Colorado Country Life Y-W February 2012 by American MainStreet Publications

February [[March 20112012 ] ]

The

Genius of Tesla

[contents]

February 2012 Nikola Tesla conducts an experiement in his New York laboratory.

[features] 14 Knowledge is Power Savings Using online programs to monitor and

change your electrical consumption

16 The Genius of Tesla

Daring experiments light up Colorado Springs in the late 1800s.

[columns] 20 A Hearty Appetite Mouth-watering recipes your heart

will thank you for

22 Say it With Roses

Make sure you know what you are saying when you give roses

24 Outdoors

[departments] 4 Viewpoint

Nikola Tesla and the electric car

5 Letters 6 Calendar 7 Co-op News 12 NewsClips 29 Funny Stories 30 Discoveries

[cover]

Excellent duck hunting comes with conditions

25 Energy Tips

Surge protection for the entire house

In a 1896 photo, Nikola Tesla sits in the Houston Street laboratory in front of a flat spiral quarter-wavelength resonance transformer secondary used in conjunction with a 250-kHz primary oscillation circuit. Photo courtesy of Tesla Wardenclyffe Project Archives. COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: M ona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor@303-455-4111; Donna Wallin, Associate Editor • Amy Higgins, Administrative Assistant/Writer ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland@303-902-7276; NCM@800-626-1181

The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association Volume 43, Number 02

OFFICERS: Chris Morgan [Gunnison] President; Bob Bledsoe [Tri-State] Vice President; Bill Midcap [Fort Morgan] Secretary; Don Kaufman [Sangre de Cristo] Treasurer; Kent Singer [CREA] Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS: John Porter [Empire]; Don McClaskey [Grand Valley]; Jim Lueck [Highline]; Michael Glass [Holy Cross]; Dan Mills [K.C.]; Tom Compton [La Plata]; Stan Cazier [Mountain Parks]; B.D. Paddock [Mountain View]; Jack Schneider [Poudre Valley]; Joseph Costa, Reg Rudolph [San Isabel]; Mike Rierson, [San Luis Valley]; Marcus Wilson, Kevin Ritter [San Miguel]; Mark Grasmick [Southeast]; Jim Jaeger, Ron Asche [United Power]; Bill Jordan [White River]; Stuart Travis [Y-W]; Charles Perry [Yampa Valley]; Basin Electric, CoBank, Moon Lake Electric, Wheatland Electric [Associate Members]

EDITORIAL: Denver Corporate Office, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 • Email: MNeeley@coloradocountrylife.org • Website: coloradocountrylife.coop • Facebook: Colorado Country Life • Twitter: @COCountryLife 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.

[viewpoint]

Back to the Future

Would Nikola Tesla drive an electric car? BY KENT SINGER || CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR || KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG

During this last football bowl season I was channel surfing during a commercial break when I ran across a movie called “The Prestige” that was released in 2006. Although it is a fairly dark tale about competing magicians in London at the end of the 19th century, there is an interesting plot twist that features Nikola Tesla (played by David Bowie) at his laboratory in Colorado Springs. While the movie has an implausible story line about Tesla and his inventions, in real life Nikola Tesla was perhaps the leading American inventor of his time. He held some 238 patents and is credited with inventing fluorescent lighting, the Tesla induction motor, the Tesla coil and the alternating current electric supply system as well as three-phase electricity. Some of Tesla’s inventions are still used in modern radio, television and other electronic equipment. Tesla’s legacy has been revived these days in the form of Tesla Motors, the car company that is named after the inventor. Fittingly, the company makes electric cars and is perhaps most noted for the Tesla Roadster, the sleek $109,000 two-seater that has done much to change the slow and boxy image of electric cars. While the Roadster was an impressive public relations tool for the electric car industry, not too many people were in the market for a car in that price range. In fact, Tesla discontinued the Roadster last year in order to focus on production of the more affordable Model S sedan, which costs a mere $50,000. Last year, a number of additional automakers entered the electric car sweepstakes, the most notable being the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf. The Volt is a PHEV or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. It travels 35-40 miles on its rechargeable battery (which can be charged in about four hours) and has a

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 4 February 2012

1.4 liter internal combustion engine as backup. The Leaf is a pure BEV or battery electric vehicle without a conventional engine as a backup. It has a range of about 75 miles on a full charge, which takes about 7.5 hours. Kent Singer What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the PHEV and BEV options? According to a recent Motor Trend article, you might want to stick with the tried-and-true Toyota Prius hybrid if you just want to save on gasoline costs and not worry about recharging the motor every night. This may also be your choice if you are concerned that an all-electric car will be charged with kilowatt-hours generated from fossil fuel-fired generating plants.

The Tesla Roadster two-seater at $109,000 has done much to change the slow and boxy image of the electric car On the other hand, if you like the latest in technology and whiz-bang gizmos, and will remember to plug in the car at night, perhaps the all-electric Nissan Leaf is for you. The Leaf has received high marks for its ride and over-

all manufacturing quality. Or if you like the idea of an electric car, but can’t afford the backup vehicle you’ll need when your Leaf runs out of charge, maybe the Chevy Volt is your choice. Will everyone be making these choices as we move forward? Are electric cars here to stay? The Toyota Prius recently broke through the one million sales mark in the United States, and its nickel-metalhydride batteries that were once a concern are actually outliving the cars they were mounted in. Although there have been some problems with the batteries in the Chevy Volt, General Motors has redesigned the safety structure around the battery pack to protect it during a collision. Nearly 8,000 Volts have been sold to date. So would Nikola Tesla be driving an electric car today? I think so. There is a story about Tesla that in 1931 he took a Pierce-Arrow automobile and replaced the gasoline engine with a contraption consisting of radio vacuum tubes and an antenna and drove the car at speeds up to 90 mph. While this story is probably a “tall tale,” it stems from the fact that Tesla was an innovator and futurist. Regardless of the vehicle choices you make as consumers, whether you choose a standard hybrid vehicle, PHEV or BEV, you can know that your local electric co-op is planning now to provide the electricity needed to power these new automobiles of the 21st century.

Executive Director

[letters] Hunting in Colorado We are landowners in eastern Colorado where the deer and the antelope graze. They eat our grass, drink our water, tear down fences and destroy a lot of trees. I am a little miffed by the letter writer’s comments in the December issue. We own our land and have the right to allow hunters on our property or not. We apply for landowner vouchers, which is a joke. We have gripes with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife also — too many regulations, always changing and adding new ones. It takes us up to six years to draw a tag, just like everyone else. Pam Whelden, Deer Trail

I would have to agree with the December letter writer concerning the huge trophy fees collected by ranchers and landowners to hunt. I’m a food writer and the hunters I recently interviewed were interested in hunting for food. The practice of trophy hunting is an appalling waste of a fine food source and this type of hunting gives all hunters a bad reputation. Theresa Rose, Livermore

There is another side to the landowner vouchers. Private landowners feed the wildlife. A 2007 study by Dr. Dana Hoag of Colorado State University found that agriculture costs to support elk, deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, moose and mountain goats in Colorado were $22,877,861 a year with an additional $15,297,741 for prevention and repairs. The study also noted additional costs related to predators and prairie dogs. Don’t take your hunting frustrations out on private landowners. Wildlife likes the crops and grazes pastures. How should landowners be compensated? The voucher program is one way to help compensate them for feeding the wildlife. Phyllis Snyder, Cortez

Make no mistake, Colorado is headed for European-style “jägermeister” hunting (for the elite) unless the political aspect changes. It is up to all of us, but especially writers and media types who have a voice and can or will challenge the system. Norm K. Benson, Fraser Send your letter to the editor by mail or email. You must include your name and address to be published. Letters may be edited. ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 5

[calendar]

