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PRICE GOOD THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2020
VISIT ANY OF OUR KANSAS LOCATIONS OR GO ONLINE sutherlands.com DODGE CITY
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DECEMBER F E AT U R E S
D E PA RT M E N T S
12 | Dreaming of a WaKeeney Christmas
4 | 6 | 8 |
WaKeeney claims the title of Christmas City of the High Plains, considered one of the largest Christmas displays between Kansas City and Denver.
19 | Reader Contest
10 | 16 |
Enter to win a From the Land of Kansas Konza Gift Box by correctly answering 12 questions that correspond to each of the 2020 Kansas Country Living issues.
20 | The Spirit of ‘Coop’eration
Nearly 100 lineworkers from 13 Kansas electric co-ops helped restore power in Oklahoma after an ice storm devastated a large portion of the state.
22 | Education Comes in Many Forms
E D I TO R’S L E T T E R
Let it shine
A RO U N D K A N S A S
Look forward to family fun CO M M E N TA RY
Co-ops true to their mission E N E RGY W I S E
3 steps to an efficient attic T H E P R E S I D E N T ’S P E N
The Christmas Eve calf
Childhood poem foretells the year 2020.
16A | 17 |
YO U R LO C A L CO - O P N E W S
What’s new in your neighborhood C RO S S W O R D P U Z Z L E
The classics
Remember these classic toys and games?
18 |
YO U R P L AC E I N T H E G A R D E N
Gifts from the garden
Herbal gifts bring therapeutic benefits.
Poultry-raising adventures create opportunities to meet other like-minded kids through 4-H and explore passions with poultry at local and state levels.
N I C KO L E BY E R S , W E ST E R N K A N S A S W O R L D
“LIKE” Kansas Country Living on Facebook.
20
24 |
CO O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E
Nutty holidays
Try this sweet and savory rosemary nut mix.
26 | 28 | 29 |
M A R K E T P L AC E
Barns, chicks, gift subscriptions SAFETY
Plug in to practical, safe presents M O N T H LY R E C I P E S
Holiday dishes
Feast on these festive foods.
ON THE COVER
12
WaKeeney’s Christmas City of the High Plains is considered one of the largest displays between Denver and Kansas City. P H OTO BY T R AV E L K S .CO M
DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
3
E D I TO R’S L E T T E R
Let that Tree Shine Brightly into the New Year
(ISSN 0091-9586) DECEMBER 2020 VOL. 70, NO. 12 ©KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC. 2020 WWW.KEC.COOP
Lee Tafanelli
Chief Executive Officer
Vicki Estes
Director of Communications, Editor
Carrie Kimberlin
Manager of Creative Solutions
Shaylee Arpin
I’ve have deep significance as family and somewhat dreaded dragfriends will not be gathered ‘round as ging out all the Christmas in past years. décor, knowing I’ll simply The evergreen tree is the symbol be putting it away in a few of life in the midst of dormancy. It short weeks. When life is endures winter’s wrath of ice and its hectic and I’m running from tough-skinned needles nourish the place to place, decorating tree yearlong. Its Christmas lights will for a temporary time frame herald the way to what we all hope and seems like a waste of effort pray will be a better year. that could be spent socializing in a Blessings and good health! KCL normal year. This year, however, my husband and I are more than ready to add bling to the blahs of this socially distanced VICKI ESTES, EDITOR pandemic year. The outside LETTERS Christmas lights Hello, Kansas Country Living. My were hung three wife and I visited the World’s Largest weeks before Hand Dug Well many years ago but Thanksgiving, a hadn’t returned to Greensburg since. record for us as I loathe encounAfter reading about the Smithsonian tering anything “Meet at the Crossroads” exhibit in Christmas before KCL (Sept. 2020), my wife and I took Thanksgivour kids on a field trip to see how ing. The tree the town rebuilt after the devastating must still wait 2007 tornado. The new Big Well museum is terrific and the to shine until 5.4.7. Arts Center, which housed the exhibit, is impressive. Thank we are serving you for printing the article, and for serving as a resource for leftover turkey sandwiches with educational and entertainment options in our state. cranberry sauce, Sincerely, but this year its GREG KALKWARF, SEDGWICK COUNTY ELECTRIC CO-OP MEMBER presence will OVER THE YEARS
Multimedia Communications Specialist
Brianna Magee
Communications Intern Officers Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.
Terry Hobbs
President
Teresa Miller Vice President
Kirk Thompson
Secretary/Treasurer
You receive Kansas C ountry Living as a service of the following electric co-ops as a cost-effective way to share important information about services, energy savings, electric safety, director elections, meetings and management decisions. It also contains legal notices that otherwise would be published in other media at greater cost: 4 Rivers, Lebo Alfalfa, Cherokee, OK Bluestem, Wamego Brown-Atchison, Horton Butler, El Dorado CMS, Meade Caney Valley, Cedar Vale Doniphan, Troy DSO, Solomon Flint Hills, Council Grove FreeState, McLouth & Topeka Lane-Scott, Dighton Ninnescah, Pratt Pioneer, Ulysses Prairie Land, Norton Rolling Hills, Beloit Sedgwick County, Cheney Sumner-Cowley, Wellington TCEC, Hooker, OK Twin Valley, Altamont Victory, Dodge City Western, WaKeeney Wheatland, Scott City Your co-op’s board of directors authorizes a subscription to Kansas Country Living on behalf of the membership at a cost of $5.58 per year. Individual non-member subscriptions are $10 per year (tax included).
Co-op Members: Please report address changes to your local electric co-op. Postmaster: Send returns to Kansas Country Living, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267. Kansas Country Living is published monthly by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604. Periodicals postage paid at Topeka, KS, and additional entry offices. Editorial offices: P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267; 785-478-4554. Advertising: Kansas Country Living is a member of American MainStreet Publications (www.amp.coop), collectively reaching an audited circulation of 9,378,177 monthly. Advertisers call 512-441-5200. Acceptance of advertising by Kansas Country Living does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Kansas’ electric cooperatives.
4
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THROUGH DEC. 30 Isle of Lights, Winfield.
and Memorial, 816-888-8122, theworldwar.org.
THROUGH DEC. 31 Chautauqua Isle of Lights, Beloit. O n Highway 14 at the south edge of town.
DEC. 1 Hometown Rewards,
Island Park, 200 Main St.
THROUGH MARCH 7 “100 Years of
Collecting” Exhibit, Kansas City, Missouri. E xamine incredibly diverse objects and documents showcasing how the WWI Museum and Memorial came to posses the most comprehensive WWI collection in the world. N ational WWI Museum and Memorial, 816-888-8122, theworldwar.org. THROUGH APRIL 11 “Silk and Steel:
French Fashion, Women and WWI” Exhibition, Kansas City, Missouri. Exhibition includes original outfits from French designers inspired by military uniforms and post-war emancipation. National WWI Museum
6
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
Great Bend. E arn rewards by shopping local downtown stores in town.
