Ohio electric cooperatives are honored to employ veterans of the U.S. armed forces. We are grateful for their service to their country and to their local community and appreciate their character and contributions on the job.
Our mission to provide you with a reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible supply of electricity is an everevolving job. For example, our investment in environmental control equipment at Cardinal Plant over the years has made our waste streams cleaner than ever. It also has allowed us to beneficially re-use the combustion byproducts from our coal-fired generation facilities in a variety of useful ways. We are adapting our processes to keep costs down and reduce our environmental impacts, saving money and providing useful materials to other industries — a real win-win. I hope you’ll read the article on page 4 to learn more.
Meanwhile, lack of investment, onerous federal regulations, and global conflict continue to strain our energy industries. Supplies of natural gas, oil, coal, and other energy sources remain tight. These factors result in cost pressures on not only electricity generation, but all forms of energy that we need in our daily lives.
Your electric cooperative continues to work to keep costs down, employ innovative ideas in work processes, and support policies that result in keeping a reliable supply of energy available to our homes and businesses.
As Thanksgiving approaches later this month, I want to thank you for your continued patronage of and support for your electric cooperative. We exist to have a positive impact on the communities we serve, but our strength comes from our unity of purpose and from your support for what we do.
Wishing you all a happy and blessed Thanksgiving holiday.
Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES
We are adapting our processes to keep costs down and reduce our environmental impacts.
6677 Busch Blvd. Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com
Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO Caryn Whitney Director of Communications Jeff McCallister Managing Editor
Rebecca Seum Assistant Managing Editor
Crystal Pomeroy Graphic Designer
Contributors: Victoria Ellwood, Colleen Romick Clark, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, and Damaine Vonada.
OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. It is the official communication link between the electric cooperatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their members. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, IL 61764, and at additional mailing offices. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an endorsement. If you find an advertisement misleading or a product unsatisfactory, please notify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Section, 30 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215. Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.
Hidden value: When coal burns at the co-ops’ power plant, it produces more than just electricity.
Birding vs. hunting: An important lesson in conservation came from Ohio’s duck hunters.
Cider season: There’s always something delicious happening at the Laurelville Fruit Farm.
Easy as pie: The ultimate comfort food comes in lots of shapes, sizes, and flavors.
News and information from your electric cooperative.
What’s happening: November/ December events and other things to do around Ohio.
Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.
Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal
Salute: For Veterans Day, members put their respect on display — such as in this photo of Emma and Joey Foster (right) at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater, submitted by thier parents, North Central Electric Cooperative members Anthony and Becca Foster.
our
at www.ohiocoopliving.com!
or our recipes. Our site features an
area where you can share your stories, recipes, and
by other co-op members across the state.
When coal burns at the co-ops’ power plant, it produces more than just electricity.
BY JILL MOREHEAD
The Cardinal Power Plant is difficult to miss. Perched along the Ohio River in Brilliant, the coal-burning generation station with its massive stacks is an iconic vision for anyone who traverses the Ohio River Scenic Byway between Martins Ferry and Steubenville.
The plant provides electricity to more than a million Ohioans who live and work in electric cooperative-served areas through Buckeye Power, the cooperative created by Ohio’s electric co-ops to provide the electricity they deliver to members. With close to 300 employees, it’s a major economic force in the region. It’s also an economic force for co-ops — beyond production of electricity that powers those co-op homes and businesses, it also produces marketable products that help keep its energy as affordable as possible.
In simple terms, the act of combustion produces heat, water, and carbon dioxide, and depending on the fuel being burned — in this case, coal — there are other byproducts.
Ohio’s electric cooperatives have invested more than
Gypsum is loaded from this landfill near the Cardinal Plant in Brilliant and taken to market. This cell, which once was a small mountain of product, has now been removed entirely.
$1 billion in environmental systems to keep most of those other byproducts contained. One such system, the scrubbers, removes sulfur dioxide and converts it to synthetic gypsum. Synthetic gypsum has many uses, and it’s a key component in wallboard used in homes and businesses.
The United States construction industry is forecast to grow by between 5% and 8% over the next several years, according to industry studies. Coupled with the fact that a few other power plants have been shuttered, that creates a greater demand — and less available supply of — synthetic gypsum. “Buyers that may have at one time bought gypsum from a power plant that was nearby now have to go farther to find good-quality gypsum,” says Randy Keefer, director of fuel procurement and byproduct sales at Buckeye Power.
As demand for gypsum has grown, Cardinal Plant employees have set about improving the consistency and quality of the gypsum through the scrubbing process. “We go through a lot of testing to make sure that the gypsum we produce is
within specification for buyers,” says Cardinal Plant manager Bethany Schunn. Currently, the plant is selling nearly all of its synthetic gypsum production due to high demand.
That demand has allowed Cardinal to sell gypsum that had previously been placed in the plant’s EPA-permitted, on-site landfill, which covers many acres. “Recently, the demand is so high that companies want us to dig older gypsum out of the landfill and sell it to them,” Schunn says. “We sell 35,000 to 40,000 tons a month from the landfill alone.”
“Thanks to the efforts and foresight of Cardinal’s landfill operators to keep gypsum segregated from other coal-
In 2014, Cardinal Plant sold about 215,000 tons of synthetic gypsum, while more than 560,000 tons went into the landfill.
These days, it’s rare that any gypsum produced through the scrubbing process becomes landfill. Of more than 2 million tons of synthetic gypsum produced from 2019 to 2021 , just a shade less than 99 % was sold for wallboard, cement, or agricultural use. Gypsum sales are projected to account for nearly $13 million in revenue in 2022 and even more in 2023 and 2024 .
But gypsum isn’t the only marketable coal byproduct, according to Buckeye Power’s Randy Keefer. Fly ash, the wispy substance left from burning coal, is an ingredient in concrete, while bottom ash, a much heavier, denser product, is used to treat snowy, icy roadways.
Sales of fly ash are projected to double to about $1 million annually — perhaps more — in the next few years, while sales of bottom ash have been consistently about $100,000 per year.
While that may not make a huge difference on individual electric bills — maybe a couple of dollars to the average co-op member each month — it does contribute to the bottom line, and every bit helps.
combustion residuals, we’ve found that the quality of the landfill gypsum remains very good for wallboard production,” says Keefer. In fact, one of Cardinal’s landfill cells that once contained 400,000 tons of gypsum has been completely removed and sold. Workers are now digging into a second cell, which contains up to 1.4 million tons of gypsum — and the plant has a contract to reclaim and sell all of that as well.
Keefer says that’s a good thing, not only for the company but for the environment, since it delays the need to construct additional landfills. But it also helps control costs for members who get their electricity from Buckeye Power (see sidebar above).
“Buckeye Power is not-for-profit,” Keefer says. “We exist solely for the purpose of providing low-cost energy to our members. Anything that we can do to reduce our cost to produce electricity has a direct impact. It’s our job and goal to provide reliable, competitively priced energy for our members.”
“We go through a lot of testing to make sure that the gypsum we produce is within specifications for buyers.”
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“There’s a singular reason that some of the best Lake Erie marshes in Ohio have been saved from destruction. One reason, two words: duck hunters. It sounds blunt and oversimplified, but from the viewpoint of wildlife, duck hunters saved the marshes.”
You might expect that to have been uttered by a waterfowl hunter. Kenn Kaufman, however, is not a hunter and never has been. Rather, he is one of North America’s best-known birding experts. The author of a dozen field identification guides and natural-history reference books, Kaufman also wrote the 1997 birding classic Kingbird Highway. He and his wife, Kimberly, the executive director of Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Oak Harbor, live in northwest Ohio.
During settlement, the Buckeye State lost an estimated 95% of its original wetlands, much of that the Great
Black Swamp, which once covered nearly all of northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana. That gigantic region was a haven for wildlife of all sorts — not just waterfowl — as the water slowly drained into the vast marshes that ringed the western edge of Lake Erie from Toledo to Sandusky.
But what saved at least some of those marshes from becoming yet more farmland or other types of development were private duck hunting clubs, whose members banded together to keep the lakeside habitat in its original state year after year, decade after decade.
The price for such management was not small, however, and simple economics gradually took its toll. One club after another was eventually forced to sell its property. Fortunately, state and federal governments were ready to
An important lesson in conservation came from Ohio’s duck hunters.STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS
Even if you’re not a hunter, you can help support waterfowl management in Ohio by purchasing a state/federal duck stamp. The sale of federal duck stamps has raised more than $1.1 billion for wildlife conservation since its inception in the 1930s, preserving some 6 million acres of wetland habitat nationwide.
Had it not been for Ohio’s duck hunters, much of Ohio’s marshland, which is so important to both birding and hunting today, may well have been lost to development.
buy. Waterfowl conservation groups such as Ducks Unlimited helped, too. Today, many of those historic shooting grounds are now national wildlife refuges and state wildlife areas, open to both birders and hunters.
Two of the largest are Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, both located southeast of Toledo along State Route 2. Adjacent to one another, the two refuges make up the largest wetland complex in the state, encompassing nearly 7,000 acres. Other public wetlands in the area include Maumee Bay State Park, Howard Marsh, Metzger Marsh, Navarre Marsh, Pipe Creek, and Mallard Club Marsh wildlife areas.
Those tens of thousands of wetland acres would have been irretrievably lost had it not been for waterfowl hunters. The duck clubs’ original intentions may well
have been self-serving — after all, most members just wanted to shoot ducks — but nevertheless, the long-term benefits of those marshes for wetlands wildlife today have proven inestimable.
