Colorado Country Life Mountain View April 2011 by American MainStreet Publications

APRIL 2011

EXOTIC WOOD IMPORTER Colorado business benefits from energy efficient technologies

The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association • Volume 42, Number 04

Publisher/Editor Associate Editor

Mona Neeley, CCC Donna Norris

OFFICERS President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Executive Director

Chris Morgan, Gunnison Bob Bledsoe, Tri-State Bill Midcap, Fort Morgan Don Kaufman, Sangre De Cristo Kent Singer, CREA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Empire John Porter Grand Valley Sylvia Spangler Highline Jim Lueck Holy Cross Michael Glass K.C. Dan Mills LaPlata Tom Compton Mountain Parks Stan Cazier Mountain View B.D. Paddock Poudre Valley Jack Schneider San Isabel Joseph Costa, Reg Rudolph San Luis Valley Mike Rierson, John Villyard San Miquel Power Marcus Wilson Sangre De Cristo Paul Erickson Southeast Mark Grasmick United Power Jim Jaeger White River Bill Jordan Y-W Stuart Travis Yampa Valley Sam Haslem Associate Members Basin Electric Co-Bank Moon Lake Electric Wheatland Electric EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office 5400 N. Washington • Denver, CO 80216 Phone: 303-455-4111 Email: MNeeley@coloradocountrylife.org Website: coloradocountrylife.coop Facebook: COCountryLife Twitter: @COCountryLife ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland NCM

16 FEATURE Exotic Wood Importer Business benefits from energy

efficient technology BY CYNTHIA BECKER

COLUMNS

Prune your roses now and reap the benefits all season BY EVE GILMORE

Recipes

Beef up the spice and sizzle for your family dinner BY LINH TRUONG

Outdoors

Developing digital camera skills from the living room window BY DENNIS SMITH

Energy Tips

Plug in to lower gardening costs with electric yard tools BY JAMES DULLEY

DEPARTMENTS

Training and proper practices protects line workers BY KENT SINGER

4 303-902-7276 800-626-1181

COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly for $9/$15 per year by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216. Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life, does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life, magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.

5 6 7 12 14 30

Gardening

Viewpoint

Letters Calendar Co-op News NewsClips Industry Story Discoveries

COVER: Business owner Kent Mace found a niche in the wood industry that prospered in an unlikely valley near Gardner, Photo courtesy of C.S. Woods.

Safety on the Line Training, proper practices protect line workers as they keep our electric system reliable BY KENT SINGER, CRE A E XECUTIVE DIRECTOR

o you ever think about shorts out in our house. what’s happening behind But line workers have to the scenes when your think about the dangers lights go out? A few days ago, of electricity with every the power went out at my house move they make. for about 45 minutes. There Just a few months ago was no television, no lights, a lineman doing mainteno Internet, no hair dryer as nance work on the lines my wife tried to get ready for for one of the Colorado an appointment. electric co-ops was seriOur power outage was Kent Singer ously injured when he short, but it reminded me of came in contact with a how we depend on reliable electricity and hot wire. Thankfully, he will live, but he how important the men and women are was burned so severely that he lost both who keep our lights on. While my wife of his hands. This is what can happen in and I dealt with the inconvenience of an instant even when the most prudent having no electricity, a line worker for safety practices are followed. the power company was also greatly inThat is why the Colorado Rural Elecconvenienced. He had to leave his family tric Association pushes safety training so on a Saturday night and go to work to hard. As a statewide service organization, find the problem and make the repairs. CREA provides assistance, classes and The weather was cold, but not awful guidance for the local electric co-ops’ during this recent outage. Often that is safety programs through its Safety and not the case and the weather is bad when Loss Control Department. It is one of the lights go out. It may be a blizzard CREA’s most important functions. with freezing snow and wind and ice. And, with a recently enhanced proOr it may be a chilly, rainy night with gram from our national trade associalightning and a driving wind. But the tion, we are working with our member line workers still go out. co-ops to expand their safety programs They head out to do dangerous work to include what is now called the Rural in poor circumstances. But they do it well Electric Safety Achievement Program or prepared for the challenges they face, RESAP. The new emphasis is a broader because good training, safety training, approach to safety within the co-op. is their best defense in these less than There are continual evaluations of safety optimal circumstances. practices rather than scheduled cyclical Most of us don’t often think about evaluations. And each electric co-op is the dangers of electricity. We know we developing its own customized safety shouldn’t mess with it and we do stay plan rather than incorporating a general, away from downed lines and we call one-size-fits-all program. an electrician when a lamp or switch Safety has always been important to

4 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

our co-ops and they are now taking it a step further. They are proud of their safety records and they are making sure that will continue. They are also sharing this safety expertise with others. In mid-March, linemen from an electric co-op in India visited three of our Colorado co-ops as part of an exchange program established by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Right now, the number of linemen who are killed or injured in India and other developing countries is horrifying by our standards. But these individuals are often working with no safety equipment and with little training in safety practices. That changed a little in March when some of our Colorado linemen were able to explain safe procedures for working on lines to the visiting linemen. The best safety practices are beneficial, no matter where a lineman is working on a line, whether it’s in India or down the street from my house. Yes, I want my lights to come back on. But it’s good to know that the dedicated line worker making the repair is going to be able to go home when the job is done. I’m glad that CREA and its safety training can help make your electricity reliable, but beyond that, I’m happy that CREA can help keep line workers safe.

Executive Director ksinger@coloradorea.og

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Letter Rebuttal, Support I take issue with a February letter writer regarding your supposed “overly rightleaning commentary” (Letters, February 2011). I have not found you have a political agenda and I find your publication informative and helpful. Perhaps the letter writer could simply skip articles he finds offensive. Sue Wunderlin, Westcliffe

I agree with the February letter writer regarding partisan behavior. Because you are an electric co-op, your magazine should not be used for political views. It’s OK to write about upcoming laws and regulations, but leave out your personal views about them. Let the readers form their own views. Toni Crismon, Hugo

Anyone who calls (CREA Executive Director) Kent Singer’s attempts to educate us about the costs that regulations will add to our electricity bills “overly right-leaning commentary” has not bothered to do his homework. I am heartened by your organization’s efforts to maintain a factual discussion in the face of the obstacles that electricity generators are forced to deal with in the current regulatory environment. Given the challenges facing our struggling economy, there is an enormous need to pursue deregulation to keep energy costs at affordable levels. Affordable energy will do much to help generate employment opportunities, as well as allow those suffering economically to keep the heat on. Brigitte Dempsey, Bellvue

Thanks for printing the letter (regarding the continued attack) on legislation designed to protect our environment. Few CREA members would disagree with efforts to bring us power at low cost. However, the constant appeal to financial self-interest is wearing thin. Among our values are our desire to leave our grandchildren a world with cleaner air. This will involve some increased cost for our energy. Nigel Renton, Longmont

end your letter to the editor by mail to 5400 S N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or by email to mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Letters must be signed and include a return address and phone number. Letters may be edited.

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APRIL 2011 Colorado

Country Life 5

APRIL

C A L EN D A R April 9 in Arvada

April 16-17 in Fort Collins

April 23 in Durango

April 30-May 1 in Monument

Kite Festival

Native American Spring Contest Pow Wow and Art Market

Peanuts™ Easter Beagle Express

Pine Forest Antiques and Garden Show

Robby Ferrufino Park 74th Ave. and Carr Dr. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 720-898-7400 www.arvadafestivals.com

B.W. Pickett Equine Center 701 S. Overland Trail 970-498-0290 ncipa@fortnet.org

Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 479 Main Avenue www.durangotrain.com April 28-May 1 in Denver

Lewis-Palmer High School 1300 Higby Rd. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.tlwc.net ‘ April 30-May 1 in Grand Junction

April 9 in Boulder

April 16-24 at your National Park

Denver National Quilt Festival

Story Journal by Sound Circle Eurythmy

Fee Free Days www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/ feesandreservations.htm

Denver Merchandise Mart 451 E. 58th Ave. 215-862-5828

April 16 and May 7 in Pueblo

April 29-May 1 in Larkspur

Button Bonanza

National Versatility Ranch Horse

The Buell Children’s Museum In the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Button arts, crafts and games for kids Noon to 2 p.m. 719-260-7261 www.coloradobuttons.com

Intro to versatility ranch horse clinic 303-646-9855 http://nvrha.org

May 1, 6 and 7 in Mancos

April 29-May 1 in Karval

Mancos United Methodist Church May 1 and 7 at 3:30 p.m., May 6 at 7 p.m. 970-882-0120 cawest@centurylink.net

Nomad Theatre Puppets, music, poetry, stories for kids 303-484-5559 www.soundcircleeurythmy.org April 9 in Calhan

Spring Rummage Sale Whittemore Hall at the fairgrounds 719-347-2328 April 10 in Salida

Walden Chamber Music Concert

April 21 in Salida

3 p.m, SteamPlant Theater 719-395-2097 www.waldenchambermusic.org

Youth of the Year Breakfast

April 14-17 in Palisade

Art Lovers Peach Blossom Art Show 970-255-1553 www.palisadeartlovers.org April 16 in Colorado Springs

Gold and Gemstone Panning The Western Museum of Mining and Industry Tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Learn mining techniques of the 1800s 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.wmmi.org April 16-17 in Larkspur

National Versatility Ranch Horse Clinic and Competition 303-646-9855 nvrha.org

Boys and Girls Club 340 E. 5th St. 719-395-8949 www.bgachaffee.org April 21 in Estes Park

Springtime Birds of Prey Watching RMNA Field Seminars Center 1895 Fall River Rd. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 970-586-3262 fieldseminars@rmna.org April 22 and 23 in Grand Lake

Easter Egg Coloring and Hunt Town Fire Station Friday, April 22: egg coloring at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 23: egg hunt at 11 a.m. Grand Lake Town Park 970-627-8428 www.grandlakechamber.com/ calendar.html

Send calendar items two months in advance to Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington St., Denver CO 80216; fax to 303-455-2807; or email calendar@coloradocountrylife.org.

