The sweetest taters
Our November issue has a familiar orange friend on the cover.
Sweet potatoes are familiar to those who participate in traditional Thanksgiving dinners as well as Mississippi residents.
Vardaman — in the northern part of the state — is known as the “Sweet Potato Capital of the World.” Mississippi has 172 sweet potato farms and produced the third-highest yield of the crop in the U.S. last year totaling 4.3 million 100-pound bags. In October 1974, then-Mississippi Gov. Bill Waller proclaimed Vardaman the “Sweet Potato Capital of the World,” making it o cial.
Thanksgiving and this month’s Sweet Potato Festival in Vardaman made this issue the perfect choice to tell the story of one of Mississippi’s greatest exports.
(If you take a peek at Page 29, you’ll find food columnist Vicki Leach’s recipe for sweet potato pie.)
November of this year is notable for more than just sweet potatoes.
Depending on when you received this issue, you may have already voted in the Nov. 5 presidential election. If you are reading the column before that date, please make sure to vote.
As a member of an electric cooperative and a resident of Mississippi, you deserve to have your voice heard. You have the power to help determine this country’s leadership.
In an e ort to help our members get informed and participate in the democratic process, we created our Co-ops Vote MS initiative.
The Co-ops Vote MS website — coopsvotems.com — features quick links to important voting information including where to register to vote, our current elected o cials, what elections are occurring this year, and videos of elected o cials talking about the importance of voting, and what they do on a day-today basis.
We hope you have visited the website, and it helped you with either registering to vote or informing you in some way. If not, please visit going forward. We want our members to remember that public policy impacts your co-op’s ability to provide reliable, a ordable power. The best way for your voice to impact public policy is informed voting.
Happy Thanksgiving and we hope you enjoy the issue.
by Michael Callahan
The Official Publication of the Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi
Vol. 77 No. 11
OFFICERS
Brian Hughey - President
Brian Long - First Vice President
Shawn Edmondson - Second Vice President
Brian Clark - Secretary/Treasurer
Michael Callahan - Executive Vice President/CEO
EDITORIAL STAFF
Lydia Walters - VP, Communications
Steven Ward - Editor
Chad Calcote - Creative Director
Kevin Wood - Graphic Designer
Alan Burnitt - Graphic Designer
Courtney Warren - Graphic Designer
Chris Alexander - Member Services Coordinator
Andy Tuccio - Media Solutions Director
Steve Temple - Social Media Director
Karen Hargett - Administrative Assistant
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Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year.
Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published 12 times a year by Electric Cooperatives of Mississippi Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional o ce. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. The magazine is published for members of subscribing co-ops. The magazine is a bene t of membership.
POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2) NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to: Today in Mississippi, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300 www.facebook.com/TodayinMississippi www.todayinmississippi.com
Joe Edmondson (right), owner of Topashaw Farms, and his son Trent Edmondson, stand among crates of the season’s sweet potato harvest. Photo by Chad Calcote.
Mississippi’s co-op linemen help restore power a er deadly hurricanes
Storm devastation hit Florida twice in two weeks after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck the Sunshine State on Sept. 26 and Oct. 9.
The storms caused fierce winds, flooding rains and rising seawaters, and knocked out electricity to hundreds of thousands of Florida co-op members.
Milton caused dozens of tornadoes in the state even before it made landfall near Sarasota, Florida, as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph.
For Hurricane Helene, Mississippi sent 280 men from 20 systems — Coast, 4-County, Tombigbee, Delta, Dixie Electric, East Mississippi, Magnolia, North East, Northcentral, Singing River, Southern Pine, Tishomingo, Yazoo Valley, Alcorn, Tallahatchie Valley, Pontotoc, Natchez Trace, Prentiss, Southwest, and Pearl River Valley.
Mississippi linemen also were dispatched to Georgia to help restore power after Helene struck. Men from Tippah Electric, Central, and Twin County joined the Georgia e ort with workers from the co-ops mentioned above. Mississippi had 121 men working in Georgia. Some of those linemen were there following their work in Florida, others were switched out, and some were sent to Georgia directly from their home co-ops.
Following landfall of Milton, Mississippi sent 145 men to assist Florida co-ops.
While Mississippi linemen answered the call to assist Florida and Georgia co-ops in their time of need, life went on at home in their absence.
Dixie Electric lineman Brady Creel was working in Florida even though his wedding was scheduled for Oct. 19.
Brady and his fiancée Emily Holder told Mississippi TV stations that they knew his time to go would come. They just hoped it wouldn’t be so close to their wedding day.
Holder said her fiancé was given the option to sit this trip out, but he chose to put the needs of others before himself.
There’s still a plan to make sure he’s back in time to say his vows.
“I have an aunt who’s just making the extra trip to get him,” Holder
said. “It’s like an hour and a half extra for her, and then she’s going to drive him home.
At the time of this writing, the couple’s wedding was still scheduled for Oct. 19, Holder said.
Yazoo Valley Electric lineman Justin Milner was working in Florida to restore power after Milton and was surprised with a gift from Florida co-op Peace River Electric.
While Milner was away from home, he had to miss his baby’s gender reveal.
“To show our gratitude for his hard work and sacrifice, we gifted him something special to celebrate the upcoming arrival of his little one,” Peace River Electric posted on their Facebook page.
“Moments like these remind us that the cooperative di erence goes far beyond power lines — it’s about people, family, and community.”
Turns out, Milner is going to be a girl dad.
Co-op linemen to assist in state’s AMBER Alert program
The Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC) recently announced the establishment of a strategic alliance with law enforcement agencies and utility organizations to provide additional resources for the state’s AMBER Alert program.
Led by Southern District Commissioner Wayne Carr, the initiative recognizes the critical role that utility workers can play in resolving AMBER Alerts. Many utility professionals — like utility linemen and utility operators — perform their job duties
outdoors by streets and residential areas, which provides a unique opportunity for these professionals to spot individuals and vehicles included in an AMBER Alert.
“Given the nature of their jobs, utility representatives can play a crucial part in our state’s AMBER Alert program by recognizing the signs of child abduction and understanding how to best respond in
these types of situations,” Carr said in a news release. “We are excited to create a partnership with statewide law enforcement agencies and utility organizations in order to provide safety education to utility crews and to contribute to Mississippi’s strong AMBER Alert network.”
