DECEMBER 2015 • JANUARY 2016
Ozark
Hills Hollows seasons greetings
24
Chocolates Sweet Journey From Kyya To the Ozarks
28
The Sweetest Season
Make It Down-Home Home-Made
37
A Cure for Your Bacon Cravings Roadtrip to Courseys
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
December 2015 • January 2016 | 1
We’re sharing the love at home with Feed Communities.
Get a great deal. Support a great cause. With every new Subaru purchased or leased, we’ll donate $250 to a choice of charities that benefit your local community.* Subaru and its participating retailers will have given over $65 million in eight years. November 19 through January 2.
2015 Charity Partners
1.866.500.5666
2269 N Henbest Dr, Fayetteville adventuresubaru.com
E C O- F RI ENDLY C E RTIF IE D DEALER
*Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 19, 2015, through January 2, 2016 to four national charities designated by the purchaser or lessee, up to $15,000,000 in total. Pre-approved Hometown Charities may be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 31, 2016. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by Subaru of America, Inc.
FAMILY CONCERT
with Trout Fishing in America Tuesday, December 8th • 6pm-8pm Adventure Subaru • I-49 at Porter Rd Exit in Fayetteville
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Hills&Hollows
Food Drive
Suggested admission: items for the food drive. First 50 guests receive a FREE COPY of Trout Fishing’s Grammy Nominated CD “Merry Fishes.” Healthy food donations accepted at Adventure Subaru from November 20 through January 2. Come enjoy a musical evening plus tasty food & refreshments from local businesses. Healthy food donations accepted at Adventure Subaru from November 19 through January 2. Come enjoy a musical evening plus tasty food & refreshments from local businesses.
n .
Share your love of the Ozarks. A subscription to Ozark Hills & Hollows makes a great gift for the holidays! In the pages of Ozark Hills and Hollows magazine, you'll find the spirit of country living in our beautiful region. Ozark
Hills Hollows
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 April • May 2015 | 1
20
Beyond the Frosty Mug
Celebrating over 100 years of fizz, floats and root beer!
22
Panhandle Troubadour
Spinning songs with a show-me state twist FREE MAGAZINE
Hills Hollows
AUGUST • SEPTEMBER 2015
32
Carving a Deeper Path Life’s long road leads to leather
20
King of the Hill
Slinging mud and having fun at Rush Springs Ranch
30
Artisan Dairies in the Ozarks Sources of local milk and cheese
June • July 2015 | 1
Call or email for more information. ozarkhheditor@gmail.com 417-652-3083 Exeter Press, P.O. Box 214, Exeter, MO 65647
FREE MAGAZINE
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
Ozark
Hills Hollows
JUNE • JULY 2015
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 FREE MAGAZINE
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
Ozark
Hills Hollows
APRIL • MAY 2015
16
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
Ozark
OCTOBER • NOVEMBER 2015
46
Down to the Core Apple recipes and more!
August • September 2015 | 1
30
A Harvest of Friends and Food What is a Farm-to-Table Dinner?
48
Because Browned Butter is Better Bringing toasty flavor to your dishes
FREE MAGAZINE
56
A Tale of Two Tombstones Doc Holliday mystery revealed
October • November 2015 | 1
www.ozarkhillsandhollows.com
Experience the Freedom. www.freedombk.com
e
s m m h December 2015 • January 2016 | 3
Warm Up
with
COOL STYLE
Custom orders available on furniture, lighting and linens. Let us find or make what you’re looking for.
4 |
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Hills&Hollows
C O M P L I M E N TA R Y L I G H T I N G
&
LINENS THROW PILLOWS
custom fur niture
Finishing Touches
QUALITY RUSTIC FURNITURE, LI GHTING AND DECOR Local craftsman, Matt Hudgins, along with his wife, Heather, invite you to visit their store in Cassville. Unique Cross Grains furniture is crafted using superior hardware and the most durable finishes for quality that will last for years to come.
805 Main Street | Cassville, Missouri
417-847-7658
www.mh-customwoodworks.com
December 2015 • January 2016 | 5
Ozark
Hills Hollows
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 August • September issue -- and if you want to support us, please do so by advertising! NORTHWEST ARKANSAS Brenda Majors ozarkhhmktg@gmail.com 479-715-9721
SOUTHWEST MISSOURI Rob Lotufo ozarkhillsandhollows@gmail.com 417-652-3083
Our readers are your customers! 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 Katrina Hine Jerry Dean Kim Mobley Nahshon Bishop Amanda Reese Stan Fine Kayla Branstetter Beckie Peterson Layne Sleeth Kate Baer PROOF EDITOR Barbara Warren
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. 417-652-3083 Exeter Press, P.O. Box 214, Exeter, MO 65647 6 |
OZARK
Hills&Hollows
Inside:
DECEMBER 2015 • JANUARY 2016
FEATURES: 24
Chocolates Sweet Journey From Kyya To the Ozarks
37
A Cure for Your Bacon Cravings Roadtrip to Courseys
48
On Walnut Street Downtown Rogers Revitalization
53
Against the Grain Unconventionally Conventional Cabinetry
58
Preserving Community One Stitch at a Time
62
Santa's Country Helpers A Plane in the Woods
PLUS: 16
Gear & Gadgets Holiday Gift Guide
34
Repurposing Revolution Upcycling the Christmas list
42
Hoot 'n' Holler Reader Photos
44
Winter Gardening Maintenance Prepare for Spring
46
Stocking for Food and Fun (Growing) Big Fish in a Small Pond
64
Taking Photos Traveling and outdoors tips
IN EVERY ISSUE: 12
From the Ground Up O Christmas Tree
14
A Horsewoman’s Journey He Writes My Story
18
4 Rigs For the Ozark Crappie Fisherman
19
Talk To Me Plain The Best Fishing Trip Ever
20
Backroads & Byways Holiday Traditions
40
Good For You Not so sweet
December 2015 • January 2016 | 7
About Our Contributors: 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.
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.
Stan Fine is a resident of McDonald County in Missouri. Born in Long Beach California, he spent his childhood in the west, but went to high school in St. Louis. He then married his high school sweetheart, Robin. There they raised their two sons, David (who passed away with cancer in 2006) and Rob. Stan was a Detective Lieutenant in a St. Louis suburb and attained a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management, and a Master of Science in Administration. He retired in 2006 and he and Robin moved to Noel. Robin passed away, due to cancer, in 2013 after 46 years of marriage. Stan now plays golf, substitute teaches, and writes, especially in the wee morning hours.
Nahshon Bishop grew up in southwest Missouri around small family farms. Since the age of nine he has been working for Bishop’s Lawn Care and Landscaping. In 2011 Shon graduated from College of the Ozarks with a degree in Horticultural. He has been working for Lincoln University Cooperative Extension in the Southwest Region of Missouri since 2011. Currently, he is the Small Farm Specialist for the Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program (ISFOP) which serves southern Missouri counties. Shon also owns and operates Bishop Gardens L.L.C with his wife Heather, which sells early season tomatoes and strawberries, as well as cut flowers to the public.
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.
Layne Sleeth grew up in Shell Knob, Missouri, on a 13acre hobby farm, where she developed a fondness for critters and all of the humble splendor the Ozarks has to offer. Layne has a degree in communications, and works with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission at the Ponca Elk Education Center in the Buffalo National River area. She and her husband, Brian, live on 12 wooded acres in northwest Arkansas. In her pockets of free time, Layne enjoys reading, gardening, and planning her next travel.
Jesse Woodrow lives on a small farm in southwest Missouri, where he enjoys building things, gardening and spending time outdoors. He chronicles his mini-adventures 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.
Mary Lowry, originally from California, has made her home in the Ozarks for nearly 30 years. She lives on a small farm, which she loves, with her husband, and two teenagers – and is still learning to garden. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in dietetics from MSU, is a R.D., L.D. and a massage therapist. She has a passion for nutrition, and encouraging others and herself to heal and be whole – body, mind and spirit.
