strip down an was impressive and in late July, the old pole and use the materials from first crew traveled to Guatemala. it for the new pole.” The poles were Through the National Rural Electric set by hand using a regular shovel to dig the holes. Transferring the poles Cooperative Association (NRECA) to the job site was done by placing International Program, four Journeythem on a pickup truck and driving man Linemen from CAEC, headquarthrough a congested area, or, by sevtered in Prattville, worked for two eral men who would carry the poles weeks in Guastatoya, Guatemala. on their backs. Keith Hay, employed with CAEC A line truck for 22 years; Lahad been mar Daugherty, donated previ18 years; Heath ously from Smith, four years; a co-op in and Kevin PowTexas, but the ell, three years, Guatemalan partnered with workers were the International not familiar Program to help with how to build a 4.5-kiTransferring poles by pickup truck, right lometer threeoperate it phase line in the Central American since the controls were in English. village. The International Program, After working with the translator, funded through contributions, covers CAEC’s linemen were able to demall costs relating to their projects, onstrate how to operate the truck such as this one in Guatemala. in order to pick up the poles and “When we arrived to the village, transport them to another location. they did have some infrastructure At one particular job they had to set a concrete pole that was left from with power,” says Daugherty. “The a former unfinished project. The local line crew had a fundamental weight of this pole made it difficult knowledge of working with electricfor the local crew to set, and with ity even though it was basic.” the help of the line truck, this task Even with the help of a translator, was more easily accomplished. the biggest barrier for the linemen Climbing poles without sufficient was the language. By using a lot personal protection equipment is a of hand gestures in addition to the common practice for the linemen of translator, communications became a little easier for the crews after the Guastatoya. As a safety procedure, first week of working together. when work was performed on the The linemen worked 10- to 12power lines, all electricity was shut
12
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
off, leaving the local residents and black beans and tortillas with live businesses without power for several music performed by the daughter of hours. the local co-op’s manager. Right-of-way and vegetation For these linemen, working in a management was done manually by Third World country has been lifeusing a machete to cut underbrush changing. By helping to provide and trim the trees. The trees were electricity to underprivileged and climbed free-handed without any remote areas, the linemen opened type of safety gear. up a new world for many. “The work was hard and it gave There are more than 2 billion peous a better appreciation of what we ple throughout the world who do have at our co-op,” says Hay. “We not have electricity. For more than hope we helped them understand 45 years, the NRECA International how important Program has safety is in this provided peoline of work ple in developand that they ing countries must take care with access to of themselves safe, reliable first. The same and affordable voltage that will electricity. The kill you in the electrification From left: Central linemen Keith Hay, Kevin United States programs have Powell, Heath Smith and Lamar Daugherty will kill you in resulted in Guatemala; there is no difference.” increased agricultural productivity, The people in Guastatoya were millions of new jobs in micro and eager to learn and very appreciative small enterprises, higher incomes of the volunteers. CAEC’s linemen and improved quality of life for also walked away learning a lot from people in rural communities around their culture as well, especially the the world.d unity of the families and how they Helping Hands illustrate respect and affection to Alabama co-ops help each other. “Although they have only light the world the basics of life, they are genuinely pleasant all the time,” says Powell. During the past several years, at “They loved having their pictures least seven Alabama electric cooperataken and reviewing them on the tives have donated resources to the camera. The children were very NRECA International Program, which well behaved and respectful to their helps build electrical systems in develparents as well as their siblings. The oping countries. men in the village left the homes Those co-ops are Central Alabama to work and the women and chilEC, Clarke-Washington EMC, Covingdren took care of the needs for the ton EC, Cullman EC, PowerSouth Enhousehold.” ergy Cooperative, South Alabama EC Daugherty would like to see the and Southern Pine EC. “concept” of the program continue. “The program would not work “We can take on a parental role and without this kind of help,” says Vivek help educate them concerning their Talvadkar, senior vice president. equipment,” he said. “They have a “Volunteers are essential for the very good core group of people, success of our programs overseas,” eager to learn. I would love for them Talvadkar says. “We are thankful to to see the technology we utilize that them for their hard work and dedicould make things a lot easier for cation to help those less fortunate, them.” bringing safe, reliable, and affordable As a farewell celebration and electricity to over 100 million people expression of their gratitude, the across the globe.” journeymen were treated to a deliFor more information contact cious meal including a grilled goat, Katalina Mayorga 703-907-5692.d
Young folks trying on hardhats
Machetes are used to clear rights of way
Third World living conditions
The power delivery system needed work
Guatemalan workers were eager to learn
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
13
Destinations
