March/April 2017 OUR BROWN COUNTY

FREE

Since 1995

March-April 2017

The Magazine of Fun and Fact

Brown County

Humane Society

Roberta Chirko

Music and Morels with Barry Elkins

Life on the Farm

Brothers Brothers Coyotes Coyotes of of Brown Brown County County Hoosier Hoosier Hysteria Hysteria Field Field Notes Notes

MAPS • CALENDAR • ARTICLES • PHOTOGRAPHS

Village Green Building Celebrating over 100 years in nashville The Nashville you came to see and love…

Where you can see the work of local artists — whether it’s ice cream, candy and fruit preserves made the old fashioned way or the artwork of local artists and craftsmen. · first floor · Homemade Ice Cream Homemade Candies Homemade Fruit Preserves · second floor · Antiques · Art and Craft Galleries Working studios of local artists

V NA S H I L L E

INDIANA

The Candy Dish

Yes, we really do make it ourselves!

Fine Homemade Chocolate Candies and Fudge Gourmet Caramels Over 50 Flavors of Salt Water Taffy

812.988.0815

812.988.7606

Homemade Ice Cream

Harvest Preserve the

Homemade Fruit Butter Gourmet Food Cookbooks · Cookie Cutters Postcards · Greeting Cards Kitchen Gadgets Galore Giftware · Tea and Teaware

812.988.7606

Functional and Fine Art Made in Indiana

812.988.6675

61 West Main street · nashville, indiana

Carmel Ridge Rd

Nineveh Edinburgh Morgantown 31 37 135 I-65 46 Bloomington Columbus 46 NASHVILLE

Rosey Bolte’s Uncommon Gourd Studio Vaught Rd.

Monroe Music Park & Campground BEAN BLOSSOM

Doodles by Kara Barnard

Flower and Herb Barn Farmhouse Café

Plum Creek Antiques Market

GATESVILLE

Gatesville Store

Rd .

Lightspinner Studio

Cordry Lake

Sprunica Rd.

FRUITDALE

HELMSBURG

GTON

Rd

Butler Winery BLOOMINGTON Dr. Lisa Baker, DDS Fireplace Center Oak Fires Glass Studio

Ow l Cr eek

Rd.

Rd.

Al’s Paint & BodyAl’s Garage

Old SR 4

6

Cox Creek Mill

Artist and/or Gallery Craftsman

Annie Smith Rd.

Adventure

KOA als Co. k Rd e ent n r R i l l w T n e a t .

Bro lt Cre wn Co etrea que M acatio nery a R i i 46 S Brreoeksiden Co. Aon’tBrownwVn Co. W C row ills Bro B H Overlook to COLUMBUS Mt Lodge . Li kidscommons GNAW b 19th Hole ert y Bar/Grille BONE Rd

Abe Martin Lodge

135

Rd. ch

46

eXplore Brown County

Rawhide Ranch

yB ran

BELMONT

Mike’s Music and Dance Barn

Val le

to BL OO

MI

NG

TO N

Green Valley Lodge Yellowwood Lake

Musical Entertainment

NASHVILLE

Country Club Rd

Oak Grove

Lodging/ Camping

Mike Nickels Log Homes Clay Lick Rd

135

to MORGANTOWN

am

Rid

ge

Dining

Lan

OMIN to BL O

Trafalgar 252

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church Brownie’s Bean Blossom Restaurant

45

Franklin

sburg

Lake Lemon

Martinsville

Helm

NASHVILLE MAP ON PAGE 6

135

MORGANTOWN MARTINSVILLE TRAFALGAR Antiques Co-op The Apple Works Art Beyond Crayons Sweetwater Grandpa Jeff’s Trail Rides Lake House of Clocks Las Chalupas

Upper Bean Blossom

Brown County N

Indianapolis

Brown County State Park

PIKES PEAK

STONE HEAD Rd

Grv

Rd ton Cr k

Hamil

Christia

nsburg

ELKINSVILLE

CHRISTIANSBURG

r

STORY Monroe Reservoir

la Pop

T.C. Steele State Historic Site

Bob Allen Rd.

Homestead Weaving Studio Salem’s Good Nature Farm

JEFFERSON STREET

Hoosier Artist

Fallen Leaf Books

HONEYSUCKLE LANE

OLD HICKORY LANE

B3 Gallery

The Wild Olive Hobnob Corner

ST SR 135 N

Village Green

Brown Co Winery

Sweet Cozy Living

Head Over Heels

Heritage Mall

Spears Pottery Juls Etc.

Main Street Shops

Foxfire

MAIN STREET

The Sunshine Shack

Sandwich Place

Nashville House

Log JJail L il

Gold &Old

Touch of Silver

Old McDurbin Gold & Gifts Brown Co Craft Gallery

Weed Patch Music Company

Pioneer Village Museum

LOCUST LANE

Miller’s Ice Cream The Candy Dish The Harvest Preserve

Courthouse

open M-F8-4

Downtown Cottages & Suites Copperhead Creek Gem Mine

Iris Garden Complex

GOULD STREET Brown Co. Rock & Fossil Shop

Brown Co Public Library

Brown Co. History Center

MOUND STREET

Hidden Valley Inn

ROBERT “BUCK” STOGSDILL WAY

TO HELMSBURG - 6 MILES

The Emerald Pencil

Big Woods Village

MOLLY’S LANE

LaSha’s

Men’s Toy Shop

Colonial Bldg.

Carmel Corn Cottage

TO BEAN BLOSSOM & MORGANTOWN

Brozinni Pizzeria

Hills O’Brown Realty

J.B. Goods/ Life is Good

Hotel Nashville

Redbud Terrace

McGinley Insurance

Health For U

Office

County Offices

IHA

Brown Co Art Gallery

Masonic Lodge

R4 6 To Brown Co Recycle Center

Old S

ARTIST DR

VAN BUREN

Village Florist

The Salvation Army

JEFFERSON STREET Nashville BP

Bone Appetit

Coachlight Square

Chateau Thomas Winery

and Salon

Brown Co Inn Hotel, Restaurant and Bar

Brown Co Community YMCA

Bear Hardware Comfort Inn

Brown County IGA

N

Theatre

Dining

Salt Creek Park Salt Creek Inn People’s State Bank Pine Room Muddy Boots

Seasons Lodge & Conference Center

Doodles by Kara Barnard

Craftsman

Artist and/or Gallery Rest Room

Lodging

Musical Entertainment Parking

COUNTY MAP ON PAGE 5

map not to scale

Nashville Indiana

Casa Del Sol

Mercantile Store

SR 46 TO COLUMBUS - 16 MILES

Sweetea’s Tea Shop

Lorna’s Leather & Boutique

Cornerstone Inn

WASHINGTON STREET

Gyros Food & Art Studio

Papertrix

Toy Chest

VISITORS Bakery CENTER Ethereal Day Spa

Nashville Fudge Kitchen

Possum Trot Sq

House of Jerky

Artists Colony Inn

Artists Colony

Cathy’s Corner

Cedar Creek Winery

Nashville Express

Male Instinct

Rhonda Kay’s

Out of the Ordinary

Sweetwater Back to Back Yesteryear Gallery Old Time Photos Grasshopper Flats Wishful Simply 4 You Thinking

VAN BUREN ST SR 135 N

SR 46 TO BLOOMINGTON - 16 MILES

Hoosier Buddy

Thrift Shop Community Closet

PAT REILLY DR

Olde Magnolia House Inn 4th Sister Vintage Store

Calvin Place

Madeline’s

Schwab’s Fudge

New Leaf Amy Greely

Life is Good JB Goods

PITTMAN HOUSE LANE

Too Cute Abe’s Corner

Melchior Marionettes

Jack & Jill Nut Shop

Brown Co Playhouse

58 South Apparel

FRANKLIN STREET

HONEYSUCKLE LANE

Franklin Sq

Through the Looking Glass Wooden Wonders Nashville Image Old Time Photos For Bare Feet, Nashville Pickers N & R Woodworking Brown Co Weavery & Roots Paint Box Gallery, Primitive Spirit Rich Hill’s Magic & Fun Emporium K. Bellum Leather, My Sister’s Shop Brown Co. Pottery, Agape Pearls Ferguson House

Antique Alley

OLD SCHOOL WAY

8 Our Brown County March/April 2017

ADVERTISER

ANTIQUES

Wishful Thinking...........................29

Antiques Co-op.............................44 Brown Co Antique Mall................13 Cathy’s Corner...............................28 The Emerald Pencil.......................19 Plum Creek Antiques...................60

ART, ART SUPPLIES, ART INSTRUCTION

Antique Alley Shops.....................28 Antiques Co-op.............................44 Art Beyond Crayons.....................44 Art Studio.......................................13 B3 Gallery.......................................18 Bear Hardware..............................14 Brown Co Antique Mall................13 Brown Co Art Gallery...................18 Brown Co Craft Gallery................55 Cathy’s Corner...............................28 The Emerald Pencil.......................19 Hoosier Artist................................19 Lightspinner StudioMartha Sechler..............................59 Oak Fires Glass Studio.................59 Papertrix.........................................15 Spears Pottery...............................18 Rosey Bolte-Uncommon Gourd.18

BOOKS

Fallen Leaf Books..........................27

CHURCHES

Shepherd of the Hills Evangelical Luthern Church.......26

CLOTHING

58 South Apparel..........................36 Abe’s Corner/Too Cute.................55 Antique Alley Shops.....................28 Bear Hardware..............................14 Community Closet Thrift Shop...49 Head Over Heels...........................31 J.B. Goods/ Life is Good...............22 Lorna’s Leather & Boutique........59

Male Instinct..................................55 Men’s Toy Shop..............................26 Mercantile Store...........................45 Sweet Cozy Living........................33 Village Florist Tuxedo Rental......45

CRAFTS, POTTERY, GIFTS

4th Sister Vintage Store...............50 Antique Alley Shops.....................28 Antiques Co-op.............................44 B3 Gallery.......................................18 Bone Appetit Bakery....................55 Brown Co Craft Gallery................55 Brown Co Rock & Fossil Shop.....50 Cathy’s Corner...............................28 The Emerald Pencil.......................19 The Ferguson House....................37 Foxfire.............................................37 Head Over Heels...........................31 Homestead Weaving Studio.......18 Hoosier Artist................................19 House of Clocks.............................44 K. Bellum Leather.........................19 Lightspinner StudioMartha Sechler..............................59 Lorna’s Leather & Boutique........59 Madeline’s......................................31 Male Instinct..................................55 Men’s Toy Shop..............................26 Mercantile Store...........................45 New Leaf.........................................19 Oak Fires Glass Studio.................59 Papertrix.........................................15 Rhonda Kay’s.................................36 Simply 4 You..................................29 Spears Pottery...............................18 Sweet Cozy Living........................33 Sweetwater Gallery......................29 The Toy Chest................................45 Rosey Bolte-Uncommon Gourd.18 Village Florist Flowers & Gifts.....45

ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC

19th Hole Bar & Grill.....................56 Brown County Playhouse............56 Copperhead Creek Gem Mine....50 kidscommons................................45 Pine Room–Muddy Boots...........51 Rawhide Ranch.............................27

FOOD & BEVERAGE

19th Hole Bar & Grill.....................56 Abe Martin Lodge.........................48 Artists Colony Inn.........................28 Brown Co IGA................................57 Brown Co Inn.................................37 Brown Co Winery..........................48 Brownie’s Bean Blossom Rest.....31 Brozinni Pizzeria...........................27 Butler Winery.................................27 The Candy Dish...............................3 Carmel Corn Cottage...................45 Casa Del Sol...................................30 Cedar Creek Winery......................33 Chateau Thomas Winery.............13 Darlene’s at Hotel Nashville........63 Farmhouse Cafe............................14 Gatesville Store.............................30 Gyros Food.....................................13 The Harvest Preserve.....................3 Hobnob Corner Restaurant........15 Hoosier Buddy Liquors................51 Hotel Nashville..............................63 House of Jerky...............................28 Jack and Jill Nut Shop..................13 Miller’s Ice Cream............................3 Nashville BP...................................15 Nashville Fudge Kitchen..............64 Nashville House............................47 Pine Room–Muddy Boots...........51 Sandwich Place.............................30 Schwab’s Fudge.............................31

DIRECTORY Seasons...........................................47 Sunshine Shack.............................30 Sweetea’s Tea Shop......................36 The Wild Olive.................................2

FURNITURE

Antiques Co-op.............................44 The Ferguson House....................37 Plum Creek Antiques...................60

HARDWARE

Bear Hardware..............................14

HATS

Head Over Heels...........................31 K. Bellum Leather.........................19

JEWELRY

Abe’s Corner/Too Cute.................55 Antique Alley Shops.....................28 B3 Gallery.......................................18 Brown Co Antique Mall................13 Brown Co Craft Gallery................55 Cathy’s Corner...............................28 Ferguson House............................37 Foxfire.............................................37 Grasshopper Flats.........................29 Hoosier Artist................................19 Juls Etc............................................22 LaSha’s............................................19 New Leaf.........................................19 Old McDurbin Gold & Gifts.........59 Rhonda Kay’s.................................36 Spears Pottery...............................18 Sweet Cozy Living........................33 Touch of Silver Gold & Old..........22

LODGING/CAMPGROUNDS

Abe Martin Lodge.........................48 Artists Colony Inn.........................28 The Brick Lodge............................63 Brown Co Inn.................................37 Brown Co KOA...............................58 Comfort Inn...................................12 Cornerstone Inn............................49

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 9

Creekside Retreat.........................50 eXplore Brown County..................4 Green Valley Lodge......................15 Hidden Valley Inn.........................22 Hills o’ Brown Vacation Rentals..14 Hotel Nashville..............................63 Monroe Music Park & Campground.................................60 Nickel’s Vacation Cabins..............30 The North House...........................63 Olde Magnolia House..................50 Overlook Lodge............................57 Rawhide Ranch.............................27 Seasons...........................................47

MUSEUMS

kidscommons................................45

PET SERVICES/PRODUCTS

Bone Appetit Bakery....................55

PHOTOS

B3 Gallery.......................................18 Spears Pottery...............................18 Yesteryear Old Time Photos........29

REAL ESTATE

Brown County Real Estate...........61 Hills o’ Brown Realty.....................61

RECREATION

eXplore Brown County..................4 Grandpa Jeff’s Trail Rides............50 Rawhide Ranch.............................27

SERVICES (see also SERVICES DIRECTORY)

Brown County Recycle Center....53 Brown County Visitors Center....23 Dr. Lisa Baker, DDS.......................36 Ethereal Day Spa and Salon........51 Mainstream Fiber Networks.......31 Nashville BP...................................15 Oak Fires Glass Studio.................59 Shepherd of the Hills Evangelical Luthern Church.......26

Village Florist Flowers & Gifts.....45

SERVICES DIRECTORY 60-61

Al’s Garage/Paint & Body Bear Hardware Bagged Trash Brown Co Community YMCA Brown Co Real Estate Brown Co Recycle Center Brown Co Tire & Auto Farmers Insurance—McGinley Flower and Herb Barn Health For U Helmsburg Sawmill Hills o’ Brown Realty Monroe Park Campground People’s State Bank Plum Creek Antiques Waltman Construction Co.