6 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

Karval Mountain Plover Festival See these rare birds on private tours 719-446-5354 info@karval.org

ShareFest Churches serving the community 970-244-1845 gjsharefest@gmail.com

Mancos Valley Chorus Spring Concerts

May 6 in Bayfield

April 30 in Durango

Good News Jail and Prison Ministry Fundraiser

Animas Museum, 3065 W. 2nd Ave. 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 970-259-2402 www.animasmuseum.org

Pine Valley Church Banquet and concert featuring the Bar D Wranglers 970-884-0273 kathyann.moncrief@gmail.com

Civil War 150th Anniversary

April 30-May 1 in Castle Rock

Colorado Classic Mule and Donkey Days Douglas County Fairgrounds Classes, clinics and fun family events 719-748-2207 www.pikespeaklongears.org April 30-May 1 in Livermore

Livermore Spring Art and Craft Fair Livermore Community Hall 1956 Red Feather Lakes Rd. 970-493-9262 terry_turner@hughes.net

more information on these For activities, visit www.colorado countrylife.coop. Click on Events.

May 6-8 in Cañon City

Music and Blossom Festival School concert, jazz, parade and orchestra bands competition ccblossomfestival@inbox.com May 7 in Poncha Springs

Trout Unlimited’s Caddis Festival Auctions, raffle and dinner. 719-539-5236 www.collegiatepeaksanglerstu.org May 7 in Loveland

Loveland Garden Club Plant Sale Fundraiser All Saints Episcopal Church 3448 N. Taft Ave. 970-223-2265 • 970-222-3322 WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC

The Energy Efficiency Debate BY JIM HERRON, GENERAL MANAGER

nergy efficiency is always a good thing. When you look at the big picture, increases in energy efficiency will allow improved production and improve your quality of life. The more efficient generation Jim Herron and transmission of electricity has raised the expectations of the quality of life for Americans. As our fleet of current electric generation plants exceed their expected life cycle and the requests for new plants are rejected, many legislators and advocates deliver the message that “energy efficiency” measures will replace the need for adding or improving the electric infrastructure. I will argue that energy efficiency is limited in the results over the long term, and the expectations or mandates suggested are not realistic. As an example, in Colorado in 2008 House Bill-08-1323 was introduced. This bill would have directed electric cooperatives serving 100,000 or more meters to engage in conservation and energy efficiency programs and to save an amount of electricity equal to 2 percent of 2008 sales by 2012, 5 percent of 2008 sales by 2015, and 10 percent of 2008 sales by 2020, with the savings resulting from conservation and energy efficiency programs implemented starting in 2009. It required periodic reports from the utilities to the Governor’s Energy Office and specified that the act would not extend the authority of the Public Utilities Commission. This bill did not pass the House, but the concept is concerning. I interpreted the bill to not allow for growth during this period of time, and everything was based on 2008 sales. By not considering growth, the reductions in sales would be even more difficult to meet. Keep in mind, this bill was directed at the utility, but the real impact would be on you, the member. This bill initially did not include Mountain View Electric Association because of the 100,000-meter threshold, but it did concern me for two reasons. One, MVEA was growing at rate of 6 percent plus per year. At that rate, we would reach the threshold in less than 10 years. The second WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

reason was my greatest concern. If this bill became law, it could be changed to include MVEA. In fact, an amendment was introduced during the debate of the bill in 2008 that would have included MVEA. The amendment did not pass. This is a proposed law that would have required you to reduce your electric consumption by more than 10 percent. MVEA has been sending the energy efficiency and energy conservation messages to our members since the 1970s, and we have been experiencing an increase in the usage per household. This article may help to explain these results. The effectiveness of energy efficiency has been disputed for centuries. In 1865, a young Englishman named William Stanley Jevons published a book called The Coal Question. In it, he observed that the consumption of coal had gone up in England even after more efficient technologies, like an improved steam engine, had been introduced. The economical use of fuel, Jevons states, results not in diminished consumption, but in an overall increase — referred to as the “Jevons Paradox,” suggesting that efficiency gains are wiped out by greater demand for the resource, or a “rebound effect." The rebound effect does not ref lect the usage of an individual as much as it reflects the impact of a nation or a particular region. As for individual usage, you may only have a small contribution to the rebound effect. This theory does not imply that individuals who have a more efficient home or appliances will consume more energy than in the past. This theory has been criticized by making the assumption that individuals will turn up the heat to sweltering temperatures or rewash their clean clothes or dishes, or buyers of energy-efficient refrigerators will open the doors to take advantage of their energy efficiency savings. The entire premise of the paradox is that as appliances

and homes become more energy efficient, they will be affordable for more people and more people will want to enjoy the comfort that has been experienced by just a few people in the past. These actions will cause an increase in usage overall. As an example, 40 years ago wholehouse refrigerated air units were considered too expensive to install in the average home. The units cost too much to purchase and cost far too much to operate. Well, now mass production has made the units more affordable to install and the energy efficiency of the units has made the units more affordable to operate. Now, we see more whole-house refrigerated air units being installed in homes, and the usage of electricity has increased for MVEA in the summer months. As we experience growth in population, we will see increases in total electricity usage despite advances in technology that have made many home appliances far more energy efficient. Even with the increase of energy-efficient products on the market, the Energy Star appliances as mandated by our government, our members are using more energy as shown on the MVEA average annual residential usage chart and not less as one might assume.

My theory is that as energy-efficient products become more affordable to buy and use, consumers increase the number of products they buy, which, in turn, offsets any savings they may have gained. For example, as mentioned earlier, as home airconditioning has become more affordable and more efficient, [continued on page 10] APRIL 2011 Colorado

Country Life 7

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC

MVEA Essay Winner Goes to Leadership Camp

VEA’s third place winner in its annual essay contest is Genna Cochran, a junior at Limon High School and daughter of Dale and Shelley Cochran of Limon. Genna is the oldest of three children. Since her freshman year, Genna has maintained a 4.0 grade point average. While still in high school, she is even taking college classes. Upon graduating she hopes to receive three associate's degrees along with her high school diploma. She will then transfer to another college to complete a physician’s assistant program. Besides academics, Genna enjoys all forms of art from painting to pottery to dance, as she also participates in the Limon High School dance team. If she’s not working, you may find her fishing or enjoying another one of her many favorite outdoor activities. In July, Genna will be attending the Colorado Electric Educational Institute’s Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp near Steamboat Springs. During the week, she will participate in leadership and team-building seminars and legislative simulations

and help start and run a camp cooperative. But there are also a lot of social activities during the week including dances, barbecues, volleyball games and exploring the beautiful Steamboat Springs area. Each fall, MVEA sponsors an essay contest for high school juniors whose parents or guardians receive service from the cooperative. First place is an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., and second and third place winners are invited to the Youth Leadership Camp. Genna Cochran Following is Genna’s winning essay answering the question: “How will energy storage affect the future of renewable energy?”

STORAGE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY: COALITION OF THE FUTURE BY GENNA COCHRAN

n this day and age, energy has become a necessity that is almost impossible to live without. People use devices every day that require electricity to function, such as lights, computers and phones. What if the energy that powers these devices became too expensive to produce or the raw material to create this energy became scarce? People would not be able to function normally and chaos would most likely break loose. The high prices of oil and the scarcity of fossil fuels that we use to produce energy require people to find a different way to produce the electricity that we need to function normally. Could renewable energy and the studies of energy storage be the answer to our energy problems? I think that it is possible that renewable energy could have a large impact on the future of our energy sources. What is renewable energy? Renewable energy is any energy source that is naturally regenerated over a short time period and comes from the environment. Examples of renewable energy include solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, tidal power, geothermal power and wave power. What is energy storage and how does it relate to renewable energy? Energy storage is a way of storing excess electricity in a unique device for future use. If we could find a reliable means of storing and distributing renewable energy, we would be able to rely on an energy resource that wouldn’t run out or become scarce like fossil fuels. I believe that if we do begin to rely on renewable energy for our future electricity needs, it could greatly change the way that we use and produce electricity. In finding a way to store renewable energy, we could begin to make a change to a more environmentfriendly United States. Using renewable energy as