Through this innovative partnership, the MPSC, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the Attorney General’s O ce, electric cooperatives, water companies, and natural gas providers will collaborate to educate utility employees on the state’s AMBER Alert program and train them to recognize the signs of child abduction.
Additionally, a social media campaign and the distribution of informative materials will accompany the utility training program, further disseminating this initiative’s goals and messages to residents across Mississippi.
A Yazoo Valley Electric linemen crew saying a prayer before getting to work on power restoration in Florida.
Southern Gardening
On a recent visit to the Mississippi State University South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, I was captivated by the beauty of the Angelonia plants in their display gardens.
The Angelonia Angelface series truly impressed me with their snapdragon-like flowers and versatility in various garden and landscape settings.
One variety that really stood out to me was Angelface Wedgwood Pink. Its soft, delicate blooms feature a gentle mix of pink and white, with subtle shading that gives them a refined, romantic quality. I noticed hints of lavender and blush in the petals, which added depth to the color scheme.
hues of the blooms against the dark leaves makes a gentle yet striking display.
I can easily see this variety softening the look of harsher, more structured plantings or bringing a calming vibe to container arrangements.
In my view, Angelface White brings freshness and brightness to the garden, especially when planted in large groups.
The flowers have an airy, delicate quality that makes them perfect for creating a minimalist garden design.
In my opinion, Wedgwood Pink creates a serene, airy atmosphere when used in garden borders or flower beds, contrasting beautifully with the plant’s deep green, lance-shaped foliage. The pastel
Another variety I admired was Angelface Perfectly Pink. Its vivid flowers are slightly larger than other Angelonia varieties, and I was particularly impressed by the way the rich pink tones deepen toward the center of the blooms, adding dimension and intensity.
The larger flowers give Perfectly Pink a commanding presence in garden beds or containers, and I think it would work perfectly as a colorful focal point. The bright pink contrasts well with other bold colors like purple or red, but also shines when paired with softer tones like whites or pastels. This creates a dynamic garden palette.
I also found Angelface White to be absolutely elegant.
Angelonias like this Angelface White are heat- and drought-tolerant, thriving in full sun and blooming continuously throughout the warm months. Their ease of care makes them an excellent choice for gardeners.
Its pure white flowers stood out with a clean, crisp appearance. The flowers often feature a faint hint of yellow or green in the center, giving them a subtle complexity that adds sophistication to their simple beauty.
In my view, Angelface White brings freshness and brightness to the garden, especially when planted in large groups. The flowers have an airy, delicate quality that makes them perfect for creating a minimalist garden design. I think they would e ectively o set bolder, brighter colors or simply add a cool, refreshing contrast to garden borders or containers.
Angelface Blue caught my attention for its cool tones.
The rich blue to purple-blue flowers often feature a lightercolored eye in the center. This stunning contrast enhances the flower’s visual appeal. The calming color of Angelface Blue makes it a fantastic focal point in the landscape.
Angelface Blue pairs beautifully with complementary colors like soft whites and pale yellows or provides a striking contrast to warmer tones like pinks and oranges.
The blooms rise above the plant’s glossy, deep green foliage, creating a layered e ect that adds richness to garden beds or containers.
What I appreciate most about the Angelface series is their resilience and low-maintenance nature.
These plants are heat- and drought-tolerant, thriving in full sun and blooming continuously throughout the warm months. Their ease of care makes them an excellent choice for gardeners. They also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, adding to their ecological value.
The Angelface series o ers a variety of colors and forms that are beautiful and versatile. They thrive in everything from formal garden beds to casual containers.
If you’re ever in Poplarville in the summer, I highly recommend visiting the MSU South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station to see these remarkable plants in full bloom.
by Dr. Eddie Smith
Southern Gardening columnist Dr. Eddie Smith, a gardening specialist and Pearl River County coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, is an internationally certified arborist, Produce Safety Alliance certified trainer, and one of the developers of the Mississippi Smart Landscapes program that encourages the use of native plants in the landscape.
Angelface Perfectly Pink Angelonia have vivid flowers are slightly larger than other Angelonia varieties. This gives them a commanding presence in the garden.
The Angelface series of Angelonia o ers a variety of colors and forms that are beautiful and versatile. Selections like this Angelface Blue thrive in everything from formal garden beds to casual containers.
With elongated necks and long legs trailing behind them in flight, whistling ducks look more like an ibis than a duck. Slightly smaller than mallards, these odd birds greatly expanded their breeding range north of the Rio Grande and eastward in recent years to include Mississippi.
“We have both black-bellied and fulvous whistling ducks in Mississippi,” said Houston Havens, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks Waterfowl Program Coordinator in Jackson. “Black-bellies seem to be increasing in numbers and expanding their range throughout the state. Fulvous whistling ducks are rarer in Mississippi.”
Formerly known as tree ducks, both species can land in trees and often congregate in woody backwaters. They also frequently land on dry ground like geese and stand straight upright with their long necks extended. They might appear in diverse habitats across the Magnolia State.
“Whistlers might be in emergent marsh habitat that has water and emergent vegetation along the edges throughout the summer and into early fall,” Havens said. “They will also be in cypress brakes, farm ponds, and fishing lakes. They get in some rice fields when those fields have water on them during the summer and rice is growing. They use them as forging habitat.”
Unfortunately for Mississippi waterfowlers, whistlers fly farther south to Mexico, and Central and South America in the fall. Legal to shoot during the regular duck season, but not the September teal season, they usually disappear from Mississippi around the time the regular duck season starts.
“Hunters occasionally harvest a few black-bellied whistling ducks, especially early in the season,” Havens said. “Normally by the time by the regular duck season starts in November, most flew farther south. We don’t know if they move because of the photo period like blue-winged teal or cold weather makes them move. They seem to be ready to head south as soon as they finish raising their broods.”
Sportsmen might bag a few whistlers if some happen to pass overhead or fly into the decoys. They respond well to decoys and calling. People who specifically want to shoot whistlers must do their scouting. However, spotting bird concentrations a week before the season starts doesn’t guarantee limits on opening day.
“We see pockets of whistling ducks in large concentrations on the Gulf Coast and up through the lower Mississippi Delta Region,” Havens said. “Some wildlife management areas in the southern Mississippi Delta might hold some whistlers. We have pretty good numbers of black-bellied whistling ducks along the Mississippi River and reports of them throughout northern Mississippi.”