SHOES

Head Over Heels...........................31 K. Bellum Leather.........................19

SPECIALTY SHOPS

Bone Appetit Bakery....................55 Fallen Leaf Books..........................27 Fireplace Center............................45 House of Clocks.............................44 K. Bellum Leather.........................19 Male Instinct..................................55 Men’s Toy Shop..............................26 Papertrix.........................................15 The Toy Chest................................45 Weed Patch Music Company......19 Wishful Thinking...........................29

STAINED GLASS

Sweetwater Gallery......................29

WEDDINGS

Artists Colony Inn.........................28 Hotel Nashville..............................63 Village Florist.................................45

OTHER

Mike Nickels Log Homes....... 30

Contents 16 Brown County Humane Society ~by Bob Gustin 20 Life on the Farm ~by Julia Pearson 24 Roberta Chirko ~by Bob Gustin 34-35 Photos ~by Mike Briner* 38 Music & Morels with Barry Elkins ~by Cindy Steele

40 SEED Brown County ~by Sheryl L. Keeme 42-43 Calendar of Events 46 Field Notes: Smell the Dirt ~by Jim Eagleman

52 Hoosier Hysteria ~by Jeff Tryon

54 Brothers ~by Jeff Tryon 58 “Positive” Community Read 60-61 Services Directory 62 Youth Music Showcase Cover: Brown County Humane Society Sue Ahbe and Jane Weatherford ~by Bob Gustin

*Mike Briner is a Columbus, Indiana native that became interested in photography as a high school yearbook photographer. With a love of travel and the great outdoors and inspired by the natural beauty of nature, Mike’s photography quickly moved from the school to the out of doors. In 1998 Mike founded Mike Briner Photography and started his professional career as a travel and nature photographer. Mike now has well over 55,000 film as well as over 30,000 digital images in his library.

(812) 988-8807 www.ourbrowncounty.com ourbrown@bluemarble.net Also online at issuu.com/ourbrowncounty OR search in the mobile app ISSUU and on Facebook for OUR BROWN COUNTY

A Singing Pines Projects, Inc. publication copyright 2017 Thanks, Mom, for making it happen!

10 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Contributors Mark Blackwell makes his home in an area of Brown County where “the roadway is rough and the slopes are seamed with ravines and present a meatless, barren, backbone effect.” He was born in the last century and still spends considerable time there. He plays music with the “Lost Shoe String Band” when he can get away with it, writes for Our Brown County, and only works when he has to.

Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, a former region reporter for The Republic, and a former bureau chief for The Huntsville Times. Born and raised in Brown County, he currently lives with his wife, Sue, in a log cabin on the edge of Brown County State Park. He is a Baptist minister.

Jim Eagleman, recently retired DNR naturalist, and his wife Kay, enjoy hiking the many natural areas, preserves, and land trust sites in Brown and neighboring counties. His FIELD NOTES have appeared in this publication for several years. Jim can be contacted for comments and inquiries at <jpeagleman@gmail.com>.

Julia Pearson wrote for a secular Franciscan magazine for ten years and served as its human interest editor. She and her husband Bruce have made Lake Woebegone Country their new homebase for life’s continuing adventures. Julie, Bruce, and four-footed Suki are adjusting well. Julia enjoys traveling and visiting museums of all types and sizes, with her children and grandchildren.

Joe Lee is an illustrator and writer. He is the author of The History of Clowns for Beginners and Dante for Beginners and illustrator of six other titles, including the forthcoming Dada and Surealism for Beginners in the ongoing “for Beginners” series. He is an awardwinning editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald Times, a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and a veteran circus performer. Joe lives with his wife Bess, son Brandon, George the cat, and his dogs, Jack and Max. Bob Gustin worked as a reporter, photographer, managing editor, and editor for daily newspapers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Indiana before retiring in 2011. He and his wife, Chris, operate Homestead Weaving Studio in southern Brown County. She does the weaving while he gives studio tours, builds small looms, and expands his book and record collections.

Cindy Steele is the publisher and editor of this magazine. She sells and designs ads, sometimes writes, takes photos, and creates the layout. For fun, she likes to play the guitar or banjo and sing. Her new hobby is making mosaic tables.

Coloring Contest Win $20

Publisher’s choice. Send to this address by April 20. Ed Friedhoff from Englewood, FL won last issue’s coloring contest.

OUR BROWN COUNTY P.O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 11

Relax in Beautiful Brown County, Indiana Recipient of Two Platinum, Nine Gold Awards, and the Lt. Governor’s Award for Service.

This award-winning hotel offers a quiet getaway with free hot breakfast, complimentary high-speed Internet, heated indoor pool, fitness room, and whirlpool suites.

Trolley available to downtown Nashville.

51 W. Chestnut St. • State Road 46 Nashville, Indiana 812.988.6118 • 800.4CHOICE www.choicehotels.com 12 Our Brown County March/April 2017

C Cinnamon Roasted Almonds & Pecans

Salted Nuts R d Roasted Daily

C ashe ncy Mix epitas Peanuts Cashews, Fancy Mix, P Pepitas, Delicious Candies - Homemade Fudge Mail Orders - 812-988-7480

Guess Photo Win $20 WHERE IS IT? Call (812) 988-8807

Be the first person to call and get the prize money.

Leave a message with the specific location of the Mystery Photo, your name, and phone number.

S.Van Buren (Shopper's Lane) Nashville

Wine Bar and Gift Shoppe Open Daily

Wine Tastings

• Cheeses and Gourmet Foods • Unique Wine Gifts • Comfortable Seating Live Music Fri. and Sat. 7-10 pm Coachlight Square • S. Van Buren and Washington, Nashville, IN

812-988-8500 • www.ChateauThomas.com

OVER 7,000 square feet!

Brown County

Antique Mall Open all year–7 days a week Mon.–Sat. 9 to 5:30 Sun. 11 to 5:30

We Buy and Sell

Since 1995

13 miles west of I-65 3 miles east of Nashville, IN

812-988-1025 3288 State Rd 46 East www.bcantique.com

Our own Tzatziki sauce recipe, made from scratch

Last issue’s photo was the banjo at Weed Patch Music in downtown Nashville. Richard Halladay guessed it first.

Subscriptions make great gifts

SUBSCRIBE One Year’s Subscription for $15 —for postage and handling.

Name:

Address:

Delicious!

Free samples • Local Delivery Available <Most items under $10> gyrofoodnashville.com • Gyros Food

S. Van Buren & Old School Way • Possum Trot Sq. Look for the sidewalk signs • (812) 318-0840

Send with check or money order to:

Our Brown County P.O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 13

Nickels

VACATION Farmhouse

Book Online!

CABINS

Farmhouse Cafe ...a country drive to an unexpected dining pleasure · LuNch ·

homemade Soups, Salads and Garden Sandwiches

Step back in time – Stay in a real log cabin

· DiNNeR ·

Four romantic cabins filled with antiques, quilts and vintage furnishings

Steak · Salmon · Pork · Turkey chicken · Pasta R Garden and Fruit Salads Soups · Desserts herbal Teas · cool Drinks Beer & Wine

••• Two-story Individually decorated Fully furnished Immaculately kept Front porch swings to melt your stress away Accommodating 4-8 guests

5171 Bean Blossom Road · Just 15 minutes from Nashville • • • •

Cozy warm interiors Fireplaces Fully equipped kitchens Catch and release fishing, canoeing, hiking and swimming • Outdoor grills and fire pits • Secluded on 250 wooded acres

812.988.2689 · NickelsVacationCabins.com

A small, intimate restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating

Reservations Suggested · 812-988-2004 LuNch: DAiLy · 11–4 Pm DiNNeR: TueSDAy–SATuRDAy · 5–8 Pm

farmhousecafeandtearoom.com · Like us on

A family vacation is important...

Make new memories…

Experience new things…

Book your cabin today!

Brown County’s largest selection of fully furnished

Log Cabins, Homes and Cottages BrownCountyLogCabins .com Rates, Reservations & Weekday Specials Online

Vacation Rentals 14 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Like uS on

for Special Offers

812.988.6429 · info@BrownCountyLogCabins.com

Find what you love…

Love what you find

1 0 Y ea r Anniversa r

y

Enjoy a Classic Motel Experience!

LAST MINUTE DEAL!

$10 off regular room rate Valid at check-in only, excludes current reservations Expires April 27, 2017

Dynamic classes and demo table.

Artistic Rubber Stamps For cardmaking, & Scrapbooking collage & altered art The newest items and techniques!

Receive

Quiet & Peaceful · Unpretentious Free Wi-Fi · Intimate Rooms for 2

Book Online!

Owne

rs, Lan a

3 FREE Sheets of 12” x 12” SCRAPBOOK PAPER* & Ed

GreenValleyMotorLodge.com

with this coupon.

Shop our excellent selection of scrapbook papers, new releases, sale papers at half off, and our 3 for $1.00 bins. (*coupon scrapbook paper from a select collection) 160 Old School Way in Nashville behind Village Candlemaker

812-988-0231 · 692 State Rd 46 West Just 5 minutes west of Nashville

(812) 988-2002 www.papertrix.com

One Free order of BREADSTICKS

with purchase of a

Restaurant

14 ” PIZZA

Serving Lunch & Dinner Daily and also Breakfast Sat. & Sun.

Wine-Down Wednesday

Every Wed. 6–8 pm

1/3 OFF select wines and music by Jeff Foster

• Soups • Salads • Sandwiches • After Five Menu • Fine Wines Breads, Pastries, and Danish Baked Here Daily

Center of Nashville Main and Van Buren Streets Open Daily • (812) 988-4114 HobnobCornerRestaurant.com

(With coupon) Only one coupon a day allowed for each customer

812-988-1822

Nashville BP State Roads 46 & 135 270 S. Van Buren St. in Nashville

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 15

Jane Weatherford, board member and volunteer.

~story and photos by Bob Gustin y almost any measure, the Brown County Humane Society is an astounding success.

At 97.5 percent, the animal shelter has one of the highest “save rates” in the United States. It’s a premier non-profit organization in Brown County with a cadre of volunteers, robust community involvement and wide support.

A no-kill advocacy website called <saving90. org> listed Brown County as one of only two shelters in Indiana with a save rate of more than 90 percent in recent years. Nationally, only about 120 shelters reported a save rate of 90 percent or more.

BCHS, an independent, private, not-for-profit organization, is an open-admission shelter.

That means it takes in all cats and dogs from Brown County which are surrendered to them, regardless of their age, health, breed, or how they arrived at the shelter. Last year, 519 shelter animals were adopted and 138 were returned to their owners. Eight were euthanized because they were suffering and too sick to survive and

B

16 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Brown County Humane Society 10 died in the shelter’s care, according to Erika Imhoof, communications director.

Each animal that comes through the shelter is neutered or spayed and microchipped before being adopted. Sometimes animals will live at the shelter for up to three years, but the average stay for a dog is 22 days, and 53 days for cats.

“It’s not just something you say you’re going to do,” Imhoof said. “It’s a commitment. I believe we’re responsible for the overpopulation, so we should be responsible for doing something about it. Animals have the right to happy, healthy lives,” she said.

BCHS does it with an annual budget of $507,000 and a staff of nine full and part-time employees, along with fundraisers, partnerships, adoption events, grants, donations, and foster homes.

Not all of the animals placed in the BCHS’s care are adopted at the shelter located at 128 South State Road 135. Some are adopted from pet supply stores like Petco in Bloomington and Petsmart in Martinsville, which partner with the shelter.

Other Brown County animals are transported to the East Coast to communities where there is a shortage of animals to adopt, or to rescue groups. In 2016, a total of 689 animals were saved by the shelter.

People adopting animals from the Brown County shelter come from many locations. In fact, Imhoof estimates only about 24 percent of the adopting humans are from Brown County.

In addition to the shelter, BCHS also operates Serving Pets Outreach Team (SPOT), a low-cost spay and neuter program for Brown County pets. SPOT also provides assistance to residents who can’t afford pet food, and runs a trap-neuter-return program for feral cats.

SPOT is one of the tools the humane society uses to achieve its high save rate. Since the program began in 2010, the number of animals coming into the shelter has been reduced by more than 50 percent. Last year, the SPOT program spayed/neutered 474 animals.