8 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

a main electricity source would not only limit the amounts of fossil fuels we use, but it would also limit the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that we pour out into our atmosphere. Although this may be true, some people may still think, “Why should we switch to renewable energy as our main energy source? What is wrong with the way we produce electricity now?” Well, I would say that nothing is really wrong with the way that we produce electricity today. After all, it has worked and been reliable for us so far. However, fossil fuels are becoming more scarce; therefore, they are becoming more expensive, which makes it more expensive to produce the electricity that we use daily. Also, many environmentalists believe that using an energy source other than fossil fuels could stop global warming and other environmental issues. Scientists have been researching different ways to store renewable energy, and they have come up with an idea called Community Energy Storage. These storage units would be able to store one to two hours of backup energy and they would be located in neighborhoods on street corners or other areas in a community. One of these storage units would provide electricity to anywhere between six to 10 customers. This seems like a wonderful idea, but would this type of energy storage be practical for the electricity needs of society? For the most part it seems like a reasonable way to provide energy; however, there are still a few issues that need to be resolved before renewable energy can really make an impact on our future. The first issue is that we know the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. If a community or a city were reliant on only one type of renewable energy to provide for their

electrical needs, there could be some problems with a lack of energy for all places to have an adequate amount of electricity. More research and modifying already existing ideas of energy storage could help scientists to find a way to make renewable energy a more practical idea for society today. From the research that I have done and the information that I have gathered, I personally think that renewable energy as a source of electricity is a good idea. However, I can also see some flaws in it. Brand Robbers said in his article “Taking Grid Energy Storage to the Edge” that Community Energy Storage units would only hold about one to two extra hours of energy. In big cities or extremely populated areas, I believe that it would be difficult to find the extra room to place Community Energy Storage units to provide energy to so many people. I reason that it may be more beneficial for communities to not depend on only one source of energy. Combining energies, such as wind energy with solar energy, could provide a more reliable means of energy to produce electricity. The idea of renewable energy and energy storage is a wonderful idea that could potentially greatly affect our future. Using renewable energy and the storage of renewable energy could help our society to become more earth-friendly by lessening the use of fossil fuels and thus reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere. Although this is a great idea, I do not think that it is very practical as of right now because of some pending issues that still need to be considered. If and when these issues have been fixed, I truly think that renewable energy will indeed have a giant impact on our production and use of electricity.

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MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC

Still Crazy After All These Years BY DEBBIE SKILLICORN

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APRIL 2011 Colorado

Country Life 9

PHOTOS BY DIXIE PRING

believe people are born with horse craziness. It’s in their genes and not restricted to the male or female gender. My family is a case in point. My grandfather had the gene. He had f ive boys and only my father inherited that gene. I have two brothers and one does not have it and the other one has half a gene — horses are a love-hate thing for him. I totally have it. I have two daughters, one has it and one has a partial, like my brother. My crazy daughter has two children. One has a partial and her 2-year-old daughter is over the top already and may have to be committed to a barn by the time she is 4. My mother’s side of the family is “non-crazy” for horses. Does this affliction ever go away? From what I’ve seen, the answer is no. Case in point is Florence Barhite. Almost any day you can find Florence working in the barn or riding her Florence Barhite and her horse, Pleasin, still enjoy a good ride. horse. You might ask, “What is so unusual about that?” Florence is 90 years old, which I’m thinking does make it amazing. 'Over the next few years, two more children came along, Florence and her husband of 69 years, Melvin, live with their Dwight and Judy. Dwight was inflicted with the horse gene, daughter and son-in-law, Dixie and Jack Pring, who raise barrel- Judy was not. As the children grew older, the family joined Kit racing horses. Growing up on a farm near Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Carson Riding Club in Black Forest and participated in their Canada, Florence and her six brothers and sisters rode their events and also helped organize the first Little Britches Rodeo ponies to and from school every day — 3.5 miles each way. You in Colorado Springs. Florence also belonged to a riding club in would think she had gotten her fill of horses, but not Florence. Colorado Springs that rode to the top of Pikes Peak on Labor Day In 1936, Florence’s father decided to move to Colorado. So each year. Florence on Sonny Boy and Dixie on her pony would they sold the farm, got on the train and ended up in Boulder. A start out with the group at 3 a.m. and reach the top of the peak few years later in 1941, she met and married Melvin while he was at around 7 a.m. where they had breakfast. They would then ride still in the army and working at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital as back down and over to their house on Chelton, arriving home a pathology laboratory technician. After Melvin left the army around 7 p.m. — further proof that you have to be a little crazy in 1945, the couple tried a few things out, traveled around the to sit in a saddle for that long. country and ended up in Colorado Springs in 1948. They had Wanting room for more horses, the couple sold their Chelton decided that wherever they settled, they needed room for a horse, Road home in 1970 and purchased a chicken ranch at the corner according to Florence. Melvin, on the other hand, was not born of Dublin and Powers. “It took us forever to clean out all that with the horse crazy gene but, as with many husbands, indulged chicken stuff,” said Florence. “But when we got it cleaned up, it his wife’s craziness. made a great stable.” They sold the property in 1984 and decided By this time, daughter Dixie was born and it seemed she to travel. Dixie and Jack had their ranch so whenever Florence had inherited Florence’s gene. The couple bought an acre of returned home, she was able to ride. “I ride across the prairie land on Chelton Road and built a home. Melvin took a job as a and enjoy the wind blowing through my hair,“ shared Florence. lab technician for Penrose Hospital, where he remained for 34 “I imagine some people think that is kind of silly, but I love it.” years. On Mother’s Day, Florence made a trip to the sale barn Florence still likes to “run the barrels.” Every once in a while on Highway 24 because it was high time she got another horse. you can catch her on her 29-year-old horse, Pleasin’ whom she Here she found a buckskin named Sonny Boy, whom she fondly bought in 1981 as a 4-year old. “It’s just a little frustrating that remembers as one of the best horses she ever owned. “I just had your body can’t do what your mind wants to do,” said Florence. a little problem after I bought him,” recalled Florence. “I had no “But that’s just the way it is.” way to get him home.” Florence ended up borrowing a saddle It was my pleasure to meet and talk with this couple. I hope and an ill-fitting bridle from a friend and rode him home. “That if I get to 90, I will still be riding my horses and doing chores in bridle was so big, I had to tie my scarf around it to hold it on,” my barn. And just for the record, five of Florence’s brothers and said Florence. “Another little problem was that we didn’t have a sisters are still kicking and range in age from 90 to 99. She is barn, so I just put him in the garage.” still horse crazy after all these years. Happy trails to you.

MOUNTAIN VIEW ELECTRIC

The Energy Efficiency Debate there has been an increase in the number of households installing these units. There are many households with a television and personal computer in every room. Walk into a new larger home and they are set up for secondary kitchens in the basement, equipped with a full-sized refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher. Check garages and you may find more automobiles per household than drivers, not to mention the old inefficient refrigerator and an additional freezer. On the average, our homes are getting bigger, which means more space to heat and cool. In addition, we are buying more power-demanding gadgets. For example, the kilowatt-hours saved by dishwashers, which now use 45 percent less energy than they did two decades ago, and refrigerators, requiring 51 percent less energy, are often offset by flat-screen televisions. All this suggests that the greater number of products purchased tend to cancel out any energy savings a consumer may have gained in just replacing their previous appliance. In other words, if you increased the number of appliances used, beyond the replacement, energy savings is lost. I have been an advocate for energy efficiency for many years. In the beginning, saving money was my main motivation. This was a survival measure while raising three kids. As the years past, I began experimenting with energy efficiency to take advantage of the new technologies. For example, I began using compact fluorescent lightbulbs long before MVEA began to promote the products. Now, I am experimenting with LED lighting. I have installed whole house electric monitors to allow me to see the electric load of my home at any time. I have even installed more energy-efficient appliances. I have been disappointed in my labors. I recently reviewed the electricity usage of my home, and I was surprised that it has increased rather than decreased. This is going to require more efforts on my part Reality is that the increase in efficiency of appliances and products to eliminate waste plays a major role in reducing household energy usage and lowers energy bills for consumers. Adding insulation and sealing leaks in air ducts will save energy needed for heating and cooling and, of course, money spent on bills. Increased efficiency opens the door for more of our community to improve their quality of life by taking advantage of improved technology. How you personally utilize energy in your home and on the road makes an impact. Deciding the value of energy efficiency — perhaps the main incentive is saving money or saving our environment — and then determining how you will make an impact is the first step in energy conservation. In order to meet the energy needs in the future necessary to meet the expectations of the membership and continue to enjoy our quality of life, the development of new generation along with increased personal energy efficiency will go hand and hand. Visit MVEA’s website at www.mvea.coop to start your personal energy efficiency program.

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10 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

COUNTRY KITCHEN BY SARAH SCHAEFER, MEMBER SERVICES SPECIALIST

pring is here and to ease you out of winter hibernation and into easy entertaining here is a recipe with fresh asparagus and eggs to brighten the table. Kelly Karnes of Chatelaine Ranch Foods of Black Forest shares her special frittata recipe perfect for a holiday meal or brunch with friends. “Using seasonal spring asparagus and farm fresh eggs are the key ingredients to this family favorite,” writes Kelly. We appreciate Kelly sharing this special recipe with our co-op community.

Spring Asparagus Frittata 1 dozen extra large eggs 1/4 cup cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Dash of Tabasco sauce Whisk all together in a large bowl and set aside.

SHARE YOUR RECIPES If you have a recipe you would like to share, please send it to: MVEA, Attn: Sarah Schaefer, 11140 E. Woodmen Road, Falcon, CO 80831. You will receive a $10 credit on your bill the month your recipe is published.