[February] Through February 20 Denver Orchid Festival Denver Botanic Gardens botanicgardens.org February 15 Boulder Take a horse ride Boulder County Fairgrounds 9 am-9 pm • 303-678-6235 February 16 Fort Collins Celtic Nights show Lincoln Center 7:30 pm • 970-221-6730 February 16-19 Telluride Telluride Comedy Festival Sheridan Opera House 970-728-6363 February 17-20 Boulder Boulder International Film Festival Various Boulder locations biff1.com/biff_schedule.html February 17 Crested Butte “Love Letters” play Center for the Arts Crested Butte 8 pm • 970-349-7487 February 17 Littleton “It’s a Small World” concert Littleton United Methodist Church 7:30 pm coloradowindensemble.org February 18 Fruita Sweet Heart 5K/10K Fruita Community Center 10 am • fruita.org February 18 Kremmling Ice Fishing Contest Wolford Mountain Reservoir 7 am-3pm kremmlingchamber.com

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February 19 Burlington Scott Woods Band Burlington High School 7:30 pm • 719-346-8918

February 25 Pagosa Springs Annual Heart Beat Ball The Pagosa Lodge 7 pm • 970-731-8877

March 3 Greeley Doc Severinson & His Band Union Colony Civic Center 7:30 pm • ucstars.com

February 20 Denver Free Admission Day Denver Botanic Gardens botanicgardens.org

February 26 Golden Buffalo Bill exhibit opening Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave 303-526-0744

March 3-5 Summit County Special Olympics Winter Games Copper Mountain coppercolorado.com

February 21 Denver “Preserving Our Capitol” lecture Scottish Rite Masonic Center 7-8 pm • 303-866-4686 February 24 Crested Butte Aspen Laff Festival Center for the Arts Crested Butte 8 pm • 970-349-7487 February 24 Durango Choir performance First United Methodist Church 7 pm • durangochoral society.org February 25 Fort Collins Winter Farmers Market Opera Galleria 10 am-2 pm • 970-219-3382 February 25 Lake City Ice Fishing Derby Lake San Cristobal lakecity.com February 25 Loveland Family Race Day Loveland Ski Area 10 am-2 pm • skiloveland.com February 25 Loveland Fiber Fun Fest Larimer County Fairgrounds 9 am-4 pm • 970-498-6000

[March] March 1 La Junta Bingo Knights of Columbus Hall 7 pm • 719-384-2120 March 1 Morrison Fritz’s Fossil Workshop Morrison Natural History Museum 12-2 pm • 303-697-1873 March 2-4 Avon SnowBall Music Festival Nottingham Park snowballmusicfestival.com March 2 Evergreen “Quilters” musical Center/Stage 7:30 pm • 303-670-9182 March 2-4 Winter Park 37th Annual Wells Fargo Cup Winter Park Resort 303-293-5711 March 3-4 Grand Lake Ice Fishing Contest Grand Lake grandlakechamber.com

March 4 Pueblo Veronika String Quartet Sangre de Cristo Arts Center 5 pm • 719-295-7200 March 8 Tabernash Full Moon Ski, Skate & Snowshoe Devil’s Thumb Ranch 7-9:30 pm • devils thumbranch.com March 9 Littleton Bach and Beethoven concert Mission Hills Church 7:30 pm • 303-781-1892 March 9 Silverthorne Country Dance Night Silverthorne Pavilion 7-11 pm • townofdillon.com March 10 Durango Evening Snowshoe Tour Durango Mountain Resort 3:30 pm • 970-385-2147 March 10 Elizabeth Genealogy Workshop Elbert Library 1-2 pm • 303-648-3533 March 11 Monarch Butterfly Roundup Monarch Mountain skimonarch.com

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.

Y-W ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC.

[Y-W News] Stop Airflow to Stop High Energy Bills

Air infiltration is one of the main culprits for increased monthly spending BY TERRY HALL || GENERAL MANAGER || TERRYH@YWELECTRIC.COOP

After a long day at work, I’m ready to go home and relax. Our homes should be an oasis for all of us, a place where we can kick back and get comfortable. But there’s no oasis of comfort when your home is too cold in winter or oppressively hot in the summer. Symptoms like these mean the house is leaking air — and wasting money. One of the best things you can do if you have high electric bills is check the insulation. How much is in your attic and basement or crawl space? What kind is it? Is there an air barrier along with the insulation? The answers to these questions will determine how much energy and money you can save. Air infiltration is one of the main problems for most homes. It’s healthy to have some air flow in and out of your home, but too much leads to discomfort and high electric bills. Properly installed insulation paired with an air barrier can do a lot to save. If you have fiberglass insulation — whether blown or rolled batts — you’ll need to create an air barrier by sealing all of the cracks and gaps between the living spaces and unfinished areas with caulk and expanding foam. Cellulose does a better job of blocking air, but only foam insulation offers its own air barrier. Check EnergySavers.gov to learn more about insulation. You can also contact us at Y-W Electric Association and talk to one of our energy advisers about whether your home needs more insulation. By doing so, you’ll be well on your way to a more comfortable home — and lower electric bills. (D & D Farms Acct. #1243108302)

[

Manager’s Column

KNOW YOUR LIGHTBULB OPTIONS

Energy-efficient bulbs come in a variety of money-saving options and can help the average family save at least $50 each year. The three most common energy-efficient lighting options are: Halogen incandescent lightbulbs

Compact fluorescent lamps

Light-emitting diodes

Energy savings: 25 percent

Energy savings: 75 percent

Energy savings: 75-80 percent

Life span: Three times longer

Life span: 10 times longer

Life span: 25 times longer

Learn more at EnergySavers.gov/lighting

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 7

[Y-W News] New Offerings at ywelectric.coop CLAIM YOUR CREDIT

Y-W Electric Association has some exciting and new things planned for its website in the first quarter of 2012. First, you can now view the entire Colorado Country Life magazine in full color on the website. (Print copies have the Y-W Electric newsletter in black and white and the rest of the magazine in color.) Next, Y-W Electric and Tri-State Generation and Transmission, Y-W’s power provider, have partnered in an energy efficiency rebate program. You can find more information on Y-W’s website about the rebates currently being offered. In the near future you will be able to fill out and print rebate request forms to mail in with your purchase invoices for energy-efficient appliances. Examples of Energy Star-rated items that may be eligible for rebates are: • Refrigerators and freezers, clothes washers and dishwashers. • Standard electric water heaters and heat pump water heaters, as long as they have at least a 30-gallon capacity. (Jo Ann Hershey, Acct. #2551005016) • Both air source and ground source (geothermal) heat pumps. Split system air conditioners and heat pumps may also qualify. • LED lamps and fixtures that produce 300 lumens or greater. • Special purpose and vertical hollow shaft premium efficiency electric motors. For more information, please visit our website at www.ywelectric.coop or call Andrew Molt, director of member services at 970-345-2291.

Each month, Y.W. Electric offers members a chance to earn a $20 credit on their next electric bill. If you recognize your name and account number in this magazine, call 800660-2291 and ask for your credit. It couldn’t be easier. Members claiming their $20 credit from the December 2011 issue were Andrew R. Weaver, Jody L. Kogl, Don Riemenschneider, Rian and Sarah Bernhardt and John D. and Roberta E. Schaffner. Get acquainted with your account number, read your Colorado Country Life magazine and pick up the phone. That’s all the energy you’ll need to claim your energy bucks. You must claim your credit during the month in which your name appears in the magazine (check the date on the front cover).

