Ozark Hills and Hollows April • May 2015

Ozark

Hills Hollows APRIL • MAY 2015

16

Foraging Fungi

From Forest to Frying Pan

22

Marketing Grassfed Beef A Family Farm Strategy

38

Teaching Love of the Outdoors

Cottontails, Coons and Chili

C E L E B R AT I N G H E R I TA G E , FA R M A N D H E A LT H Y L I V I N G I N T H E H E A R T O F A M E R I C A FREE MAGAZINE

April • May 2015 | 1

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OZARK

Hills&Hollows

Welcome to Ozark

Hills Hollows

Premier Issue

CELEBRATING HERITAGE, FARM AND HEALTHY LIVING IN THE HEART OF AMERICA

Our hope is to provide a window into the lifestyle, passions and beauty of the people and activities that are going on all around the Ozark communities we live in.

Our publication is widely available for FREE throughout southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas.

Please enjoy our premier issue -- and if you want to support us, please do so by advertising!

Our readers are your customers!

Please call 417-652-3083 or email ozarkhillsandhollows@gmail.com for advertising information.

Ozark

Hills Hollows Celebrating Heritage, Farm and Healthy Living in the Heart of America PUBLISHER Rob Lotufo ozarkhillsandhollows@gmail.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sherry Leverich ozarkhheditor@gmail.com DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Veronica Zucca ozarkhhart@gmail.com

WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTRIBUTORS Brad Stillwell Layne Sleeth Katrina Hine Jerry Dean Kim Mobley Sheila Harris Amanda Reese Shon Bishop PROOF EDITOR Barbara Warren ADVERTISING ozarkhillsandhollows@gmail.com 417-652-3083

FACEBOOK Ozark Hills and Hollows Magazine TWITTER @ozarkhillhollow INSTAGRAM ozarkhillsandhollowsmagazine ONLINE www.issuu.com/ozarkhillsandhollows

www.ozarkhillsandhollows.com

Ozark Hills and Hollows is published bi-monthly by Exeter Press. In the pages of Ozark Hills and Hollows magazine, we hope to capture the spirit of country living in our beautiful region. Please feel free to contact any of our staff with comments and questions, and pass along any story subjects or ideas to our editor at ozarkhheditor@gmail.com. Exeter Press, P.O. Box 214, Exeter, MO 65647 April • May 2015 | 3

Inside: APRIL/MAY 2015

FEATURES: 16

Foraging Fungi From forest to frying pan

22

Marketing Grassfed Beef A family farm strategy

30

Trout in the Ozarks Native or not?

38

Teaching Love of the Outdoors It all starts with youth

PLUS: Repurposing Revolution

20

Practical recycling for the garden

Backyard Egg Layers

28

Where to begin

Bacon Grease

35

Yes, bacon grease

IN EVERY ISSUE: 8

From the Ground Up With a packet in my pocket

10

A Horsewoman’s Journey Devotions from the saddle

13

Backroads & Byways Where did it all start?

14

Gear & Gadgets Gobbler Guide

26

Talk To Me Plain An old hanky just won’t do

29

Good For You Crack one open: A healthy look at eggs

34

4 Flies For the Ozark fisherman

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COVER: The War Eagle Mill is located east of Rogers, Arkansas. The mill was built in 1832 by pioneering couple, Sylvanus and Catherine Blackburn. Though the original mill was destroyed years ago, the fourth rebuild that stands today utilized the Blackburns blueprints and unique under-shot waterwheel design. It is the only working mill in Arkansas, and is powered by an 18-foot cypress waterwheel.

Photograph by Daniel DuLany of DuLany Images in Springfield, Missouri.

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April • May 2015 | 5

About Our Contributors: Amanda Reese has spent most of her life training and teaching with horses.

She has also studied journalism and is currently working on two books centered around her love of horses and God. When she is not riding or writing, Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters on their farm.

Jesse Woodrow lives on a small farm in southwest Missouri, where he enjoys building things, gardening and spending time outdoors. He chronicles his miniadventures in hunting, fishing and self-sufficient living through writing and photography. He loves to cook, eat and visit with friends. His current passions include establishing a Boer goat herd, training a couple of nutty Beagle pups and renovating a forty acre cattle ranch and home.

Veronica Zucca has been an Ozarks resident for 10 years, moving from the sandy city of Virginia Beach, Va. She and her husband raise their two children in a quiet hollow in Southwest Missouri.

When she’s not working as a freelance graphic designer, she enjoys time with her family -- taking in everything the beautiful Ozarks has to offer.

Brad Stillwell was born and raised in the upper Midwest where he learned the value of hard work and living an outdoors life. He has an eclectic and adventurous perspective on life striving to learn and apply new ideas and challenges everyday. Writing is his newest passion driven by a desire to be a true storyteller in a culture increasing obsessed with small electronic devices that seem to consume our lives and rob us of what it means to be truly human. Brad writes from his home located in a clearing of the woods near a tranquil stream.

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Kim McCully-Mobley is a local educator, writer, self-described gypsy and storyteller with a home-based project dubbed The Ozarkian Spirit.

The essence of this project is anchored in keeping the stories, legends, lore and history of the Ozarks region alive for the generations to come. She makes her home in Barry County on the Mobley Chicken Ranch with her husband, Al. She is always looking for that next adventure on the backroads and byways.

Sherry Leverich is a native Ozarkian.

Born in northwest Arkansas and raised in southwest Missouri, Sherry grew up on a dairy farm where she developed a love for agriculture and all things outdoors. She writes, farms and gardens on a small homestead with her husband and three sons, and raises produce for a local farmers market with her mom.

Katrina Hine is originally a flat-lander from Kansas who has come to love the charm of the Ozarks. After high school she worked on two different ranches in Colorado, and then came back to Kansas to work on a commercial dairy. She married a Kansas farmboy who was in the Air Force and moved to New Mexico.

Upon returning back to Kansas she completed her degree in Gerontology and worked for many years coordinating and advocating for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Now in Missouri, she and her husband, Randall, have two daughters and one son – who currently serves in the USAF. They have five grandchildren and expect number six in June.

Layne Sleeth is a barista and writer with a fondness for the outdoors. When she isn’t making coffee or snapping pictures, she enjoys camping, reading, and gardening. Layne dwells in northwest Arkansas with her husband, Brian, two mischievous pups, and two pretentious cats.

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

I

have traveled down many roads in my life. Perhaps none as interesting as the one I found myself navigating in the past year. As I drove my heavily laden truck across Highway 60, along the highlands of the Ozark Mountains, I left behind a more conventional and comfortable life, and ended up in the heart of America, on a small family farm in Missouri. I found a new life, one that I have always dreamed of. The love of a good woman, family, hard work and gratifying experiences. I sleep well these days. I got off the treadmill and found a better way. I’ve met wonderful, interesting people with stories to tell and rich lives. I’m eating fresh food, and living the life I choose. I love the Ozarks, the land and the people. Here in our magazine, we celebrate the spirit and the beauty of this place we call home. I hope you feel as welcome here as I do, neighbors.

Robert Lotufo Publisher

Daniel DuLany 417-848-1794 438 S Belcrest Springfield, MO 65802 Available by appointment: Mon - Sun 8am - 6pm

www.dulanyimages.com April • May 2015 | 7

groundUP From the

A GARDEN COLUMN BY SHERRY LEVERICH

With a Packet in My Pocket Oh, how I love watching things grow.

A new cabbage peeks through the earth to greet me with its dual heart shaped leaves. Beets pull themselves up with their tall rabbit ears. Spring peas stretch towards the sun with their folded up heads, seeming a little timid, but ready for the world.

I enjoy taking a walk every morning through my garden.

Throughout the entire growing season everyday holds new surprises.

It is such a thrill to find that newly planted seeds are poking up and becoming plants. Each seed contains all the ingredients to make a special, individual, complete plant – set on its intent to grow and produce just like its predecessors; this is miraculous.

New growth every day is just as amazing. Can it get better than this? Yes, it does! I haven’t even gotten to blooming, setting on fruit and harvesting! The first blooms on a yellow summer squash, or a burpless cucumber are a beautiful precursor to the wonderful bounty that is soon to follow. Tomato blossoms not only make me anxious for that first fresh, juicy tomato, but also is a sure sign that summer is here!

This time of year I start a new habit. I always put at least one packet of seeds in my pocket when I am on my way to the garden. It takes so much time in the spring to prepare the garden with tilling, mulching, cultivating and fertilizing that it is easy to get sidetracked with all these chores and forget about planting.

If I have a packet of seeds, I will most usually take time to prepare a spot for them and get at least some planted. Then, a few days later I am rewarded with seeing something new popping up out of the ground! In the spring it is nice to have a packet of beet seeds or spinach to sow at the end of rows that weren’t completely planted out. This way I don’t have as much wasted space.