2 pounds fresh asparagus, washed and stems removed 2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced thin, white part only 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 1/2 stick butter 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Place the asparagus and leeks on a large cookie sheet and spread out evenly. Drizzle with olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. Roast lightly in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, turning once. Remove and let cool. Cut asparagus in half, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large (9- by 13-inch) ovenproof pan. When slightly bubbly, add egg mixture. With a spatula, move mixture around gently, scraping sides. When barely set, add leeks, asparagus and 1 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese. Stir. Finish in the oven for about 15 minutes. Add the rest of the cheeses on top and let melt. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into wedges. Serves 4 to 6. WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

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APRIL 2011 Colorado

Country Life 11

Nuclear Power Provides Energy Around the World

ttention has been focused on Japan’s nuclear power plants since the earthquake and tsunami hit the island country March 11. At magazine deadline, three nuclear reactors in northern Japan were experiencing major problems. As the world watched, plans for new nuclear plants were put on hold in other countries. Nuclear power plants provide 14 percent of the world’s electricity and 20 percent of the electricity in the United States. There are 16 countries that rely on nuclear energy to supply at least one-fourth of their total electricity. France depends on nuclear power for 75.2 percent of its electricity, Slovakia 53.5 percent, Belgium 51.7 percent, Ukraine 48.6 percent and Armenia 45. Japan depends on nuclear power for about 30 percent of its energy. Resource: Nuclear Energy Institute

Red dots indicate nuclear power plants; 29 countries generate electricity using 442 nuclear reactors. The red dot in Colorado marks where Fort St. Vrain was located. It has been decommissioned.

Get a Home Energy Score and Compare Your Home to Others

pilot program from the federal government is underway that is auditing selected homes in 10 test communities. Each audit includes a brief walk-through of the home where 45 data points are collected. The assessor then uses the Home Energy Scoring Tool — an online free software program — to rate the home’s energy performance and provide a score of 1 through 10. The resulting report shows how the home compares to others in the same region and makes suggestions for ways to increase the home’s’ energy efficiency and upgrade its score. A score of 10 represents a home with excellent energy performance, while a ranking of 1 signifies a home that will benefit from major energy upgrades. Improvements that are suggested will come with an estimate of costs, an estimate of utility bill savings and an expected payback period. This pilot program is concluding in 10 communities across the country, and the underlying rating scale varies from region to region to account for the difference in climate. The study is looking at how home owners respond to the program. Is the information helpful? Do they actually follow through and make suggested home improvements? The U.S. Department of Energy is expected to launch the Home Energy Score nationwide later this year. More information is available at www.homeenergyscore.gov.

12 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

ELECTRIC CO-OPS STILL DEALING WITH GROWTH

he U.S. Census Bureau recently released 2010 census data, which includes population growth trends. Since the last census in 2000, the nation’s population rose to 309 million with the percentage of growth varying in each sector of the country. However, in all but two states, growth in electric cooperative territories outpaced that of their state. That statistic comes from the Cooperative Finance Corporation, which analyzed the census data and that of individual electric co-ops across the country. CFC found that cooperative growth exceeded population growth in every state (including Colorado) with a co-op presence, except in Maine and New Mexico.

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Colorado Country Life 13

T GROWING PAINS INDUSTRY

Building an affordable, reliable energy future BY MAGEN HOWARD Natural gas power plants, like this unit operated by Golden Spread Electric Cooperative in Texas, are likely to fulfill our electricity needs in the short term.

Tighter government regulations — and the high cost to comply with new rules — may signal lights-out for many of the nation’s older coal-fired power plants at a time when forecasters predict energy demand will eventually outpace supply. “Americans could see power shortages by the end of the decade if new generation sources don’t materialize,” cautions Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Virginia-based service organization of the nation’s more than 900 electric cooperatives. To meet the challenge, electric co-ops are using energy efficiency measures and innovative technology to reduce electric demand. But these measures will only go so far. Eventually, the need to build new generation to “keep the lights on” will take center stage.

An investment of time, money

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, the bulk power grid watchdog for the United States and most of Canada, estimates the country will need to build 135,000 megawatts of new generation by 2017 to meet demand. Facilities on the drawing board, though, will only deliver 77,000 MW — leaving an energy gap. Planning, building and launching a baseload power plant is no small feat. Even if the permitting process is non-controversial — meaning there are no significant objections to a facility — a coal-fired generating station takes six to seven years from start to finish and a combined cycle natural gas plant three to four years, while a nuclear plant requires 10 years at minimum, notes John Holt, NRECA senior manager for generation and fuels. Wind farms and large solar projects, in many cases, need a shorter amount of time to complete — about two years total — but they are handicapped by intermittency issues. Even with good location and plenty of breezes, wind generation is available at most 40 percent of the time and seldom operates (due to a lack of wind) during periods of peak consumption on hot, humid summer weekday afternoons or cold weather below minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit. Solar power systems operate only during daylight hours and are affected by cloud cover. Wind and solar resources must have backup, or firming, generation, such as natural gas plants, ready to come on-line when the wind stops blowing or the sun stops shining, and that adds extra expense.

Federal rules impact energy prices

PHOTO COURTESY NEAL HINKLE

14 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules will impact electric bills and put affordability and reliability at risk. According to the report, “Potential Resource Adequacy Impacts of U.S. Environmental Regulations,” commissioned by NERC, four pending EPA rules would place new and costly hurdles on power generators. In fact, regulations impacting cooling water intake, coal ash disposal and interWWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

INDUSTRY

watches Japan deal with the meltdown of its nuclear reactors damaged by the tsunami. Natural gas at present seems like an attractive option to satisfy our nation’s energy appetite because the fuel is relatively cheap, power plants that use it can be brought on-line more quickly and burning gas produces less carbon dioxide than coal. “But right now, we’re in a natural gas price bubble,” Holt cautions. “While economics today favor natural gas, my concern is just two or three years ago natural gas was three times as expensive. So it could easily and rapidly go up in cost. Over the long term, I expect nuclear power — since it only emits water vapor into the atmosphere — will make a comeback. But there are a lot of ifs.”

Working to keep electric bills affordable

To reduce the need for new power plants, electric co-ops are fashioning a variety of innovative solutions to reduce load during times of peak demand — the electric utility industry’s equivalent of rush-hour traffic when wholesale power costs skyrocket. These include direct control of electric water heaters, air conditioners, electric thermal storage units and other appliances in the homes of volunteer consumers; interruptible contracts with commercial and industrial accounts, such as irrigation pumps, large

retailers and factories, that are able to temporarily shut down or run emergency generators; calling on consumer-owned (distributed) generation to start up; and the new kid on the block, personal energy management. Personal management is dependent on in-home displays, web portals and smart thermostats that inform consumers, in real time, when load peaks are happening. This allows people to voluntarily decide when and how to curtail electric use to save money. Most co-ops are also expanding energy efficiency programs. According to NRECA Market Research Services, nearly all electric co-ops offer efficiency educational resources, and 77 percent offer residential energy audits. To find out about energy efficiency programs in Colorado, visit www.crea.coop and then click on Colorado Co-ops and click through to your local electric co-op. You’ll find a variety of energy efficiency programs available to you. Magen Howard writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Virginia-based service organization for the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Megan McKoy-Noe contributed to this article.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRI-STATE G&T

state transport of air pollutants and using Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) to curb emissions from power plants could force electric utilities to retire or retrofit 33,000 MW to 70,000 MW of generating capacity by 2015. A fifth hurdle, reducing power plant emissions of carbon dioxide, presents an even greater challenge since no viable, commercially tested solution exists. The Electric Power Research Institute, an electric utility research consortium that includes electric co-ops as members, contends if the EPA designates coal ash, a residue produced by coal-fired power plants that is used as a portland cement substitute, as hazardous, it could cost utilities — and consumer electric bills — between $5.32 billion and $7.62 billion annually. “Because of these new rules, we’re expecting a number of existing coal plants be shut down,” asserts Kirk Johnson, NRECA vice president of energy and environmental policy. “The cost of compliance will simply be too much.” Only two alternate baseload generation options are currently available to meet America’s demand for safe, reliable and affordable electric energy: natural gas, which is priced in volatile commodities markets; or nuclear power, which has always requires a long lead time for construction now faces even more opposition as the world

Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, based in Colorado, buys the power from the Cimarron Solar Facility in New Mexico, one of the largest solar projects in the nation. Solar-powered generation is a part of our energy future, but still requires backup generation.

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(Clockwise from top left) Rare, exotic wood sits in a warehouse in southern Colorado; beautiful wood grain shows on a finished piece of furniture; office unit created by entrepreneur and wood worker Kent Mace displays the beauty of the wood imported by C.S. Woods; (center) burlgrain, cross cut section of a log is one of the pieces for sale at C.S. Woods.

