Das Haus Dec./Jan. 2014

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DasHaus DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014

HUNTERS’ PARADISE Tipton home becomes a popular hunting lodge

GETTING ORGANIZED

Organizer offers quick tips to clear clutter

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Comforting soup recipes make nutritious meals

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CONTENTS

Food for thought......4 Soup recipes offer warm and comforting winter meals on a budget

At home8 Couple turns sprawling ranch into home away from home.

Das Haus is published and distributed by The Hays Daily News, 507 Main, Hays, KS 67601. Find it online at www.HDNews.net/DasHaus.

Copyright Š 2013 Harris Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Das Haus is a registered trademark of The Hays Daily News.

Printed by Northwestern Printers, 114 W. Ninth, Hays, KS 67601, northwesternprinters.com.

Publisher, Patrick Lowry, plowry@dailynews.net

Getting organized...6 Professional organizer offers tips for decluttering

Country living......14 Rural residence becomes a rustic hunting lodge.

Advertising Director, Mary Karst, maryk_ads@dailynews.net Designer, Kaley Conner, kconner@dailynews.net Account Executives: Joleen Fisher, Sandra Harder, Eric Rathke Creative Services: Juno Ogle, Tiffany Reddig

DAS HAUS 3 December 2013/January 2014

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by Linda Beech

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Linda Beech is a family and consumer science Extension agent in Ellis County who loves food and the science behind it.

Comfort food ’T

is the season — the “eating season,” that is! From first bite of Halloween candy until the last nibble on New Year’s Eve, the final two months of the year can seem like one long buffet line filled with heavy, rich, fattening food.

It’s no surprise January is designated as National Soup Month. After 60 days of season’s eatings, soup is a comfort food of the best kind — warm, nourishing and easy on both the budget and the cook.

Many soups and stews are complete meals and require just a few kitchen tools to make. All you need is a big stock pot or slow-cooker, basic measuring equipment and chopping tools. Then you’ll be prepared to enjoy all the soup-er benefits of soup.

A healthy choice Soup has been called the healthy comfort food. It can provide high-quality protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals needed for good health. Ingredients for soup can include foods from several of the MyPlate food groups. Since 81 percent of Kansans do not get enough fruits and vegetables every day, soup can supply more of the vegetables many of us are lacking.

Homemade soup can be lower in calories, fat and sodium when the cook controls the ingredients used.

Low-fat, broth-based soups can be filling on fewer calories to help those who are interested in controlling their weight.

4 DAS HAUS December 2013/January 2014

Soup saves money Soup is easy on the budget and a satisfying way to serve a crowd for a

reasonable cost. Soup is a great way to use inexpensive, healthful ingredients, such as dry beans, whole grains and root vegetables, which require long, slow cooking to reach their plump and tender best.

It is also an excellent way to use less-expensive tougher cuts of meat, which will tenderize as they simmer in the pot.

Soup helps stretch the food dollar by using foods that otherwise might be wasted — a ham bone or turkey carcass can be used for flavorful broth, and vegetables that are past their peak of quality for a relish tray might be the perfect addition to the soup kettle.

Even small amounts of leftover cooked meat or vegetables can be frozen and put to good use in the next batch of soup.

A quick fix It has been said no food seems to comfort a person like a steaming bowl of soup. When the hustle-bustle of the holiday season leaves you exhausted, a one-pot meal can be a welcome relief. What’s easier than combining all the ingredients for a

5 healthy meal and letting the slowcooker or the kettle on the back of the stove do the work while you do other chores — or grab a minute of rest and relaxation?

Food safety tips

Cooking it If you won’t be eating the soup immediately, or if you have leftover soup, divide into shallow containers less than 3 inches deep for quick cooling in the refrigerator. Use within three or four days or freeze for longer storage. Leave a half-inch of space at the top of the container for expansion during freezing and plan to use within two to three months.

Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator or microwave. Do not thaw on the kitchen counter. Reheat soup over low heat to boiling; it should reach at least 165 degrees when measured with a food thermometer.

The holiday season takes a toll on our diet, our finances and our energy.

Soup can be an ally in our efforts to restore, renew and re-energize after the holidays.

Soup can be long-simmered and full of delicious ingredients, or quick and simple to prepare. Here is a quick-fix recipe, which will have homemade soup on the table in a flash. Personalize it to your family’s tastes or create endless variations based on whatever you have on hand.