“Whether birders like it or not,” says Kaufman, “it’s a fact that our sensational birding today in northwest Ohio rests on a foundation of habitat built by duck hunters. Magee Marsh, for instance, famous around the world as a place to see spring warblers and other songbirds, was saved because it was a duck club before it was turned over to the state of Ohio.”
Some 30 private duck hunting clubs — such as Winous Point Shooting Club — still exist in the Lake Erie region, maintaining thousands of acres of marsh, providing habitat for not only waterfowl and other migratory game birds but all types of wildlife. So, if you have ever enjoyed a day birding the Lake Erie marshes, thank a duck hunter. And if you’ve not yet taken the opportunity to experience this pristine natural area of our state, make plans to go.
Wildlife conservation history is important because it provides perspective and a better understanding and appreciation for the wild species we enjoy today.
W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor. Got a question you’d like to ask Chip? Send an email to whchipgross@gmail.com.
There’s always something delicious happening at the Laurelville Fruit Farm.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD
It was the antics of a wily and very hungry fox that serendipitously led to the creation of an applegrowing enterprise and cider mill that are still going strong more than a century later.
Back in 1911, George Bowers and a friend started a chicken-raising business on 30 acres of hilly land near Laurelville, according to George’s grandson, Bob. “My grandfather was a rural mail carrier, first on horseback and then by truck, and decided to raise chickens, too. But one night, a fox came along and got all of the chickens. A few apple trees were already growing on the hillside, so they scrapped the chicken business and switched to apples.”
That launched what is now the Laurelville Fruit Company, with Bob at the helm, following in some wellworn family footsteps.
“My dad took over the farm after World War II,” he says, “and growing up in the ’60s, I remember working my tail off to help out. Some of my high school friends and I would get up at 5 o’clock in the morning and make a thousand gallons of cider before school started, and then jug it when we got home. But it was fun, we didn’t think of it as work.”
Today, the Laurelville Fruit Company orchards include “40 acres of apple trees, a couple acres of peaches, and just a smidgen of plums, cherries, and nectarines,” says Bob from his favorite perch in a rocking chair inside the Laurelville sales room.
The popular retail shop is open July to December, and sells 12 to 15 different kinds of apples (Bob’s favorite is the tart Winesap variety). But it’s the cider — produced each fall with a vintage rack-and-claw cider mill — that’s the main attraction here.
The sought-after Laurelville Fruit Farm cider is made from a mix of sweet and tart, red and yellow apples. But the big difference is in the filtering. “Most ciders are not filtered, but ours is,” Bob says. “It makes for a more pleasant cider, and tastes just like biting into a fresh apple. It’s the only cider I’ll drink.”
The shop also houses a slushie machine that turns out refreshing cider slushies each fall. “They’re really good; cider has just enough sugar in it to freeze to the right consistency.”
The fruit farm shop is located smack-dab in the middle of tiny Laurelville, but the orchards are on acreage outside of town. Bob and his wife, Sherry, live close by on her family’s farmland, in the middle of 200 acres of row crops. Their home, a few rental properties, orchard
buildings, the retail sales room, and a huge cold storage room are all served by South Central Power.
Bob raised three daughters … none of whom plan to take over the reins of the fruit farm. A local family has helped the Bowers clan run the business for two generations. “When they’re ready to retire, I’ll probably retire too,” Bob says. “But I hope whoever buys the place will let me keep on sitting right here in my rocking chair.”
Laurelville Fruit Farm, 16181 Pike St., Laurelville, OH 43135. 740-332-2621.
Sherry and Bob Bowers grow and sell 15 varieties of apples from the Laurelville Fruit Farm, but their shop is best known for its sweet-and-tart cider.
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Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Servings: 12
3 cups of tart apples (peeled and diced small)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄3 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon nutmeg dash of salt 15-ounce refrigerated pie crust
1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons water 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons milk
In a medium saucepan, toss together diced apples and lemon juice. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add sugar mixture to apples and cook over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Turn heat down to low and simmer 2 to 3 minutes as mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll disks of pie dough out flat. With a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Mold scraps together and roll out to the same thickness. Cut more circles and repeat until all dough has been cut into circles and transferred to the parchment-lined sheets with a spatula.
In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk with water to create an egg wash. With a small spoon, place a small amount of the apple filling in the center of each dough circle. Lightly brush edges of dough with egg wash, then fold each circle over the filling, creating half-moons. Pinch the edges closed and crimp with a fork. Brush tops with egg wash. Transfer baking sheets to refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Remove baking sheets from fridge and cut a few small slits in the top of each hand pie to allow steam to vent. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown, switching racks halfway through. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Brush tops of pies with glaze and let set a few minutes before transferring to an airtight container. Pies keep for 2 days at room temperature or 4 days in the fridge. Makes approximately 12 hand pies.
Per serving: 275 calories, 9 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 18 milligrams cholesterol, 217 milligrams sodium, 48 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein.
Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Chill: 3 hours | Servings: 6
1 blind-baked or graham cracker pie crust
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
4 large bananas, ripe but firm
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon dark rum (Myers’s or Bacardi)
1½ cups milk (2% or whole milk)
5.1-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 tablespoon cold water
½ teaspoon gelatin powder
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla
Have a blind-baked traditional pie crust or a graham cracker crust (which would add more sweetness to the pie) ready to go in a pie pan.
Begin by measuring out the brown sugar, cinnamon, softened butter, and rum. With peel still on, cut 3 bananas in half, then slice in half lengthwise, following the curve of the banana. Set aside. In a large, wide skillet (stainless steel is best), place brown sugar, then cinnamon, then butter. Turn stove to medium-high heat and slowly stir as the sugar and butter begin to melt. Stir constantly to prevent sugar from scorching, about 3 minutes. Carefully peel and add quartered bananas to skillet, curve-side down; cook another 3 to 4 minutes, spooning sauce over the bananas and moving them around a bit. Turn off heat and add 1⁄4 cup rum. Using a long lighter or kitchen torch, catch the rum on fire, swirling the pan constantly until the flames disappear, about 30 seconds. (If you’d rather not use fire, continue cooking another minute on the stove.) Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, place vanilla pudding mix in a medium bowl and whisk in milk until smooth. Let rest a few minutes to thicken. Using tongs or a wide spoon, line pie crust with the cooked bananas slice-side down. Stir remaining sauce to break up any sugar. Fill in any holes where you can see the crust with the sauce. Pour half of the remaining sauce in with the pudding, whisking until smooth, then spoon pudding mixture over the bananas in an even layer. Cover pie and refrigerate 3 hours. Transfer remaining sauce to a microwavable container with lid and refrigerate.
When ready to decorate and serve, place cold water in a small microwavable bowl and sprinkle gelatin powder over it. Let sit for 5 minutes, then microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until just melted. Using a stand mixer, beat heavy whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed. When it begins to thicken, slowly drizzle in the melted gelatin and continue beating on medium-high until stiff peaks form. If desired, pour in tablespoon of rum and beat to incorporate. Slice remaining banana into ½-inch rounds.
Pull pie out of refrigerator and decorate with whipped cream and banana slices. Warm up remaining bananas foster sauce in microwave for 20 seconds or so and drizzle over top. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Per serving: 551 calories, 19 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat), 35 milligrams cholesterol, 438 milligrams sodium, 96 grams total carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams protein.
Prep: 25 minutes | Rest: 8+ hours, then 2 hours | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 4 2½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting 2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast 1 cup + 3 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons + 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil 1½ cups pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella or other cheese of your choice
Notes: Toppings shown are pepperoni with basil and Greek feta and Kalamata olive with red onion, olive oil, and roasted garlic. Dough can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed zipper bag before baking, or in the freezer for a month. If baking both pizzas at the same time, you’ll need two 10-inch cast-iron skillets or cake pans. Nutritional info is based on a plain cheese pizza.
In a 4-quart bowl (dough will need lots of room to rise), combine flour, salt, yeast, water, and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Mix with hands or a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. Tightly cover bowl with plastic wrap so edges are sealed. Let rest 8 to 24 hours at a room temperature of between 65 and 75 F. Dough will rise significantly during this time. (If room temperature isn’t within this range, the time may need to shrink or expand to accommodate.)
Dust dough with flour and transfer to a floured surface. Split into two equal pieces. Take one of the pieces and tuck the dough underneath itself and rotate 5 to 10 times until it forms a smooth, tight ball. (Don’t knead or work the flour into the dough, just shape and tuck.) Repeat with other piece. At this point, you can refrigerate or freeze the dough for later use, or continue making the pizza. To store for later, seal in zipper bags, removing excess air. Once brought back to room temperature, continue the steps below.
Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil into the middle of two pans, then use each dough ball to spread and fully coat the surface of the pans with oil. With the open palm of your hand, press dough down, flattening it slightly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough sit at room temperature between 65 and 75 F for 2 hours. (At temperatures above or below this range, dough may rise faster or slower.)
After 2 hours, dough should be close to reaching the edges. Use your fingertips to press dough around until it reaches every corner. Pop any large bubbles you see. Small bubbles are fine to leave and some will pop naturally. Lift up edges of the dough to let any air bubbles escape from underneath.
Preheat oven to 550 F — this is not a misprint, the oven will be very hot! (If oven doesn’t reach 550 F, heat to 500 F and bake an extra 3 minutes.) With the back of a spoon, spread pizza sauce evenly across each dough, reaching all the way to the edges. Sprinkle cheese to the edges and add your preferred toppings.
Transfer one or both pans to the oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes, switching racks halfway through, until top is bubbly and bottom is crisp when lifted up with a thin spatula. Remove pizzas from oven and transfer to a cutting board for easy slicing. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 500 calories, 18 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 1,595 milligrams sodium, 71 grams total carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 14 grams protein.
Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon cornstarch
11⁄2 cups beef broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup peas (or diced green beans)
1 cup corn 1 large tomato, diced
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 tablespoons fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried)
1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Summer or winter, fresh or frozen ingredients, this meal is sure to satisfy. Place diced potatoes in a large stockpot covered with water and boil 10 to 15 minutes, or until a fork can easily skewer a chunk of potato. Drain potatoes, place in a bowl with butter, and mash to desired texture. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in oil for 5 minutes. Add meat and crumble and cook until browned. Place cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk in a little bit of the beef broth until a paste is formed, then whisk in the rest of the broth. Slowly pour into skillet with beef, add garlic, and continue cooking until sauce has thickened. Mix in peas, corn, tomatoes, spinach, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place meat mixture in the bottom of a deep pie dish, casserole dish, or cast-iron skillet. Spread out smooth, then spoon mashed potatoes all the way to the edges. Place pie in oven with a cookie sheet underneath for any bubbling liquids that may leak over the edge. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Potatoes should be slightly browned.
Per serving: 577 calories, 18 grams fat (7 grams saturated fat), 117 milligrams cholesterol, 468 milligrams sodium, 60 grams total carbohydrates, 12 grams fiber, 45 grams protein.
Germany has spent more than $222 billion on renewable energy subsidies as part of its efforts to slash its greenhouse gas emissions, according to industry author Robert Bryce. The total cost of its CO2 goals was projected to be $500 billion by 2025, and that figure only accounts for the investment needed in the electricity sector.
Despite the massive costs, in 2017, Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions were at roughly the same level as they were in 2009. By 2018, the German government was forced to admit that it would not meet its targets.
Still, in 2019, the German government announced it would close all of its coal-fired power plants by 2038, Bryce wrote in his book, “A Question of Power: Electricity and The Wealth of Nations.” We’ll see what happens there.
In early 2019, some 600 environmental groups submitted a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives that said the U.S. must shift to “100% renewable power generation by 2035 or earlier.” The same letter said any definition of renewable must exclude all combustion-based power generation, nuclear, biomass energy, large-scale hydro, and waste-toenergy technologies.
Germany provides a clear example of how renewable mandates push up electricity prices. As Germany ramped up its renewable programs, electricity rates skyrocketed. They are now approaching 40 cents per kWh (the U.S. average is around 13 cents per kWh). Electricity is becoming a privilege in Germany, not a right.
Bryce writes that in the U.S., California continues to be a leader in both renewable mandates and high electricity prices … and now, the threat of blackouts. Following state mandates to increase renewables, California’s electric rates
rose at more than five times the rate of electricity prices in the rest of the U.S. between 2011 and 2017. As a result, a coalition of civil rights leaders filed a lawsuit in state court in 2018 claiming that the state’s climate policies discriminate against low income and minority consumers. Electricity is becoming a privilege for the few in California. The lawsuit says California’s climate regulations are a regressive tax that is hitting poor and working class consumers harder and that California has had the highest poverty rate in the country.
John Gamboa, a civil rights leader in the California group, states: “Every time they pass new (climate) regulations, the burden falls on the people who can least afford it. That’s the history of the environmental movement.”
In California, due to renewable energy mandates and high electricity prices, a civil rights lawsuit was filed in 2018 claiming the state’s climate policies discriminate against low income and minority consumers.
A University of California-Davis study in 2017 found that the grid still needs traditional (base load) generators to supply electricity when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Therefore, the utilities must continue operating (and paying for) the traditional generators. The result, the study says, is that consumers pay for the extra generation.
What’s one thing that everyone dreads looking at right now? THE PRICE TAG.
Inflation, as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Summary, jumped 8 3% in August compared to August of 2021. This was the largest annual increase since Nov. 1981.
Ready for sticker shock? See the included graphic on the next page. This shows the percent increase of various electrical material and parts of a pole assembly from 2021 to 2022. The lowest increase on this list is 5% (the cost of a pole), but underground wire has spiked 71% since last year.
(up
While everyday household items like fresh 28 % from August 2021 to August 2022 ), coffee (up 20 %), butter (up 73 %), and even eggs (up 82 %) have all jumped, the biggest pain has been at the pump ( more to come on that below ).
Your cooperative is facing our own share of difficulties amid this economy, rising generation costs, and the current state of the electric utility industry. Everyone knows costs are increasing … but what’s the real impact?
According to the AAA Gas Prices calculator, in Ohio, the average gas price at the time of this writing (September 2022 ) is $3 56 ; the average diesel price is $5 02 . One year ago, the Ohio gasoline average was $3 03 ; the diesel average was $3 33
For Ohio, that means gasoline jumped 17 %; diesel surged 50 %. Earlier in the year, it was even higher.
For Midwest Electric, the impact is magnified. In 2021 , we spent $78 ,000 on fuel and drove 246 ,000 miles with our trucks, vehicles, and fleet. Through June 2022 , we spent $45 ,000 on fuel and drove 112 ,000 miles. (Note this is only halfway through the year).
Completing new services, fixing poles, and restoring outages — all needed to grow and maintain our system — mean we have to transport our equipment and staff across our service territory, which spans from Fort Recovery up to Columbus Grove.
In 2020, a 50 KVA pad-mount transformer cost Midwest Electric an average of $1,618. This April 2022, that same transformer costs us $2,293 (that’s a 42% increase!). What about buying refurbished? That same transformer costs $5,065 refurbished, mainly because of supply shortages — and the wait list for a transformer is out until fall 2023.
These cost increases aren’t going away, and your co-op is having to plan (and budget ahead) to stay ahead.
Transmission costs — or the cost to transmit power many miles from our plants to local substations — are surging with the local growth in our area. Midwest Electric’s average monthly transmission network demand charges, billed by grid operators PJM, increased in 2022 to $385,441 (up 13%).
The cherry on top — the biggest expense Midwest Electric has — is power cost, or the cost of electricity generated by our plants (like Cardinal Power Plant pictured above) and delivered to your home. As commodity prices increase, the cost to generate electricity increases. Our wholesale power supplier, Buckeye Power, charges Midwest Electric for the generation and transmission of the electricity our members use, and that cost is passed on to our members through the power cost adjustment (PCA).
Overall, the Buckeye price of power has increased nearly 6% this year. The leading driver is transmission cost (mentioned
Wire 71% increase
earlier), which has increased almost 13% this year alone.
In 2015, Midwest Electric’s purchase cost per kilowatt-hour was 0 0701. It’s been creeping up steadily; through August 2022, our purchase cost per kWh is up to 0.0752.
Midwest Electric does our best to keep rates as steady and affordable as possible for members — our management team, CEO, and board of directors works hard to keep controllable costs down; however, expenses like wholesale power costs aren’t controllable and must be recouped for the co-op (a not-for-profit entity) to stay financially stable.
As conditions change, rest assured your cooperative will do its best to keep members informed of rising expenses. Despite current cost aches and pains, Midwest Electric’s vision looks ahead to a brighter future. When it comes to the best interests of our members, we keep a long-term strategic outlook.
Insulator 27% increase
Cross arm 38% increase
Cross arm brace 31% increase
Transformer 39% increase
Service wire 63% increase
Conduit 26% increase
Ground rod 72% increase
Pole 5% increase
Anchor & rod 95% increase
In addition, consumers have to pay for billions of dollars of new transmission lines needed to carry wind and solar electricity from rural areas (where the renewables are located) into cities.
Further, Bryce says, renewables are not capable of producing significant quantities of electricity. The amount of renewables added in recent years is not keeping pace with global electricity demand. In 2017, the combined output of every solar-energy project on the planet totaled just two million barrels of oil equivalent per day. That’s well under 1% of global energy demand, Bryce wrote.
Making solar energy and the required battery storage it will need work at the terawatt scale will require billions of tons of material to be mined and transported, manufactured, and recycled (if possible). Those materials include silica, copper, lead, zinc, and lithium, plus enormous quantities of rare-earth elements and cobalt. Mining and smelting all that will have significant impacts on people and the environment. Child and slave labor is being used today in this process, Bryce says.
Electric and hybrid vehicles, wind turbines, and other “green” technologies also require large quantities of rare earth materials. Bryce wrote that China controls an estimated 80% of the market in rare earths.
While 99% of all lead-acid batteries are being recycled, only about 3% of lithium batteries are being recycled because they are so costly to do so.
Bryce wonders: “If only governments could eliminate subsidies for all forms of energy production.” NextEra is the biggest wind energy producer in the world, thanks to taxpayer subsidies. In 2017, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy named NextEra as one of the most subsidized corporations in America. Between 2008 and 2015, NextEra accumulated profits of $21 5 billion but had a negative tax bill of $313 million. If you do the math, that comes out to a negative tax rate of 1.5%. NextEra collected an estimated $7.8 billion in subsidies.
Where can you enjoy a decadent gluten-free cinnamon roll, lounge on a velvet antique couch, and sip on a mug of coffee all day with friends for just $4? Stop by the Cozy Cabin Café in St. Henry to experience a “home away from home” — a haven where you can get lost in time and relax.
“It’s just cozy here! We don’t know how else to explain it.”
That’s how the mother-daughter duo, Deborah Mertz and Darcy Loshe (both Midwest Electric members), describe their locally owned and operated small business. They, along with their husbands, Joseph Mertz and Kyle Loshe, designed, built, and run the café with a focus on wellness and comfort, catering to busy families with kids and the area’s growing remote workforce. Book clubs and moms groups frequent the café often, camping out for hours in the reading and game nook.