BY CYNTHIA BECKER

16 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

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“Off the beaten path” aptly describes the location of Collector’s Specialty Woods. The company’s unassuming buildings nestle along the Huerfano River in the sprawling grassland valley of the same name.

ocated west of the small town of Gardner in southern Colorado, the area boasts spectacular views. The Wet Mountains and San Isabel National Forest lie to the north, the Sangre de Cristos to the west and the Culebra Range to the south. A good portion of surrounding land belongs to the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. No one would expect to find a collection of rare, exotic lumber in such a remote location, but C. S. Woods carries products from all over the world, buying logs internationally, drying and cutting locally and delivering in Colorado, northern New Mexico, southern Wyoming and many other parts of the country. “A big part of our market is providing unique woods for counter and table tops and serving the small woodworker,” says owner Kent Mace. Custom home builders seek his products for exterior siding, interior paneling, decorative trims and made-to-order cabinetry. The C.S. Woods offices are not fancy. Mace shares The warehouse and shop for C.S. Woods sits in a beautiful valley. a small room with two employees. The staff totals 10 people and all are eager to talk about wood. The show piece of the office is a massive, irregularly a plastic spray bottle of citrus thinner and roams through storeshaped coffee table that dominates the entryway. While most rooms, tapping stacks of wood and tossing out the names as he similar tables are made from a slab of wood mounted on legs, passes. The names are intriguing — bubinga, cocobolo, vertical this one is half of an entire burl (a bulging, cancer-like growth grain Englemann spruce. He tips a slab from a stack. It appears on a tree). The knots and gnarls of the burl’s exterior form the dull as prairie dirt. With a quick squirt from his spray bottle, the table’s natural base. Mace acquired a large supply of burls when surface glows with the rich color and pattern of finished wood. he hired two loggers to find, cut and haul burls from the big leaf Mace beams. “Imagine that as a tabletop,” he says. maple forests along the Canadian border. Recently, the company began supplying reclaimed materials, “My dad was a wood collector,” Mace says. “I grew up moving such as white oak from a demolished warehouse in Ohio and his wood.” Later his father ran a gallery in Aspen selling custom Wyoming snow fencing weathered to a blue grey patina. Other furniture from Mace’s shop. Moving into specialty lumber supply, woods come from sustainable forestry programs like the Douglas Mace personally supervised a 25-person wood shop and instal- fir cut for fire mitigation in New Mexico. lation crew. “I was on the road a lot,” he says. Among the unique products is some old growth Douglas fir When his wife pointed out how much time he spent away from from Vancouver, British Columbia. When a floating bunkhouse the family, Mace changed his business model. With a childhood in a logging camp was torn down, four logs were uncovered. Mace friend as business partner, he settled into his current business bought these heavy logs for the beauty such underwater curing eight years ago. brings to the wood. Today, Mace likes to buy from small loggers and send the logs Drying wood to equalize the moisture content to the climate to a mill near where the trees are cut. He often goes to the site to where it is used takes up a large amount of time in the specialty supervise milling. An on-site sawmill equipped with a conveyor- wood business, in particular for C.S. Woods. In the Rocky Mounfed helical planer also allows C.S. Woods to custom cut lumber. tain area, wood must be dryer than in other parts of the United “Let’s take a tour and look at some wood,” Mace says. He grabs States. To prevent warping and cracking, the [continued on page 18] WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

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Colorado Country Life 17

One of three kilns speed the drying process for wood at C.S. Woods, but it can still take up to six years to dry some wood properly.

interior core wood must dry at the same rate as the outer shell wood, Mace explains. West African bubinga, for example, takes six years to cure to sale condition. The slabs are coated with beeswax oil and allowed to dry very slowly to match the Colorado climate. Used for tabletops, a slab of this wood may cost $10,000 by the time it comes to market. Three kilns speed the drying process for many types of wood. A venting kiln cures small projects like one log. A state-of-theart, computer-controlled AirVac kiln creates a vacuum to flatten lumber under steam and 10,000 pounds of pressure. The third kiln is a story of innovation. In 2009, Mace met with staff from his local electric cooperative, San Isabel Electric Association, to discuss his high electric bills and challenges in getting wood properly dried. The San Isabel staff suggested an unusual application of the energy-saving electric thermal storage program. Eventually, Mace signed on. After much consultation with engineers from Steffis, the manufacturer of the ETS equipment, installation was completed in January 2010 and the first kiln run took place on February 16, 2010. A large solar kiln was converted to a dehumidification kiln and connected to three customized ETS units. At night, special high-density ceramic bricks in the ETS units store heat using electric energy purchased at a low cost during “off peak” hours. During the day, this stored heat raises the kiln temperature to 140 degrees, causing the lumber to release its moisture.

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Most kilns vent the hot moist air outside. In this kiln, however, the hot, moistureladen air circulates over refrigeration coils. The moisture condenses to liquid and drains away while the hot air continues to circulate inside the kiln. Stepping into this room-size kiln stacked top to bottom with lumber is like entering a sauna. The humidity is 98 percent. It is hard to imagine the wood is being dried. “I don’t think anyone else in the United States is using ETS in this way,” Mace says of his operation. “It’s phenomenal to have monstrous quantities of inexpensive heat.” The ETS system at C.S. Woods has capacity to store over 1 million Btu (British thermal units) of heat. Mace says his off-peak cost is less than half his normal electric rate. This is not Mace’s first unique venture. Internet service in the valley was limited to slow dial-up systems that could not support a website for C.S. Woods. Mace approached the Huerfano County commissioners for permission to place a tower on a mountaintop to bring in high speed service. The commissioners said he should provide service for the whole valley. So, Mace and some business partners started DD-Wireless. Today the company has 20 towers and serves some 600 people in Huerfano and Custer counties. Access to high-speed Internet has allowed a number of his customers to operate businesses from their homes. Mace hopes to expand service to other rural areas in the future. “Internet access kept us alive when the lumber business crashed in the recent economy,” says Mace. From the C.S. Woods

CO-OP MEMBERS SAVE WITH ETS UNITS

bout 750 San Isabel Electric Association accounts currently use Electric Thermal Storage or ETS units, according to Robin O’Day, key accounts manager for the Pueblo West electric co-op. “C.S. Woods is unique among San Isabel customers,” O’Day says. “Most customers use ETS to heat their homes or small businesses. C. S. Woods uses the energy for processing its product. And it has three very large ETS units. It is a great model for other businesses.” In a 24-hour period, electric customers typically use the greatest amount of eletricity during the day and evening. Usage is much lower after midnight when most people have turned off lights, TVs, computers, and other power gobblers before going to sleep. The rural electric co-op buys power from a generation and transmission source and sells it to customers. The co-op pays a lower rate for power purchased during those nighttime “off peak” hours and offers it to customers at a reduced rate. ETS systems in a customer’s home or business produce and store heat during low-cost, off peak hours. This stored heat then warms the home or business during peak hours. The customer draws less daytime energy from the co-op at the higher “peak time” rate, thus reducing the customer’s electric bill.

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website (www.cswoods.com) a customer can view photos of the current inventory. Each piece of wood is bar coded and photographed (both sides and the ends) when it is ready for sale. Clicking on a photo brings up available sizes, quantities and prices. An email inquiry results in a consultation with a staff member to be sure the particular wood fits the intended use. “We have a very low rate of return because we do lots of presale work with customers,” says Mace. “The customer can choose the exact boards he wants from the website.” Mace’s daughter, Alana, designed and manages the company’s website and computer systems, working remotely from her home in Broomfield. The website offers a wealth of information about the company and its products. It also showcases finished work by customers, including furniture, sculptures, musical instruments and handcrafted sleds. The site includes a section of helpful charts, tables and tips for woodworkers. In addition to ready-to-use lumber, C.S. Woods also offers a full custom wood shop producing fine furniture, cabinetry and flooring. One recent project, featured on the website with start-to-finish photos, is a 29-foot irregularly shaped bar top built from horse chestnut and delivered to a Denver customer. Collector’s Specialty Woods proves that, with a bit of creative thinking, off the beaten path can be a innovative, productive and beautiful place to do business. This is Cynthia Becker’s fifth feature for Colorado Country Life. She is a freelance writer from Pueblo, and her newest novel is a middle grade biography, Chepita: The Peacemaker.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Take it one step at a time. Choose an energy savings practice to see how the little changes add up. Visit www.TogetherWeSave.com

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Colorado Country Life 19

Make It a Green Remodel in the Kitchen BY JOHN BRUCE

aking a kitchen “green” often sculpted, molded and textured. It’s brings to mind a supera material that a do-it-yourselfer extravagant remodeling job, can easily use to create original but that’s not necessary. An earthcounters while saving money. friendly strategy can work wonders Concrete kitchen countertops without breaking the household can be sustainable as long as the budget. aggregate is made from recycled An eco-friendly kitchen can mean stone, crushed glass or other recya healthier kitchen. Eliminating cled materials. Counters can even or reducing invisible and odorless be made from a mixture of cement toxins in cabinets and countertops and recycled newspaper pulp. A are giant steps toward going green concrete counter should be coated in the kitchen. with a natural oil-based sealant Most kitchen cabinets are made of Concrete countertops give a modern, clean look to a kitchen once dry. particleboard. The material is made and offer a green alternative. A strikingly vast world of comwith urea formaldehyde resin — a mercially available, sustainable known carcinogen — which can emit the fumes can be harmful and are classified countertop surfaces makes for a challenging toxin for the life of the cabinet. as greenhouse gases. Fumes from today’s selection process. To get started, consider A cost-effective remedy is to make the paint contain fewer cancer-causing chemi- requesting samples of surface materials particleboard airtight by applying a seal- cals, such as benzene, formaldehyde and to test for staining and durability. See ant to all surfaces of the cabinet. Remov- methylene-chloride, than they did during for yourself if a sample will hold up as a ing doors, handles and hinges is a must the 1990s. Measured in grams per liter, VOC food preparation surface. Keep it in your and offers the opportunity to update the content of conventional paint has dropped kitchen a while. hardware for a fresh new look. from almost 1,000 g/l back then to 250 g/l The sample should be able to handle Water-based polyurethane sealants are today, thanks to federal regulations. common staining ingredients such as balfairly nontoxic and render clear finishes. For new wooden cabinets, one green samic vinegar, ketchup, coffee, oil and They can be applied to the particleboard option is bamboo. Its fast-growing prop- lemon juice without staining and should be in multiple coats, primed and painted. erties make it one of today’s most popular tough enough to withstand a sharp knife. Paints and sealants do emit chemicals, and sustainable choices. There are several brands of renewable called volatile organic compounds or VOCs, Sustainable and safe resources abound commercially available countertop surfaces. even years after they dry. The good news for new countertops. Green choices include Find a few listed at www.coloradocounis that there are paints that pose far fewer recyclable stainless steel, concrete and many trylife.coop. Click on Energy Tips and hazards than others. All of them are safer other commercially available eco-friendly scroll down. than they were 20 years ago. surface materials. VOCs in paints and sealants allow for The advantage of concrete counters over John Bruce is a professional writer who lives durability and easy application, but the marble or granite is that concrete can be and cooks in Columbia, South Carolina.