‘EVERGREEN DECORATES AMERICA’ Celebrate Conecuh sausage on Oct. 9 in its hometown of Evergreen By Jennifer S. Kornegay of Alabama Small Towns being observed across the ‘When you’re driving on I-65 in south Alabama, if state,” she says. you’ve got your windows down and the wind is just The Sausage Festival is actually the reincarnation of right, your nose may tell you you’re approaching the a heritage festival that started in the city back in the city of Evergreen before your eyes do. The city is 1960s. Harriet Hyde owns an antiques and collectibles home to Conecuh sausage, and the company’s headstore called Treasures on the Corner and is also a quarters are directly adjacent to the exit that brings chamber board member. folks into town. The spicy, savory scent of Conecuh’s “The town, founded in 1819, was smoked sausage has been tempting first known as Cosey’s Old Field, but people to put it on a biscuit, add it that was such a strange name that to soups, thread it on kabobs or just it was changed in 1840,” Hyde says. grill it and eat it on a bun since 1947. The festival is held in downtown “We have an abundance of everIn celebration of this meaty treat, Evergreen. Take I-65 green trees and shrubs, and someEvergreen hosts a sausage festival to Exit 96 going one noted that it is always green each year. The 5th annual Evergreen south, or Exit 93 gohere, so…” For the same reason, Sausage Festival will be held Oct. 9 ing north. Follow the Evergreen Evergreen is also known as “The in the city’s downtown area. Arts & signs to downtown. Emerald City.” crafts, children’s activities and live For information, call “Evergreen’s evergreens were used entertainment are on the agenda at (251)578-1707 to decorate for the Inauguration of this free festival, as is a community President Grover Cleveland and have street dance at the conclusion of the been used in subsequent inaugurations, parades and festivities. Perhaps the most popular aspect of the other governmental affairs since,” says Sherry Johnevent is the Doo-Dah Parade, which features animals (mostly dogs) being adorned in everything from fancy ston, genealogist and historian for the local library. “The phrase ‘Evergreen Decorates America’ still holds to funky attire, and then strolled around downtown’s true now with the shipping of evergreens, dried folistreets. The prancing pets are judged by local kids age and flowers all over the world.” who name one lucky dog “best dressed.” And, of People still enjoy a mild climate in Evergreen, and course, hot, fresh sausage dogs will be abundant at the beginning of October should be perfect for the this festival, too. outdoor Sausage Festival, which is held downtown. But while sausage provides plenty of reasons to This year the coordinators are planning a few adpraise it, this event is about far more than just sauditions. “We’re really looking to expand the event,” sage, as Shanna Anderson with the Evergreen/Conecuh County Chamber of Commerce explains. Hyde said. “We’re hopefully bringing the antique cars show “The Sausage Festival is a part of our homecomback, and we’re working on a sausage cook-off.”d ing weekend, which is in conjunction with the Year
Getting There
14
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
15
COACH Pat Dye’s
Japanese Maples By Katie Jackson; Photos by Darryl Gates
I
t began as a fascination. It became a passion. It is now a garden that honors the beauty and charm of Japanese maples. Quail Hollow Gardens, which was carved out of a privet- and honeysuckle-covered hillside at Crooked Oaks plantation in Macon County, sprang from the vision of former Auburn football coach and long-time Japanese maple devotee Pat Dye. The gardens, says Dye, are his “dream come true.” Dye first became enamored of Japanese maples in 1981 when a landscaper planted one at Dye’s house in Auburn. Dye so adored that “gorgeous” tree that, when he moved from the Auburn house years later, he considered digging up the tree and taking it with him. Though he resisted the urge to move it, he remains captivated by its spell, so much so that he still stops by his former yard to check on the tree’s growth and well-being. Fully smitten with Japanese maples, Dye began collecting them and was intrigued by the diversity of leaf patterns and color, bark and growth habits that abound among these remarkable trees. Each tree, says Dye, has its own personality, and new personalities are constantly being added to Dye’s collection. In February 2009, work began on a home for the collection as Dye, his partner in life and in business Nancy McDonald, and their small but dedicated staff set to work turning that jungle-like hillside into Quail Hollow Gardens. Today, the hillside is home to some 100 Japanese maple cultivars that share the landscape with cedars, oaks, poplars, bay trees and other botanical beauties, all planted around a 250-yard water feature
16
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
complete with waterfalls and pools. Adjacent to the gardens is a Japanese maple nursery where some 8,000 container- and field-grown Japanese maples are available to purchase, and where new Japanese maple cultivars are being developed. The gardens, though still young and not fully established, are already a popular romantic spot. The area can be rented for weddings and other events, and Quail Hollow Gardens nursery manager Casey Teel can attest to its persuasive powers. He proposed to his girlfriend, Brittany Langley, there this past summer. She did, by the way, say “yes.” Anyone looking for a place to fall in love – be that with a fellow human or a beautiful tree – Quail Hollow may be the perfect spot. After all, according to Dye, everyone needs at least one Japanese maple in their yards and lives. To learn more about the gardens and nursery, go to www.quailhollowgardens. com/ or call Teel at 334-3136921 to arrange for a visit. Fall, of course, is a fabulous time to relish the color of Japanese maple leaves (though many cultivars provide yearround color and color changes) as well as other trees that provide stunning fall shows. It is also a great time to collect leaves for use in the garden. Raked leaves can be shredded (with a chipper/shredder or by running over them with a lawn mower), then applied directly to the garden or set aside to use as a mulch, soil amendment or in compost piles or worm bins throughout the fall and winter. Mostly, though, take time to enjoy the season.d
garden tips Japanese maples co m
e in all colors ...
... sizes ...
... and textures.
t
Plant lettuces, spinach, turnips, radishes, onion sets and strawberries.
t
Set out winter pansies, flowering kale, cabbage and fall mums.
t
Add new mulch around shrubs and in flower beds.
t
Clean and oil garden tools for winter storage.
t
Continue mowing lawns until no sign of new growth is evident.
t
Remove dead limbs, leaves and other trash from flower beds and under fruit trees and roses.
t
Keep bird feeders and bird baths filled.
t t
Harvest native plant seeds.
t
Trim unruly ground covers and vines and prune shrubs and trees.
t
Apply dormant sprays to fruit trees to reduce over wintering pests and fungus diseases.
t
If the threat of a heavy frost is looming, pick all tomatoes (ripe or not) and wrap green tomatoes in paper, then store them in a cool dark place to ripen.
t
Divide overcrowded perennial plants that have finished blooming and replant them or give extras to friends.d
el
Manager Casey Te
Bring house plants inside for the winter when outdoor temperatures drop below 50 degrees F.
