Country Living June 2016 North Central by American MainStreet Publications

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JUNE 2016

Official publication of your electric cooperative www.ohioec.org

Working for you Local co-op pages Charm confidential Backstage at Tecumseh! Snowville Creamery

4 19-22 24 26 32

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inside 4

F E AT U R E S

4 POWERFUL CO-OP VOICES Our government affairs department ‘tells it like it is’ in Columbus and Washington.

24 CHARM CONFIDENTIAL This town in Amish Country deserves its name.

26 BEHIND THE SCENES AT TECUMSEH! Our outdoors editor takes you with him as he joins the cast for a single show.

32 MEET THE ‘DAIRY EVANGELIST’ At Snowville Creamery, milk is a particular passion for Warren Taylor.

34 FROM CHEWING GUM TO PVC We share four innovations with Buckeye roots.

24 DEPARTMENTS 2 C O O P E R AT I V E C O N N E C T I O N 4 P O W E R S TAT I O N 12 G A R D E N I N G L A N D S C A P E 14 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE 16 F O O D S C E N E 28 OHIO ICON 3 0 THE 7 COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES 32 C O - O P P E O P L E 36 J U N E C A L E N DA R 39 O H I O Q U I Z 40 M E M B E R I N T E R AC T I V E

Next month...

NRECA turns 75

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Cooperative Connection

PAT O’LOUGHLIN, PRESIDENT & CEO • OHIO RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES & BUCKEYE POWER

LATER THIS YEAR, you’ll see Ohio’s electric cooperatives’ latest power generation project spring up, along with the OurSolar logo. We plan to install community solar projects in several locations around the state. Ohio’s electric cooperatives have long supported an “all of the above” approach to power generation. We rely on traditional fossil fuel sources, such as coal and natural gas, for most of your power supply. Our generation mix also includes a diverse and growing set of renewable energy sources. Today, your cooperative receives power generated by hydroelectric facilities at Niagara Falls; wind turbines in Iowa; agricultural biodigesters; and Ohio landfills that collect methane. This year, we’ll begin to add solar-generated power to our mix. We’ll install U.S.-manufactured solar photovoltaic panels at several cooperative locations. The OurSolar project offers solar power generation on a community basis, rather than on individual member rooftops. The community solar project approach not only reduces the cost of the project through economy of scale, but also avoids the headaches of home maintenance that rooftop solar systems can bring. In total, we plan to add approximately 1 percent to our generation capacity through the OurSolar initiative. While the power generated by the

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project will cost more than our traditional sources, overall cost should remain relatively fixed over the expected 20-year life of the system, because it’s fueled by sunshine. As those who live in Ohio are uniquely aware, during much of the year, solar power’s potential is somewhat limited by shorter daylight hours and cloudy skies. Over the years, however, we’ve learned that solar power provides an energy source that better matches your usage pattern, as opposed to power generated by wind. Conversely, our wind turbines consistently produce twice as much power at night as during the day, while you use twice as much power during the day than you do at night. It’s a difficult problem to overcome. Your electric cooperative will continue to work for you, providing a reliable, affordable, clean, and safe supply of electricity, both day and night. 

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June 2016 Volume 58, No. 9

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 fromourmembers@ohioruralelectric.coop www.ohioec.org Patrick O’Loughlin Patrick Higgins Rich Warren Magen Howard Adam Specht

President & CEO Dir. of Communications Managing Editor Associate Editor Member Services & Communications Consultant Chris Hall Communications Specialist Nikki Heath Communications Specialist Nila Moyers Administrative Assistant

COUNTRY LIVING (ISSN 0747-0592) is the official publication of Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. With a paid circulation of 294,359, it is the monthly communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without specific written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. Alliance for Audited Media Member

National advertising representatives: NATIONAL COUNTRY MARKET, 800-NCM-1181 State advertising representatives: Sandy Woolard 614-403-1653 Tim Dickes 614-855-5226 The fact that a product is advertised in Country Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215, or call 1-800282-0515. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101

Cooperative members — Please report any change of address to your local electric cooperative.

ohioec.org Check out the mobile-friendly website and digital edition of Country Living, as well as other timely information from Ohio’s electric cooperatives. Online exclusives Focus on travel We offer a package of travel-related stories this month, ranging from geocaching to traveling with grandchildren. Look under “Online Exclusives” under the Country Living button at www.ohioec.org.

Ohio travel Want to spend the night in a caboose? You can do just that in a unique set of accommodations called Fiddlestix Village. Click on the cover of the current issue and go to page 19.

Recipes Check out the vegetarian recipes submitted by Cooking Editor Margie Wuebker and Nutrition Editor Diane Yoakam under the “Food Scene” button.

In addition • Read how to “Wash the energy waste out of your laundry.” • Learn more about inventions and innovations with Buckeye roots.

In this issue: Avon (p. 9) Morrow County (p. 14) Charm (p. 24) Chillicothe (p. 26)

Highway 127 Yard Sale (p. 30) Snowville Creamery (p. 32)

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POWER STATION

Powerful Co-op Voices Our government affairs department ‘tells it like it is’ in Columbus and Washington B Y N A N CY G R A N T

KEEPING OHIO’S ELECTED OFFICIALS up-todate on the concerns of electric co-op members is a year-round job for Marc Armstrong and Spencer Waugh. As director and manager, respectively, of the government affairs department of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, they’re at the center of today’s biggest issues. They play a vital role in helping elected officials and regulators understand

the impacts of proposed legislation and regulations on families and businesses in all parts of the state. Whether chatting on the phone or speaking face-to-face with legislators and their staff members in the hallways and hearing rooms of government buildings in downtown Columbus or Washington, D.C., they have one goal in mind — keeping your concerns about reliable and affordable electricity service front and center in the conversation.

The co-op difference

Spencer Waugh (left) and Marc Armstrong confer inside the Ohio Statehouse prior to meeting with legislators. 4

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“We spend a lot of our time talking about what electric cooperatives do,” Waugh says. “We explain how we’re different from investor-owned utilities and how our business model works.” Waugh notes that many elected officials in Columbus and Washington come from more urban and industrialized parts of Ohio, with little personal experience with or knowledge of electric cooperatives. Armstrong says he and Waugh often have to begin with the basics. Every two years, newly elected representatives replace others who’ve left office due to term limits. As those new legislators converge in Columbus, Waugh

and Armstrong must educate them on the cooperative model, explaining that although electric co-operatives are not subject to Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) jurisdiction in terms of rates, the co-ops still must follow sound business practices and careful accounting rules. “A lot of our work is educational,” Armstrong says. “We spend a lot of time explaining how the cooperative business model fits into the energy world. We talk about how we are member-owned and member-regulated, and how our not-for-profit business structure serves our members very well.” Waugh notes that each time a new legislative issue comes up, he and Armstrong work tirelessly to advise officials how various courses of action would affect co-op members. Very often, the facts they provide result in changes. “What we do is develop relationships with elected officials,” Waugh says. “The fact that we’reoften successful in our legislative efforts is due to the way we go about our work. We make it possible for officials to visit individual co-ops and meet with our CEOs at frequent intervals. Marc and I represent all 24 distribution co-ops

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and our generation and transmission co-op. Working together with the members, we are more successful than any of us could be just on our own.”

Deciding Ohio’s energy future Armstrong and Waugh face a different challenge when they go to Washington to explain the concerns of Ohio’s electric co-op members to members of Congress. “Our challenge and our goal is to bring our message to lawmakers and decision makers in Washington,” Armstrong says. “We try to be an advocate for people who may not feel that their interests are being accounted for.” In early May, Armstrong and Waugh, along with staff members from the statewide association and eight distribution co-op CEOs, visited Washington to meet with lawmakers to discuss the latest legislative issues. Armstrong says, “The positions we take on issues are based on ensuring that we have the most affordable rates for our members, while also assuring the electricity we provide is reliable and environmentally responsible.”

Armstrong and Waugh have taken an active role in Ohio’s opposition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan announced last fall. “We have been very aggressive with federal lawmakers, explaining the devastating effects that (Above) Representatives from Ohio’s electric cooperatives met the Clean Power Plan with Senator Jay Hottinger (R-District 31) in May. (Below) Senawill have on Ohio if it tor Lou Gentile (D-District 30) meets with Marc Armstrong and is implemented,” Arm- other cooperative leaders. (Photos by Best Light Video) strong says. “We are part of the lawsuit challenging the le- Your voice, your vote gality of the plan. We think it will “Co-ops Vote,” a new, recently have a very damaging impact on our launched nonpartisan effort will members’ rates. The EPA’s plan will provide facts for co-op members on also cause job losses in many of our their way to the ballot box. The goal communities.” of the new venture is to boost voter In February, the U.S. Supreme turnout in cooperative areas, makCourt issued a “stay” for the Clean ing sure members exercise their Power Plan, hitting the pause button right to vote. Watch for details later until the arguments in the many this summer, then make plans to lawsuits can be heard. But Armstudy the issues and cast your ballot strong and Waugh continue to moni- in November.  tor the situation, which may not be NANCY GRANT is a member of the resolved for several years. Cooperative Communicators In the meantime, during this pres- Association. idential election year with many seats up for grabs in Ohio’s legislature and Congress, Armstrong and Waugh have another important duty. “We’re reaching out to co-op members to help educate them about our issues and where the candidates stand,” Waugh says.

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Here comes the sun The OurSolar program will bring the power of the sun into your home

BY MIKE PRAMIK

WHILE MANY PEOPLE endorse the benefits of solar power, the idea of their actually installing and maintaining a costly rooftop grid might never see the light of day. Through a community solar program called OurSolar, members of Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives will soon will be able to plug into the sun without the drawbacks of doing it themselves. As part of OurSolar, Buckeye Power is beginning to build new solar panel arrays at several locations around the state, bringing more emission-free energy to Ohio’s electric cooperatives. “We know that we have lots of members who would like renewables to play a larger role in their energy supply,” says Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives Marketing Director Janet Rehberg. “This is a great effort to give them the most affordable option.” While Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives remains committed to traditional sources of power, such as coal and natural gas, the company continually seeks innovative ways to ensure a balanced approach toward energy production and generation. “Our power portfolio reflects a growing interest in renewable energy sources,” says Ben Wilson, manager of power delivery engineering for Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives. “In addition to

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solar, sources include wind, hydropower, and biomass fuels.” With a total capacity of 2.1 megawatts, the OurSolar project will become part of the diverse energy resources provided by Ohio’s electric cooperatives. Individual installations will range from 25 kilowatts to 600 kilowatts. A typical rooftop array is from 5 to 10 kilowatts. Wilson says, “Systems will be installed at various locations across the state that offer a nice, open spot, without requiring much land; have sight to the sun; and are close to electrical facilities, so that they can be connected to the electric grid and pull power from it.” Wilson says that the expected cost of installation will be lower than that, per watt, of the typical rooftop project, averaging about half as much per watt. OurSolar also eliminates the drawbacks that come with installing solar panels on one’s home, such as aesthetics; high costs of installation and maintenance; and physical constraints such as trees and chimneys blocking the panels. The first community solar system project will be in Delaware, Ohio. The entire project is expected to take a year to roll out across Ohio. 

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Stuck on you: Avon holds its annual sticky festival B Y JA M I E R H E I N

HEAD TO THE AVON HERITAGE DUCK TAPE FESTIVAL from June 17 to 19, and you’ll see what ingenuity, creativity, and crazy can do if you have enough Duck Tape® to do it. Twenty-five rolls can be turned into a giraffe, for example. It takes much less for a prom dress or a hat. For a bigger-than-a-human Mr. Potato Head, you’ll need quite a bit. And yes, in Avon, it’s Duck tape, not duct tape, named for the product put out by the local company, Shurtech Brands. Highlights of the festival include the Duck Tape Parade, displays of Duck Tape-made wonders, and a Duck Tape fashion show to promote the adhesive tape made right in town at ShurTech Brand. If you’re so inspired, look for the Ducktivities section, where you can create a Duck Tape item to take home. This year’s theme? “Celebrating American Pride” this year’s theme. Live music and food booths are part of the fun. For more information, go to www.ducktapefestival.com.

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Member interactive: Send us your photos and stories! If we use your photo, you’ll get a Country Living tumbler: If we use your essay, you’ll get:

For August, send us by June 15, essays on “My (not so) secret obsession.” For September, send us by July 15, photos of “Sports superstars.”