“The Brown County no-kill shelter is a true community gem,” said Scott Rudd, Nashville town manager and economic development director. “The Humane Society provides essential services to Nashville residents, from picking up pets that get loose, to caring for stray animals, to being the voice for animals that are abandoned, lost, or abused. They give permanent homes to animals that end up becoming our best friends. “ Challenges remain for BCHS, however. Imhoof said among the bigger problems are a lack of space for animals and for volunteers, storage space, and an aging building. In the not-too-distant future, she said, the humane society may begin a fundraising campaign for a new, larger, and updated building. The shelter has been in its current location since 1986.

The humane society has more than 100 people who regularly

the country, and those who hear her message are usually surprised that a small rural community can achieve such numbers. But she walks her audience through a list of things—big and small—that shelter volunteers do to make it work. That’s everything from flyers around the community listing available pets to the time-intensive SPOT program.

She credits SPOT for a lot of the success. Volunteers get in a “beatup van” and drive to remote parts of the county, meeting pet owners, delivering straw, and talking about neuter and spay programs.

That one-on-one, nonjudgmental approach is a key to achieving results, she said.

“It’s the most rewarding thing to do in the world, in my opinion,” said Weatherford.

The Brown County Humane Society animal shelter is open noon-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

It is closed Tuesday and Thursday.

For more information call (812)988-7362 or visit <bchumane.org>. volunteer to help the animals, and nearly 60 percent of its revenue came from contributions and grants. Other revenue comes from fundraising events, service fees, investments, and the county animal control contract. In all, 78 percent of the money raised went to programs, 11 percent to administration, and 11 percent to fundraising, according to the humane society’s annual report.

Jane Weatherford, a volunteer since 1982 and current treasurer, has been a featured speaker at animal rescue meetings around

Valerie Foley, Humane Society staff.

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 17

90

HOMESTEAD WEAVING STUDIO Quality Handwovens

by Chris Gustin

Years of Indiana

Art

EST. 1926

Brown County Art Gallery

Yarn • Looms • Supplies Open 11 to 5 most days

Brown County’s Original Art Gallery

Southeastern Brown County 6285 Hamilton Creek Road

www.HomesteadWeaver.com • 812-988-8622

April 9

23rd annual Victorian Tea

a fundraiser to benefit the Art Gallery Foundation

April 22-MAy 7

19th annual Mabel B. Annis Student Art Competition Galleries · Permanent Collections Art For Sale · Consignment Art

Locally Crafted Pottery • Jewelry • Photography • Wood • Fiber • More...

Downtown Nashville (beside the Nashville House) • Open Daily www.spearspottery.com • 812.988.1286 • Spears Gallery on Facebook

18 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Open Daily 10 am – 5 pm · Sunday Noon – 5 pm Free Admission · Free Parking Corner of Main & Artist Drive · Nashville, IN

812.988.4609 · BrownCountyArtGallery.org

.net

rtist

ierA

s Hoo

Locally built instruments and affordable student models meticulously displayed, making this little music store a destination point in Brown County Lovingly owned and operated by

Kara Barnard and Kristin Thompson

musicians, instructors and instrument adoption specialists

S. 45

, IN 888 ILLE 8-6 ASHV 8 9 » N 812 ST. SON FER

JEF

58 E. Main Nashville, IN—Look for BANJO by courthouse

812-200-3300 • www.weedpatchmusicshop.com Sterling Designs

by Sharon & Larry Anything But Or dinary

SBJ/LMJ Designs Opals by Larry • Pe n d a n t s • Earrings • Bracelets • Necklaces

812-988-0522 A variety of natural stones and colors N o r t h Va n B u r e n a n d M o l l y’s L a n e • N a s h v i l l e

Doing business for over 25 years

NEW LEAF An eclectic mix of creative items by local, regional, and global artists

Featuring Leather Goods Made in Brown County

Fine Leather Goods

• Handbags • Belts • Hats • Accessories • Holsters • Leather • Tools • Dye •Supplies

Featuring handcrafted jewelry by owner Amy Greely

Calvin Place Franklin & Van Buren Streets Nashville, IN • (812) 988-1058 www.amygreely.com

And Shoes: Haflinger, Arcopedico, Moccasins, Sheepskin Slippers 92 W. Franklin, Antique Alley, Nashville, IN 812-988-4513

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 19

Life on the Farm

T

~by Julia Pearson

photos courtesy of Lois Bond

Bill, Dick, and Earl Bond.

he hardscrabble life of the dirt farmer in Brown County in the early part of the 20th century was personified by Kin Hubbard’s Abe Martin, the materially poor but rich in rural philosophy comic character who still maintains his reign as county mascot. A family on a Brown County farm meant that your children had the proverbial “meal on the table,” three times a day. Other things were not easily come by.

The earth itself suffered from topsoil depletion caused by poor farming practices. Plowing the hills in the fall, the rich loam literally washed down the hills with spring thaw and rains, until only the clay underneath remained. Some farmers moved on to new locations where soil was not claimed by erosion. This was eventually remedied by the use of crushed limestone spread on the fields and readily obtained from nearby Limestone quarries.

In southern Indiana, corn was the mainstay of crop production, with smaller acreage in oats and wheat. For “cash money,” some farmers planted tobacco and apples. The huge vegetable gardens, soil sweetened from the potash of woodburning fireplaces and stoves, yielded a harvest that had to last throughout the year, till the next summer’s produce.

Hundreds of jars of canned goods were put up in the summer kitchens by Brown County mothers. Hickory nuts and walnuts were gathered in earnest. Straw-lined pits stored cabbages, turnips, and potatoes when fruit cellars were not available.

Blackberries growing in the countryside yielded fruits for

20 Our Brown County March/April 2017

canning for the family as well as for sale in Indianapolis markets.

Corn ears were pulled from the stalk individually by hand and tossed into an empty wagon. Neighbors came and shared the work. As many as four or five families arrived with their teams and wagons shortly after daybreak.

This was a time of backbreaking labor, made palatable by the social contact. Some men took bets on which one could shuck the most corn in a day. There were “bangboards” attached to the sides of the wagons to help the ears land directly into the wagon beds.

The corn fodder was tied into bundles for cow and horse feed. Some men were hired in, paid a dollar a day plus meals and a bed. Many farm dogs were taken along during corn harvesting so they could catch the mice and rats that ran out. Some young men from Brown County went to other farms in the west—Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota—during the corn husking season. They earned as much as five cents per bushel, their meals, and a place to sleep in the barn.

Winfer Wilkerson.

Mrs. Burr Williamson.

With most farmers eating a hearty breakfast, the women’s work began before the light of day. They prepared eggs collected the day before, with ham or bacon from the family smokehouse. Plentiful biscuits were scratchmade and set on the table with maple syrup in the spring, or sop gravy from the meat. Dinner was started right after the breakfast dishes were cleared and was served by noon. Many women worked in the fields with the men, especially when threatening weather required many hands.

Abe Martin’s Alamanck pays homage to women’s farm labor: “Tilford Moots wuz exhibitin’ a wooden chain at th’ pustoffice yisterday that showed considerable genius. He jist carved it out with a reg’lar penknife Monday mornin’ while his wife wuz plowin’.”

Livestock included a cow for milk for the family, as well as for trade. Pigs were butchered in the late fall when it was cold enough for processing outside and the meat not spoiling. Pork was salted or smoked. A separate smokehouse was set with a fire tended on the dirt floor, sassafras and apple wood providing the most favored flavors. Homemade sausage and hams were salted and cured for winter use. The fat from the hogs was rendered down in huge kettles set over outside fires, yielding buckets of lard that were a mainstay of the farm kitchen for frying and baking.

Autumn was also the season for making soap. Soap was made by mixing fat with homemade lye on the big outdoor fire. Lye is the result of taking wood ashes and placing them in an ash hopper. Water was poured over the ashes and lye drained out the bottom into a bucket. Lye water was boiled in a huge kettle with meat fat after butchering. The soft soap left after meat disappeared from the batch was

poured into long trays, scored, and broken into cakes when it hardened.

Winter provided a seasonal Sabbath from the heavy work of farming. Men hunted, tended animals, and had to keep wood chopped. But women made all the family clothes, cooked all the meals, and often fell asleep while holding a child on her lap after the evening meal. 

Dave Percifield.

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 21

Visit America’s First Store

172 N. Van Buren Street in Nashville, IN Second Location in Calvin Place– (S. Van Buren and Franklin Streets)

www.JBGoods.com • 812-988-0900

Albert C. Drake

Goldsmith and Silversmith 42 years of quality service in Brown County

Touch of Silver, Gold & Old 87 E. Main St. • Nashville, IN 47448 (812) 988-6990 • (800) 988-6994 Hours: 10am - 6pm • 7 days a week www.touchofsilvergoldandold.com

22 Our Brown County March/April 2017

obc_mar-apr_ad_FIN2.pdf

C

1

2/21/17

9:06 AM

FROM BLUES, BLUEGRASS & FOLK AMERICANA MUSICAL EVENTS, TO THE TASTING OF CREATIVE JUICES THAT FLOW FROM LOCAL CRAFT BREWERIES AND WINERIES, TO HUNTING DOWN MUSHROOMS, WILDFLOWERS & THAT SPECIAL PIECE OF LOCAL ARTWORK—AND SO MUCH MORE—ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU COMING BACK.

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

April 28-30 32nd Annual Wildflower Foray

August 26 7th Annual Hoosier Hops and Harvest Festival

May 7 10th Annual Morel Mushroom Festival

September 9 28th Annual Great Outdoor Art Contest

May 13 15th Annual Indiana Wine Fair

September 16 Abe Martin County Picnic and Nashcar Out House Race

May 31-June 3 7th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival June 10-July 2 Indiana Heritage Arts Exhibit and Sale June 10-17 51st Bill Monroe Memorial Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival July 6-8 8th Annual Bean Blossom Southern Gospel Jubilee July 29 6th Annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Competition August 24-26 19th Annual Bean Blossom Blues Fest

September 20-23 43rd Annual Bill Monroe Hall of Fame and Uncle Pen Days September 27-30 William Bentley Hillbilly Wagon Train Jam September 15-16 GnawBrew Beer, Art and Music Festival October 6-8 Brown County Epic October 1-31 Back Roads Studio Tour

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 23

Roberta Chirko

Chirko next to her favorite painting at the Brown County Art Guild, a portrait of V.J. Cariani.

~story and photo by Bob Gustin

R

oberta Chirko was one of the top models in the world in 1995, gracing the covers of Vogue, Elle, and many other fashion magazines. That was also the year she married a rock star on stage before 50,000 people at the Farm Aid concert.

Then she and husband Toby Myers moved to Brown County, settling in a rural home where the yard, she said, was mainly mud. She couldn’t get the theme song to the old TV show “Green Acres” out of her head.

But after years of fast night life and all that goes with it, Roberta knew it was time for a lifestyle change.

“I needed to stop,” she said.

“I was 104 pounds then, I was working too much, staying up too late and doing all the bad stuff you’re not supposed to be doing.

So, it was life-saving when he brought me here.”

Roberta is now the mom of a high school senior, gallery manager at the Brown County Art Guild, and still married to Myers, former bass guitarist for John Mellencamp.

“This community has really made me grow up to be a better person, I think. I’ve learned so much in the last 20 years.” she said.

“I probably would have died if I’d stayed in New York City, and this

24 Our Brown County March/April 2017

gave me another opportunity to grow.”

Roberta was born in Lyons, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, to plasterer Bob Chirko and his wife Donna, a fashionable dresser who loved parties. Roberta said she was more reserved, taking after her father, and spent her childhood years as a free spirit left to her own devices, dressed in flannel shirts and roaming the neighborhood. When she was 11, she moved with her mother to Washington, Pennsylvania, after the divorce of her parents.

That’s how she wound up in the audience of a fashion show

Fashion magazine photos by Walter Chin, Dean Isdidro, Gilles Bensimon, and Andrew MacPhearson.

”I was 104 pounds then, I was working too much, staying up too late and doing all the bad stuff you’re not supposed to be doing. So, it was life-saving when he brought me here.” before the Miss Teen Pennsylvania pageant in 1982, where television hostess Bonnie Barney spotted her and talked her into a modeling tryout.

Whisked away to New York City, promoter Carmine Verno shopped her at modeling agencies and decided on the famed Ford Agency. For a while she lived at agent Eileen Ford’s home, and her first job was a fashion spread in the back-to-school issue of Seventeen magazine. Ford decided Roberta needed some seasoning, and placed her in Munich, Germany, for about 18 months to get a feel for the European market.

Between 1986 and 1990, Roberta did lots of modeling, living in London, Paris and Milan. Work with photographer Oliviero Toscani landed her on the cover of many important women’s magazines worldwide.

Back in New York in 1992, one of Roberta’s Elle magazine covers caught the eye of Myers, then a member of Mellencamp’s band.

Mellencamp was dating Elaine Irwin, another of the Ford Agency models, and Roberta’s onetime roommate. Myers talked Irwin into making an introduction. Roberta was sick with the flu when Myers first came to her apartment. He brought her soup and took care of her. “He stayed and never left,” she said.

After 17 years in Mellencamp’s band, Myers quit when their son Cash was born in 1999, and Roberta quit modeling about the same time. Cash is now a senior at Brown County High School, planning on attending Indiana University next term.

Continued on 59

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 25

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church St. Rd. 135 N. half mile north of Bean Blossom (5802 Old Settlers Rd. Morgantown, IN) next to Brownie’s Restaurant

812-988-8057 www.shepherdofthehills.org.in

“Share the peace of the Lord with us.”

Excellent accessibility for handicapped

• SUNDAY DIVINE SERVICE 10:15 a.m.

• SUNDAY SCHOOL 9 a.m.—All children welcome • ADULT BIBLE STUDY 9 a.m.—All welcome FOOD PANTRY last Wednesday of the month 9–11 a.m.

Knives by Benchmade, Kershaw, Microtech, Esee, Tops, Protech, Zero Tolerance and many more

’ Luminox Watches (used by Navy Seals)

Fine Pipes and Tobaccos Premium Cigars

Things you can live without... bbut who wants to!