If some whistlers stay around long enough, they could give Mississippi waterfowlers an opportunity to bag a di erent species. These tasty birds would make a welcome addition to any daily bag for hunters lucky enough to spot them during the season.
The Mississippi duck season runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 and again from Dec. 7 to Jan. 31, 2025. However, youths, veterans, and active-duty military members get two extra days to hunt from Feb. 8-9, 2025.
See www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/ hunting-seasons-and-bag-limits for more information.
by John N. Felsher
John N. Felsher is a professional freelance writer, broadcaster, photographer, and editor who lives in Alabama. An avid sportsman, he’s written more than 3,300 articles for more than 170 different magazines on a wide variety of outdoors topics. Contact him at j.felsher@hotmail.com.
Scene Around the ‘Sip
Welcome to the Highland games
by Steven Ward
Elizabeth Doss will never forget the first time she was exposed to the Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival.
“I was 7 and back then it was held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. I remember a band marching down a ramp. It was the first time I heard the sound of bagpipes,” Doss, 39, said recently.
Doss played piano for years but when she was in high school, she wanted to try to learn a new instrument.
Doss wanted to learn how to play the bagpipes.
A retired band director from Moss Point High School, Jack Lander, taught her, and she’s played ever since.
Today, Doss is the treasurer of the Highlands and Islands Association of Celtic Gatherings, the nonprofit group that puts on The Scottish Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival in Gulfport.
This year’s festival will be held Nov. 9 and 10 at the Harrison County Fairgrounds.
The festival features two full days of Scottish and Irish culture, food, music, dancing, and athletics.
Visitors will get a chance to listen to folk music, Celtic rock, bagpipe bands, and Irish harp music.
“You’ll hear plenty of fiddles and flutes,” Doss said.
The food visitors can try is more than just corn beef and cabbage.
“The lamb and beef meat pies are popular. My favorite is the macaroni and cheese pie,” Doss said.
Scotch eggs are another popular festival food.
Scotch eggs are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in ground sausage and deep fried, Doss said.
The athletic games are a unique part of the festival.
Athletes compete in a sheaf toss, the iconic caber toss, ax throwing, and jousting.
For visitors who want to learn about their Scottish or Irish heritages, genealogists well versed in clan history will be available to help them identify their family clans and tartans.
There will also be a sheep herding exhibition.
“We have a gentleman from Stone County who brings his sheep and two to three border collies. He will demonstrate how he herds the sheep with the dogs using various whistles and clicks,” Doss said.
For children, the festival will also feature highland cows, a Celtic Disney princess — Princess Merida — from the film, “Brave,” and a unicorn from Wiggins.
In it’s 39th year, Doss said the festival o ers all kinds of sights and sounds to visitors.
“For those who have never been, I would say that visitors can expect two days of music and food and other things you don’t typically see and experience in the American South,” Doss said.
For more information about the festival, ticket prices, and the daily schedules, visit mshighlandsandislands.com.
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“Improving the quality of life for all those we touch.”
Living the co-op life EVERY DAY
I love the feeling of being able to walk into my favorite locally-owned shop, restaurant or store knowing that the profit, product and labor can make positive impacts on my community. The spirit of main street is embodied in these local businesses, just like it is in 4-County Electric Power Association.
Electric cooperatives are as local and community centered as they come. Founded as a way to bring electricity to communities that didn’t interest Investor-owned utilities (or IOUs), electric cooperatives have been a cornerstone of community and economic development in rural America and beyond for decades.
That feeling I get when I frequent local businesses in our community is the same feeling I get when I walk into work at the co-op every day. It is a feeling of thankfulness. I am thankful to be a part of an organization that serves the community in which we live, instead of a group of shareholders who may never have set foot in our service territory.
At 4-County, we celebrate the co-op way of life on a daily basis. Living on co-op lines is more than just knowing there are people out there working to bring you safe, reliable and a ordable electric service. Living on co-op lines is an investment in our community and its members.
You see, 4-County is a not-for-profit business. This means after all co-op expenses are paid, any additional money goes back into the co-op’s infrastructure, instead of going into a shareholder’s pocket, which is pretty great!
And because we are owned by you, our members, we have a vested interest in making sure our community is prosperous. We do this by investing in economic development and community service projects, programs such as the 4-County Foundation and the Cooperative Youth Leaders program.
I hope that you view 4-County not just as your electric utility provider, but as a local business that brings pride and prosperity to our community. If you are interested in learning more about how we keep the lights on and beyond, please stop by the co-op or give us a call. We love being a part of this community, and we hope you feel the same way too!
We’re thankful for you! Happy Thanksgiving!
by Brian Clark
CEO/General Manager
MAKE REFERRAL, MAKE MONEY
We like to think of FASTnet as a family and we’d like you to help our family grow! As a FASTnet customer, you can earn a $25 bill credit for every new customer you refer.*
Just make sure that any new customer you send our way knows your name and FASTnet account number and that they give it to us when they sign up for service. For every new customer you refer to FASTnet that gets installed, we’ll put a $25 credit on your bill. So, help us spread the word about FASTnet and earn a little money while you do it.
*Referral information must be given before account is installed. Credits will be applied to the referrer’s account as a credit only and cannot be redeemed for cash.
making Christmas brighter
4-County Electric Power Association and FASTnet are encouraging members and customers to help make Christmas better and brighter for area children by taking part in their annual Toy Drive.
Drop-o boxes will be located in 4-County o ces this month through Dec. 13. The co-op is asking its members, employees and the general public to drop o a new, unwrapped toy in one of the boxes located in the 4-County o ce nearest you.
Collected toys will be delivered to the Salvation Army who will distribute toys throughout the 4-County service area. Last year, employees and members dug deep and collected nearly 300 toys for distribution in 4-County’s service area.
“This is a great Christmas project,” said 4-County Senior Communications Coordinator Brad Barr. “We’re always excited to participate in our annual Toy Drive. A lot of children identified by Salvation Army wouldn’t have the same Christmas experience without the help of this charitable organization and organizations like 4-County.
Again, the deadline for dropping o toys is Dec. 13. Call Barr at 1-800-431-1544 for more information about the annual Toy Drive project. (Note: Special arrangements to pick up toy donations can also be made by calling Barr).