RECEIVE REBATE MONEY FOR FOLLOWING SAFE PROCEDURES

Install all your double-throw generator transfer switches and collect a sizable rebate as a reward for safety. Y-W Electric re2. A member may install equipment or hire others to install minds those members using standby generator sets how importhe equipment. tant it is to connect them into the electrical system correctly. 3. Switch installation must be inspected and approved by a Since 2001, the Y-W directors have sponsored a rebate Y-W Electric employee. program to encourage all members with standby generators to 4. Rebate is to be paid based on the schedule shown below. install the proper double-throw transfer switches. The program Y-W Electric has contacted the electrical contractors in the was initiated to provide safety for linemen working on downed area and discussed the program with them. All of them have power lines following storms. expressed support for the program. Y-W Electric has no intenFor a number of years before that, Y-W Electric provided tion of competing with the contractors. Y-W Electric will gladly double-throw transfer switches at cost for members. However, advise the consumer who wishes to do his or her own work, even at cost, the purchase price discouraged members from but Y-W will not install any of the equipment. (Slash Diamond installing the safety devices. The Y-W board reasoned that proInvestments Acct. #1120502404) viding a rebate that covers approximately two-thirds of the cost If you have any questions, you may call your electrical conof the panel would encourage members to install the switches tractor or Y-W Electric Association at 800-660-2291 or, in the for safety. Akron calling area, 970-345-2291. The provisions for receiving the rebate are as follows: 1. A member may purchase a doublethrow transfer switch with Under• 100 ampere, single phase . . .$225 • 100 ampere, three phase . . . .$400 writers Laboratories approval rating • 200 ampere, single phase . . .$300 • 200 ampere, three phase . . . .$475 for service entrance equipment from • 400 ampere, single phase . . .$600 • 400 ampere, three phase . .$1,300 any source and present the purchase invoice within 180 days of purchase.

SAFETY REBATES FOR DOUBLE-THROW SWITCHES

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 8 February 2012

[Y-W News] BILLING CORNER

Signing Up for Service

When a new consumer comes into our office or calls on the telephone to connect an account into his or her name, the information given at that time is important. The first step is filling out and signing an Application for Service and Membership. This is the information used to set up your membership and billing records and is extremely important. For instance, following are some situations that need to be considered when filling out the application: 1. If you are a husband and wife and only one spouse’s name is on the application, all bills and capital credit allocations and future refunds will go to the one person whose name is on the account. If both parties sign the application, any capital credits accrued for that membership are considered jointly owned, and checks will be made payable to both names. Credit history is being recorded for the person(s) whose name is on our records. 2. If you are a roommate and paying part of the bill but your name is not on the Application, Y-W Electric has no record of you. When capital credit refund checks go out, they are made out to the person whose name appears on the application. If you apply for service in the future, you would be considered a new consumer. 3. Payment of the bill is the responsibility of the person(s) who signed the application. If a deposit is paid, any amount refunded will go to the name on the account. If the bill is not paid, this name will then go to the collection agency. Irrigation accounts are always connected to the landowner’s name. The responsibility of payment for electric usage on the service is ultimately the landowner’s. However bills can be mailed to one or both parties. These are just a few of the things to consider when signing up for electric service with Y-W Electric. Your membership record

with Y-W is carefully created and monitored throughout your service term and years beyond. So please consider carefully how you want co-op records to reflect your membership. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office in Akron at 970-345-2291 or, if outside our calling area, 800660-2291. (Steven K and Linda Lindgren, Acct. #731816300)

Plan to attend Y-W Annual Meeting Please Join Y-W Electric for its 67th Annual Meeting of Members March 22, 2012 Washington County Event Center 551 West 2nd Ave Akron, CO Registration and Meal — 5:30p.m. Meeting and Election — 6:30p.m. $5,000 grand prize, $250 and $500 cash prizes Must be present to win

Visit friends

Win Prizes

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 9

[Y-W News] SIGN UP FOR GREEN POWER

Y-W Electric is offering a renewable energy program subject to renewable energy being available from Y-W’s wholesale electric power supplier, TriState Generation and Transmission Association. Members may sign up for a set amount of renewable resource power in 100-kilowatt-hour per month increments. There will be a small premium of 9 cents per 100-kWh block in addition to the present rate. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association has purchased output electricity from wind farms, hydropower projects and solar power to provide this service. (Gary & Martha Stone Acct. #1241402100) Guidelines for Green Power rate Availability — To all Y-W Electric members in 100kWh per month blocks. Eligibility — Any Y-W Electric member, who must complete and return to Y-W Electric an Intent to Purchase Renewable Generated Power Application. This form will indicate the number of 100-kWh blocks the member intends to purchase monthly. Rate — The rate will be a renewable power premium (added charge) for all renewable power delivered to the member participant as committed in the Intent to Purchase Renewable Generated Power Application. The renewable rate will be 9 cents per 100-kWh block in addition to the present rate applicable to the member. Duration — Once the member has committed to the purchase, this rate shall qualify on a month-tomonth basis.

Address City, State, Zip Code Number of Green Power blocks of 100 kWh

Signature I have committed to this purchase. This rate shall qualify on a month-to-month basis. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 10 February 2012

Know What Insulation Options Are Right for Where You Live

Your home generally has one of three types of insulation, depending on its age: material fibers, such as fiberglass or rock wool; cellulose; or foam. Each type has a different R-value, the rating system for insulation’s effectiveness. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation will prevent heat transfer between the indoors and outdoors. Foam has the highest R-value and creates an air barrier, but it’s also the most expensive. Cellulose is behind foam in R-value, followed by fiberglass and rock wool. But if you create an air barrier with fiberglass or cellulose, that increases the R-value. How much insulation and what kind you choose largely depends on where you live and whether you’re looking to retrofit a newly built home or an existing home. The right insulation also depends on your payback period.

Here’s a general primer on insulation:

n Batts or rolls — These are the fiberglass

or rock wool types. They are generally made to fit between wall studs. n Loose fill — Fiberglass, rock wool or cellulose can be blown in, which makes it ideal for attics and other cavities, like walls. Fiberglass and rock wool require an air barrier before insulation installation, which means the cavity needs to be filled with caulk and foam. Cellulose does a better job of blocking airflow by itself. n Rigid foam board — This works for placement against exterior walls and shared walls with attics and must be sealed into place with caulk or foam. It’s typically more expensive, but good for colder climates. n Foam in place — Foam insulation is sprayed in and is ideal for cracks and gaps, such as spaces around windows and doors. Use low-expansion foam in these narrow spaces. See the insulation ZIP code calculator at EnergySavers.gov to find out how much insulation is right for your area.

Air is drawn into your home from low areas, so inspect your foundation for potential air infiltration points. Fixing these leaks makes a bigger impact on your electric bill than sealing doors and windows. Caulk all cracks and gaps around your home including spaces around telephone, electrical and cable wires as well as around gas lines, water spigots and dryer vents. Find more ways to save at togetherwesave.com. Source: Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives

TEST BEFORE YOU TOUCH

Every year people are injured or killed by circuits they thought were safely turned off. Simply shutting off the power is not enough — hazardous conditions can still exist. Make sure to always test before you touch. You may not get a second chance to learn this important lesson.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 11

[newsclips] A New Question for Our Readers What are you willing to shut off, do differently or give up to cut your energy use? Email your answer to info@colorado countrylife.org.

Readers Vote for Renewable Energy BY MONA NEELEY, EDITOR

Colorado’s Electric Cooperatives Continue Stock Show Support

Colorado’s electric cooperatives, under the Touchstone Energy banner, were part of the action during the National Western Stock Show January 7-22. For the 14th straight year, the region’s electric cooperatives sponsored the popular six-horse draft hitch. It was featured at the Pro Rodeo performances, the Mexican rodeo extravaganzas, the Martin Luther King Rodeo and in the annual NWSS parade in downtown Denver. Above, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Board Chairman Rick Gordon of Simla waves his hat to the crowd and the horses pull the wagon through the stock show arena.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO REPLACE COAL?