Old Colonial Bldg. 60 N. Van Buren St. Nashville, Indiana•812.988.6590 menstoyshop@yahoo.com•Visit us on Facebook

Guns and Ammo for Competition, Hunting, Sport, and Home Defense

26 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Variety of T-Shirts

Wooden Signs made in Southern Indiana

Nashville’s

O N LY

Guest Ranch

al times are All adventures & me call ahead ! open to the public – ommended – Rec ons ati erv Res –

T

rawhideranchusa.co

L RIDES RAI

m

BUCK INN

INES ZIP L

MEAL TIME

Open 7 days a week, Year round

AMENITIES INCLUDE: Cowboy Hotel • Cabins • Tipis • Guest Discounted Zips & Rides 24/7 Coffee Station • Corporate Retreats • Team Building Programs Geocaching • Free Wifi • 54 Acres of Land • Nightly Campfires Hiking • Fishing • Swing Set & Sandbox • Half Court Basketball 1292 St Rd 135 S, Nashville

812.988.0085

www.butlerwinery.com

info@rawhideranchusa.com

Brown County

3.5 x 4.5 A wonderful mix ofSize: Old, New, Used and Rare Cost: $667.00 Runs: April 2016 - April 2017

AUTHENTIC NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

A family-friendly pizza place PIZZA • SALADS • CALZONES

Not your usual bookstore…

Check out our new selection of journals and sketchbooks, and handmade greeting cards

140 W. Main Street • (812) 988-8800

45 S. Jefferson Street · Nashville, IN 812.988.0202 · fallenleafbookstore.com ·

FLBStore

Monday-Saturday 10 am – 5 pm | Sunday 11 am – 5 pm

In the heart of Nashville by the Village Green area at the intersection of Main and Jefferson Streets.

Dine-In or Carry-Out

Sun.–Thurs. 11am–9:00pm; Fri. & Sat. 11am–10:00pm

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 27

NEW LOCATION

the

Inn & Restaurant

A Charming 19th Century Style Inn and Restaurant

9 flavors of BEEF 3 flavors of TURKEY 3 flavors of BEEF BRISKET 3 flavors of BEEF STICKS 2 flavors of PORK 2 flavors of BACON Also: Elk, Boar, Buffalo, Venison, Gator, Rabbit, Salmon, Kangaroo, Turtle, Ostrich, and Trout Jerky Seasonings & Dips • Peanuts • Cheese Curds

125 S. Van Buren St. Artists Colony Shops (Between Toy Chest and Carol’s Gifts)

Nashville, IN • (812) 988-1592

Fallen Leaf Books Hoosier Artist

Brown Co. Art Guild

Jack and Jill Nut Shop

VAN BUREN ST

JEFFERSON ST

Agape Pearls Brown County Pottery Brown County Weavery and Roots For Bare Feet Ferguson House K. Bellum Leather Rich Hill’s Magic & Fun Emporium My Sister’s Shop Nashville Image Old Time Photography The Nashville Pickers Antique Alley on the West Side N & R Woodworking Nashville House Paint Box Art Gallery Primitive Spirit Out of the Antique Through the Looking Glass Ordinary Alley Wooden Wonders Shoppes FRANKLIN ST

28 Our Brown County March/April 2017

• 20 Guest Rooms, 3 Suites with Whirlpool Baths • Banquet and Conference Rooms for Retreats or Parties • Gift Certificates Available Serving Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Breakfast Buffet 7:30 am–10:30 am Monthly Dinner Theatre Shows At the corner of Van Buren and Franklin Streets in Nashville, Indiana

812-988-0600 • 800-737-0255

artistscolonyinn.com

Back-to-Back Complex

145 South Van Buren Street Established 2001

FREE in-store demos!

Old School Way and Pittman House Lane

(next to the Toy Chest, behind Sweetwater Gallery) Visit our website for class schedules www.wishfulthinking-in.com • 812-988-7009

PLY 4 YOU SIM Handmade & Unique Gifts • Hand-painted Signs • Homemade Body Scrubs • Giant Scrabble Letters • Solar-Changing Finger Nail Polish • Biker Bracelets • Painted Ball Jars And much more...

145 South Van Buren Street

Sepia Old Time Color Color Black & White

OVER 200 BACKGROUNDS 145 S. Van Buren St. Nashville, IN

Wild West • Prairie • Civil War • Roaring 20s and more!

812-350-8806

145 S. Van Buren Nashville, IN

Simply 4 You Gift Shop Simply_4_you@aol.com

Next to Artist Colony Inn, behind Sweetwater Gallery

Weekdays 10–6, Sat. 10–7, Sun. 10–6

812-988-7305

est. 1972

Doug Stoffer, Designer/Jeweler

Sweetwater Gallery featuring locally crafted:

Sterling Silver • Fine Diamonds Opals • Gemstones • Wedding Rings Titanium Bands • Austrian Lead Crystal For Quality and Price call 812-988-4037 Top Dollar Paid for Old Gold 150 S. Van Buren St. • Nashville

Stained Glass Paperweights Mosaic Mirrors Fabric Wallhangings also offering:

Pottery Kaleidoscopes Metal Sculpture Owners, Ron and Penny Schuster

145 S. Van Buren Nashville located in the Back-to-Back Complex 812-988-0449 www.schusterglass.com

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 29

Our

SANDWICH PLACE At the corner of Main & Van Buren Street (underneath the Nashville House) 812.988.2355

Family Friendly Menu Cooked from Scratch Breakfast • Lunch • Light Supper Breakfast Served All Day Tuesdays – Sundays, 8:30 – 5:30 or 6:00

Bob Knight Memorabilia and Brown County Sports

The Sunshine Shack

* REFRESH Something to “hit the spot” as you shop * REBOOT •Hot Dogs •Beer-soaked Brats * RE-ENERGIZE •Baked Beans •Tiny Pies •Slushees •Homemade Soft Drinks •Snow Cones •Floats •Tea •Coffee •Water •Homemade Ice Cream and Popsicles •Shakes and Sundaes • Cotton Candy •Fresh Squeezed Lemonade & Orangeade

Not pretentious. Not fancy.

JUST REAL GOOD FOOD. GATESVILLE COUNTRY STORE. It’s one of those places that you are excited to tell your friends about—a best-kept secret that’s too good to keep.

A place where the people are real and friendly, and they’re likely to know your name before long. The food is good, honest food that’s tasty and genuine. Made with heart and soul. We’re located off the beaten path, and maybe a bit hard to find—but worth the effort. It’s where the local folks go.

So, if you’re interested in finding a place that’s a little old-school and truly authentic Americana, come see us at Gatesville Country Store. Enjoy browsing the antiques, panning for gold in Salt Creek (behind the store), or just relaxing with a good meal or a piece of pie and some conversation.

4525 Salt Creek Rd. Nashville, IN 47448

(812) 988-0788

Served with a smile Little shack on S. Van Buren Street near the stoplight in Nashville

AAuthentic Mexican Cuisine Family Owned and Operated •Daily Specials •Kid’s Menu

FULL BAR AVAILABLE 812-988-4535 Carry Out Available COACHLIGHT SQUARE 101 E. Washington St. one block east of S. Van Buren St. (in front of the high school) in downtown Nashville

30 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Building Fine Log Homes for over 40 Years HONESTY • INTEGRITY • HANDCRAFTED QUALITY

3497 Clay Lick Road • Nashville, IN • (812) 988-2689

Want High Speed Internet in Your Neighborhood?

BEAN BLOSSOM Restaurant Good Food, Good Service, Good Prices

Our goal to bring exceptional Internet speed, reliability, and customer service to Brown County.

Help us determine where to expand next.

Complete our 2-Minute Survey msfiber.servicezones.net/brown Enter your address then click: “Take me to the survey”

All-You-Can-Eat

Catfish on Friday Nights Daily Specials Breakfast Served All Day

Bean Blossom SR 135 North • 988-1147 Open 7 days a week

This does not commit you to anything, only shows interest

Why Mainstream’s Fiber Optics?

• Greater bandwidth than traditional copper wires —no reduction in speeds when neighbors are online • Unlimited data—no caps or speed reductions • Fiber all the way into your home or business • Reliable hard-wired service with no interference from devices • Ready for the future—TV, phone, security systems, etc.

• Live customer support during business hours, 24 hour support line • Expedited support for all business plans • Local business that supports the community

Mainstream Fiber Networks (formerly BG Broadband) Providing high speed fiber Internet to rural Indiana communities, branching out from our Brown County roots

(812) 720-9423 • msfiber.net

Head over

Heels

• Minnetonka • Stetson n • Tilleyy Hats • Merrell

Gifts for home and happiness

Show this ad

Get $3 OFF

or more French Country Décor $20purchase Locally Made Items • Quilts Unique Gifts • Mona-B Handbags Madeline’s Famous Soy Candles

HATS HA ATS • FOOTWEAR • ACCESSORIES

Van Buren & Franklin Streets Nashville • 812.988.6301

49 S. Van Buren St. in Nashville • 812-988-6535 headoverheels@switched.com • fax: 812-988-6505

Vicki@MadelinesFrenchCountryShop.com www.MadelinesFrenchCountryShop.com

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 31

Coyotes of Brown County

~by Mark Blackwell

T

here is nothing like a clear night in Brown County; the stars hanging low in the sky, the snow in the woods glistening, lit by a full moon. The quiet is not just an absence of sound but a tangible part of the winter environment. On nights like this you can’t help but close your eyes and surrender to the ambiance. Your breathing slows

32 Our Brown County March/April 2017

your eyelids slowly lower and then…

AAAaaaiiiiiiiiiieeeee, YIP YIP YIP, Ai, Ai, Ai eeeeeeeeeeeee. Dang coyotes! That is what happened on the occasion of a recent night hike.

After you regain a modicum of composure (and/or shake out your pants) you might be of a mind to wonder about our wild canine neighbors. What is a coyote? Where did they come from? What is their place in the greater environment?

Why do they sneak around and instill terror in innocent ridge residents?

While I have been acquainted with Brown County for almost 50 years I didn’t get around to moving in permanently until 17 years ago. That was when I became acutely aware of coyotes.

I thought since I had quite a bit of experience with wildlife like rattlesnakes and copperheads, screaming owls, whippoor-wills with operatic vocal registers, my nerves had developed calluses. But none of those things prepared me for a particular full moon midnight in July of 2000 and my first encounter with what some Native Americans call “God’s dogs.”

That was the night of the day when my wife and I finally got the cabin in habitable condition and declared it to be so. It being a mild evening for July, we slept with the windows open. There is nothing quite so pleasant as drifting off to sleep in a comfortable bed with a cool breeze wafting over the sheets, while a distant whip-poor-will trills his lonely call. And that’s the way it was that night.

Until…

AAAaaaiiiiieeeee, yip, yip, yip, aaaaaiiiieeee, coyotes, right there, below the open window that provided the cool breeze wafting over my terror paralyzed body. As soon as I regained a semblance

of sensibility, I looked around for my wife and thought it was strange that she was not beside me in bed. It was when I discovered the claw marks on the wall and followed them up to the ceiling fan where she was latched on like a tree frog.

This situation prompted two reactions: number one, we got a dog, a really big dog, and two; I decided to find out all I could about these Brown county wolf wannabees.

First off, the Latin name for the coyote is Canis Latrans. I don’t know why. I don’t I don’t speak Latin.

Latin is a dead language anyway. There appears to be about eighteen sub-species of coyotes in North America. This is no doubt due to their lax morals and promiscuous behavior. In fact the coyotes we have in Brown County are a little bigger than some of the western varieties and that is the result of interbreeding with Grey Wolves. And if and when they’re in the mood they will even mate with your basic feral dog.

When this happens then coy-dogs result. And that particular hybrid is a coyote that has a lessened fear of humans and a little more curiosity and adaptability to human environments. Which means you should double lock your trash cans, your doors, and keep your small pets in the house at night. Coyotes are both scavengers and hunters.

Coyotes are, first and foremost, opportunists. They like to find stuff ready to eat like cat food, garbage, road kill, or other yummy offal. But they also like to dine on small rodents; mice, voles, rabbits just about anything furry up to the size of a lamb or even a small deer. You can sum up coyote food philosophy this way; if it is already dead it is dinner or if it’s

SWEET COZY LIVING in Nashville, Brown County •Home Decor •Accessories •Unique Clothing

•Brown County Shirts •Many Locally-made Items •Custom Chess Sets •and more...

47 E. Main St. Old School Way Behind Brown County Winery (812)360-1230 • Facebook.com/SweetCozyLivingLLC

small enough that it can be made dead, its dinner.

Of course finding garbage or something that is already deceased is much more energy efficient than hunting, but hunting has its appeal—who doesn’t like fresh food.

When I was a youngster, back in the dim, dark days of the middle of the last century, the only coyotes I knew about were in Westerns on TV. You know, like when the cowpokes would bed down at night, they would just get their saddles and bedrolls arranged and get all comfy in their blankets and that was the signal for the coyote opera to commence. That is to say, the coyote was rare but not a stranger to Indiana up until the 1970s.

The experts say the coyote population has doubled since the seventies, but I think at least fifty percent of the problem is that our human population exploded and moved into habitats that used to be the domain of our wild canine friends.

I know when I first moved to the ridge there were only three dwellings in two miles and now, seventeen years later, there are seven. So, there is really only one thing to do—learn to live with them.

While I don’t have an issue with noisy wildlife, in general, I still have a problem with all that yipping and yowling and screaming right up in my backyard. But, my big old, wonder dog keeps the coyotes down in the holler and at least a half mile away. The coyote opera sounds a little more like it does in the Westerns. However, I’m still a little spooked when I’m hiking on a back country trail and come across a scrap of a mailing label that says, “Acme Products.” 

There’s a wine for any palette!

Free tasting of our locally made wines.

You can choose from bold dry reds to refreshing whites and sweet fruit wines.