4-COUNTY’S ANNUAL
DROPOFF LOCATIONS:
4COUNTY OFFICES DEADLINE:
Fill a Bucket fills a need
Help make things a little easier for area families during the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays by collecting food items for The Giving Hands Food Pantry.
How can you help? Employees and members can bring food items (canned goods, boxed items and pull-tab items) to 4-County o ces Nov. 21 and place them in the collection utility bucket. “The Fill a Bucket program will fill a big need in area communities,” said 4-County CEO Brian Clark.
For more information, call 4-County’s Marketing Department at 1-800-431-1544.
DEADLINE NOV. 21
MacGown sees world DIFFERENT EYES through
Joe MacGown is creating a real buzz in the world of art.
The Starkville resident is drawing worldwide attention to his detailed, surreal drawings and art projects that feature insects and other natural history themes.
MacGown, a self-taught and scientific-acknowledged expert on ants, has shown and sold his work around the world. He has also had feature appearances on programs at television networks like Animal Planet.
His intricate creations of art are displayed primarily as colored inks on paper, wood, clay-coated board, and metal. Sketches complete an expansive portfolio.
MacGown briefly attended art school at Memphis College of Art. He later received a job at Mississippi State University (MSU) as a scientific illustrator for the Mississippi Entomological Museum. This job evolved into a research position over time.
He began his artistic journey at 4 and sold his first painting at 11. “Everything I see is complex, and brimming with subject matter, rather than open spaces. I see the world in a di erent way,” MacGown explained. To create his art, he allows his observations and thoughts to flow from his brain freely in what he calls “subconscious meandering.”
researcher. Joe spent part of his childhood in Maine and part of his childhood in Mississippi (following his father and family to an academic gig at Mississippi State University). “I was a nature nut. I grew up without television,” Joe said of his childhood experiences in those bountiful outdoor settings. Not much has changed, he admitted. “I continue to observe nature, seeing things that I draw inspiration from.”
The insect aficionado comes naturally by his interest in arthopods. His father, with a PhD in Entomology, was a university
In 2020, he retired from full-time work at MSU. Now, he works part-time there, conducts research, and stays busy with his art. Through the years, he has created thousands of art projects, sometimes investing hundreds of hours in each piece of large art.
MacGown creates much of his detailed works in a 600-square-foot studio on his 17 acres in the Sessums Community of Oktibbeha County. He lives there with his wife, Jennifer, and his stepdaughter, Emma Claire. He shares studio space with his son, Joseph. The MacGown Art Retreat and Studio includes the MacGown’s home, a studio, a cabin, an “art house,” — where visiting artists stay — and a gallery featured in a picturesque expanse around the lake. “It’s a good place to create.”
Art should be an expression of oneself, he said. “Everyone has some form of artistic ability. Finding that type of art may be the challenge. You must stick with it. But it’s a beautiful journey.”
Imagination takes Smith places EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
comforts of her own home.
The avid reader says books can take you places you never imagined. “You can experience a lot through reading. It takes you places. And you don’t even have to have a ticket,” Paula explained.
Thrillers and romantic comedies are her book genres of choice. “I just enjoy it. It’s a relaxing hobby,” she added.
The Michigan native and her son, Howard, 6, live in Noxubee County. “He loves to play,” she said of Howard. “If that was a job, he’d be excellent at it,” she said with a laugh. “We have a good time.”
Paula and Howard live and thrive in the countryside of the county. They have 20 cows, a vegetable garden, and fruit trees. Two farm greeters/watchdogs, Tina and Red, a pair of strays that quickly became part of the family, watch for visitors. “They just showed up and blended right in.” A seasoned horse, also named Red, rounds out the group of four-legged friends.
Paula says she left the Wolverine State for the Magnolia State to be closer to family. The Noxubee County clan lives within 10 minutes of each other. “We have a large family. It’s kind of like our own community. We help each other out and provide support to each other,” Paula said.
She also enjoys providing support to 4-County Electric Power Association members as a member services representative, based at the co-op’s Starkville o ce. Paula assists 4-County members with questions about their accounts and about the co-op. “We provide information and solutions. You get to know the customers. You’re dealing with di erent personalities. A simple solution can sometimes make someone’s day.”
Paula joined 4-County in February 2023. Prior to working at the co-op, she served a stint as a customer service representative for Cadence Bank. She attended East Mississippi Community College and is now studying business administration with an emphasis in human resources at Devry University.
As a young adult searching for a career, Paula knew she wanted to help people. “I’m able to do that here.“ Employees at the call center department, where Paula most often works, handle between 70 to 100 phone calls each day.
Family is important to Paula, she stressed. And 4-County has proven to be a home away from home. “We all look out for each other. We’re like a family,” she said. “And it’s great that we help the community where we can. I appreciate our reputation. We’ve good a good one. I like being part of that. People look at you with respect.”
If Your Hands, Arms, Feet, or Legs Are Numb - If You Feel Shooting or Burning Pain or An Electric Sensation - You Are at Risk
Get The Help You Need - Here's What You Need to Know...
Purvis, MS - If you experience numbness or tingling in your hands, arms, legs, or feet or if you experience shooting or burning pain, this is important.
Please read this carefully
Peripheral Neuropathy is when small blood vessels in the hands, arms, feet or legs become diseased and tiny nerves that keep the cells and muscles working properly shrivel up and die.
Early-warning symptoms include tingling and numbness, mild loss of feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet, inability to feel your feet, which increases your risk of foot-injury and falling
More Advanced Symptoms Include...
Loss of coordination & dexterity, which puts you at increased risk of accidents
Inability to feel clothing like socks and gloves
High risk of falling, which makes walking dangerous, and makes you more dependent on others
Burning sensations in your arms, legs, hands or feet that may start mild, but as nerves and muscles die, may feel like you're being burned by a blow torch.
Ignore the early warning signals long enough and you risk progressive nerve damage leading to muscle wasting, severe pain, loss of balance and a lot of staying at home wishing you didn't hurt
When every step is like walking on hot coals, sitting still may be the only thing you feel like doing But there's little joy in sitting still all day long
Now here's the scary part....
Nerve damage CAUSES cell damage Cell damage SPEEDS UP nerve degeneration
Without treatment this can become a DOWN-WARD SPIRAL that accelerates.
The damage can get worse fast Mild symptoms intensify Slight tingling, numbness or lack of feeling can turn into burning pain.