Advertise your business in Colorado Country Life. Reach 188,000 readers. Call Kris 303-902-7276.

20 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

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Love Your Roses Prune your roses now and reap the benefits all season

oses benefit from being pruned every year, and in Colorado this is the best month to prune your roses. With a little know-how, pruning roses is not as scary as some folks make it out to be. The scariest part, in my opinion, has to do more with the threat of the thorns than the pruning of the plant. If you are careful and wear sturdy leather or thick rubber gloves you should get away with minimal pokes and scratches. With regular pruning of your roses you will enjoy: • Healthy plants • Larger blooms • Longer lived plants • More flowers • Your neighbors’ oohs and aahs Your roses will show signs you can look for to determine the right time for pruning in your specific location. Pruning should be done when buds are present and swelling and before new growth emerges from those buds. Notice that some canes

BY EVE GILMORE

have healthy looking buds and others on the same plant do not. This is an easy way to identify dead or unhealthy canes that should be removed to ground level. Another indication of unhealthy canes is irregularities in the appearance; they may appear shriveled and/or have black spots, fissures or discoloration. The older a particular cane gets, the more susceptible it is to disease. By routinely removing the oldest canes to ground level, new healthy growth is encouraged, keeping the plant rejuvenated, healthy and resilient. I’ve had the privilege over several springs now to prune well-tended, 80-year-old roses. They are evidence of how roses, with proper care, can survive and thrive for many, many years. For more information on caring for your roses, I recommend Colorado State University’s extension website. This link will take you directly to its concise and informative page on rose basics: www.ext. colostate.edu/ptlk/1725.html. Eve Gilmore is a garden coach, consultant and designer with Gardens by Eve, LLC, in Durango. Read her blog at www.xeriscapegardens.com.

I love the regular blue palmed Atlas gloves for my routine garden duties, but the thermal variety are tough enough to provide good protection against rose thorns.

PRUNING GUIDELINES • Use bypass pruners and make sure they are sharp. • Sterilize with alcohol or bleach wipes between plants. • A lways cut with blade toward the center of the plant for clean cuts to avoid unnecessary risk of infection. • First look for dead, damaged, diseased and crossing branches or canes and remove them just above a healthy bud or joining branch, or when the problem spans the length, at the base of the plant. Also remove wimpy, spindly canes that wouldn’t be able to support the weight of a flower. • When cutting to a bud, know that you are directing the energy of the plant to grow in the direction the bud is facing.

Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle as to shed-water and avoid water borne disease. Cut one- quarter inch above your chosen branch or bud, sloping downward away from it.

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• Cut to favor buds facing away from the center of the plant to result in fewer crossing branches and a more open, simplified structure where more sunlight can reach the center of the plant. This will result in more flowers. Another way to keep roses blooming all year is to deadhead. This simply means trimming off spent roses to encourage the bush to produce more. While some roses bloom only in one big flush in June, others are bred to keep producing off and on all season long.

• Make your cuts at a 45-degree angle so they shed water and avoid waterborne disease. Cut one-quarter inch above your chosen bud, sloping downward away from the bud.

APRIL 2011 Colorado

Country Life 21

Beef Up on Flavor Add some sizzle and spice to tonight’s family dinner BY LINH TRUONG

urn traditional, boring beef into a mouthwatering masterpiece. Try one of these creative recipes, courtesy of www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

Beefy Potato Salad with Green Beans •F or even juicier burgers, mix in a few tablespoons of tomato juice or beef broth for every pound of meat.

1 pound beef top sirloin, cut 3/4- to -inch thick 1/2 cup prepared vinaigrette dressing with Parmesan cheese, divided 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 3 cups frozen cut green beans 1 package (1-1/4 pounds) refrigerated prepared potato wedges Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick strips. Combine 1/4 cup dressing and beef in medium bowl. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes to 2 hours. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add green beans; stir-fry 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and potatoes; continue stir-frying 4 to 6 minutes or until potatoes and green beans are heated through and starting to brown. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Heat same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1/2 of beef; stir-fry 1 to 3 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. (Do not overcook.) Remove from skillet; add to vegetable mixture. Repeat with remaining beef. Add remaining 1/4 cup dressing to beef and vegetables; toss to coat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, as desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pepper Herb-Crusted Beef Tenderloin 1 whole beef tenderloin roast (4 to 5 pounds) Salt 2 teaspoons cracked mixed peppercorns 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine seasoning ingredients; press evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 425°F oven 50 to 60 minutes for medium rare, 60 to 70 minutes for medium doneness. Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135 degrees F for medium rare, 150 degrees F for medium. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10 degrees F to reach 145 degrees F for medium rare, 160 degrees F for medium.) Carve roast into thick slices; season with salt, as desired. 22 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

•H ave you noticed that your burgers tend to form rounded tops when cooking, causing the condiments to slide off? So did the folks at America’s Test Kitchen. They found that pushing down slightly in the center, creating a round area about 1/4 inch lower than the surrounding meat, made the burger come out flat.

Spicy Cheeseburger Slider 1 pound ground beef (96% lean) 9 small whole wheat hamburger buns, split, divided 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder 2 slices pepper Jack cheese, cut in quarters Barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato slices, pickles (optional) Tear one hamburger bun into pieces. Place in food processor or blender container. Cover; pulse on and off, to form fine crumbs. Combine bread crumbs, beef, garlic and chili powder in medium bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape into eight 1/2inch thick mini patties. Place patties on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 9 minutes (over medium heat on preheated electric grill, 9 to 10 minutes) until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160 degrees F, turning occasionally. Evenly top with cheese during last minute of grilling. Place burgers on bottoms of remaining eight buns. Top with desired toppings. Close sandwiches and serve.

F or more beef recipes, visit our website at www.coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Recipes.

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Country Life 23

Flickers From Every Angle Developing digital camera skills from my living room BY DENNIS SMITH

spent an extravagant amount of time shooting flicker photos through my living room window earlier this year. It wasn’t because I wanted to but I had no choice. I’d been resisting the digital camera revolution for years — out of curmudgeonly stubbornness I guess — but also because I had a closet full of conventional 35 mm cameras, lenses and gizmos, and the idea of giving them all up for a little point-and-shoot box was positively traumatizing. Sure, I could have bought a digital single-lens ref lex body that would use some of my old lenses, but I was neither willing nor able to cough up 2,500 bucks for that luxury. Eventually the prices dropped and I sprang for one, pretty much choking back tears while I wrote the check. That was January 3. I spent the next three weeks wading through inch-thick manuals, familiarizing myself with the camera’s myriad programs, menus, submenus, presets and customizable configurations, not to mention the associated photo editing and file management software. Whew. Didn’t see that coming. Anyway, I was finally ready to burn some film, light up some pixels or whatever they call it, but I couldn’t get out of the driveway for blizzards, windstorms, bone-cracking cold fronts and — well, you name it. So I started shooting pictures of the birds in our backyard, right through the living room window. I was desperate. Over the next couple of weeks I shot exactly 458 bird photos. I know this because the camera tracks every shot on

24 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

the computer. I shot birds landing and departing; eating, fighting, sitting, standing and hanging upside down. I shot them in manual and full-auto modes, portrait and landscape modes. I shot them in horizontal and vertical formats, with and without f lash, hand held and from a tripod, with telephoto and wide angle lenses, with and without motor drive, and at all times of the day — 458 of them. Mostly flickers. I learned to operate the camera but I found out more about flickers than I ever imagined. I discovered that they’re called by bizarre names — hairy-wicket, heigh-ho, yellowhammer and nearly a hundred others. And that, as woodpeckers go, they spend more time on the ground probing for ants than they do banging their beaks against trees like the rest of their kin. They not only eat ants, they rub them through their plumage using the formic acid emitted by them to supplement their preen oil and as a kind of pesticide to kill body mites. (How do birds know this stuff?) I also learned that they can dart their tongues out far beyond their beaks to snatch prey like frogs do, or to lick snowflakes out of midair so they won’t have to make a trip to the birdbath for a drink. I’m not kidding you; I got a photo of one doing exactly that. It’s number 374. I call it “Flicker-Lickin’ Good.”

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PLAN FOR SUMMER FUN

OUTDOOR TOOLS Plug in to lower gardening costs BY JAMES DULLEY

ill using electric trimmers and mowers in the yard, instead of gas-powered tools, increase my electric bills much? Which rechargeable batteries are best?

WATCH FOR FUN PLACES TO GO IN THE MAY COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE.

2011 Hawaii Dream Vacation Raffle 7-night dream vacation includes roundtrip air for 2, lei greeting on arrival, luxury hotel & rental car.

Drawing October 12, 2011 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 each. Proceeds benefit: Washington, D.C., Youth Tour, Leadership Camp and the Employee Burn Fund

WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

Send Checks for tickets to: Shelly Grantham % Morgan County REA PO Box 738 Fort Morgan, CO 80701 Send a self-addressed stamped envelope, and return address labels for each ticket purchased with phone number along with your check. (Make checks payable to CWTF Raffle.)