Check prior to the scheduled date of an event for changes due to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) concerns. Hollow immediately following. 124 E. Main St., 620-725-3191.
DEC. 1-31 Christmas Show, Ellsworth. E njoy the nativities and Christmas trees on display. Open Monday-Friday, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Ellsworth Area Art Center, 223 N. Douglas.
DEC. 12-18 John Wilson Pottery Exhibit, Fredonia. Stonehouse Gallery, Gyla 620-3782052, stonehouse2052@gmail.com.
DEC. 5-6 CANCELED: Children’s
DEC. 13 Sounds of Christmas, Fredonia.
Annual Small Mall, Leavenworth. C.W. Parker Museum, 320 S. Esplanade, cwparkercarouselmuseum.org. DEC. 12 Christmas Parade and Vendor
Show, Sedan. E njoy a fun family event at the from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. followed by a Parade of Lights at 6:30 p.m. Meet Santa at The
DECEMBER 2020
B roadcast via Facebook on Fredonia First United Methodist Church and Fredonia Arts Council. Submit your video to pastoralice@centurylink. net or stonehouse2052@gmail.com by Dec. 6. Gyla 620-378-2052, stonehouse2052@ gmail.com. DEC. 17 Community Christmas Pageant, Fredonia. 7 :30 p.m. Bateman Gym. KCL
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C O M M E N TA RY
A Year Defined by How We Supported One Another ALTHOUGH THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED END OF 2020
Lee Tafanelli
CoBank’s Sharing Success program has partnered with Kansas electric cooperatives throughout the year to fund other communitybased organizations across the state.
8
will not change the impacts of the pandemic we’ve been living with since March, a fresh start in 2021 sounds pretty good right now. Through it all, through the past 10 months or so of social distancing, mask-wearing, obsessive hand-washing and extreme upheaval in our daily lives, our rural communities and the electric cooperatives that serve them met the challenges presented by COVID-19 in extraordinary ways. One needs to look no further than Kansas electric cooperatives to discover the unique ability of Kansans to turn lemons into lemonade, lemon bars, or a traditional lemon pie topped with mile-high meringue. In this final column of 2020, I’m sharing a small sampling of the co-ops’ commitment to community — one of the seven cooperative principles — I’ve witnessed in my first year working with the electric cooperatives, as I believe it helps to put 2020 into perspective. In May, Sumner-Cowley Electric Cooperative announced the creation of a COVID-19 relief fund designed to provide energy assistance to their members who have felt the financial impact of the pandemic. This program was created with funds that went unused due to the pandemic. Money allocated for in-person director training, youth leadership programs in Colorado and Washington, D.C., and other canceled events the co-op sponsors was repurposed to help consumer-members whose finances have been strained during this pandemic. Thanks to the Boot Hill Distillery in Dodge City, several Kansas electric co-ops were able to help distribute bottles of hand cleanser — which, if you recall, flew off the grocery shelves the first weeks of the pandemic — to first responders, hospitals and senior living facilities. Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Prairie Land Electric Cooperative, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Victory Electric Cooperative, Western Cooperative Electric and Wheatland Electric Cooperative all joined in the effort to keep Kansans healthy. For employees at Butler Electric Cooperative, commitment to community meant making sure children in their service territory had access to
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
DECEMBER 2020
BY L E E TA FA N E L L I
nutritious food. At their June 25 staff meeting, they donned white hairnets and grabbed bright yellow funnels to assemble more than 6,000 meals to donate to the local Kids Need 2 Eat program. This program assists communities in overcoming barriers some children have in accessing nutritious food. The food items were funded through Butler Electric’s Operation Round Up program and the CoBank Sharing Success program. CoBank’s Sharing Success program has partnered with Kansas electric co-ops throughout the year to fund other community-based organizations across the state. In response to the challenges faced by our communities due to COVID-19, CoBank expanded Sharing Success, increasing matching funds from $4 million to $5 million, increasing the maximum match per customer to $10,000 and increasing the number of applications each customer could submit to four. CoBank’s electric cooperative customers responded enthusiastically. From Caney Valley Electric Cooperative’s support of the Kansas 4-H Foundation and the Friends of Chautauqua County Animal Shelter, to the Washington County Food Bank supported by Bluestem Electric Cooperative, the Sharing Success Program along with the sponsoring electric co-ops has supported more than 30 Kansas organizations with $80,100 in needed funding this year. These are just a few examples of the good work our electric co-ops and employees do in your communities. In the coming months, Kansas Country Living will bring you stories of our co-ops partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program to ensure vital access to healthcare and to fund repairs to a school building that is at the core of a community’s social and economic well-being. I believe silver linings are pieced together from tragedy, the reward for your courage during difficult times. May we all continue taking care of one another while discovering the silver linings hidden in the challenges ahead. KCL LEE TAFANELLI is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Electric
Cooperatives, Inc. in Topeka.
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E N E R GY W I S E
Three Steps to an Efficient Attic
BY PAT K E E G A N A N D B R A D T H I E S S E N
convinced we could reduce our high heating bills if we add more insulation to our attic. How do I make sure everything’s done right? – Kelly D E AR KE LLY: It’s great that you’re focused on your attic, as this is often the area you can get the most bang for your buck on energy efficiency investments. Insulation is actually just one part of the energy-efficient attic puzzle. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare to make your attic more efficient.
Step 1: Sealing
MARK NICHOLS
D E AR PAT AN D B R AD : I’m
Insulation baffles allow air to move from the soffit vents to flow freely into the attic space.
Attics are often the place where warm air leaks out of the home in winter or into the home during summer. Trouble spots include anything that comes through the attic floor, such as recessed lights, the chimney, the attic hatch and pipes, and ducts or wires coming through the attic floor. It’s best to properly seal these trouble spots before adding or improving the insulation. Invest a small amount of money in the necessary supplies, like caulk, expanding foam or weather stripping, to seal any air leaks in your attic.
Step 2: Ventilation
Many attics are under-ventilated, which allows moisture and heat to build up. Moisture causes harmful mold and wood rot. During the summer, a poorly ventilated attic is prone to overheating, which can bake shingles and shorten their life. During the winter, a warm attic can melt snow on the roof, causing it to run into your gutters and then freeze, causing ice dams. Proper attic ventilation lets air flow from a low point to a high point. This is usually done by installing soffit vents and insulation baffles around the perimeter, plus vents near the peak of the roof. If there is no way to install enough attic ventilators, an attic fan can be installed to provide mechanical assistance to exhaust overheated air.