President Barack Obama has laid out a goal that the United State generate 80 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2035. That means that some other resource will have to replace the 46 percent of the U.S. electricity supply that is currently supplied by coal. What would it take to replace that coal with renewable resources? According to Climate Central, if the U.S. chose to rely on only one new renewable source instead of coal, it would take: • 243 new Hoover Dams or • 200,000 new wind turbines or • 65 new nuclear power plants or • 4 million acres of new solar panels Climate Central concluded that if the U.S. is to move to greener energy generation, it needs to develop every type of renewable fuel source, as well as adding natural gas plants and outfitting existing coal plants with carbon capture and storage technology.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 12 February 2012

In January, we asked readers which is more important to them when it comes to electricity: that it is affordable or that it is generated using renewable resources. In a totally unscientific poll, 69 percent said that renewable resources were more important while 31 percent said affordable electricity was more important. Some of those answering the poll seemed upset that we at the magazine asked the question and accused us of “loading” the question or trying to manipulate an answer. There was nothing premeditated about the question other than we wanted to ask a question that people would take the time to answer. Here is a sample of what we heard: The electricity should be affordable! Many, many people are barely able to pay your costs. Yes to both questions. Let’s take a broader view and open our minds to energy efficiency, storage, generation and distribution, taking the responsibility of understanding that we are part of a larger world. If we don’t make major changes soon, it (won’t) matter what is charged for electricity, our health and well-being will be so compromised. Fortunately, as a (co-op) member, I can opt to support renewables by paying a little more each month. Affordable electricity benefits everybody. Until renewable sources are cost competitive (without all the taxpayer-funded grants, credits, mandates, etc.), we will pay more for electricity than is justified. Thanks for your responses. Thanks, also, to our readers who joined the discussion on Facebook (facebook.com/COCountryLife).

[newsclips]

Electric Co-op Newsletter Focuses on Efficiency, Renewables and Much More

Colorado’s electric cooperatives have been promoting energy efficiency for their members since their inception. They have also gotten involved in a number of renewable energy projects. Much of this activity has been chronicled in an e-newsletter published by the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Previously called the Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy newsletter, the free newsletter has reviewed projects such as Empire Electric’s refrigerator recycling program in Cortez that helped pay the cost of members getting rid of older fridges while replacing them with more energy-efficient models. It outlined the new solar farm that Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs is involved in. Also covered in recent newsletters were Tri-State Generation and Transmission’s new purchase of wind power from a farm on the eastern plains and La Plata Electric’s work with local Durango businesses on efficiencies. All of these projects and more are included in the regularly published newsletter as a way for electric co-ops to tell their story to people who may not be electric co-op members. The scope of those stories is expanding. Electric co-ops are getting involved in more and more energy

projects that will lead to more efficient use of fuels, new fuels and more productive ways of doing business. However, not all of this new activity falls under the energy efficiency or renewable energy categories. That is why the newsletter has expanded. It is now called Innovations in Energy. It now includes articles on topics such as electric cars, carbon capture and storage, smart meters and all of the other exciting, innovative areas that Colorado’s electric co-ops are getting involved in. Subscribe today. There is no cost. Stay current on what the co-ops are working on. Send your email address to mneeley@ coloradocountrylife.coop and we’ll add you to the email list.

SMART GRID GROWTH Smart meter installations are expected to exceed 80 million by 2015, up from an estimated 2 million in 2007, according to a report from the government’s Energy Information Administration. Electric cooperatives currently lead smart meter deployment with 25 percent penetration of their customers’ homes — three times higher than the average across all utilities, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Half of all cooperatives offer their customers advanced metering infrastructure or advanced metering reading. Together electric co-ops generate 25 percent of U.S. residential peak load reductions, even though they only account for 10 percent of electricity sales. ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 13

Save energy through online programs or in-home devices by using data wisely BY BRIAN SLOBODA

Technological innovations are creating new energy-savTRY A “LEARNING” THERMOSTAT • P rograms itself — Nest programs itself based on the temperatures you set. Nest learns your personal schedule in a week and starts automatically turning down heating or cooling when you’re away to save energy. Nest will keep refining its schedule over time. • S aves energy — Nest tracks the temperatures you typically set and guides you to more energy-efficient ones, displaying the green Nest Leaf as a reward when you set the temperature to a more energyefficient setting. The Auto-Away™ feature uses sensors to detect when you’re not home, lowering the temperature and saving energy. You can also check Energy History to see how much you saved. • Connected — Connect Nest to your home’s Wi-Fi to control it from your laptop, smart phone or tablet. Change the temperature, adjust your schedule and check your energy usage. • Simple to use – Rotate the outer ring to adjust the temperature. The display turns blue when cooling and red when heating. Push down to open the menu. • Convenient installation options – Bundle Concierge installation service from Service Experts with purchase at nest.com or install Nest yourself.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 14 February 2012

ing opportunities for some electric cooperative members. The same equipment and software that co-ops use to monitor their electrical systems can also generate detailed energy-use reports that home owners can monitor to trim electric consumption. But does it really work? It all depends on how folks use the information.

In 2009, both Google and Microsoft announced applications, or apps, and websites that let you view detailed electric-use information. Instead of seeing just your bill with the prior month’s consumption, the two software giants rolled out programs that allowed users to see energy consumption on an hourly or sometimes minuteby-minute basis. The offerings used data from participating utilities or from devices that home owners could buy and install. But Google and Microsoft failed to find a market. Google PowerMeter ended operation in September 2011, and Microsoft Hohm will be shuttered by May 2012. But other websites and physical products that give you detailed energy consumption information are still out there. The four main areas of personal energy management

are in-home displays, free online web portals, smart phone applications and smart thermostats. A word of warning: You must pay careful attention to how these websites mine your personal information. Some ask for the user name and password you use at your co-op’s website. Never give out that information. Some sites even ask for scanned copies of bills; these copies contain personal information like your address and account numbers. Be extremely cautious when sharing any information specific to your identity. In 2011, the Cooperative Research Network, the independent research and development arm of electric cooperatives, issued a study on the effectiveness of online energy use portals. The study found that any website or in-home display should have as many of these features as possible to increase usefulness: • Information provided frequently, as soon after consumption as possible. Ideally, users should be able to turn on or off an appliance and, within seconds or minutes, see the resulting change in their electricity use. • Details presented clearly and simply. • Customized to the household’s specific circumstances.

• A n offering of some kind of meaningful comparison. For example, comparing one home’s use to another of similar size and occupancy. • Information provided over an extended period of time. • Appliance-specific consumption breakdowns provided. • Interactive capabilities offered. A display or website that just says how much electricity your entire home requires at any given time doesn’t tell you much. But if the data lets you compare your home to one of similar size or inform you how much your air conditioner draws, you can glean meaningful information that can lead to specific actions to help save energy and money. Saving energy is not always easy. But the right mix of tools to show how you use energy can go a long way toward helping you make educated decisions. Just be sure to read the fine print. Brian Sloboda is a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the Cooperative Research Network, a service arm of the Arlington, Virginia-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 15

THE GENIUS OF TESLA Daring experiments light up in Colorado Springs BY MIKE COPPOCK

More than a century ago, in the spring of 1899, Colorado Springs residents might have thought a mad scientist had moved into their midst. Perhaps he had. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 16 February 2012

Nikola Tesla is seated at his Colorado Springs experimental station in 1899 inside a circular framework 51 feet in diameter, which supported the primary and secondary conductors of the largest Tesla coil ever built. The oscillator is operating at 100 kHz, and the discharges are occuring with a deafening roar as they strike a comparatively smaller diameter coil nearly 20 feet away. The discharge was produced by 50 short successive closures of the switch with the experiment being performed in the dark. The staged photo was made with a second exposure being taken “with the illumination of an arc lamp and flash powder” and Nikola Tesla sitting in a chair. The human figure was introduced to give an idea of the magnitude of the discharge. The activity of the oscillator created earth currents of such magnitude that sparks an inch long could be drawn from a water main at a distance of 300 feet from the station. The inscription on this photograph is addressed to Sir William Crookes and reads, “To my illustrious friend Sir William Crooks [sic] of whom I always think and whose kind letters I never answer!”