Katie Jackson is associate editor for the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Contact her at csmith@ acesag.auburn.edu
Coach Dye weeds
container plants
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
17
Discovering Alabama
By Doug Phillips
C
lose your eyes and imagine a beautiful wonderland, a land of exceptional natural diversity with plentiful woodlands, waters and wildlife to marvel the world. Now open your eyes, step outside, and embrace this rich realm of natural wonders – our great state, Alabama. Your public television series, Discovering Alabama, is Alabama’s flagship program showcasing the unique natural heritage of our state. This year Discovering Alabama celebrates its 25th year of bringing the wonders of the state to a wide audience of viewers in Alabama homes, schools and communities. Few television series have enjoyed such a long tenure. This sustained popularity is due to the many Alabamians who appreciate the natural values of our remarkable state. And today the natural appeal of Alabama is attracting increased attention. Indeed, in recent years several world-renowned scientists have joined in proclaiming Alabama among the most naturally diverse regions. Rightly so – Alabama’s natural abundance is impressive in
Doug Phillips is host of the Emmy-honored television series Discovering Alabama, a production of the Alabama Museum of Natural History/The University of Alabama in cooperation with the UA Center for Public Television and Alabama Public Television. Visit the series at www.discoveringalabama.org
18
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Photo by Grey Brennan
Discovering Alabama celebrates 25 years of bringing the state’s natural wonders to a wide audience Weiss Lake from Cherokee Rock Village every aspect. A mere glimpse at the geological map of Alabama easily reveals a variety of geology and physiography greater than is found in most parts of the world. This diverse geology is the underlying basis for much of the other natural assets of the state, beginning with Alabama’s soils. There are roughly 350 different soil types in Alabama, among them some of the richest soils in the world. For example, Alabama’s Black Belt region is historically famous for its uniquely fertile soils. Alabama’s diverse geology, physiography and soils are foundational to the state’s unrivaled diversity of forests, rivers and wildlife. The state has about 23 million acres of forestlands. While we may tend to think of these forests as being mainly of two general types, either pine forests or hardwood forests, actually Alabama is home to more than 70 different forest communities. And Alabama’s forest communities nurture almost 200 native tree species, more than can be found in any other region. For example, the state contains more kinds of oak trees – around 40 species – than can be found throughout the Appalachians from North Carolina to Pennsylvania. When it comes to water resources, Alabama is gaining a reputation as the “aquatic state.” The state has more than 40,000 miles of rivers and streams (over 70,000 miles if
intermittent streams are included). From the cascading waterfalls in Alabama’s mountainous north, to the meandering waterways of Alabama’s pastoral south, a total of 16 major river systems represent aquatic diversity among the greatest in the world. These streams are home for more than 300 species of fish, outranking all other states. Only Tennessee is a close rival. An extensive variety of Alabama mussels and snails, some species still being discovered today, also ranks the state as an unmatched treasureland of aquatic invertebrates. And, of course, Alabama’s coastal settings are today popularly recognized for their many unique and appealing natural qualities. From the wilds of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, the nation’s second largest river delta, to the allure of Alabama’s many coastal bays and bayous, here are found some of the world’s most productive wetlands and, certainly, the world’s most lovely beaches. This grand stage of native landscapes supports myriad habitats and countless critters of all kinds, a unique richness of flora and fauna that accentuates Alabama’s tremendous realm of natural wonders. Perhaps we can even consider Alabama unique in the whole of Creation. Science has probed the stellar reaches for decades and, thus far, planet Earth is the only place known to harbor abundant life; and on planet Earth, Alabama is
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
19
Photo by Jim Felder
Canoeing the Alabama Scenic River Trail
especially blessed with a diversity of such life, suggesting that Alabama’s natural grandeur is profoundly unique in the universe. Imagine that. The significance of Alabama’s natural heritage has been a major theme of Discovering Alabama throughout the series’ 25 years of production. Over this long tenure, the series has received multiple awards, local, state and national. Special praise is due for the superior work of the Discovering Alabama team, including producer/ writer Roger Reid, videographer Mark Harper, and our entire crew. I join them in extending gratitude to Discovering Alabama’s contributors, including our present annual sponsors, the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation. And we are grateful to the many Alabamians from all walks of life who are viewers, fans and friends of Discovering Alabama. Thanks for tuning in and coming along with us on our numerous journeys, now totaling almost 100 shows and featuring all aspects of the state’s natural wonders. Thanks to you, Discovering Alabama recently received the Governor’s Award for Conservation Communicator of the Year. And, we also won an Emmy! You, our viewers, are the deserving recipients of these honors and we proudly applaud your appreciation for our state. As we look to the coming year, you will be pleased to know that Discovering Alabama is in growing demand as a favorite resource in Alabama schools. With support from our sponsors and from the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts, together with assistance from the Alabama State
20
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Department of Education and state Superintendent Dr. Joe Morton, Discovering Alabama is available and used by teachers in every school system in the state. We have been able to provide Alabama schools with Discovering Alabama materials addressing academic requirements in science, history, social studies and environmental studies and helpful to such vital programs as the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative. With additional support and assistance from the Alabama Clean Water Partnership, the University of Alabama and provost Dr. Judy Bonner, we also are now providing Alabama schools, teachers, and students with such unique online resources as Discovering Alabama’s Ask the Expert (an interactive natural diversity database designed for Alabama schools) and Discovering Alabama Virtual Field Trips exploring such topics as Alabama forests, rivers, geology and wildlife. Discovering Alabama materials are correlated with the Alabama course of study and have been developed in partnership with a host of organizations representing a range of expertise in conservation and education. You are invited to visit our website at www.discoveringalabama. org for further information about Discovering Alabama and the availability of our DVDs/videos, Teacher Guides, Virtual Field Trips and other related materials and resources. Now, let’s imagine and hope for an Alabama future in which the state’s wonderful natural heritage is wisely protected and perpetuated. Let’s hope for an Alabama future in which this unique realm of natural wonders is enjoyed and appreciated for generations to come.d
Tables indicate peak fish and game feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour before and an hour after. Minor peaks, half-hour before and after. Adjusted for daylight savings time. a.m. p.m. Minor Major Minor Major
OCT 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NOV. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
03:22 04:22 05:07 11:22 11:52 -- -- 08:22 09:07 10:07 11:07 -- -- -- 01:07
09:37 10:22 10:52 05:37 06:22 06:52 07:37 01:07 01:52 02:22 03:07 04:07 05:07 06:37 07:52
10:37 04:37 04:52 05:07 05:22 12:22 12:52 01:22 01:37 02:22 03:07 08:07 09:37 08:52 09:37
04:22 10:52 11:22 11:37 12:07 12:37 06:07 06:22 06:52 07:07 07:37 12:37 01:52 02:37 03:07
02:16 03:31 10:01 10:46 11:16 -- 07:46 08:31 09:31 10:31 11:46 -- -- 12:01 02:16 03:31 09:16 10:01 10:31 11:16 11:46 07:31 08:16 09:01 10:01 10:46 11:31 -- 12:31 02:31
08:16 09:01 04:31 05:16 06:16 07:01 12:16 01:01 01:46 02:16 03:16 04:01 05:16 06:31 07:31 08:31 04:16 05:01 05:31 06:16 06:46 12:01 12:46 01:31 02:01 03:01 03:46 05:01 06:16 07:31
02:46 03:16 03:31 04:01 04:31 12:01 12:31 01:16 02:01 03:01 04:46 08:31 08:01 08:31 02:16 02:31 03:01 03:16 03:46 04:16 -- 12:16 01:01 01:46 02:46 04:16 06:01 07:16 01:01 01:31