U . S . D E PA R T M E N T O F E N E R G Y
Step 3: Insulation
The skylight shaft inside the attic needs to be properly sealed before it is insulated.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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The three main types of insulation for attics are loose-fill, batt and rigid. Whichever type you have, it needs to provide a high-enough level of insulation for your region, measured in R-value. Batt and rigid insulation will often have the R-value printed on them. Loose-fill, which is blown in, is the most common for attic floors, and its R-value is approximately its depth in inches multiplied by 2.8. Generally speaking, your attic should have 14 to 24 inches of loose-fill insulation if you live in a northern state and 11 to 14 inches if you’re in a southern state. You can find the recommended level for your region at www.energy.gov.
Left: Knowing the type of insulation and the depth will tell you the R-value.
ARMCHAIRBUILDER .COM
AMY ALETHEIA CAHILL
Far left: The snow on this roof hasn’t melted, which can be an indication that the attic is well insulated.
If you have loose-fill insulation that is less dad’s legs dangling from the ceiling, with broken than the recommended amount, you should be sheetrock and insulation everywhere. What a able to simply add more on top of it, as long as mess! First and foremost, always remember safety there aren’t any moisture, rodent, ant or termite when tackling projects at home. problems. If your existing loose-fill insulation We hope these tips will help you take the next was installed before 1990, it could be Vermicusteps to a more energy-efficient attic. KCL lite, which may be contaminated with Asbestos. Asbestos can cause cancer when particles are This column was co-written by PAT KEEGAN and BRAD THIESSEN of Collaborative Efficiency. For more released into the air, so it’s a good idea to have information on surprise energy hogs, please visit: the insulation tested. If it’s contaminated, have it www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips. removed by a professional before beginning work. Remember to seal and insulate any walls in the attic that border conditioned space, such as skylight openings. Some of these steps can be challenging, so consider hiring a professional contractor. If you’re a DIY pro and decide to do some of the work on your own, be aware of potential hazards. Disturbing old wiring can cause shorts in your electrical system, and roofing nails will often pierce the attic ceiling. Another danger is stepping off the rafters. Years ago, I (Pat) decided to do • Commercial Compare The Rest, Then Buy The Best some work in my own attic • Heavy Equipment on a hot afternoon. The • Custom Design heat must have gotten to me because I slipped and crashed through the attic floor. My daughters were quite surprised to see their LucasMetalWorks.com 396281 West 3000 Rd. Ochelata, OK 74051 USA
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
11
Dreaming of a
WaKeeney
70 years as the Christmas City of the High Plains
Cathy Albert took a phone call earlier this year from a saleswoman wanting to supply the director of travel and tourism for WaKeeney, Kansas, with new Christmas decorations. Albert politely told the caller she didn’t need any, but the salesperson pressed on, asking when she last purchased ornaments for the town’s outdoor seasonal décor. “The ones that we’re using were made in 1950,” Albert told her. With that, the salesperson instantly realized she couldn’t offer 2020-built replacements for handcrafted ornaments that are part of this western Kansas town’s history. Holding on to tradition while modernizing where necessary is what sets WaKeeney apart at the holidays, Albert says. No other town claims the title of Christmas City of the High Plains, a declaration that started in 1950 when local
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Christmas N I C K O L E B Y E R S . W E S T E R N K A N S A S W O R L D N E W S PA P E R
BY M E L I N D A S C H N Y D E R
businesses joined together to turn downtown into a holiday showplace, considered one of the largest Christmas displays between Kansas City and Denver. The Christmas City of the High Plains concept turns 70 this year. As always, it kicks off the day after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28 this year, with a day full of activities and then the tree, lights, decorations and the North Pole pocket park stay on display through New Year’s Day. Art Keraus spent most of the last two years of the 1940s working on what was then a project to drum up business in downtown WaKeeney. A new permanent interpretive display was installed downtown this year to share the history of Christmas City of the High Plains, and here’s what visitors will read:
T R AV E L K S .CO M
How You Become a Christmas City
The Christmas City of the High Plains concept turns 70 this year and kicks off the day after Thanksgiving. DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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C I T Y O F WA K E E N E Y
T R AV E L K S .CO M
North Pole Park offers a great photo op any time of year. There’s an oversized mailbox where you can leave a letter for Santa, cutouts to pose behind, a Christmas mural and an all-new, wood-frame Santa house sitting behind a candy cane fence.
The idea was born in 1948 by two local businessmen. Art Keraus, the owner of Keraus Hardware, was “a man who could build anything.” His fellow businessman, J.H. “Jake” Heckman, was the local banker and a talented artist. Together these two men masterminded the holiday display, which was designed and built in the basement of Keraus Hardware. The two men spent hours in the basement of the hardware store making sure that the decorations were just right. Many local businessmen and the entire community helped build and erect the holiday decorations. The display was first lit in 1950, and more decorations were added each year until 1956, when they announced that the project “had reached its peak.” They felt that the display was “nearing perfection.” The centerpiece was their 40-foot tree framework designed to have fresh pine greenery added each
N I C KO L E BY E R S . W E ST E R N K A N S A S W O R L D
Western Cooperative Electric helps hang the WaKeeney decorations.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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year to create a massive custom community tree. Besides being shortened to 35 feet after a driver collided with it one year, the tree remains the same. Fresh greenery arrived from Michigan this year and city staff assembled it on the framework. Each year, in the days leading up to the lighting ceremony, city employees get help from crews and bucket trucks supplied by Western Cooperative Electric and other area utility companies. Ron Aschenbrenner, Western’s line superintendent, sends one bucket truck with a four-man crew to help with the tree and another truck with two linemen to help hang lights. The tree sits in the middle of the main intersection of downtown beneath a canopy of blue string lights. The tree is covered with 2,000 lights and topped with four 5-foot ivory stars. A four-square block area around the tree is draped with garland and lights, and those handcrafted decorations from the 1950s hang from the garland spanning the streets. A wreath in the middle, bells on each side and stars on the poles. They are repainted and carefully repaired to keep them in working order. WaKeeney added to the display in the 1990s, outlining all downtown buildings in white lights. Those perimeter lights had to be replaced after a destructive 2017 hailstorm, so they raised funds from the community and started installing modern LED color-changing lights in 2018. The lights on the historic courthouse were finished this fall, making 2020 the first time since the storm that all perimeter lights are restored.