Guidelines: 1. Stories no longer than 150 words 2. Digital photos should be a minimum of 300 dpi 3. One entry per household per month 4. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want anything returned 5. Include your name, mailing address, and the name of your electric co-op 6. E-mail: fromourmembers@ohioruralelectric.coop By U.S. mail: Editor, Country Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229

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GARDENING LANDSCAPE

Top 10

tomato tips

S TO R Y BY K R I S W E T H E R B E E ; P H OTO S BY R I C K W E T H E R B E E

ONE OF THE JOYS of summer for many gardeners is taking that first bite of a tomato, picked ripe from the garden. Store-bought tomatoes are just not the same. A tomato left on the vine to ripen in the sun oozes with flavor. Here are 10 ways to make your homegrown tomatoes the highlight of your kitchen.

1. Rev up the flavor with the right location Tomato flavor is enhanced by sunshine, so be sure to choose your brightest and sunniest spot that receives at least six hours of daily sun. Otherwise, the flavor will never fully develop, despite your best efforts.

2. Cater to plant needs Plants grow best in a rich and easily crumbled soil that is well drained. They also prefer slightly acidic soil, with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8, for optimum growth and flavor.

3. Optimize the soil Whether your soil is sandy, heavy clay, or any stage in between, you can always improve

the quality and texture of your soil by digging in a shovelful or two of compost, aged manure, or other organic matter into each planting hole. Organic matter will lighten the soil and allow water, air, and nutrients to flow more freely in clay soil; sandy soil is better able to retain water and nutrients. Organic matter also creates a welcoming bed for roots to thrive and grow, while increasing the soil population of beneficial microorganisms that help fight disease. Another way to optimize the soil is the use of flavor-enhancing minerals. You can sprinkle a handful of granite dust or rock dust into each planting hole, or apply at the rate of 10 pounds per 100 square feet. One tablespoon per hole of magnesium-rich Epsom salt improves flower production.

4. Mulch for healthier plants Mulching your plants can affect the overall flavor and yields of the fruit. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch applied around plants will help keep soil moisture levels more even, which in turn will

help prevent fruit cracking and blossom end rot. Mulched plants also means fewer weeds, which can rob tomatoes of needed moisture and nutrients in the soil. Common organic mulch materials include straw or shredded leaves. Use black plastic mulch to increase soil temperatures up to seven degrees, which can be a bonus in cooler weather. If you simply want earlier yields, a reflecting red plastic mulch can increase fruit yields and outperform black plastic by up to 20 percent.

5. Grow plants upright Whether staked or caged, grow your tomatoes upright for best flavor and production. Lifting fruit and vine off the ground not only protects plants against soilborne diseases, but the fruits will also ripen quicker. The tomatoes will be easier to find and harvest than plants that are sprawling across the ground. Grow plants on a trellis, or place two cattle panels together to form an A-frame and secure them together with wire for a sturdy, portable trellis that can be easily stored.

6. Water wisely Keep your tomato plants happy by watering them deeply and consistently so that the soil moisture levels stay fairly even. Plants lacking in moisture will produce fruits lacking in flavor. Fluctuating soil moisture levels can also interfere with the uptake of calcium, resulting in blossom-end rot in some varieties. 12

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Of course, mulching plants helps to keep the soil moisture levels more even. So does the use of drip irrigation or a soaker hose to water your plants, which will help reduce surface evaporation by delivering the water directly to plant roots. Ease up on the frequency of watering once the fruits begin to change color. Too much water applied at this stage will dilute the flavor of the fruit. Keep the flavor intact by allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.

7. Feed the fruit How often you feed and the type of fertilizer you use can make the difference between producing weak-tasting tomatoes or richly flavored fruit. After your initial feeding of compost or aged manure at planting time, you may need to fertilize again about four weeks later, depending on the quality of your soil. Then give plants another dose of nutrients, if needed, by side-dressing with additional compost, aged manure, or organic fertilizer when the first fruits are about the size of a marble. Tomatoes thrive on potassium and phosphorus. However, too much nitrogen can result in reduced yields and weakened flavor. What’s more, excess nitrogen can also make the plants more susceptible to pests and diseases. So be sure to choose a fertilizer specifically for tomatoes or one that is low in nitrogen.

8. Harvest for peak flavor All your efforts will be lost if the fruit is harvested too soon. The fruits can be downright disappointing if harvested while the shoulders are still green or even partially green — unless, of course, you’re growing a tomato variety that is green or is supposed to have green shoulders. The ideal time to harvest for flavor is a few days before the tomatoes are fully ripe, which is when the fruits have developed their color but are still somewhat semifirm.

9. Keep the flavor intact Bring your harvested tomatoes indoors and then set them in a fruit basket or holder on the kitchen counter. After a day or two, they should be ready to eat and enjoy. Tomatoes harvested in this manner will be more flavorful, with better texture than fully ripe tomatoes that are plucked from the vine when soft.

10. Take the “no chill” approach For best flavor and texture, always store tomatoes at room temperature. Chilling the fruits by storing them in the refrigerator will reduce sweetness and overall flavor and will result in a somewhat mushy texture. 

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WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

The Cedar Creek

Mastodon What’s in your backyard? B Y W. H . ‘ C H I P ’ G R O S S

CLINT WALKER, a member of Consolidated Electric Cooperative, has always had a fascination with elephants, so much so that he even has a collection of miniature elephant figurines from around the world. Imagine, then, his surprise and excitement upon discovering the skeleton of an extinct, prehistoric elephant-like creature buried on his farm — a mastodon. “In 2013, I had just installed a new sod waterway on one of my fields,” Walker says. “About three weeks later, a friend of mine wanted to see the project, so I drove him back to the site — about 300 yards off the road. When we walked over to the ditch, there was a giant tooth exposed on top of the ground in plain sight.”

Consolidated Electric member Clint Walker holds a piece of mastodon bone excavated from his farm in Morrow County. 14

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After some quick Internet research, Walker thought what he had found might be a mastodon tooth, so he immediately contacted the Ohio History Connection in Columbus. Two professional archaeologists arrived the next day, confirmed the find, and referred Walker to Ashland University geology professor Nigel Brush. Brush, his assistants, dozens of students, and volunteers descended upon the Morrow County site and excavated it over a period of weeks, painstakingly removing only about 4 inches of soil per day from various 6-by-6-foot grid plots. What they found was definitely a mastodon skeleton, but unfortunately, it was far from complete. The bones and tusks had deteriorated, weathering over the years into hundreds of small fragments, the largest only about 8 inches long. “What the scientists and archaeologists found fascinating, though,” says Walker, “was that one of the bones showed definite cut marks, signs of the animal having been butchered with stone or flint tools.” In other words, this particular mastodon had likely been killed, then butchered, by Paleo-Indians. Scientists say that finding evidence of interaction between humans and mastodons is extremely rare. Carbon-14 dating techniques showed that it all

happened some 13,000 years ago. The condition of the mastodon’s teeth indicated that it was an adult male, about 40 years of age. Mastodons were browsers, much like today’s elephants, eating the leaves and small branches of trees and shrubs. But the habitat in which this animal lived looked much different than Ohio does today. Massive glaciers, some possibly a mile thick, had recently covered most of the land. Mastodons lived south of the edges of the giant ice sheets, following them north as the glaciers gradually melted and receded. Taiga, a forest type similar to what is now present in northern Canada and Alaska, dominated Ohio’s landscape. It was this habitat that attracted mastodons and other herbivores, which in turn attracted predators — including humans. Archeologists now believe that Paleo-Indians may have played a role in the extinction of some large prehistoric animals, including mastodons. An interesting fact that Walker learned from the archaeologists is that protein-residue analysis is now so sophisticated that even a small chip of a flint tool from thousands of years ago can be tested for traces of blood. If any is found, it can then be determined what type of animal that blood

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came from — deer, elk, mastodon, etc. Walker also mentioned that a complete skeleton of a mastodon recently sold in Japan for more than $100,000. “But I don’t think we’ll be getting that kind of money for ours,” he jokes. Walker has no plans to sell the mastodon remains. Instead, he and a few volunteers will continue excavating the site to see what else might turn up, then add those items to the collection of bones. Surprisingly, the Cedar Creek Mastodon is not the first prehistoric find in Morrow County. Nearly a century ago, in 1919, a complete skeleton of a woolly mammoth was discovered near

the village of Fulton. It was pulled from an ancient lake bed, buried 16 feet below the surface of the ground. As with Walker’s mastodon, it was a large tooth that was first uncovered. The landowner at the time, John W. Powell, charged people to see the huge skeleton — 25 cents per adult, 10 cents per child — which he kept in his barn. He then traveled with the bones and tusks by train, displaying them in several Midwestern cities. In 1922, the woolly mammoth skeleton was sold to The Ohio State University for $300; it was eventually transferred to the Chicago Academy of Sciences. Both woolly mammoths and their cousins,

mastodons, once roamed most of North America. But you don’t need to travel to Chicago to see a mastodon skeleton. At the Ohio History Connection’s museum in Columbus, you can see a full-size, reconstructed display of what’s known as the Conway Mastodon, complete with enormous tusks!  Outdoors editor W. H. “CHIP” GROSS, a member of Consolidated Electric Cooperative, is interested in hearing from you about any outdoor story idea you might like him to investigate. His e-mail address is whchipgross@gmail.com; his website is www.chipgross.com.

This is not the mastodon that Clint Walker found on his farm! This whopper, also known as the Conway Mastodon, is on display at the Ohio History Center in Columbus. It was found in a swamp in Champaign and Clark counties in 1887. (Photo courtesy of the Ohio History Connection)

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FOOD SCENE

Eat your lima beans! And your peas!

With fresh produce season starting soon, vegetable recipes add exciting options for mealtime

S TO R Y B Y M A R G I E W U E B K E R ; P H OTO S BY C H E R Y L B AC H

ROASTED VEGETABLES Cooking spray 1/2 lb. asparagus, cleaned 4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 1/2 lb. whole mushrooms 1/2 lb. baby carrots 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges 1 large red or green bell pepper, cut into strips 2 cups small Brussels sprouts, cut in half 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Place asparagus on bottom of pan; drizzle with small amount of olive oil. Toss other vegetables with remaining olive oil, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Spread over asparagus; bake 28 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring after 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese before serving. Serves 3 to 4.

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FRESH VEGETABLES from Ohio’s heartland will be arriving soon at farmers’ markets, as well as roadside stands. It won’t be long before popular farm operations lure shoppers with the likes of freshly picked asparagus, spinach, green beans, peppers, and tomatoes, among other produce. This is a special time, especially for people who have chosen to pursue vegetarian lifestyles. For some the preference definitely runs in the family. Worthington-area residents Mark and Kacy Bonaventura followed their daughter’s lead when it came to meatless meals. Bridget, now a resident physician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, was a fifth-grader at the time she made the decision, and she’s never looked back. Fresh fruits and vegetables rank high on the family’s shopping list, along with pasta, rice, beans, and soy products. Although Kacy initially purchased cookbooks, she quickly decided it was more fun to experiment in the kitchen, instead of following somebody’s recipes.

“It’s easy to be creative with all the wonderful produce at this time of the year,” the busy realtor says. “Although restaurants offer more options nowadays, I make it a practice to pack our lunches. When we do go out to eat, we make a meal out of sides.” Seasonal produce frequently stars in roasted vegetables — a family favorite. Kacy also plans ahead, by cooking rice in vegetable broth and storing it in the refrigerator to speed meal preparation. Linda Duesterhaus and husband Scott Parsons of rural Tipp City also embrace vegetarianism as a healthy way of eating. Their garden yields lots of produce for special dishes, like a vegetable stew known as ratatouille. Many other ingredients for meal plan-

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ning come from local farm markets and a food cooperative at their church. Linda’s culinary efforts involving a hearty vegetable chili reaped a second-place award in a chili contest that also drew meat-based entries. Some people who tasted the spicy concoction had no idea they were eating vegetable-based sausage, instead of the real thing. “I probably didn’t eat right in the beginning, but I have learned along the way,” she says. “I like to experiment, and it isn’t hard to work around recipes that call for meat.” The family, which includes two grandchildren, enjoys cashew cauliflower loaf on special occasions. It replaces turkey on Thanksgiving Day and adds special flavor in sandwiches the day after.

Even for those of us who don’t choose a vegetarian lifestyle, there are plentiful recipe options that make vegetables far more than a ho-hum meal choice. Add some

excitement to mealtime. Choose vegetables!  See additional vegetable recipes at www.ohioec.org.