Kate Baer is an artist and bucket list kind of gal. She is the mother of three kids and you can find her on Instagram and facebook for all the gory details.
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.
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.
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A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
W
inter in the Ozarks is just around the corner. I'm singing James Taylor in my head, "The frost is on the pumpkin, the hay is in the barn." Maybe you've got a deer, or a couple of fresh ducks, in the freezer. The summer crop's canning is put up, the chickens are hunkered down in the coop. We're eating lots of fresh turnip greens over here, because that's what we've got left in the garden. Christmas is right around the corner. Warm sweaters and winter boots. Sherry is baking something that smells yummy, and I'm cooking up a hearty beef stew for dinner. Winter isn't officially here until December 22nd, but I can feel it in my bones. The brisk fresh air of Winter is on its way. I love the holidays, and all that comes with them. I hope your season is great, and filled with family, friends, food and laughter. We are thankful for all of our blessings each day here at Hills and Hollows, and are grateful for the opportunity to share some of them with you all. Still, I cant help feeling that in a month or two when I'm out there trudging through the snow and chopping ice on the cattle pond, It won't be long before I'm dreaming of spring, and the warm sunshine. Robert Lotufo Publisher, Exeter Press
Winter-Time ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
Late lies the wintry sun a-bed, A frosty, fiery sleepy-head; Blinks but an hour or two; and then, A blood-red orange, sets again. Before the stars have left the skies, At morning in the dark I rise; And shivering in my nakedness, By the cold candle, bathe and dress. Close by the jolly fire I sit To warm my frozen bones a bit; Or with a reindeer-sled, explore The colder countries round the door. When to go out, my nurse doth wrap Me in my comforter and cap; The cold wind burns my face, and blows Its frosty pepper up my nose. Black are my steps on silver sod; Thick blows my frosty breath abroad; And tree and house, and hill and lake, Are frosted like a wedding cake. December 2015 • January 2016 | 9 PHOTO BY LAYNE SLEETH
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manda Rees
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Christmas
ajors
Honnah Marshall Sartin Pretty decorated home-made sugar cookies!
Brenda M
Wh
ep
what's your favorite
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Rebecca Bishop I love all kinds, but I always remember my Nanny when I have old fashioned ribbon candy.
candy?
Favorites from Hills & Hollows' Family and Friends
Mary
Lowry
Divinity... my mother made the best!
Gary Adamson Mounds candy bars
Easy Does It Chocolate Fudge 1 bag (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk Dash salt 1 tsp vanilla extract
Veronica Zucca
I have a really easy/fun recipe for fudge. It’s now my daughter, Adrienne’s, recipe being as SHE makes it for the holidays. My mom taught Line a 9-inch pan with wax paper. Mix me so I guess we’ve passed it down. chocolate chips with sweetened condensed Like I said... super easy (like milk, salt and vanilla in a microwave-safe bowl. microwave-the-chocolate Heat in microwave for increments of 30-45 easy). seconds at a time, stirring in between. Be sure not to over-heat the mixture. Once smooth and all the chips have melted, pour into lined pan. (If you're adding any extra goodies like nuts or marshmallows, you'll mix them in now before you pour mixture into pan.)
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Fudge!
Both my sisters-in-law, Rhonda and Ramona, are awesome at making candy at Christmas. I think “one” of my favorites is Divinity. But, I also love that fudge. I also remember my Grandma Brady’s Rum Balls – I felt a little like I was sneaking a drink when I was a kid. My sister-in-law makes some mean peanut butter chocolate balls, too.
Martha Lowe Robertson Peppermint bark! Dark or white!
er a B e
Cho co l
e. at
The mixture should be fairly think, so spread out to make it level. Chill in refridgorator for about an hour or until firm. Remove sheet of fudge from the pan (The wax paper will stick to fudge. That's fine. You can peel it off when you cut your fudge.) Cut into squares. Enjoy!
Jerry Dean
Katrina Hine
Kat
Kim McCullyMobley
Fu dg e!
FUDGE was the big winner in our Favorite Christmas Candy Poll! Below is Veronica’s favorite fudge recipe to help satisfy that craving:
Sherry Leverich
Chocolate dipped almond toffee or jello divinity.
Beckie Peterson
There is a guy I know who makes the best peanut brittle I have ever eaten in my life. Some of my best Christmas memories are getting a bag of his peanut brittle.
Kelly Logan Richardson’s Candy House Chocolates are a tradition at the Logan’s – cute little place outside of Joplin.
Stan Fine
Peanut brittle. My daughter-in-law, Chris, makes the best peanut brittle and I look forward to receiving a candy-filled tin every Christmas.
Peanut Brittle
Anything involving 1 1/2 cups sugar peanut butter or chocolate is 1 cup water automatically my favorite, but 1 cup light corn syrup my brother makes a mean 10.5 -- 12 oz. peanuts, cashews, or maple walnut fudge. mixed nuts 3 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla Lindor Tr u 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Bonnie Jockers-Voegeli I always considered my mom’s homemade peanut brittle to be the best Christmas candy ever! I miss her.
e favorite
!
ny Thomas: Jen Sto
-tim
at, homema o ug de
Brad Withrow Homemade Muddy Buddies, shaken in a grocery store Erma Mast Home-made paper bag. CHOCOLATE fudge, with nuts!
all
t peppe rm ough in
tn
b re
Christopher Vore Definitely the chocolate fudge or peanut butter fudge. They are so delicious...but so sweet that I can only handle a couple of pieces!
M y
Let cool completely and then break into pieces. This can be stored for one month in an airtight container and makes 2 lbs.
all flavors.
My late Grandma Adams’ homemade chocolate covered cherries. They were such a treat and to this day, if I make them I am reminded of her love.
Susan Newman-Field The old fashioned hard candy Christmas mix....nearly impossible to find anymore.
– es ffl
Jennifer Baxley
Butter a cookie sheet. Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a large non-stick saucepan. Cook on HIGH until it reaches 280 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. Then add in the nuts, and stir until the temp. reaches 300 degrees F. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted, then add the baking soda. Stir vigorously. Pour onto the cookie sheet, and spread out with a wooden spoon.
B a r b ar a W
arren
Richard Reed Peanut butter fudge...or basically any kind of fudge!
Rita Stringer Fresh, soft orange slices!!
Layne Sleeth
Rob Lotufo A Chunky Bar in my stocking.
Mike Lowe Cordial cherries. Only time I get them is during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Larry Rottmann
Miss Kandy Kane, a classic burlesque queen of the 70s, originally from St. Louis. Joseph Zucca Chocolate with inner orange filling!
Jamie Fuller “Stain-glass windows,” it’s made with the stick pretzels with colored marshmallows clumped together dipped in white chocolate or almond bark.
Brittany Gaston
My step-grandpa’s chocolate fudge is to die for! He won’t give me the recipe for it (darn him!!) But I get a huge batch every year for Christmas and I’m ok with that!
David Bishop Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.
December 2015 • January 2016 | 11
t anu pe
butter fud ge .
UP
Fresh From the Wreaths and ground Trees in all sizes! O
A GARDEN COLUMN BY SHERRY LEVERICH
Christmas Tree
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www.nwaplants.com 12 |
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Dig out the lights, pull out the ornaments and make some hot cocoa for the first event of the Christmas season – picking out and decorating the Christmas tree!