‘Too Lit to Quit’
This year’s theme — “Too Lit To Quit” — is a nod to the light display’s longevity and was chosen before COVID-19 emerged. The sentiment seems even more appropriate as events and festivities have had to be reevaluated to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Activities like caroling and seeing Santa on the day of the lighting ceremony were being evaluated right up to Nov. 28, but the good news is there’s more than a month to enjoy the tree, lights and other holiday features on your own time and when you’re able to stay distanced from other groups. North Pole Park, a pocket park in a once-vacant lot just south of the tree, offers a great photo op any time of year. There’s an oversized mailbox where you can leave a letter for Santa, cutouts to pose behind, a Christmas mural painted on a brick wall and an all-new, wood-frame Santa house sitting behind a candy cane fence. “Also new this year, we installed a 12-footby-12-foot photograph of the tree that won our photo contest in 2018,” Albert says. “It’s really hard to describe to people who have not been here in December what to expect, so this photo will show what it looks like to people who come through WaKeeney when it’s the middle of summer and 100 degrees outside.” Across from the North Pole, visitors can have a meal at Western Kansas Saloon & Grill, which now occupies the 1925 Keraus Hardware building. A 30-foot decorated Christmas tree is right inside its entrance year-round, and the menu shares the building history and its part in launching Christmas City of the High Plains. There’s also an old-fashioned soda fountain at the pharmacy a few doors down on Main Street. The Trego County Historical Society Museum has a special 70th anniversary exhibition through
The tree is covered with 2,000 lights and topped with four 5-foot ivory stars. the end of the year. “Timeless Holiday Tradition” has displays on the history of the tree, replicas of the tree and ornaments, photographs through the years and memories shared by locals. There are also 70 trees or tree symbols throughout the museum, which is open Tuesday through Friday afternoons, Tuesday and Friday mornings and on weekends by appointment. There is no admission fee, though donations are accepted. Call in advance to confirm hours. Albert also suggests out-of-towners coming to see the lights can drive the 60-mile Smoky Valley Scenic Byway during day, then stay to see the lights and have supper in town. In years past, the town of less than 2,000 would see extra traffic during the final month of the year: Besides current residents, there are holiday travelers stopping off the highways along with past residents bringing their families to experience the tradition they grew up with. Aschenbrenner, who has worked for Western for two decades, grew up going to the lighting ceremony with his family. Now 47 years old, he’s taken his own kids to see Santa there and make memories. “Now that I’m older, the thing that’s really cool is the whole community gathering around the tree to sing Christmas carols,” he said. “We go every year, and family who now live out of town will come back to attend since it’s the same weekend as Thanksgiving. It’s tradition in WaKeeney, something people look forward to.” KCL
T R AV E L K S .CO M
A four-square block area around the tree is draped with garland and lights, and handcrafted decorations from the 1950s hang from the garland spanning the streets in WaKeeney.
DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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THE PRESIDENT ’S PEN
The Christmas Eve Calf
BY T E R RY H O B B S
ON A VERY COLD AND DREARY NIGHT, nothing but snow was in sight. A newborn calf was alone in the pasture, not a mother nor a father nor a master. I went into the blizzard in search of the calf; it did not call and I couldn’t laugh. Its legs were frozen, its eyes were closed, its body was weak, its face was rosed. So, I took it home and warmed it with milk. Its hooves were soft, its skin like silk. The calf awoke, suddenly it had revived. It began to beller, it had survived. Soon it was contented, its life was not rented. A life to live of its own. Mother Nature had given her a home. Oh, this lucky Christmas Eve Calf! I had to dig into my personal poetic archives for this poem. I wrote this when I was 10 years old. At the time I wrote it I think I was concerned about rhyme and meter, getting a good grade, and not having to repeat fifth grade English. After dusting off my journal of prose and poetry I realized I had written about the course of the year 2020. Pretty prophetic if I may say so. A situation that went from bleak to bright.
Terry Hobbs
After dusting off my journal of prose and poetry I realized I had written about ... 2020.
E
I TARANCINERY
G EER CLE MACH ES.
N P G H A PRO SIN
IN RL E U E C MIN ORE POW R F D TE BE DE HT OUN IG AR HE
It’s interesting how we can look at things differently, especially when we are searching for goodness, goodwill and good vibrations. Let’s use that as a segue into Christmas and the holiday season. I don’t think it can get here fast enough! There is a whole sleigh full of Christmas traditions and memories to occupy our minds as we untangle the Yuletide ornaments stored in the garage. Every family has its own long-standing traditions when it comes to celebrating Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Tree lightings, eggnog, family pajamas, baked goodies, and mommy kissing Santa Claus just to name a few. The list is endless. Christmas caroling, Christmas presents, Christmas cards, Christmas programs, and getting your Christmas goose cooked. We all have our own memories of friends, loved ones and traditions. I cherish them and I hope you do too. I’m looking forward to closing out this year in the best way possible. Have a Merry Christmas everyone! KCL TERRY HOBBS is the board president for Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. He is also a member of Western Cooperative Electric’s Board of Trustees in WaKeeney.
Deadliest Safety Catch BEFORE MOVING MACHINERY near power lines, contact your
electric cooperative to measure power line height. Do not do this yourself. MAINTAIN 20 FEET between the power line and tallest height
of equipment. Power lines can change height due to wear, age and even weather conditions. ALWAYS USE A SPOTTER when operating hydraulic beds, lifts,
arms or extensions. DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR TRUCK, TRACTOR OR EQUIPMENT
if it makes contact with a power line. Call 911 and wait for your electric cooperative to de-energize the power before you exit.
#catch it change it 16
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
DECEMBER 2020
Classic Christmas Toys and Games Across 1
Video game maker in the 70s
4
Fashion doll launched in 1959
7
Kids used them to build small forts and buildings, goes with 12 across
9
Companion of 4 across
11
Play __ the book
12
See 14 across
14
Game with building blocks
16
In accordance with
17
Super ___: the 60s toy whose name led to the naming of the last game of the NFL season
18
Spinning toy
21
Lassie for one
22
Difficult weather condition
24
Movie part
Down
26
They enabled rapid travel on shoes, 2 words
1
Completely
2
Raggedy ___ doll
10
Fir tree used at Christmas
27
Easy Bake ____ from the 60s
3
___ Man, comics hero
12
Stretched out
4
Archie from All in the Family
13
Gal’s date
14
Prying device
15
____ Force, military toy from the 80s
17
Dr. Martens for one
19
Price negotiable letters
20
Paint option
29
Classic board game
35
GI ___, military figure
36
Silly ’70s fad, 2 words
37
Teacher’s assistant, abbr.
5
6
Stallone character who was made into a line of toys Octopus’s defense
8
Phrase of commitment, 2 words
21
Dungeons & _____
23
Top executive
25
It is, in Spanish
26
Scope
28
Time just before an event
30
Tolkien monster
31
Orange juice in slang
32
Auction grouping
33
Roll-call call
34
Younger than Sr.
ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 26 DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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YO U R P L A C E I N T H E G A R D E N
Homemade Herbal Gifts Heartfelt, Soothing
BY C Y N T H I A D O M E N G H I N I , P H . D .
Cynthia Domenghini, Ph.D.