CASHEW CAULIFLOWER LOAF EASY RATATOUILLE

1 cup chopped onion 1 cup grated cauliflower 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup ground cashews 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 eggs Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil 1-1/2 cups diced onion 1 tsp. minced garlic 2 cups diced eggplant (unpeeled) 2 cups diced sweet peppers (any color) 2 cups diced summer squash (yellow and green) 1-1/2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh sweet basil 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Salt and pepper to taste In a large soup pan or sauté pan, heat olive oil and add onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until caramelized. Add eggplant and cook 5 minutes. Add peppers and squash; cook 15 more minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper; cook 5 more minutes. Stir well and serve. If desired, add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Fry onion and cauliflower in olive oil until golden. Mix together with remaining ingredients. Shape into a rounded loaf on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until firm (about 20 minutes). Serve hot or refrigerate loaf before slicing for sandwiches. Note: Double the recipe if it is to be prepared in a loaf pan. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

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FOOD SCENE

Choosing a ‘very veggie’ lifestyle BY D I A N E YOA K A M , R D, L D

Vegetarianism comes in varying forms. There are those who avoid meat, fish, and poultry, while vegans abstain from eating all animal products, including dairy, eggs, and honey. Then there are those who are “vegetable-inclined,” basing most of what they eat around plant-based foods, while still enjoying modest portions of animal products. With careful attention to consuming a wide variety of foods and a few key nutrients, those choosing a “very veggie” lifestyle should have no problem meeting their nutritional needs. Iron stands out as a concern when making the switch to a meatfree diet. Fortunately, several options exist to meet this need, including dried beans, tofu, tempeh, chard, spinach, cashews, dried fruits, bulgur, oatmeal, and fortified cereals. Eating foods containing vitamin C, such as citrus, tomatoes, or broccoli, alongside any iron source, will increase iron absorption. Using iron cookware also adds to iron intake. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that may be lacking in vegetarian diets, so make a concerted effort to get enough. Some vegetarians choose to get their daily dose from animal sources, namely eggs and dairy foods. Vegans, on the other hand, must find alternatives through fortified foods, like plant-based milks, cereals, and nutritional yeast, or take a daily supplement to meet their needs. Protein sources are plentiful among plant foods. In fact, some plant-based proteins are considered complete proteins, just like meat, eggs, and dairy, meaning that they provide all nine of the essential amino acids. This includes quinoa, buckwheat, and chia seeds. Daily protein requirements are easily met by also consuming beans, lentils, nuts, nut butters, seeds, and whole grains. If you’re looking for new ways to enjoy vegetables, visit www.ohioec.org, where you’ll find recipes for eggplant lasagna, garbanzo bean burgers, and stuffed sweet potatoes.

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local Plocal ages North Central Electric Cooperative

350 Stump Pike Road | P.O. Box 475 | Attica, Ohio 44807 419-426-3072 or 1-800-426-3072 www.ncelec.org

Co-op to celebrate 80 years at annual meeting BY TERI LEASE, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

North Central Electric cooperative will celebrate its 80th anniversary Tuesday, June 14, at its Family Fun Day and annual meeting at the Seneca County Fairgrounds in Tiffin. This will be the third year for the Family Fun Day, which has attracted about 1,900 members and guests in the previous two years. The day’s activities will include bounce houses, rides, touch tanks and animals from the Toledo Zoo, electrical safety demonstrations, face painting, a photo booth, and a magician. The event is free for members. Registration begins at 1 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult cooperative member. All children will be given a wristband when their parents or grandparents register. Wristbands must be worn to enjoy the rides, bounce houses, and special displays. Member business displays and wellness booths will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. Rader’s Homemade Ice Cream will be on hand selling sweet treats, and dinner from Uncle Dudley’s Catering of Willard will be served from 4 to 6 p.m. A family-friendly magic show will begin at 5 p.m., and the business meeting will follow in the same building at 6 p.m. This year, three trustee candidates are running unopposed for three-year terms. In District 4, Rodney Snavely is completing his fifth term on the board. District 4 includes Adams, Scipio, and Bloom townships in Seneca County and Green Creek Township in Sandusky County served by North Central. In District 6, Michael Scherger will be replacing

Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives CEO to address co-op membership Patrick O’Loughlin will address the North Central membership at its annual meeting June 14, the first time since assuming the role of president and CEO of Buckeye Power and Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives in July 2015. He joined Buckeye Power in 2002 as vice (Continued on page 20F)

trustee Eileen Gabel, who is retiring from the board after 18 years of service. Scherger was the only candidate to file a nominating petition in District 6, which includes Liberty, Hopewell, and Seneca townships in Seneca County. District 7 is served by Duane Frankart, who is completing his fifth term on the board. District 7 includes Washington Township in Hancock County; Jackson, Loudon, and Big Spring townships in Seneca County; Scott Township in Sandusky County; and Montgomery and Perry townships in Wood County. Members no longer vote at the annual meeting. In 2012, the Code of Regulations was changed to permit mail and online voting. A provision was added that if none of the races are contested, no election is necessary, and the three unopposed candidates will be declared elected at the annual meeting. 

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2016 North Central Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees election Three candidates for the North Central Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees are running unopposed. Only one member each in districts 4, 6, and 7 filed nominating petitions with at least 25 signatures from fellow district members.

Rodney P. Snavely

District 4

Adams, Bloom, and Scipio townships in Seneca County and Green Creek Township in Sandusky County Rodney Snavely, 47, of Adams Township in Seneca County is running for his sixth term as District 4 trustee. Snavely has been a member of North Central for 25 years. He is employed with the Sandusky International Division of MetalTek International. Snavely earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1991 from The Ohio State University. He earned his Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD) certificate from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in 2005 and his Board Leadership certificate in 2010. He has been on the North Central board since 2001 and its treasurer since 2012. He is a member of the United Church of Christ and a member of Seneca Lodge #790. He and his wife, Brenda, have been married 24 years and have two children. Why are you seeking election? “I have enjoyed serving the cooperative members over the past 15 years. I will continue to learn about the electric industry, the cooperative business model, and alternative energy solutions every year. My goal is to work with the board, staff, and employees to uphold our mission statement of providing our members with highly reliable electric service, superior customer service, and resourceful energy solutions at competitive prices.”

Michael P. Scherger

District 6

District 6: Liberty, Hopewell, and Seneca townships in Seneca County

Michael Scherger, 35, of Liberty Township in Seneca County is running for his first term as District 6 trustee. Scherger has been a member of North Central Electric for five years. He is vice president of Scherger Farms, in charge of grain marketing, input buying, and the daily business and management activity. Scherger is a current trustee for Liberty Township on the Seneca County Farm Bureau and a member of the Corn and Wheat Growers Association, American Soybean Association, St. Andrew Church and St. Patrick Church, and Burgoon Baseball board. He and his wife, Jessica, have been married 11 years and have two children. Why are you seeking election? “I would like to continue the strong forward thinking that our cooperative has provided the members. We need to stay innovative to achieve future goals. We need to continue working toward renewable energy in combination with coal. I will work to keep the public informed that the cooperative is viable now and in the future.”

Duane E. Frankart

District 7

District 7: Washington Township in Hancock County; Jackson, Loudon, and Big Spring townships in Seneca County; Scott Township in Sandusky County; and Montgomery and Perry townships in Wood County Duane Frankart, 64, of Loudon Township in Seneca County is running for his sixth term as District 7 trustee. Frankart has been a member of North Central for 34 years. He is retired from Cummins Engine Co., where he was shift supervisor. He is also retired from Frankart Farms in Fostoria, where he helped with livestock and Farm Week. Frankart has been on the North Central board since 2001. He served as treasurer from 2007 to 2012 and has been board president since 2012. He received his CCD from NRECA in 2005 and his Board Leadership certificate in 2007. He and his wife, Jeanette, have been married 31 years and have five children. He serves many local organizations, including St. Wendelin Parish, Fostoria Elks Lodge, Fostoria Moose Lodge, Fostoria Knights of Columbus, and Fostoria United Sportsman Club. Why are you seeking election? “I am seeking to continue serving as trustee to serve the needs of members. I would like to see ACRE membership reach at least 10 percent and 95 percent for the People Fund. I will work with management to do all the things we need to do to keep electric service affordable, reliable, and safe for members.” 20

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Businesses on display at annual meeting Again in 2016, North Central will feature businesses served by the cooperative at the Family Fun Day and Annual Meeting. The cooperative encourages all members attending the day’s festivities to stop at the Education Building and visit with members at their business displays. Wellness displays will also be featured. The following businesses will have booths set up on June 14:

• Clouse Construction • Keller Hardware, Heating and Cooling • For Keeps Photos • Handshoe Cakes and Cookies • Rader’s Old Fashion Ice Cream • Rock Run Bulk Foods & Services, Inc. • Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils • Community Hospice • Dr. Melody Heydinger’s Office • Heather Studer, Best Fit Realty • First National Bank of Sycamore • Waldock Equipment Sales and Service

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Participate in in the the cooperative cooperative you you own Participate own l a s ’ r t e v n i e t a C r e h t p r o o o N C c i r t c Ele ly

i m Fa

y a D n u F and Annual 80th Meeting and

Tuesday, June 14

Seneca County Fairgrounds, Tiffin

The 80th North Central Electric Cooperative annual meeting will feature the formal announcement of the election of three trustees, management reports, member-business displays, and door prizes. Be on the lookout for your registration card with your June electric bill.

Family Day Local Business Displays Registration Dinner Business Meeting

1-6 p.m. 1-6 p.m. 1-6 p.m. 4-6 p.m. 6-7 p.m.

• Kids’ Rides • Bounce Houses • Toledo Zoo Animals • Electrical Safety Demonstrations • and much more! 20B

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80th Annual Meeting & Family Fun Day — official notice —

North Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. Tuesday, June 14, 2016 Seneca County Fairgrounds, Tiffin Schedule of Events

Registration ....................................... Education Building ............................................. 1 - 6 p.m. Family Fun Day .................................. Junior Fair Building ............................................ 1 - 6 p.m. Co-op Displays ....................................Education Building ............................................. 1 - 6 p.m. Wellness Displays ................................Education Building ............................................. 1 - 6 p.m. Member Business Displays .................... Education Building ............................................. 1 - 6 p.m. Dinner* ................................................ Sr. Fair Office ................................................4 - 6 p.m. Family Entertainment ..........................Merchant Building 2 ............................................5 - 6 p.m. Business Meeting ...............................Merchant Building 2 ............................................ 6 - 7 p.m. Food and ice cream will be available for purchase from 1-6 p.m. *Free meal provided by the cooperative from Uncle Dudley’s will begin at 4 p.m.

Meeting Agenda 1. Call to order 2. Approval of 2015 minutes 3. Introduction of guests 4. Election overview A. Attorney Brent Howard 5. Introduction of trustee winners: District 4 - Rodney P. Snavely District 6 - Michael P. Scherger District 7 - Duane E. Frankart 6. People Fund Report A. Chairperson Ellen Lynch

7. Patrick O’Loughlin, President and CEO of Buckeye Power and Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 8. Report of officers A. Duane Frankart, President B. Markus Bryant, General Manager 9. Old business 10. New business 11. Questions and answers 12. Awarding of door prizes 13. Adjournment

Remember to bring your registration card to the meeting! Members will receive an annual meeting registration card with their June bill. They must bring that perforated card to the meeting in order to register and receive a gift from the cooperative. Members do not need to bring the annual meeting promotional flier that also is included in the June bill.

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11th Annual

Dutchtown Hatchery Festival

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June 9, 10, and 11 New Washington

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Calendar of Events Thursday, June 9

WBCO live remote on the square with Davy Jones Midway rides Kiddie tractor pull Registration at 6:30 p.m. in front of the post office Luke Rietschlin Band

Friday, June 10

Midway rides Chicken barbecue at Knights of Columbus Hall John Kennedy Band at the Gazebo Alternative Ending Band at the beer garden

Saturday, June 11

Breakfast Bake Sale at St. John’s Church Poker Run Registration at 9 a.m. at the American Legion Midway rides Chicken barbecue at Knights of Columbus Hall Parade United Harmony Group at the Gazebo Kiddie tractor pull Registration at 6:30 p.m. in front of the post office 5K Run Registration at Dr. Thresa Young’s Office Luke Rietschlin Band at the beer garden Tomacco and Smoke Stack Lightning bands at the beer garden Fireworks

3-6 p.m. 4-11 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8-11 p.m. 3-11 p.m. 4-8 p.m. 6-8 p.m. 8-11 p.m. 8-11 a.m. 11 a.m. 12-11 p.m. 12-8 p.m. 5 p.m. 6-7 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

Fun Fact New Washington is known as the “Birthplace of the Baby Chick Industry” thanks to the Uhl Hatchery, which was the first commercial hatchery in the United States and initiated the shipment of baby chicks by rail in 1900.