Do you buy and decorate a real Christmas tree? If so, did it ever cross your mind that you are supporting a farmer, and that growing Christmas trees is an agricultural business? In fact, whether you buy your Christmas tree straight off of a tree farm, or from a local Christmas tree supplier, you are supporting local business and farming. If you ever felt bad about cutting a tree down to use for your yearly Christmas centerpiece – there is no need to! Just like any crop that is grown – there are benefits from the tree being planted, growing (typically 7 years) and it being cut down and sold. While the tree is growing, it helps clean the air – clean the groundwater, and is a welcome home for birds and small critters. Bringing a living tree into your home cleans the air in there as well. Plus, you get the benefit of the seasonal pine or cedar scent that enhances the holiday ambiance. Since I grew up with cedar tree Christmas trees, the smell of cedar always feels like Christmas to me. Even if we use a pine tree, I try to take time to cut a few limbs of cedar to use for decorative boughs so that I'll get a touch of that cedar smell that takes me back to childhood memories. Another great thing about using real trees, is that there are various ways
The most common Christmas Tree species are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and white pine.
to recycle them after they have met their goal of keeping your home merry through the holidays. One way – throw it in the back yard for the rest of the winter as a little shelter for winter birds. Sprinkle bird-feed under the tree for a protected area for birds to eat. Pine and cedar are rich in natural oils and are great for firestarting – so, use the limbs, one by one, as needed for kindling. Once you have snapped off all the limbs...use the trunk for fire wood, or make a rustic, knobby post for hats or other things in your house. If you have a pond, throw the tree in there (tie to a weight, such as a big rock, to keep it in place) for a protective area for minnows and tadpoles. If you can't find a way to recycle the tree yourself, call your city – they may take trees for chipping into mulch. Have fun this Christmas season with all the festive activities, events and traditions that we all enjoy. When you decorate your tree, I hope that you are flooded with fond memories of Christmas past, and create new memories that can be warmly recalled in the future. Merry Christmas to you all.
whole roasted chicken and bacon∏ apple dressing ∏ BY FORESTER FARMER’S MARKET
1 Forester Farmer’s Market® Whole Frying Chicken 4.25 – 5 lb. 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock NUTRITIONAL 1/2 Cup Poultry Seasoning
INFORMATION PER SERVING 826 calories 57 g fat 17 g saturated fat 5 g carbohydrate 1 g fiber 0 g sugars 71 g protein
Pre-Heat your oven to 350°. Liberally season your whole chicken, cover every surface and also season the cavity of the bird. Pour chicken stock into your baking pan/dish. Tuck the wings and Truss your bird. Place your seasoned chicken (breast side up) in the center of the baking dish, place in the center of the middle rack of your oven. Bake at 350° for approximately 1 hour. Check the internal temperature to ensure you reach a minimum of 170° in the thickest part of the breast meat. Serves 6.
If you need to feed more than 6 people, simply cook another whole chicken. Each whole chicken should serve 6. Prep is the same x2, and they can bake together in the oven. Just lower the temp to 325º and add 20-30 more minutes to the time. You will need to check that the internal temperature of each bird at the thickest part of the meat reaches a minimum of 170º.
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 NEVER FED ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS NO ADDED HORMONES OR STEROIDS CAGE-FREE
4 oz. Thick Sliced Bacon, medium chop 1 Lg. Granny Smith Apple, medium chop 1 Small Yellow Onion, medium chop 1 Cup Chicken Stock 2 Tbsp. Butter 1 Bag Garlic & Sage Dressing Salt & Pepper to taste In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, cook bacon until it begins turning brown. Add apples and onions, continue to cook until bacon is cooked completely but not burnt. Reduce to low heat. Add chicken stock and butter. Add dressing mix, mix well to ensure all moisture has been absorbed. Add additional stock if a creamy texture is desired. Salt and Pepper to taste. Serves 6.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING 229 calories 8 g fat 4 g saturated fat 30 g carbohydrate 1 g fiber 4 g sugars 3 g protein
Find more great recipes at www.foresterfarmersmarket.com
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
foresterfarmersmarket.com December 2015 • January 2016 | 13
A Horsewoman’s Journey BY AMANDA REESE
He Writes My Story “
…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1b-2
”
Serving your equine needs with specialty feeds, supplements, deworming products and more!
Amanda's wardrobe compliments of Race Brothers
Y
ears ago, a palomino horse came into our training program. A friend purchased the gelding at a horse sale and was excited to own a well-bred gelding with 6 months of reining training. Believing the horse was broke to ride; my training partner saddled him and climbed on. Immediately, the horse had a mental breakdown and ran away in a state of panic. Unable to stop the horse or pull his head around, my partner rode it out. Eventually, the horse fatigued and stopped. He stood trembling. When my partner started to get off, the horse bolted and ran again. The next time the horse stopped, I caught the horse and my partner dismounted. After receiving belated information that the horse had been severely beaten for bad behavior, we reevaluated our approach
and made a plan to help the horse overcome his fear of humans. Horsemen and horsewomen have the opportunity to write or rewrite each horse’s story. The story should be based on good experiences and improvements throughout the training process. Unfortunately, some stories are not positive. It all depends on how the horse is handled and interacted with. We decided to start over with the palomino and rewrite his story. He’d been abused and then gotten away with inappropriate and dangerous behavior. Through applying training methods designed to build his confidence, earn his trust and establish respect, the gelding improved. A year later, my partner had the horse riding well, and being trained as a rope horse. Eventually, a family bought him to use not only as a rope horse, but also for a trail horse for their children.
PERSONAL APPLICATION
FARM PRO 213 S. Highway 37 Monett, Mo. 417-235-0505
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OZARK
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The palomino gelding reminds me of how hard life can be for people. It doesn’t always start out good. Our stories can have times of great difficulty, hardship and damage done by others. Sometimes mistreatment from others can cause us to unknowingly express our pain in unhealthy or damaging ways. However, like the palomino gelding, our stories can have happy endings. Jesus came to rewrite our stories. The greatest story ever is the birth, life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He lived a sinless life and sacrificed His earthly life as payment for our sins. By faith, we can receive His righteousness and change the script of our lives. His story can become part of our story. Like the palomino gelding, we too can overcome and have a brighter future. Ask God to write His story on your heart, the story of Jesus Christ dying for your sins, forgiving you, setting you free and healing you and making you whole in Him.
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: All offers are all with all rebates to dealer. Some restrictions apply including regional incentives. Vehicles subject to prior sale. Pictures illustrationpurposes purposesonly onlyactual actualvehicle vehiclemay maydiffer. differ.Offers Offersare are subject subject All offers are with rebates to dealer. Some restrictions maymay apply including regional incentives. Vehicles subject to prior sale. Pictures forfor illustration Disclaimer: December 2015 • January to without notice. Dealer isresponsible not responsible for changes in manufacturer incentives affecting offers made. Finance offers are subject to approvedfinancing financingwith withactual Chrysler Capital. Contact dealer forsubject com- 2016 to change without notice. Dealer istonot for changes in manufacturer affecting offers made. Finance offers subject toillustration approved Chrysler Capital. dealer for comAllchange offers are with all rebates dealer. Some restrictions may apply includingincentives regional incentives. Vehicles subject to prior sale.are Pictures for purposes only vehicle mayContact differ. Offers are details of any offer made. RAM 1500 TOTAL SAVINGS MESSAGE INCLUDES Big Horn Package Discount of $3,600 + $4,500 Rebates + $2,900 Additional Dealer Discount = $11,000 Total Savings. Stk #773215 plete plete details of any offer made. RAM 1500 TOTAL SAVINGS MESSAGE INCLUDES Big Horn Package Discount of $3,600 + $4,500 Rebates + $2,900 Additional Dealer Discount = $11,000 Total Savings. Stk #773215 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. RAM 1500 TOTAL SAVINGS MESSAGE INCLUDES Big Horn Package Discount of $3,600 + $4,500 Rebates + $2,900 Additional Dealer Discount = $11,000 Total Savings. Stk #773215
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HOLIDAY
GEAR&GADGETS
Gift Guide
BY JESSE WOODROW
What to put under the tree for the gear-loving guy who has everything, but deserves a little something extra
M
y family says I'm hard to buy for. If I need something, I go and get it. But we all love a little surprise at Christmas. Here are some insights from a dad, hunter, fisher, rancher and frontiersman wannabee. I'm not sure your family's outdoorsman will love all of these, but I guarantee they'll appreciate a few of them. And, it beats the heck out of socks, a tie, or another bottle of cologne – seriously.