TESLA WARDENCLYFFE PROJECT ARCHIVES

merican inventor Nikola Tesla had returned to Colorado, this time to the community at the base of Pikes Peak. Tesla and archrival Thomas Edison, both geniuses working with electricity, had teamed up to harness this amazing power at the end of the 19th century. But they had a falling out and Tesla moved on with his own theories and experiments. Tall, austere and gaunt looking with jet black hair parted in the middle and combed to each side, Tesla could sometimes look the part of the eccentric scientist. His penetrating eyes seemed to promise mischief and he had come to Colorado’s high, dry climate with specific experiments in mind. He had just been lionized for overseeing General Electric’s massive Niagara Falls hydroelectric facilities using his polyphase alternating current or AC generators, which were now providing power to Buffalo, New York. He had discovered the rotating magnetic field principle and invented the brushless AC induction motor. That alone would assure he would become a legend in the scientific community. Yet, with the backing of George Westinghouse, he also invented the Tesla coil, X-ray machines and even a wireless remote controlled surface-running torpedo. Portrait of Nikola Tesla, 1938. Tesla had something else in mind when he came to Colorado. He thought he knew how to make our high-tension electrical power transmission lines obsolete. He had a theory that the earth itself could be used to conduct electrical energy. But he needed a lab away from prying eyes where he could work with these dangerous, hard-to-control experiments. He needed to prove his theory to satisfy his investors and keep his financing in place. Colorado had been good for Tesla almost 10 years before when he had worked for Telluride Gold King Mine owner Lucien Nunn. Nunn had needed an inexpensive power source for his mine and mill and Tesla had designed the first commercial AC power generation and transmission system in the nation to provide the electricity. This time, Colorado patent lawyer Leonard Curtis, who owned a majority share in the Colorado Springs El Paso Power Company, enticed Tesla with a site for his lab and all the free power he might need. Col. John Jacob Astor provided the financing by offering Tesla $30,000 to make the move to Colorado, according to author Margaret Cheney in Tesla: Man Out of Time. Some stories on Tesla recall that he told reporters he was in Colorado to design a machine that would transmit a signal to Paris, France, in time for the Paris Exposition of 1900. But the Tesla wireless system does not involve radio waves. Furthermore, the proposed wireless transmission to the Paris Exposition Universelle that ran from April 15 to November 12, 1900, would have originated from New York, not Colorado, according to Gary Peterson of the Tesla Wardenclyffe Project. So whatever the cover story, Tesla and his assistants arrived via train and checked in to the Alta Vista Hotel. Tesla was soon dining with Colorado Springs movers and shakers, ensuring his ability to conduct his experiments. He was ready to get started and found a spot about 1,000 feet beyond the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind on Pikes Peak Avenue at what would become the intersection of Foote Avenue and Kiowa Street. A large mineral-paper covered building was soon under construction. It was an odd–looking building that included a retractable roof able to roll back so it would not catch fire. There was also an 80-foot wooden tower acting as a temporary support for a 142-foot guyed metal mast that was capped by an impressively large copper ball. The property was posted with two signs. A small one out in front read KEEP OUT GREAT DANGER in bold letters. A larger sign hung above the building’s front door. It quoted Dante’s Inferno: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” Inside, the lab was taking shape as more and more supplies rolled in each week by rail.

TESLA WARDENCLYFFE PROJECT ARCHIVES

[continued on page 18]

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 17

Tesla works in his laboratory at 46 & 48 East Houston Street, New York City, 1898. This experiment shows a coil energized by waves of a distant oscillator and adjusted to the capacity of the body of the operator, who preserves himself from injury by maintaining a position at the nodal point where the intense vibration is little felt. The pressure at the end turn of the coil toward the viewer, which is illuminated by streamers (of light), is nearly half a million volts. [continued from page 17]

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 18 February 2012

TESLA WARDENCLYFFE PROJECT ARCHIVES

Tesla was directing his assistants in putting together what he called a "magnifying transmitter.” This was a modified version of the Tesla coil with an additional third coil that focused electrical energy down into the earth. At 51 feet in diameter, it was the largest ever built. It was capable of generating up to 12 million volts of electricity. It could produce lightning bolts 130 feet long. When the great machine was ready, Tesla ordered the switch on his magnifying transmitter closed for exactly one second. Everything went black — not just in the lab, but in the entire city of Colorado Springs. Turning on the magnifying transmitter had burned out El Paso Power’s dynamo, or electrical generator. But it had also generated “a magnificent sight” according to an entry in Tesla’s Colorado Springs Notes. There was an “extraordinary display of lightning, no less than 10-12 thousand discharges being witnessed inside of two hours,” Tesla wrote. “This was a wonderful and most interesting experience from a scientific point of view. It showed clearly the existence of stationary waves, for how could the observations be otherwise explained?” Tesla wrote. While Tesla was noting the success of his experiment, the city of Colorado Springs was using its backup generator and trying to restore electricity for its residents. City officials were not happy with their mad scientist. They denied Tesla further access to the city system if he did not repair the city’s primary generator at his own expense, which he did. Those who lived in Colorado Springs had to have wondered what this strange genius was doing in this weird-looking facility. There was the lightning and there was a blue corona, similar to St. Elmo’s fire, that could sometimes be seen in the area around the laboratory. Thunder could be heard as far away as Cripple Creek. During some experiments, his monster coils gave birth to ball lightning that would violently explode if it was stopped in its path. Adjustments had to be made carefully so that these balls of fire wouldn’t destroy the very equipment that was generating them. (That ball lightning continues to garner interest from researchers today as they investigate what Tesla was generating and how to control it.) Tesla did believe he was making progress and kept working. From June 1, 1899, to January 7, 1900, he made some 500 pages of careful notes on his experiments. He believed in these stationary terrestrial waves he was measuring and their potential to transmit electricity without wires. In essence, he found that electrical energy can be transmitted through the earth and atmosphere. In the course of his research, he successfully lit lamps at moderate distances from the electrical source. According to the ebook Veil of Invisibility by Alexander Putney, Tesla called his Colorado Springs discovery of [continued on page 19] stationary terrestrial waves his greatest achievement. Tesla noted that his experiments proved “beyond

[continued from page 18]

the shadow of a doubt that the Earth, considered as a channel for conveying electrical energy … is infinitely superior to a wire or cable, however welldesigned.” Then as suddenly as Tesla came to Colorado Springs, he left. He not only left a stunned city wondering why he came in the first place, but also unpaid bills and his unusual laboratory. He may have simply run out of funds. The bizarre lab was torn down in 1905 with the main components auctioned to cover local debts. Not much is left from Tesla’s time in Colorado Springs, according to Leah Davis Witherow, archivist for the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. For years, the International Tesla Society sold books about Tesla and his engineering legacy and operated a museum where a few replicas of his equipment were on display off East Bijou Street. However, funds dried up and in 1998 the organization was disbanded and forced to liquidate the remainder of its inventory and exhibits. A man from New Jersey bought the materials. Today Jeremiah Messenger is trying to get a new Tesla Museum of Science off the ground in Colorado Springs. As for Tesla, when he arrived back in New York City after taking the train from Colorado, he took up suites in one of New York’s most expensive hotels, the Waldorf Astoria. Robert Underwood Johnson asked him to write an article for his Century Magazine regarding his Colorado TESLA WARDENCLYFFE PROJECT ARCHIVES Springs experiments. Titled “The ProbThe Tesla coil above is pictured in Tesla’s lab lem of Increasing Human Energy," for at 35 S. Fifth Ave., New York City in April the July 1900 issue. It was a stunner. 1895. This Tesla coil was used for ascertainTesla wrote about the coming of ing and discharging the electricity of the Earth. The streamers at the top of the television and radio broadcasting, of dicoil are purplish and look like seaweed. rectly tapping the energy of the sun for industrial use, of how electricity could be used to artificially make it rain in the most arid regions of the world, of a charged particle beam weapon for national defense sometimes referred to as a death ray, of the massive and widespread production of his 1903 electronic logic gate circuit resulting in supercomputers that could ultimately think for mankind. His time in Colorado Springs had evidently allowed Tesla to see a glimpse of what the future would hold. All of that electricity flashing and firing through his Colorado lab had sparked much in Tesla’s genius mind. It didn’t all come together in his lifetime, but, in the bolts of lightning he sought to control and the stationary terrestrial waves he studied and challenged, he saw much of the future. Mike Coppock is a freelance writer from Oklahoma. This is his third feature for Colorado Country Life. Gary Peterson of the Tesla Wardenclyffe Project Committee contributed to this article.