38 Franklin St. E. (Near the train) Nashville, IN (812) 988-1111 • cedarcreekwine.com Open 7 days a week 12 pm to 5 pm

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 33

photos by Mike Briner

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE DRINK L e t’ s meet at Sweetea’s

Lowest price drink free Must present ad Expires 12/31/17

*Bubble Tea *Sassafras Tea *Lunch Served Daily

South South o end of Nashvil le ju f the in Coac Shell Gas Statist hlight S quare on (81

225 S.

2) 988-

Van Bu re

6515

n St. Su

ite C

FREE WiFi Find us on the web at: www.SweeteasTeaShop.com

36 Our Brown County March/April 2017

The Ferguson

House

BROWN COUNTY INN HOTEL, RESTAURANT & BAR

78 W. Franklin Street Nashville 812-988-7388

Visit rooms of:

• Swan Creek Candles • Iron Decor • Home Accessories

• Holiday Decor

• Fashion Jewelry

• Man Cave

• Garden Accents

and more . . .

https://foxfire-fergusonhouse.com

1-800-772-5249 www.browncountyinn.com

Foxfire...

59 E. Main St. Nashville 812-988-8707

51 State Road 46 East Nashville, Indiana 47448

Renovated rooms!

• Fashion Apparel, Jewelry and Purses • Gifts and Home Decor • Personalized and Memoriam Gifts • Swan Creek Candles • Kitchen Accessories • Baby Gifts • Holiday Decor • Garden Decor facebook.com/Foxfire.TheFergusonHouse.FoxfireII

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 37

Dan Bilger, Kenan Rainwater, and Barry Elkins jamming last year.

Music and Mushrooms photos by Cindy Steele

with Barry Elkins

~by Cindy Steele

B

arry Elkins will tell you things have changed a lot in Brown County over the years. He has lived here all his life and remembers when Nashville felt a lot like Mayberry. “Punk Snider, the sheriff, didn’t carry a gun and whatever he ate for dinner the inmates in the jail did, too.

It was a small town and everybody knew everybody,” says Elkins. He calls the folks that moved here from cities “come heres” and the natives “from heres.”

“There are a bunch of ‘come heres’ that are good people with a good heart—they care about what is happening.” His buddy Dan Bilger is one of those, a city boy from Chicago. Bilger is almost like a brother to Elkins.

They have a special connection. They have been playing music together as Lucky and the Kid, and in several band configurations including the White Lightning Boys, for more than a decade. Elkins met Bilger while picking out at Bill Monroe’s with Dan’s neighbor Mike Nichols. Elkins knew Nichols since he was a teenager through his mom and dad’s church.

Elkins grew up around music. His mom and dad played the guitar, literally together—his mom picked while his father held the guitar and made the chords with his left

38 Our Brown County March/April 2017

Barry Elkins and grandchild Bryleah.

hand. His dad’s mom played the banjo.

Several family members on his mom’s side of the family played music including his uncle Otis Todd, who hosted a jam at his place for many years. Elkins picked around with his brother’s guitar but didn’t buy his own instrument until he was married and had his first child. “Smoke on the Water” was the first song he learned. Elkins’s daughter Heather says her mom talks about hearing that song a lot when they were first together.

The late Sean Harris patiently taught Elkins to play rhythm guitar. Harris and Elkins were asked to fill in for some members of the White Lightning Boys for a few gigs and then stayed on. Their

courtesy photos

band took off. Elkins took up the mandolin because there were already two guitar players and a banjo player.

Elkins is shy when it comes to playing in public. He closes his eyes when he plays in front of an audience so he doesn’t have to see them. He feels more at home picking with friends in a jam setting. He always encourages newcomers to jams to participate and keep the songs coming. Elkins says, “Music is like therapy for the soul….That is how me and Dan connect. He knows what I am going to do and I know what he is going to do. You follow each other. You communicate. It is a spiritual thing.”

Elkins finds many connections through music, family, friends, and nature.

His dad and grandpa often took Elkins hunting and fishing, so he “grew up in the woods.” Mushroom

hunting is a spring family tradition that he looks forward to every year.

“When Otis and my grandpa were young, when they were in their teens and twenties, they used to go along and see them [mushrooms] in the woods and kick them over. They wouldn’t even mess with them because people were afraid to eat them. They didn’t know what was poisonous. Then when everybody realized they could eat them—and these are good—everybody started picking them.”

More and more folks go on the hunt so the goal is to be there first.

Elkins explains that there are many types of mushrooms: blacks, grays, and yellows, woodsy types, dog peckers, umbrellas, and even more varieties. Mushrooms tend to grow better near certain kinds of trees.

He says elm trees are the best and then there are ash, poplar, sassafras, and sycamore. He has found some in recent years near oak trees.

Some years are better than others, says Elkins. The past two have not been good because of long cold snaps. Elkins says the best atmosphere for mushrooms is a special combination of ground/ air temperatures, and moisture

in the air. They do best if there is a two week stretch of “just right” conditions. Elkins checks with Bird Snider, local mushroom expert and fellow band member, to know when the morels are out and big enough to eat. Elkins’s trained eye can even spot them from a car.

“I just want to find enough so I can eat a mess or two, and I can find enough to give away to folks like Steve Payne’s mom—I give her some every year—and Art Knight’s mom who is 103 years old. The older generation, they appreciate what it is, what it took to get, and what it takes to prepare….It is all concrete and steel nowadays, and hunting mushrooms is getting back to the primitive, hunter/gatherer, primal instinct. It’s kind of nostalgic,” says Elkins.

Elkins experienced some changes in his family this past year.

He recently lost his father after a long illness. He also became a grandpa to Heather’s daughter Bryleah. “There’s nothing like it. You watch them grow,” says Elkins. He descibes the joy of being a parent, now a grandparent, and gives his wife Stephanie credit for “doing it all.” 

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 39

~by Sheryl L. Keeme t began with an old box of dusty seeds and germinated into a local food project here in Brown County, Indiana. And the project evolved into a not-for-profit organization called SEED Brown County (SEED), with a vision to bring locally-grown food to the tables of Brown County.

The visionary of the project, Torrie Birkemeier, says, “This project is about food growing and seed saving education.” The goal is to get people excited about seeds whose stories and genetics can be maintained, adapted, and passed on for future generations.

From her Western Pennsylvania days of pulling weeds in her aunt’s organic thyme garden, to growing ginger on a farm on the north shore of Kauai, Birkemeier has developed a deep appreciation for growing, seeds, and the feel of raising life from the richness of the earth.

Torrie was contacted by someone with a collection of seeds from an

I

courtesy photos

40 Our Brown County March/April 2017

SEED

iconic Brown County man, Jack Weddle. Torrie and her partner Kyle Birkemeier secured the seeds and began to unearth each dusty jar. The labels on most jars had faded, but the Birkemeiers were able to decipher some of the crop names Jack had written in red ink. As they opened a jar, treasured gems of F23 corn tumbled out. They realized they were holding a piece of Brown County history. The label “F23” meant that the man had bred this corn variety for 23 years. Weddle adapted the seeds to the unique growing conditions of Brown County.

The organization’s purpose would soon spill out in to the community in the form of seed swaps and a seed library project. Kyle had the idea to dedicate this new seed library project to Jack Weddle.

Brown County is not primarily an agricultural county like the other surrounding counties here in Southern Indiana. The topography is mostly steep, tree-covered ravines with heavy clay soils and unique growing conditions. After a year of research, Jack Weddle was the only person the Birkemeiers found to have bred his own corn and vegetable varieties in the county. The knowledge, seeds, and stories are, however, threaded through the community. It was a means of survival and existence here.

“SEED Brown County is as much a history project as an agriculture project. We are here to find those old seeds and stories. We are here to rediscover, to value, and pass along the tradition of saving those old seeds that have been adapted and feeding people here locally for the last hundred plus years,” says Torrie.

Developing the homesteading network and teaching “back-to-the-land” skills are at the core of programs at SEED Brown County. Torrie believes the Brown County community is ripe for ensuring the current movement toward “Farm to Table” growing.

Within the next few years Torrie wants to secure land where SEED can consolidate. She hopes to provide Brown County people with skills to cultivate food and meet more needs from within the community. She envisions a compost operation, seed saving gardens, and community dinners where people learn to process and preserve food while sharing in the harvest.

For more information check out the website <www.seedbrowncounty.org> or the Facebook page <www.facebook.com/browncountyseedproject>.

Torre Birkemeier can be reached at <torrie@seedbrowncounty.org >. 

Our mission is simple: To plant seeds.

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 41

calendar

Pine Room - Muddy Boots March 1 Open mic w/ Dave Sisson 7:00 March 2 Chuck Wills and Friends 7:00 March 3 Kade Puckett 6:00 Asleep at the Wheel

Nick Dittmeier 9:00 March 5 Chris Dollar Bluegrass Jam 7:00 March 8 Open mic w/ Alan Long 7:00 March 9 David Schroeder from

New Augusta String Band 7:00 March 10 Kade Puckett 6:00 March 11 Will Scott 6:00

Don Pedigo 8:30 March 12 Alan Long 8:00 March 15 Open mic w/ Jason Blankenship 7:00 Comedian Tim Cavanagh March 16 Silver Sparrow 8:00 April 1 March 17 Kade Puckett 6:00 Bob & Tom, Dr. Demento, Comedy Central March 18 Kristen Kuiper 8:00 Ladies for Liberty March 19 Dave Sisson 8:00 April 8 March 20 The Matchsellers 8:00 Andrews Sisters-style entertainment March 21 Joe Porter 8:00 Nostalgia, patriotism, songs you love March 22 Open mic w/ Joe Bolinger 7:00 Asleep at the Wheel March 23 Travers Marks 7:00 April 22 March 24 Kade Puckett 6:00 American country music band with Texas March 31 Kade Puckett 6:00 twin fiddles and boogie piano April 1 Chris Dollar Bluegrass Jam 7:00 The Bundys April 5 Open mic w/ Dave Sisson 8:00 April 29 April 7 Kade Puckett 6:00 Sibling country trio from Cincinnati April 8 Nathan Kalish 8:00 April 9 Alan Long 8:00 First run movies on the big screen April 12 Open mic w/ Alan Long 8:00 Check website for schedule April 14 Kade Puckett 6:00 April 16 Dave Sisson 8:00 70 S. Van Buren St. 812-988-6555 April 19 Open mic w/ Jason Blankenship BrownCountyPlayhouse.org 7:00 April 20 Silver Sparrow 8:00 April 21 Kade Puckett 6:00 April 22 Frank Jones 8:00 April 26 Open mic w/ Joe Bolinger 8:00 April 28 Kade Puckett April 29 Flatland Harmony Music most daysâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Not all dates were booked at time of publication 812-988-0236 and on Facebook

The schedule can change. Please check before making a trip.

Brown County Playhouse Brown County Bluegrass Bash March 4 Three of the best bluegrass bands in the region Brown County Youth Music Showcase and BETA teen benefit March 11 Featuring local youth talent and hosted

by Kara Barnard, Cari Ray-emcee Proceeds go to BETA teen center Silent auction of amazing items Irish Roots March 17 One Pulse Entertainment live music revue Shimmy & Shake March 24 Different Drummer Belly Dancers mix traditional belly dancing and modern music

Chateau Thomas Winery

42 Our Brown County March/April 2017

March 3 Will Scott March 4 Smokestack Lightning March 10 Bobbie Bowden

& Carolyn Dutton

March 11 Gary Applegate March 17 Fistful of Bacon March 18 Impasse March 24 Justin Case Band March 25 Barry Johnson March 31 TBA April 1 Amanda Webb CD Release April 7 Dave Miller April 8 Warrior Kings April 14 Indiana Boys April 15 Retro Brothers April 21 Impasse April 22 Marlinaires April 28 Jeff Foster & Amanda Webb April 29 Paul Bertsch Music 7:00-10:00 Fri. and Sat. 812-988-8500 ChateauThomas.com

Mike’s Music & Dance Barn Opening up March 11 with house band March 18 Ballroom Dance March 25 Country DJ Josh Dodds April 1 Bluegrass Show starts at 2:00 (Proceeds help Galtinburg fire victims) April 7 Indiana Forest Alliance Dance April 8 house band Smooth Country April 14 Terry Lee & Rock-a-Boogie Band April 15 house band Smooth Country April 29 house band Smooth Country 812-988-8636 mikesmusicbarn.com

Other Friday and Saturday Night Music Venues: Salt Creek’s 19th Hole Brown County Inn Seasons Lodge Big Woods

Bi-Annual Seed Swap March 4, Brown County Library 11:00am Swap starts noon Seed Brown County Presentation

Annual Plant Sale April 28-29, Brown County Library Friday 3:00-6:00, Saturday 10:00-2:00 Plants donated by area nurseries and gardeners. Proceeds support Brown County Public Library projects.

Annual Wildflower Foray April 28-30 at multiple locations in Brown County including T.C. Steele State Historic Site, Hoosier National Forest, Lake Monroe. Features wildflower and bird walks, wetlands hikes, a boat trip on Lake Monroe, nature photography 812-988-2785 www.tcsteele.org

Seed & Plant | Swap & Share April 29, Deer Run Shelter House 11:00 am. Bring seeds, plants, seedlings, roots, and cuttings.

Brown County Historical Society 60th Anniversary April 30, Brown County History Center/ Pioneer Village, 2:00 Music, refreshments, and tours.

Andy Rogers will be honored.

90 E. Gould St.

eXplore Brown County Spring Break March Madness March 1-31 Canopy adventure Costa Rica style. Learn about plants and animals.

Couch Potatoes Revolt April 1-30 15 different zip lines included on 4 tours.