09:16 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:46 05:01 05:31 06:01 06:31 07:01 07:31 12:31 01:16 01:46 09:01 09:31 10:01 10:31 11:01 11:31 04:46 05:16 05:46 06:16 07:01 08:01 10:01 12:16 08:16 09:01
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
21
Be Prepared D
Part of the scouting process is to know deer signs when you see them
eer hunting is not what it used to be, thank goodness. When I was in my teens, the only way we knew how to hunt deer was to run them with dogs and shoot at them if they ran by. This in itself was not a bad thing. It is still practiced in many places and preferred by many. However, if you are one of the dozens of “standers” who are dropped off along roads and trails and told to stay there until someone picks you up, it can be misery. First of all, deer were rare in Alabama when I was young, and if you were lucky enough to see one, you became the center of attention back at the camp. And, if you killed a buck, there was talk of building a statue of you in the town square. I was left for hours in the cold, in the rain, in the sleet with nothing between me and the elements but a hand-me-down, uninsulated army jacket given to me by my brother-in-law when he returned from Vietnam. If a deer ran by, I was usually unable to lift my arms high enough to aim the shotgun, and since I couldn’t feel my fingers, any attempt to pull the trigger was a moot point anyway. It took me five or 10 years of this treatment to finally decide to do something more productive with my weekends. I’m a slow learner. Nowadays, not much is easier than killing a deer in Alabama. Little kids do it. Old ladies do it. And it most often happens from the comfort of a shooting house. Sometimes the shooting house is insulated with a portable, propane heater inside. And some even have a recliner to relax in while enjoying their weekend “outdoors.” I’m just one of those who prefers the in-between option. I like being outside so that I can hear the sounds, feel the wind and smell the scents. So, I usu-
22
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
ally climb a tree with a tree-climbing stand, settle down for two to four hours of waiting and enjoy whatever I see happen around me. I see a lot of deer I cannot shoot because I use a bow, and I have a limited range of about 30 yards for a clean kill shot. But, when you are camouflaged and 30 feet up a tree with plenty of natural cover, you’d be amazed at what you can witness and how good you can feel about being part of the natural world. I believe I speak for most hunters when I say that this is what makes them stay interested in hunting. Most of the work comes before season begins anyway. There are food plots to plant, roads to clear, camp houses to repair and most of all, scouting to be done. Scouting before season is the most important part of a successful season. You have to be where the deer want to go and where they are comfortable doing so. Part of the scouting process is to know deer signs when you see them. Bucks leave clues like rubs on trees and brush, territorial scrapes on the ground and usually, larger tracks than their female counterparts. Deer usually have one favorite bedding area and from there will travel to a nearby food source. The challenge for hunters is defining where and when they will travel. This practice is called patterning a deer. Up North, it’s fairly easy. In Alabama, it’s almost impossible. Here, you just have to pick the best place you can with the highest probability of success and wait for lady luck to smile at you. Sound easy? Not quite. Deer, especially old deer, do most of this rambling about in the middle of the night. The only exception is when the breeding season turns them into stark raving mad fools. Then, for a week or two, all bets are off.d
Take a Child Hunting
H
unting from a shooting house is a great way to have children hunt with you. But don’t limit their hunting experience to only that one type of hunting. Kids like to roam and play. They like to make noise sometimes and kick things that fall over. They like to throw rocks into pools of water and then wade through it. Small game hunting, like squirrels and rabbits, can
allow your kids to experience all of this. So, mix it up this year and give them a chance to move around. After all, sitting in a shooting house for hours and being quiet will not usually make a child fall in love with hunting. And we need them to fall in love with it while they’re young. There are plenty of other, less wholesome activities available to our kids nowadays.d
Wildlife Management for October
Alan White is publisher of Great Days Outdoors magazine. To learn more, www.greatdaysoutdoors.com or call 800-597-6828.
After you finish planting your fall plots of wheat and oats, go back and spread a little clover seed on top. Try to do this just before a rain and don’t cover the seed. Clover will enhance the plot and attract more wildlife. To keep mosquitos at bay during the warm part of the hunting season, consider purchasing a ThermoCell mosquito repellent device. These devices work great for keeping mosquitos away. They make no noise and have hardly any scent.The propane cylinder and repellent pads are replaceable, too. You can purchase these at most sporting goods stores for around $25 or check them out online at www.mosquitorepellent. com. With no sticky, smelly spray to contend with, this is by far the best product I’ve found in years for Southern Photos by Great Days hunters.d Outdoors magazine.
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
23
Safe@Home
ELECTRICAL GHOSTS Follow these tips to keep electrical ghosts from haunting your Halloween
Send your questions: Safe @ Home Alabama Living P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 334-215-2732
safety@areapower.com
Jason Saunders & Michael Kelley are certified managers of Safety & Loss Control for the Alabama Rural Electric Association.
24
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
More and more people decorate their yards for Halloween with elaborate lighting displays with as much enthusiasm and materials as they do for the Christmas holidays. Strings of decorative lights, fog machines, strobe and black lights, animatronics, electrically powered decorations and more all add to the ambience of your haunt, but improperly used, can create added dangers of fire, shock and other potentially disastrous accidents. To avoid ruining your celebration with an accident, follow these tips: w Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire. w Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold strings in place, not nails or tacks. Never staple or nail through light strings, electrical or extension cords, as the damage to the wire or insulation could lead to an electrical shock or fire. You can also run strings of lights through small hooks available at hardware stores.
w Don't overload extension cords or allow them to run through water on the ground. w Before using any light strings, animated displays or other electrical products outdoors, make sure the product is approved by a nationally recognized certification organization such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) and marked "for outdoor use." w Follow the use and care instructions that accompany your electrical decorations. Most light sets and props will include how many can be safely strung together. Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single outlet. w Don't use electrical decorations or light strings on materials that could catch fire. w Plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into outlets protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). If your outdoor outlets don’t have them, portable GFCIs should be used. w Lastly, turn off all electrical light strings and decorations before leaving home or going to bed. Avoid Halloween electrical ghosts to keep it scary – and safe.d
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
25
Alabama Recipes Cook of the Month Debbie Neal, Southern Pine EC
Brown Sugar Pot Roast
1 large venison steak or back strap (any wild game meat or thin-cut steak will work) 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened at room temperature 8 ounces blue cheese 1 pound bacon Kosher salt, to taste Crushed black pepper, to taste Crushed garlic Oregano
Turn oven to broil. Fillet the back strap in a spiral cut until it lies completely flat and about ½-inch thick. In a small bowl blend the cream cheese and blue cheese together until combined. Spread evenly onto the steak. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, garlic and oregano and then roll the steak into a spiral. Wrap the steak with bacon, covering entirely. Secure the bacon and steak with toothpicks. Broil for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Slice into ¾-inch sections and lay each section flat on a baking sheet. Optional: garnish with Asiago cheese and broil again until cheese is melted and bubbly.