Before you know it, damage can become so bad you hurt all the time
Unless this downward spiral is stopped and nerves return to proper function - the damage to nerves and cells in the affected area can get so bad your muscles begin to die right along with the nerves and cells. And that sets the stage for weakness, loss of mobility, disability, and dependence on others.
If you have early warning signs of peripheral neuropathy, (tingling &/or numbness, loss of feeling or pain) it's CRITICAL you get proper treatment
It's critical, because with proper treatment the symptoms can often be reversed Without it, you are playing Russian Roulette with your health
Once your nerve loss reaches 85%, odds are there's nothing any doctor can do to help.
The most common method your doctor may recommend to treat neuropathy is prescription drugs
Drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, & Neurontin are often prescribed to manage the pain But, damaged nerves and dying cells do not heal on their own
Pain pills do not restore healthy nerve function. They just mask the pain as the nerves continue to degenerate and cells and muscle continue to die.
Taking endless drugs and suffering terrible side effects that may damage your liver & kidney and create even more problems, is not a reasonable path. You deserve better. Three things must be determined to effectively treat neuropathy 1) What is the underlying cause? 2) How much nerve damage has been sustained? 3) How much treatment your condition will require?
With proper treatment, shriveled blood vessels grow back & nerves can return to proper function How much treatment you may need depends on your condition
At Purvis Chiropractic we do a complete neuropathy sensitivity exam to determine the extent of your nerve damage The exam includes a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, & a detailed analysis of the findings.
Dr Rob Acord, D C will be offering this complete neuropathy sensitivity exam for $47 This special offer goes away at the end of this month as we have a limited number of exam appointments available
Stop Hurting & Start Healing
Call
Photos by Chad Calcote
by Jim Beaugez
For many Southerners, autumn doesn’t mark the arrival of cooler weather as much as it means football, family, and of course, a feast of epic proportions on Thanksgiving. And while turkey can be found on nearly every spread, the only other ingredient you’re sure to find on a Mississippi table is the sweet potato.
That’s partly because they’re sweet and delicious, as the name suggests, and partly because Mississippi simply grows a lot of them. Last year, farmers in the state produced the third-highest yield of sweet potatoes in the U.S., totaling 4.3 million hundredweight, or 100-pound bags, produced from 172 farms.
Sweet potatoes are grown throughout many of the valleys in north Mississippi, but the town of Vardaman, population 1,071 as of 2022, is the center of it all. Joe Edmondson, who farmed cotton and ran a gin for 26 years before establishing Topashaw Farms here to produce sweet potatoes, has an easy explanation why.
Edmondon said. “There have always been good potatoes growing here. My mother’s family, they were raising sweet potatoes over 100 years ago right here in this same area.”
There have always been good potatoes growing here. My mother’s family, they were raising sweet potatoes over 100 years ago right here in this same area.
“A Vidalia onion that comes out of Vidalia, Georgia, tastes di erent from anywhere else you can get it, and a sweet potato pretty much tastes di erent from anywhere outside of the Vardaman area,”
These sweet, starchy root tubers have been on the menu for at least 5,000 years, when indigenous groups cultivated them in South and Central America. The vegetable’s long journey to Mississippi eventually passed through Tennessee, where, as Vardaman local Jan Cook explains, farmers didn’t have land for row crops like the sweet potato. Meanwhile, across the state line, Mississippi pig farmers had a surplus of fertile cropland with nothing growing on it. So, essentially, the farmers swapped. Cook learned the history from earlier generations of family members, who have farmed here for more than a century, beginning with her grandfather, who was one of the first farmers to move here from Tennessee. Since 2010, she has worked at Sweet Potato Sweets, a shop that sells baked goods made with the local favorite. Although her mother started the shop with two friends in 1996, it has since become a Cook family business — her 92-year-old father, Paul Cook, owns it now.
Since 1996, Sweet Potato Sweets has been the place to find sweet potato pies, breads, and an assortment of other goodies baked with sweet potatoes from local Vardaman farms.
“They just wanted people to be able to get a sweet potato pie in Vardaman,” Cook said. The shop opened part time at first, but as the business grew so did their hours. “They had rented a little spot, then it grew, and my mom bought a building, and they moved there. They quickly outgrew that building, and my dad built the building we’re in currently.”
Sweet Potato Sweets was ahead of its time, considering the explosion in popularity the sweet potato has enjoyed in recent years. Low in calories and fat but high in vitamins A, B and C, the vegetable contributes to a healthier immune system as well as benefits vision, heart and kidney functions. They’re so popular, in fact, that the global market for sweet potato fries, touted as a healthier alternative to French fries, is a billion-dollar concern on its own.
“The health benefits of sweet potatoes have been advertised a lot more than in the previous years, and I think that’s what has really boosted the market,” Edmonson says. “The fries are getting more popular, and now all the processors are doing a whole lot better job —
they’ve got a lot of varieties, life wa e fries, spiced fries. They o er a lot of options.”
For the past five decades, the Sweet Potato Festival has also helped promote the vegetable to locals and visitors. The 51st edition, slated for Nov. 2 in downtown Vardaman, will feature an antique tractor show, live music and a pie-eating contest. Over Nov. 3-4, the town will crown the Sweet Potato Queen and King for babies and toddlers at Vardaman High School, followed by the Sweet Potato Queen contest for older age groups on Nov. 5.
Topashaw Farms has grown considerably thanks to the boost in awareness from these marketing e orts. Today, they not only grow sweet potatoes on their own 3,200-acre plot, but they also have another 2,500 acres worth of the crop grown for them by nearby farmers. Edmondson says about half of their sweet potatoes end up for sale in supermarkets, while the other half become sweet potato fries or other products.
After the sweet potatoes have been graded and cleaned, Topashaw Farms sta package them for distributors and retail stores.
At harvest time, Trent and Joe Edmondson can be found across their 3,200-acre farm, where sweet potatoes are graded in the field.
The health benefits of sweet potatoes have been advertised a lot more than in the previous years, and I think that’s what has really boosted the market.