In the summer it helps if I take along squash or melon seeds and plant even 5 or 6 hills each time I am in the garden. Later in the summer when we start becoming overwhelmed with harvesting, I still try to use this tactic and take a little extra time to remove some spent plants and immediately plant other seeds. Even in late summer, zucchini, yellow squash and cucumbers still have time to grow and mature before a frost.

This is also a good time to start collards or chard.

By spending the summer making sure I keep a packet of seeds in my pocket I end up with many plants in the garden that may have otherwise not made it from the packet to the ground.

Good luck with your spring gardening, and don’t forget your seeds.

After you have pulled out that chickweed and henbit, scratch up a little plot and plant a few seeds of lettuce and radish; fresh salad is calling you! I will be grabbing that pack of seeds and sticking it in my pocket on the next trip to the garden.

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Quick Chicken Pot Pie ∏ ∏

PREPARATION:12 minutes SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: 10inch cast-iron pan or durable cooking & oven safe dish SERVES: 6-8 NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION, PER SERVING: 495 calories; 32 g fat; 13 g saturated fat; 23 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 0 g sugars; 29 g protein

BY FORESTER FARMER’S MARKET

Forester Farmer’s Market® is butcher-shop quality chicken – a healthy, wholesome chicken that is rare in today’s marketplace.

Our nutritious, hometown quality will take you back to a time when chicken was chicken.

Why Forester?

ALL NATURAL

RAISED WITH NO ANTIBIOTICS – EVER 1 1/2 pounds Forester Farmer’s Chicken Breast (about 4 Breasts) 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried sage 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup Chopped sweet onions 1 cup Chopped Celery

1 cup frozen peas and diced carrots 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream 1 store bought pie crust, unbaked and thawed if frozen 1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle the chicken breast with paprika, sage, oregano, salt and pepper. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to swirl, add the seasoned chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side. Remove the chicken to a plate with tongs, leaving the oil in the pan.

Rest the chicken for a few minutes, and then chop into 1/2-inch cubes.

NEVER FED ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS NO ADDED HORMONES OR STEROIDS CAGE-FREE

My goal is to provide your family the same quality chic ken that Ma cooked for Dad. Trea t your family to chicken that’s chic ken.

Dr. Ed Fryar, Foun der

To the same pan, add the onions, celery, peas & carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the onions become tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour dissolves into the vegetables and juices. Add the chicken stock and raise to a simmer, stirring until mixture thickens. Once the liquid has thickened, stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Return the chicken to the pan. Unfold the pie crust and place over the top of the filling, tucking the excess edges inside the pan. Brush the crust evenly with the egg wash. Use a knife to gently cut 3 vents in the top of the crust. Place in the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Find more great recipes at www.foresterfarmersmarket.com

foresterfarmersmarket.com April • May 2015 | 9

A Horsewoman’s Journey

G

BY AMANDA REESE

rowing up on a cattle ranch in northeastern Arizona instilled in me a love for the western way of life. Before I was anything else, I was a cowgirl. While my friends were rollerblading and going to the movies, I was mending fences and doctoring cows. I thoroughly enjoyed the cattle work, but my passion and life goal was to excel as a horsewoman. I had great hopes of one day becoming a world class horse trainer.

As a kid, I regularly traveled to rodeos and horse shows with my parents.

I began competing in barrel racing when I was 5-years-old. Later I learned to rope and competed in team roping and breakaway. When I went to college, I received a rodeo scholarship and joined the intercollegiate rodeo team. But after one year of competing at the college level, I decided my horsemanship skills needed improvement. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone to pursue my dream of becoming a horse trainer.

With high hopes of gaining horsemanship knowledge and a better understanding of the horse training process, I began apprenticing with professional horse trainers. This quest led to me living in Wyoming, then Texas and eventually Southwest Missouri. My life took root in the Ozarks. This is where I began to bloom as a Christian, a horsewoman and discovered God’s call for me to write.

The Round Pen Great horse training begins in the round pen. Before ever stepping foot on a horse, I work with them on the ground.

Through driving and directing a horse in the round pen I am establishing my leadership role.

Horses look for leadership and companionship. By God’s design they are herd animals and operate within the herd according to a system called the ‘pecking order’. Pecking order describes a hierarchy of dominance.

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To safely ride or work with horses, a rider or handler must decide, “Am I going to be the leader, or allow the horse to lead?” In situations where the horse is allowed to be in control, it can become quite dangerous.

Thankfully, God gave mankind dominion over the animals. During creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the

Z “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

Isaiah 30:21

earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26 We have been given divine authority to rule. However, dominion over a horse is never an excuse to abuse a horse. In Proverbs 12:10 the Bible reads, “The godly care for their animals, but the wicked are always cruel.”

By the end of a round pen training session, the horse understands my authority. I conclude the session by inviting the horse to come to me. This is not accomplished through force, but by choice alone.

Going one step further, I then ask the horse to willingly follow without a lead rope attached. By choice, the horse hooks on and follows me. It’s a beautiful moment and one of my favorite parts of the training process.

When a horse comes and chooses to follow it reminds me of hearts coming to Jesus and choosing to follow Him. In Matthew 4:18-19, Jesus called out to Andrew and Simon Peter, saying, “Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus had a plan for them. He has a plan for you and calls out asking you to come and follow Him. God desires to show you the way and help you walk in it. He has a great plan for your life. As you come to Him and choose to follow Him, your life will become deeply rooted in His love and His Word. You will find yourself producing fruit you never imagined possible. God’s plan for you is good. Will you come and choose to follow by nothing more than choice alone, not because of force, but just because He loves you and is calling you?

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CARS AND TRUCKS

27

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Some restrictions may apply including regional incentives. Vehicles subject to prior sale. Pictures for illustration purposes only actual vehicle may differ. Offers are subject to change without notice. Dealer is not responsible for changes in manufacturer incentives affecting offers made. Finance offers are subject to approved financing with Chrysler Capital. Contact dealer for complete details of any offer made.

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April • May 2015 | MO 11 Cassville,

OUR READERS ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS Celebrating Heritage, Farm and Healthy Living in the Heart of America

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8,000 copiesof Hills and Hollows will be distributed at these dropsites, as well as online: CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFICES BANKS REAL ESTATE OFFICES GROCERY AND CONVENIENCE STORES RESTAURANTS

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417-652-3083 | P.O. Box 214 Exeter, MO 65647 | ozarkhillsandhollows@gmail.com

www.ozarkhillsandhollows.com

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&

Backroads Byways

“W

BY KIM MCCULLY-MOBLEY

Where Did It All Start?

here did it all start?”— quipped the small, feisty woman behind the counter as she sacked up my treasures for the day.

Inside the sack were some first edition treasures about hillfolks, recipes, home remedies, the old west and the Ozarks in the Civil War era. Lost in thought about my next adventure and the stories I would soon be reading, her question about my purchase and my obvious passion gave me much to consider on my long drive home that rainy Saturday afternoon.

“I’ll get back with you on this,” I said over my shoulder as I skipped out the door, dodging the drops of rain from the spot where an awning used to hang – as I quickly ducked into my car. …Well, I guess it started on the front porch of a small, rustic cabin near Green Forest, Arkansas. It is a place where a few large stones, a red clay dirt road and some old memories still linger. It is a place my Grandpa Herman McMorris built with his own two hands in the 1920s. It is a place where my mother was born in a blinding snowstorm on Thanksgiving Day in November 1924. It is a place where the winds howled and threatened to get inside as my Grandma Marie gave birth to mama – who let out a cry of welcome, while Grandpa struggled to cover the gable ends of the cabin with the unfinished roof.

This spot was the crux of a 63-yearold argument between the two as each always playfully jabbed at the other as to who had the harder job that fateful day…

The front porch of this little cabin was where I heard stories of outlaws, heroes, hard working folks from the Great

Depression and die-hard believers who knew God, sweat and some old-fashioned ingenuity would see them through those hard times. It is a place where I looked up the road to hear Grandpa talk of the Witch of Paxton Mountain, the mudslide that would take her home and the way she was able to find that missing livestock without leaving her home.

It could have also started up the hill from the cabin in yet another old farmhouse.

It could have started in the ladderbacked chair I stood in to reach the cabinet as I helped Grandma Marie make those mouth-watering sugar cookies with an old biscuit cutter, worn thin from years of use.

We decorated the tops of those cookies with swirls lightly made with sprinkles of sugar kissed by an old thimble dancing across the tops for a unique design of three circles.

It might have even started in that back bedroom in an antique bed laden with heavy patchwork quilts. We crawled underneath them and stretched our legs to feel those hot irons wrapped in newspapers stuffed at the bottom to keep our toes warm on cold winter nights. The

room itself was barely more than a closedin porch with plastic blowing in and out over the screened windows.