Team building large or small groups. Can be combined w/ arrow tag or mini aerial tour. 812-988-7750 explorebrowncounty.com

Brown County Art Gallery Features works by 60 contemporary artists and early Indiana masters Artists Assoc. Spring Exhibit March 1-June 2 Wyatt LeGrand Workshop March 4, 10:00-4:00 2nd Sunday with the Artists March 12 Annual Victorian Tea April 9 3rd Sunday with the Artists April 15 Mabel B. Annis Student Art Exhibit April 22-May 7 Reception April 23 2:00-3:30 Corner of Main St. & Artist Dr. in Nashville 812-988-4609 browncountyartgallery.org

Bucks & Does Square Dances April 7, 8:00-10:30 at YMCA The YMCA is located at 105 Willow Street

Brown Co. History Center Open Thurs.-Sun. 11-4 Archives: Tues. and Fri. 1-4, North of the courthouse, Donations welcome

Indiana Raptor Center Live birds of prey, tours by appt. only.

Wed.-Sun. 11:00-5:00 Group programs available. Closed January and August.

812-988-8990 indianaraptorcenter.org

Brown County Art Guild Features the Marie Goth Estate Collection and contemporary art by more than 40 award-winning member artists.

Spring Show March March Madness PaintOut March 4 Special Artist Member Show April Slow Art Day April 8 Smith/Knapp Workshop April 28 48 S. Van Buren St. in Nashville 812-988-6185 browncountyartguild.org

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 43

Visit

Morgantown Serving Central Indiana since 1971 Visit our website

www.theclockconnection.com And Facebook

at House of Clocks

Lay-a-way and Gift Certificates available 75 W. Washington St. P.O. Box 29 Morgantown, IN 46160-0029 812-597-5414 Tues.–Sat. 11–5 pm (closed Sun. & Mon.)

ANTIQUES CO-OP 129 W. Washington St. • Morgantown, IN 46160 (In the old hardware store building)

Country Primitives Advertising Antique Garden Old Paint Early Smalls Open 6 Days (Closed Mon.)

Furniture, Art Architectural Elements Pottery The Odd and Unusual and A General Line Like us on Facebook

(812) 597-4530

Layaway Available

ART Beyond Crayons Creativity beyond the classroom Pick your • Art Lessons for All Ages Palette: • Group Painting Parties

• Birthday Paint Parties • Home Schooled Instruction

Judy D. Wells • owner, K–12 Licensed Educator • judydenisewells@gmail.com 79 S. Marion St. • Morgantown, IN • (317) 403-7147 Flexible hours including weekends and evenings

44 Our Brown County March/April 2017

10 miles north of Nashville on scenic State Road 135

THE FIREPLACE CENTER

Welcome W eelc to a Happy Place!

Complete line of: • Wood Stoves and Inserts • Gas Stoves and Inserts • Fireplaces Your first step to Energy INDEPENDENT LIVING 812-336-2053 1-800-344-3967

1210 W. 2nd St. Bloomington BloomingtonFireplaces.com • Weddings • Anniversary • Birthdays • Holidays • Funerals

Old and Young Love this Shop!

•Brown County Souvenirs Jackson Creek Village across from Casa Del Sol •Garden Flags •Yard Art on Washington in Nashville •Haitian/Mexican Metal Art (812) 988-2725 •T-Shirts •Toys •Gifts •Collectibles

2OFF

$

Three floors of hands-on learning and fun!

with ad up to 4 people, exp. 12/31/17 not valid with any other offer

OBC0117

TUXEDO RENTAL Flowers & Gifts (812)988-7045 y browncountyflorist.com

Open Mon.–Fri. 8:30 to 5, Sat. 8:30 to 4

188 S. Jefferson St. • Nashville

We Deliver to: Bloomington Columbus Morgantown Martinsville Trafalgar all Brown County

Where kids play to learn and adults learn to play!

kidscommons.org • 812-378-3046 309 Washington St. Columbus, IN

Downtown Columbus, a short drive from Nashville Open Tuesday–Saturday 10–5, Sunday 1–5

CARMEL CORN COTTAGE New Oriental Ice Cream New Popcorn Flavors

Double Dipped Bacon Popcorn Pickle Popcorn

Sweet Treats

In the Artist Colony Shops • 125 S. Van Buren St. (812) 988-2817 www.browncountytoychest.com

Carmel Coated Peanuts Chocolate Coated Bacon Strips Carmel Coated Bacon Strips

Free Samples

Show this ad & receive a FREE small drink or Caramel Puff with popcorn purchase.

Look for the red & white building at the north end of town

812-988-6011 • CarmelCornCottage.com March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 45

FIELD NOTES: Smell the Dirt

~by Jim Eagleman

T

he “muddy month of March,” as some friends call it, followed by the warming days of April, is a long awaited time for many. The wood pile gets a break from constant visits, daily trips to and from the shed come to a halt, and ashes frequently poured on the compost pile are reduced to a gray smeer. Snow shovels and windshield scrapers are stored away for another year. The snow blower wasn’t even used this winter. Neighbors and I only shoved off our hill one time. A few days of winter-like weather may remain, but roadside ditches full of chorus frogs, followed by spring peepers is a clue. We are well into spring.

My most vivid memory of spring had to do with a particular smell. It was like no other.

As a kid in our little Pennsylvania town, I remember a bulldozer my dad hired to remove a long-neglected pile of dirt. It arrived one warm spring day to level the area. I had just returned from school in a wool sweater nearly soaked and itchy. I heard the roar of the engine as I walked up our hill.

Near the house, the dirt pile was a favorite haunt for my buddies and me. Tunnels, ditches, and twig bridges made up our little town for our toy trucks and tractors. The operator waved at me, then motioned to the pile. He saw the toys on top and pointed to them.

It took several trips up and back to get them out of the way, then I stood back with a small bulldozer in my hand. Tall, black smoke plumes and loud clanging

46 Our Brown County March/April 2017

of the tracks kept me captivated as I watched the machine tear into the hill. Massive amounts of dirt were scraped off with each passing. By suppertime, it was reduced to a clean and smooth pad. But what held my attention, lasting for several days, was the smell of the newly exposed earth.

We remarked about the aroma of fresh dirt permeating the air that night at supper. My mom said she loved to think a flower garden would happen if the new flat area could be planted. But my dad, a veterinarian with a private practice, had other plans.

The area was to enlarge a small parking lot for his patients. Soon cars parked where the dirt pile once stood.

When it came time to plant our vegetable garden, I smelled the new soil again. My dad walked behind a tiller. Long rows of beets, peas, and bean seeds were sprinkled in the furrows. The large vegetable garden supplied us with all the produce we’d need for the year.

It was an important family project, but it looked like all work to me. I held the dirt clumps, soft, cool, and crumbly, up to my nose and turned them over and over. At the end of the row, he yelled to me to get a can to hold all the fat earthworms he found. My education about soil was to continue.

When we went fishing later, sitting on a stream bank, I felt the mucous-like slime on the worm as I baited a hook. My dad said the liquid body covering was to help them breathe, and that with a pair of tiny

hooks on each body segment, they moved through the dirt. Then he asked if I knew what earthworms eat. I shook my head. He said, “They eat leaves and tiny roots in the soil…and make dirt.” He was always a teacher, and to explain he took a piece of glass and placed it on top of a flashlight he had in his tackle box. He laid a stretched out worm on top of the glass and turned on the light. The zig-zag intestine showing thru like an x-ray revealed a long string of dirt. Earthworms make dirt.

I learned castings, or particles of digested materials that pass through a primitive digestive system of the earthworm, create soil. They contain a highly active biological mixture of bacteria, enzymes, and remnants of plant matter. What worms we didn’t use for fishing were to be returned to the garden.

Overwhelmed with each technical lesson, I just wanted to know about the smell of the new dirt when the bulldozer came. He suspected the aroma was the result of turning over of old dirt onto new. When the new soil was exposed to air he said, the rich odors of decomposing dirt, decaying vegetation, and bacteria is released. He wasn’t too far off.

Years later, I wondered why as a wildlife student I was required to take a class about soils. An agronomy professor remarked the first day of the term if we wished to learn about wild animals, many of them herbivores, we young biologists had better know something about soils that grow the plants they consume. Among other things, we learned a “fresh earth” smell is most likely released from a compound called geosmin. It is an organic compound produced by a group of soil microorganisms called actinomycetes. Under a microscope they appear like a cross between a fungus and a bacteria, and were originally called thread bacteria. Once exposed, these thread-like microscopic particles join oxygen to create the earthy odor.

We’re told to “stop and smell the roses,” with each outing, a reminder that enjoyment comes from the actual journey, not so much the destination. To that I would add, “stop and smell the dirt.” It’s an easy thing to do on your next spring hike, or standing next to a bulldozer, or with a shovel in your hand. 

• Rooms with balcony views • Enclosed pool • Restaurant • Lounge • Conference facility for up to 600 people

560 State Road 46 East, Nashville, IN 812-988-2284 • SeasonsLodge.com

Historic Nashville House Serving the traveler since 1859 with old-fashioned hospitality Corner of Main and Van Buren Streets in Nashville, Indiana 812-988-4554 March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 47

el Slide ter Chann Wa ns ets tai Foun ump Buck l D re rfal Wate and mo

There is always something to do in Indiana’s largest State Park: Aquatic Center, Horse Back Riding, Mountain Bike Trails, Fishing, Tennis...

Our full service restaurant is open daily.

We have the room for you!

Brown County State Park 160 accommodations: guest rooms, P.O. Box 547 Nashville, IN 47448 Abe Martin Lodge and two-story cabins, historic cabins.

1-877-Lodges-1 • (812) 988-4418 Ask about our pet-friendly rooms. the Little Gem Restaurant www.indianainns.com We have the perfect setting for any event, Corporate Retreats, Weddings, Getaways and Family Reunions and More!

Celebrating 30 Years

Award Winning Indiana Wines

· Brown County Winery ·

Try our newest line of Chateau Gnaw Boné fruit and dessert cordials NEW! Outdoor patio seating at our Gnaw Bone location

Complimentary Wine Tastings Village of Nashville East Main St. and Old School Way Winery in Gnawbone 4520 State Road 46 East · Nashville

Voted one of the Best Winery experiences in indiana!

VOteD #1 ON trip aDViSOr

Shipping available to select states PassPorts stamPed Here

BrownCountyWinery.com · 812-988-6144 · 812-988-8646 OpeN Daily | Monday–Thursday 10 am-5 pm | Friday & Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm | Sunday · 11 am-5 pm 48 Our Brown County March/April 2017

#1 Rated on TripAdvisor Custom gift certificates for all occasions

New Look and Expanded Hours

Women’s boutique, kids and teen clothing, men’s clothing, and household items Designer Labels: Anne Klein Chico Stone Mountain Duluth Coldwater Creek Eddie Bauer Coach

Talbot’s Gloria Vanderbilt Tommy Hilfiger Harley Davidson Calvin Klein Vera Wang Liz Claiborne and many others

Selling gently used items to benefit Brown County.

Accepting clothing and household item donations.

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:00 to 4:00 Fridays noon to 4:00 1st and 3rd Saturdays 10:00 to 1:00

Visit our website for best deals and availability: corn erstoneinn .com

Look for the signs Like us on Facebook at Brown County Community Closet, Inc.

South Van Buren in Nashville (near stoplight, behind Subway) (812) 988-6003

888-383-0300 • 54 e. franklin st. downtown nashville

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 49

Nashville, Indiana’s #1 Fun Attraction

COPPERHEAD CREEK

GEM MINE Pan for Gems Fossils Arrowheads

All New Guest Rooms and Suites with Kitchenettes

Fun and Educational for All Ages

At the

Book Your Meeting, Banquet, or Reception at our Conference Center

BROWN COUNTY

ROCK and FOSSIL SHOP

Just North of the Courthouse 79 N. Van Buren ~ (812) 988-2422 www.visitbrowncounty.com/welcome.asp

4th Sister

Vintage Store

Repurposed home décor, memorabilia & collectibles

Olde Magnolia House Inn 3 large, private overnight rooms above 4th Sister Vintage store filled with vintage items, extra blankets, quilts, pillows, games, smart cable TVs BOOK ONLINE! 614.638.8849 • 213 South Jefferson • OldeMagnoliaHouseInn.com

50 Our Brown County March/April 2017

2450 State Road 46 East, Nashville, IN Close to Salt Creek Golf Course, Brown County State Park www.creeksideretreat.net Toll free 844-4RETREAT (844-473-8732)

GRANDPA JEFF’S

Trail Rides Relax on a journey with Grandpa Jeff. ff.

Take in the scenery and wildlife.

No two rides will ever be the same —sunny summer days, fall colors, winter snowfalls, spring blossoms.

Trail Rides, Pony Rides, Hay Rides Cattle Drives, and Custom Excursions

At least one hour notice.

Trail Ride Reservations can be made by phone, e-mail, or through our website.

Grandpa Jeff personally trained our horses to take exceptional care of your family and friends of all ages.

call or text www.GrandpaJeffsTrailRides.com cell (812)272-0702 info@GrandpaJeffsTrailRides.com 5889 S. Skinner Rd. Morgantown, Indiana

Ethereal

Day spa & Salon

Spring Glow Manicure · Pedicure Sauna · 1/2 Hour Massage Body Sugar Scrub 1/2 Hour Hot Tub Soak

PINE ROOM MUDDY BOOTS

Pick Any 3 Services

$99

25% Off Spa Packages · Tuesdays & Sundays · Appointment Required

Book Online! EtherealDaySpaAndSalon.com 812.720.9009 · 211 S. Van Buren · Nashville, 2nd floor Mon–Thurs 11-7 · Fri & Sat 10-7 · Sundays by appointment 10-5

Hoosier Buddy Liquors Cold Beer, Fine Wines & Select Spirits Cold Beer:

Hoosier Buddy offers more than 150 different beers, including more than 80 craft, micro, and imports.

We proudly offer a wide variety of beers from Indiana’s finest brewers.