STANLEY CLASSIC VACUUM BOTTLE Every adventure should start with a cup of hot black coffee. This Stanley extra-large insulated bottle is the same classic style, stainless steel flask our grandpas handed down to us. It's vacuum insulation keeps hot things hot, and cold things cold for 28 hours. Perfect for keeping coffee piping hot from one morning to the next. With or without a little touch of Irish inspiration.
ELK RIDGE FIELD SKINNER KNIFE The Elk Ridge Field Skinner Knife has everything needed for unzipping and prepping your quarry, a stainless gut hook blade, silicone grip ring, hard nylon sheath, fire starter, diamond honing file, and bottle opener. I'm generally a traditionalist, but this is one action-packed pocket-tool I want with me on my next hunt.
HAND SAW And just in case your manly man (or tough girl) does not have a pocket chainsaw, you know they secretly want one.
BIG 'OL BRICK OF HUNTING SOAP Duke Cannon’s Big Ol’ Brick of Hunting Soap will eradicate any whiff of human scent clean off your body. It’s like those Axe body spray commercials when, once applied, beautiful women ambush the man out of sheer desire, except instead of ambushing him, they’ll completely ignore him. And – instead of beautiful women, it’s a moose. 16 |
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SWISS+TECH UTILI-KEY 6-IN-1 KEY RING MULTI-FUNCTION TOOL I love this thing. Since 99 percent of us use a blade to open packages, cut a string, or make minor modifications to boxes, clothes or a piece of wood. This one will do in a pinch, and it will ALWAYS be there – or in the dryer.
e
LANSKY BLADEMEDIC
SE MAGNESIUM FIRE STARTER
This sharpener is super cool, and it works on serrated knives as well. Sexy, sleek, minimalist. Part lumberjack essential, part OO7.
Best bang for the buck firestarter you can get. Time proven and ultra light-weight. You might want to get one as a stuffer for every little survivalist you know. It will take a little practice the first time. Hours of fun and frustration for the novice and parent alike.
EPIC MEAT BAR And now for something very different – weird, meat-laden energy bars. Beef, Lamb, Bison and Turkey. When Jack Link's just wont do. I'm hoping Santa will put a couple of these in my stocking. Jerky treats for the foodie survivalist in your clan.
A. G. RUSSELL CHUTE KNIFE A classically styled knife like this “Chute” is the stuff dreams are made of for outdoors gear aficionados. Dedicated to Harry Archer, who had an exciting, if short life,much of it in the jungle teaching combat and survival skills to American and other soldiers. Tooled in Taiwan, to be drop forged of Japanese 440C stainless. Finished to perfection with black rucarta handle scales. A combat style black leather sheath accompanies this fine knife. Give it to a a man who appreciates, and deserves the very best.
SE MILITARY LENSATIC SIGHTING COMPASS If a classic camping compass is not fancy enough for your outdoorsman, here is an inexpensive upgrade, with some pretty cool features. Still classic.
No need to hunt for the perfect knife.
We’ve got you covered.
EAT N TOOL Cool beans from Columbia River Knife And Tool or hot beans, eaten with this nifty thumb spork-wrenchbottleopener-screwdriver, with its own mini-carabiner. Chances are, your man who has everything does not have one of these yet, but he will want one.
The good news is, all this gear (aside from the Thermos, which I leave in the truck when I get to my destination) can fit in a large pocket, or waist pack for hiking, scouting or hunting. I hope your gifted ones have as much fun with this stuff as I did picking it out. Happy holidays, and have fun out there!
PURCHASE ONLINE AT agrussell.com A. G. Russell™ Knives
For a free catalog, call 479-878-1644, Dept #OH1215
2900 S. 26th St. - Rogers, AR 72758
(top to bottom)
RUS-CU12YD Large Folding Hunter AGBT-34 Bird & Trout w/ ATS-34 blade RU-J123CO San Mai Hunter w/ Cocobolo RU-T513BR Integral Hunter w/ Black Rucarta
To order, call 1-800-255-9034.
$59.95 $44.95 $235.00 $99.95
© Copyright 2015 A.G. Russell Knives
December 2015 • January 2016 | 17
RIGS
for the Ozark Crappie Fisherman
BY JESSE WOODROW
C
all them Croppie, Slab sides, Papermouth, Bachelors, Specks, Speckled Bass, Speckled Perch, Strawberry Bass, Oswego Bass, Sac A Lait. Just don't call them Crappie around here. They are the favorite quarry for many an Ozark Angler, and one of the best bets for deep winter fishing. Find a flooded stump bed, or a couple of submerged trees, and you are likely to find some specks. Crappie are predominately minnow chasers, but they will eat most anything they can swallow. Here are a few of the most popular rigs used to fill limits on these tasty little fellers. CRAPPIE CHEAT Repurposed Do Nothin' Worm Jig A good friend of mine, Larry Dablemount, is a crappie fanatic. He's been known to drive clear up to Canada, jon boat in tow, to catch his fill of slabs. He doesn’t subscribe to any of the store-bought jig bodies. He uses a 1/8 ounce jig head, and a 3”chunk of a bass worm. Sometimes he shapes it with some scissors or a knife, sometimes he makes a split tail. He has a good friend who swears by just a cut piece of worm, no modifications. Larry won't tell us his favorite jig head/ tail color combinations, but it's a safe bet that he'll say its more about the presentation than the color choice. Any way you chose, pick a day that's not too windy, bundle up and get out and start jigging. Most folks say a mess of Crappie is the best tasting fish fry anywhere. Enjoy yourself, and stay warm!
MARABOU JIG This is the old school choice. A fuzzy body, fluffy tail and a ball-head jig with painted eyes. There are a zillion color combinations out there, but if I had just one pick, it would be 1/8 ounce white head with a chartreuse jig. With or without the roadrunner mini-spinner thingy. TUBE JIG This is a newer (20 years ago) jig concept, that works for bass as well. You can rig it “Gitzit” style, with the jig head inside the tube, or like a grub, with the tube in back of the weight. Depending on wind, current, water clarity and time of the year, many variations of color and sizes are available. You might try a 3-inch salt and pepper brown craw(dad) or smoke sparkle with a 1/8 ounce jig head. GRUB I grew up on the curly-tailed jig. Then came the twin-tail, and a myriad of variations. One of the super hot baits right now is the Slab Slay'R. It's basically a finesse jig, with a flat, flappy tail. And, Ozark Slab Slayers have been catching their limits with them. If you kept a half-dozen painted jig heads in white and black, 1/16, /1/8 and ¼ ounce in your box, and a couple dozen 2 ½-inch jigs, in white and chartreuse glitter, I think you'd be pretty well equipped. SPINNER JIG Like the Grub rig, but with a wire extension and little whirley gig at the top. This adds flash, movement, and helps you bump off of brush and stumps without hanging up. This is not finesse fishing, but chances are it may draw a strike when the others get the cold shoulder from Mr. Slab Sides. Johnson has been making a version of this for years. They have a Crappie Buster special edition that might just end up your favorite secret weapon. White jig/red spot on a 1/16 ounce with a brass blade is the all time classic.