7 p.m.

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Search for the Dutchtown Hatchery Festival 2016 on Facebook and like the page for more information and the latest events.

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b D b s

Following the fireworks will be the drawing for the winner of the Polaris Ranger 570 EPSLE and the 50/50 winner.

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Eileen Gabel, first female trustee, to retire BY TERRY MAZZONE, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, MEMBER AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Eileen Gabel had to be asked twice to seek election to the North Central Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees in 1997. She had previously run unsuccessfully for the board because she couldn’t make the annual meeting that year. There was no burning desire to run again. But Lenny Clouse wasn’t running for re-election, so she accepted the challenge a second time. She won the 1998 election and became the first and only woman ever elected to the North Central board. She was re-elected five more times. And when the 2016 annual meeting comes to a close, Eileen Gabel will step down with 18 years of service. “I was scared to death,” the retired New Riegel and Old Fort teacher said. “I really didn’t know what I was getting into. I didn’t know any of the other members. But that feeling went away very quickly. I learned the board is a family, not a group of individuals. The people in the cooperative network are great, and the educational opportunities are great.” She was among the first group of North Central board members to earn their Cooperative Credentialed Director (CCD) certificate in 2000. It’s expected of board members to earn their CCD by the end of their second term. She earned her CCD in her first term.

‘I was scared to death. I really didn’t know what I was getting into. I didn’t know any of the other members. But that feeling went away very quickly. I learned the board is a family, not a group of individuals.’ “The cooperatives make education of their trustees a top priority,” she said. In 2005, she became the first North Central board member to earn a Board Leadership certificate, which is designed to keep experienced directors up to date on industry changes. Gabel said she came on the board at the same time the North Central board had formed a management and shared services cooperative with Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative of Wellington. Called Federated Energy Services Cooperative, or FESCO, one management team oversees the operation of both cooperatives. The two cooperatives share billing, accounting, and communications duties. Both boards, along with the joint FESCO board, hold their monthly

meeting together. “I am so thankful we formed the federation,” she said, noting that by sharing personnel and resources, the two cooperatives save on general expenses plus payroll and benefits. “We learn from each other,” she said, often discussing policies, contracts, and unique cooperative situations in the boardroom, and members of both boards benefit. Blending the talent pool among the management team and the employees made both cooperatives stronger, Gabel said. By sharing resources, both cooperatives were able to streamline billing procedures and use technology to monitor the electric distribution system, giving operators the ability to control switches remotely and isolate and reduce the length of outages. An investment of that type would have been cost prohibitive if it had not been for the federation, she said. In her first year on the board, they instituted an Operation Round Up program and formed the North Central Electric People Fund. Members agreed to have their monthly electric bills rounded up to the next dollar and have the spare change deposited into the People Fund. An independent nine-member board reviews and approves grant applications. Today, more than 400 grants totaling in excess of $750,000 have been awarded to community organizations and individuals in need. “We couldn’t help all the people we have helped if it wasn’t for the People Fund. And it only costs us a few cents each month,” Gabel said. She remembered how proud she was of the People Fund following the 2002 November tornado that killed one person and destroyed 16 homes in Scipio Township near Republic. The People Fund board issued 11 $1,000 emergency grants to members who lost their homes to help cover immediate expenses. She said one of the more significant changes that has occurred during her tenure is the amount of time and effort the cooperative spends on grassroots lobbying. The cooperative formed a political action (Continued on page 21)

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Plocal ages North Central Electric Cooperative Board of TrusTees Duane E. Frankart, President ................... District 7 Dennis W. Schindler, Vice President. .....District 2 Eileen M. Gabel, Secretary......................... District 6 Rodney Snavely, Treasurer ........................ District 4 Kevin E. Bishop, Trustee ............................District 1 Ronald P. Frisch, Trustee .......................... District 5 Nick W. Wagner IV, Trustee.................... .District 3 Steven J. Seitz, Trustee ...............................District 2 Randall D. Armstrong, Trustee.................District 1

General ManaGer Markus I. Bryant

local PaGes ediTors Terry F. Mazzone, CCC Teri E. Lease, Communications Manager

Bill PayMenT sTaTions Bascom Telephone Co — Bascom First Bank — Bloomville Commercial Savings Bank — Carey First Citizens National Bank — Carey Civista — New Washington First National Bank — McCutchenville & Sycamore Tiffin Farmers Co-op — Tiffin Discount Drug Mart — Upper Sandusky & Willard Rock Run Bulk Foods — Tiffin

office Hours 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Weekdays *** 24-hour Night Depository Access *** Fee, rate, discount schedules available on request *** Bills due 15th of month

North Central Electric Cooperative 350 Stump Pike Road P.O. Box 475 Attica, Ohio 44807-0475 Office and Trouble Calls: 419-426-3072 Toll-Free: 1-800-426-3072 Telefax: 419-426-1245

www.ncelec.org E-mail: nce@fesco-oh.org

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O’Loughlin to address co-op members (—continued from page 19)

He worked for Dayton Power and Light (DP&L) for 19 years in various positions, including management of DP&L’s wholesale power business and power and natural gas operations. O’Loughlin is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, holding both a Master of Environmental Sciences degree and a Bachelor of Science in engineering physics. He and his wife, Nancy, have four children and reside in Dublin. Buckeye Power is a member-owned generation and transmission cooperative supplying electricity to the 25 electric distribution cooperatives serving Ohio. Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives is the trade association providing safety, education, communications, and education services to the 24 electric cooperatives in Ohio and one in West Virginia. The sister organizations are headquartered in Columbus. 

Members’

M arketplace

buy • sell • trade

The Members’ Marketplace is a free service to North Central Electric Cooperative members. Ads must be submitted IN WRITING to the cooperative office by the 25th of the month and will be printed on a first-come, firstserved basis as long as space is available. Due to space limitations, new submissions will be given priority over duplicate submissions.

For Sale

• Assorted books, $5 a bag or 5 for $1; wine glasses, $10; Home Interior picture and decorations, $25; silver NRA belt buckle, $30; adjustable bed raiser set, $7; Mr. Coffee tea maker, $10; teen girl’s pullover; ladies’ golf clubs, $40. 419-4478309 • Troy Built 1450 tiller, 305 cc, electric start, as is. $1,100. 419-6184924 • Couch, in good condition. 419-429-2571 • Large assortment of plain white china for painting. 419-937-1094 • Hopewell-Loudon and Fostoria High School yearbooks, $5

each. 419-937-2739 • Slightly used men’s roller blades, $10; men’s wet suit, $20. 419-937-2390 • 24-foot pontoon boat with trailer. 419-4353676 • JCL 250 CC scooter, $1,000. 419-483-8502 • Accordion 120 base, $75. 419-447-2271 • 3 white Copley garage door panels with hardware, $225; wall stone, $1 each, have 200; Krakaver console piano. 419-492-2526 • Frigidaire window air conditioner with remote, $100 or best offer. 419-426-7374 • 20-foot, 1982 Renken, deep V, 6 cycle. Chevy, OMC outdrive,

teeny trailer. 419-5853021 • Brand-new Hayward top-mount sand filter for above-ground pool, $200. 419-310-1896 • 60-inch Swisher trailing mower, $200. 419-435-2030 • Simplicity Prestige lawn tractor, $2,000; Central Park 22-inch mulching mower, $40; Kenmore upright freezer, $100. 419-4922713 • Brillion 7 shank saver plow. 419-426-2555 • Apple cider vinegar. 419-426-1121

Wanted

• Used fuel oil tank. 419-457-0017

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Wynford’s Aryn Copeland earns statewide scholarship

North Central Electric Cooperative’s $1,000 Touchstone Energy® scholarship winner Aryn Copeland earned an additional $2,000 scholarship from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, the cooperative’s statewide service organization. The daughter of Carl and Lauren Copeland of Nevada, Aryn received a $1,000 local scholarship in March, which qualified her for the statewide competition in April. A graduate of Wynford High School, she plans to attend Wilmington College. The Touchstone Energy scholarship rewards students who have committed themselves to the pursuit of a college education despite hardships that may have affected them.

Aryn Copeland

CFL Charlie promotes electrical safety during Family Fest North Central Electric Cooperative staff, with assistance from CFL Charlie, gave a series of short safety presentations to over 300 local children during Family Fest on Saturday, April 16, at Tiffin University. Using the cooperative’s tabletop display, Brian Barr, assistant director of communications and marketing, and Teri Lease, communications manager (at right), demonstrated how to be safe around electricity. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ CFL Charlie greeted families with hugs and high fives during the event while passing out safety information.

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The Power League Chapter 3: Mapping BY BRIAN E. BARR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system remotely monitors all of the cooperative’s substations and line-switching devices and offers the ability to isolate outages and reroute power when needed. “I think the hardest part of this job with the mapping of North Central will be keeping track of the daily changes,” Robertson said. “There’s a lot of information that will be in the maps. Thousands and thousands of poles, wires, and things of that nature. It’s just a lot of data to keep updated so it accurately reflects what is out in the field for our crews.” North Central’s members will see several benefits from the updated maps. “First of all, the better engineering plans we have, the more cost-effectively we can design the system,” Bryant said. “With the outage management system, our goal is for the members to be able to go online and see which areas are currently experiencing an outage.” When the maps are complete and fully integrated, the cooperative will have quicker response time to outages. “As we get outage calls in, we will put those outages into the map system,” Robertson said. “They will be added together, and we will be able to help line crews pinpoint the location of the outage.” “One of our longer-term goals is to completely eliminate the paper maps in our service trucks and Mapping Technician Russell Robertson will be creating an entire- go to completely digitized computer maps that any ly new mapping system for the cooperative to be used by every of our employees can access in the office and out in department. the field,” Bryant said.  “We’re moving toward integrating the maps with the outage reporting system,” General Manager Markus Bryant said. “When a member calls in an outage, our map will be able to pinpoint where the outages are located. “Also, it will keep track of all the cooperative’s field supplies, such as wires, poles, and transformers. We will probably have well over 100,000 features in the map. It’s very important to keep track of all that information. This will be a nice centralized location to do that. “Our outage crews use the maps to locate the members who report their outage,” Bryant continued. “The maps form the foundation of our engineering plans. The line crews also look at areas that need improvement. The maps will be tied into our SCADA system so that we can reroute power flows. Lineman Paul Weaver reviews the map book while planning the We need the maps to understand which direction we day’s work. There is currently a map book in each truck. The cooperative’s goal is to replace the map books with a tablet. can send the power.” North Central Electric Cooperative is in the process of using survey crews to establish the GPS location of every one of the cooperative’s poles. This multi-year project is nearing the end, and the next step will be to be completely upgrade the cooperative’s maps to incorporate this GPS technology. Russell Robertson is the mapping technician tasked with this undertaking. “Currently, the information for our stuff in the field — like poles, transformers, wire — is being tracked in a number of places. When we convert the maps over to the new digital format, all of that stuff will be integrated into one location.”

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Programs

ENERGY STAR requirements at the time of the installation. Documentation that the equipment is ENERGY STAR-rated must be supplied to the cooperative before the equipment is installed. A copy of the receipt for the purchase of the heat pump or ductless system is required. A member must also notify the cooperative after the installation is completed and schedule an inspection by the cooperative’s energy services advisor.

Rebates and rate incentives offered North Central Electric offers a $400 rebate per condenser for a new whole-home air-source heat pump or ductless heat pump system.

and

Rebates

Heat pumps An air-source heat pump is an ideal energyefficient heating and cooling system designed to provide year-round comfort in the home. A heat pump’s outdoor unit contains the compressor and a heat exchanger, called a coil. The indoor unit contains another coil, a fan that blows air through the ductwork, grill, and electric heating element.