HOMEMADE GIFTS are always a special treasure. Homegrown gifts can be even more unique. Dried herbs can be used to create heartfelt and soothing presents for your loved ones. Lavender is most often acknowledged for its pleasant scent and calming effect. It has been identified as a useful herb for decreasing anxiety and improving sleep. Lavender can be used in a variety of ways to promote relaxation throughout the day. Sugar bath scrubs exfoliate the skin to remove the dead cells and reveal smoother and brighter skin. This lovely lavender sugar bath scrub is easy to make and is free from the harsh chemicals of some other washes. To make this bath scrub, combine ½ cup liquid coconut oil, 2 cups of white or brown sugar, 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil and a tablespoon of dried lavender buds and leaves. Under warm water, apply the lavender sugar scrub to your skin. Rub the sugar scrub gently on your skin and then rinse. The dead cells will wash away with the scrub exposing softer skin. If you’re preparing this as a gift you can fill a decorative jar with the sugar scrub. Add a label and tie a few dried lavender sprigs to the outside. This gift from the garden is sure to delight and relax your friends and family.
Another unique gift from the garden is bath tub tea. There are a wide range of plant combinations that can be used for this project depending on the goal. For relaxation gather lavender, chamomile and rose petals. Peppermint and eucalyptus are commonly chosen to stimulate the brain. Combine equal parts of each herb you choose into a bowl. Fill a muslin bag with the blend and tie it closed to create the herbal tea bag. To use the herbal tea bag for a bath, boil six to eight cups of water on the stove. Once the water has boiled, remove it from the heat and steep the herbal tea bag for 20 minutes. Prepare the bath water as usual and pour the water from the steeped tea bag into the bathtub. Drop the tea bag into the tub as well and enjoy a refreshing aromatic bath. Herbal pillows are a quick homemade gift idea that are designed to promote relaxation and sleep. Begin by making a 6-inch square pillow using thin cotton fabric. Sew three edges of the pillow closed. Sew all but 2 inches of the fourth edge closed and turn the pillow right-side out. Fill the pillow with dried herbs of your choice. Lavender, chamomile, rose petals, sage and cedar can all have therapeutic benefits during rest. Hand-sew the rest of the fourth edge closed and the pillow is ready for use. If you haven’t gathered and saved herbs from the garden to dry over winter you can purchase dried herbs for use in these gifts. It’s also never too early to start planning your next garden. Don’t forget to add some herbs to your planting plan so you will be prepared to make your own homegrown gifts next year. You can avoid the holiday rush and give gifts that will be meaningful for years to come. KCL is an instructor and coordinator for K-State’s horticultural therapy online certificate program.
CYNTHIA DOMENGHINI
This sugar scrub, made with dried lavender blossoms, is paired with a natural loofah straight from the garden.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Reader Contest
ENTRIES DUE BY 5 P.M. ON DEC. 27 You could win a From the Land of Kansas Konza gift box by correctly answering all 12 questions below that correspond to each of the 2020 Kansas Country Living issues. The box contains a hand-crafted chocolate sunflower from The Sweet Granada, mustard from Grannie’s Homemade Mustard, Wright Enterprise’s sunflower oil, meat sticks from R Family Farms, and Twisted Pepper’s baked potato soup mix. Correct entries will be entered into a drawing for one of 10 gift boxes, shipped to you in time for the new year. 1. JANUARY – Electric co-op board members dedicate significant time to the electric cooperative in the form of_____________. a. regular board meetings b. community events c. training and learning d. all of the above
When Allen County was faced with becoming a food desert, they used the assistance of the community to turn their grocery store into a _____? a. Grocery Oasis b. Grocery Co-op c. Community Food Bank 2. FEBRUARY –
K-State Research and Extension’s demonstration gardens exemplify ______ that grow well in each area of the state.
3. MARCH –
a. plants and flowers
b. weeds
c. crops
Enter at
WWW.KEC.COOP/ KCLCONTEST
An important aspect of managing a bee colony is? a. Preventing bee stings b. Joining the bee colony c. Environmental awareness d. Learning to be a worker bee
7. JULY –
Tabatha Rosproy, 2020 National Teacher of the Year, teaches at an intergenerational preschool inside of a ______________. a. retirement b. church c. community center community
8. AUGUST –
Root vegetables are great options for starting a garden in the _________.
9. SEPTEMBER –
a. spring
b. fall
c. winter
The Mingo geocache was placed on May 10, ______, making it the oldest active geocache.
10. OCTOBER – Electric cooperatives are deeply rooted in the local communities they serve. Nationally, how much do electric cooperatives contribute to local economies each year?
a. 2000
a. $12 billion
4. APRIL –
b. 1997
c. 1973
KEC’s Board President Terry Hobbs discusses “firsts” including: a. First time sky-diving b. First steps c. First time attending a KEC meeting
11. NOVEMBER –
During the pandemic, Kansas farmer Dennis Ruhnke sent an N95 mask to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The governor referred to the mask and Ruhnke’s letter as a __________.
12. DECEMBER –
a. nice gesture
a. acorns
b. snapshot of humanity
c. thoughtful salute
c. $12 million
U.S. Navy veteran, electric cooperative member and assistant professor Ty Frederickson underscores the importance of _____________. a. The golden rule b. environmental stewardship c. serving others over self
5. MAY –
6. JUNE –
b. $83 billion
Some nuts fall into the stone fruit family and are technically called what? b. drupes
DECEMBER 2020
c. the hardest nuts to crack KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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‘Coop’eration THE SPIRIT OF
Kansas electric co-op crews assist with Oklahoma power restoration efforts A DANGEROUS AND DISRUPTIVE early season ice storm with freezing rain combined with high winds led to devastation for a large portion of Oklahoma on Oct. 25. The winter storm, causing 76,300-plus outages and leaving approximately 353,000 consumers without power, has since been named historic because of its early fall timeline. On Monday, Oct. 26, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued a Disaster Emergency Declaration for 47 Oklahoma counties due to the severe winter storm that left up to 2 inches in ice accumulation. The impacted electric cooperatives reported structural damage including broken crossarms and poles. High winds also caused galloping lines in areas where power lines were already coated in thick layers of ice. Heavy ice accumulation caused trees to snap and limbs and branches to break, which exacerbated the extent of the power outages. When major storms occur, electric cooperatives have always depended upon nearby co-ops to help restore power after widespread outages. This mutual aid mindset is no different when our neighboring states need assistance. Kansas electric cooperative line crews headed to Central Electric Cooperative, Cimarron Electric Cooperative, CKenergy Electric Cooperative, Northfork Electric Cooperative and Rural Electric Cooperative — all Oklahoma coop-
Ninnescah Electric Cooperative in Pratt sent a line crew to assist with power restoration in Oklahoma.