“People forget they’re in St. Henry when they come in,” Darcy says, as she recalls their grand opening back in November 2021. “Especially around Christmastime, it was magical. People are in awe because, with our décor, it truly felt like a cozy cabin where they could escape and reconnect face to face.”
Ask about their interior design, and you’ll find everything has meaning: the blackboard
menu is from the old St. Henry High School, the wagon wheel rolled in from Darcy’s wedding, and several eclectic pieces were bargain finds from the 127 Yard Sales. Most of the furniture, tables, and counter are handmade; the café was a labor of love made possible with the help of local contractors, companies, friends, and family.
Deb may be “retired” from her nursing home job, but she doesn’t know what slowing down means. She also owns the plaza next door with three other shops, running a 5 a.m. aerobics class at Totally Fit, helping hang clothes at the Fit & Cozy Boutique, and shaking up orders at the Cozy Cabin Café. Can you tell “cozy” and “fit” are themes of her lifestyle?
“Having to abide by a limited diet is hard,” Deb says. “But that’s what makes Cozy Cabin so unique. Much of our menu can be prepared gluten and dairy free, but we don’t feel like a standard ‘healthy’ shop. We are a place you can feel cozy and comfortable in. Blending those two identities was important to me.”
Darcy works full-time at Darke County Vet Service but handles all payroll and scheduling of their 12 employees — many of whom are high schoolers and college students, thanks to their flexible shifts. The community has been receptive of the café from the start, so Darcy makes it a priority to give back.
“Softball has always been my thing, so we sponsor the annual beer league softball team for St. Henry,” Darcy says. “We just can’t get enough of Mercer County. It’s a great place to live and work because we all have each other’s backs. You can’t get by these days without community support.”
One reason the café thrives is due to Deb and Darcy’s tightknit relationship. Darcy and Kyle are currently building their new home next door to Deb and Joe.
“I’m dedicated to this venture because it’s something I get to do with my mom,” Darcy says, smiling. “Life is short. I wanted to be part of this community with her and invest in something we could both be passionate about.”
Another bond the ladies share is motorcycle riding. Though Darcy doesn’t ride much with her young family, Deb loves taking a cruise on her 1981 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead. It’s no surprise that the café is a stop on the summer Ride ‘N’ Roll dice run, with passport stamps available in Columbus, Cleveland, and Sandusky.
“You’d be surprised how many people from all over we get in here,” Deb says, “and I love talking to them all! I have always worked as a waitress or bartender, so I enjoy meeting new people and hearing their stories. I welcome anyone to stop by and say hello — depending on your schedule, we’ll have a real mug or a to-go cup waiting for you!”
cookies all day long, and kids meals are just $5. For a steamy festive drink, try the pecan pie, pumpkin spice, or autumn harvest latte.
If you’re coming with friends or looking to get some serious work done, ask about their $4 “Cozy-Up Mug,” available for bottomless refills of drip coffee until closing time.
Trust us … they won’t kick you out.
Cozy Cabin Café is located at 571 S. Eastern Ave., St. Henry, Ohio. They are open Monday through Wednesday from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more or see a menu on Facebook or Instagram @CozyCabinCafe. To place a pick-up order by phone, call 419 763 5282.
channel or at
Try their all-natural fruit smoothies, build-your-own protein bowls with lettuce and quinoa, or a popular chipotle chicken or tuna lunch melt. They serve breakfast, pastries, and
Smart thermostats allow you to program a set schedule of temperature changes, keeping your home comfortable and your energy bills low. They can be controlled through the thermostat’s touch screen, a connected smartphone app, or other smart devices. But are you aware of these other cool things smart thermostats can do?
Smart speakers can connect with smart thermostats, allowing you to change the temperature settings with simple voice commands. Simply tell Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant to raise or lower the temperature and you can enjoy a comfortable home.
JOEL JOHNS Business Development Coordinator
The days of adjusting your thermostat before you leave and again when you return home are in the past. Smart thermostats can sense when no one is at home and change the temperature automatically to save energy and money.
Your smart thermostat can connect to other smart devices, like security cameras. When the thermostat recognizes no one is at home, it can automatically tell the camera to start recording, catching any potential intruder red-handed.
Temperature can affect how you sleep — and how easy it is to wake up. If you have a wearable fitness tracker that can connect to your smart thermostat, the tracker can trigger a temperature change once it knows you’re awake. That’ll make it easier to get out of bed on chilly mornings.
Do you have kids at home who like to mess with the temperature settings? Set a PIN code to lock your smart thermostat, only allowing those who know it to use the touch screen and alter programs or other settings.
Take the hassle out of keeping your home comfortable by taking advantage of everything smart thermostats have to offer. Don’t miss Midwest Electric’s rebate to members who install a new smart thermostat in their home. See below for more details.
Midwest Electric is offering a $100 rebate to members who install a new smart thermostat in their home by June 30, 2023.
Requirements apply, including that the thermostat must be:
• ENERGY-STAR certified
• Wi-Fi connected
• Installed in a residential home
Call 800-962-3830 for details or email jjohns@midwestrec.com. Maximum of two thermostats per household.
Learn more online at www.midwestrec. com/thermostat-rebate. For a full list of rebates for homeowners, including insulation and air sealing, heat pumps and geothermal units, refrigerators and freezers, electric vehicle chargers, and more, visit www.midwestrec.com/rebates.
Midwest Electric recently donated $14,950 to 13 westcentral Ohio charities and community projects through the cooperative’s Community Connection Fund.
• YMCA of Van Wert County, Van Wert County; $1,000 to purchase a point-of-sale system to better serve patrons at Camp Clay.
• Auglaize County Historical Society, Auglaize County; $750 to implement QR code technology to highlight the museums and sites in Auglaize County.
• Wapakoneta Fire and EMS, Auglaize County; $1,250 to purchase a motor for their water rescue boat.
• Children’s Hometown Holiday, Auglaize County; $1,000 to provide a special Christmas weekend for children in downtown Wapakoneta.
• Mercy Unlimited, Auglaize County; $500 to provide food to at-risk students over the weekends while not in school.
• St. Henry American Legion Post 648, Mercer County; $1,000 to purchase new Honor Guard uniforms for their members.
Thanks to the 89% of members who round up their electric bill and donate to this fund, Midwest Electric has provided $1,272,194 to 1,062 local causes since 1998
The Midwest Electric Community Connection Fund is a voluntary charitable program. Participating members’ monthly electric bills are rounded up to the next dollar, with the additional pennies deposited in the fund. A board of trustees, composed of cooperative members and separate
• Bailey Shockman Post 5135, Mercer County; $2,000 to repair the concrete parking lot at the VFW Post.
• Mercer County D.A.R.E., Mercer County; $1,500 to purchase T-shirts and supplies for the D.A.R.E. graduation party for students.
• Andrew’s House of Hope, Allen County; $1,250 to purchase new beds for the women’s recovery home.
• Lima Symphony Orchestra, Allen County; $1,200 to support the Children’s Concert at the Lima Civic Center.
• St. Marys Middle School Student Council, Auglaize County; $1,000 to purchase an outdoor, portable gaga pit for students.
• Miracle Meal Inc., Auglaize County; $1,000 to purchase items that are needed for their annual meal at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds.
• The Delphos Canal Commission, Allen County; $1,500 for a new high-efficiency boiler to heat their buildings.
from the Midwest Electric Board of Trustees, oversees the application and allocation process.
Individuals or organizations can obtain an application by contacting Midwest Electric at 800-962-3830 or visiting midwestrec.com/community-connection-fund.
A huge thank you to all our members who were contacted for our member satisfaction surveys by phone and email. We appreciate you taking time to share your thoughts about your cooperative so we can continue to improve. We are honored to have received a very high score of 92!
If you would like to share any additional feedback with us, please email info@ midwestelectric.com or leave us a review on Google or Facebook.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, o ces, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs) Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American
Sign Language, etc ) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877- 8339 Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD 3027, found online at http://www ascr usda gov/complaint filing_cust html and at any USDA o ce or write a letter addressed to USDA, and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form To request a copy of the complaint form, call 866-632-9992 Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U S. Department of Agriculture O ce of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: 202-690-7442; or (3) e-mail: program.intake@usda gov This institution is an equal opportunity provider, employer,and lender
Vandemark, president James Wiechart, vice pres. Randy Heinl, secy./treas.
Bauer
Barnt Kathy Brake
R. Knapke
W. Rank
Johnson Attorney
Berry mberry@midwestrec.com
A copy of Midwest Electric, Inc.’s Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations is available from the co-op office and online at midwestrec.com. Call us to receive your copy.
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The season kicks off in style with an enlightening tradition in Medina.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA
Candles have symbolized the Christmas season for centuries, but how many places become merry and bright because they’re the home of a company that produces millions of candles every year? Medina can claim those bragging rights because in 1869, Amos Ives Root — aka “the bee man” — began manufacturing beekeeping equipment in the northeast Ohio town. His family-owned business transitioned to beeswax candles in the 1920s, and today, Root Candles is one of the nation’s leading candlemakers.
The candle industry is so, well, deeply rooted in Medina that locals proudly say they can tell which candles are being poured by the fragrances wafting out of the factory. No wonder the town ushers in the holidays with its uniquely homegrown Medina Candlelight Walk, a three-day event that commences on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Organized by Main Street Medina and the City of Medina, the Candlelight Walk features thousands of candles aglow and agleam inside luminarias placed all along the walkways and perimeter of downtown Medina’s park-like Public Square. Two miles’ worth of LED lights also adorn the trove of Victorian buildings that surround
Public Square, and in the heart of the square, a splendid Christmas tree sparkles inside the white gazebo, a lacy-looking Italianate bandstand that is as ornate as it is beloved by the community.