Sweet potatoes are a unique crop because farmers plant them twice. First, they plant potatoes in the soil in a process called bedding. Once those potatoes sprout, they collect all the slips and replant them to grow into the sweet potatoes they’ll eventually harvest in the fall. At Topashaw, workers use machinery such as chain diggers to pull them out of the ground, and then grade them in the field to determine which ones will go to market. Then, the potatoes are cleaned and stored — about 40,000 to a room — in a climate-controlled warehouse that monitors and automatically adjusts temperature and humidity.
Once they reach the market, sweet potatoes are consumed in a variety of ways. A recipe resource on Topashaw’s website has plenty of creative ways to prepare them, including cakes, pies, and even a pizza recipe using roasted sweet potatoes as the main topping.
At Sweet Potato Sweets, which sells sweet potato-based breads, pies, bon bons, fudge, and other treats, Cook says sweet potato pie is the best seller, followed by sweet potato bread and mu n tops. The locals, she says, tend to favor their sweet potato sausage balls and sweet potato pecan pie.
“If we weren’t here and if you came to Vardaman, you couldn’t get anything ready to eat with sweet potatoes in it from Vardaman,” Cook says. “Everything we sell has sweet potatoes as an ingredient.”
But there are plenty of others who prefer to keep their sweet potatoes simple.
“No doubt, I like the casseroles and stu like that, but my favorite is pretty much the old-fashioned way,” Edmondson said. “I love just a simple baked potato — I was kind of raised on them.”
The Topashaw Farms team, left to right: Joe Edmondson; Cody and Lindsey Edmondson; Sandra Lucius; Deanna Rodgers; Brandi and Shaun Parker; Christy Griggs; and Lauren Edmondson.
Thousands of newly harvested sweet potatoes make their way down the sorting chute at Topashaw Farms.
Freshly baked sweet potato pies and sweet potato pecan pies cool at Sweet Potato Sweets, where customers can find dozens of treats proudly made with the local root tubers.
Doctor urges seniors to carry medical alert device
Seniors snap up new medical alert device that comes with no monthly bills
People don’t always do what their doctor says, but when seasoned veteran emergency room physician, Dr. Philip B. Howren, says every senior should have a medical alert device, you better listen up.
“Seniors are just one fall away from being put in a nursing home,” Dr. Howren said. “With a medical alert device, seniors are never alone. So it keeps them living independently in their own home. That’s why seniors and their family members are snapping up a sleek new medical alert device that comes with no monthly bills ever,” he said.
Many seniors refuse to wear old style help buttons because they make them look old. But even worse, those medical alert sys tems come
with monthly bills.
To solve these problems Universal Physicians, a U.S. company went to work to develop a new, modern, stateof-the-art medical alert device. It’s called “FastHelp™” and it instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
“This slick new little device is designed to look like the pagers doctors wear every day. Seniors love them because it actually makes them look important, not old,” Dr. Howren said.
FastHelp is expected to hit store shelves later this year. But special newspaper promotional giveaways are slated for seniors in select areas. ■
■ NO MONTHLY BILLS: “My wife had an old style help button that came with hefty bills every month and she was embarrassed to wear it because it made her look old,” said Frank McDonald, Canton, Ohio. “Now, we both have FastHelp™, the sleek new medical alert device that our grandkids say makes us look ‘cool’ not old,” he said. With FastHelp, seniors never have to worry about being alone and the best part is there are no monthly bills ever.
Seniors born before 1961 get new medical alert device with no monthly bills ever
It’s just what seniors have been waiting for; a sleek new medical alert device with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with just the push of a button for a one-time $149 price tag that’s a
The phone lines are ringing off the hook.
That’s because for seniors born before 1961, it’s a deal too good to pass up.
Starting at precisely 8:30am this morning the Pre-Store Release begins for the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp™ One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
“It’s not like old style monitored help buttons that make you talk to a call center and only work when you’re at home and come with hefty bills every month. FastHelp comes with state-of-the-art cellular embedded technology. That means it works at home or anywhere, anytime cell service is available
help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
(Continued from previous page)
whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.
“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, the instant rebate that practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.
FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever.
Better still, it comes with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever – which makes FastHelp a great choice for seniors, students and professionals because it connects to one of the largest nationwide networks everywhere cell service is available for free.
And here’s the best part. All those who already have an old style monitored medical alert button can immediately eliminate those monthly bills, which is why Universal Physicians is widely advertising this announcement nationwide.
“So if you’ve ever felt a medical alert device was too complicated or expensive, you’ll want to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device with no monthly bills,” said Lawrence.
The medical alert device slugfest was dominated by two main combatants who both offer old style monitored help buttons that come with a hefty bill every month. But now Universal Physicians, the U.S. based heavyweight, just delivered a knockout blow sending the top rated contenders to the mat with the unveiling of FastHelp. It’s the sleek new cellular embed-
ded medical alert device that cuts out the middleman by instantly connecting you directly to highly trained 911 operators all across the U.S. There’s absolutely nothing to hookup or install. You don’t need a land line and you don’t need a cell phone. Everything is done for you.
“FastHelp is a state of the art medical alert device designed to make you look
important, not old. Old style monitored help buttons you wear around your neck, or require expensive base station equipment or a landline are the equivalent of a horse and buggy,” Lawrence says. “It’s just outdated.”
Millions of seniors fall every year and spend hours lying on the floor helpless and all alone with no help.
But seniors who fall and get immediate help are much
HOW TO GET IT:
IF BORN BEFORE 1961:
more likely to avoid getting sent to a nursing home and get to STAY living in their own home independently.
Yet millions of seniors are still risking their safety by not having a medical alert device. That’s because seniors just can’t afford to pay the monthly bills that come with old style medical alert devices.
That’s why seniors born before 1961 are rushing to
cash in the whopping $150 instant rebate before the 21 day deadline ends. So there’s no need to wait for FastHelp to hit store shelves later this year because seniors born before 1961 can get it now just by using the $150 instant rebate coupon printed in today’s newspaper before the 21 day deadline ends. If lines are busy keep trying, all calls will be answered. ■
IF BORN AFTER 1961: You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-330-9423 DEPT. HELP8362
THE BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. FastHelp with the instant rebate is a real steal at just $149 and shipping and there are no monthly bills ever.
PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp OneTouch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal irresistible. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.
CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1961 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.
Richard Williams and the
College basketball season in Mississippi begins this month, and most teams and their fans have high hopes for the season. Most of today’s players were not around for the 1995-1996 basketball season and may never have heard about the Mississippi State Bulldogs’ run to the Final Four. Mississippi State is the only team in our state’s history to reach the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, which started in 1939.