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
DECEMBER 2020
With areas reporting 2 inches of ice coating trees, utility poles and electric lines, Kansas lineworkers met the challenge to restore power in Oklahoma.
eratives that requested mutual aid assistance. Organized by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (KEC), crews from 13 co-ops and one subsidiary responded to the thousands of power outages caused by the storm, working seven-day, extended-hour shifts until power was restored. As the restoration extended beyond several days, many cooperatives rotated lineworkers to ensure safety for all involved. The combined response involved 93 lineworkers from: 4Rivers Electric Cooperative, Lebo; Ark Valley Electric Cooperative, South Hutchinson; Butler Electric Cooperative, El Dorado; DSO Electric Cooperative, Solomon; Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative, Council Grove; Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, Girard; Lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, Dighton; Ninnescah Rural Electric Cooperative, Pratt; Pioneer Electric Cooperative, Ulysses; Rolling Hills Electric Cooperative, Beloit; Southern Pioneer Electric Company, Liberal; Twin Valley Electric Cooperative, Altamont; Victory Electric Cooperative, Dodge City; and Western Cooperative Electric, WaKeeney. “Linemen feel the need to help other cooperatives around the state and nation because they know it may be them who needs the help the next time,” said Stacey Marston, KEC instructor of loss control, safety and compliance and mutual aid coordinator for this storm. “Long lasting friendships are made
As the Kansas electric cooperatives posted accounts of their lineworkers’ mutual aid efforts on social media, thank-you’s from grateful Oklahomans followed. KEC FACEBOOK
“These guys restored our power tonight after being without electricity for 10 days! God bless you all and Thank you for coming to our rescue.”
“Be safe.”
PIONEER FACEBOOK
“Thank you for coming to OK! We used to live in Ulysses and now live in OK. We have so many people without services. Your help is much appreciated!” “Just want to say thank you to these men and Pioneer electric. My grandmother lives in that area of Oklahoma and is without power right now. Thank you and stay safe out there!”
while the crews are working extended hours to get power restored to co-op consumer-members and many of the linemen stay in touch even after the storms have passed and the restoration is complete.” Oklahoma reported more than 4,000 downed poles, however the largest problems across the state were downed power lines due to ice-covered tree limbs and leaves. By Thursday, Oct. 29, temperatures hit above freezing, and ice began melting, which provided the challenge of muddy roads for mutual aid crews. Equipped with 23 bucket trucks, 14 digger trucks, pole trailers, foreman pickup trucks and other equipment, the Kansas crews worked alongside crews deployed from Arkansas, Missouri and other parts of Oklahoma. By noon on Monday, Nov. 2, just under 9,500 outages remained and by the end of that day, most of the impacted co-ops reported power restoration to polling stations just ahead of the 2020 election. Two weeks after the historic early season ice storm, roughly 175 residential outages remained with power expected to be restored by Nov. 10. Additional commercial, industrial and some farm outages would take longer to be reconnected as several co-ops experienced greater damage to infrastructure. The Oklahoma co-ops impacted estimate the storm caused more than $26 million in damage. KCL
“Thank you for your assistance in this time of need in Oklahoma; Pioneer Electric always steps up.” “Thank you, seems so little but is truly meant. You and your families are prayed for during this time. Be safe!”
VICTORY FACEBOOK
“Great job Victory Electric crew!! Thanks for helping out our neighbors to the south.”
WESTERN
“Thanks for a great job guys. Glad to have you safely home.”
DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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A poultry-raising adventure has taken Ty’s son to regional competitions thanks to the generosity of family friend Dr. Harry Johnson who has provided access to his farm and served as a positive role model.
Education COMES IN MANY FORMS BY D R . T Y F R E D E R I C K S O N
WE HAD AN EARLY SNOW THIS YEAR. Though it was just a dusting in my area
of the state, as I was sitting in a deer stand one evening watching the gentle flakes settle on the scarce leaves around me, Robert Frost’s first four lines of “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” came to mind: “Whose woods these are I think I know/His house is in the village though/He will not see me stopping here/To watch his woods fill up with snow.” Being in the woods this time of year is always a wondrous feeling of reflection and tranquility. How necessary it is for each of us to find a place that gives us such a healthy outlet! 22
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
DECEMBER 2020
In my first installment of this Outdoor Series in the Spring, COVID-19 was just emerging as a disrupter in our lives. Kansas schools had recently been closed, and in our homes, we were looking for creative ways to identify learning opportunities in spite of not having access to traditional classes. In my family, we found what we were looking for on the trails that course through the nearby woods and along the lakeshore. Over the last eight months, I have maintained that Kansas affords a rich diversity of experiences designed to promote an appreciation for the outdoors, all of which are forms of learning and growth. Whether it’s a walk in the woods, fishing an urban pond, perusing the gravelly banks of a shallow creek bed, or simply spending time with friends and family at the lake, I hope you have had a chance to get outside either on your own or with others to a world full of wonder and delight. More importantly, I hope what you have discovered out there will draw you back many times in the years to come. We all have something that pulls us. My youngest son — he is 10 — has developed a passion for chickens over the last two years. He raises the endangered Japanese Yokohama breed, and has had a great deal of success in developing his initial flock of only two birds to nearly 40 in the last 18 months. Watching and helping him learn how to care for these animals has been a remarkable experience. He tends to the daily tasks of feeding, watering, and loving his birds with boundless joy. And although we do not live in a space conducive to having chickens, a very good friend and retired veterinarian nearby allows us access to his farm
where my son keeps his flock. Yet another generous Kansan who creates opportunities for others so they may experience the wonders of country living! This relationship has inspired my son to think seriously about becoming a veterinarian himself, and he has already been exploring his postsecondary options accordingly. How fortunate he is to have such a positive role model in his life. As his father, I cannot be more appreciative for the selfless guidance he is receiving. Not only have we learned a great deal about how to care for chickens, this poultry-raising adventure has taken us to regional competitions specific to poultry and fowl. Additionally, he joined our local 4-H organization, which has allowed him fantastic opportunities to meet other like-minded kids and present his chickens for judging and showmanship competitions. 4-H has been an outstanding outlet for him to also express his creativity in food and craft preparation, hone his hand-eye coordination in shooting sports, as well as explore his passions with poultry at the local and state level. We are exceedingly fortunate to have such a stellar 4-H Club locally for him to join. I strongly recommend having a look at your own options for 4-H wherever in the state you live. If you don’t have children who might be interested, go ahead and serve as a volunteer to help kids in your community discover their next outdoor adventure! Please check out www.kansas4-h.org and review the Kansas State Extension Office for more information. In the last quatrain of Frost’s poem, the poetic voice gently accepts that although “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep/[He] has promises to keep.” We understand that life can be an enduring responsibility, but the pauses, the moments of respite, whether they come as evenings among the oak trees, tending a fishing pole at a farm pond, or feeding your own proverbial chicken flock, make life possible, even beautiful. As Kansans, we know this well, my friends. Please, stay safe. Be well. See you in the country. KCL grew up in Kansas and Australia. He is a graduate of Emporia State University, Wichita State University, and Wilkes University where he is an assistant professor. He is a FreeState Electric Cooperative member and a U.S. Navy veteran.