“People feel that the Candlelight Walk is very familyfriendly,” says Main Street Medina’s interim director, George Sam. “Visitors come in generations from grandparents to babies, and they love to walk around the square, enjoy all the beautiful lights, and pose for pictures in front of the gazebo’s Christmas tree.”
Featuring traditional Yuletide activities such as a parade and visits with Santa, the Candlelight Walk attracts about 50,000 people every year. With genuine candlelight charm and a picture-perfect setting, the event exemplifies the glad tidings of small-town America, and it’s easy to imagine George Bailey shouting “Merry Christmas!” to folks on the square or the Gilmore Girls joining in the caroling at the gazebo. Indeed, says Sam, “Visitors often tell us, ‘I feel like I’m in a Hallmark movie.’”
During the Candlelight Walk weekend, businesses throughout the nine-block Public Square Historic District
Left, Root Candles’ Flagship Store in Medina gears up for the holiday season. Right, Santa shops for stocking stuffers from among candles in a bevy of sizes and fragrances.
and adjacent South Town District not only extend their hours but also debut Christmas window displays — including a model railroad at Ormandy’s Toys and Trains and Courthouse Pizzeria’s festively decorated pans and paddles. In addition, historic displays from New York City department stores are on permanent exhibit at Castle Noel, a year-round attraction founded by Mark Klaus (yes, that’s really his name!) that is famous for its fantastic collection of Christmas movie props and costumes.
Christmas shopping on the square is a one-of-a-kind experience that’s all about shopping small. The Candlelight Walk’s shuttle bus ferries shoppers around town to independently owned boutiques and specialty stores, where they’ll find everything from imported Polish pottery to designer clothing to sewing supplies and quilts. Along the way, there’s plenty of local flavor, too. Circles on the Square makes seasonal caramel apple, pumpkin spice, and peppermint bark donuts. Miss Molly’s Tea Room is a favorite for homemade soups, quiche, and chicken salad. Candyapple & Co. hand-dips candy and caramel apples with dozens of delectable flavors and toppings.
Medina’s quintessential shopping destination — Root Candles Flagship Store — is only a short shuttle ride away from the square and occupies A.I. Root’s original beekeeping and candle factory on West Liberty Street.
Built in 1878, the handsome red brick structure contains a 22,000-square-foot retail wonderland brimming with upscale home décor items and, of course, a superb selection of candles in assorted shapes, sizes, and seasonal scents such as Mulled Cider, Hollyberry, and Candy Cane. For the Candlelight Walk, the store’s community room also hosts a holiday market where area artisans, crafters, and makers sell their wares.
Although Root Candles is the Candlelight Walk’s title sponsor, it’s Medina’s singular community spirit that makes the event’s Christmas spirit possible. Numerous businesses fund all the activities, and more than a hundred volunteer “elves” from a variety of organizations routinely do their part. To create the Candlelight Walk’s signature luminarias, for example, Plastipak Medina donates more than 2,000 plastic jugs, high school students fill each jug with sand and three Root candles (one for every day of the event), the Odd Fellows place the jugs around the square, and every evening, Boy Scouts light and monitor the candles.
38th annual Medina Candlelight Walk, Nov. 18, 10 a.m.–Nov. 20, 6 p.m. Free admission. www.mainstreetmedina.com/candlelight-walk.html.
Left, the display at Ormandy’s Toys and Trains delights visitors during the Candlelight Walk and throughout the season; right, Circles on the Square has a flavor of donut for just about everyone.
BY DAMAINE VONADA
Granted, Santa’s workshop is at the North Pole. But we think his helpers must live in Ohio. Why? The state is chock-full of artisans, crafters, and makers who create unique and useful items that are sure to bring comfort and joy — plus plenty of smiles — during the holidays.
Owned and operated by members of the Dean family for nearly 50 years, Boston Stoker sources directly from farmers, then roasts and packages its coffees at the company’s roastery in Vandalia. Its Original Grogg is a perennial favorite among flavored coffee lovers, but Boston Stoker also produces Spiced Grogg for fall and Minted Grogg for the holidays. Tip: Boston Stoker’s sample packs and subscriptions make excellent gifts. customerservice@bostonstoker.com; 937-890-6401; www.bostonstoker.com
At her West Benson Street shop, Kristin Joiner not only designs the artwork and composes witty messages — for example, “Happy Ugly Sweater Season” — for her Christmas and Hanukkah cards, but she also prints them one at a time on an 1882 letterpress named Bess. Joiner uses paper sustainably made from recycled cotton, and her repertoire of handmade goods includes ornaments and miniature paper trees.
kristin@besspapergoods.com; www.besspapergoods.com; 513-748-6955
Since Cassie Menchhofer refuses to use ingredients that she wouldn’t feed to her own family, her baking and soup mixes never have preservatives, MSG, or artificial colors and flavors. Although her bestsellers include Garlic & Herb Beer Bread Mix and Sweet Corn Bread Mix, she also makes seasonal products — including Cranberry White Chocolate Cookie Mix, Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Mix, and a unique Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili Mix — that are delicious and easy to prepare. cassie@cassiescountrycupboard.com; 419-852-0839; www.cassiescountrycupboard.com
Shalini Latour uses natural ingredients — think chocolate from Colombia and local dairy products, fruits, and herbs — for the artisan sweets that she crafts at the Chocolate Bee, the production and retail space she shares with Bee Haven Honey. Latour specializes in hand-painted chocolates with adventurous flavors such as mint julep and pistachio matcha, and her ingeniously shaped Christmas confections include pretty Peanut Butter Ornaments and boozy Sloshed Snowmen. 513-591-0085; www.chocolatslatour.com
Although Energy Cooperative member Jami Ingledue makes all-natural soaps and body products at her studio and retail store in Mount Vernon, ingredients like the pumpkin in her Pumpkin Spice Soap often come from her farm just outside of Gambier. Containing essential oils of frankincense and myrrh, Ingledue’s goldand-black Three Kings Soap is ideal for Christmas gifting, and the daily surprises in her Advent Calendar include body butters, lip balms, and scrubs. 740-398-0795; www.dancingbeefarms.com
Toast your near ones and dear ones with customized labels on wines that Lee Klingshirn produces and bottles on the farm where his family has been growing grapes since the 1920s. The labels come in a variety of designs, can be personalized with your own message, and are available on Klingshirn wines: Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Country Blush, Golden Chablis, and Vin Rosé. info@klingshirnwine.com; 440-933-6666; www.klingshirnwine.com
Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member Megan Pucek makes wonderfully fragrant, imaginatively embellished candles that she retails at her Kelleys Island storefront during the summer and online throughout the year. Her signature cereal candles — Fruity Loops, Cap’n Crunch, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and more — look good enough to eat, while the hardto-find scents in her Gentleman’s Collection include Leather Jacket and Fresh Cut Grass. megsmakeshop@gmail.com; www.megsmakeshop.com; 419-504-1562
Customers often say that Milligan’s is the best maple syrup they’ve ever tasted. Kevin Milligan uses sap sourced from his family’s tree farm near Athens to make Grade A pure maple syrup as well as Grade A bourbon barrelaged pure maple syrup. Both varieties have been featured on the Food Network and are available in a gift box that includes pancake mix. kevin@milligansmaple.com; www.milligansmaple.com; 614-562-7739
Sara Powers hand-crochets a menagerie of cute and cuddly stuffed toy animals that include bunnies, teddy bears, pandas, a unicorn, and even a platypus. A stay-at-home mother of two, she also takes orders for custom animals and makes newborn knit beanies and blankets using her own patterns. milorayco@gmail.com; www.etsy.com/shop/milorayco
Tim Martin’s store in uptown Athens may be small, but it carries a mighty nice selection of Christmas ornaments made from locally sourced cherry wood. Martin designs, engraves, and hand-sands the baubles in-house, and his Ohioshaped ornaments vary from snowflakes to state symbols such as a cardinal. 740-249-4421; www.ohioishome.com
First-generation farmers and Union Rural Electric Cooperative members Tim and Michelle Schacht use organic and regenerative practices on their small farm near Marysville. Their first product — Avalon Ruby Red Popcorn — was named for Marysville’s recently renovated Avalon Theatre, while their Henry’s Yellow Dynamite Popcorn is an heirloom variety bursting with big, buttery-tasting kernels. tim@ohiotillfarmstead.net; 330-416-2140; www.ohiotillfarmstead.net
backyard shed where Aaron Buckley made a leather tote bag for his wife Erin’s birthday. Eleven years later, they not only produce leather handbags, backpacks, briefcases, and more in a 5,000-square-foot building but also have 15 employees. Made of domestic hides tanned in North America, River City Leather’s goods are so sturdy that they come with a lifetime guarantee. chris@ rivercityleather.com; 740-4464172; www.rivercityleather.com
At their combination showroom, studio, and lighting store at the Erie Street Market, Mitchell and Scott Antesky design and construct eye-catching, conversation-starting, one-of-a-kind lamps out of upcycled items ranging from Toledo scales to vintage blenders. Their quirky gumball machine lamps are filled with colorful orbs, and their heartshaped pipe lamps will surely light up the life of someone you love. cbgventuresllc@gmail.com; www.toledolampcompany.com; 419-913-1815
members of a local family, Ultimate Sack produces foam bean bag chairs that offer a comfy alternative to conventional seating. The company makes several models sized for both children and adults, and customers can choose their own covers from multiple fabric and covers options. www.ultimatesack.com; 877-871-7159
Self-taught woodworker Jonathan Schodowski made furniture for his own home before starting a home décor company. Schodowski uses lumber exclusively from Medina County, and because he favors natural finishes, the beauty of the wood grain shows through on his popular live edge charcuterie boards, three-wick candle holders, and beer flight boards. waterdogwoodworking@ gmail.com; www. waterdogwoodworking.com
South Central Power Company member Katie Mallow’s durable, lightweight, and comfortable-to-wear jewelry is made from moldable polymer clay and features her own custommixed color palette. Mallow fashions each piece in her home studio, and her bestselling earrings sport geometric shapes and hoopstyle ear wires.
waxandwanehandmade@gmail.com; www.etsy.com/shop/ waxandwanehandmade/
NOV. 23 – Holiday Lights Grand Illumination, downtown Sidney, 6 6:30 p.m. Spectators are asked to gather on the courthouse square to see the lighting. Programming will take place primarily on the east side of the courthouse lawn, with lights being visible all around the square. https://sidneyalive.wpcomstaging.com/events.