Load management control Members must participate in the cooperative’s Cool Returns air-conditioning load control program. Members will receive a one-time $100 credit on their electric bill for the installation of the summer air conditioning load control switch. Two years after the installation, the member will receive a $6 credit on their electric bill for the months of June, July, August, and September. The switch, when activated, will automatically cycle the compressor off for 8 to 12 minutes out of every 30 minutes during summer peak demand times on extremely hot days. The switch is programmed so the compressor will never be off more than 12 minutes continuously each half-hour. For more information about the heat pump program or others, contact the cooperative by e-mail at ncememberservices@fesco-oh.org or call at 419-4263072 or 1-800-426-3072.

Ductless heat pumps A ductless heating and cooling system, or ductless heat pump, is a great solution for inefficient and uncomfortable baseboard, ceiling cable, and wall heaters and can reduce the cost of heating a home by up to 50 percent. Installation is easy and does not require expensive and invasive ductwork. A ductless system can provide comfortable temperatures to a home year-round. Equipment qualifications The heat pump or ductless system must meet

Gabel retires from board

(—continued from page 20E)

committee for the membership called ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action®. About 370 North Central members belong to it. Gabel says she proudly wears her ACRE scarf, which symbolizes she is a President’s Club member contributing $500 annually. For several years, Gabel served as North Central’s representative at the annual legislative rally in Washington, D.C., where electric cooperative leaders from across the country meet with legislators or their aides to discuss key issues. “That was an eye-opening experience for me,” she said. “We have to make sure our legislators understand the impact legislation will have on our members, plus we have to educate those congressmen who are not served by an electric cooperative. It was an honor to represent the co-op in D.C.”

She said members have always backed the board. In 2008, more than 1,500 letters were sent to Congress opposing cap and trade legislation. In 2014, another 2,500 members sent messages to federal officials to withdraw their efforts to impose regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions because they would provide little or no environmental benefit and cause electric rates to rise. She said she will miss the cooperative, her fellow board members, and cooperative leaders across the state. Her desire to spend more time with her family and recent health issues prompted her decision to step down. Gabel said she leaves knowing the cooperative is in good hands and will continue to serve the members of North Central Electric Cooperative well. 

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2015 capital credits allocation notices distributed The 2015 patronage capital credits allocation notices will be mailed to North Central Electric Cooperative members in June. The allocation notices always generate a lot of questions. First and foremost, the allocation notice is NOT a bill. The allocation notice shows the total amount billed to each member in 2015 and the amount of patronage capital credits that will be assigned to the individual member’s capital credits account. If the member listed on the allocation notice is deceased or if the member has moved, this is an excellent time to update contact information to ensure capital credits can continue to be issued in a routine manner. Members should simply follow the instructions under “Important Information” outlined in the allocation notice. The refunding of patronage capital credits represents one of the seven guiding cooperative prin-

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ciples. “Members’ Economic Participation” is just one of the many ways that electric cooperatives are set apart from other utility providers. Cooperatives like North Central operate on a not for-profit basis. Rates are designed to cover operating costs and provide working capital for new construction, equipment, system improvements, and making loan payments. Any net savings are returned to members on the basis of their patronage, or overall electric use. The cooperative has been refunding a percentage of patronage capital credits each year since 1980. North Central has refunded to members nearly $18.26 million. The cooperative expects to continue refunding capital credits in December. For more information regarding capital credits, visit www.ncelec.org and click on the About Us tab.

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Charm confidential This town in Amish country deserves its name B Y DA M A I N E VO N A DA

Everything you need to know about Charm can be summarized in six words: Charm lives up to its name. What’s so charming about this tiny Amish Country destination? Let us count the ways: 1. Off-the-beaten-path ambiance Holmes County visitors typically follow St. Rte. 39 to Berlin and other Amish hot spots, but Charm is the hub of St. Rte. 557, a two-lane road that curls through the bucolic Doughty Valley. Covering about 10 miles, 557 is short in size yet long in scenery, passing through rolling hills of lush farmland punctuated by white farmhouses and black buggies that convey the essence of the local Amish-Mennonite culture.

2. Swiss tease In the late 1940s, local Amish dairy farmers needed someone who could turn their fresh milk into cheese. Enter expert cheesemaker Alfred Guggisberg, who left his native Switzerland for Holmes County, where he not only made cheese but also developed an entirely new cheese that his wife, Margaret, named “Baby Swiss.” With its agreeable taste and uncommonly small holes, Baby Swiss became an Amish Country classic, and thanks to its popularity and the Guggisberg family’s Alpine-themed enterprises, the Charm area acquired a decidedly Swiss flavor. 24

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Chimes playing soothing tunes beckon visitors to the chalet-style Guggisberg Cheese Factory (www.babyswiss.com). Its tall, balconied clock tower is a St. Rte. 557 landmark. Continuing to use milk from local farms, Guggisberg is one of the nation’s largest U.S. Swiss cheese makers, and in 2015, its premium Swiss was the U.S. Grand Champion cheese. You can watch cheese being made through a window in the factory’s retail store, which sells Guggisberg’s 40+ varieties of cheese as well as imported Swiss chocolates and cuckoo clocks. Across the road is Chalet in the Valley (www.chaletinthevalley.com), the restaurant Margaret Guggisberg started in 1983. It specializes in fondue (made with Guggisberg cheese, of course), schnitzels, Black Forest cake, and other Swiss-Austrian dishes. The cordial waitresses wear Swiss folk costumes; its menu depicts Guggeshornli Mountain; and edelweiss and alpenrose flowers decorate the dining rooms’ wooden tables and chandeliers, which Alfred Guggisberg made himself. Tucked away on a quiet country lane, the Guggisberg Swiss Inn (www.guggisbergswissinn.com) boasts comfortable accommodations, hearty breakfasts, and picture-perfect grounds, complete with a duck pond. Personable owners Julia and Eric Guggisberg, who is a master cheesemaker, also operate two exceptional on-site amenities — Amish Country Riding Stables (www.amishcountryridingstables.com), which offers guided

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horseback rides, and Doughty Glen Winery (www.doughtyglenwinery.com), whose boutique wines are available for tasting in the inn’s pleasant lobby.

3. Park-and-walk attractions Charm’s unique cluster of visitor-friendly businesses like Keim Lumber (see this month’s “Ohio Icon”) delivers eclectic shopping and dining experiences. At Charm Harness & Boot (www.charmharnessandboot.com), you’ll find a phenomenal selection of boots and shoes. Miller’s Dry Goods (www.millersdrygoods.com) is a sewing and quilting hub with thousands of fabrics and cute, locally made items like chicken-shaped pin cushions. Charm Gifts & Nature’s Herbs (330-893-4516) carries everything from cutlery to dried catnip. The homey atmosphere at Charm Family Restaurant (330893-2717) perfectly complements its comfort food fare, and almost everything on the menu — meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and even ice cream — is homemade.

4. Nearby gems Situated in a cozy little building on a hilly township road, The Pottery Niche (www.thepotteryniche.com) is worth the trip for owner Eleanor’s Gray’s treasure trove of colorful, handcrafted Polish pottery. Hershberger’s Farm & Bakery (330-674-6096) optimizes agritourism with its wagon rides, barnyard animal petting zoo, and homemade treats, while Miller’s Bakery (330-893-3002) is a simple, secluded Amish shop famous for its cheese tarts and oven-fresh pastries.

5. The Charm Countryview Inn When you turn off St. Rte. 557 and cross the small bridge leading to this inn (330-893-3003 or www.charmcountryviewinn.com), don’t be surprised if your body clock seems to slow down. Innkeepers Paul and Naomi Miller are Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative members who have created a hilltop haven with inviting, farmhouse architecture and panoramic views of fields, where llamas and alpacas graze. Guest rooms have

no TVs or telephones, but there are handmade quilts, help-yourself snacks and beverages, and a wide front porch lined with rocking chairs and gliders. Naomi’s familystyle breakfasts include hash browns or biscuits with sausage gravy, and Paul, a Mennonite bishop, gives a devotional lesson every morning. “Our inn,” he says, “provides a place of relaxation, where the body is rested and the spirit encouraged.”  DAMAINE VONADA is

a freelance

writer from Xenia. To learn more about Charm, contact the Holmes County Tourism Bureau at 330674-3975 or www.visitamishcountry.com.

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Behind the scenes at

Tecumseh!

B Y W. H . ‘ C H I P ’ G R O S S

Our outdoors editor takes you with him as he joins the cast for a single show

HAVE YOU EVER DAYDREAMED about what it would be like to take part in one of Ohio’s professional summer outdoor dramas? My own daydream came true last July when I participated as an onstage “extra” for one performance of Tecumseh!, conducted each summer near Chillicothe. My personal goal for the evening was to be the proverbial wallflower. In other words, try not to do anything stupid that would draw undue attention to myself and detract from the show.

I expected to be in one, maybe two scenes, but instead I ended up being involved in five! The performance began at 8 p.m., yet I was asked to arrive many hours earlier. Greeting me enthusiastically was director Jenny Male. She first got me fitted for a frontiersman costume, then took me to the amphitheater stage and walked me through the various scenes in which I’d appear. Next, to get some historical perspective and background for

Country Living’s outdoors editor, Chip Gross (pictured at left in costume) took the stage in a walkon part during one performance of Tecumseh! last summer.

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the story, I attended two back-toback tours, both open to the public. The Living History tour is only given once per week, on Saturday afternoon; Behind-theScenes tours are offered throughout the week, twice each afternoon. When the dramatic musical score that signals the opening of the show began playing that evening to a packed house, I’ll admit there were a few butterflies in my stomach. But I needn’t have worried. Male made the evening not only easy, but fun. She seldom left my side during the entire 2-1/2 hour performance, alternately ushering me from stage left to stage right and assisting me through two costume changes.

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The cast is made up of some 50 actors and six horses, all of which made me feel very welcome. Many of the cast members play more than one role, so backstage can best be described as organized chaos. As cast members come offstage, frontiersmen race to change costumes, instantly transforming into soldiers, or vice versa; Indians hurry to quickly put on or rinse off war paint. There are three major battle scenes during the show, and since few women actors are involved in those scenes, most remain backstage, some firing blank rounds from 12-gauge shotguns to make the battle sound louder and larger. Many things impressed me about the cast, but two stand out: The actors seem to truly enjoy what they do, and they work very much as a team. It was also interesting to see how quickly actors can transition in and out of character. For instance, during one scene, Tecumseh (last year played by Clifford Nunley) gives an impassioned speech, then runs offstage. Male and I happened to be standing in the stage tunnel as he passed, and when he saw us — and he knew the audience could no longer see him — he instantly went from running to skipping, to get Male and me to laugh. It worked — we did! Tecumseh!, the iconic story of Ohio’s frontier past, begins its 44th summer season on June 10 at the Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater. For tickets, go online to www.tecumsehdrama.com or call 866-775-0700. 

Tecumseh was the Shawnee leader born in Ohio who helped form a large confederacy of Native American tribes that opposed U.S. expansion into the Northwest Territory. The confederacy became an ally of Great Britain in the War of 1812 but disbanded after Tecumseh’s death in 1813. (Photos courtesy of Ohio Stock Photography)

If you go Backstage tours at Tecumseh! are offered each afternoon at 4 and 5 p.m. In recent years, a Living History tour has been added on Saturdays at 3 p.m. Also available is an on-site dinner buffet from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the show beginning promptly at 8 p.m. If you’d like to save a few dollars, pack a picnic supper and eat at nearby Great Seal State Park, just down the road from Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater. Tecumseh! is family entertainment but is not recommended for children ages 6 and younger because of loud battle scenes. Here’s another viewing tip — one that takes a little preplanning, however. See the show during the night of a full moon. Doing so always adds a bit of natural drama to an already spectacular live presentation.

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ICON

Keim Lumber Charm B Y DA M A I N E VO N A DA

Location: Off St. Rte. 557 in the Holmes County village of Charm. Provenance: In 1911, Amish carpenter and woodworker Moses Keim opened a sawmill in the village of Charm. A planing mill to surface and mold finish lumber was soon added. The company used a 25-horsepower steam engine for power and disposed of sawdust by spreading it over Charm’s dirt streets. By the 1930s, the mill facilities had been enlarged. Keim Lumber significantly expanded in the 1960s, and in 2007, the company opened its retail store, a 125,000-square-feet showroom with a full-fledged residential and commercial design and building center. Significance: The business that began with four employees in 1911 has grown into one of Ohio’s largest lumber and hardware companies. Keim Lumber now employs more than 400 people, and its 40-acre campus in Charm has some 700,000 square feet of

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buildings under roof, including millwork manufacturing facilities, a drying yard, a molding shed, a stain lab, and the showroom store. After 105 years, Keim Lumber continues to be a family business, currently owned and operated by a fourth generation, Robbie Keim and Eric Slabach. The company also remains true to its Amish roots. About 70 percent of Keim Lumber’s employees are Amish. Currently: Aside from being a comprehensive resource for building professionals, cabinet and furniture makers, woodworkers, and hobbyists, Keim Lumber’s spectacular showroom store is a major Charm attraction. “People walk into the store and are just awed by its size and all the beautiful woodwork,” says Micah Yoder, Keim Lumber’s marketing manager. “It’s like the Cabela’s of hardware stores.” Outfitted with elegant character cherry woodwork, the store interior showcases the company’s millwork expertise and craftsmanship.