It could have even started on the edge of a brown, Naugahyde “Davenport” with a big, silver mirror behind it reflecting the nimble fingers of my Grandpa Frank Estes playing “Cripple Creek” and doing a little jig to the sheer delight of a blue-eyed girl in a pink gingham dress tapping her little red shoes on the floor as she sang along.

Or maybe it started near the railroad tracks in Aurora, Missouri – where my parents hopped off a train in 1950 – determined to make it rich in an old mining town buzzing with new industry, jobs and hope in the wake of World War II. “It” started before I was born.

“It” is more powerful than I am.

“It” remains in the early morning sunrise and the pink-shaded sunset of a new season and a new day. “It” is a part of the tapestry of my heritage steeped in the hills and hollers of this place I call home. “It” is the voice I hear as I take off on the backroads with my camera and notebook to record the nuances of the byways that still lead me home.

The bigger question might be “where will it end?”

My brother, Randy Estes, selfdescribed as an old outlaw, says the magic, tenacity and wonder of the people of our past will never end as long as one of us is alive to share the stories and carry the tales from each generation to the next.

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SERVICE VENDING Co. Aurora, Missouri April • May 2015 | 13

GEAR&GADGETS

e d i u G r e l b b GAo

BY JESSE WOODROW

s the days get longer, and the terrain greens up, many hunters thoughts turn to turkey season. Hopefully, we’ve been practicing our calls, and scouting our favorite hills and hollows in preparation. I’m not one of those hunters who believes that the gadgets make or break the hunt, but I am always interested in new and innovative equipment. Here are some new toys that might just make your season safer, drier, more comfortable, or just more fun! Good hunting. Be safe and be patient!

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1.

High Tech bragging rights. Weigh, measure, and carry the biggest Tom with this Real Avid Turkey Score Tote. This is a compact, lightweight, simple-touse tool, designed to score your bird in seconds and carry him out with ease.

The integrated digital LCD scale on the Score Tote is accurate to .2 pound. A 15-inch nylon ruler measures beard and spurs to within 1/16 inch. The ruler converts into a carry strap and the scale becomes a T-handle for comfortable hauling of the big tom turkey. The whole system weighs just 3-ounces for real usability with no bulk.

2.

The “Swiss Army Knife” for turkey hunters. The Real Avid Turkey Tool has a combination of all the essentials. Features a brush and game saw, knife, choke wrench, pin punch, carry hook, toter sheath, beard and spur ruler. Allin-one compact frame that replaces the need for multiple tools.

3.

These Danner Boots are the Snake Proof Bomb. Lightweight, durable nubuckleather and 900-denier nylon uppers are breathable, quick-drying and resist everything from briars and abrasions to tears and scuffs. Waterproof Dry linings seal out moisture so feet stay comfortably dry. Danner Steadfast outsoles deliver reliable, ground-gripping traction over rough and uneven terrain.

4.

My pick for box calls, trick that tom with FoxPro’s Crooked Spur Rude Snood Box Call. Amped-up volume and incredible resonance booms out of the patent-pending bottom sound port to reach wary gobblers. Measuring just under 8”, this compact call won’t add bulk to your pack. Finger grooves grant a secure grip. For right- and left-handed hunters.

5.

Bring out the big gun, it’s on. Remington 11-87 Sportsman SuperMag ShurShot Turkey is a reliable, smooth-cycling, heavy-hitting auto-loader that gives you the security of a rapid, just-in-case follow-up shot. You may not need it, but it’s there if you do. Chambered for shells up to 3 ½ inches, this 12-gauge comes with fully adjustable TruGlo rifle sights, a Wingmaster HD turkey choke and a ShurShot pistol grip stock. It’s a hunter’s dream gun and a gobbler’s nightmare.

6.

This LL Bean Hunting Blind is so light you’ll forget you’re even carrying it.

Keep it in your day pack to have on-demand concealment any time during your hunting day. Front shooting windows can be secured open or closed with magnets. Versatile height allows shooting through the windows or over the top of the blind. Roomy enough for two to three hunters. Made from durable polyester. Tough aluminum, shock-corded frame is easy to set up.

7.

Load up. Hornady Heavy Magnum Turkey loads incorporate their patented VersaTite wad, which maintains a tight, short shot string at farther ranges.

Loaded with 1 ½ ounces of nickel-plated 4, 5, or 6 shot, the 3-inch 12-gauge loads have a muzzle velocity of 1,300 fps.

8.

A super cool decoy choice, Flambeau’s Master Series King Strut and Feather Flex Hen Combo for some tom-angering action. Realistic feather patterns and true-to-life colors fool even the wariest toms. Made of soft, lightweight fully collapsible polyethylene for easy storage in your turkey vest. Set the decoys on the unique two-piece stakes for irresistible windactivated movement.

9.

The Browning Dirty Bird Smoothbore Fleece Hoodie features stretchable midweight fleece fabric with popular Smoothbore outer facing. Browning’s WindKill fabric is 100 percent windproof, highly breathable and water-resistant.

Thumb-hole cuff design keeps your sleeves in place and the attached hood with drawcord keeps your head safely covered.

9

10

10. A good bet for the beginner, Primos Turkey Starter Pak. The 3-pack includes a Dome slate call and striker, a Dome mouth call and a double-sided box call. By the end of your first season, you may decide what your favorite kind of call is.

April • May 2015 | 15

FROM FOREST TO FRYING PAN

Foraging Fungi W

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY LAYNE SLEETH

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ith the steady and quiet onset of spring, a hodgepodge of whimsical woodland dwellers erupt, nearly in unison, from the damp, soft earth, hidden and in plain sight, for the observant passerby. Of course, I’m referring to the colorful ensemble of fungi that arrives once temperatures begin to rise, accompanied by rainfall. When you bring up mushroom hunting in the Ozarks, however, people automatically think about one of our most favored fungi-- the delicious morel mushroom. Morels, no doubt, deserve their status, as they are elusively camouflaged and pleasingly flavorful. They can be found along river banks, near cottonwood, sycamore, ash, and elm trees, and on dried creek beds. The three species of morels (black, yellow, and half-free) in the Ozarks are highly sought after when spring rolls around. Though, as with all foraging, there are hazards to mushroom hunting because many species are poisonous – i.e. the false morel. A true morel is conical, hollow and has a pitted cap, whereas a false morel is not hollow and has a cap that is lobed and irregular.

Setbacks aside, freshly foraged mushrooms can offer a unique taste and texture to dishes that significantly heightens culinary appeal. Nutritionally, mushrooms are high in amino acids with more protein than beans, but less than beef and other meats. They also contain other trace nutrients and water-soluble vitamins.

Morels are prized for their rich, earthy flavor, lobster mushrooms for their crunch, chanterelles for their subtle, peppery, apricot flavor, and so on. You can pay a pretty penny for these fungi at a fine dining restaurant, or simply forage your own.

Luckily for us Ozarkians, spring and summer aren’t the only mushroomgrowing seasons. In fact, you might be surprised to find that fall produces the most edible mushrooms. Autumn temperatures trigger new life – savory favorites such as hedgehogs, enduring chanterelles, matsutake, maitake (a.k.a.

Puffballs are edible, but taste depends on who you ask. These specimens have released their spores through the holes in the caps.

SOME GENERAL TIPS FOR USING YOUR MUSHROOMS Always cook wild mushrooms.

Try to harvest them dry or they’ll go bad quickly.

Let air flow to them as you are transporting them (in a basket or mesh bag). This also allows spores to be distributed as you walk, ensuring future generations of growth.

If you can’t use them right away, try drying them in the oven or a food dehydrator.

Save a few of each mushroom you consume. If you have an allergic or poisonous reaction, it can be identified and you can receive appropriate medical help.

hen of the woods), honey mushrooms, black trumpets, lobsters, oysters and more.

Last fall, I took a class at Ozark Folkways in Winslow, Ark., (I would highly recommend any class they have to offer) called “Edible, Poisonous, and Medicinal Mushrooms of Arkansas.” Jay Justice, mycologist extraordinaire, was the instructor for the class. Justice’s list of mushroom-related accolades include titles such as cofounder and scientific advisor for the Arkansas Mycological Society and chief mycologist for the Missouri Mycological Society, among others. The class was divided into three parts: first, a few hours of lecture and absorbing his exorbitant knowledge of fungus, second, a group foray in the woods near the Ozark Mountain Highlands trail, and third, a dinner complete with mushrooms in every dish, most of which had been foraged that same day. We munched on

fare like chicken of the woods (it really does taste like chicken!) and matsutake wild mushroom, kale, and jasmine rice pilaf, and oyster, wine cap, and shiitake mushroom ragout on crostini.

The group partook in fun, food, and knowledge that will be useful for a lifetime of foraging. For instance, the mushroom that is picked is actually the fruiting body and reproductive structure of the entire fungus network (the mycelium) that is living under the soil. Seasoned hunters say that the most ecologically responsible way to harvest mushrooms is to cut it at the base near the soil so as not to disturb the delicate mycelium below the surface.