Specializing in land, ranches and farms Office licensed in Missouri and Oklahoma Member of two Multi-list Systems
417.226.3363
obrienrealty.biz 18 |
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Donnie & Tammy O’Brien, agent/owners 26 Peacock Lane, Jane, MO
Talk To Me Plain
The Best Fishing Trip Ever BY LARRY ROTTMANN ILLUSTRATION BY GARY ADAMSON
M
y best fishing trip ever, took place on April 6, 1968. I’d just returned from a combat tour in Vietnam and had mustered out of the U. S. Army the week before, and I was visiting with my father at his home in Columbia, Mo. It was a chaotic time in United State history – a couple of months after the infamous Tet Offensive (where I had been wounded); less than a week after President Lyndon Johnson announced that he would not run for re-election; and two days after the terrible assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. I was exhausted and strung-out, and since, according to family tradition, the best – and perhaps the only – therapy for that condition was angling. So, my father, Roy, and I packed up our gear and headed for our favorite fishing hole – some flooded mine pits about ten miles north of town. Technically, the area was the private property of Peabody Coal, and was posted as such. But, the company had abandoned the site over 20 years earlier after exhausting all the available anthracite, leaving behind over a hundred acres of mountainous overburden, dotted with dozens of narrow water-filled strip mining pits. The former entrance to the pits was gated and heavily chained, but it just so happened that my father had a friend who owned a small farm abutting the eastern edge of the mine, and thus we had been able to access the area at that point for over a decade. Because the area was officially off-limits, virtually no one knew of the excellent fishing provided by the flooded pits, which hosted healthy populations of largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegills, yellow catfish, and a few monster carp. The rocky clear-water pits were nearly all interconnected, and were fed in the northeast corner by the small and spring-fed upper reaches of fish-rich Perche Creek, which eventually flows into the Mississippi River west of Jefferson
City. During times of high water, fish by the hundreds would migrate upstream into the pits, seeking the deep, food-abundant holes which characterized the old mine. And, for years, Roy and I had been fishing there, paddling around in an old aluminum jon boat which my buddy, Lewayne, and I had dragged in while still in high school. It was a glorious day, warm and sunny, and as Roy and I pushed through the thick surrounding woods and clamored down into the first pit where we kept our boat, we looked forward to some excellent spring bass fishing. Since early childhood, it had been my job (my father always called it “having fun”) to propel the boat from the stern with a single paddle, while Roy cast plastic worms and topwater lures around the big rocks and bushes at the edge of the shore. I was allowed to fish a bit, too, just so long as I kept the boat positioned correctly. This time was no different. Although only a mile or so from busy State Highway 63, the hilly terrain and depth of the pits eliminated all traffic noise, so except for the occasional sound of an airplane far overhead or the muttering of a distant farm tractor, only nature’s muted chorus was audible. The gurgling of small springs over rocks; the call of a lone bald eagle, who usually wintered over at the mine; the squawking of the few great blue herons, which called the area home; and the billowing bass notes of giant bullfrogs along the banks. As usual, Roy and I didn’t talk much, just being content to be together and on the water. Actually, neither my father nor I were ever great talkers anyway, and on the rare occasions we’d gone fishing with other people, they often thought that Roy and I were angry with one another, because we spoke so little. The shadow of the Vietnam War and my being wounded there looming overhead, but it was always just out of sight. My father was a disabled
WWII Veteran, but had never discussed that in any detail with me – and I felt the same about my recent combat experience. So, we didn’t need to talk about war directly in order to work it out of our systems. We let the fishing do that. While wading the shallows to the second hole, I spotted an interesting fossil. Such coalfields, which were formed by ocean sediments millions of years ago, often contain fossils, but this one was the largest and most intact I’d ever seen. We cleaned the mud off of it, speculated about its name and origin, wrapped it in an old towel, and laid it in the bottom of the boat. I later donated the fossil to the University of Missouri, my Alma mater and where my father was a professor of Agricultural Economics. It was identified as a rare giant cephalopod, and was such a unique find that it was on public display at the school for years. The hours passed easily, and the weather was warm, with sailing clippers of perfectly white clouds passing leisurely across an azure sky. Our Cokes were cold; our self-prepared sandwiches tasty; our store-bought cookies crisp. By the end of the day, we were pleasantly tired, slightly sunburned, but totally refreshed. We caught no fish – nor even had a bite – that entire day, yet on the drive home we both agreed that it had been by far the best fishing trip ever.
POSTSCRIPT: Nearly exactly 22 years later, my father Roy passed away from a heart attack. On the evening of his death, he returned – alone – to the mine pits, for one last fishing trip. How I wish I could have again been there with him... December 2015 • January 2016 | 19
Backroads BY KIM MCCULLY-MOBLEY
& Byways
Holiday Traditions and Memories Bring Joy
Mildred and Elmer Wright are pictured with one of their grandchildren. Making candy at the holidays was one of her talents. Christmas was a time for her to showcase her skills.
T
he warm, vanilla-sugar smell of Grandma Marie’s sugar cookies as I lift off the lid of an old cookie jar take me back to the thrill of Christmases past. I stand on a chair in her warm kitchen, tip-toes stretching as I lift my four-year-old self up across the counter – reaching – with the old thimble she handed me in my right hand. I arrive, nose first, at the cookie sheet of the perfectly round, glistening cookies and make little dents and swirls with my thimble as the sugar on top outlines my circles. Grandma Marie sprinkles some more sugar on them and tells me to let them cool. The little treats begin to cool--awaiting the holiday visitors who will soon come through the farmhouse door. I smile. Grandma winks. I have done my part for Christmas dinner. Soon the house will be full of hearty laughter, old stories, and presents. I shift gears to a few years later – “Joy to the World”…The harmonious sounds of Christmas carols being sung by
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the neighborhood children as snowflakes glisten off the ends of their noses can be heard in the background. The bundled up singers receive applause and popcorn balls at the end of their melody from Mrs. Newbold, our neighbor, who tells the youngsters to hurry home where it is warm. Fast forward a few more decades – The hearty “Ho-Ho-Ho” of Santa Claus as he winks, smiles and waves from the back of the fire truck in my hometown Christmas parade helps me know I am right where I belong – on the streets of downtown Aurora – for my 55th Christmas Parade. Is that even possible? The twinkling lights beckoning from the front porch of a longtime friend – as I skip up her steps – warms my heart as much as the hot tea she hands me when I walk in the door and plop down on her big, brown leather couch. These are the things I think about when I ponder holiday traditions of the past and present in the Ozarks.
Numerous traditions have come the way of our ancestors – passing them down from generation to generation. The emphasis of faith, resourcefulness and love serve as cornerstones for those who have withstood the test of time in the close-knit families of the Ozarks region. The old story about the animals and livestock talking to one another on Christmas Eve is recorded in Vance Randolph’s, Ozark Magic & Folklore. It has threads going back to the Appalachian Mountain stories, and even the tales from the British Isles. The stories are all connected to the Miracle of Christmas and how anything can happen – any time… anywhere. As our family has grown and gone in a variety of directions, we come back together to focus on the children in the family for our bigger gifts, while the adults participate in a version of the old Chinese gift exchange, which will be followed by a rousing game of Christmas BINGO. In turn, Christmas day finds us creating personal stockings filled with inexpensive, thoughtful goodies for those we hold dear. This was my mother’s favorite part of Christmas – getting the stockings all loaded with loot and making sure the name of the recipient was on the stocking. Mom has been gone for seven years this Christmas. We sang “Silent Night” at her celebration of life. It has special meaning now. Gift-giving in itself was made popular by the Romans and is often associated with the gifts of the Three Wise Men, who brought gold, frankincense and myrrh, to the site of Jesus’ birth. Candles and lights are symbolic of Christ’s birth being the light of the world. Holly is seen as protection from pagans, while the heart-shaped leaves of the Ivy reminds us of the live nativity.
Christmas carols first became popular in the Middle Ages, but have surged in popularity again the past 200 years. Celebratory in nature, they are meant as a sign of joy and happiness to the singers and the listeners.
she didn’t tat, she didn’t crochet…She had 12 kids! But she must have been a heck of a cook, though,” states Ravae. Grandma Wright, she says, was widowed when she was 49. Ravae was six months old and does not remember her grandpa.
nearby. If I make it today, I still want her nearby…so that no mistakes will be made. And I hope she is,” concludes Ravae – with a look upward and a smile.
Ravae said she can remember meticulously copying down her grandmother’s recipes while she was a teenager.
Mildred (Jennings) Wright was one of 12 children. She is pictured at Swope Park in Kansas City--shortly before meeting her future husband.