Easy minestrone soup Ingredients: 16 ounces frozen vegetables, any type 2 15-ounce cans low-sodium tomatoes, any type 2 14-ounce cans low-sodium broth, any flavor 1 15-ounce can beans, any type, rinsed and drained 1 cup dry whole grain pasta, any type Instructions: In a large pot, combine frozen vegetables, tomatoes, broth and beans. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked and vegetables are tender, about eight to 10 minutes. Browned hamburger or Italian sausage or cooked cubed chicken,

turkey or ham can also be added, if desired. The recipe makes six 1-cup servings.

Each serving, without added meat, provides 270 calories, 560 mg sodium, 50 grams carbohydrate, 14 grams protein, 11 grams fiber.

Chunky lentil soup Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped cabbage 1 cup chopped onion 1⁄2 cup chopped green pepper 4 cups water 1 bay leaf 2 beef bouillon cubes 46-ounce can tomato juice Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: Brown ground beef and drain fat. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cook over high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 11⁄2 hours or until lentils are tender. Makes approximately 3 quarts.

DAS HAUS 5 December 2013/January 2014

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d

SIMPLE FIXES

Questions that can spark the organization bug: • Is there a stack of unopened mail on your kitchen counter, stuffed in drawers or piled on a shelf?

• Do you frequently pay bills late simply because you cannot find them?

• Do you feel overwhelmed when you open any closet in your home? Do you throw things in the closet when you don’t know what else to do with it?

• How about your kids’ toys? Are they all over your home or office?

• Are you embarrassed to have people over?

DAS HAUS 6 December 2013/January 2014

a e h a g n i t t e G

of holiday clutter

By The Hays Daily News ed to accomplish a goal of organization Everything has a spot. Just ask is necessary.

Barbi Winderlin.

“There’s a lot of people that have The professional organizer makes awful good intentions to do it, and a living out of helping people organize every magazine you pick up, it talks their homes, lives and about organizing, but it’s anything else that needs just putting it into play,” she it. said.

She said an easy Additionally, organizing way to begin the orgadoesn’t have to be about Shopping list: nization process is by spending money. Typically, asking three questions: Winderlin said she tries to • Cookie sheet Do you love it? Do you use recyclable materials • Canvas shoe like it? Do you want to from around her clients’ bag lose it? homes to store and stack • Small jars “Sometimes you items.

• CD rack need that extra little Some tips Winderlin has push of having someshared on her Facebook one standing next to you,” said Windpage include: erlin, who started D-Clutter Bug in the • Use a cookie sheet to store Hays area in 2012. books, remotes, etc., under the She only purges things when her couch. clients are standing next to her, but • If you have an old bike basket she likes to employ the OHIO rule — around, use it to hold your tools. only handle it once.

• To organize your car, try using a “When you start organizing, you small canvas shoe bag over the seat need to take everything out,” Winderlin to hold music players, gloves, hats and said. “Decide what you want — love snacks. it, like it or lose it — and then put it • Use small jars, such as baby food back.” jars, to hold your spices. Place them in She said a significant hurdle for a drawer upside down and use labels people to overcome is the embarrassor place them on a turntable. ment about the state of their home • Use a wire CD rack to hold all of or office. Whether it’s paper scattered your Tupperware and plastic lids. throughout the home or office, or just For more information, find D-Cluta constant state of disarray, Winderlin ter Bug on Facebook or email dclutsaid accepting help and being motivatterbugks@yahoo.com.

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Q&A

Realtor’s corner

With Jennifer Johnson & Jennyfer Toepfer

A Home Buyer’s Holiday Wish List

By Jennifer Johnson

As a real estate agent, I feel charged and privileged to help a prospective home buyer make their greatest wish come true. Home ownership will most likely result in the greatest purchase they make in their lifetime as well.

Below are a few wishes that CAN come true for you if take some important steps: • Finding the right house: Determine your minimum requirements as well as any desired additional features. Develop a personal checklist of needs and wants. Where do you see yourself and when? Look at more than one home to compare. The most important thing is to get the home that is best for you!

• Finding the right price: Get any financial questions wrapped up. Find a reputable lender and familiarize yourself with the mortgage process and what payment fits in your budget. Get preapproved before looking for a home and shop with the power of a cash buyer.

This cannot be stressed enough…it will save you an enormous amount of time, aggravation, and heartache.

• Finding the right real estate agent: Your real estate agent should be a partner, not a salesman. Find one you trust, one who is dedicated and understands

your needs. Your Realtor® should be focused on helping you find a great property and being of service through the process. Communication and negotiating skills are very important, and the agent should be a reliable resource for questions and concerns you may have along the way.