Fungi-finders are a rare breed that is quite secretive of their private cache spots. So, often, mushroom hunting is something that’s done alone or with a small tight-knit group of friends. It’s the perfect excuse to take a walk through the woods and linger along creek beds and river banks. A basket or mesh bag and a knife are about the only tools you’ll need to pack along.

While different people and cultures have different tastes and preferences, Justice’s top ten list of mushrooms worth picking and eating include: truffles, morels, lion’s mane and hedgehogs, hen of the woods, chanterelles, boletes, sulfer shelves (chicken of the woods), oyster mushrooms, honey mushrooms, and lobster mushrooms. It’s worth noting that outside of these few, there are many more edible mushrooms, but a lot of them aren’t necessarily palatable or tasty. Even if a field guide says that it’s edible, the experience may not be pleasant. On the other hand, some species are triply beneficial – edible, yummy and medicinal. One such example is the maitake that is thought to stimulate the immune system.

Not only are fungi delectable, sometimes deadly, and occasionally medicinal, but they also play amazing roles in nature. Some mushrooms are known bioremediators that help pull toxins out of the soil. Some are decomposers-- naturally occurring recycling systems.

The first and foremost rule of wild mushroom foraging is that if you are not absolutely sure about the identity and edibility of a mushroom, do not eat it! It’s important to be sure when identifying mushrooms that you are going to consume, as the Ozarks harbors its share April • May 2015 | 17

Fried Breaded Morels

About 1lb of fresh morels 1 cup flour 2 eggs 3/4 cup milk salt and pepper to taste a lot of butter for frying After brushing off any visible dirt, halve mushrooms and place in a large bowl with cold salt water and refrigerate for five minutes. Rinse and repeat a few times to get out all of the dirt and insects in crevices. Thoroughly rinse and dry on paper towels.

Heat butter in a pan on medium heat. Beat eggs and milk together in a bowl. Coat the mushrooms in the egg and milk mixture, then toss in the flour one at a time.

Place in pan and cook until golden brown on one side, then flip. Remove from pan, drain on paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.

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of deadly species. Seek out expert opinion if you aren’t sure what you’ve found.

Some mushroom poisonings can cause liver and kidney damage, and, sometimes, death. Another foraging rule to adhere to is don’t take everything you find. Just like you wouldn’t overhunt deer, pace yourself and leave the smallest half of the selection, so they can continue to spread spores.

Foraging fungi out in the woods is fun and rewarding, but some farmers and homesteaders are inclined to grow their own bounty. It’s doable! The initial setup can be relatively easy and harvesting small

Some Amanita species like the fly agaric and the destroying angel are fatally poisonous.

crops is minimally involved as well. Three varieties that are pretty much foolproof for beginning mushroom growers are shiitakes, king stropharia (or wine caps), and oyster mushrooms. To grow your own edible mushrooms, all you need is a growing medium, such as logs or compressed sawdust or straw (depending on the variety you choose), some inoculated spawn plugs containing the spores of your chosen fungi, and some patience. Fervent research and careful execution are the keys to success.

Northwest Arkansas is home to one largescale grower, Sweden Creek Farms. Their shiitakes are regionally renowned, and they

are one of the largest log-growing shiitake farms in the U.S. that’s been in operation since the 1980s. The climate in the Ozarks lends itself to forests full of fungi. At any rate, whether your harvest is humble or heaping, foraged or farmed, mushrooms are a delightful addition to the table.

For a trusty fungus field guide, pick up the book “Missouri’s Wild Mushrooms” by Maxine Stone, and if you are interested in exponentially increasing your knowledge of all fungi, many mycologists suggest “Mycelium Running” and “Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms” both

by Paul Stamets.

April • May 2015 | 19

ER RY LE VE RI SH BY

7 great ways to Reuse & Recycle in a practical way

CH

Repurposing Revolution

SCOOP IT UP! Sometimes nothing works better than a scoop. Use a ½ gallon milk jug, or a bleach bottle to make a perfect scoop for moving potting soil, sand, grain, or anything else that you need more than a handful of. Carefully, and with a serrated knife or box cutter, cut along the bottom edge, opposite the handle (so that handle will be at the top of the scoop), and then continue cutting a semicircle around the rest of the container for a contoured opening.

H

ere’s a few great ways to get more mileage out of some common household items on the farm or in the garden!

SODA-POP POT Reuse those 2-liter soda-pop bottles to make a small, selfwatering pot. With a serated knife, cut bottle in half, turn the top upside down to sit inside the bottom half of the bottle. Fill with wicking fabric and potting soil, add water and plant with seeds or plant. Perfect size for a small potted flower, or to get garden vegetables off to a good start before transplanting into a bigger pot, or outside garden.

GOT MAIL A fun, quirky way to keep hand-tools handy! Attach an old mailbox to a garden post, to create a cubby to keep small tools available and high and dry.

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DENIM DOUBLE DUTY Repurpose an old pair of jeans into a handy garden apron.

First, cut along waistband of pants, keeping it intact. Cut along the side seams, and across the bottom below the rear pockets. Wrap around and button waist. With the back pockets now in front, use them for seed packets, tools and anything handy to have in the garden.

SWING WITH IT This tire-swing style flower box is the perfect way to give that worn out old tire a new job.

Simply hoist the tire into a tree, or hang from any other sturdy structure with a rope or chain, drill a few drainage holes in the bottom with a ½ power drill and fill with potting soil. Using a mixture of annual flowers that vine and flow, you can create a great combination that will add unexpected beauty all summer.

ROLL OVER SEEDLINGS

WATERING JUG Have the kids help water plants easily with a repurposed half-gallon jug.

Simply puncture several holes into the the lid by using a large nail.

A great way to recycle and make a compostable seed starting pot! Save toilet paper rolls and cut in half. Soak in water till drenched and arrange in plastic tray.

Fill with potting soil, water and plant seeds.

Cover till seedlings start to emerge. Keep well watered until seedlings are big enough to transplant into larger pot.

“THE DAILY GARDEN” Save those old newspapers and use them as a completely compostable, water permeable weed barrier that can be used directly on the soil. After layering on the soil, wetting and adding straw or woodchips you create a perfect weed-free area to plant flowers or vegetables. The layered mulching will last the garden season and help deter weeds and keep moisture in the ground during the hot summer.

April • May 2015 | 21

A Family Farm Strategy, and Marketing Grassfed Beef STORY BY SHERRY LEVERICH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMIE’E KING

F

amily farming is important in the Ozarks. What kind of strategies are families using to combat the battle to keep these family businesses alive?

One of the most important issues in keeping a farm sustainable is profitability.

In an effort to keep the farm profitable, some operations put growth as a priority.

Either increasing herd size or increasing acreage are the most common growth tactics.

Other farmers might choose to update management practices, implement new farming techniques, or maybe even completely change the type of farming business they utilize.

Farmers have had to become innovative and experienced in not only producing food, but in some cases, marketing, promoting and selling their own product.

Sometimes, following marketing trends is useful in developing a change for the next generation of family farming. That is exactly the tactic that the Prier family farm is taking.

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FARMING FOR THE FUTURE Prier Farms in Eagle Rock, Missouri is owned by Jane and Ken Prier. Their daughter, Amie’e, is a mother and an entrepreneur. She lives in Joplin with her husband Scott and two daughters. This family farm of four generations has been working since the 1800s to produce food and cattle.

Ken, who grew up on the family farm that was then a dairy farm, has kept beef cattle thoughout his lifetime. He works full time running his HVAC business, and, he and his family work together with the cattle.

With a desire to see the farm more profitable for her soon to be retiring parents, and to also protect the viability of it in the future, Amie’e looked into the market for grass fed beef.

“My dad was already growing grassfed beef,” says Amie’e. Ken’s conventional cow-calf operation is not unlike other commercial beef operations

in the area. Raising good momma cows, with a crossbred mixture keeps his herd producing and raising good quality stock, “The majority of our bulls are Limousin and Angus, but every three years I will bring in a Brown Swiss bull and keep the replacement heifers.”

Amie’e was very familiar with her dad’s beef raising practices, and decided to look into the options of processing and marketing licensed, labeled and USDA approved grassfed beef. Amie’e became very educated in the process, and after months of research, paperwork, and inspections, the farm is now AGA (American Grassfed Association) approved farm #0389, and USDA approved. This labeling gives them the right to legally promote and say that they are a 100 percent grassfed operation.

Another hurdle was finding a USDA approved packager to slaughter and package the meat. Otherwise, the product cannot be used for resale.

Of course, obtaining legal labeling and finding a packager that is USDA approved are not the only factors.