As the season changes, and kids are back in school, we need to remember to try to eat together as a family at the end of a full day. Fall is usually a crazy time with school activities, sports, and holidays, but coming to the dinner table a couple times a week can do a family a lot of good. Eating dinner together while discussing the day’s events brings siblings and parents closer to one another. Sometimes we get caught up in the hectic parts of everyday life and don’t stop to enjoy each other. So this month, try to eat together as a family with the TV off, no cell phones, and no video games. Get the kids helping in the kitchen, setting the table, and talking about their day. They might surprise you at how much they will enjoy being together.
26
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Spicy Steak Fingers
2 pounds tenderized steak 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons water Oil Ranch dressing
Beat egg and water. Cut steak into finger-size pieces. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Dredge steak in flour. Dip in egg, then in flour again. Fry in oil until golden brown. Serve with ranch dressing as a dip. Pat St. John, Cherokee EC
Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.
ating Tailg s te Favori Sunday
Beef Roll-ups 6-8 slices bacon 1 small onion
Late
Night
Sweet
gs Endin
19
PED
SHIP
Time Party
$
95
ck Potlu
Pound the steaks thin. Fry the bacon crisp, sauté the onion. Then prepare the roll-ups, lay the meat out and in each steak place a pickle, a piece of bacon and some onion slices. Roll up the steak and close it with a toothpick. Brown steaks on all sides then cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Check and if it is a dry pan add a little water and re-cover for 20 minutes. Remove meat and make gravy from drippings and serve with fresh cooked vegetables and rice.
Snacks
6-8 beef steaks, thinly sliced Kosher dill pickle spears
They’re the Christmas gifts you can’t go wrong with!
Lucy Dees, Pea River EC
Beef Stroganoff 1½ pounds round steak, thinly sliced bite-size pieces 2 tablespoons butter 1 3-ounce can sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, diced Salt and pepper, to taste 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 8-ounce container sour cream
Sauté mushrooms and onion in butter in a large skillet until tender. Add beef and brown on both sides. Reduce heat to simmer and add soup. Season to taste. Cover and cook 1 ½ hours until tender. Add sour cream and blend well. Serve with either rice or noodles. Serves 4.
$
32 95*
Heather Letson, Joe Wheeler EMC
SHIPP
ED
Southern Occasions Cookbook Churches of Alabama Coffee Table Book
You could win $50! If your recipe is chosen as the cook-of-the-month recipe, we’ll send you a check for $50!
COOK BOOKS @ $19.95 each _____ Mail order form to:
Alabama Living
CHURCH BOOKS @ $32.95 each _____ Southern Occasions TOTAL: ___________ shipping included
P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124-4014
Upcoming recipe themes and deadlines are:
December Cinnamon October 15 January Oodles of Noodles (Pasta) November 15 February Cream Cheese December 15
Please send all submissions to: Recipe Editor P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 or e-mail to: recipes@areapower. coop. Be sure to include your address, phone number and the name of your cooperative.
NAME: _______________________________________________________ ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________ CITY: ____________________ STATE: _ ____ ZIP CODE: ____________ o CHECK o CREDIT CARD PHONE NUMBER: _______________ Credit Card Number: __ __ __ __-__ __ __ __-__ __ __ __-__ __ __ __ Expiration Date: ____________________ CVV#_____________________ Signature: ____________________________________________________
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
27
Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Butter
1 2¼-2 ½ pounds trimmed beef tenderloin ½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread butter over beef and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a wire rack inside of a rimmed pan. Roast for 40-50 minutes or until desired doneness. Blue Cheese Butter: ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Italian Meatballs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Mix all the ingredients together. Let stand 10 minutes then spread over roast or top each slice with butter. Valerie Hallman, Marshall-DeKalb EC
Lemon Burgundy Beef 2-3 4-ounce steaks 1 onion, sliced ½ cup butter Juice of 2 lemons
¼ cup Burgundy wine 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 garlic clove 2 tablespoons water
Marinate beef in lemon juice for 2 hours. Melt butter in electric skillet, remove white foam. Sauté garlic clove, remove. Brown onion, remove and reserve. Brown steak until medium rare, remove and reserve. Pour wine into skillet removing all bits and deglazing pan. To thicken, mix cornstarch with water. Heat until thickened. Add steak and onions. Keep warm over low heat. Garnish with parsley. Tammy C. Stewart,Wiregrass EC
2 pounds ground beef ⁄8 cup basil 2 large eggs 1 ⁄8 cup Romano cheese 1
1½ cups seasoned bread crumbs ¼ cup parsley Grated granulated garlic, to taste
Mix all ingredients together. Shape into balls. Place in baking dish and brown in oven or on top of stove. Place in preheated sauce (cook’s choice) for approximately 15 minutes. Yield 6-8 servings. Alice Smith, Sand Mountain EC
Sour Cream and Ground Beef Layered Casserole
1 pound ground sirloin or chuck 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced, or 1 8-ounce can tomatoes 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature) 4 ounces sour cream 1⁄3 cup green onions, thinly sliced 11/2 cups cooked egg noodles 11/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese Paprika
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 x 9 baking dish. In a large skillet, cook ground beef with the chopped onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.Add tomatoes, parmesan, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer meat mixture to greased baking dish; set aside. In a bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, and green onions on low speed until smooth. Spread the sour cream mixture over the ground beef mixture in the dish. Top with noodles. Cover with grated cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Wanda Johns, Marshall-DeKalb EC
28
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Lisa’s Sirloin Roast 2-3 pounds pot roast, (Sirloin is best) trim off fat 2 onions, peeled and quartered 1 pound carrots, peeled and quartered 1 package onion soup mix
Tagliarini Casserole
3 cans golden brown mushroom soup (must be GOLDEN mushroom) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup water Pepper, garlic powder and onion powder, to taste Can of sliced mushrooms (optional)
You can put all ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot and cook all day, or brown roast in pot with tight lid on top of stove. Add the Golden mushroom soups. Mix the onion soup mix, water, Worcestershire sauce and add to pot. Add onions (mushrooms if desired) and cook on medium low for 3-4 hours (or until falling apart). Add carrots the last hour or so if you don’t want them to be mushy.Watch closely so it won’t burn. You can add potatoes, too. But I like it with mashed potatoes and biscuits because it has a lot of gravy.