Fine Wines:

Hoosier Buddy is a wine-lovers type of store. With more than 200 wines to choose from, we’ve got something for everyone. Check out our “Affordable Imports” and “90+ Point” selections.

Select Spirits:

Hoosier Buddy offers an ever expanding array of top-notch spirits. Our whiskey category alone includes more than 75 different choices. Whether you’re looking for a Single Barrel Bourbon or a Single Malt from Islay— we stock them.

284 South Van Buren (next to Subway) Nashville, IN 812-988-2267

Follow us on Twitter @HoosierBuddy1 As always, Hoosier Buddy Liquors A reminds you to celebrate safe —don’t drink and drive.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner Open Every Day 8 am–Midnight View our menu at PineRoomTavern.net

All Ages Welcome • Kids Menu •E Espresso D Drinks i k • Homemade Desserts • Breakfast until 5:00 pm • Pool P l Tables T bl • Dart Boards • Craft ft B Beer/Wine /Wi & S Spirits

Live Music 7 Nights a Week (812) 988-0236 51 E. Chestnut St. • (behind Salt Creek Inn) State Road 46, Nashville Free Parking

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 51

Hoosier Hysteria I

~by Jeff Tryon

t’s sectional time again, but the “Hoosier Hysteria” of high school basketball that I remember from my youth seems to have dissipated with the demise of single-class tournament high school basketball in Indiana.

Just a few decades ago, basketball was big in Brown County—everywhere in Indiana, for that matter. I mean unbelievably huge.

On weekend nights, the old Brown County High school gym would be packed. Normally placid people, grown adults, would become rabid fans, yelling and screaming and even cursing until it sometimes seemed the building would explode from sheer tension and exhilaration.

People watched every move and nuance on the court with intense attention and close contests felt like life-or-death situations. When the hometown crowd would erupt angrily after a bad call in a tight game situation, you got a real clear look at what a lynch mob might be like.

I guess that was a part of the magic. It gave people a chance to vent their pent up anger and tensions and feelings of unfairness in the world. People got very emotionally involved and experienced what the Greeks called “catharsis.”

When Helmsburg High School won the Franklin Sectional in 1949, they nearly burned the town down.

“There wasn’t a spare automobile tire left, very little lumber, and darn few boxes when the celebration finally died down,” said one news account which put the number of post-game revelers at 500. “And if anyone had wanted to traverse through Helmsburg on State road 45 they would have been out of luck. Square dancing was a part of the celebration.”

When the Nashville Broncos arrived back in town after their 1959 Sectional win, they

52 Our Brown County March/April 2017

“…were treated to a ride on the fire truck, ringing of the courthouse bell ‘for the first time in ten years,’ a downtown parade climaxed by a bonfire, and a free meal at the school’s cafeteria. All night, Nashville revelers chanted the praises of their history-making Broncos—and they had plenty to rehash.”

When the consolidated Brown County High School won the Columbus sectional in 1972, “The jubilant celebration began with the sound of the final gun Saturday night and, in the case of one adult group of Eagle boosters, was reported still to be going on Monday afternoon,” according to news accounts.

“On being let out of school Monday morning, high school students picked up where they had left off Saturday, parading in car caravans and generally whooping it up.”

And when the 1976 team set the bar by winning not only the sectional, but the county’s first regional crown, it is safe to say the whole county went wild.

There were all the usual championship hijinks, along with one more that has been immortalized in print: the celebratory burning of outhouses “… in the intersection

of state roads 135 and 46 in Nashville. No one asked was certain where the outhouses came from, but the coach remembered it taking place after more than one game.”

I’m not quite sure just why abandoning single class basketball let the air out of the balloon, but I feel like it did. I can’t really picture these spontaneous countywide celebrations recurring today.

I guess that David-and-Goliath idea, the underdog dream, is so deeply rooted in us as Americans, Hoosiers, Brown Countians.

For example, notice the tone of this editorial following Brown County’s 1972 Sectional win over Columbus North: “I would imagine that for those boys, as well as for the rest of us, beating Columbus was as important as winning the sectional…

“Somehow it has seemed in the past years that no matter how good our team has been and how hard they have tried, they have been destined to lose to Columbus.”

Year after year, you are routinely beaten down by the powers that be, by bigger schools with more players and more resources. But you never give up on the home team.

But deep in his heart, the true fan always hopes, always dreams about that glorious day, that miracle upset, that magical shot, when the tables will be turned and the lowly raised up over the mighty, and for once, if only for one gleaming moment, the underdog will be lifted to sublime, transcendent victory.

This is why the ultimate moment in Indiana basketball history is the “Mighty Milan” upset of Muncie Central in the 1953–54 state championship game. That game became the model for the movie Hoosiers, because it touches on the very heart of the Hoosier Hysteria—that on any given day, in any given game, unforeseen by anyone, the lesser just might prevail over the greater.

It seems like those times are gone. Single class basketball is just a fading memory, abandoned by the Indiana High School Athletic Association in 1996 in favor of the multi-class tournament.

I’m sure people have found other outlets in which to express their raw passions and most delicate and desirable hopes and dreams. I’m sure they must find some other way to get their feelings out, something else to shout and scream and get all worked up about.

But we no longer do it together, as a community. 

SPRING CLEAN-UP April 29

Document Shredding 9 am – Noon • Front Parking Lot

Unused Medicine Disposal 8 am – Noon • At the Drive-Thru

May 20

Brown County Tire Festival 8 am – 2 pm • Enter from Greasy Creek Rd. Brown County Residents Only

W/O RIM W/RIM Car Tires FREE/Limit 20* $1 Light Truck FREE/Limit 20* $1 Racing Slicks FREE/Limit 15* $6 Truck/Semi FREE/Limit 8* $6 Off Road $6/Limit 8* $10 Tractor $10/Limit 8* $15 *Call for residential FREE voucher for quantities over limits

If you need assistance transporting up to 20 tires we will haul for FREE on Friday 5/19 from 8 am to 4 pm. Limited Space.

June 3

Electronic Waste Disposal

8 am – Noon • Follow Signs to Back Property

$20 Disposal Fee for TVs or Computer Monitors 812-988-0140

176 Old State Road 46 • Nashville, IN browncountyrecycles.org March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 53

Brothers ~by Jeff Tryon

O

ur personalities, dispositions, character, and outlook on life are shaped by early family relationships.

I was born the third of four brothers and grew up in a tight-knit, nuclear family, in a homogenous rural community. Growing up, brothers spend more time with one another, by far, than with any other human beings.

The times you spend with your brothers are from the formal to the extremely intimate—happy, sad, bored, afraid, brave, triumphant—the entire range of emotions.

I grew up extremely close with my brothers, in the splendid rural isolation of Brown County. With the exception of school, we spent almost all of our time with each other, playing in the woods and fields, or, on rainy days, in the old cabin that sat out back.

54 Our Brown County March/April 2017

My parents were both born at the end of large family groups and were basically raised by their older siblings.

They had a strong sense of family—almost clannishness.

They expected the family to stick together and help one

another whether they wanted to or not.

My mother insisted that we brothers get along tolerably well. She did not permit you to say, “I hate you” to your brother—it just wasn’t allowed. She always patiently told us that one day, our brother would be among our very best friends.

You can both love your brother and be driven crazy by something he’s doing at the same exact time. Just because you aren’t allowed to hate someone doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to like them every minute of every day.

There is a natural hierarchy among brothers, usually led by the eldest (or sometimes, the strongest-willed) and everybody seems to follow along—a natural solidarity that is beneficial for organization, edification, and mutual defense.

Living with three brothers is an ongoing seminar in managing group dynamics.

Being third in birth order, I pretty much just did whatever my brothers wanted to do all the time. Later in life, I realized that I got all of my pertinent information and skills in life from one of my brothers.

Brothers have a way of working together, blending their best talents for the best possible outcome. After spending so much time together, they have worked out ways of communicating in shorthand and cooperating naturally, almost unconsciously.

This may start with building tree-limb wigwams in the backyard as little boys and last well into retirement—when the one who can fix cars helps the one who is good at doing taxes.

Many hands make light work.

The Bible says, “A brother is born for adversity.”

Sometimes it is helpful in life to know that no matter what else happens, no matter your own personal faults or failings—even if the whole world has turned its back on you—there is someone who is always in your cornerready to help out if they can.

Your brother sticks with you through thick and thin. He doesn’t allow other people to take advantage of you, because that would reflect on HIM. He is always conciliatory, comforting, a fair sounding board, an encourager and supporter.

Even if your brother thinks you might be crazy

Male Instinct

“A Different Spin on a Man’s Store”

Gifts Apparel

• Northern Sportswear • Hats, Gloves, Billfolds Accessories • Ultimo Fragrance • Old Guys Rule • Knives • Themed items Hot Stuff • Military the maleinstinct.com

75 S. Van Buren St. • Nashville • (812) 988-1964

BONE APPETIT BAKERY For Dogs

• Premium, all-natural treats since 1997 • Over 20 varieties from low-fat to grain-free • Gourmet and seasonal snacks, too

Get a FREE Sampler bag of natural dog treats with $10 purchase and this ad.

DOGS WELCOME! (812) 988-0305

Open 7 days 211 S. Van Buren St. (behind Shell station)

www.barkingood.com

Too Cute at Abe’s Corner

Open daily 9:00 - 7:00 Free Parking

Large selection

Women’s Women’s and and Children’s Clothing Children’s Clothing Handmade Handmade Purses Purses

145 S. Jefferson Nashville in the little white house

58 East Main Street Nashville, Indiana (next to Brown County Courthouse) www.browncountycraftgallery.com

open daily 10–5 • 812-988-7058

Continued on 58

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 55

Open 7 days a weekk ffor llunch, O h dinner, and late night • FLAT SCREEN TVs to watch your favorite sports • GREAT MENU: sandwiches, appetizers, and salads • FULL BAR with GREAT DRINK SPECIALS every day • LIVE ENTERTAINMENT most Friday and Saturday nights • KIDS always welcome until 9 pm • KIDS menu • Outdoor seating Located on the lower level at Salt Creek Golf Course 2359 State Road 46 East, Nashville 812-988-4323 • View full menu and entertainment schedule at www.saltcreekgolf.com

BROWN COUNTY March 4

Brown County Bluegrass Bash

P E R F O R M I N G March 11

A R T S

C E N T E R

St. Patrick’s Day, March 17

March 24

Irish Roots

Brown County Youth Music Showcase

Shimmy & Shake

Three of the best bluegrass bands in the region perform live | $12

Live concert featuring local musical talent, a BETA Teen Center benefit, hosted by Kara Barnard | $12

One Pulse Entertainment live music revue derived from the music of Ireland | $18.50 & $17.50

Different Drummer Belly Dancers mix traditional belly dancing and modern music. All ages show $15, $13 & $10

April 1

April 8

April 22

April 29

Ladies for Liberty

Asleep at the Wheel

Andrews Sisters-style entertainment. Nostalgia, patriotism and the songs you know and love. All ages | $15.50 & $14.50

American country music band with Texas twin fiddles and boogie piano. Winner of 10 Grammy Awards | $36.50

Comedian Tim Cavanagh Bob & Tom, Dr. Demento, Comedy Central regular! Hilarious jokes, clever songs, all ages | $21.50

live entertainment and movies 812.988.6555 · BrownCountyPlayhouse.org Showtimes 7:30 pm · Tickets & schedule online · Beer, wine & concessions available Box Office: Thursday–Sunday | 70 S. Van Buren · Nashville, IN

56 Our Brown County March/April 2017

The Bundys Sibling country trio from Cincinnati, featuring tunes from their new album | $14 & 13

Movie Events

and the latest releases

THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS

Get away in comfort

The Overlook Lodge Full size living room, dining area, kitchen and a deck or patio

Every room has an outstanding view of the golf course and Brown County State Park

One or two bedroom units with the luxuries of home Great rates

A Condominium-Style Hotel

Golf packages available

2359 State Road 46 East 2.5 miles east of Nashville

Stay one night or long term

812.988.7888 SaltCreekGolf.com

Seasonal outdoor pool & hot tub 18 hole golf course Driving range & pro shop 19th Hole Sports Bar & Grille

Visit us at Facebook/SaltCreekGolf

BROWN COUNTY

Hometown Proud Local Grocery Store Serving Beautiful Brown County Since 1975!

• Certified Angus Beef • Large Beer and Wine Sections • Organic Grocery • Dairy • Picnic Supplies • Produce • Full Service Bakery/Deli • Frozen • Custom Cake Decorating • Wine • Custom Deli Trays, Veggie Trays, Fruit Baskets, and Gift Baskets Ever-Growing Selection of Gluten-Free Products 30 Hawthorne Dr. • Nashville • East SR 46 at light • 812-988-4546 March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 57

Copies of the book are available for checkout at the library, but even those who have not read the book are invited to Rawl’s April 4 talk.

Previous Brown County Reads programs have featured authors Philip Gulley, Scott Russell Sanders, Mike Mullin, and a biographer of “Charlotte’s Web” creator E.B. White. BROTHERS continued from 55

T

his year’s community book read selection is “Positive” by Indianapolis native Paige Rawl, a memoir which details the severe bullying she faced as a teen born HIV-positive, and how she coped with it.

The fifth annual Brown County Reads program, cosponsored by the Brown County Public Library and the Brown County Literacy Coalition, will include a talk by Rawl from 7 to 8:30 p.m. April 4 at the library. The “meet the author” event is free and open to all.

Before the talk, she will meet with high school and junior high students in Nashville.

Rawl is now a college student working on degree in entrepreneurship and business. She is also hopes to start her own organization for HIV education and anti-bullying advocacy.

“It’s a complicated and sometimes sad and seriously beautiful world we live in,” Rawl said in her 2014 book. “There’s plenty of work to be done.”

The book is the top best-selling teen book dealing with illnesses on amazon.com, and ranks in the top 10 for teen books on both bullying and social activist biographies on the website.