Q:

Why should I use a Realtor® when selling my home?

By Jennyfer Toepfer

A. The selling process generally begins with a determination of a reasonable asking price. Your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle. The next step is a marketing plan. Often, your agent can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of the property. Marketing includes the exposure of your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your agent acts as

Sponsored by Advanced Real Estate Co.

the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses, etc.

The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients. Advertising is part of marketing.

The choice of media and frequency of advertising depends a lot on the property and specific market. Your real estate agent will know when, where and how to advertise your property. The negotiation process deals with much the same issues for both buyers and sellers, as noted above under the buying process.

Your agent can help you objectively evaluate every buyer’s proposal without compromising your marketing position.

This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing. Your agent can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process. Between the initial sales agreement and closing, questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your agent is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing.

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AT HOME IN TIPTON Keith Houghton and his wife, Debra, transformed their family farm into a popular hunting retreat

Down home

Hospitality T DAS HAUS 8 December 2013/January 2014

IPTON — It all began as a way to supplement a family income back in the slumping farming economy of the early 1980s.

Now, Ringneck Ranch Inc. near Tipton is a booming business, not only during hunting season but all year long.

The 5,200-acre controlled hunting operation in north-central Kansas is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year as a turnkey hunting experience. The business caters to those

who choose to pay a fee for a few days of hunting, lodging and dining, complete with a professional guide and dogs, a field vehicle — and, of course, plenty of pheasants.

“When you only have a couple days to get away, you don’t want to go hunting,” Mike Bukaty of Overland Park said. “You want to go shooting.”

In mid-March each year, the facility owned by Keith and Debra Houghton turns into a spot for senior outings,

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weddings, family get-togethers and reunions, business retreats and banquets.

It’s ideal for residents in the small town of Tipton 2 miles away, serving as a place to lodge when relatives come home to visit.

While Ringneck has a homey atmosphere all year long with its generous amenities, it truly resonates with family and fun from September through March.

“It’s like a reunion every other day,” Houghton said as he greeted some hunting guests from Nebraska earlier this fall. story by Diane Gasper-O’Brien photos by Jolie Green

Members of the McElfresh family from Columbus, Neb., have been coming to Kansas to hunt — specifically to Ringneck Ranch — since its second year of operation.

“Every third week of October,” said Jim McElfresh, who can boast of having the longest-running hunting tenure at Ringneck.

“Great hospitality, a great time here, so we just keep coming back,” he added.

“I tell my wife I come here to eat as much as hunt,” Chuck McElfresh said with a laugh.

And why not?

Hunters are treated like royalty at Ringneck, where they are served three square — some would describe them more as round — meals a day. >>>>> DAS HAUS 9 December 2013/January 2014

10 Four meal rotations feature such lip-smackin’ goodies as biscuits and gravy for breakfast, chili and cinnamon rolls or chicken noodle soup for lunch, and a steak, roast beef or brisket for supper.

Some of those good ol’ homecooked meals include vegetables picked fresh from the Houghtons’ large garden, and every noon and night meal includes a homemade dessert.

“My pants have gotten tighter every day,” said Sam Capra from Walton Beach, Fla., who made his first trip to Ringneck this fall.

During their stay in October, Capra and his buddies were trading stories at the outdoor fire pit, where hunters gather several times a day to warm themselves while meeting new friends and reaquainting themselves with familiar faces from the past.

“We wanted to find a place we could go hunt where we could drive to,” Capra said of the 20-hour drive from Florida. “This sounded good on the phone, but once we got here, it’s more than we ever expected.”

Others seem to agree. Ringneck

averages 2,500 visitors a year, who have come from all 50 states and 18 foreign countries.

Houghton, a former captain for American Airlines and a corporate pilot for several years, has a runway on his property, making it easy for visitors whose choice of travel is by air.

Once they land, it’s like old home week.

Those who are making their first trip promise to return.

“Everywhere else I’ve hunted like this, I’ve been booked in a hotel,” said Capra, still in awe of the hospitality. >>>>>

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“The hunting has been the best part, but people really make it work here. They adapt to the crowd that comes in. It’s unique, and in a downhome good way.”

There are several different options for lodging in the 52-bed facility, each built at a different time to accommodate growing numbers.

Some guests prefer the original Hangar Suites, built all along one side of the hangar that houses Houghton’s personal airplane.

There are six guest rooms built onto the back of Cedar Lodge, which houses the main office, and a store for hunting gear, equipment and ammunition.