Find out how to win a Tesla T-shirt.

Visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Contests for contest rules.

A Tesla Test Drive It’s been nearly 70 years since Nikola Tesla said farewell, but in 2003 his name again flashed through the electric industry with the opening of Tesla Motors. This 21st century car company uses an AC motor descended directly from Tesla’s original 1888 design. Just as the cars’ namesake, Nikola Tesla, grabbed attention with flash and show, these new zero-emission electric cars are sure to catch your eye. The super sexy Roadster has sold out and the classy, high-end 2012 Model S sedan is in production. Low and sleek with a responsiveness and agility expected in a sports car, it has quickly garnered orders. The Model S can be charged using any conventional 120- or 240-volt power outlet or public charging station. Owners can plug in their ride at bedtime and wake up to a fully charged vehicle in the morning. The Model S with its 85-kilowatt hour battery comes with an industrial grade supercharger, which reloads about 160 miles of drive time in about 30 minutes. The charge port is coolly concealed in the driver’s side taillight. Buying a Model S comes with several incentives, including a $7,500 U.S. federal tax credit that puts a little dent in the $50,000-plus price tag. The Model S Signature series sold out for 2012, but you can still get your name on the waiting list for 2013. The Model S was on display at the Park Meadows Mall in Lone Tree in December and January. The temporary store closed February 5.

For information about Tesla electric cars, including the sold-out super sleek Roadster, visit teslamotors.com. ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 19

[recipes]

A Hearty Appetite

Mouth-watering recipes your heart will thank you for BY AMY HIGGINS || AHIGGINS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG TELLING IT LIKE IT IS “What you eat can help keep your heart beating strong — or lead to overweight, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol, three key factors that increase the risk of heart disease.” Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

A SwitchA-Roo Legumes are a good substitute for meats and contain less fat and no cholesterol. If you’re hankering for a hamburger but want to keep it healthy, try a soy burger instead.

Fruits and vegetables are not only delicious, but they’re rich in antioxidants that helps the heart function. You can also take care of your ticker by nibbling on nuts. According to the eminent Mayo Clinic, fruits and vegetables may help prevent cardiovascular disease, and eating nuts reduces your risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. There’s no need to omit meat, but opt for leaner meats when cooking to keep your heart happy. Here are some scrumptious recipes that are sure to please your family:

Bean and Macaroni Soup 2 16-ounce cans great northern beans 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 cup onion, coarsely chopped 2 cups carrots, sliced 1 cup celery, coarsely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 3 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 bay leaf, crumbled 4 cups elbow macaroni, cooked Drain beans and reserve liquid. Rinse beans. Heat oil in 6-quart kettle. Add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sage, thyme, oregano, pepper and bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Cook macaroni according to directions on package, using unsalted water. Drain. Combine reserved bean liquid with water to make 4 cups. Add liquid, beans and cooked macaroni to vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until soup is thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serves 16.

For more delicious recipes for heart-healthy foods, visit www. coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Recipes. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 20 February 2012

Fresh Blueberry Chicken Salad with Almonds 2 whole cooked chicken breasts 1/2 cup red onion, chopped 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1/2 cup minced green onion 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1/4 cup sweet mustard 1/4 cup toasted almonds Dice chicken breasts and place in mixing bowl. Sprinkle red onion with rice vinegar then toss into bowl. Add green onion, parsley, cranberries and blueberries. Fold gently to mix. In a small mixing bowl, add mayonnaise, yogurt and sweet mustard. Blend well. Fold dressing into salad. Garnish with toasted almonds. Serves 6.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 21

[gardening]

Say it With Roses …

Just make sure you know what you’re saying BY EVE GILMORE MONTANE WWW.XERISCAPEGARDENS.COM

Whether or not you take part in the ritual, it’s easy to see the correlation between roses and Valentine’s Day. Who decides the rules is a mystery, but if you choose to abide by the socalled wisdom, you can avoid conveying the wrong message by knowing the meaning behind the color of rose you choose for Valentine’s Day. Here’s a simple guide to rose color and the message you could be sending to your valentine this season:

beauty and divine fragrance. According to fossil evidence, the rose is believed to be 35 million years old, although some scientists suggest that it could be closer to double that. It is thought to have been domesticated in Asia some 5,000 years ago resulting in more than 30,000 modern varieties. These days the majority of roses grown for the U.S. market are from South America. In 1991, the Andean Trade Preference Act was passed giv-

in the stem and it needs to be cut again. Trim it under warm water and the flower should revive in an hour. Remove leaves that will end up submerged in water once in the vase; they will rot and can cause disease. Make sure the vase you use has been properly sterilized, change the water daily and use rose food. The attractive life of a rose in a vase can be shortened by nearby ripening fruits and vegetables as well as cigarette smoke. Direct

ing Andean rose growers duty-free access to the U.S. market in an attempt to replace illegal drug production. The intended results are debatable according to reports, but what is certain is California-grown roses comprise only 3 percent of the market today. U.S. roses played a majority role prior to the act.

sunlight, heating vents, drafts and extreme temperature variations will also take a toll on cut roses. If you’re keeping with the longstanding tradition of giving roses for Valentine’s Day, look for varieties grown in California to help U.S. farmers. And remember to choose your color carefully to avoid any misunderstandings and ensure you have a fantastic holiday.

Red: I love you, enduring passion Orange: enthusiasm, longing Yellow: friendship, freedom, congratulations to newlyweds, graduates or new mothers Coral: desire Peach: appreciation, gratitude Pale Pink: gentleness, grace, gratitude Light Pink: fun, happiness Deep Pink: thank you Lilac: love at first sight, enchantment White: truth, innocence, I miss you

A TRADITION OF LOVE So, why is this flower, much more than any other, the unadulterated symbol for romance on Valentine’s Day? I went hunting for the answers and found that this association has a long history in the United States as well as in other parts of the world. As with many traditions, the facts are disputed and stories hail from many cultures around the world, from Greek mythology to Hinduism and from Crete to England. Much like “tulip mania” and “orchid fever,” history shows that roses were highly sought after and used as currency in the past. Greek legends in particular ascribe roses with ideals of love, incomparable ColoradoCountryLife.coop 22 February 2012

TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS Receiving roses for Valentine’s Day is a flattering gesture. Show your valentine how much you appreciate him or her by keeping your roses looking fresh and vibrant. Premature wilting in the vase often means that air bubbles are trapped

Follow garden coach and consultant Eve Gilmore Montane’s blog at xeriscapegardens.com.

Love gardening? Read previous

gardening columns at colorado countrylife.coop. Click on Gardening.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 23

[outdoors]

The “If” Factor

Excellent duck hunting comes with conditions BY DENNIS SMITH || OUTDOORS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

T Download CREA’s NEW 2012 Legislative Directory app for your iPad or iPhone Visit itunes to download the app The Colorado Rural Electric Association has published its 2012 Legislative Directory. Paper copies are available for $1 each by calling 303-455-4111. You can also download the Legislative Directory as an app on your Apple device for $9.99 Have legislators’ names, phone numbers, email addresses, websites and more at your fingertips. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 24 February 2012

The last few weeks of Colorado’s three-part duck season can offer the best shooting of the year if — and trust me, it’s a mighty big “if” — conditions are exactly right and you’re lucky enough to have hunting access to either open water or recently harvested fields. Driven south by the fierce Canadian winter, massive flocks of fat, orange-legged mallards descend on Colorado’s grain fields and watering holes in late December in numbers that stagger the imagination. Whether you hunt them or not, the spectacle is fascinating. We have often sat in our blind for hours on end and simply watched in utter amazement as clouds of ducks poured into the fields near the little farm pond we hunt a few miles east of Longmont. Canadian weather triggers the migration, but the availability of food and open water determines whether the ducks will touch down and lay over. In years past when our little pond froze over, we broke a hole in the ice large enough to float a few decoys and lure some ducks into range. Assuming the ice wasn’t too thick, the tactic was surprisingly effective. But it was miserably tedious work, somewhat risky and an extremely short-term solution to a season-long struggle. On brutally cold days we had to break ice repeatedly to keep the decoys from freezing back in. Unfortunately, most late season duck hunting takes place on brutally cold days. This year we decided to break down and buy an ice eater. Essentially a boatlike propeller driven by a submersible electric motor in a PVC housing, these things can open a 50 yard-wide hole through 4-inch thick ice in a few hours.