The store’s millwork department offers stock, as well as custom moldings, casings, stairs, and mantles, and its “woodshed” features exotic woods of more than 100 species from all over the world. One of the woodshed’s highlights is a 500-year-old African bubinga slab, with labels indicating events that occurred during the life of the tree. The label in the center of the slab indicates Columbus’s discovery of America. The store’s other departments include kitchens, plumbing and bathrooms, doors and windows, heating and electrical, flooring, tools, home décor, and lawn and garden. It’s a little-known fact that: The store’s second floor is home to the Carpenter’s Café, an eatery that provides “good food fast, not fast food.”  Keim Lumber Company, 4465 St. Rte. 557, Charm. For more information, call 330-893-2251 or 888-534-6527, or visit www.keimlumber.com.

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The Seven Cooperative Principles

BY SAMANTHA RHODES

Highway 127 yard sale demonstrates Principle 4: Autonomy and Independence In our seven-part series, you’ll learn how the same seven principles that guide cooperatives around the world also guide your local electric co-op, keeping you — a valued member-owner — as the primary focus. Principle 4, “Autonomy and Independence,” reads as follows: “Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members.”

Treasures at every turn: 690 miles of bargaining Cars, SUVs, trucks, and trailers line the highway for miles, pulled off into ditches and driveways under the scorching August sun. Their passengers sprint across the

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road, eager to raid dozens of tents crammed with antiques, textiles, crafts, clothes, décor, dusty knickknacks, and — to put it simply — the coolest junk you’ll ever find. But this isn’t your typical closetcleanout. Dubbed “The World’s Longest Yard Sale,” the massive four-day sale spans 690 miles along U.S. 127 from Addison, Michigan, to Gadsden, Alabama, hosting an onslaught of visitors — some from as far away as England and Germany. From its beginning in 1987, the sale’s mission was to pull travelers off the interstate system and back onto the rural roads of America. Now, the sale’s headquarters in

Tennessee estimates more than half a million people attend annually. “You never know what you’re going to see, who you’re going to meet, or what you’re going to bring home,” says Cheri Blankenship, a Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative (HWEC) member who’s been both a buyer and a seller in the 127 Yard Sale for years. As a couple who married later in life, 61-year-old Cheri and her 71-year-old husband, Van, share an interest in “old” things. Over the years, they’ve discovered an array of primitive collectibles at the sale — a monstrous coffee table built with a poplar log from a 1771 cabin, an original canister corn

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planter, and a purple trailer nicknamed “Barney” that the couple purchased after naïvely running out of hauling space their first year. Cheri even found her wedding dress — a 1930s woven lace gown — for only $25. “I was thrilled to wear it and honor the memory of another happy bride on her own special day,” Cheri says. Though haggling for bargains is their favorite aspect, Cheri and her husband also found themselves renting booth space along the highway to sell their excess of treasures. Though their big-ticket items brought in about $400 in sales a day, Cheri estimates those with numerous quality items could make $100 to $200 per day. “Selling is fun, but make no mistake — it’s hard, hot work!” she says. “You do this as a labor of love. You won’t get rich, but you’ll have a good time.”

Living the Principle Just as the 127 Yard Sale is run solely for and by bargain hunters, your electric co-op is run for and by the benefit of its voting members, who elect the board of directors.

In both cases, people with a common interest have come together to do more than they could achieve independently. At the Yard Sale, each vendor decides what they will sell and where they will operate. Similarly, each electric cooperative is an independent entity, operating with separate boards and staffs, setting their own rates and establishing their own policies, all for the purpose of making decisions in the best interest of their member-owners. Ohio’s electric cooperatives have been following this model since 1935 when individual rural residents across the state united because they had a common interest — to get electricity in their homes and businesses. According to George Walton, CEO and president of HancockWood Electric Cooperative, “Just as individual people make decisions based on their own situations, our individual cooperatives have important differences between one another — our local economies are different; our memberships differ in numbers and diversity; our service territories differ in size and terrain. A board at one cooperative may make deci-

sions that wouldn’t work in another area of the state or country. But what’s important is that what they decide works in their own individual situations. Maintaining our independence is critical to the success of each co-op.” If your co-op does enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments and banks, or if it raises capital from external sources, the cooperative does so only on terms that ensure democratic member control. Because you are both a member and a part owner, you are both your co-op’s decision-making hands and its moving feet — no external group can direct your cooperative. Here’s the bottom line: Whether you’re a yard-sale attendee or an electric co-op member, you’re sure to get a good deal.  SAMANTHA RHODES, a freelance writer from Ney, is a member of North Western Electric Cooperative. This year’s “World’s Longest Yard Sale” takes place August 4 through 7. For more information, go to www.127yardsale.com.

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CO-OP PEOPLE

Meet the

‘Dairy Evangelist’

B Y JA M I E R H E I N

At Snowville Creamery, milk is a particular passion for Warren Taylor ON A ONE-ACRE PATCH surrounded by farmland in Meigs County’s Appalachian foothills, Warren Taylor, a self-described Dairy Evangelist, has poured passion and expertise into a one-word success story — milk. Not just any milk, but the kind from cows milked in the red barn next door. The kind that grandparents remember from their childhoods. The kind that Warren wants every consumer to find in their grocery store. The desire to produce this kind of milk — rich, fresh, and pure — is what inspired Taylor and his wife, Victoria, to open Snowville Creamery, a Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member, in the middle of Meigs County’s dairy land. In fact, they are completely surrounded by Brick Farm Dairy’s land, so yes, actual cows do wander past Snowville’s dairy process-

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ing facility. This neighboring dairy, like the other ones that supply Snowville, is a small-scale operation that produces milk from grass-fed cows. It’s the taste and texture of milk from grass-fed cattle that the Taylors decided was “perfect” and that they wanted to showcase in their products. Those products, ranging from milk (whole, skim, and chocolate), to crème fraîche and yogurts, are what have resulted from the Taylors’ desire to give their customers perfect products. Besides flavor, there are health benefits for those drinking this type of milk. Grazing most of the day in pastures makes cows’ milk high in omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Both contribute to a healthy brain and heart. Such milk is also higher in beta-carotene, vitamin

A, and vitamin E, making it a “perfect food, and we try not to mess it up,” say Victoria. Not messing up milk is where Warren’s expertise comes in. For 10 years, he put his dairy technology degree from The Ohio State University to work by designing milk production facilities for the supermarket chain Safeway’s dairy division. Later, through his consulting firm, Warren designed facilities for other dairy “big boys” like Dannon and Daisy Brand. But it was the “perfect milk” produced by their neighbors that gave them the idea to go small instead of big, producing milk products on a more limited scale than the large dairies. “Big” producers mix milk from grass-fed cows with milk of mostly grain-fed cows. But going small allowed the Taylors to concentrate exclusively on grass-fed

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cows. The texture, taste, and nutritional value that fuel Warren’s passion remain. To handle the complexities of the dairy business and retain their milk’s wholesomeness, Warren designed Snowville’s facilities to handle every part of the processing operation. Milk is pasteurized to a low 165 degrees for 18 seconds, which kills off pathogenic organisms but retains its fresh, creamy quality. Because the milk is not homogenized, the cream will rise to the top. Shaking before drinking mixes the cream back in, and the result is a more yellow and sweeter-tasting milk than the homogenized version. From carton filling to shipping, the Taylors and their employees handle each part of the creamery’s operations. “Making milk is the easy part. We didn’t know we were also getting into the accounting, marketing, and trucking business,” says Warren. Repairing delivery trucks that traverse bumpy country roads is just another part of the mix. In the balance between sus-

tainability and profit, Snowville’s production changes to fit consumer demand, as the public’s interest in non-genetically modified food rises. The latest addition is a 10,000-gallon storage silo to help Snowville hold the milk it requires for its growing retail market of more than 150 outlets, including big sellers like Whole Foods and small ones like Mustard Seed Market in Akron. Look for Snowville deliciousness throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, and as far away as Washington, D.C. To find a market near you, go to their website, www.snowvillecreamery.com, and click on “Find a Retailer.” The Taylors now receive milk from 10 other small-scale dairy farms, including their neighbors, now called Melody Holler Farm. This network is vital to both Snowville’s and the dairy farms’ success stories. Freshness is guaranteed: “The day it’s produced, it’s out of here,” says Warren. Snowville’s milk is gaining a following, with its 14-day shelf life ensuring freshness on the day of sale. The Taylors see their non-

genetically modified success story growing, one sample at a time, as people taste the goodness that their grandparents remember.  JAMIE RHEIN is a freelance writer from Columbus. For more information and tours, visit www.snowvillecreamery.com. Look for tasting events wherever Snowville is sold.

Visit Snowville’s annual open house and farm tour On June 11 from 1 to 4 p.m., you can participate in Snowville’s once-ayear celebration of perfect milk goodness. Snowville Creamery’s open house showcases milk production from start to finish. Tour the plant, pet a baby calf, churn butter, and taste Snowville’s bounty. Also, hop on Snowville’s bicycle-powered icecream churn, another one of Warren’s inventions. The neighboring Melody Holler Farm is also open. It’s the only day tours of the milking parlor are held. Snowville Creamery is located at 32623 St. Rte. 143 outside of Pomeroy. Visit their website or call 740-698-2340 for more information.

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From

chewing gum to PVC BY SAMANTHA RHODES

Four innovations with Buckeye roots OVER THE LAST 200 YEARS, Ohioans have made their mark both on commercial industry and in the field of technological innovation. Ohio has served as a state where big ideas reach fruition, giving birth to a number of patents that have influenced today’s society. “Inventions developed by some of Ohio’s leading innovators have had significant impacts on modern life, ranging from conveniences such as the dishwasher and a portable vacuum cleaner to improvements in mass transportation and medicine,” says State Library of Ohio Librarian Beverly Cain. Here are four little-known contributions made by Ohioans.

Chewing gum People worldwide have chewed on various natural materials since the beginning of time, including thickened resin and latex from trees, grasses, leaves, grains, and waxes. According to Wrigley’s, the gum-like resin of spruce trees was sold commercially in the eastern U.S. in the early 1800s, until sweetened paraffin wax surpassed spruce gum in popularity around 1850. Chicle-based gum, derived from the sapodilla tree, was introduced to the U.S. in the 1860s, but the Central American trees couldn’t keep up with demand. To continue business, manufacturers turned to synthetic gum. Toledo resident Amos Tyler was the first to receive a patent for “improved chewing-gum” in July 1869 by combining white rosin and olive oil, according to Ohio History Central, an extensive online encyclopedia maintained by the Ohio History Connection. Months later, dentist William Semple of Mount Vernon patented his own chewing gum compound for jaw strengthening and gum stimulation in December 1869. According to the patent, the gum was produced by dissolving

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rubber in naphtha and alcohol, then mixing it with prepared chalk, licorice root, or “any other suitable material.” Though no evidence can prove Tyler or Semple ever mass-produced chewing gum for sale to the public, gum became and still remains popular, with the average American chewing the equivalent of 200 sticks per year.

Pull-top can Up until 1967, you couldn’t open a canned beverage without purchasing a separate opener known as a “church key.” But according to Ohio History Central, inventor Ermal Fraze was determined to find an easier method of opening drinks after he once had to use his car’s bumper to open beers for his guests at a picnic, soaking himself in the process. First, he designed a can with the opener — a lever — attached. The design, however, created a sharp opening that sometimes cut the drinkers. So Fraze developed another can known as the pull-top can, where users could access the drink by pulling a removable tab. Ohio History Central estimates that it was quickly adopted by more than 75 percent of beer brewers in the U.S. by 1965. Unfortunately, Fraze didn’t receive a patent until October 1967. There were also downsides — some users threw their tabs on the ground or injured themselves by placing the tab inside in the can and then swallowing it. To remedy these issues, Fraze patented the first push-in and fold-back tab in 1977, allowing the tab to remain attached to the can. By 1980, the design earned Fraze’s company — the Dayton Reliable Tool and Manufacturing Company — more than $500 million and is still the principle design used on canned beverages today.