NOV. 25–DEC. 31 – Lake of Lights, Saulisberry Park/ France Lake, 13344 St. Rte. 67 W., Kenton, 6 9 p.m. daily. Drive-through lighting event. Special events held on the weekends. 419 675 2547 or lakeoflights08@gmail.com.
COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARKSat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Fine handmade juried crafts, gifts, and holiday decorations. Collecting donations for Toys for Tots, too! 419 842 1925 or www.toledocraftsmansguild.org.
NOV. 30–DEC. 4 – Christmas Tree Festival, Allen County Museum, 620 W. Market St., Lima, Wed./Thur./ Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Fri. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 12 5 p.m. 419 222 9426 or www.allencountymuseum.org.
NOV. 9 12 – “Angels in the Attic” Crafts Show, Ross Historical Center, 201 N. Main Ave., Sidney, Wed.–Fri. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $3. Handmade crafts of all kinds by local artists. Complimentary refreshments and door prizes. 937 570 8834, mcstreb@hotmail.com, or on Facebook.
NOV. 12 – SCARF’s Night Out, The Palazzo, 309 S. Main St., Botkins, 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. $35/ person. Fundraiser for the Shelby County Animal Shelter’s spay and neuter program. Dinner, comedians, and a finale ball drop. Purchase tickets at www.helpshelbycountyanimals.com.
NOV. 18–DEC. 31 – Lights Before Christmas, Toledo Zoo, 2 Hippo Way, Toledo. Over 1 million lights, the Big Tree, and hundreds of illuminated animal images. 419 385 5721 or www.toledozoo.org.
NOV. 19 – Bowling Green Community Holiday Parade, Main Street, Bowling Green, 10 a.m.–noon. Free. This year’s theme is “Toys, Trains, and Candy Canes.” www.bgchamber.net/annual.
NOV. 20 – University of Findlay Orchestra: “Baroque to Romantic,” Winebrenner Bldg., University of Findlay, Findlay, 3 p.m. Free, but tickets required. www.marathoncenterarts.org.
THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Art Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon. Handcrafted local artisan-made works. Variety of artists changes weekly. www.facebook.com/athensartguild or https://athensartguild.org.
THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Farmers Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Sat. 9 a.m.–noon; Wed. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., April–November. 740 593 6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.
THROUGH JAN. 2 – Dickens Victorian Village, Wheeling Avenue, Cambridge. Stroll downtown to view scenes depicting life in 1850s England, featuring life-sized, handmade mannequins wearing real vintage clothing. 800 933 5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.
THROUGH JAN. 2 – Guernsey County Courthouse Holiday Light Show, Cambridge, 5:30 9 p.m. nightly. Four different light and music shows performed each evening. 800 933 5480 or www.dickensvictorianvillage.com.
NOV. 25–JAN. 1 – North Pole Express, 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, Fri./Sat. 5:30 9 p.m., Sun. 5:30 8:30 p.m. $4; 12 and under, $3. Hop on board our quarterscale locomotive for a trip through a magical winter wonderland. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus on select days. 419 423 2995 or www.nworrp.org.
NOV. 25–JAN. 8 – “Hayes Train Special” Model Train Display, Hayes Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont. Free; donations accepted. Operating model train display runs through an intricate Victorian holiday scene. Interactive buttons, multi-tier layout. 419 332 2081 or www.rbhayes.org.
NOV. 26 – Blaze of Lights Festival, N. Main St., Bluffton, 5 8 p.m. Free. Kick off the Christmas season with a parade, live entertainment, a lighting ceremony featuring the Ream folk art collection, and other festive activities. Parade starts at 5 p.m. 419 369 2985 or www. explorebluffton.com/blaze-festival.
NOV. 26 – 1920s Holidays on Main Street, Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 6 9 p.m. $8–$15; 5 and under free. We will be “decking the halls” with holiday lights, 1920s window décor, and a 20-foot Christmas tree. Enjoy 1920s holiday activities, tasty treats, and more. Preregistration required. www.saudervillage.org.
NOV. 26–27 – “Crafts for Christmas” Craft Show, Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key St., Maumee,
NOV. 1–DEC. 12 – Holiday Treasure Hunt, locations throughout Hocking Hills. Shop at locally owned stores for a chance at the grand prize! Find treasure map and instructions at www.explorehockinghills.com/things-todo/holiday-treasure-hunt.
NOV. 4–DEC. 17 – National Museum of Cambridge Glass Holiday Hours, 136 S. 9th St., Cambridge, Fri./Sat. 12 4 p.m. $6, Srs. $5, under 12 free. 740 432 4245 or www.cambridgeglass.org.
NOV. 12 13 – Ironton Wizardfest, Ro-Na Cultural Arts Center, 310 S. 3rd St., Ironton. Live performances, exotic animals, handmade crafts, Appalachian cultural demos in broom making, blacksmithing, open fire cooking, woodcarving, and more. www.irontonwizardfest.com.
NOV. 17 – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 10 p.m. $29–$108 https://peoplesbanktheatre.com/event/nitty-gritty-dirtband-2022
NOV. 18 – Blue Öyster Cult, Peoples Bank Theatre, 222 Putnam St., Marietta, 8 p.m. $45–$145. https:// peoplesbanktheatre.com/event/blue-oyster-cult-2022
NOV. 18 20 – Festival of Trees and Christmas Market, 216 Collins Ave., South Point, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. View and bid on beautiful Christmas trees and wreaths decorated by businesses and students from Lawrence County. Handmade arts and crafts, Santa Claus and live reindeer, horse-drawn wagon rides, and much more! 740 377 4550 or http://lcfestivaloftrees.com/index.html.
NOV. 19 – City of Merry-Etta Christmas Tree Lighting, Armory Lawn, Marietta, 7:30 8:30 p.m. Join us as
DEC. 3 – Annual Holiday Open House, Amos Memorial Public Library, 230 E. North St., Sidney, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Free. Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a petting zoo, games, singalongs, and more! www. shelbycountylibraries.org.
DEC. 3 – Christmas of Yesteryear, Ross Historical Center, 201 N. Main Ave., Sidney, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Decorate a gingerbread house, make wreath and clay ornaments, and enjoy popcorn and chestnuts roasted on an open fire! Santa will be available for photos. Train display at 115 E. North St. 937 498 1653 or info@ shelbycountyhistory.org.
DEC. 3 – Winter Wonderland, downtown Sidney, 1 8 p.m. Join us for a day of fun, including activities at the Amos Library, holiday pop-up shops on the square, Christmas of Yesteryear, and much more! Evening ends with Parade of Lights at 6:30 p.m. 937 658 6945 or https://sidneyalive.wpcomstaging.com/events.
DEC. 8 – Lights of Spiegel Grove, Hayes Library and Museums, Spiegel Grove, 1337 Hayes Ave., Fremont. Free. Enjoy Christmas lights, sleigh rides, a gingerbread house contest, hot chocolate and popcorn, and the “Hayes Train Special” model train display. 419 332 2081 or www.rbhayes.org.
DEC. 10 – “Bells, Brass, and Bows,” Lima Civic Center, 7 Town Square, Lima, 7:30 p.m. The Lima Symphony Orchestra and Chorus present their beloved holiday concert featuring traditional favorites and holiday singalongs. 419 222 5701 or www.limasymphony.com.
we welcome the holiday season by lighting the city’s Christmas tree. www.mariettaohio.org.
NOV. 26 – Merry-Etta Christmas Parade, downtown Marietta, 6 7 p.m. Our annual evening holiday parade will include floats, dancers, carolers, and much more, all complete with festive Christmas lights. As usual, Santa Claus will make his appearance in the parade at the very end! www.mariettaohio.org.
NOV. 26–DEC. 18 – Santa Train, Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Nelsonville Depot, 33 W. Canal St., Nelsonville, daytime departures Sat./Sun. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., evening rides Fri./Sat. 6 p.m. $16–$21, under 3 free. Santa boards the train and visits with each child as the train traverses the historic Hocking River Valley. 00www.hvsry.org/trainlist/#santa.
DEC. 2 – The Family Sowell / Mt. Sterling Bluegrass, Pennyroyal Opera House, off I-70 at exit 198, Fairview, 7 p.m. $15; 12 and under free. Doors and kitchen open at 5 p.m. 740 492 0375 or www.pennyroyalbluegrass.com.
DEC. 9 – Authentic Unlimited (formerly Quicksilver) / Three Rivers Bluegrass, Pennyroyal Opera House, off I-70 at exit 198, Fairview, 7 p.m. $15; 12 and under free. Doors and kitchen open at 5 p.m. 740 492 0375 or www. pennyroyalbluegrass.com.