With the way college sports is evolving, it may take a few more years before we reach that summit again.
How hard is it to make the Final Four? The coach of the 1995-1996 Bulldogs, Richard Williams, might explain it better.
“There have been some great teams from Mississippi that maybe had a chance to go. When you get into a one-and-done situation in the NCAA Tournament, it’s all about the matchups. There’s a lot of factors that play into it that make it di cult to do. It certainly was di cult for us,” Williams said recently.
Bulldog fans will remember how Mississippi State won the SEC Tournament, defeating eventual national champ Kentucky in the championship at the Superdome. They also will remember how Mississippi State knocked o Virginia Commonwealth, Princeton, Connecticut, and Cincinnati on their way to The Final Four in New York. The Bulldogs lost to Syracuse in their opening game.
Williams began his coaching career in Natchez, where he taught math. “I was an assistant cross-country coach, assistant baseball coach, and volunteer seventh-grade basketball coach,” the 1967 Mississippi State graduate said.
He moved up the head coaching ladder from junior high to South Natchez High School (1973-1979) to Co-Lin Community College (1979-1984). When Williams began coaching, coaches did not land a graduate assistant job right out of college. They started at the lowest level. Williams had no problem with beginning his journey at the bottom. “I never got into coaching to make money or coach at some high level. My love was teaching basketball. That’s what I liked to do,” Williams said.
He might have stayed at the lowest level had it not been for his friend John Brady, who was on Bob Boyd’s staff at Mississippi State. Brady recommended Williams to Boyd, and Williams was brought on as a part-time assistant.
“Coach Boyd hired me, and he really believed in me. He was such an important person in my life,” Williams said. “He was a great teacher who truly understood the game. Lots of people copied what he did, and I really took notice of how detailed he was. Coach was very smart and knew a lot more than just basketball.”
Boyd left Starkville two years later and recommended Williams to succeed him as head coach in 1986.
When Williams took over for Boyd, MSU was a struggling program that finished 8-22. Four years later, Williams had the Bulldogs winning the Western Division of the SEC with a 20-9 record overall and a 13-5 mark in the SEC. The outstanding season earned the Bulldogs a berth in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1963. “If it was not for that 1991 team, I am not sure the 1996 season would have ever happened,” Williams said.
Williams ranks second in all-time wins as head coach at Mississippi State. From 1986 to 1998, Williams and the Bulldogs won 191 games as he guided them to five postseason tournament appearances. Among those were three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
These days, Williams enjoys his role as an analyst on Mississippi State basketball radio broadcasts.
by Dale McKee
Dale McKee is a Waynesboro native who has been writing about sports in Mississippi since 1973. He is a member of Dixie Electric. Contact him at ddmckee18@yahoo.com.
On the Menu
We’ve made it to November. I know it seems childish, but in my mind’s eye I see pilgrim hats, headdress feathers, baskets of apples, Snoopy popping popcorn, and Charlie Brown being chased down by Peppermint Pattie for a Thanksgiving dinner invitation. I just adore this month because it is the harborer of my favorite holiday. By this time of the year, we hopefully have pulled out a few of our warmest and coziest sweaters and bought at least one gallon of apple cider. All of nature has been speaking to the changing season by dropping leaves, acorns, and in my yard, pecans. They are everywhere (and so are the squirrels).
If you’re anything like me, as we inch closer to that most favored holiday you start pulling out ALL the recipes — every one of them. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without mom’s pecan pie, mamaw’s pound cake, the green bean casserole from the back of that French fried onion container, and slews of others from times and places and people that have come before us.
A few years ago, one of my grandkids, in cahoots with my youngest daughter, asked why there was never anything chocolate on our dessert table at Thanksgiving. After some serious discussions about busted traditions and my hard-headedness, I gave in and threw in a few chocolate options they could bring to the table. The caveat was that THEY got to be the ones doing the bringing. Now they come into my kitchen, do their creating (with my recipes), and I get to be here to watch the fun. Win-win as far as I’m concerned, and new traditions are as special as the old ones. Can I share a couple of ours with you?
Whether you celebrate with your family or your friends, or some combination of the two, may your gathering be filled with bountiful harvests, your table be filled with turkey and dressing, and your life be filled with sweet blessings.
Vicki Leach
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked, peeled, and mashed sweet potatoes
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Makes 2 9-inch pies
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9” pie crusts (frozen, refrigerated, or homemade)
Bake or boil potatoes, and mash well. Blend in all ingredients. Pour into 2 unbaked pie shells. Bake 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes, or until just set in center. Don’t over-bake. (You should be able to stick a knife in between the outside edge and center of the pie and come out clean. Over-baking will make the custard tough.)
Makes 1 9-inch pie to serve 8 to 12
INGREDIENTS
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (frozen and thawed or refrigerated)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon rum flavoring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until light and lemon colored. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, beating until combined. Turn mixer to low speed and add the flour and melted butter. Beat until thoroughly combined. Remove bowl from mixer and, using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Add flavorings, then pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. Bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven until the crust and top are golden brown for about 45 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Mix together and press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and cool.
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 cup Cool Whip, thawed
Mix together well (mixer is best) and spread over cooled cookie crust.
Makes a 9x13 pan to serve 12 to 15
2 boxes instant chocolate pudding (3-ounce size)
3 cups milk
Blend together for 2 minutes. Spread over cheese mixture.
Use remaining Cool Whip to top the pudding. Shave a chocolate bar over the top of the dessert to make it pretty.
by Vicki Leach
Vicki Leach is a full-time chef/culinary instructor at Mississippi State University in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion. She teaches Science of Food Preparation, Foodservice Organization, and Quantity Food Production. She also serves as the food service coordinator for First Baptist Church in Starkville, where she attends with her husband, Rob. She has four children and five grandchildren, and lives in a 130-year-old farmhouse that speaks to her old soul. She still has the first cookbook she ever owned
The South’s Most Elusive Artist: Walter Inglis Anderson. Sept. 7 to Nov. 23. Meridian. The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience hosts an exhibit of 40 works by the legendary Mississippi coast artist and a full slate of related programming. The exhibit will be on view in The MAX’s Fred & Sissie Wile Changing Exhibition Gallery. Related programs will run throughout the duration of the exhibit and will feature a wide range of Mississippi artists including the artist’s son, John G. Anderson, author of a new book on Anderson’s bicycle logs; former MSU art professor and Anderson expert Brent Funderburk; watercolorist Angi Cooper; Horn Island “resident artist” Robin Whitfield; potter Stephen Phillips; and USM ceramics professor Allen Chen. The exhibit includes rarely seen watercolors, block prints, ceramics, and sketches alongside some of Anderson’s most recognizable and iconic works. The exhibit is organized by the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs (WAMA), drawing from its Permanent Collection and that of the Estate of Walter Anderson. Details: 601-581-1550 or visit msarts.org.