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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) The versatile material in credit cards, pipes, bumper stickers, luggage, toys, and even automobile interiors was discovered in 1928. Two years earlier, inventor and chemist Waldo Semon was working in a B. F. Goodrich Company research lab in Akron, trying to find ways to keep rubber from aging and cracking, according to the New York Times. In his spare time, Semon researched the qualities of vinyl polymers, experimenting with adhesives for bonding rubber to metal. It never worked — but when he mixed polyvinyl chloride power in a solvent and heated it at high temperatures, he discovered a gelatinous material known as PVC. The new material was malleable, waterproof, and fire-resistant. It also wouldn’t conduct electricity and could be plasticized. Semon received a patent for the material in 1933, soon after it began appearing in shower curtains, umbrellas, and raincoats. Today, the New York Times estimates that vinyl is the second most widely used plastic in the world, with some 44 billion pounds earning producers $20 billion per year.

Single-cylinder automobile Though the automobile’s exact origin is difficult to pinpoint, many expert historians, including the Smithsonian Institute, credit John Lambert of Ohio City with inventing the first gasoline-driven, single-cylinder automobile, built in 1890. Curt Dalton’s book How Ohio Helped Invent the World explains the process: After investing $3,300 to buy a three-cylinder gasoline engine,

Lambert converted it into a one-cylinder engine with a radiator, 7-gallon water tank, and steam vent. His three-wheeled buggy could reach speeds of up to 5 miles per hour. By the time of his death, Lambert held more than 600 patents within the automotive industry.  SAMANTHA RHODES, a

freelance writer from Ney, is a member of North Western Electric Cooperative. To learn more about Ohio history, visit www.ohiohistorycentral.org. To read more about other inventions that came from Ohio inventors, go to www.ohioec.org.

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JUNE 2016 CALENDAR

NORTHWEST – “Fighting for Freedom: WWII in Fulton County,” Fulton Co. Museum, 229 Monroe St., Wauseon, Tues.–Sat. 12–5 p.m. Exhibit shows how everyday life was affected by the war. 419-337-7922 or www.fultoncountyoh.com.

THROUGH NOV. 23

– Black Swamp Historical Farm Implement Show, Auglaize Village, 12296 Krouse Rd., Defiance. Gas engines, tractors, and garden tractors are operated and displayed. Tinsmith at work, as well as wood crafter, candle maker, broom maker, and printer. www.auglaizevillage.com.

JUN. 4, 5

JUN. 9–11 – Cherry Festival, 10802

Waterville St., Whitehouse. Food, beer and wine garden, rides, parade, live music, and fireworks. Free admission. 419-321-6404 or www.awchamber.com/ cherry-fest.html. JUN. 10, 11 – Pork Rind Heritage

Festival, downtown Harrod, Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Games, entertainment, 5K run, and, of course, freshly popped pork rinds! 419-230-1946. – Tiffin Music and Art Festival, Hedges Boyer Park, 491 Coe St., Tiffin. 567-207-5041 or www.tiffinmusicandartfestival.com.

JUN. 10, 11

– 60th Annual Wassenberg June Art Show, 214 S. Washington St., Van Wert, 1–5 p.m. Juried art exhibit. Free. 877-989-2282 or www.ohio.org/events.

JUN. 11–JUL. 8

– Pyrate Fest, Put-in-Bay. Pirates invade the downtown harbor! Pirate parade for kids and adults on Sat., with costume contest. Displays, demonstrations, and re-enactors. Cardboard boat races Tues. 6 p.m. 419-285-2832 or www.putinbay.com. JUN. 17–21

– Antique Boat Reunion, Earl’s Island Pavilion, Lake Loramie State Park, Minster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. See displays of antique boats, motors, and fishing tackle. www.stateparks.com/ lake-loramie.html.

JUN. 18

– International Jazz Festival, “Take Me to the Rivers,” Wild Bill Davison and Milt Buckner, 3rd St. at the Stroede, Defiance. Gates open at 3:30 p.m., children’s events at 4 p.m., music begins at 5 p.m. Free admission. http://visitdefianceohio.com.

JUN. 18

JUN. 24 – Rib Fest 2016, N. Perry St.

Napoleon, 5:30–11 p.m. Taste the best ribs on the Maumee River. Ten to 12 different local vendors. $5. 419-592-1786. JUN. 24–26 , Maria Stein Country

Fest, 2291 St. Johns Rd., Maria Stein. Free entertainment, with performances by Team Rock extreme breaking national champion, plus Tractor Square Dancers. Games, rides, music, and food. 419-925-4532 or www.mscountryfest.com.

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PLEASE NOTE• Country Living strives for accuracy but strongly urges readers to confirm dates and times before traveling long distances to events. Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event by writing to Country Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or events@ohioec.org. Country Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address of where the event takes place or a number to call for more information. – Crosby Festival of the Arts, Toledo Botanical Garden, Toledo, Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $7 in advance; kids under 12, free. 419-536-5566 or www.toledogarden.org.

JUN. 25, 26

JUN. 30 – Muleskinner Band, Van Wert

Co. Fgds., 7 p.m. Part of Old Fashioned Farmers Days. 419-795-5404.

– Dennison Railroad Festival, Center St., downtown Dennison. 740-922-6776 or www.dennisonrailroadfestival.org.

JUN. 8–11

– Tri-State Pottery Festival, Fifth St. at Broadway, East Liverpool. Celebrate the rich heritage of the “Pottery Capital of the World.” 330385-5394.

JUN. 9-11

– Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Cain Park, 1823 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 8 p.m. $25–$65. www.cainpark.com. JUN. 10

NORTHEAST – Burgers and Beards Festival, Youngstown, Fri. 5 p.m. to Sat 5 p.m. Midwest Burger Championship Cook-Off offers 17 awards in 7 categories. Rust Belt Whisker Society hosts its annual beard and moustache competition. Live music, entertainment, burger-eating challenge, and a car show. 234-2289158.

JUN. 3, 4

– “What’s in Your Barn?”— Antique Motorcycle Show, 1899 Mahoning Avenue NW, Warren, 12–5 p.m. $8. Features 30 “Barn Find” motorcycles manufactured between 1939 and 1983. 330-394-1899.

JUN. 12

– Dean Martin Festival, S. 4th St., Steubenville, 7–11 p.m. Join other fans to celebrate Dino’s life and accomplishments. $15. 740-283-9164 or www.deanmartinsteubenville.com.

JUN. 16–18

– Rockin’ on the River, Black River Landing, 421 Black River Ln., Lorain, 5:30–11 p.m. Northeast Ohio’s longest-running and highestattended outdoor concert series. Jun. 17 features “The Purple Xperience,” a Prince tribute band. 330-730-7591 or www.rockinontheriver.com.

Coon Club Rd., Medina. Musicians, painters, flow arts, workshops, and kids’ activities. www.facebook.com/deadgrassfestival.

JUN. 4 – International Wine at the Mill,

JUN. 24, 25

Wolf Creek Grist Mill, Loudonville, noon– 11 p.m. Enjoy nearly 100 varieties of international and Ohio wines, domestic beers, live music, and great food. $10 adults over 21, $1 ages 10-20. www.wolfcreekmill.org.

JUN. 24–26

JUN. 3, 10, 17

JUN. 4 – Flea Market on Chardon

Square, 111 Water St., Chardon, 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. 100 vendors. Includes vintage and collectible items. 440-286-1912.

JUN. 16–19 – Dead Grass Festival, 8120

– Ohio Scottish Games, Lorain Co. Fairgrounds, Wellington. www.ohioscottishgames.com. – Cy Young Days Festival, 102 S. Bridge St., Newcomerstown. Grand Parade marshal is Dave Drabek of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 740-498-4545 or www.cyyoungdaysfestival.com. – Lorain International Festival and Bazaar, Black River Landing, Black River Ln., Lorain, 5–11 p.m. Ethnic foods, craft vendors from around the world, and nonstop entertainment. $2 daily. 440-288-2592 or www.loraininternational.com.

JUN. 24–26

– Ohio Valley Frontier Days, Fort Steuben, 120 S. Third St., Steubenville, Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Re-enactors, demonstrators, musicians, storytellers, artists, and crafters make early American frontier life come alive for visitors. 740283-1787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com.

CENTRAL

– Columbia Antique Gas Engine Show and Flea Market, 25540 Royalton Rd. (St. Rte. 82), Columbia Station, Sat. 8 a.m–5 p.m., Sun 8 a.m.–3 p.m. 440-236-9053 or www.columbiastation.com/ engineshow.html.

– “Celebrating Victoria, the First Woman to Run for President,” Victoria Woodhull exhibit, Robbins Hunter Museum, 221 E. Broadway, Granville, Wed.–Sat. 1–4 p.m. 740-587-0430 or www.robbinshunter.org.

JUN. 4, 5

• JUNE 2016

THROUGH OCT.

– Commercial Point Homecoming, Community Ctr. grounds, Commercial Point, Wed.-Fri. 4-11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.. Rides, food, beer garden, games, parade, fireworks, car show, entertainment. 614-875-5929.

JUN. 1-4

– “Professor of Falsehoods,” OSU Marion, Guthery Room, 7 p.m. Presentation on William Chancellor’s bid to derail the Harding presidency. $10, members $5. 800-600-6894 or www.hardinghome.org. JUN. 2

– Echoes in Time Theatre: She Wants to Vote?, Ohio History Center, 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus. Listen to an Ohio suffragist recall the struggle of getting women the right to vote. Performances at 1 and 3 p.m. $10. 614-297-2300, 800686-6124, or www.ohiohistory.org.

JUN. 4, 11, 18, 25

JUN. 9–11 – Hot Air Balloon Festival, Coshocton Co. Fgds., Coshocton, Thur. 4–9 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Sat. 6 a.m.–9:30 p.m. fireworks. 740-6224877, 800-338-4724, or www.visitcoshocton.com/hot-air-balloon-festival. – Columbus Arts Festival, downtown riverfront, Columbus, Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Features nation’s top artists and craftspeople, live music, theater, dance, hands-on art activities, and gourmet food. 614-224-2606 or http://columbusartsfestival.org.

JUN. 10–12

– Poultry Days, 459 S. Center St., Versailles. Enjoy the worldfamous BBQ chicken dinners and many fun events. www.versaillespoultrydays.com.

JUN. 10–12

– CAPA Summer Movie Series, Ohio Theatre, 55 E. State St., Columbus, Wed.–Sun. 7:30 p.m., Sun. matinee 2 p.m. America’s longest-running classic film series. 614469-0939 or www.capa.com.

JUN. 10–AUG. 7

– Washboard Music Festival, Main St., Worthington Park, Logan, noon–10 p.m. every day. Ohio’s most unique music and arts festival. Also features children’s park with rides. Free. 740-380-2752 or www.washboardmusicfestival.com.

JUN. 16–18

– Ashley Wesleyan Church Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Show, 305 E. High St., Ashley, 6-9 p.m. Bean dinner, trophies, door prizes. 740-8157238 or www.ashleywesleyan.org.

JUN 17

– Coshocton Dulcimer Days Festival, Roscoe Village, 600 N. Whitewoman St., Coshocton. Hear Appalachian and traditional music played on mountain dulcimers, hammered dulcimers, bowed psalteries, fiddles, guitars, banjos, and other instruments. Free admission; workshop fee $15. 740-545-6265 or www.coshoctondulcimerdays.com.

JUN. 17–19

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JUNE 2016 CALENDAR

JUN. 18 – Car Show for MS, F.O.E., 29

Fir St., New London, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Best-dressed ’50s and ’60s costume contest 50/50 drawings, chicken BBQ, games, entertainment. 419-929-5040. – Earth Angel Foundation Super Cruise-In, Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Show, Fairfield Co. Fgds., Lancaster, daytime car show 9 a.m.-5 p.m, evening concert at 7 p.m. 866611-2645.

JUN. 18

JUN. 18, 19 – Strawberry Festival Craft

Bazaar, Jefferson Depot Village, 147 E. Jefferson St., Jefferson, Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 12-5 p.m. 614-507-5246 or www.jeffersondepotvillage.org. – Night Haunt at Malabar Farm, Malabar Farm State Park, Lucas. Meet at the Visitor Ctr. Dare to explore the “normal to the paranormal” while exploring murders, cemeteries, and haunted houses. Not for children under 17. $30. 419-892-2784 or www.malabarfarm.org.