April • May 2015 | 23

GOOD FOOD, PATIENT PRODUCERS A lot of small farm commercial beef herds will seasonally sell calves at market when they are weaned, at eight to ten months. Some producers wean and grain feed for a bit, while others might sell directly after weaning. Most cowcalf operations will not keep feeder stock (those calves that will be grown out for meat production) through the growing process. But, if producers are planning to sell their meat, they must keep the animal throughout the growing months of it’s life and provide good quality feed. Which – in the case of grassfed – is good quality pasture and hay. Ken Prier says, “with the AGA standards, you are allowed very little feed.” The AGA are specific about what kind of forages are grown, what kind of fertilizer is used, and even about what times of year hay can be fed.

MARKETING IS KEY

Though feeder calves sold at the salebarn to feedlot producers get fed grain to increase gains and be ready for slaughter earlier, a grassfed steer has a slower pace, “Our ideal weight is around 1300 pounds and 24-30 months of age,” explained Amie’e.

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Another element to this kind of “value-added” agriculture is selfmarketing. While most producers take their livestock to a market where they are bound to a fluctuating market price, special market producers must find buyers who will find extra value in their product.

“Marketing has been a struggle,” shared Amie’e. “We have secured the help of a marketing firm in Joplin, Mo., Little Bird Marketing, to help us read our goals. Little Bird Marketing has designed and launched our website and produced our TV commercials. We have found that doing online Facebook ads was not beneficial to our business, but we did find that using some of the farm finder

sites such as Eatwild, Homegrowncow, Grassfedonly and Agrilicious to be extremely helpful. Some of our first sells before we launched our website and started TV advertising came from these sites and most of them let you list as a producer for free,” said Amie’e. She also added, “We found that our biggest hurdle in marketing to our target audience was the main reason that we chose to seek out professional help in this area.” Amie’e has looked into selling to larger markets such as grocery outlets, but with the cuts in profit margins that grocery selling incurs, the Prier’s are taking a personal approach, “We are a small family farm and selling to the public at this time is the best focus for us.”

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

417-770-2178

Ground Beef Packages 5lb $35.00 10lb $63.00 20lb $133.00 30lb $203.00 NO GRAIN OR CORN USDA APPROVED

www.prierfarms.com

Campbell Cattle Company A HEALTHY PIECE OF BEEF Small farmers, just like the Priers, are working hard and feeding the nation.

Though conventional producers are still the standard, small farms all over are finding ways to market to a widening gap of consumers with differing needs and desires, “I truly feel that the family farm is on the rise again, and feel it has a lot to do with environmental awareness and the health crisis many Americans are in due to poor eating habits,” said Amie’e. “I believe that you will see more and more growers like us.”

Each farmer has his own row to hoe, and making decisions about the goals of their farm is in their hands. But, for most, goals remain the same, “Keeping the farm

ENHANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF RED POLL CATTLE AND PROMOTING THEIR USE WITHIN THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY. in the family has always been the goal and wishes of past generations. What we hope to achieve with the grassfed business will help to secure the future of the farm for generations to come,” said Amie’e.

James & Ledina Campbell 14774 Shetland Road Granby, MO 64844 (417)638-5000 REGISTERED RED POLL CATTLE BREEDERS A breed that can produce choice quality carcasses on grass only!

April • May 2015 | 25

Talk To Me Plain

An Old Hanky Just Won’t Do

O

BY LARRY ROTTMANN

About The Writer: Guest Contributor Larry Rottmann is a Missouri native, a Vietnam Veteran, a semi-retired professor of English and Journalism, a loving father and grandfather and a totally dedicated fisherman.

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n a recent Friday afternoon, while driving through north central Arkansas, I stopped for fuel at a small gas station in the middle of nowhere (and in that part of the state, there’s lots and lots of nowhere). As I was paying my bill, a beat-up old Chevy pickup truck pulled in, and two young people jumped out and came inside.

The guy was in his late twenties, clean-shaven, with short, freshly-cut blonde hair, and was wearing worn but well-pressed Levis, scuffed brown sneakers, a white pearl-buttoned rodeo shirt (with store-bought creases) buttoned up to the neck, and no tie. The slender and well-scrubbed girl looked to be about 16 or 17, with long black hair carefullyplaited, and was wearing a long-sleeved, knee-length green gingham dress, and bright red cowboy boots. They were an absolutely darling couple.

The two were on their way alone to the county courthouse to get married, and the girl had insisted that they stop at the store so she could buy some flowers to carry during the ceremony. But there were no flowers available, not even plastic ones, and the bride-to-be was distraught.

The groom said, “Autumn, you could just use your mom’s embroidered silk handkerchief that’s tucked up your sleeve,” but the girl insisted that wouldn’t do.

“That ain’t right, Eldon,” she said firmly, “You got your granny’s bible to hold on to, but I gotta have something special, too – not just some old hanky!”

So, the understanding clerk and I and Autumn all commenced to search for an appropriate item for her to carry, while Eldon stood nervously at the checkout counter, clutching a small well-worn black New Testament. But like all convenience stores, wedding supplies of any kind were not a part of the regular stock, and Eldon was anxious to leave, as the courthouse was some distance away, and would close at 5 p.m.

Suddenly, from the back of the store, Autumn piped up happily, “Okay, I got it. Let’s go!” As Eldon dutifully paid for the purchase, his smiling bride-to-be skipped out to the truck and jumped in.

And the last I saw of them, the excited couple was pulling out of the parking lot, with Autumn’s three bright yellow smileyfaced “Happy Birthday” helium balloons bobbing around in the cab of the truck.

Godspeed to them both.

You work hard for what you get.

We’re for working hard to protect it.

Chad Yarnall

Barry County Agent (417) 847-3399 cyarnall@mofb.com

We’ve got Missouri covered.

AUTO

HOME

LIFE

Providing Quality Service for Over 50 Years.

Your Locally-Owned Cooperative

®

Barry Electric Cooperative

North Business Highway 37 | Cassville, Missouri | 417-847-2131

April • May 2015 | 27

Beginning Back Yard Egg Layers

BY SHERRY LEVERICH

I

t all starts with a chick, but, what chick do you pick? Also, are you ready for chicks and chickens? Here are a few things to consider before ordering chicks this Spring.

Make sure you have the resources to raise chickens.

Raising baby chickens is a very rewarding experience, but it is not something you should jump into too quickly. Before you decide to raise baby chickens, think long and hard about why you want to keep chickens and whether you have the time, money and space to provide for them.

In terms of expense, keeping chickens is relatively cheap compared to other animals. However, chicken feed is a necessary and ongoing expense. Chickens are not terribly time consuming, but you will need to feed and water them daily, keep their coop clean (which involves shoveling manure) and collect their eggs once or twice daily. If you you are planning on going away for more than a couple of days, you will also need to seek out a chicken-sitter, which can be tricky.

Protect them from predators.

A good chicken coop should protect your chickens from predators. In fact, security should be the number one priority when choosing or building a chicken coop, as chickens are helpless at the hands (or claws and paws) of predators such as cats, raccoons, dogs, opossums and even hawks.

Make sure your chicken coop is wrapped in 360 degrees of wire cage, with holes no larger than 1 inch. Regularly check to make sure there are no cracks or loose boards where predators could slip inside. Digging is another way predators like to sneak in, so consider sinking baseboards or wire into the ground six inches, or surrounding the coop with a stone or cement barrier.

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Choose your breeds.

The breed of chickens you choose to raise should be based on qualities such as temperament, egg-laying ability, size and color of the eggs, climate suitability, aesthetic value and meat quality, depending on your preferences.

For dependable egg production, choose “layer” breeds, such as Black Australorps, that were bred to lay reliably.

Other varieties known to be good layers include: Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks.

Dual-purpose breeds (which provide eggs and meat), such as Buff Orpingtons and Silver Laced Wyandottes, are bigger than layers but have better egg production than “broilers”, which are breeds used primarily for meat.

Find out where to source baby chickens.

You can find day-old baby chickens at your local farm store in springtime, or order them from a mail-order catalog.

Be aware that mail orders usually have a minimum order policy, requiring a shipment of at least 25 chicks. This is because larger numbers of chicks are easier to keep warm in transit, resulting in fewer losses.

If you only want three or four chicks to start off, consider combining your order with the orders of other local

chicken breeders or farmers to overcome the minimum shipment requirement.

Alternatively, you can ask a farm-supply store if they will include your order in their own. If possible, specify that you want all females when you place your order.

Roosters are not necessary for an egg producing flock, and purchasing a group of straight-run chicks can leave you with a surplus of unwanted roosters.

Think about the space and equipment you will need in advance.

Initially, the chickens will need a brooder, which is a small enclosure like a cardboard box or rabbit cage, which can be kept indoors or in a garage.

Then, once they move outside, they will need a chicken coop; a safe place where they can lay their eggs and be safe from predators.

Growing up is fun!