DEC. 10 – Christmas in Ash Cave, 27291 St. Rte. 56, South Bloomingville, 5 7 p.m. Free. Come bundled up to enjoy a lighted stroll to Ash Cave, with warm refreshments, fun activities, and a visit from Santa! www.thehockinghills.org.
NOV. 4 5 – Christmas Open House, Hartville Hardware, 1315 Edison St. NW, Hartville. www. hartvillehardware.com.
NOV. 18 – Window Wonderland, downtown Wooster, 7 p.m. Free. Decorated storefront windows, lighting of the giant Christmas tree, horse-drawn carriage rides, live reindeer, holiday treats, activities, and best of all, Santa descending from the rooftops to hear each child’s wish list! 330 262 6222 or www.mainstreetwooster.org.
NOV. 18 20, 25 27 – Christmas Wonderland, 213 W. Canal St., Newcomerstown, 12 6 p.m. Free; donations appreciated. The Olde Main Street Museum recalls the Christmas of yesteryear, with storefronts decorated in beautiful Christmas tree and wreath arrangements. Decorated trees can be had for a donation. 740 498 7735 or www.facebook.com/NewcomerstownHistoricalSociety.
NOV. 19 – Dr. Michelle Rae Bebber and Dr. Metin Eren: “Kent State Experimental Archaeology Lab,” Fort Laurens Museum, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd., Bolivar, 11 a.m.–noon. Free. 330 874 2059 or www. fortlaurensmuseum.org.
NOV. 19–DEC. 31 – “Songs of the Season” Mansion Tours, Victorian House Museum, 484 Wooster Rd., Millersburg, Sun.–Thur. 1 4 p.m., Fri./Sat. 1 8 p.m. Each room has a popular Christmas carol as a theme. Over 15,000 lights outside. 330 674 0022 or www.victorianhousemuseum.org.
NOV. 20 – Jeff Varga: “How I Found Guy Clark,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2 3 p.m. Free. Varga will discuss the influence of American country-folk singer-songwriter Guy Clark on his songwriting and musical journey. 419 853 6016 or www.ormaco.org.
NOV. 20 – Medina Flea Market of Collectables, Medina County Fgds. Community Center, 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $2. Early bird special admission: 6 9 a.m., $3. A treasure trove of vintage items and collectables. 330 948 4300 or www.conraddowdell.com.
NOV. 22–JAN. 7 – Steubenville Nutcracker Village and Christmas at the Fort, Steubenville Visitor Center, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville. Free. Over 180 life-size, handcrafted
nutcrackers are on display downtown, while Fairytale Friends welcome visitors at Fort Steuben Park 24/7 Enjoy the Advent Market, hayrides, the Holly Trolley, kids’ activities, and much more. 740 283 4935 or www.steubenvillenutcrackervillage.com.
NOV. 25 – Lehman’s Black Friday in the Country, Lehman’s Hardware, 4779 Kidron Rd., Kidron, 9 a.m. Storewide savings, hourly deals, free refreshments, and breakfast and lunch specials in the Cast Iron Cafe. 800 438 5346 or www.lehmans.com.
NOV. 25 26, DEC. 3 4, 10 11 – Santa Train, Lorain & West Virginia Railway, Wellington. Board our seasonally decorated train for a short ride and a chance to visit Santa. Children under 12 receive a bell. Ride lasts between 30 and 50 minutes and goes approximately 1 5 miles, then backs up. www.lwvry.org.
NOV. 25 27, DEC. 2 4, 9 11, 16 25 – Medina County Fair Drive-Thru Holiday Lights, Medina Co. Fgds., Medina, Fri./Sat. 6 10 p.m., Sun. and weeknights 6 9 p.m. $10 per car; $20 per 15-passenger van; $50 per bus. www.medinaohiofair.com.
NOV. 26 – Christmas at the Depot, Orrville Railroad Heritage Society, 145 Depot St., Orrville, 3 9 p.m. 330 683 2426 or www.orrvillerailroad.com.
NOV. 26 – The Handmade Market, Historic Painesville Railroad Museum (aka NYC Painesville Depot), 475 Railroad St., Painesville, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Shop local, buy handmade, and preserve history at the museum! 440 655 4455, PRRMevent@att.net, or www.painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.
NOV. 26–27, DEC. 3 – Christmas in the Alpaca Barn, 16800 Cowley Rd., Grafton, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Come enjoy an up-close and personal look at these wonderful peaceful creatures. Shop for unique gifts at the Farm Store. 440 477 4300 or www.ourlittleworldalpacas.com.
NOV. 30 – Stephan Haluska: “Minimalist Electronic Harp Lullabies,” Medina County District Library, 210 S. Broadway St., Medina, 6:30 p.m. Free; reservations recommended. The harpist will present a collection of his own compositions. 419 853 6016 or www.mcdl.info.
DEC. 2 4 – The Nutcracker, Ohio Star Theater, 1387 Old OH-39, Sugarcreek. 330 473 2879 or www.holmescenterforthearts.org.
DEC. 2 4, 9 11 – Candlelight Holiday Tours of Malabar Farm, 4050 Bromfield Rd., Lucas, Fri./Sat. 5 8 p.m., Sun. 12 4 p.m. $4–$6. Tour the Big House while it’s decorated for the holidays. Enjoy entertainment, cookies, and warm refreshments. 419 892 2784 or www.malabarfarm.org/events.
DEC. 3 – Christmas Down on the Farm, Tis the Season and Schrock’s Amish Farm, 4363 St. Rte. 39, Berlin. Bring the family out for sleigh rides, gingerbread house decorating, Christmas cookies, and more. 330 893 3604 or www.schrocksvillage.com.
DEC. 3 – Dr. George Johnson: “History of the Santa Claus,” Historic Zoar Village School House, Zoar, 11 a.m.–noon. Free. 800 262 6195 or www.historiczoarvillage.com.
DEC. 3 – Light Up Shreve, Shreve, 2 7 p.m. Parade, shopping, contests, games, Santa, caroling, and lighting of our Christmas tree. www.shrevedreaming.com/ lightupshreve.
DEC. 3 – Sights and Sounds of Christmas Parade, downtown Steubenville, noon–1 p.m. 740 283 4935 or www.facebook.com/SteubenvilleChristmasParade.
DEC. 3 – Sports Card Show, Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW, Hartville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. 30 vendors selling sports cards, memorabilia, autographs, and more. www.hartvillemarketplace.com/events.
DEC. 3 4 – Christmas in Zoar, Historic Zoar Village, Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. noon–4 p.m. $10; 12 and under free. See the village all decked out in Christmas splendor. Self-guided tours; extended shopping. Treelighting ceremony on Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. 800 262 6195 or www.historiczoarvillage.com.
DEC. 4 – Canton-Akron Comic, Toy, and Nostalgia Convention, St. George Event Center, 4667 Applegrove St. NW, North Canton, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5; free for 6 and under. 330 462 3985, jeff@harpercomics.com, or www.harpercomics.com.
DEC. 4 – Model Railroad and Toy Show, Medina County Community Center, Medina Co. Fgds., 735 Lafayette Rd., Medina, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $7 330 948 4400 or www.conraddowdell.com.
DEC. 8 – The Kramers Dinner Concert, Hartville Kitchen Restaurant and Bakery, Hartville, 5:30 8:30 p.m. www.hartvillekitchen.com/events.
DEC. 9 – WinterFest, Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW, Hartville, 5 9 p.m. Free. Horse-drawn carriage rides, ice carvings, delicious treats, pictures with Santa, and much more! www.hartvillemarketplace.com/events.
DEC. 10 – Breakfast with Santa, Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market, 1289 Edison St. NW, Hartville, 8 11 a.m. www.hartvillemarketplace.com/events.
DEC. 11 – Massillon Train and Toy Show, Massillon Knights of Columbus Hall, 988 Cherry Rd. NW, Massillon, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5; free for 12 and under. 150+ tables. All gauges, parts, running layouts, farm and vintage toys, diecast models, NASCAR items, and more. Food and drink available. 330 262 7488 or http://cjtrains.com/shows.
DEC. 11 – Neo5 Brass Quintet: “An Afternoon of Holiday Tunes,” Wadsworth Public Library, 132 Broad St., Wadsworth, 2 3 p.m. Free; reservations recommended. 419 853 6016 or www.ormaco.org.
NOV. 10–JAN. 8 – Winter Festival of Lights, Oglebay Resort, 465 Lodge Dr., Wheeling. More than 1 million lights and over 90 displays throughout the 6-mile drive. $25 requested donation per car will be valid for entire festival season. https://wheelingcvb.com/events/winter-festival-of-lights.
DEC. 2 4 – Victorian Christmas Homes Tour, Julia-Ann Square Historic District, Ann Street, Parkersburg. Join us for a tour of historic homes that will be decked out in festive Christmas décor. Details available at www. greaterparkersburg.com/events/20th-annual-victorianchristmas-homes-tour.
Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or email events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/ website for more information.
NOV. 8, DEC. 13 – Inventors Network Meeting, virtual, 7 p.m. Educational presentations and discussion about the invention process. 614 470 0144 or www. inventorscolumbus.com.
NOV. 18–JAN. 1 – Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights, Alum Creek State Park Campgrounds, 3311 S. Old State Rd., Delaware, Sun.–Thur. 5:30 9:30 p.m., Fri./Sat. 5:30 10 p.m. $20 per car on weekdays, $30 on weekends. Season pass $80 3-mile drive-through light show. 614 412 3499 or https://butchbandosfantasyoflights.com.