1 large onion, chopped 2 cups noodles 1 pound ground beef 2 cups whole kernel corn 2 can tomato soup 1 cup water
1 cup ripe olives, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 can mushrooms 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Sauté the onion and ground beef in a skillet until lightly browned and add remaining ingredients. Pour into a casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 4 servings. Courtney Parker, South Alabama EC
Lisa Allen, Arab EC
Stir Fry Beef Stir fry sauce: 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon Splenda 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. Stir fry beef: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 boneless steaks, thin sliced 1⁄3 medium green bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips ½ medium red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips
½ medium onion, thinly sliced 2 celery stalks, chopped into ½-inch pieces 4 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced 12 salted cocktail peanuts, whole or 24 halves
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté beef strips until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Spread the beef to the outside of the skillet, add the onion to the center of the skillet and cook until soft. Then add the pepper, celery and mushrooms. Cook until crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Add the stir fry sauce and heat 2 minutes. Add the peanuts and cook 2 more minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 2 people. Neva Strong, Baldwin EMC Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen tested by a professional cook or registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
29
Classifieds 7 ( . Miscellaneous
Vacation Rentals
WALL BEDS OF ALABAMA – Custom Built / Bookcases - (256)490-4025 Reps, www.andyswallbeds.com
PRIVATE COTTAGE ON CEDAR LAKE – Russellville, AL. Many amenities. (256)436-0341
AERMOTOR WATER PUMPING WINDMILLS – windmill parts – decorative windmills – custom built windmill towers - call Windpower (256)638-4399 or (256)638-2352
MENTONE, AL – LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN – billiard table, Jacuzzi, spacious home, sleeps fourteen – www.duskdowningheights.com, (850)661-0678, (205)807-9909
CHURCH FURNITURE – Does your church need pews, pulpit set, baptistery, steeple or windows. Big sale on new cushioned pews and upholstery for hard pews – (800)231-8360 or www.pews1.com
GULF SHORES BEACH HOUSE – Nice 2 bedroom, great view – Fall $800.00 week – (251)666-5476 Owner
CUSTOM MACHINE QUILTING BY JOYCE – Bring me your quilt top or t-shirts. Various designs offered – (256)735-1543 WOODEN CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS – Order early for Christmas – Call Bud at (251)246-2383, budjuju@bellsouth.net FAMILY TREE RESEARCH – We can do it for you. Reasonable rates, quick results. Homeplace Research, dl12453@aol.com or (256)506-8159 KEEP THE FISH ALIVE! Clean the ponds with our aeration windmills and pond supplies. Windpower (256)638-4399, (256)899-3850 PUT YOUR OLD HOME MOVIES, SLIDES OR PHOTOS on DVD – (888)609-9778 or www.transferguy.com FREE BOOKS / DVDs – Soon government will enforce the “Mark” of the beast as church and state unite! Let the bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771, thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com, (800)211-1715 OUTSIDE WOOD HEATER - $1,545.00 – Houses, mobiles, shops – www. heatbywood.com, (417)581-7755 Missouri DIVORCE MADE EASY – Uncontested, lost spouse, in prison or aliens. $149.95 our total fee. Call 10am to 10pm. 26 years experience – (417)4436511
Business Opportunities PIANO TUNING PAYS – Learn with American Tuning School home-study course – (800)497-9793
DAYTONA BEACH – Newly remodeled beachfront studio condo near Boardwalk and Convention Center. Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at (800)3149777, www.funcondos.com STUDIO – Myrtle Beach, available after Sept. 1; STUDIO – Gatlinburg, TN Dec. 26-Jan. 2, each has a king or queen bed, hide-a-way, mini kitchen, washer/ dryer, outside door; FULL UNIT – King bed, Jacuzzi, shower, hide-a-way, full kitchen, washer/dryer, outside door, Dec. 26-29 – (256)329-0767 LAKE JORDAN COTTAGE – Nice, clean, 1 bedroom, dock, great fishing - $75 night DISNEY – FLORIDA: 6BR / 4.5BA, private pool – VRBO#234821, www.sketersvilla.com – (423)802-9176 GULF SHORES BEACHSIDE CONDO! Two BR, 2 BA, pool - $75 www. ourgulfbeachcondo.com, (636)477-1099 HOUSE FOR RENT ON ALABAMA RIVER – across from River Oaks, South of Orrville – Fully furnished, 3BR / 1.5BA, fireplace, non-smoking, boat dock & ramp. Monthly rates call (334)872-6124 LITTLE RIVER RV PARK & CAMPGROUND – located on beautiful Lookout Mountain two miles from Little River Canyon – 26 full hook-up sites, 16 tent sites, bath house, playground, trails and fishing pond – (256)619-2267 GULF SHORES CONDO – 2BR / 1.5BA, sleeps 6, pool, beach access – (334)790-9545 NAVARRE BEACH, FL – Family cottage, 4/2, all amentities - $150/night – (205)823-1626 SMOKIES TOWNSEND, TN – 2BR/2BA, secluded log home, fully furnished. Toll free (866)448-6203, (228)832-0713
APPRAISAL CAREER OPPORTUNITY – Recession proof business. Our top appraisers earn over $100,000/year appraising livestock and equipment. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. (800)488-7570, www.amagappraisers.com
LOG CABIN RENTALS IN MENTONE – hot tubs, kind beds – www.mentonelogcabins.com, (256)657-4335
SAVE MONEY, COMPARE PRICES with free shopping tool – www.geniemakesumoney.com, (251)543-6383
GULF SHORES PLANTATION - Gulf view, beach side, 2 bedrooms / 2 baths, no smoking / no pets. Owner rates (205)339-3850
BEAUTICONTROL – A beauty business specializing in personalized skin care, anti-aging, glamour and spa parties. Become a consultant. Training, flexible hours, excellent income – www.beautipage.com/marthabrooks or (256)764-9102
PIGEON FORGE, TN – Log cabins in the Smokies – (251)649-3344 or (251)649-4049, www.hideawayprop.com
START YOUR OWN BUSINESS! Home / Internet based – Mia Bella’s Candles / Gifts / Beauty. The best candles on the market. Wonderful income potential! Visit www.naturesbest.scent-team.com and enter to win a free candle NEW! GROW EXPENSIVE PLANTS, 2,000% profit, Earn to $50,000 year, FREE information, Growbiz Box 3738-AB10, Cookeville, TN 38502 www. growbiz-abco.com MOMS, READY FOR A CHANGE? Fun, flexible business at home. No parties, inventory or risk. Visit www.mybugnbee.com for more information.