A good friend of mine, Ravae Willhelm Lewis, says when she is making candy in her kitchen at Christmastime, she feels the spirit of her grandmother, “Grandma Wright.” The best gifts in her family are those crafted with love – with the recipient in mind. Food gifts are a special treat as visitors do not go away with empty stomachs. “My grandma was one of 12 kids born to Minnie (Journey) Jennings and Charley Jennings. We don’t have any artifacts of Minnie’s. She didn’t quilt,
“But I can imagine that he was one blessed man. Grandma kept a huge garden all her life, even when she didn’t need to. I’m not sure if this was the remnant of raising five children of her own, making ends meet and not knowing how NOT to have a garden or if for pure enjoyment. I lean toward the latter,” she explains. Christmas was a time for Grandma Wright to showcase her skills, says Ravae. Grandma was THE BEST candy maker. Two of her specialties, she explains, were Cream Loaf and Pulled Taffy. “Both were laborious in their own way. The process of making the Cream Loaf required precision. One misstep and the batch didn’t “make.” It is a candy made over the stove with lots of checking of the candy thermometer, Ravae says. “It was a tad bit easier than the divinity she made, because the atmospheric humidity didn’t affect the outcome. Yes, she made divinity, too, but I don’t like it, so it didn’t make my favorite tradition list. I loved helping her make Cream Loaf, but I always wanted her
Cream Loaf Recipe 1 pt. thick cream 7 cups sugar 3 T. butter 2-3 T. vinegar 1 quart nuts (optional) Vanilla as needed Cook slowly after mixing all ingredients. Add the vinegar in midway through. Cook to soft to hard ball using the candy thermometer.
ESTABLISHED 1970
Newbold & Newbold PC
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS James E. Newbold, CPA • Kevin J. Newbold, CPA Kristi D. Newbold, CPA ACCOUNTING | PAYROLL | TAXES
1402 S. Elliott Ave., Aurora Mo. 417-678-5191
Our Team in Action for Justice 417.737.7154 | 877.470.4304 200 S. Elliott Ave. | Aurora, Mo.
www.pettitlawoffice.com December 2015 • January 2016 | 21
Baby, it's
cold outside. Nixa Hardware has one of the largest stove inventories
in Southwest Missouri, and in-house stove installers for your convenience. A full line of stove pipe, ash vacuums, and accessories are stocked year-round. You can explore the large displays and see stoves as well as many propane and natural gas heaters.
Warm up with these hot deals this season!
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OZARK
Hills&Hollows
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52,000 BTU, Heats up to 2,200 Sq. Ft., Room sensor acts as a thermostat, 3 heights available. $3,688 Porcelain $3,988
417-725-3512 Hwy 14 and 160, Nixa M-F 7:30-6:00 | Sat. 7:30-5:30 | Sun. 9:30-4:00
www.nixahardware.com
s
Christmas in the Ozarks FEATURING THE CHARITY BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR
A Concert Prepared by Miss Heather Leverich, owner, Conservatory of the Ozarks.
The concert celebrates Christmas with a pleasing mixture of bluegrass, folk, traditional, country and gospel music.
Charity Baptist Church 2603 S Westwood Ave, Springfield
Sunday, Dec 16 at 6 p.m.
1 MI NORTH OF I-49 EXIT EE ON THE WEST OUTER ROAD ANDERSON, MO
The public is welcome to attend this free Christmas concert. A love offering will be taken to benefit Grand Oak Mission, a Baptist mission and food pantry which provides food and clothing for people in the Springfield area. Everyone is also encouraged to bring a food item to donate to the Grand Oak Christmas baskets for people in need.
417-436-4444
www.eubanksequipment.com
A Unique Ozarks Experience Breakfast • Lunch • Pies • Deli • Ice Cream Enamel Ware • Bulk Spices • Baked Goods And So Much More!
Get your pie order in
FOR CHearly RISTMAS!
Main Office - 417-835-3000
Junior Galyen - 417-846-7373 Main Office417-835-3000 Bob Sorensen - 417-847-7622
Junior Galyen- 417-846-7373 Rob Sorensen - 417-846-3733 Bob Sorensen- 417-847-7622 Rob Sorensen417-846-3733 SaleMain Time - 11am Office- 417-835-3000
Sale Every Saturday Sale Time- 12pm Exeter, MO Sale Every Saturday Junior Galyen- 417-846-7373 Bob Sorensen- 417-847-7622 Rob Sorensen- 417-846-3733
Sale Time- 12pm
Sale Every Saturday Exeter, MO Exeter, MO
,LLC
FIELD REPRESENTATIVES Rusty Stone - Auctioneer - 417-847-7237 Dayne Galyen - 417-846-7775 Kevin Ruddick - 479-790-9272 ,LLC Jeff Sorensen - 417-342-9667
••• The•••
Jane Store
2980 Rains Road, Jane Missouri TUE-SAT 417-226-1234
6am-3pm
Turn east at Hwy. 90 and I-49/Hwy. 71 unc on, at light. East on Hwy. 90 to T in the road, turn le and head north ll you see The Jane Store on the west side.
December 2015 • January 2016 | 23
LO C A L LY C R A F T E D G LO B A L LY A F F EC T I N G NATURAL AND IRRESISTIBLE
Chocolate's sweet journey home to the Ozarks STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATE BAER
T
he first thing you might notice when you look at a bar of Kyya chocolate is that the country of origin is printed on the front along with a brief description of the flavor profile. This is a clue that what you are about to indulge in is no ordinary chocolate. Ordinary chocolatiers serve up homogenized bars with a mix of cocoa beans from around the world. The unique, distinctive properties of each kind of bean are lost and the flavor is muddled and ordinary. At Kyya, the peculiar flavors of each countries beans are celebrated and described much like a fine wine.
24 | 24 |
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THE PROCESS When Rick Boosey visited an orphanage in Uganda in 2012 and saw all the need there, he came home ready to be part of the solution. Chocolate was the answer. Cocoa is a common crop in many impoverished parts of the world. The best way to benefit the farmers and communities they live in? Pay them top dollar for what they produce – cocoa beans. Kyya is able to do this by connecting with them directly, celebrating the particulars of their beans, producing artisan chocolate products, and then giving a portion of the proceeds back to the community. Not only is Kyya chocolates benefiting small cocoa communities around the world, they are benefiting us here at home as well. Kyya is Arkansas’ first bean to bar chocolatier. They are also the only maker in Arkansas to own a chocolate press, which means that they extract all of their own cocoa butter. Only about 5-10% of all chocolatiers in the country make their own cocoa butter. This puts them in the company of only a handful of these businesses in the nation. Rick, at Kyya, receives all of the beans dried and fermented. This is the only way they are allowed in the country. The fermentation process is done by heaping the beans together and enclosing them with banana leaves to conserve the heat generated by fermentation. The fermentation begins with the growth of yeasts on the pulp that surround the beans. The yeasts then convert the sugars into ethanol. Bacteria oxidizes the ethanol into acetic acid, then to carbon dioxide and water. This raises the temperature and the pulp breaks down. By the second day, the acetic acid and high temperatures (up to 122 degrees F.) kill the bean. This causes cell walls to break down and complex chemical changes to occur. This is what causes the chocolate flavor and color to develop.
Rick then roasts them in a handmade roaster with a perforated drum. They roast “slow and low.” They roast at this low temperature for an extended period. Then they are sent through a winnowing process where the shell and nib are separated.
The nibs are then placed into a melanger which mechanically crushes the beans with granite rollers on a granite base. This creates chocolate liquor in about 72 hours. Big chocolatiers only take about 3 hours to do this, and quality is lost.
December 2015 • January 2016 | 25 December 2015 • January 2016 | 25
Cocoa butter is extracted using the cocoa press which exerts as much pressure on the liquor as 100 Subarus stacked on top of one another. The liquor is then mixed with other ingredients, melanged again, and tempered. The tempering gives it its snap, shine, and raises the melting temperature by 10 degrees which is significant in the hot summers of Arkansas. This process results in a quality, artisan bar. The nibs are then placed into a melanger which mechanically crushes the beans with granite rollers on a granite base. This creates chocolate liquor in about 72 hours. Big chocolatiers only take about 3 hours to do this, and quality is lost.