Once the chicks are about two months old, you can start transitioning them to an outdoor coop. Make sure they can still keep warm, and have plenty of food and water. Give them perches to stoop on, and places to move and scratch. Once grown, chickens don’t necessarily need a whole farmyard to run around in, in fact, city and suburban chickens are becoming increasingly popular amongst those who have even small-sized yards.

Once you have chicks off to a running start, they are easy to keep healthy and productive. The information in this article was provided by wikihow.com/raise-chicks. For more information, books on the subject can be found at the library, area feedstores are a wealth of knowledge, as well as tons of information available on the Internet.

CRACK ONE OPEN

BY SHERRY LEVERICH

Eggs have gotten a bad rap for a couple of decades. Now, with new data from the country’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, eggs have finally been uncaged and set free.

Previous conventional medical advice had been to lower cholesterol consumption to lower blood cholesterol. On February 10 of this year, the Washington Post reported, The nation’s top nutrition advisory panel has decided to drop its caution about eating cholesterol-laden food, a move that could undo almost 40 years of government warnings about its consumption.

The article goes on to say, “The group’s finding that cholesterol in the diet need no longer be considered a ‘nutrient of concern’ stands in contrast to the committee’s findings five years ago, the last time it convened. During those proceedings, as in previous years, the panel deemed the issue of excess cholesterol in the American diet a public health concern.

“The finding follows an evolution of thinking among many nutritionists who now believe that, for healthy adults, eating foods high in cholesterol may not significantly affect the level of cholesterol in the blood or increase the risk of heart disease.”

So, how does that affect egg consumption? Eggs have about 200 milligrams of cholesterol, and the previous nutritional recommendation was to

maintain a dietary cholesterol intake of only 300 milligrams. This has kept many eggs lovers craving, but abstaining, from scrumptious cholesterol-laden egg yolks for years. Now that the new recommendations are not correlating cholesterol consumption with the body’s own cholesterol creation eggs are back on the menu!

Whether you are raising your own backyard chickens for eggs, or purchasing eggs at the grocery store they are a healthy

source of protein. They also contain choline, which helps maintain good cellular health. They contain no carbs or sugars (which is now enemy number one in the American diet). Eggs also contain all nine essential amino acids, many other vitamins and nutrients and are naturally gluten-free. Besides that, with the price of meat, eggs is a cheap source of valuable protein.

Though the bans have been lifted, egg consumption, just like anything else, should be a part of a healthy, diverse diet. Eggs do contain 6 grams of fat, and people with other health concerns, such as diabetes, have other restrictions that still include egg consumption, as well as all monitoring all diet concerns.

Egg Salad Sandwiches 6 hard steamed eggs, chilled and peeled 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 tsp zest and 1 1/2 tsp fresh juice from 1 lemon 1/3 cup finely diced celery 1/4 cup finely sliced green onion 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Bread, lettuce, and thinly sliced radishes, for serving Combine eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, scallions, and parsley in a medium bowl. Using a fork, gently mash eggs, mixing contents of bowl until reduced to desired consistency. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with sliced radishes, lettuce, and bread to make sandwiches, or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

WHAT’S STANDING BETWEEN YOU AND BETTER HEALTH? People who turn to Cox Monett Hospital know they’ll find a supportive, whole-person approach to care.

Find the physician who’s right for you at 417/269-INFO or coxhealth.com.

April • May 2015 | 29

TROUT OZARKS in the

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRAD STILLWELL

Is trout fishing as old as the hills? Take a closer look at the history of this popular stream dweller that brings anglers all over the country to our Ozark fish-ways.

F

ly-fishing is an important part of the Ozarks and millions of people come from all over the country to catch trout in the clear streams of Missouri and northern Arkansas. The beautiful setting of pristine spring-fed streams teeming with hundreds of hungry, willing trout is an opportunity that most anglers don’t want to miss.

Yet, it’s sometimes difficult to imagine that trout are not a native – or even an indigenous species to the area, and it wasn’t really that long ago when they were introduced into the rivers and streams of the Ozarks.

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“From the late 1800s we started bringing the trout here,” said Bruce Hallman, environmental education specialist at the Neosho National Fish Hatchery. “We got them from the west coast even down into Mexico and up into Alaska.”

The fish hatchery in Neosho is the oldest one in the country and it is operated as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Established in 1888, raising trout is a small part of what they do with staff efforts focused on nurturing over 130 different species of fish daily.

Trout are a particularly selective family of fish when it comes to environmental factors. Transporting them over long distances, from one location of the country to another, also created quite a challenge.

“Trout were transported originally by trains because this was before trucks existed,” Bruce shared. “They would make special rail cars to handle the chilling and the transport of water. They had little milk cans to originally transport the much smaller than catchable size fish in.”

Other agencies also transported trout to the area about the same time and for some, the destination wasn’t always a hatchery.

“They would stop the trains and sometimes throw the fish into streams by the crossings,” according to Rick Horton, fisheries management biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

“Springs provide fresh, clean water that have not been exposed to the environment or people,” Bruce shared.

“It’s very clean, clear and healthy water with a steady temperature. The initial temperature is good for a cold water fish.”

Introducing a new organism into already existing “Trout was an important source of protein for American an ecological community people and that’s why the fisheries program got started,” can sometimes result in disastrous consequences.

Bruce said. “They realized that the numbers were Trout have become the dwindling and fisheries got started to feed America.” dominant species in many Ozark streams and the ecosystem The Ozarks provided an ideal seems to have adapted well to their environment to relocate, breed and raise presence. trout due in large part to the natural “When we introduced pheasants to the spring-fed streams found throughout the Midwest they blended in nicely and didn’t region. Cooler, consistent temperatures take over. They were able to reproduce and were, and continue to be, important everything was magical with that,” said factors that allow the fish to survive and Bruce. “Other times we introduce things flourish.

Sport fishing wasn’t the original reason for transporting trout to the area.

The hope was, in fact, to successfully introduce a new species into an existing ecological community. This original reason was more practical and beneficial to the late 19th century pioneers.

April • May 2015 | 31

that go completely haywire. Those magical ingredients of what is a predator of it and what it preys on can get out of balance very quickly.”

Reproduction is a crucial component that influences the ability of a species to remain in an adoptive habitat. It is difficult for trout to reproduce in the Ozarks, due to a variety of factors, so the fish rely heavily on a delicate collaboration. Mankind provides a simulated means for the fish to reproduce, while at the same time becoming its greatest predator.

“I think because they don’t reproduce very well in our situation here, their numbers are naturally self-limiting,” Bruce said. “There’s enough predation on them that we need to constantly rely on having hatcheries to keep them from dying out.”

There are several streams in the Ozarks where it’s difficult to imagine what fishing, and the surrounding area, would be like without the presence of trout. Over the last 120 years an industry has been created that now brings millions of visitors each year.

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there’s the slightest of resistance at the end of their line and the battle begins.

Generations of families have shared the experience and whole towns have been created because it.

It’s also hard to consider that without constant intervention by a small group

of dedicated individuals, this would all disappear. Nevertheless, the rivers would continue to flow and perhaps a different kind of fish would emerge.

“Something would take its place,” Bruce shared. “Nature hates a vacuum so something would find its way in there.”

April • May 2015 | 33

4 FLIES

for the Ozark Fisherman

BY JESSE WOODROW

T

here are thousands of variations of flies for fishing – dry, wet and nymphs. Proper fly selection can vary based on the water, the weather, the terrain and the fish. It’s a gamble, and a guessing game. Any good

fly fisherman will carry an array of his favorites, and perhaps a few that have been suggested by his peers with him. Add to the mix variations in color and size, and it’s even trickier. But, that’s why we call it fishing, not catching.

I will give you a little history and practical application of four different flies that I find valuable for fishing in our area.

These are either tried and true favorites of mine, or recommendations from the many experts in our Ozark region.

The ELK HAIR CADDIS was originated by Al Troth. It floats like a cork, is easy to see and takes a licking. I have fished this die-hard for several hours in succession, and taken 10 or 20 trout regularly without having to change flies. It is an extremely versatile fly that has found its way into every fly fisherman’s fly-box and takes fish in every trout stream.

The GOLD-RIBBED HARE’S EAR is a fly with origins way back beyond the last century. Whether fished as a nymph or an emerger, it is an excellent medium olive or dark olive copy, and as a general impressionist nymph and dun – it has no peer. This fly has been attributed to James Ogden. Many writers over the years have described the wingless version as one of the best-ever nymph-suggesting imitations. I keep several sizes, and it is my go-to for down under fish.

CAHILL PARACHUTE is a must for your fly box, if fishing Bennett Springs. Variations of this fly are also effective in the other state parks and Ozark streams. The “parachute” is for the fisherman, not the fish. It makes following your float much easier, and holds a lot of Gink, or whatever floatant you choose. Less redressing!