Electric or cordless tools cost much less to use than gasoline tools. A cordless lawn mower can cut a one-third acre lot for about 10 cents’ worth of electricity needed to charge the battery — usually an overnight charge at a rate of 45 to 90 watts depending upon the battery voltage. There are differences in the life, weight, cost and effectiveness of various types of rechargeable batteries for cordless tools. The four basic types of batteries used are lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metalhydride and lithium-ion. Don’t look for the highest voltage tool with the most power. Higher voltage means more battery weight. If you primarily do light shrub trimming or drill small holes in soft wood, lower-voltage is your best choice. Of your outdoor power tools, you’ll use a lawn mower most often. Most of the newer rechargeable cordless lawn mowers are designed to have enough electric charge to cut the typical one-third acre lot. This is assuming a medium length grass — perhaps one week of growth maximum. With little maintenance, cordless mowers are easy and quick to use. The only drawback is they are somewhat heavier than a gasoline-powered mower. For convenience, select a model with a removable battery so the mower can be stored in a shed while keeping the battery in the garage for charging and wintertime storage. Black and Decker has introduced a selfpropelled, 36-volt cordless mower. It has a variable-speed motor to drive the wheels so you can set a comfortable walking speed. The electric motor that drives the wheels is a soft-start design, so it will not jerk the mower each time you start.

F or more information on outdoor gardening tools, visit www.coloradocountrylife.coop and click on Energy Tips. APRIL 2011 Colorado

Country Life 25

MARKETPLACE

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $1.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay with a credit card. Send your ad to: Mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 Email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUES

BOOKS

CHAIR CANING, hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@aculink.net (858-10-11)

FEATURED IN JANUARY Colorado Country Life, the book The Duke of the Chutes, Harry Vold’s Sixty Years in Rodeo. Yours for $25. Call 719-478-2162 or order online, RanchHousePublications.com (954-04-11)

MAY 21 — CELEBRATE Armed Forces Day Fly-In at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum (next to the Pueblo Memorial Airport). Honor Guard and Flag Raising at 8 a.m.; open ’til 5:30 p.m. No admission fee this date. Donations gratefully accepted. Five aircraft with open cockpit including B-29. Military vehicle show and displays; pancake breakfast and lunch on site; many military artifacts and uniforms in addition to 28 aircraft on display; aviation history; PlayPort for the children. Private pilots encouraged to fly in. Short walk from ramp to museum. Visit us at www.pwam.org call 719-948-9219 for details, or email at milnedel@ yahoo.com (953-05-11) TRI-LAKES WOMEN’S CLUB presents Pine Forest Antiques & Garden Show & Sale, April 30, 10-5; May 1, 10-4, Lewis Palmer HS, 1300 Higby Rd., Monument, CO. Antiques, garden demonstrations, appraisers, glass repair, framing, clock repair, jewelry, Bistro dining, quilt raffle, geraniums, bake sale. Visit www.tlwc.net (963-04-11)

ANTLERS ANTLER CHANDELIERS made only from REAL antlers. We are the manufacturer and we sell all of our products at wholesale prices; save as much as 60% from store prices. Many other antler products and mounts, including 5’ Moose Mount, 56” Elk Mount and giant Moose Paddles. Showroom open May 15 through October 15 in Granby, CO. 15 years at this location, over 900 satisfied customers! 970-627-3053. (105-12-11)

WE ARE ANNORA: A True Story of Surviving Multiple Personality Disorder, local author P.S. Marrow’s new release – Visit us at WeAre Annora.com (956-04-11)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.) AVON sells — you earn money. Generous profits. Flexible hours. $10 start up. ISR. 719-550-0242. (133-07-11)

K-LAWN – LAWN FERTILIZING business opportunity. Part-time seasonal work. Be your own boss. NOT a franchise. It’s YOUR business! Training by turf professionals. Superior quality products. Protected territory. Low startup costs. www.k-lawn.com 800-4459116 (914-07-11) LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME opportunity. No sales. No investment. No risk. Training/website provided. Weekly/monthly income plus bonuses and benefits. Call Carrie at 303-579-4207 or fill out form at www.workathomeunited.com/ ourabundance (932-07-11) MAKE MONEY PLAYING THE LOTTERY. Guaranteed system. FREE report. Call toll-free 1-877-526-6957 ID# S4465 or visit our website – www.flalottomagic.net/?S4465 (911-04-11) PIANO TUNING PAYS. Learn with American School home-study course. Tools included. Call for info. 800-497-9793. (158-01-12) START YOUR OWN business! Mia Bella Candles/Gifts/Beauty. Try the best! www.naturesbest.scent-team. com Free weekly drawing. Wonderful income potential. (831-04-11)

BECOME A MORTGAGE BROKER. Earn up to $200,000 a year. www.easymoneyathome.com/ ad?pin=7507 or call toll free 800-242-0363 Ext. 1405 (911-07-11)

CARS/TRUCKS/BOATS

BUSY, FULL SERVICE, AUTO REPAIR workshop in SW Colorado. Est. 35 yrs. Owner retiring and may carry. 6 bays, paint booth, and offices. Little competition. 1-970563-4500. Please ask for Joyce. (942-05-11)

2005 40 FT. ALFA GOLD motorhome, diesel, loaded, 2 slides, non-smokers, new $400K, now $145K, 970-522-4600 (899-06-11)

INDOOR SHOOTING RANGE and gun store. Cortez. Owner has health issues. 970-565-2474 (948-06-11) INSTANTLY RENEW METAL, rubber, flat roofs. Saves replacement. E-mail azteccollc@socket.net 573489-9346. (856-08-11)

26 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

1985 CADILLAC ELDORADO Barritz Conv., mint condition, collector’s dream, $15K, 970-522-4600 (89906-11)

50 SUBARUS! (1995-2010) Outbacks, Foresters, Imprezas, Tribecas & more! Great prices! One-year warranty! Dealer: www. MonumentMotors.com 719-4819900 (574-08-12)

Win prizes on Facebook in April

CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Call Robert 970-247-7729. (109-07-11)

DIET FOOD DISCOUNT DIET FOOD. Highest quality, lowest prices. Our plan or yours. Diethighprotein.com (76306-11) [continued on page 28]

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MARKETPLACE

Improve your chances of being seen. Advertise in Colorado Country Life. We reach more than 188,000 subscribers.

Call Kris at 303-902-7276.

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APRIL 2011

Colorado Country Life 27

[continued from page 26]

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

FOR SALE

COMMERCIAL WEED AND FIRE spray equipment. 307660-8563 or visit us at www. oldwyomingbrandcompany. com (949-08-11)

WORK CLOTHES – Good clean rental type, 6 pants and 6 shirts $44.95. Lined work jackets $10.95. Denim jeans $6.00. Call 1-800-233-1853. www.usedworkclothing.com 100% satisfaction guaranteed. (610-04-11)

FARM MACHINERY & PARTS SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North America’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment. 800-459-2148 www.saw millexchange.com (267-09-11)

FINANCIAL SERVICES

FREE FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite! Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@ yahoo.com 888-211-1715. (814-04-11)

GREAT RATES on mobile/ modular home insurance, auto, motorcycle. Colorado licensed agent. Dennis 719-641-6713 (905-05-11)

GARDENING

FOR SALE

HEALTH

HEAVY DUTY CATTLEPENS portable or permanent; 32x45 working pen w/16’ crowding tub, $3,015. Call Kenneth 580876-3699, www.cccattle equipment.com (882-05-11)

RADICAL NEW direction in weight loss. Introducing Thermogenic-V3. Increases energy. Enhances mood. Suppresses appetite. NEW! Natural Dietary Supplement. www.voyage2weightloss. com Associate opportunities. marty@voyage2weightloss.com (952-04-11)

JACK ROBERTS Original Oil Paintings. Collection of 10 large oils. Trappers and Indians motif. Grand Junction area. buckandgloria@yahoo.com (962-07-11) REMOTE POWER, 120 volts AC -- Includes battery box, controller, 300-watt inverter and 60-watt solar panel. $389. For specs, email to blhn2010@ yahoo.com (961-04-11)

OLATHE SWEET CORN seed. Discount to co-op members. 970-323-5708, olathehardware @qwestoffice.net (877-05-11)

WHY ARE THOUSANDS of Japanese over the age of 100 still healthy? How’s your health? Call Bill at 970-264-0430 (964-04-11)

HELP WANTED $400 WEEKLY ASSEMBLING PRODUCTS FROM HOME. For free information, send SASE: Home Assembly – CC, PO Box 450, New Britain, CT 060500450.