A Colorado waterfowl hunter scans the sky for late season ducks hoping the open water from his “ice eater” will attract flocks of migrating mallards.

It will keep the hole open for days as long as you keep its generator fueled and running. We installed our ice eater a few days before the third season was scheduled to open in December, confident we’d have good hunting on opening morning. It was not to be. The day before the opener a herd of cattle trampled the extension cord running to the ice eater cutting off its power supply. Temperatures dropped overnight to 5 below zero, 4 inches of new ice formed over the now disabled ice eater, and we spent hours chopping it free. With virtually every lake, farm pond and pothole in the county frozen solid and the food supply buried beneath an 18-inch blanket of snow, the ducks headed for better pastures. As I write this, we still have a couple of weeks left before the season ends. If conditions are just right — we have open water, the snow melts off the grain fields revealing all that spilled corn and more ducks are driven down from Canada — we could have some of the best hunting of the year. But that’s a mighty big “if.”

Miss an issue? Catch up at www.coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors.

[energy tips]

SUPPRESS THE SURGE

Whole-home electric protection BY JAMES DULLEY

Are there whole-house surge suppressors that will protect everything electric in a house? There are several types of whole-house surge suppressors. Some are connected to the circuit breaker. Others are mounted to the base of an electric meter. A common design uses metal oxide varistors (MOV) to dissipate a surge before it flows through the house wiring. Think of it like a floodgate. The gate is closed at normal voltages, preventing leaks. But if the voltage gets too high, the gate opens and allows the excess damaging current to pass to ground, protecting the equipment. If the components in a surge suppressor are too small, they can’t handle a surge and they fail. Using larger components that are rated to handle more joules (a measure of energy) allows the suppressor to safely dissipate a larger surge. When comparing surge suppressors, a higher number is better for the total energy dissipation. Clamping voltage is the voltage that is required for the floodgate to open — for the MOV to conduct electricity. A lower number for this is usually better. For the most sensitive electronic devices, also use point-of-use surge suppressors for extra protection. They are inexpensive and make it convenient to completely switch off the power to save electricity when the device is not being used. Look for models that are tested for compliance with Underwriters Laboratories Standard 1449 or ask your local electric cooperative for advice.

“The minute I heard my first love story I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.”

For more information on whole-house suppressors, visit coloradocountrylife. coop. Click on Energy Tips.

— Jalal ad-Din Rumi ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 25

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 26 February 2012

[marketplace]

Become a fan and. win prizes facebook.com/COCountry Life

Are you scratching around for business? Advertise in MarketPlace and turn your scratch into success. Call Kris at 303-902-7276 for more information. ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 27

[classifieds] 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 by credit card. Send your ad to: mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUES

ANTIQUES IN LONGMONT — Sale & Show February 11-12, Boulder County Fairgrounds, Saturday 9-5, Sunday 10-4. Admission $4. No charge 14 & under. Great selection! Plan now to attend. Info: Jo Peterson 719-596-1022 (510-02-12)

BOOKS

LET US PUBLISH your book! We can take your manuscript, design a cover, edit and format it, and print it. Check us out. Personalized service is our specialty. 719-7492126. www.peakvistapress.com (933-03-12)

CHAIR CANING, hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-04-13)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

COLORADO SPRINGS ANTIQUE SALE & Show - New location of Old Show for New Year, March 3 & 4. Colorado Springs Event Center, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd. (Academy at Palmer Park). Bigger and better! With plenty of free parking. $3.50 admission for those over 14. Info: Jo Peterson 719-596-1022 (510-02-12)

AVON sells – you earn big. Build sales via internet or local. Flexible hours. $10 start up. ISR. 719-5500242. (133-05-12)

FURNITURE RESTORATION. Quality craftsmanship since 1974. Bayfield, CO, www.antiqueresdurango.com 970-884-1937. Prompt service, guaranteed repairs. (988-04-12)

BOOKS BLACKSMITHING BASICS for the Homestead. Well illustrated, easy to understand. Signed by the author. $18 includes shipping. DeLaRonde Forge, PO #1190, Mancos, CO 81328 (010-02-12) ISSY AULD’s incredible i-Books. Download mysteries, intrigue, suspense from Amazon or B&N, www.izzyauld.com (014-12-12)

“Find ecstasy in life — the mere sense of LIVING is joy enough.” Emily Dickinson

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 28 February 2012

(These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.)

BUSY, FULL SERVICE, AUTO REPAIR workshop in SW Colorado. No competition. Est. 35 yrs. Retiring owner may carry. Solid investment, dependable staff, 6 bays, paint booth, offices. 1-970563-4500. Please ask for Joyce. (942-05-12) GET PAID TO PLAY THE LOTTERY, even if you never win. Visit our website today for more information. www.lottomagiconline. com/?S4465. (911-03-12) INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS/ dealers. Complete range commercial restoration products. Free guide. Call Janice, 1-800-800-2844 www.andek.com Restores metal, flat roofs, etc. 573-489-9346 (856-03-12) 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 (914-04-12)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

FREE

START YOUR OWN BUSINESS – home/internet. Simply the highest quality candles/gifts/beauty. Enter free drawing. www.naturesbest. scent-team.com (831-05-12)

HEALTH AND FINANCES force

PIANO TUNING PAYS. Learn with American School home-study course. Tools included. Call for info. 800-497-9793. (158-01-13)

CARS/TRUCKS/BOATS 50 SUBARUS! (1995-2011) Outbacks, Foresters, Imprezas, Tribecas & more! Great prices! One-year warranty! Dealer: www.MonumentMotors.com 719-481-9900 (574-08-12) CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION

DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Clocks bought and sold. Call Robert 970-247-7729, bob.scott@ usa.net (109-05-12)

FREE SERMONS: • Myth of AntiChrist! • Myth of Secret Rapture! • Myth of Beast’s Mark! • Myth of Great Tribulation! Pastor Edwin Vrell, 606 Pratt St., #602, Longmont, CO 80501 (995-03-12) giving away Alpacas, goats, rabbit, dog, 719-868-3789, gerrirs@hughes. net (013-02-12)

GIFTS RODEO ROOTS to Modern-Day Cowboys is a fine, fun book about rodeo. Great gift! One sale — $15. Call 303-455-4111 to order one today. (106-12-12) HELP WANTED

$400 WEEKLY ASSEMBLING PRODUCTS FROM HOME. For free information, send SASE: Home Assembly – CC, Box 450, New Britain, CT 06050-0450.