Not only is Kyya chocolates benefiting small cocoa communities around the world, they are benefiting us here at home as well. Kyya is Arkansas’ first bean to bar chocolatier.
Cocoa butter is extracted using the cocoa press which exerts as much pressure on the liquor as 100 Subarus stacked on top of one another.
Kyyas long term goal is to work with 40 different suppliers. Chocolate is grown in 80 countries, so there are ample communities to choose from. They hope to give farmers a streamlined system for fermenting the beans to optimize the return for the community. Currently, there are usually 8-10 people in the supply chain. Rick has shortened that to 2. That way the farmer and community can directly benefit from the quality beans they produce. This is why Rick travels directly to these villages to negotiate with the farmers. He not only pays a wage far higher than they would get normally, he also goes back and donates a portion of the proceeds directly to the community. A village in Uganda was the latest recipient of this generosity.
D O N ' T F O R G E T. . . I T ' S C H O C O L AT E M E LT I N Y O U R M O U T H D E L I C I O U S The liquor is then mixed with other ingredients, melanged again, and tempered. The tempering gives it its snap, shine, and raises the melting temperature by 10 degrees which is significant in the hot summers of Arkansas. This process results in a quality, artisan bar. 26 |
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In addition to being able to feel good about your Kyya chocolate purchase, your mouth will also thank you. You can sample a dark 72.5% chocolate from four different countries, such as Uganda, Ecuador, Hispaniola and Papua New Guinea and swear that they must be different recipes. They are not. It is simply the unique bean profiles. The Papua New Guinea has a distinctly
smoky flavor due to the fact that they dry the beans on grates over open fires. The Hispaniola has undertones of burnt orange and dark cherry. The Ecuadorian is perfectly balanced and smooth with a hint of cherry. The Madagascar has a banana dominance ending with apricots and raisin. It’s truly amazing that different cocoa beans carry so many flavors.
CHECK IT OUT Kyya offers tours of their facility in Elm Springs where you can witness the whole process first hand. They offer samples, and sell bars and their other chocolate products such as chocolate syrup. It’s well worth the drive and you may walk away thanking them for teaching you a new way to appreciate chocolate. Kyya is also available at local retailers as well, and their syrup is featured in coffee drinks at Onyx Coffee Lab in Fayetteville.
There's a job for everyone in the family at Kyya! Rick and Cindy, with Madison, Peyton, Cassie and Abby.
December 2015 • January 2016 | 27
the swee test season
MAKE IT DOWN-HOME HOME-MADE
C
hristmas is coming and home-spun gift-giving ideas are tumbling through your head. Put a new spin on those home-made goodies by adding some premium quality local ingredients to make it extra special.
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BY SHERRY LEVERICH AND VERONICA ZUCCA
Here in the heart of the United States, we have all kinds of grown, made and produced products. Fresh Roasted Coffee itself is a real treat, and we have an abundance of local roasters, and “3rd wave� coffee houses that follow the bean from the farmer to the roaster, such as Onyx Coffee Lab in Fayetteville. Looking for nuts to flavor your fudge? Check out your backyard for Black Walnuts, or at the store for locally harvested and distributed Hammonds Black Walnuts. Pecans can be found just north of our area. The smaller native pecans are sold roadside, or can be ordered from Missouri Northern Pecan Growers in Nevada, Mo.
Black Walnut Biscotti 6 Tbsp. butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 Tbsp. sorghum (or molasses or maple syrup) 1 tsp. vanilla
Did you ever imagine we would have bean-to-bar chocolatiers right here in the Ozarks? Chocolate for baking, and dipping (and just eating – anytime) can be found at Kyya Chocolate in Elm Springs, Ar., or at Askinosie Chocolate in Springfield, Mo. Give your treats a boost with homebrew. Local breweries, such as Bikerack in Bentonville, Ar., have special Beers that will add just the right flavor tones to your beerbread or stout cake recipes. Jelly and Jam and other sweet spreads are always available at historic House of Webster in Rogers, Ar. Rogers is also close to War Eagle Mill where not only can you find fresh ground local grains, but other great ingredients for your holiday baking as well. More and more local farmers markets, such as Farmers Market of the Ozarks in Springfield, are staying open through the winter months and can provide Eggs, Dairy, and Honey – as well as local nuts and preserves. Have you had a successful hunting season? Turn that ground Venison (or local grown ground Beef) into summer sausage – makes a great gift, or snack for your holiday guests.
IPA Beer Peanut Brittle ½ cup butter 2 cups sugar ½ local IPA 1tsp. salt 1 cup peanuts, lightly toasted, unsalted
1/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 2 eggs 2 c. flour 1/4 cup black walnuts
Beat together butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, and baking powder until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and continue beating for a minute. The batter may look curdled at this point. Stir in flour and nuts until the dough just pulls together. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and form the dough into a log approximately 15 x 2 1/2 x 3/4”. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees (F). Let the baked log cool for 20 minutes. Spritz the log with water, and let it sit for 5 additional minutes. This will make it easier to cut without crumbling. Cut into even 3/4” slices. Set the slices upright on the baking sheet, and bake them an additional 25 minutes at 325 degrees, F. Cool. Dip the end of the finished cookies into melted chocolate, or drizzle with chocolate. Store in an airtight container or bag.
Chocolate Coffee Truffles 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup 1/4 cup roasted coffee beans, finely ground 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder or finely chopped nuts for rolling truffles in Place the chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside. Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the coffee and refrigerate for one hour. Using a small scoop, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Roll in cocoa powder or nuts. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine butter, sugar, IPA and salt, stirring over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook to a hard crack stage, 300-310 degrees, F. (and up to 325 degrees, F for a darker color). Remove from heat and stir in peanuts, and immediately pouring onto prepared cookie sheet, spreading evenly. Let cool to room temperature, then crack into bite size pieces. Store in an air tight container. December 2015 • January 2016 | 29
Homemade Wholewheat Crackers 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar ½ tsp. salt, plus extra for sprinkling on 1/4 tsp. paprika 4 Tbsp. butter 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water (or a tiny bit more if dough is too dry) 1/4 tsp. vanilla Preheat oven to 400 degrees, F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick mat. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, paprika, salt). With a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Now mix together the water and vanilla and then pour into the flour mixture. Stir this mixture until it comes together. If it appears dry add a touch of water, but you don’t want it sticky. Split the dough in half. On a floured surface or on a non-stick mat, roll out one half of the dough very thin (1/16th inch). Using a pizza cutter, cut into whatever shape you desire. Using a splatula, place the crackers on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with more salt and sesame seeds if desired. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Half way through baking rotate the pan to ensure even baking. Cool completely. Store in an air-tight container.
Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup finely ground coffee beans 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 cups milk chocolate chips Heat the oven to 350 degrees, F., and arrange a rack in the middle. Combine the flour, coffee, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to aerate; set aside. Place the butter, granulated and brown sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing until completely incorporated. Add the flour mixture and stir until just moistened through. Stir in the chocolate chips until just combined. Drop 2-tablespoon balls of dough on 2 rimmed baking sheets, leaving 2 in between each cookie. Bake 12-15 minutes, place on cooling racks till cool, store in airtight container.
Classic Summer Sausage 2 pounds ground beef (or ground venison) 2 Tbsp. mustard seed 1 Tbsp. garlic powder 1 Tbsp. liquid smoke flavoring 2 Tbsp. sugar-based curing mixture (such as Morton Tender Quick) 1 tsp. cayenne 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1 tsp. salt In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef (or venison) and all seasonings using your hands. Place in covered bowl and refrigerate for one day. Mix well with hands again. Form into 2 logs, no more than 2-inches in diameter. Preheat an oven to 300 degrees, F. Wrap each log in aluminum foil, poking holes along the bottom for drainage. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place the summer sausage logs onto the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees, F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Cool the sausages on a rack until they have cooled to room temperature. Unwrap the foil, and rewrap with plastic wrap tightly, and keep refrigerated. After 24 hours, may be sliced thin and eaten with cheese and crackers. 30 |
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Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies 4 farm fresh egg whites, room temperature (very important!) 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer, beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Gently fold in chocolate chips by hand until combined. Drop heaping tablespoon-fulls of batter onto cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cookies are cooked and slightly golden. Turn the oven off, and let the cookies cool in the oven for an additional 20-30 minutes until cool. Remove and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container.