Purvis Street Festival. Nov. 9. Purvis. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main Street from the Courthouse to First Baptist Church on Shelby Speights Drive. Car show, live music, and lots of fun things to buy. This is a family friendly street festival with over 200 booth spaces. Details: 601-543-9815.
Polkville Day Celebrating America’s Veterans. Nov. 9. Polkville. The event will be held at the Polkville Civic and Multi-Purpose Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Antique tractor and car show, live entertainment, arts and crafts, vendors, food and desserts, cakewalk, raffles, and a kid’s zone. No entry fee. Details: 601-537-3115 or rwmiles@gmail.com
Magnolia State Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show. Nov. 9 and 10. Pascagoula. Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jackson County Fairground Civic Center. One door prize ticket with each paid admission. Exhibits, demonstrations, educational resources. Fossils, gemstones, jewelry, and supplies for sale. Details: 601-947-7245.
Turkey Shoot. Nov. 9. Dec. 14. Vancleave. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Daisy Masonic Lodge No. 421, Vestry community, 25700 School House Road. About 14 miles north of Vancleave, off Highway 57. Details: 228-383-2669.
Pre-Thanksgiving Gospel Singing Concert. Nov. 16. Mendenhall. 6:30 p.m. at New Life Fellowship Church, 2167 Highway 49 South. Featuring the Mighty Kingsmen Quartet, Tim Frith & the Gospel Echoes, Jason Runnels, and Revelations. Details: 601-906-0677.
Trees of Christmas at Merrehope. Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. Meridian. Monday - Saturday – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Adults $15, military and senior citizens $10, and students $5. 905 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. The 56th Annual Trees of Christmas at Merrehope will take on a stunning new look as talented designers decorate over 60 fabulous trees and festive exhibits. Each year’s presentation is elaborately different drawing thousands of visitors from throughout Mississippi, the United States, and foreign countries. Consistently voted one of Mississippi’s top holiday attractions, the splendidly decorated Neoclassical 20- room mansion (circa 1859) will be open daily for tours. Details: 601-483-8439 or email merrehopemeridian@gmail.com
Christmas at Landrum’s Homestead. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Laurel. Step back in time and take a Christmas walking tour of the past on a working homestead with over 85 buildings, entertainment, a Civil War re-enactment, Santa, dulcimers, wagon rides, gem mining, clogging, blacksmith work, woodcarving, shooting gallery, candlelight tour, pony rides, arts and crafts, music, food and much more. Admission is $15, children 3 and under are free. 1356 Highway 15 South. Details: 601-649 2546 or visit landrums.com.
Lolly Day. Dec. 7. Columbia. 2024. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 2385 Highway 98. Pictures with Santa, vendors, a car show, and food trucks. Admission is free. Details: 601-410-1001 or lifecogwomensministry@gmail.com
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound’s Jazzy Little Christmas Concert Dec. 14. Hattiesburg. Christmas songs and gospel favorites. Heritage Church, 3 Baracuda Dr. Starts at 4:30 p.m. Details: 601-261-3371 or 601-270-7942 or email heritagesgconcert@gmail.com
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One of our friends sent us a video the other day, showing exactly how to boil and peel an egg. He said it should help us out this Thanksgiving. Now, if you are a follower of these columns, you might recall the di culty we ran into about this time last year when we were to supply the deviled eggs for the family Thanksgiving dinner. The first problem was to determine how many eggs to cook. I think I told Miz Jo we better shoot for 25 people at two eggs a piece. So, we boiled 50 eggs. It was only after I was peeling the shell o the first egg and reaching for the paring knife to slice in half that it dawned on me that instead of 50 eggs, we were making a 100. Each whole egg makes two halves. Half an egg makes one deviled egg.
But the biggest problem we ran into was peeling the shells o the eggs. Some of them (not nearly enough) hulled right out slick as can be. Most of them seemed like the shells were glued to the egg.
But the biggest problem we ran into was peeling the shells o the eggs. Some of them (not nearly enough) hulled right out slick as can be. Most of them seemed like the shells were glued to the egg.
So, last year I wrote a column about our eggshell dilemma and several of you emailed suggestions on how to easily peel a boiled egg with little to no cussin’ involved. The tips ranged from cooking the eggs in water that was already at a rolling boil, to covering eggs in cold water and let them to come a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let them slow cook as they cooled.
There were also ideas of things to put in the water that would somehow soften the shells making them easier to peel. A pinch of baking soda comes to mind right o .
And then there is treatment of the eggs after they are boiled. Pouring the hot water o right away and dumping some trays of ice cubes over them seems to have been the most extreme. All the rest of the post-boil suggestions were lesser versions of that.
One thing Jo and I seem to have discovered is that older eggs peeled easier than newer eggs. So, we picked up about four dozen eggs around
Halloween, so they could age. I’m sure the checkout girl at Walmart thought I intended to egg someone’s house.
Honestly, I don’t think it matters all that much how you boil the eggs. Cooking is cooking — slow warm up and long boil or dump them in hot water all at once. The cool down may not matter, either. However, I think I’m going to try the ice cube shock after pouring o the hot water and letting them chill about five minutes. Then we’ll see. Maybe we should just let someone else bring the deviled eggs next year.
So, for our Christmas dinner, I think we’ll just sign up to make the sweet tea.
by Walt Grayson
Walt Grayson is the host of “Mississippi Roads” on Mississippi Public Broadcasting television and the author of two “Looking Around Mississippi” books and “Oh! That Reminds Me: More Mississippi Homegrown Stories.” Walt is also a reporter and 4 p.m. news anchor at WJTV in Jackson. He lives in Brandon and is a Central Electric member. Contact him at walt@waltgrayson.com.