GATLINBURG,TN CHALET – 3BR / 3BA Baskins Creek – Fallfest, 10 minute walk downtown, Aquarium, National Park – (334)289-0304 ORANGE BEACH CONDO, 3BR/3BA; 2,000 SQ.FT.; beautifully decorated; gorgeous waterfront view; boat slips available; great rates - Owner rented (251)604-5226 CABIN IN MENTONE – 2/2, brow view, hottub – For rent $100/night or Sale $275,000 – (706)767-0177 ORANGE BEACH, AL – FOR SALE OR RENT – 3BR/4BA, new condo’s in Phoenix West on the Gulf with Lazy River and in Bellaluna on the Bay side with boat slips. Lots of amentities, gated entrance with security, furnished and unfurnished, long or short term – Call owner (251)752-2182 LAKE GUNTERSVILLE RENTAL – Waterfront duplex, photos at www.4125hideawaydrive.com – (256)878-3496
30
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
ADVERTISING DEADLINES: January Issue – Nov. 15 February Issue – Dec. 15 $1.65 per word March Issue – Jan. 15
For Advertising, contact Heather: 1-800-410-2737 or hdutton@areapower.com - Subject Line: Classifieds
GATLINBURG – DOWNTOWN LUXURY CREEKSIDE CONDO – 2BR / 2BA, sleeps 6 – aubie12@centurytel.net, (256)599-5552
Real Estate
GATLINBURG ONLY - $185 total price for 3 days and 2 nights – Condos available this Fall in a beautiful Gatlinburg Mountain resort - Call Jennifer in Scottsboro at (800) 314-9777 – www.funcondos.com
LAKE FRONT – LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN - $149,900 – 2 acres, 2/2 – (256)418-2131
HOUSE IN PIGEON FORGE,TN – fully furnished, sleeps 6-12, 3 baths, creek, no pets – (256)997-6771, www.riverrungetaway.org
BALDWIN COUNTY – 60 ACRE TREASURE FOREST, paved road, artesian well, nice camp house / barn combo – (251)660-8400, (251)422-3839
GULF SHORES – CRYSTAL TOWER CONDO – 2 bedroom, 2 bath, gulf view with lazy river pool on beach – www.vrbo.com #145108 – Call owner (205)429-4886
LAKE JORDAN near Montgomery – Distress sale – 11.27 acres, 10 boat slips – www.cypressridgelakejordan.com - $525,000 OBO – (334)313-0078
PIGEON FORGE,TN: $89 - 2BR/2BA, hot tub, pool table, fireplace, swimming pool, creek – (251)363-1973, www.mylittlebitofheaven.com KATHY’S ORANGE BEACH CONDO – 2BR/2BA, non-smoking. Best rates beachside! Family friendly – (205)253-4985, www.angelfire.com/planet/kathyscondo GULF SHORES PLANTATION - Gulf View, Beach Side, 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths - Owner rates - (251)661-9547 or Cell (251)680-4798, No Smoker & No Pets COLORS OF FALL IN THE SMOKIES – 3/2, all conveniences, near Pigeon Forge in Wears Valley – brochure available (251)649-9818
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AVAILABLE – High resolution aerial photography available from 1956 to present day. Photos cover the entire USA. Photography is perfect for viewing hunting land, developments, farms, cities, lakes, golf courses. Delivered on disc or printed. Sizes available up to 30”x40”. Call Will @ (205)242-2932 or email will@rrpub.com FOR SALE: PRIVATE COTTAGE ON 14 ACRES – Carlowville, Alabama (Dallas County). Great hunting and fishing. (251)621-3455 WE PAY CASH for SELLER FINANCED REAL ESTATE NOTES, Trust Deeds and Business Notes, Nationwide! Free Quote / Fast Closing. Call (256)6381930 or http://www.cash4cashflows.com/cbell21
Travel
GULF SHORES – 1 and 2 bedroom gulf front condos – www.vrbo.com #288789 – Call owner (205)429-4886 or (205)363-0175 Cell GATLINBURG TOWNHOUSE VILLAGE on BASKINS CREEK! $160 / night, tax included - 4BR/3BA, short walk downtown attractions! (205)333-9585, hhideaway401@aol.com. ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA – 1 bedroom / 1 bath – Gulf front condo – Fourwinds 502 – www.vrbo.com/94799, (251)989-7052, (251)550-5994 GATLINBURG / PIGEON FORGE CABIN – 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, hot tub, gameroom – www.vrbo.com/175531, www.wardvacationrentalproperties. com, (251)363-8576
CARIBBEAN CRUISES AT THE LOWEST PRICE – (256)974-0500 or (800)726-0954
Musical Notes PLAY GOSPEL SONGS by ear! Add chords. 10 lessons $12.95. “Learn Gospel Music”. Chording, runs, fills - $12.95 Both $24. Davidsons, 6727AR Metcalf, Shawnee Missions, Kansas 66204 PIANOS TUNED, repaired, refinished. Box 171, Coy, AL 36435. 334-337-4503
GULF SHORES BEACH COTTAGE – affordable, waterfront, pet friendly – http://www.vrbo.com/152418, (251)223-6114 ALWAYS THE LOWEST PRICE $65.00 - beautiful furnished mountain cabin near Dollywood, Sevierville, TN - (865)453-7715 PANAMA CITY BEACH CONDO – Owner rental – 2BR / 2BA, just remodeled inside and outside – (334)790-0000, jamesrny@graceba.net, www. theroneycondo.com GATLINBURG, TN – Fond memories start here in our chalet – Great vacation area for all seasons – Two queen beds, full kitchen, 1 bath, Jacuzzi, deck with grill – Call today toll free (866)316-3255, www.hillshideaway.com
Education BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7549 West Cactus #104-207 Peoria, Arizona 85381. http://www.ordination.org WWW.2HOMESCHOOL.ORG – Year round enrollment. Everybody homeschools. It is just a matter of what degree. Contact Dr. Cerny (256)705-3560 or website. FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE – write to 23600 Alabama Highway 24, Trinity, AL, 35673
GULF SHORES RENTAL BY OWNER – Great rates – (256)490-4025 or www.gulfshoresrentals.us ALABAMA RIVER LOTS / MONROE COUNTY, AL – Lease / Rent – (334)469-5604
Critters ADORABLE AKC YORKY PUPPIES – excellent blood lines – (334)301-1120, (334)537-4242, bnorman@mon-cre.net
HELEN GA CABIN FOR RENT – sleeps 2-6, 2.5 baths, fireplace, Jacuzzi, washer/dryer – www.cyberrentals.com/101769 - (251)948-2918, email jmccracken@gulftel.com
CHIHUAHUA PUPPIES. Tiny, registered, guaranteed healthy, raised indoors in loving home, vet records and references. (256)796-2893