PHEASANT TAIL NYMPH by Frank Sawyer (a river keeper in England), is generally given credit for this pattern. The original version was made entirely of pheasant tail fibers and wire. It is an impressionist nymph and works well when used to represent the nymphs of the swimming and burrowing variety. This is the delicate cousin of the die hard Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear. If at first you don’t succeed, tie on another variation.

Here’s hoping you keep your flies dry and out of the trees, and enjoy some great fishing!

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Bacon Grease, Yes, Bacon Grease

BY SHERRY LEVERICH

T

he popularity of bacon has reached a level, never before seen in history. No longer is the standard “bacon and eggs” a typical venue for this crunchy side. Bacon can be seen wrapped around everything from peppers to chicken, and even used crumbled in cookies and topping ice cream.

But what happens when you cook bacon? We are left with a pan full of perfectly rendered, unpretentious bacon grease. Bacon grease is really just lard, but it’s more than that – it’s flavored. It can be compared to any other flavored oil. If it had a label and was sold in stores, it would say; “A salty, natural oil with hints of smoke and hickory.”

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Though bacon grease is forever taken for granted, and unappreciated as a culinary luxury, it is very versatile and always available every time bacon is cooked.

What’s Good For Granny is Good For Me

Most of us have childhood memories of someone dear to us using bacon grease. My mom always kept a coffee mug filled with it near the stove.

She used to it slather over biscuits to help with browning, seasoning green beans and scrambled eggs, or just to wipe in a cast iron skillet to keep it seasoned.

To keep bacon grease, just store the cooled oil that is left over after cooking bacon. A wide-mouth mason jar with a lid works great. Though it can be kept on the counter, it keeps better if stored in the refrigerator.

If you think you haven’t given bacon grease a fair shake, please check out all these great uses for it. Some of them are tricks your grandma used, but may have never told you about – and some of them are new spins on this sweet, salty, smokey wonder.

WILTED LETTUCE

4 bacon strips, cut up 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons water 2 green onions with tops, sliced 2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper a large bowl of torn leaf lettuce 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.

Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain.

2. To the hot drippings, add the vinegar, water, onions, sugar, salt and pepper, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

3. Place lettuce in a salad bowl; immediately pour dressing over and toss lightly. Top with egg. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

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Lard can be used for most cooking that requires oil or shortening. It can also be used to make home-made soap

Cleaning Bacon Grease to Make Lard Bacon grease is nothing but flavored lard. If the bacon flavor is removed from the grease, you are left with a clean, white lard suitable for making crust, or using for frying without imparting the overwhelming bacon flavor.

To do this, save up at least a quart of bacon grease. Pour it in a stock pot with an equal amount of water.

Benefits of Lard:

When compared with olive oil, lard is a close second in the monounsaturated fat department. Olive oil has about 77% monounsaturated fat, with lard at 48% monounsaturated fat. Butter ranks third with 30% monounsaturated fat, which means that lard has less saturated fat than butter.

The main fat in lard, oleic acid, is a fatty acid associated with decreased risk of depression.

Lard also contains high amounts of Vitamin D, a necessary fat-soluble vitamin.

In Cooking:

On popcorn, use in place of butter and salt.

In cornbread, use instead of oil.

Lightly brush over biscuits before baking to improve browning and add flavor.

Green beans and bacon grease are a match made in heaven.

I’ve never tried it, but I’ve heard that fried chicken is amazing fried in bacon grease.

Roll an unbaked potato in bacon grease and lightly sprinkle with coarse salt before baking.

Excellent for pan-frying chopped potatoes.

Add a tablespoon to the frying pan before adding eggs to scramble or fry.

In place of butter or oil, use bacon grease to make a roux for gravy.

Lard is also economical and comes from a sustainable source.

BACON FAT GINGERSNAPS

For Other Purposes: After washing cast iron, rub pan with a little bacon grease to keep it well seasoned.

Use it for leather conditioning.

With a rag, rub bacon grease all over leather (boots, gloves, etc.). Let set for a day, then buff with a clean cloth.

Bring to a boil for a few minutes.

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Pour into large glass jar or container and place in refrigerator till hard. The clean lard will rise to the top, leaving the flavors and impurities in the bottom with the water. Simply spoon off the clean lard and store in a jar or container kept in the refrigerator.

¾ cup bacon grease 1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for the work surface ¼ cup molasses or sorghum syrup 1 large egg 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse just until a smooth, stiff dough forms. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least a few hours and up to 2 days.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

3. Place about ¼ cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Roll dough into 1” balls with hands.

Drop them in the sugar, roll to coat, and place them on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If desired, gently flatten the dough.

4. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

April • May 2015 | 37

Teaching Love of th STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY KATRINA HINE

A

scene filled with laughter and squeals of children, mingled with the baying of beagles and coon dogs is like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. In a modern age of technological distractions where a young person with their nose in a phone texting, is considered commonplace, a group of McDonald County residents have decided to revive the love of outdoor activities and good oldfashioned fun. A winter event, with warm temperatures, glorious sunshine, and jacket weather provided a perfect backdrop for the Cottontails, Coons and Chili event just north of Southwest City in rural McDonald County.

Dan Fuller, an avid sportsman recalls, “We remember when we were young, our dads, a friend’s dad or mentors would take us hunting, or any outdoor activity, and we just loved it. We as adults had a concern that those types of outdoor activities are on the decline. We realized that there are more single parents than there ever has been and there are more electronic distractions for kids than there ever has been, keeping them inside.” Some folks found out there was a desire to get kids outdoors; hunting, shooting, canoeing and the like; from that, Young Outdoorsmen United was born. Fuller heads up the coordination of the program.

GROWING STRONG

Sydney Ferriel helps a young man hold his dog while waiting his turn.

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Beginning in June of 2014, and with not even a year under its belt, the organization touts between 135 – 140 paid members and a core committee base of about 15 volunteers. Not to mention additional volunteers that step up for special events, sometimes upwards of 30.

Children come from all over the county and even some out of the county. A few come from Oklahoma, Arkansas ,and a couple have traveled down from Kansas.

According to Fuller, the group attempts to

hold an event once a month in a different location so that youth from all areas of the county may attend. One event was held near Rocky Comfort, which is in the furthest northeast corner of the county bordered by Barry and Newton Counties.

The organization is a stand-alone and tax-exempt, but not a 501c3, meaning that it is not affiliated with any other sponsoring organizations and is unique to southwest Missouri. The mission of the organization is to “Build opportunities for

he Outdoors youth and families to enjoy the outdoors thru hunting, fishing, shooting and other outdoor related activities. Young Outdoorsmen United (Y.O.U.) provides a variety of pathways to help introduce, involve and preserve many lifetime skills passed down for generations.” The group has put on various activities each month since its inception and with an annual membership fee of only $5; it is affordable to everyone.

“A lot of parents within our membership base, they come to us and say, ‘I am so glad that you guys are doing this because I don’t know how to fish or I don’t know how to hunt,’” Fuller said. While youth are required to be accompanied by an adult, the group is never short of trained volunteers willing to help keep the kids safe. The group ensures that the volunteers have gone through trainings performed by the Missouri Department of Conservation and everyone has been through the Hunter’s Safety program. One of the first things taught and discussed is gun safety with the kids at the beginning of each meeting. For extra precaution, the organization has liability insurance, which protects the members and the volunteers.

Darrell Ferriel, father of Sydney, holds his dog Rowdy. Darrell began coon hunting 48 years ago with his Dad and hopes to pass it on to his daughter.

THE FUN BEGINS As more youth arrived, the air was thick with the excited chatter of children and barking of 40 dogs, anxious for the afternoon events to begin. Suddenly scores of kids rushed to an open pasture lined by brush, as beagles with their noses to the ground wove among the trees, baying with delight over a hot rabbit trail. Shouts of, “Get’ em boy” and “I see a rabbit – this way” mixed amid the incessant baying of several beagles rose from the scrub brush, as the dog handler’s watched nearby. A couple of older boys drove up on a 4-wheeler to check the progress of the tracking adventure. While discussing the likelihood of finding a rabbit, a fat bunny darted past the ATV to hide in the grass just feet away.

Apparently, the creature had doubled back, confusing the hoard of hollering kids and dogs.

After an hour, the call came to return to the main group for the next event, the “Barking Battle.” The swarm of children soon found Mr. Fuller, surrounding him, and quickly became silent to hear the expectations for behavior and the ground rule, and there is only one, “No Strikes.” The group does not allow any unsafe or disrespectful behavior among the children. Any participant that fails to honor the rules or is disrespectful to others; they are tapped on the shoulder and required to leave immediately, no questions asked.

“We have never had any unsafe behavior and we are proud of the fact that we have the best behaved kids around,” Fuller adds.