NOV. 19 – Columbus Miniature Society Miniature Show and Sale, 1220 Bethel Rd., Columbus, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. More than 150 exhibits of miniature and scale work from local artists. $5 admission to sales floor. www.columbusminiaturesociety.org.
NOV. 19 – Harding Mistletoe Craft Show, Harding High School, 1500 Harding Hwy. E., Marion, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. cathyhamilton1345@gmail.com or find us on Facebook.
NOV. 20 – Buckeye Comic Con, Courtyard Marriott Columbus West, 2350 Westbelt Dr., Columbus, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $5, 6 & under free. Hourly prizes, special guests, food truck. 330 462 3985, jeff@harpercomics.com, or www.harpercomics.com.
NOV. 20 – Zanesville Handbell Festival, Grace UM Church, 516 Shinnick St., Zanesville, 7 p.m. Local handbell choirs perform to usher in the holiday season. Freewill offering taken. www.centraltrinityumc.com or “Thursday Music Club” on Facebook.
NOV. 25 – Friends of the Park Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show, Lake Park Pavilion, 23253 St. Rte. 83 N., Coshocton, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 50+ tables of handmade crafts, ornaments, holiday décor, candles, woodcrafts,
THROUGH DEC. 28 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, Wed. 6:30 8:30 p.m. (not Nov. 9). Free entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations recommended. 513 385 9309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines.com.
NOV. 19 – Hometown HoliDazzle Illuminated Parade and Festival, downtown Wilmington, 10 a.m.–9 p.m., parade begins at 7 p.m. www.hometownholidazzle.com.
NOV. 19 – Hometown Holiday Horse Parade, South Broadway, Greenville, 7 p.m. The lighted parade includes horse-drawn carriages, wagons, riders, and buggies. 937 548 4998 or www.downtowngreenville.org.
NOV. 25 – Grand Illumination, downtown Troy, 5 8:30
and much more! Lunch served 11 a.m.–2 p.m. 740 622 7528 or www.coshoctonlakepark.com.
NOV. 25–26 – Heart of Christmas Craft Show, Mike Clum Auction Gallery, 7795 U.S. Hwy. 22, Rushville, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. Shop in our 1800s barn, filled with thousands of items to help you find that perfect gift! 740 215 7999 or www.theheartofchristmas.com.
NOV. 25–26 – Winter Craft – Vendor Fair, Fairfield Co. Fgds., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Join us for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. Visit our ELF for a free gift. 740 974 4055, wintercraftvendorfair@ yahoo.com, or www.facebook.com/WinterFair2022
NOV. 26–27 – Scott Antique Market, Ohio Expo Ctr., Bricker and Celeste Bldgs., Columbus, Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. 800 1,200 exhibit booths. www.scottantiquemarkets.com.
NOV. 29 – Card Making with Pam DeGood, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, 5:30 7:30 p.m. $45. Learn card making from a professional calligrapher. No calligraphy experience required. Registration closes Nov. 22 740 383 2101 or https://mptinternet.choicecrm.net/templates/MPT/#/events.
NOV. 30–DEC. 31 – A Storybook Christmas, Zanesville and Muskingum County. Explore Dresden, New Concord, and Zanesville as each town and business is decorated in a storybook theme. Enjoy concerts, parades, carriage rides, shopping, and more. Nightly light and music show at the Muskingum County Courthouse Sun.–Thur. 5 9 p.m. and Fri./Sat. 5 10 p.m. 740 455 8282 or www.visitzanesville.com.
DEC. 2 – Pickerington Holiday Gathering, Columbus and Center Streets, Pickerington, 5 8 p.m. Christmas tree lighting at 6 p.m. Activities all around the Olde Village: horse-drawn wagon rides, ice carving, reindeer petting, circulating trolley, mini train rides, strolling carolers, Holiday Gift Market, pictures with Santa, kids’ activities, and more. 614 382 2452 or www.pickeringtonvillage.com.
DEC. 2–4 – Christmas at the Palace, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion, Fri./Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. $15–$25. Marion’s favorite community tradition is guaranteed to get you and your family in the holiday spirit. 740 383 2101 or www.marionpalace.org.
DEC. 2–4 – Christmas Walk at Lancaster Camp Ground, 2151 W. Fair Ave., Lancaster, Fri. 4 8 p.m.,
p.m. Join us for our annual Christmas tree lighting, the arrival of Santa Claus, and more activities. www.troymainstreet.org.
NOV. 26 – Christmas Preview Open House, Historic Bear’s Mill, 6450 Arcanum-Bear’s Mill Rd., Greenville, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. The Mill Store will be stocked with seasonal décor and gift items. Grinding demonstrations with the miller at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. 937 548 5112 or www. bearsmill.org.
DEC. 2 – Candlelight Walk Open House, Historic Bear’s Mill, 6450 Arcanum-Bear’s Mill Rd., Greenville, 6 9 p.m. Enjoy a crisp walk in the woods along candlelit paths surrounding the mill. 937 548 5112 or www.bearsmill.org.
DEC. 2 – Christmas on the Green, downtown Piqua, 6 9 p.m. Community caroling, horse-drawn carriage rides, children’s activities, and live entertainment. 937 773 9355 or www.mainstreetpiqua.com.
DEC. 2 – First Friday Concert Series: Harps of Grace, First United Methodist Church, 120 S. Broad St., Middletown, noon–1 p.m. Capture a moment of peaceful reflections by listening to a harp ensemble playing Christmas favorites to open the holiday season. Bring your lunch if you like. 513 423 4629 or www.myfumc.net.
DEC. 2–4 – Christmas in the Village, downtown Waynesville. Shopping, dining, horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers and choirs, costumed characters, and daily visits from Santa Claus.
Sat./Sun. noon–8 p.m. Free. Christmas light displays with decorated cottages and RVs, Santa’s workshop, candlelight dinner, tree auction, craft vendors, live music, and more. 740 653 2119
DEC. 3 – Gingerbread Cottage Craft Show, Westerville South High School, 303 S. Otterbein Ave., Westerville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5, under 12 free. Juried craft show, concession and bake sales, raffle, musical performances by our band students. Donations of canned goods accepted for W.A.R.M. www.gingerbreadcottage.org.
DEC. 3 – WinterFest and Tree Lighting, downtown Lancaster, noon–4:30 p.m. Free. Horse-drawn carriage rides, visits with Santa, scavenger hunt, holiday music, and much more! Be sure to stay downtown for the tree lighting at the bandstand. www.visitfairfieldcounty.org.
DEC. 3–4 – Dickens of a Christmas, Ohio Village, 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, Sat. 5:30 9 p.m., Sun. 1 5 p.m. $9–$16; free for 3 and under. See Charles Dickens’ festive and enduring vision of Christmas come to life. 800 686 1541 or www.ohiohistory.org/events/ dickens-of-a-christmas.
DEC. 3, 10 – Christmas Candlelighting Ceremony, Roscoe Village, Main Stage, 600 N. Whitewoman St., Coshocton, 6 p.m. Free. Share in the village tradition of lighting the giant Christmas tree (7 p.m.). Christmas Crafts both days (tickets required): learn candle dipping, Christmas card making, and tin punching. 740 622 7644 or www.roscoevillage.com.
DEC. 4 – Lancaster Community Band Holiday Concert, Faith Memorial Church, 2610 W. Fair Ave., Lancaster, 2 p.m. Free. 740 756 4430
DEC. 10 – Buckeye Model Train and Railroad Artifacts Show, Ohio Expo Center, Lausche Bldg., Columbus, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $7, under 12 free. www.gserr.com.
DEC. 10 – Franklin County Holiday Craft Show and Bake Sale, Franklin Co. Fgds., Edwards Bldg., 5035 Northwest Pkwy., Hilliard, 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Handmade and home-crafted items only. www.facebook.com/ events/614311123521019
DEC. 10–11, 17–18 – Zanesville & Western Scenic Railroad Santa Rides, 5700 St. Rte. 204, Mt. Perry, 2 7 p.m. $5–$9, under 3 free. Trains depart hourly. Bring unwrapped new children’s toy in the original packaging or a donation to the local food pantry for a discounted ride. 674 595 9701 or www.zwsr.org.
513 897 8855 or www.waynesvilleohio.com.
DEC. 3 – Christmas at the Johnston Farm, 9845 N. Hardin Rd., Piqua, 6:30 p.m. Reservation event. www.johnstonfarmohio.com.
DEC. 3 – Piqua Holiday Parade, downtown Piqua, 2 p.m. Kids can visit with Santa after the parade in the lobby of the Fort Piqua Plaza. www.mainstreetpiqua.com.
DEC. 3 – Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland, Shawnee Prairie Preserve, 4267 St. Rte. 502, Greenville, 6 9 p.m. Walk along the (hopefully) snow-covered trails as you follow 400+ candle-lit lanterns leading you to the Log House, where you can warm yourself by the fire, visit with our pioneer volunteers, and enjoy a seasonal treat! 937 548 0165 or www.darkecountyparks.org.
DEC. 4 – Annual German Village Christmas Walk, North 2nd Street, Hamilton, noon–5 p.m. Free. Enjoy the holiday decorations, horse-drawn carriage rides, tour historic homes/businesses porches, musical events, crafters, and visit Santa. www.gettothebc.com.
DEC. 7 – Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade and Festival, downtown Lebanon, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Parades at 1 and 7 p.m. www.facebook.com/lebanoncarriageparade.
DEC. 10–11 – Dayton Christkindlmarkt, 1400 E. Fifth St., Dayton, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. noon–3 p.m. Celebrate the centuries-old Christmas market tradition that originated in Germany. 937 223 9013 or www.daytongermanclub.org.