58 Our Brown County March/April 2017

for trying something, he will support you just because you are his brother.

If you are lucky and you have a good relationship with your brothers, this close bond lasts beyond childhood. When I watched my father with his brothers, huddled together at some family event, laughing and talking in some lifelong shorthand of shared experience, I was seeing into my future, sitting around with my own brothers over a holiday table, laughing and talking about things only we remember or even care about.

Coincidently, my wife grew up in a family of four sisters, so we have sort of mirror families in that regard. I would venture to say most of these virtues of brotherhood apply equally to sisterhood.

Now, my granddaughter has four young boys, and I am getting a chance to study this “all brothers” family dynamic from another angle.

Of course, times are different now, but some things never change. Watching them play together in the back yard, I glimpse that same barefoot band of brothers of my own childhood.  >>>> NOW<<<<

Brown County

KOA

>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<< formerly Last Resort RV Park

Open April–October

2248 State Road 46 East • Nashville, IN Minutes away from fine dining, shopping, museums, live entertainment, and theater

Info: 812-988-4675 • Reservations: 800-562-9132 www.browncountykoa.com

ROBERTA CHIRKO continued from 25 And for Roberta, now 50, Brown County has become a healing and welcoming home.

“I did all those fantastic voyages and did all those amazing things but it really didn’t mean anything to me. This is way more important to me … finding my own morel mushroom is a sense of achievement to me. And having friends who will teach you how to knit.”

Her first Brown County job was at Ruth’s Garden, followed by a stint at Village Green preschool, where Cash attended.

In 2008, she and Tyra Miller opened Muddy Boots restaurant on Van Buren Street.

“I was newly sober and I needed a place to go that wasn’t alcohol-related that people could get together and have a good time,” she said.

It was hard work and long hours, but she met artists and other locals who had the spirit of lending a hand when something needed doing. She stuck with it for about 18 months before realizing how stressful the job was, and handing it over to Miller.

The restaurant has new owners and has since moved.

Other jobs came and went. She worked in an accounting office, then at the For Bare Feet sock factory and retail store.

A part-time job at the Art Guild led to the job as gallery manager in 2015. She’s passionate about the Guild’s long and distinguished history and says the job has been a good match for her people skills and a knack she has for displaying works of art. And she’s working hard to make the Guild even more a part of the community and welcoming to all.

Jill Perlman was Roberta’s agent for more than 30 years, and is now with Iconicfocus, an agency which represents supermodels of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. She said she has “begged” Roberta to resume her modeling career.

The message of Iconicfocus, she said, is that fashion is ageless and women want to see what other real women look like.

Perlman said it was Roberta’s eyes and smile that made her a great model. “She just lit up the camera,” Perlman said.

A person can be beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside, she said.

“Roberta has both.” 

“Affordable Fashion”

LEATHER

•Men’s and Women’s Jewelry •Leather Wallets and Purses •Leather Accessories •Custom-sized Leather Belts •Women’s Clothing

62 Washington Street • Nashville, Indiana • (812) 988-1825

Lightspinner STUDIO

Martha Sechler Unique Watercolors Mixed Media Gourd Art

4460 Helmsburg Rd. Nashville, IN • 812-988-7379 Open whenever home. Call ahead.

Oak Fires Glass Studio

Memorial Cremation Glass Art

Marbles and pendants handmade with cremated ashes by a Bloomington glass artist

(812) 322-3991 OakFiresGlassStudio.com

Old McDurbin % Gold & 50 Gifts

OFFLRY E JEW

Customized

• Anklets • Bracelets • Necklaces

Watches Sterling Silver 1000’s of Pendants Rings 58 E. Main Street (next to courthouse) March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 59

SERVICES

60 Our Brown County March/April 2017 ANTIQUES

AUTO - TIRE, REPAIR, TOW

BANKING NAME YOUR CATEGORY

Plum Creek Antiques Open-Air Market Bean Blossom

Serving the Community for over 100 years

â&#x20AC;˘ Fruit Jars â&#x20AC;˘ Garden Art â&#x20AC;˘ Furniture â&#x20AC;˘ Iron Things, â&#x20AC;˘ Lots of Junk and more

24-Hour Towing

5 minutes north of Nashville (intersection of SR 135 & SR 45)

(812) 988-6268

RECYCLING NAME YOUR CATEGORY

BROWN COUNTY RECYCLE CENTER Drive Thru: Tues.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Fri. 8 amâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;4 pm Sat. 8 amâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;noon Office: Mon.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Fri. 8 amâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;4 pm Recycled at Drive Thru: â&#x20AC;˘ Cardboard / Paperboard / Brown Paper Bags â&#x20AC;˘ Glass Bottles (Brown, Clear, and Green) â&#x20AC;˘ Magazines and Newspaper â&#x20AC;˘ Metal Food and Beverage Cans â&#x20AC;˘ Office Paper and Junk Mail â&#x20AC;˘ Plastics including clam shells, tub containers â&#x20AC;&#x201D;NO STYROFOAM OR GROCERY BAGSâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; 176 Old State Road 46 Nashville, IN

(812) 988-0140 browncountyrecycles.org

NAME YOUR YOURCATEGORY CATEGORY

SERVICES DIRECTORY Reach both LOCALS and TOURISTS

Single Block $50 Double Block 70 Prepay Discounts: 5% OFF 2 or more issues 15% OFF prepay a year

6 issues a year

Paint & Body

$5 OFF Alignment Full Collision Repair

Contact us today for all your banking needs

Garage

Full Mechanical Garage Brakes, Engine, Transmission 2 & 4 Wheel Alignment

www.psbanywhere.com 41 S. Hawthorne Dr. Nashville, IN 47448 (812) 988-6633

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big to Small, We Do it All!â&#x20AC;?

1814 N. St. Rd. 135 â&#x20AC;˘ Nashville

812-988-7518

AUTO - TIRE, REPAIR, TOW TIRE & Auto Repair

Brown County Tire 24 hr. Wrecker Service

812-988-8473 27 Salt Creek Rd (Intersection SR 46) Nashville CAMPGROUND

Bill Monroe Music Park and Campground Just five miles from Nashville, IN One Southern Indiana's largest campgrounds

â&#x20AC;˘ Over 55 acres with walking trails â&#x20AC;˘ Over 300 water/electric sites â&#x20AC;˘ 30 amp and 50 amp hookups â&#x20AC;˘ Over 300 tent sites General camping May thru October â&#x20AC;˘ Camping cabin rentals

â&#x20AC;˘ 2 dump stations â&#x20AC;˘ Wi-Fi â&#x20AC;˘ Heated/AC showerhouse â&#x20AC;˘ Laundry facility â&#x20AC;˘ Stocked fishing lake

CONSTRUCTION

WALTMAN CONSTRUCTION CO. Owens-Corning Preferred Contractor

LLicensed and Insured â&#x20AC;˘ 15 years total replacement warranty for roofs available

Don Waltman

Roof Coatings, Metal/Shingle Roofs, Remodels, Ro Power Washing and Sealing, Barns, (812) 327-1994 Garages, Decks, Siding, Windows and Doors, waltmanconst@aol.com G and all construction needs and services!

References Available

DIRECTORY

March/April 2017 • Our Brown County 61

LANDSCAPING

HEALTH

VALUABLE COUPON • Mulching - Seeding NEED HELP? • Weeding - Pruning • Tree / Shrub Planting • Fences - Walkways • Retaining Walls • Mowing / Trimming (812) 988-7232 • Flower / Herb Beds

146 E. Main St., Nashville

812-988-9890

We Can Do It All!

Complete Landscaping/ Design Services

HEALTH FOR “U” H Mon.–Sat. 10–5

facebook.com/healthforu1604

Limit 3.

Must have coupon for discount. Expires 04/28/17.

(4, 16, or 32 oz.)

Save $ S $2.00 2 00 on R Roll-On, ll O Gel, G l Spray S Indiana Amish Natural Chickens and Indiana Raw Honey sold here! Also, Bison and Elk.

SAWMILL

REAL ESTATE

Helmsburg Sawmill

Logging to Lumber

Inc.

Pool Enterprises, Inc.

Custom Log Home Lumber Packages ~ Posts ~ Beams Rafters ~ Barn Siding ~ Board & Batten ~ Firewood Mulch ~ Sawdust ~ Buyers of Standing Timber

812-988-6161

www.helmsburgsawmill.com • helmsburgsawmill@gmail.com facebook.com/helmsburgsawmillinc

INSURANCE

Christy McGinley-Hughes

812-988-2227 www.browncountyhomes.com

BAGGED TRASH DROP OFF

AUTO HOME LIFE BUSINESS 812-988-6399

cmcginley@farmersagent.com

146 E. Main St. Redbud Terrace Nashville, IN

TEEN CENTER NAME YOUR CATEGORY

REAL ESTATE

Erin

Kelli

(812) 606-6275 Danny Key, Managing Broker www.browncountyrealty.com

$2 Bag • Salt Creek Plaza • Nashville Mon.–Sat. 7:30 am–7:00 pm, Sun 10:00 am–4:00 pm

Jackie

WELLNESS

Brown County YMCA

center After School Program (and June Can-Do Camp)

TUESDAYS 3:00 to 6:30 At the intersection of two downtown alleys behind Miller’s Ice Cream and the Brown County Art Guild

FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT FOR HEALTHY LIVING FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Brown County YMCA is located behind the Comfort Inn Now open at 5:30 a.m. Mon.–Fri.

812-988-9622 • www.browncountyymca.org

Facebook.com/BETATeenCenter

812-988-8807 for details

Funded in part by a grant from the Brown County Community Foundation and the Local Coordinating Council

Brown County

Youth

Music Showcase BETA Teen Benefit

March 11, 2017, Brown County Playhouse

T

he fourth annual Youth Music Showcase takes place 7:30 p.m. March 11, 2017, at the Brown County Playhouse. Proceeds will benefit the Brown County Enrichment for Teens Association, Inc. (BETA), a nonprofit offering a free, safe space where teens can play games, listen to music, learn new skills, make friends, and be themselves.

Kara Barnard organizes the talent for this event. The entertainment will include some of the area’s finest youth performers—many of them Barnard’s students.

Eighteen year old violinist Maria Sanderson will perform during this year’s event. She has appeared as a soloist and with philharmonic orchestras from Fresno to Miami. She has played with the Russian Ballet, and was part of a threeweek tour of the best concert venues in Argentina. She won First Place/$10,000 at the 2016 Sphinx Competition in Detroit.

Host Kara Barnard, emcee Cari Ray, and Chuck Wills will also join several of the young musicians on stage.

BETA is holding an open house before the show to celebrate the recent move to a bigger building (with bigger rent to raise) from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Refreshments will be provided. The teen center is located behind the Brown County Playhouse in the loft above Hoosier Artist and Fallen Leaf Books.

The silent auction features items from area artists and tickets to family activities.

A painting, “Array of Colors,”

62 Our Brown County March/April 2017

by Brown County artist Patricia Rhoden Bartels will be highlighted and on display in advance of the event at the Hobnob Corner restaurant.

Online bidding takes place at <32auctions.com/betateen> until noon on March 11 and then switches to the live event until 9:00 p.m. Organizers will be accepting auction items until the day of the event. Drop off items in Nashville to Christy McGinley of Farmers Insurance at 146 E. Main St. Suite 2 in Redbud Terrace or contact Cindy Steele at (812) 988-8807 for pickup.

Tickets are $12. Children 12 and under will be free with a paid adult, based on availability. Visit <BrownCountyPlayhouse.org> or call (812) 988-6555 for advance tickets.

Donations can be sent to BETA, PO Box 1194, Nashville, IN 47448 or made through the page <Facebook.com/betateen>. View what the teens have been doing since 2011 on the Facebook page through posts, photos, and videos. 

HOTEL NASHVILLE Darlene’s at Hotel Nashville

Upscale Dining in a Casual Atmosphere Serving Dinner with Full Bar Service Thurs. 5 to 8 pm, Fri. & Sat. 5 to 9 pm

• Suites, Studios, Hot Tubs • Restaurant and Bar • Indoor Pool, Sauna, Whirlpool • Conference Facilities • Weddings and Receptions • Special Getaway Packages

Menu Features: Steaks, Seafood, Pasta, Chicken, Burgers, Appetizers, Soups and Salads

Reserve your Special Party now!

Meetings and Banquets Catering in your home or other venue Weddings and Receptions

245 N. Jefferson St., Nashville (812) 988-8400 • (800) 848-6274 www.hotelnashville.com

BRICK LODGE NORTH HOUSE • Accommodates 8 Guests • 3 Bedrooms and 2 1/2 Baths • Cable TV–DVD Player • Fully-Equipped Kitchen • Central Heat and Air • Electric Fireplace • Secluded Hot Tub • Gas Grill

• Accommodates 8 Guests • 2 Bedrooms and 2 Baths • Game Room w/ Pool Table • Cable TV–DVD Player • Fully-Equipped Kitchen • Central Heat and Air • Gas Fireplace • Gas Grill • Outdoor Hot Tub

194 N. Van Buren St., Nashville (812) 988-6429 www.northhousegetaway.com

1878 N. State Rd. 135, Nashville (812) 988-6429 www.bricklodge.com

Nashville

Fudge Kitchen

…so much more than fudge!

Our shop is bursting with flavor!

WATCH US MAKE…

Our Creamy Fudge · Gourmet Popcorn All Natural Gelato · Seasonal Treats An old-fashioned candy store loaded with all of your favorite treats!

We have the largest selection of Fudge, Popcorn, Candies, Ice Cream and Gelato in Brown County, Indiana.

{ Old Fashioned Since 1983 } ! line e N O er her Ord Anyw ! d hip S orl e W W e h in t

175 South Van Buren · Nashville, IN 47448 812.988.0709

NashvilleFudgeKitchen.com

FREE BOX OF REGULAR POPCORN with this ad