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. sawmillexchange.com . (267-03-12)

MISCELLANEOUS

PUT YOUR OLD HOME MOVIES, slides or photos on DVD. 888-6099778 or www.transferguy.com (465-12-12)

MUSIC

LEARN TO PLAY GUITAR from the convenience of your own home. Fast, fun, and guaranteed. www. LearnGuitarCentral.com. (106-12-12)

POULTRY/GAMEBIRDS

GRIGGS MASTERY ACADEMY: 10 Courses – 10 Books – 10 Months. Innovative professional development. www.griggsachieve.com (994-04-12)

EARN $75,000/yr PART TIME in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. 800-4887570. www.amagappraisers.com (935-04-12)

FREE – 5 EXOTIC CHICKS or 3 ducks with 100 frypan special @ $36.95 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. (876-07-12)

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

HOBBIES & CRAFTS

REAL ESTATE

EDUCATION

MULTIQUIP 6000-watt generator. $600. Ft. Collins area. 970-4720030 (019-02-12)

FINANCIAL SERVICES

MODULAR/MOBILE HOME insurance. Very reasonable rates. Auto, motorcycle, TT, home. Insure-All Colorado, 719-646-3358. (905-02-12) NEED A LOAN? Members Federal Credit Union can help with your Auto, Home, Credit Card, and more! Visit www.mbrcu.com or call 303-755-2572. (965-05-12)

FOR SALE

HEAVY DUTY CATTLEPENS. Portable or permanent; 32x45 working pen w/16’ crowding tub, $3,325. Call Kenneth 580-876-3699, www.cccattleequipment.com (882-04-12)

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. (814-04-12)

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) BOOKS, PATTERNS, CLASSES, knitting, felting, crocheting, weaving, spinning, natural dye extracts, Jacquard and Gaywool dyes. www. tablerockllamas.com Colorado Springs, 866-495-7747 (791-05-12)

HOUSEHOLD HELPS

LOOKING TO REPLACE AMWAY PRODUCTS? Lose your distributor? I can ship to your home, no hassle, no salesman. Monika Cary 970-7242912. (982-03-12)

IMPROVEMENTS & REPAIRS

GUTTER & DOWNSPOUT. Reasonable rates. Travel possible. 15 years experience. Colorado Springs area. Dennis, 719-641-6713 (905-02-12)

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 970-2609629, Terry 970-261-3001, Gtraudt@ edbozarth.com 3% to 6% to any REALTOR w/buyer (946-06-12)

Happy

Valentine’s Day

Call Kris to advertise in Classifieds: 303-902-7276

[funny stories] REAL ESTATE

LAND WANTED — cash buyer looking to purchase 500-20,000 acres in Colorado. Will consider bailouts, foreclosures, joint ventures, condo/commercial projects. Will close quickly. Call Joe at Red Creek Land 719-543-6663. (648-01-12) TURN-KEY CATTLE/HORSE ranch. NM-Col. border, 5 miles to Navajo Lake. 120 acres, 80 shares water ponds, springs, home, barns, 505872-2141, dbenesch@earthlink.net (018-03-12)

RELIGION

BECOME AN ORDAINED Minister by correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, PMB 767, 6630 W Cactus, B107, Glendale, AZ 85304. http://www.ordination.org (441-06-12)

TICKETS

NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. All seating levels available. Call 1-888-NFR-rodeo (1-888637-7633) or www.NFR-Rodeo. com. *BBB Member; Since 1990. (912-11-12)

VACATION RENTAL

KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-245-6500; makanacrest.com; kauaiweddings. com. (756-05-12)

WANTED TO BUY

MOSS ROCK, COLORADO OR WYOMING Moss Rock — I will buy your moss rock or sell it for you. All types, colors, and sizes considered; the more moss the better; the more unusual the better. Call Tim for details 303588-5021 (016-02-12) NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-02-12) OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303-757-8553. (889-02-12)

WANTED TO BUY

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. (519-11-12) OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209 watchdoctor@hotmail.com. (870-06-12) VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. Call Gary at 970-222-2181 (960-06-12) WANT TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-02-12) WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE – ATV’s, UTV’s, motorcycles 719-404-3144. hillarone@comcast.net (015-04-12)

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 970565-1256. (871-05-12)

My 5-year-old son was playing outside with the 4-year-old girl who lived next door. Suddenly, both of them came rushing into the kitchen where I was making dinner. “When we grow up we’re going to get married and have lots of babies,” said the neighbor girl. After the little girl went home, my son whispered to me, “I hope she forgets.” Bonnie Cronin, Colorado Springs I was playing a learning game with my 7-year-old daughter about parts of the body. I would say the name of a body part and she would tap where it was located on her body. She was doing really well until I said, “Tap where your kidneys are located.” She tapped her knees. Puzzled, I repeated the question and she tapped her knees again. I couldn’t understand why she was so far off, so I asked her to explain. Very matter-of-factly, she said, “That’s where my kid knees are!” Donald Pulley, Crested Butte At a marathon I saw one runner dressed as a chicken and another as an egg. I thought to myself, “Now this could be interesting.” Anne Steinbeck, Gunnison

VALENTINE SPECIAL

Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, “Surely I can’t look that old?” Well, I was sitting in

JUST $15

Buy our book on the history of rodeo in Colorado. 160 pages packed with great information.

the waiting room for my first appointment with a new dentist. I noticed his degree on the wall, which bore his full name. Suddenly, I remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been in my high school class some 40-something years ago. I wondered if he might be the same guy I had a secret crush on way back then. Upon seeing him, I asked him if he had attended Morgan Park High School. “Yes, I did. I’m a Mustang,” he said, gleaming. “When did you graduate?” I asked. “In 1959,” he answered. “Why do you ask?” “You were in my class!” I exclaimed. He looked at me closely, then that ugly, old wrinkled man asked, “What did you teach?”

Stock Show Special — $15 includes shipping. Order your Colorado’s Rodeo Roots to Modern-Day Cowboys.

Call 303-455-4111.

Don’t miss this great deal. We take MasterCard and Visa

Anonymous We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year, we draw one name from those submitting jokes and that person will receive $150. Send your 2012 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@ coloradocountrylife.org. ColoradoCountryLife.coop February 2012 29

[discoveries]

Take Charge of Your Socket Space

If your wall outlets are overrun with devices in need of a charge — your cellphone, laptop, etc. — the FastMac U-Socket could be for you. This clever gadget allows you to plug in chargeable devices without using the bulky AC adapters that normally take over the three-prong plugs. Installing a U-Socket means you’ll have extra space to plug in your other electronics. An added bonus is that FastMac designed the U-Socket to only extract power from the USB port if something is connected to it, which can save you money in reduced energy costs. The U-Socket comes in a variety of colors and costs as little as $24.95 on the company website: fastmac.com.

[Have a Ball]

The Boon Glo Color-Changing Nightlight with Portable Glowing Balls is a cool sub-

FINGER CLICKING GOOD

Prevent “vampire power” from sucking your wallet dry with Practecol Power Saver products. Electricity seeps through when you forget to switch off power surge strips, even when you’re not using the pluggedin devices. But with convenient power-saving products like the Practecol Remote Control Surge Strip, it’s easy to remember to switch off power when you leave the room. According to the company, if you plug your television, non-DVR or TiVo cable box, DVD player and stereo into the Remote Control Surge Strip and then click the remote control switch whenever you are not using those devices, you can save up to $84 a year by eliminating standby power. The Practecol 8-Outlet Remote Control Surge Strip is available for around $30 at Target and several major hardware-type stores. For more information on the product, visit practecol.com.

stitute to the standard night-light. Looking like something that just came up from the ocean floor, this three-limbed LED light base will charge balls of light and add a glow to your little one’s room. The balls are nonelectronic and cool to the touch so kids can stash them wherever they like — including in their bed — without the risk of fire or breakage. The glow lasts approximately 30 minutes off the base. With the balls on the base, you can change colors with a sliding switch. Starting around $69, the Glo Color-Changing Nightlight isn’t as inexpensive as the typical nightlight, but it looks really cool and you can play a safe game of catch with the balls to boot. It is available on the manufacturer’s website, booninc.com, and through several other online stores.

[Light Your Way]

The Striker FLEXiT Light just might be the handiest helper around. According to the company’s demonstration video, “It’s the only slim work light you can bend, wrap, stand, hook and hang, or magnetically stick.” The FLEXiT uses ultra bright Lumen Tech LEDs, and because of its superthin design and attaching capabilities you can say goodbye to holding a flashlight with your mouth or chin when you need to get a closer look. Striker sells the FLEXiT Light for $29.99. For more information, visit striker1.com.

ColoradoCountryLife.coop 30 February 2012

CCL is celebrating 60 years of publishing

We want to know how Colorado Country Life has affected you. • Have you used our recipes? • Did you reconnect with an old friend through one of our stories? • Have you learned something new or gotten involved with your electric co-op? • Did you go on Youth Tour because of the magazine? • Found something special in the Classifieds? Tell us your story. Send it to: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, Co 80216 or info@coloradocountrylife.org