HELP WANTED

REAL ESTATE

EARN $60,000/yr PART-TIME in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. 800-488-7570. www.amagappraisers.com (935-05-11)

COMMERCIAL LAND I-25 Exit 106, north of Pueblo. 17.5 acres, 1/4 mile frontage on west side of I-25. Great location. Some owner financing. Additional properties available. Call Fran @ ERA Herman Group Real Estate 719-251-4038. (945-04-11)

SAFE HAVEN! 35 acres, newer 900 sq. ft. modular, barn, shed, 12 gpm well, off the grid, mountain reservoirs nearby, $158,000. Serious, qualified buyers only. Owner 303-2102818. (950-04-11)

HOBBIES & CRAFTS

FT. COLLINS EQUESTRIAN ESTATE. 8720 sq. ft. home on 35 acres with lakefront, mtn. views, trees, barns, steel fencing, arena… www. obeo.com/637253 or call John Stegner 970-412-1657 or email jfstegner@msn.com (937-04-11)

BECOME AN ORDAINED Minister by correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, PMB 207, 7549 W Cactus, #104, Peoria, AZ 85381. http://www. ordination.org (441-06-11)

AWARD WINNING LONG-ARM QUILTING — reasonable rates, quick turnaround. Karen Niemi, 303-470-9309, http://creative. stitching.home.comcast.net, creative.stitching@comcast.net (846-08-12)

IMPROVEMENTS & REPAIRS HAVE HOME improvements? Finance your projects with a HELOC or home improvement loan from Members Federal Credit Union. Contact a Loan Officer today at loans@mbrcu. com (965-05-11)

MISCELLANEOUS PUT YOUR OLD HOME MOVIES, slides or photos on DVD. 888609-9778 or www.transferguy. com (465-12-11a)

PERSONALS TRUE LOVE CAN be yours! Enjoy Rodeo Roots to ModernDay Cowboys. This is a book about the Wild West. It can delight Western families as well as visitors to the West for only $25. Call 303-455-4111 to order one today. (106-12-11)

POULTRY/GAMEBIRDS FREE – 5 EXOTIC CHICKS or 3 ducks with 100 frypan special @ $35.95 plus shipping. Also Cornish Cross, standard breeds, fancy chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, bantams, guineas, pheasants, quail, supplies, video. FREE COLOR CATALOG 417-532-4581. Cackle Hatchery – PO Box 529, Lebanon, MO 65536. www.cacklehatchery. com (876-07-11)

REAL ESTATE

RELIGION

SPECIAL SERVICES

GRAND JUNCTION HORSE FARM, 3130 A 1/2 Rd, 3550+ sq. ft. home on 14 acres. Newly remodeled, new central air, new boiler, new water heater, new roof, half brick ranch w/new vinyl siding. 5 bdrm, 3 1/2 bath, living room, dining room, large kitchen, large family room. New carpet/tile/wood floors. Full horse barn w/indoor stalls & outside runs. All steel fencing, arenas, loafing sheds on large pastures. Additional fencing around home & inground heated pool. RV building (50x28’), two large ponds, etc. Ginny 970-260-9629, Terry 970-261-3001, Gin.5@NetZero. net (946-06-11) LAND WANTED — cash buyer looking to purchase 500-20,000 acres in Colorado. Will consider bail outs, foreclosures, joint ventures, condo/commercial projects. Will close quickly. Call Joe @ Red Creek Land 719-543-6663. (648-08-11) MOUNTAIN PROPERTY — Quiet, cool, comfortable alpine living. Choice properties small to large. Exclusive listings. 4-season mountain playground around Lake Isabel. www.sanisabelrealty.com 719-485-3543 (966-04-11)

LAKE OR POND? Aeration is your 1st step toward improved water quality. Complete systems $199 to $369!! Waterfall? 7,000 gph super hi-efficiency waterfall pump, just 3 amps! $399.99! www.fishpondaerator. com, 608-254-2735. (87912-11) THE VALLECITO EVENT CENTER is perfect for your wedding, reunion, retreat or other group activity. Located 26 miles NE of Durango, our beautiful handicapped-accessible facility is lakeside and offers 30’x60’ multipurpose room, tables, chairs to seat 160, fully equipped kitchen, restrooms, covered decks and 40’x80’ outdoor cement patio. See photos at www.vallecitolakechamber. com or call 970-884-6080 for information, availability. (957-05-11)

TICKETS NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. All seating levels available. Call 1-888-NFR-rodeo (1-888-637-7633) or www. NFR-Rodeo.com *BBB Member; Since 1990. (912-11-11)

VACATIONS CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND cruise, 10-night beginning Sept. 24. Call for pricing and details. Bon Voyage Cruise and Travel, 719-596-7447 (968-06-11)

35-ACRE PARCELS, overlooking North Sterling Reservoir, ideal for custom home, exc. hunting, 970-522-4600. (899-06-11)

Read classified ads at www.coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Classifieds.

28 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

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VACATION RENTAL

WANTED TO BUY

An elderly couple lived in a nursing home. The

DON’T BE CRABBY – BE WARM! Visit our rental in St. Croix, USVI, no passport needed, directly on the beach. Call 970-482-8999 or check out our website for pictures & info, www.stcroixsugarbeach.com (951-07-11)

OLD COLO. LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1950. Call Wes 303757-8553. (889-04-11)

VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. Call Gary at 970-674-9596 (960-07-11)

OLD COWBOY STUFF–hats, boots, spurs, chaps, Indian rugs, baskets, etc. ANYTHING OLD! Mining & railroad memorabilia, ore carts! We buy whole estates. We’ll come to you! Call 970-759-3455 or 970-5651256. (871-05-11)

WANT TO PURCHASE mineral and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-02-12)

old woman had suspicions that the old man went out drinking in the afternoons, but she didn’t have any real proof. Then one day, he came home and went straight to bed, sleeping through a phone call the woman received. When she woke him, he claimed he hadn’t been drinking. “Then why did the bartender just call to tell me you left your wheelchair in the bar?” Lewis Armbrust, Evergreen

KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-245-6500; makanacrest.com kauaiweddings.com (756-05-11)

OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-11)

WANTED TO BUY I WILL BUY YOUR German daggers, helmets and other military items. Don Simmons, PO Box 4734, Springfield, MO 65808, 417-8815645. DSimmons@corpranet.net (470-06-11)

OLD MODEL AIRPLANE engines and parts. American, foreign. Call Don at 970-669-3418 (866-06-11)

MOTORCYCLE OR DIRT BIKE — running or needing work okay — and blacksmith tools. 970-5541627 (959-04-11)

OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209 watch doctor@hotmail.com. (870-06-12)

NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-04-11)

WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets. 888-735-5337. (227-09-11) WE PAY CASH FOR minerals and oil/gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122. (227-09-11)

WEDDINGS DO YOU WANT TO CREATE a magical, romantic, unforgettable wedding on the beach? The NEW Beach Wedding Planning Guide and Workbook shows you how. Download now at www.Beach WeddingMagic.com. (106-12-11)

OLD TRACTORS that don’t run. Jerry Browne, 2707 Weld Co. Rd. 19, Fort Lupton, CO 80621. 303-6597026. (220-04-11)

Get your cowboy a book about Colorado’s Wild West

One afternoon, my 2 year old grandson came to our house. He was carrying his super hero underwear that his mom promised him he could wear as soon as he successfully used the potty rather than his diaper. As he began to play he put the underwear down next to where I was sitting. I put the undies on my head like a hat and said “Look at me, Justin.” My grandson turned and with a look of surprise snatched the underwear and said with his most indignant voice, “Granddad, these go on your bottom.” Dan Hetrick, Cotopaxi

When the waitress brought our luncheon menus to the table, our 2-year-old grandson, Jason, picked one up and studied it in a very grown up manner. Then he handed it to his grandfather and said, “Talk it to me, Grandpa, I can’t talk it.” Palma Romero, Cotopaxi

When the doctor called in a patient who had waited hours for his appointment, the physician apologized profusely. “I really don’t mind,” said the patient. “But I had hoped you would be able to treat my ailment during the earliest stages.” Andy Taylor, Fort Collins

The teacher asked, “Can anyone give me a good example of how heat expands things and cold contracts them?” “Well,” one alert student answered. “Days are longer in the summer.” Andy Taylor, Fort Collins

Call 303-455-4111 for details. WWW.COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP

We pay for funny stories. Email them to funnystories@ coloradocountrylife.org.

APRIL 2011

Colorado Country Life 29

A Window on Efficiency

hey’re thin and unobtrusive, but window films can make all the difference when it comes to making your home or business more energy efficient. These films can keep the sun’s heating rays out in the summer yet help retain heat during the winter, plus they offer a variety of other benefits. SunGlo Window Films is a Colorado company offering a variety of these specialized window films for different situations. With branches in Denver, Fort Collins and Durango, SunGlo can provide a consultant to help you find exactly what you need. For more information, visit http://sunglowf.com or call 303-279-5884.

Burning Clean

ove a cozy fire in the fireplace? A Durango company has designed a clean burning fireplace grate that makes those fires less polluting. Earth’s Flame’s green design is available for all fireplaces. It uses a gas-enhanced starter system and a patented design to burn hot and clean to reduce emissions by 77 percent. For information, visit www.earthsflame.com or call 888-201-8805.

Dressing Up Concrete

cid stained concrete floors are popular in many homes and businesses. But it can be expensive to hire a professional to do the staining. If you’re interested in doing it yourself, a leading expert, Gaye Goodman, has a set of instructional DVDs and materials to help you do the job right. You’ll find more information at www.gayegood manstore.com. The DVDs will teach you the seven steps to cleaning a floor before you begin; how to repair cracks; how to apply the stain; insider techniques for replicating specific kinds of stone; how to cover up mistakes; how to maintain the finished floor and more.

30 Colorado Country Life APRIL 2011

FLUSHED WITH WATER SAVINGS

educe the water used by your toilet by 30 percent by installing a HydroRight Dual-Flush Converter. Press the upper button for less water and the lower button for more power. It is easy to install. However, you will want to install this on a toilet where everyone understands the system to maximize your water savings. For information on the converter, visit www.gomjsi.com. You’ll also find them at Walmart, Ace and Home Depot.

I nterested in a stained concrete floor? Willing to do it yourself? This month, Colorado Country Life will give away “The Acid Staining Secrets of the Pros” DVD and two notebooks of materials (Fundamentals of Acid Stained Concrete and Artistic Acid Staining) valued at $189. Visit Contest at www.colorado countrylife.coop for information on how to enter to win.