JUN. 25

– Dublin Kiwanis Frog Jump, Coffman Park, 5600 Post Rd., Dublin, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 800-245-8387.

JUN. 25

– Back to Our Roots Antique Show, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $6. 419-6515317.

JUN. 25

SOUTHEAST – Nelsonville Music Festival, Hocking College campus, 3301 Hocking Pkwy., Nelsonville. Live music on multiple stages, kids’ activities, local art vendors, food, and a beer garden. Day pass, $50; weekend pass, $70, $140, $350. 740-753-1924 or www.nelsonvillefest.org.

JUN. 2–5

– Gold Wings and Ribs Festival, Main St., Pomeroy. Home of “Ohio's Best Ribs” and “Ohio's Best Wings.” Motorcycles, entertainment, and BBQ. 877-MEIGS-CO or http://goldwingsandribs.com.

JUN. 3, 4

– Guernsey Co. Farmers’ Market, Main St., Cambridge, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

JUN. 3, 10, 17

– Mound Cemetery Tour: Marietta Politicians, Fifth and Scammel Sts., Marietta, 10 a.m. $5. Learn about some of Marietta’s most noted politicians as you tour the historic cemetery. 740-373-5178 or www.mariettaohio.org.

JUN. 4

– Tecumseh!, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, Mon.– Sat. 8 p.m. $24.95. Witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader. Backstage tours offered at 4 and 5 p.m., buffet 4:30–7:30 p.m. (additional cost). 740-775-0700, 866-7750700, or www.tecumsehdrama.com.

JUN. 10–SEPT. 3

– Tecumseh “Living History” Tour, Chillicothe, 3 p.m. $5. The one-hour tour takes you back to late 18th-century Ohio to learn more about the lives of the frontier settlers and Shawnee who shaped our history. Devised, written, and directed by cast members of Tecumseh! 866-775-0700 or www.tecumsehdrama.com

JUN. 11, 18, 25

– Marietta Merchants and Artists Walk, 100 Front St., Marietta. Stroll through historic downtown Marietta and Harmar Village to visit more than 35 retail shops featuring local and regional artists. Refreshments, live music. 800-288-2577 or www.mariettaohio.org.

JUN. 12

JUN. 17, 18, 24–26 – Harvey, Players Theatre, 299 Putnam St., Marietta, Fri., and Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. 740-3749434 or www.midohiovalleyplayers.org. JUN. 18 – National Road Bike Show

and Ribfest, downtown Cambridge, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. One of the fastest-growing motorcycle shows in the region. Bike judging, contests, and live music. Beer and barbecue all day. 740-439-2238. – Nathan Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheatre, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe. Tickets starting at $17.50. 740-775-4100 or www.visitchillicothe.com. JUN. 19

JUN. 24, 25 – National Cambridge Glass Collectors Show and Sale, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn Hwy., Cambridge, Fri. 1–5 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m. $4. www.cambridgeglass.org/glassshow.php. JUN. 24, 25 – Kicking Bear One-on-

One, Deerassic Park Education Ctr., 14250 Cadiz Rd., Cambridge, Fri. 4 p.m.–Sat. 2 p.m. Archery shoot and campout for ages 5 to 15. 740-435-3335 or www.deerassic.com.

SOUTHWEST JUN. 3–5 – Antique Tractor and Machinery Show, Pike Co. Fair Grounds, Piketon. Tractor and machinery displays, craft booths, demonstrations, live entertainment, raffles, daily parades, and kids’ games. 740-2894124.

– Bradford Railroad Museum Festival, 200 N. Miami Ave., Bradford, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5. Celebration of 130 years of railroad history. For all age groups and rail fans. 937-552-2196 or www.ohio.org/events/bradford-railroad-heritage-festival. JUN. 4

– Troy Strawberry Festival, downtown Troy, Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–6 p.m. More than 70 food booths, all showcasing strawberry dishes and products. Arts and crafts, games for all ages. 937-339-7714 or http://gostrawberries.com.

JUN. 4, 5

– Banana Split Festival, 1326 Fife Ave., Wilmington, Fri. 4–10 p.m., Sat. 12–10 p.m. Free. Celebrate the fabulous ’50s and ’60s at the nation’s only banana split festival. Enjoy free concerts, crafts and collectibles, games, rides, unique food, and, of course, banana splits! Classic car cruise-in Fri. night, car show Sat. 877428-4748 or www.bananasplitfestival.com. JUN. 10, 11

– Old Fashioned Strawberry Festival, downtown Shandon, St. Rte. 126, 4 mi. east of Ross. Enjoy fresh food and produce, including strawberry shortcake and ice cream. Local vendors and artists, antique tractor show, plus live Welsh harp music and organ music. Free. 513-738-4180 or 513-738-0491.

JUN. 11

– Fayette Co. Toast to Summer and Hot Air Balloon Glow, Fayette Co. Airport, 2770 St. Rte. 38, Washington Court House, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Wine tasting and art event with local food, live music, beer garden, ending with a hot air balloon glow. $5 parking. 740-335-0761 or http://fayettecountyohio.com.

JUN. 25

– Keeping the Tradition Pow Wow, 2301 W. River Rd., Dayton, Sat. 12–8:30 p.m., Sun. 12–5 p.m. American Indian men’s and women’s dances, plus traditional arts, crafts, and food. $8; Srs./C. 6-16, $6; under 5, free. Weekend passes available. 937268-8199 or www.sunwatch.org.

JUN. 25, 26

– Historic Home and Garden Tour, Urbana, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit the homes and gardens, a historic church, community gardens, and the Johnny Appleseed Museum. Purchase tickets at welcome tent behind 205 S. Main St., Urbana. $15. 937-408-4195

JUN. 25, 26

WEST VIRGINIA – Taste of Parkersburg, Market and 3rd Sts., Parkersburg, 5–11 p.m. $20. Savor food, wine, and beer from local restaurants. 304-865-0522 or www.downtownpkb.com.

JUN. 11, 12

– Hueston Woods Arts and Crafts Fair, Hueston Woods State Park, Pioneer Farm Museum, 6929 Brown Rd., Oxford, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $4. 513-523-8687.

JUN. 4

– Jungle Jim’s International Beer Fest, Oscar Event Ctr., 5440 Dixie Hwy., Fairfield, 7– 10:30 p.m. 513-674-6000 or www.junglejims.com/beerfest.

JUN. 10–12

JUN. 17, 18

– Bonnybrook Farms Country Fair, 3779 St. Rte. 132, Clarksville, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Fun for the entire family! Bike races, fishing derby, pony rides, live country music, and more. Enjoy BBQ, farm-fresh sides, and ice cream. $10, C. 5–12 $5, under 5 free.

JUN. 18

– Vectren Dayton Air Show, 3800 Wright Dr., Vandalia. Features the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S Air Force ACC F-22 Raptor Demo Team, plus other amazing performers and displays. 937-898-5901 or www.facebook.com/VectrenDaytonAirShow.

JUN. 18, 19

JUN. 18–25 – Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. This biking-camping tour starts at Hamilton and goes through Oxford, Eaton, Brookville, and Miamisburg, about 50 miles per day. 614-273-0811 or www.goba.com.

– Fostoria Glass Convention, 901 8th St., Moundsville, WV. Elegant glass show and sale featuring Fostoria’s hand-painted lamps and glass oil lamps. $5. 304-843-4128 or www.fostoriaglass.org.

– West Virginia State Folk Festival, 6 N. Court St., Glenville, WV. Old-time music, traditional square dancing, and Appalachian arts and crafts. Workshops in music, dance, and crafts, and demonstrations of crafts. 304-462-9644 or www.wvstatefolkfestival.com.

JUN. 16–19

JUN. 30, JUL. 1, 2 –Sternwheel Regatta, Point Pleasant, WV. www.pointpleasantregatta.org.

Ohio Quiz

(Answers from page 39) U

JUN. 20 – Antique and Artisan Show,

20 E. Main St., Tipp City, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Artisans from all over the Midwest. Demonstrations, local food, entertainment, and a farmers’ market. 937-667-0883 or www.downtowntippcity.org/events.html.

1. Geauga Park District 2. Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks 3. Mill Creek MetroParks 4. Five Rivers MetroParks 5. Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District 6. Great Parks of Hamilton County 7. Metroparks of the Toledo Area 8. Farmpark 9. Stark Parks 10. Summit Metro Parks 11. Darke County Park District 12. Ashtabula County Metroparks

JUNE 2016

• COUNTRY LIVING

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OHIO MARKETPLACE

COUNTRY LIVING

• JUNE 2016

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OHIO MARKETPLACE

OHIO QUIZ Parks par excellence Since spring is in full swing, this month’s quiz features Ohio’s park districts. We’ll provide the clues about some of the state’s best and biggest green spaces, and naturally, you’ll provide the answers. For example, if the clue is “Nicknamed the ‘Emerald Necklace,’ this northern Ohio nature network includes eight lakefront parks,” the answer would be “Cleveland Metroparks.”

CLUES 1. See the stars and pursue the planets at this park district’s planetarium. 2. It’s a vast, 27,000-acre park system that extends into seven counties. 3. Historic Lanterman’s Mill is one of its landmarks. 4. These Dayton-area waterways — the Great Miami River, Mad River, Stillwater River, Wolf Creek, and Twin Creek — inspired its name. 5. Covering Allen County, it’s named for a legendary nurseryman. 6. This Cincinnati-area park district includes scenic preserves and parks along the Ohio River.

7. Fallen Timbers Battlefield is part of this group of parks. 8. Cows and chickens and piglets — oh my! This family-friendly agricultural center is one of the Lake Metroparks. 9. This set of Canton-area parks includes Magnolia Flouring Mills, an 1834 edifice on the National Register of Historic Places. 10. One of this park system’s early commissioners was Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company founder Frank A. Seiberling. 11. Shawnee Prairie Preserve not only includes wetlands, restored prairies, and a swamp forest but also is the largest park in this countywide network. 12. One of its high points is the picturesque Harpersfield Covered Bridge. ANSWERS ON PAGE 37

JUNE 2016

• COUNTRY LIVING

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MEMBER INTERACTIVE

When I grow up I like riding my pony named Stormy, and when I grow up, I want to be just like my Paw Paw Don Stover. He goes to sorting events and chases cattle with his horse. It’s a timed event where cattle have numbers on their backs, and we have to put as many cows across the line as we can before time runs out. Paw Paw and I rode in the Pee Pee class. It was so much fun. Sometimes, we practice at home with the cows. I love being on the farm with my Paw Paw. Court Stover (age 3-1/2, son of Pam Stover), Marengo Consolidated EC When I grow up, I would like to be a cowboy with a ranch. My horse would be called Star. And my ranch would be called the Double B Ranch. I’d like to fight Indians. I’d go shoot buffalo to eat. And someday I’ll be a deputy sheriff. Alan Mast (age 9), Fredericksburg Holmes-Wayne EC I can’t wait until I’m older because I can be a teacher. I would be a good one. And I also want to work at Paulding Putnam Electric and work at home and make supper. And also work at a school that has special kids or older people. Those are the places I want to work when I grow up. Amber Stoller (2nd grade, daughter of Kendra), Paulding Paulding Putnam EC I’m a kid now, but when I grow up, here’s my dream of what I want to do. I want to have a normal-sized house on the small side and a Christian wife. I want to live in a nice, quiet neighborhood. I would like to make a living designing and building cars. I would like to have two kids, too. And that will be my dream life. Gavin Moon (age 9, son of Garry and Julia), Canal Winchester, South Central Power As far back as I can remember, I was impressed with the compassion and generosity of my father. He was a pharmacist and ran the local pharmacy. Back then, everyone went to the pharmacist with health questions. Whether it was a common cold or a terminal illness, he was willing to share his medical knowledge in basic terms to ease the stress an illness produces. His compassion was genuine and appreciated. It is because of him I chose my career. I obtained my RN license. After years working in nursing, I returned to school and graduated with a law degree. Combining my nursing and legal knowledge was a way to help others through the confusion and stress of the medical and health insurance fields. I wanted to be like my father when I grew up. I hope I have made him proud. Michele Strelec, Amsterdam Carroll Electric 40

COUNTRY LIVING

• JUNE 2016

See our guidelines and deadlines for future months’ submissions on page 11.

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