The noise level increased once again as the youth divided up into teams, youngest first. A trio of boys about age 10 were the first to pick a dog and they knew just which one they wanted, a large mature dog named, Poker. It was soon evident that it would take all three of the boys to handle the big dog as he caught wind of a caged raccoon trapped just for this event. Of the 40 some dogs, 21 belong to Jason O’Brien of rural Lanagan, owner of Elk-O-Zar coon dogs, with several that are state and national champions. The O’Brien’s two sons both compete in several competitions. Tate, 13-years-old, has won the State Youth Championship in Arkansas twice, and Oklahoma once. His older brother, Roper, also competes but can also be found team roping with sister, Allie.

Soon all the kids selected their dog and stand eager to see if their dog will win the barking contest. Each dog has a unique bark or bay that ranges from high pitched yips to April • May 2015 | 39

long deep bellowing. Each dog is judged by the number of barks in a one-minute timeperiod. Any dog leaving the marked 15-foot area around the tree is disqualified. Girls and boys of all ages and sizes, watch each dog rush the tree to bark at the raccoon lofted well out of reach. Several of the dogs actually try to climb the tree but none quite makes the cage and the hissing raccoon.

Blaine Bishop, who has been a member since the beginning, comments, “I like hunt’n coon, deer and any other varmint there is to hunt. I love to get outdoors, it sure is better than sitt’n around the house.”

A couple of teenage girls take their dogs over to sniff the caged raccoon. When asked why, they explained that the dogs are not used to a caged coon and probably would not know what to do. Sydney Ferriel, a serious young lady, sat cross-legged on the ground, holding her dad’s dog, Rowdy, while her friend, Lacy Barrett, held Jughead. Sydney explained the criteria for different scoring, such as First Dog Strike means first to bark and First Dog Trees meaning the first dog to tree the raccoon.

Like the rest of the youth in attendance, she was very polite, answering, “Yes, ma’am or no ma’am to the questions posed. At age 16, she has already been hunting four years, mostly with her dad, Darrell. They live near Gravette, Arkansas and travel with their dogs to various events. Both dogs are registered Treeing Walkers and already Sydney’s female, Jughead, has seen some serious action.

Just last February at an Oklahoma competition, Jughead chased a raccoon around a tree and she ended up falling over a bluff. Thankfully, the dog was wearing a Garmin and they located where she fell. The dog was stuck on a rock shelf for over 18 hours. “My Dad told me to go home at about 4 a.m. but I didn’t want to leave her there alone. She would stick her head out and we would tell her to go lay down and she would. Finally, the next morning members of the volunteer fire department repelled down to rescue the dog. Sydney has won Oklahoma Show Champion and Grand Champion, Open Cast in 2014 and has set her sights on full Grand Champion. When asked about her plans for college she states that she isn’t sure but she knows that whatever it is will being doing good for people. Darrell is obviously proud of his daughter’s interest in coon hunting. He recalls growing up around coon dogs and hunting since he 40 |

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A judge stands nearby as he counts the number of barks for each dog.

was a young boy, about 48 years now. He noted that today a good dog could go for as much as $1,000 to upwards of $30,000.

“I suppose a person pays what they think they are worth,” he says with a grin.

As the barking competition ends, the top four dogs are collected with their handlers for pictures. First place went to Check Collector, handled by Roper O’Brien, second went to the sister team of Ember and Sydney Killion with Duke, and third went to Gold Rush and his human, Ethan Evans, with Hunter Harris, and Unstable Mable finishing out fourth.

Check, won with 126 confirmed barks in one minute, earning him the compliment of having a good mouth for his bawl.

Approximately 125 youth, parents and volunteers, were treated to some 25

gallons of chili cooked over an open fire and 30 pounds of fried potatoes. The reenergized youth were divided into seven casts to head out for the nighttime hunt.

While no raccoons were actually caught, the kids were able to tree 20 raccoons among them. A gregarious 11-year-old, Tyler Sprenkle, wearing the biggest grin, says he has had a blast, “I love hunting and I’ve been hunting since I was about 6. I have done all kinds of hunting but mostly deer.” He laughs, “Sometimes my dad has to wake me up because I fell asleep in the deer stand.” The youngster chatters on about trapping and other adventures that have great memories for him. He slows down long enough to add that he wants to be an auctioneer someday and admittedly, he is well on his way!

MORE THAN COON DOGS This event was just one of many that the organization has held, and encouraging community service is paramount to the leaders of the group. In fact, the group was the first to initiate the Veteran’s Fishing Day at the Neosho Fish Hatchery, which is in its third year. The first year the event was held, 400 veterans attended. The group has turned over the majority of the coordination to the Friends of the Hatchery organization, but the kids and adult volunteers still participate by cooking all the dinners and cleaning all the fish etc. In fact, they cleaned 1600 trout, which they also bagged and iced for the veterans. The kids love doing the community service event and it gives them a sense of pride doing something for military veterans. This last October marked the first year that the Missouri National Guard Veteran’s Deer Hunt at Camp Crowder, south of Neosho. The Young Outdoorsmen organization was up bright and early cooking breakfast for the staff and ten veterans that were selected to hunt at the camp. This hunt was the first ever at Camp Crowder, which has always been closed to hunting.

It is important to make people aware that there are good things going on for kids, and they all have this one common denominator. Each month is a unique outdoor event sure to leave lasting memories for everyone involved.

Last September, the organization held a Girl’s Love Outdoors Too event geared to just those girls that have a love of hunting and the outdoors. They held a Family Firearm Festival, which started out with a mandatory 15-minute safety session, put on by Missouri Department of Conservation staff. Afterwards, youth and their families could experience different types of firearms such as flintlocks, shotguns, rifles and air rifles. For the November event, “Missouri Department of Conservation regional wildlife biologist, Frank Loncarich, discussed various wildlife topics during an old-fashioned fish fry dinner. After dark, the youth took on the challenge of gigging fish out of flat bottom boats on Elk River.”

The December event saw the kids splitting up into six teams and heading to the fields to test their crow calling skills.

Realtree Senior Pro Staff member and game call world champion, Brad Harris, instructed the youth on woodsmanship, conservation, turkey language, and God’s outdoors. They have also had a bluebird workshop where the children learned all about the birds nesting and hatching cycles, how to identify them and what they eat. The day concluded with each member making a suet feeder and a nesting box.

For February, the group will be heading to Bluff Dwellers Cave south of Noel and in hopes of spotting Salamanders, Albino Crayfish, Cave Crickets, Pickerel frogs and Tri-colored bats.

The top four winners of the Bark Off.

STICKING TOGETHER

Lakin Jackson of Southwest City holds her 3-month old Walker Trainer Coon dog, Insane Sage.

She recently started coon hunting and is working to train her own dog.

The rewards for Fuller is clear, “What’s really cool is McDonald County isn’t that big of a population and when we go to different school events outside of the organization, it never fails that kids will come up and give us a hug and tell us how much fun they had.

So we know that we are having a huge impact on these kids.”

Young Outdoorsman United currently has two major local sponsors, Cornerstone Bank started sponsoring the organization last year and this year McDonald County Telephone Company came on board this year as an official sponsor. All funds donated to the group stay local and the long-term goal is to purchase land and build a facility where youth can come together and learn lifelong skills while having the time of their life. If this day was any indication of how much fun can be had in organized outdoor activities then maybe more youth would put aside their phones and games to run like there was no tomorrow and laugh till their sides hurt.

For information go to the group’s website: www.youngoutdoorsmenunited.com or visit their Facebook page.

April • May 2015 | 41

The Last Word: things “Some old-fashiodned nshine like fresh air an besu are hard to at.”

Laura Ingalls Wilder

y have very little of my sages and heroes, the th wi e ers nv co I as “As much for the warbling and domestic scene, ral ru for g lon I . ion love and admirat ng of my children.” of birds and the prattli John Adams

erica has “Ironically, rural Am a growing become viewed by ns as number of America ality of life having a higher qu at it has, not because of wh of what it but rather because does not have!”

ing is that, though it can be The trouble with simple liv isn’t simple. joyful, rich, and creative, it cre Doris Janzen Longa

“For fast acting relief; try slowing down.”

Lily Tomlin

Don A. Dillman

“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.”

Will Rogers

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We hope you enjoyed reading Ozark There’s still so much more to come!

Look out for our June • July issue.

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C E L E B R AT I N G H E R I TA G E , FA R M A N D H EA LT H Y L I V I N G I N T H E H EA R T O F A M E R I C A April • May 2015 | 43

The best care at the best time

–when you need it.

COX MONETT HOSPITAL HAS A NEW EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, AND YOUR BEST CARE IS AT THE HEART OF IT. Every detail was designed for patient comfort, privacy and confidentiality. The renovation brings larger, more private treatment areas. Dedicated rooms for ultrasound and trauma care, and state-of-the-art security. With this new design, our emergency team is able to deliver care more rapidly and efficiently than ever.

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When you need help in a hurry, we’re ready 24/7.

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