DR. TY FREDERICKSON
Ty’s youngest son raises the endangered Japanese Yokohama chicken breed and has developed his initial flock of two birds to nearly 40 in the last 18 months.
DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
23
C O O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E
The Nutty Ways of Holidays
BY R E B E C C A H O WA R D
the nuts had a special bowl and why my mom and dad cracked and picked their way through the holidays, munching nuts by the handful and tossing the shells into the fire. Whole nuts even found their way, somehow, into our Christmas stockings alongside oranges and chocolate. My sister and I were eventually schooled in the skill of cracking and picking, and soon, we (mostly) got the hang of it. Nuts had to be shelled for any holiday baking Rebecca Howard we did, too. I remember, back then, that if you wanted walnuts for banana bread or spice cake, almonds for cookies or pecans for a batch of toffee, you had to spend some time planted in a chair, with aching hands working a nutcracker through a pile of nuts to crush out your quarry, often sending sharp nutshell shrapnel (or even whole nuts that slipped) to the far corners of the kitchen to be sniffed and dismissed by wanting pups or batted around by the house cat. You come to know your food in a very intimate and sensory way when you have to work so hard for it. The hours and energy spent in pursuit of nutmeats by hand-shelling them gave me an early, clear picture of their every nook and cranny and hard-won taste. Did you know that some nuts — like pecans, walnuts and almonds — are The beautiful hazelnuts, looking technically called “drupes” and fall in the stone fruit family? Whatever you call them, nuts are loaded with flavor and packed with nutrition (protein, like small, polished wooden acorns, fiber and good fat). Whether you shell your own nuts or buy them already were one of the hardest nuts to crack, shelled, you can use any of your favorites in this recipe, which I first adapted along with the dark, stone-like Brazil a number of years ago and have made time and again during the holidays. A nuts. But hurting one’s little hands little sweet, a little salty and a little spicy, the fresh rosemary adds aromatic was worth the effort for their tightly flavor and flecks of green to this nut mix, which is best served warm, but is packed, ample nutmeats that looked also delicious at room temperature. and tasted the most like fresh coconut. f 3 cups assorted unsalted nuts f 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper The golden English walnuts were (skinless peanuts, cashews, Brazil f 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar like little lidded treasure boxes holding nuts, hazelnuts, pecan halves, walnut f 1/2 tsp. sea salt large, ruffle-edged riches that were halves and whole almonds) f 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted crisp, sweet and earthy. f 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh The almonds were my early favorite rosemary leaves (see note) because they were so easy to crack Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until light — I could even crunch their thinngolden brown, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, ish, dimpled, yellow shells between salt and melted butter. Add the warm toasted nuts to the rosemary-butter mixture and toss to my teeth — and they held a perfect coat the nuts evenly. Serve warm. Store leftover nuts (if you have any) in an airtight container. eye-shaped, slightly rumple-skinned NOTE: Fresh rosemary is recommended for this recipe, but you can substitute about 1 tsp. dried kernel that was mildly bitter, but often rosemary (crush the leaves a bit before you use). You can also adjust the cayenne pepper, salt cherry-sweet. and brown sugar to your taste preferences. THE BOWL CAME OUT EVERY DECEMBER, a faux wooden vessel patterned intricately with fall leaves. A little acorn in the center held a hinged nutcracker and two picks. Throughout the holidays, the bowl would hold a wide array of nuts in their shells — pecans, English walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, curious and somewhat exotic creatures that we rarely saw any other time of the year. To my child senses, the nuts were as foreign and fairly impenetrable as the exotic quartz, jasper and agate stones we sought out in a new shipment of driveway gravel. They were enticing and rumored to be edible, but it took a heavy and pinching handheld implement to grip, squeeze and shatter hard nutshells, as well as sharp, pointed metal sticks to excavate what could be eaten from inside. Once I discovered how delicious nuts were, I understood what all the fuss was about and why
Sweet-Savory Toasted Rosemary Nut Mix
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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You come to know your food in a very intimate and sensory way when you have to work so hard for it.
My ultimate nut favorite, though, was always the pecan. Fairly thin-shelled, it was one that allowed me to successfully manage the nutcracker, even at an early age. The only challenge was picking out the meat, which lay cloaked in a corky red pith that was so bitter, just a bit attached to the shelled pecan would make anyone eating it literally down in the mouth. But the pecan, that tenderest of nutmeats, beyond its rind, was full of the best delicate buttery flavor. Despite the extra work required to get at ’em, keeping nuts in their shells has long served a practical purpose. According to “Joy of Cooking,” “Because nuts contain oil, they turn rancid over time and are best stored in their shells” and can last two months or longer. We also always kept some unshelled nuts in the freezer to be used throughout the year. Nutcrackers with picks for table use became common in the late 1800s, according to “The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink,” edited by Andrew F. Smith (Oxford University Press; 2007). Victorian-era households featured fruits and whole nuts (served with accompanying tools) as dessert. Nutcrackers were adapted into all sorts of variations and styles, including those in human form that ended up inspiring that famous 1897 holiday ballet. In our modern, pre-packaged, ready-to-use times, I’m always surprised to see bins filled to the brim with mixed nuts in the shell in the grocery stores every holiday season. There they are, those
old friends. I am as heartened to see these decidedly old-fashioned gems as I am my favorite Christmas ornaments, unwrapped from tissue paper each year. I wonder who buys them and carries them home, and ends up sitting to patiently crack open their shells in a time-honored holiday tradition. I’m just comforted to know that someone still does. KCL REBECCA HOWARD grew up in Kansas and has written for the Los Angeles Daily News, the Los Angeles Times and LA Parent Magazine, and currently writes the food blog, “A Woman Sconed.”