There also are rooms in three homes on the property, including the Houghton’s residence and the Ranch House, where cooks prepare the meals in a commercial kitchen.

During hunting season, and throughout the year, guests seem to gravitate to the same lodging spot when they return.

“Anywhere they stay the first time, they usually ask to come back to the same place,” Houghton said. “That works good for us.”

And visitors keep coming back — for years and years.

Houghton’s uncle, 83-year-old Jim Warren, makes a trip from his home 120 miles away in Galva about once a week during hunting season to hunt with his dogs. >>>>> DAS HAUS 12 December 2013/January 2014

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13 The Houghtons and their 60-some employees strive to keep it that way because what began as a family tradition has extended far beyond that.

“We’ve just perpetuated and extended our big family hunts,” Houghton said. “This was put together that it should be like a weekend hunt at Grandpa’s. We make an effort to keep it clean and comfortable.”

Following their hunts, visitors get to take home meat harvested from the birds they shot.

“We love to come up here,” Earl Schwebach from Stanberary, Mo., said.

“It doesn’t get any better than this.”

There’s always a friendly goodbye of some sort.

“Glad to see you again,” Houghton told a group of hunters as they arose from the lunch table following a mid-October hunt. “See ya next year.”

For more information about the lodge, visit www.ringneckranch.net.

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COUNTRY LIVING

Country retreat

T

IPTON — They get to hunt in scenic north-central Kansas and spend a few days at the Blue Hills Lodge.

Nothing could be better for a fall getaway for a dozen men from the Kansas City area.

Good hunting. Great Food. Even better hospitality.

That’s what Mike Bukaty and a group of friends find at the Blue Hills Lodge, just 2.5 miles east of this small north central Kansas community.

The lodge, the family home of Clarence and Marilyn Hake, is in its 15th year of boarding folks participating in controlled hunts at nearby Ringneck Ranch.

Lisa Hake, the couple’s oldest daughter, was working the supper shift at Ringneck back in the late 1990s

when Ringneck was starting to bust at the seams with hunters.

One day, Ringneck owner Keith Houghton suggested to Hake her parents’ home would be a perfect place for overflow lodging.

The Hakes’ five-bedroom home, built in 1965, permeates the feeling of country living with a large fireplace and wooden ceiling in the large family living room and a lake south of the house.

“The next thing we knew, they were moving us to town for a few months,” Marilyn Hake said.

The Hakes agreed to give it a try and contracted with Ringneck for lodging some of its hunters.

The Hakes, now in their mid-80s, eventually talked their children into building them a cabin on site in 2002.

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15 Now, the couple gets to participate in the daily hustle-bustle routine of the operation, managed by Lisa Hake and her three younger sisters, who do all the cooking and housekeeping for the hunters.

Thing is, Lisa Hake is the only one who lives in Tipton. Younger sisters Leslie Shirack comes from Salina, Lila Lawrence from Sansprings, Okla., and Mary Lynne Rauch from Sandia Park, N.M., to participate in what has become a family tradition.

“What’s really neat is we sisters get to spend time together, too,” Rauch said.

“I always tell hunters that they get their money’s worth at the Hakes,’ “ Houghton said.

Back in mid-October, Rauch flew in especially to help with the Kansas City group. Shirack and Lawrence also will make appearances during the season, and Rauch planned to drive back for a week and a half trip in November.

“This group is just like family,” Rauch said. “It makes it special knowing they want to come here to stay every year when they go hunting.”

“It’s a ‘Ma and Pa’ place, and (the hunters) feel very much at home here,” Lisa Hake said. “It’s very private here; they have the whole place to themselves.”

Except for her parents living right next door, of course.

“I think we’ve moved them 29 times,” Lisa Hake said of the two moves a year since 1999.

But Ma and Pa don’t seem to mind.

“I guess (it’s) worth it,” Marilyn Hake said kiddingly.

“We get to know so many people,” her husband agreed.

The same holds true for the hunters.

“It’s such a fun environment; they make you feel like (you are at) home,” Bukaty said. “Neighbors come over; we tell stories.

“It’s like coming home to your family, and the food’s awesome,” he added.

This particular group of hunters feels so at home they even help with the dishes.

“Wanna stick around?” Marilyn Hake asked Jeff Oddo as he plunged Story by Diane Gasper O’Brien Photos by Jolie Green

his hands into the dish suds just before their departure back home during their October trip to Ringneck and

Blue Hills.

“Well,” he answered, “you know we’ll be back.”

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