PIGEON FORGE, TN – 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath house for rent $75.00 a night – Call Bonnie at (256)338-1957
ADORABLE SHI-TZU PUPPIES, AKC, non-shedding, home raised – average 7-9 pounds, some smaller – (334)391-8493, (334)272-3268
GULF SHORES / FT. MORGAN / NOT A CONDO! The original “Beach House” on Ft. Morgan peninsula – 2BR/1BA – pet friendly, non-smoking – $675/wk, (256)418-2131
Fruits, Berries, Nuts & Trees GROW MUSCADINES AND BLACKBERRIES, half dollar size – We offer over 200 varieties of Fruit and Nut Trees plus Vines and Berry Plants. Free color catalog. 1-800-733-0324. Ison’s Nursery, P.O. Box 190, Brooks, GA 30205. Since 1934. www.isons.com
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
31
Marketplace
32
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
33
Photo by Darryl Gates
Matt Shipp, chef, Shipp’s Harbour Grill people from “up north” who are suspicious about the quality of seafood, she speculates. Don enjoys fishing in open-water tournaments, or he has up until this year. All of the summer tournaments he fished in last year were canceled this year due to the Gulf being closed to fishing. But now that the waters off Alabama’s coast again are open to fishing – and snapper season has been extended to include weekends in October – he’s in a better mood. Besides, he says, the fish and shrimp ought to be bigger now because they have been growing all summer; no one has been allowed to catch them. As Jimmy Buffett sings “changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,” the MacMasters excuse themselves and head back to their condominium in Cotton Bayou. Before too long another couple is seated at their table. Next year Matt expects them to have a much longer wait.d
Photo by Tad Denson
Shipp, chair of the department of marine sciences at the University of South Alabama, and author of “Dr. Bob Shipp’s Guide to Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico.” “Overall, I think seafood from open waters is probably safer than from anywhere else because of all the testing that’s being done,” Shipp says, but he cautions that mollusks (like oysters) “close down when stressed, and they also filter everything in the water.” So continued testing is necessary to ensure that all Gulf oysters are safe to eat. Crabs, on the other hand, “are very sensitive to toxins, and would die rapidly if exposed, so if a crab enters a trap looking for food, I would feel safe.” Shipp’s son Matt is owner and
Photo by Darryl Gates
Brody Olive, chef, Villaggio Grill
chef at Shipps Harbor Grill, where diners choose from menu items like Crab and Brie Quesadilla or Blackened Mahi Mahi. Although the quality of seafood at Shipp’s has never been in question due to all of the stringent federal testing, the price is still high, Matt says. Shrimp are 50 percent higher than a year ago, and oysters are 100 percent higher. Even fish are 10-15 percent higher. This year hasn’t been a great one. Matt calls the current level of business at his restaurant “spring business – busy weekends, slow weekdays,” a level of activity far below what he expected for the time of year. The week before Labor Day customers normally have an hour or two wait before being seated. This year, there was no wait. The restaurant was busy, but not all of the tables were used. Yet Matt thinks he’s turning the corner. “The oil has stopped, the negative press has stopped,” he says. “I think next year the tourists will be back. The reality is we have some of the most beautiful coastline on the Gulf Coast – the beaches are phenomenal.” Don and Sherri MacMaster of Metairie, La., are just finishing their meal on the deck at Shipp’s as the sun sets behind them. They recommend the Ahi Tuna salad, by the way. Sherri says she has no qualms about eating seafood from the Gulf, in fact she has not heard anyone express reservations. Perhaps it’s
Alabama beaches are “phenomenal”
Alabama Living | OCTOBER 2010 |
37
My Jack-O’-Lantern
t Submitted by Kenya Clary, Greensboro
u Jadon Foster Dark, submitted by Danah Dark, Goodwater
q Submitted by Joan Walker, Cullman K-o’-lantern” p Jackson “JAC d by Amanda te Morris, submit lle vi ts ea Morris, D
December Theme:
‘The Holidays!’
Send color photos with a large SASE to: Photos, Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL, 36124. Rules: Alabama Living will pay $10 for photos that best match our theme of the month. We cannot be responsible for lost or damaged photos.
Deadline for submission:
October 31
p Brock, 2 months, son of & Daniel Yokley. Submitt Lori ed by “Gran” Jo Brock, Cullm an.
38
| OCTOBER 2010 | Alabama Living
t Nathan, 8 months, submitted by Faye Morgan, Saraland
CALLING ALL QUILTERS
AREA’s th 6 Quilt Competition The theme for this quilt is ‘Small Town Alabama’ What is it?
• A competition for cooperative handworkers to make squares for the sixth AREA cooperative quilt • Winners will be given statewide recognition. PARTICIPATION IS FREE! For information and guidelines, please complete the form below and mail or fax it to: Linda Partin Alabama Rural Electric Association P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 Fax: 334-215-2733 Or e-mail lpartin@areapower.com
I would like to participate in AREA’s Quilt Competition. Please send guidelines and information to: Name __________________________________ Address ________________________________ City ____________________________________ State _ ________ Zip _____________________ Phone __________________________________ E-mail __________________________________ Cooperative _____________________________ (Cooperative name is on cover of magazine)