DECEMBER 2020
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SAFETY
Plug Into Presents that Pay Off With Year-Round Safety
BY BY D E R R I L L H O L LY
DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, many of us turn our attention to gift giving, and while the shiny, trendy and pricey may make a big splash when the unwrapping’s done, practical gifts can leave lasting impressions. What’s more, they can really make a difference by enhancing safety and improving security. This month, we’re offering a few practical gift ideas that can make a real difference in helping to reduce safety risks year-round. SMOKE DETECTORS: Most of us have at least one in our homes, but experts say that’s not enough. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that a working smoke detector be installed in every bedroom, on every level of a home, and in hallways outside of sleeping areas. And, if smoke detectors are more than 10 years-old, they should be replaced. CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS: Carbon monoxide or CO is a colorless, odorless gas created by incomplete consumption of fuels like gasoline, wood, natural gas, propane, oil, coal or methane. The gas is highly toxic, so having CO detectors outside of sleeping areas and on every level of a home improves overall safety. Local fire departments in the United States respond to about 80,000 non-fire CO incidents each year. The National Fire Protection Association also recommends that fuelburning heating equipment and cooking appliances be professionally inspected once a year to reduce the risks of malfunction and detect structural problems early. EXTENSION CORDS: They are not all created equal; subject to wear; have specific use guidelines; and are never recommended for permanent use. Brittle and cracked plastic can indicate heat damage, and exposed wires or frayed connections increase risks of shocks, shorts or fires. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an extension cord that’s warm or hot to the touch is a good indication that it’s not designed to safely do the job. Consider giving an assortment of extension cords designed for indoor or outdoor use, and before you buy, look for the label of a nationally recognized testing laboratory like Underwriters Laboratories (UL), CSA-International (CSA) or Intertek (ETL). ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS: Arcing and sparking are among indications that a home’s
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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electrical wiring needs service. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs) can help address electrical fire hazards before they occur. Properly installed by a licensed electrician, AFCIs can often replace circuit breakers in an existing electrical panel box. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that the work be completed by a qualified electrician because the installation involves working inside the electrical panel box, which carries current even when main circuit breakers are turned off. GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS: While AFCIs are designed to help prevent electrical fire hazards, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) are designed to help prevent shocks. Older homes may have just one, typically in an area where electric outlets are relatively close to a water source. But over the years, the National Electric Code has been amended to require their use for outdoor outlets, in attics and crawl spaces, bathrooms, garages, kitchens, crawl spaces, and near laundry or utility sinks and around wet bars. GFCI outlets should be tested regularly, and that means as often as once a month. Although they can last 15 to 25 years, some will malfunction in five years or less. While they can continue to carry current, once they lose their ability to mitigate shocks by immediately closing off current, they should be replaced. A licensed electrician can do the job quickly and professionally. Any of these gift ideas will offer peace of mind for the giver and the receiver, and they’ll reduce risks throughout the holidays and improve safety for years to come. KCL writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56% of the nation’s landscape.
DERRILL HOLLY
DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Beef Tri-Tip Roast with RosemaryGarlic Vegetables
Savory Leek, Raisin and Ricotta Tart
KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, DECEMBER 2020
Beef tri-tip will be the star of the show on any holiday table.
KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, DECEMBER 2020
Sweet and savory ingredients make this dish a great complement to your festive food lineup.
Whole Wheat Chocolate Peppermint Drop Cookies
Grape, Spinach Salad with Raspberry Balsamic Dressing
KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, DE CE MBE R 2020
Chocolate and peppermint are excellent ingredients for your holiday cookie tray.
KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, DE CE MBE R 2020
Before stuffing yourself with holiday indulgences, start your meal with a light and refreshing salad.
f 3/4 cup bottled light balsamic vinegar and oil dressing
Grape and Spinach Salad with Raspberry Balsamic Dressing f 8 cups fresh baby spinach, washed f 4 1/2 cups California grapes f 1/4 cup orange juice f 3 Tbs. raspberry jam
f 1 1/4 cups mandarin orange segments, f 3/4 cup crunchy chow mein noodles
drained if using canned
f 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
In large salad bowl, combine spinach with grapes, oranges and onion. Whisk together dressing, orange juice and jam. Pour over salad and toss until greens are coated with dressing. Divide among eight plates and top with crunchy noodles.
COU RT ESY CALIFORNIA TABLE GRAPE COMMISSION
f 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour f 1 cup dark chocolate chips f ½ cup white chocolate chips f ½ cup crushed peppermint candy f 36 whole peppermint candy melts, optional
Whole Wheat Chocolate Peppermint Drop Cookies f ½ cup butter, melted f 1 cup brown sugar f ¾ tsp. baking powder f ½ tsp. salt f 2 large eggs f 2 tsp. vanilla extract f 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease or line with parchment paper two cookie sheets. In medium bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until smooth. Stir in the cocoa and flour; the dough will be sticky. Mix in the chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candy. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 1 ½-inch between them.
COURTESY NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BRE ADS
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies are set. Remove from oven. If desired, place a whole peppermint candy in center of each cookie. NOTE: cookies will be very soft coming out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool on the cookie sheet.
f 3 large leeks, chopped
f 1 Tbs. olive oil
f 1 pastry (9 inches, not in pie shell)
f 1 cup chopped fresh basil or arugula
f 3 cups Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
f 3 eggs
f 15 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese
Savory Leek, Raisin and Ricotta Tart f 1 cup golden raisins f 3 ounces diced smoked ham
Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll out pastry dough and press into 9-inch springform or tart pan. Bake 10 minutes.
In large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil. Add leeks and saute until browned, about 10 minutes. Add raisins and ham; cook 5 minutes.
In bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; whisk well. Add leek mixture and basil; stir well.
Spoon ricotta mixture into tart shell. Bake 40 minutes or until puffed, golden and set.
COURTESY CALIFOR NI A R AISINS
f 1/4 tsp. black pepper
f 1/2 tsp. salt
f 1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
Seasoning f 2 tsp. minced garlic
Beef Tri-Tip Roast with Rosemary-Garlic Vegetables f 1 beef tri-tip roast (1-1/2 to 2 pounds) f 1 Tbs. olive oil f 12 small red-skinned potatoes, halved
bell peppers, cut into eighths
f 2 medium red, yellow or green
into 1-inch wedges
f 2 medium sweet onions, cut
Heat oven to 425 F. Combine seasoning ingredients; press 1/2 onto beef tri-tip roast. Combine remaining seasoning with oil and vegetables in large bowl; toss. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Place vegetables around roast. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 425 F oven 30-40 minutes for medium rare; 40-50 minutes for medium doneness.
COURTESY BEEF IT ’S WHAT ’S FOR DINNER
Remove roast when instant-read thermometer registers 135 F for medium rare; 150 F for medium. Transfer to board; tent with foil. Let stand 20-25 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10 degrees to reach 145 F for medium rare; 160 F for medium.) Meanwhile increase oven temperature to 475 F. Remove peppers. Continue roasting potatoes and onions 10 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Carve roast across the grain. Serve with vegetables.
DECEMBER 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
FreeState Electric member Gigi Perry of Winchester Hardware, Storage and Monogramming.
Let’s Keep Small Businesses Thriving. It’s time to power a Small Business Comeback across America. Co-op Connections is a free member benefit program brought to you by your local electric cooperative. Download the free app to find discounts from your local merchants. Now you can save money while you support your community’s business owners. Find all the ways to save locally with Co-op Connections! Visit www.SmallBusinessComeback.coop for more information.
T H A N K YO U , R E A D E R S ! Thank you for welcoming Kansas Country Living magazine into your home and/or business each month. The Kansas electric cooperatives who bring you this magazine wish you a holiday season sprinkled with love and laughter!