Honey Nougat Nonstick vegetable oil spray pinch kosher salt 1/2 cup honey 1 cup toasted nuts 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup dried fruit 1 large egg white, room temperature Toast the nuts for about 10 minutes at 350. Set aside to cool. Prepare an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray. Combine sugar, honey and 2 Tbsp. water in a small, deep heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of pan. Increase heat and boil until thermometer registers 280 degrees, F., about 3 -5 minutes. At the same time, beat egg white and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. With mixer running, slowly and very carefully, stream hot syrup into egg whites. Beat until meringue is thick and has cooled slightly, 10–12 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add dried fruit and nuts of choice or even chocolate chips to meringue; mix nougat with a rubber spatula to distribute evenly. Place on the prepared pan spreading in an even layer. Top with second sheet of sprayed parchment. Use spatula to press the nougat into an even layer. Let nougat set at least 2 hours, but overnight is best. Cut with a knife and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Black Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) salted butter 1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 1 cup chocolate chunks semi or bittersweet 1 cup black walnuts
Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars 1 1/4 cups flour 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 Tbsp. milk 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (or strawberry jam) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, then add the butter and pulse until a dough starts to form. Blend in the milk. (If you don’t have a food processor you could do this with an electric mixer, or a pastry cutter). Transfer the dough-bits to a bowl and knead in the oats until well combined. Separate ½ of the mixture to be used for topping. Press the rest of the dough evenly into a buttered 9 x 9-inch baking pan. Spread the jam evenly over the top. Crumble the reserved dough evenly over the top. Bake in the center of the oven until golden, 20-25 minutes, and cool completely in the pan on a rack. Use a knife to loosen the sides, lift it out, and cut into bars on a cutting board.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Beat together the butter, sugar and eggs. Add vanilla and sifted dry ingredients. Fold in Black Walnuts and chocolate chunks. Spoon golf ball size portions onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake 15–18 minutes in a 325°F oven until light golden brown.
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Black Walnut Brittle 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup butter 1 to 1-1/2 cups black walnuts 1/2 tsp. baking soda In a saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup and water until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Add butter; cook until mixture reaches 280 degrees, F., on a candy thermometer. Stir in walnuts; cook until 300 degrees, F., (hard crack stage). Remove from the heat and stir in baking soda. Spread immediately into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan. When cool, break into pieces.
Coffee Bean Bark 1 tsp. plus 2 Tbsp. butter, divided 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate 2 tsp. instant coffee granules 2/3 cup coarsely chopped coffee beans, divided 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) vanilla chocolate Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate, coffee granules and remaining butter. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until melted; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/3 cup coffee beans. Pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm. In a microwave, melt vanilla chips; stir until smooth. Stir in remaining coffee beans. Spread over chocolate layer. Chill until firm. Break into pieces.
Salted Brown Sugar & Honey Fudge 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp. honey 3/4 tsp. flaky sea salt, divided 1 vanilla bean, scraped 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter In a heavy bottomed saucepan combine the sugars, honey, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and vanilla bean. Place pan over medium heat and whisk until sugars are dissolved. Place a candy thermometer in the pan, and cook the mixture – stirring occasionally, until the temperature registers at 240 degrees F. Remove pan from heat. Add the butter, stir until completely melted, then leave the mixture to stand until it’s cooled to room temperature. Pour the fudge into a parchment paper lined baking pan (I used an 8×8 square cake pan), sprinkle with remaining sea salt, and let set for at least 4 hours in a cool place. Cut into tiny squares and either serve or store in an airtight container. Fudge will last up to 7 days.
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On the Front Porch with Kelsey Parmenter
When Kelsey isn’t promoting rodeo, she makes her home at Rush Springs Ranch, an outdoor adventure and ATV off-road trail park in Pineville (just north of Pea Ridge), where she is the recreational manager. If she wins the national title, she will have a busy year of promoting rodeo and traveling all over the country. elsey Parmenter is a 22-year-old Pea Ridge, When she has settled Arkansas, native that is the current Miss back into her home in Rodeo Arkansas. We hope you will all cheer for the Ozarks, she plans to our local girl as she competes for the National finish her Ag Business Miss Rodeo title on December 6 in Las Vegas. degree at University of Arkansas. Though she has a rural, agriculture background, Kelsey is relatively new in the rodeo scene – she only started when she was 16! This fact sets her apart from most of her pageant competition, but also explains her passion for rodeo. Kelseys ability to understand the intrigue of the rodeo lifestyle – and the respect she has for it – helps her explain and recruit others to participate.
K
Q&A:
What have you learned this year? I really found my knack, and my dream is to establish a riding facility for at-risk kids. To create a place where they can work with horses, and get to ride. I want to see kids turn negative energy into something good. If you didn’t live in the Ozarks, where would you live? That’s a hard question, because I love the Ozarks, and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else! Colorado is beautiful, though...I love the country there, it’s rural and people are very friendly. What is your favorite color? The cowgirl answer is, “Rhinestones are my favorite color,” but I really love the patriotic American flag – Red, White and Blue, and try to incorporate it into my rodeo wardrobe as much as possible. What’s your favorite Christmas treat? My Mema’s Peanut Brittle. December 2015 • January 2016 | 33
Upcycling the Christmas List Repurposing Revolution BY SHERRY LEVERICH AND VERONICA ZUCCA
T-Time
Something practical for your favorite DIY'er. Take those old T-shirts that can't be used for anything else, and make reusable (or disposable) work-rags. Lay T-shirt flat, and cut out two squares (or rectangles) using the whole body of the shirt (omitting the sleeves and neckline). To make them durable through multiple uses, simply machine zig-zag stitch around entire edge. Use a contrasting color thread for an added feature, or sew rick-rack around the edge. A STACK OF THESE TIED WITH A BOLD RIBBON WILL MAKE YOUR MECHANIC OR GARDENER HAPPY.
No sewing machine? No problem! This no-sew solution for a quick tote bag that doubles as a bonus gift!
Don't Sweat It!
Put new life in that misshapen or worn-out old sweater. It's so hard to get rid of a pure wool or cashmere sweater that has seen better days, but, it can easily be transformed into a cozy hat.
BONUS:
Make your stocking hat long, Use a favorite stocking hat as a and add a pom-pom on pattern, cut out your hat, making the end for a trendy either one center seam, or two look that a teenager side seams, and sew it up using a would enjoy. machine, or by hand. If you are using a finely knitted sweater, sewing will be easy, but with a larger knit, care must be taken to sew through each thread, otherwise, unraveling can start, especially once any stretching takes place.
Trim the sleeves and neckline. Cut half- to 1-inch-wide strands at the bottom of the shirt. Knot each fringe to create a bottom seam. Voila!
Looking for another way to use those T-shirts taking up room in the closet? This cute scarf is a fun way to turn them into something new again.
Another great way to recycle that old sweater into a Christmas gift? Make the sleeves into cute tube socks. These are a great accessory for your favorite girl that likes to wear leggings and boots.
Cut 10-inch squares out of your favorite colors and graphics. Stitch the top and bottom of each square. You can invert the seams or leave raw T-shirt edge exposed for a fringe detail.
Simply cut the sleeves off of the sweater, straight across where the shoulder and underarm meet. Using a sewing machine (or needle and thread) sew across the cut end of the arm. Some adjustments may need to be made to keep it from being too bulky around the toes, but with loose boots, this shouldn't be too big of a problem and will certainly keep your toes warm!
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Porch Pretty
Everyone welcomes a wind-chime for their porch. Random metal objects can be put together in no time for an eclectic porch pleaser. Find a large object to use for the hanger -- such as an old metal colander, grater, or even a pot lid. An assortment of old forks and spoons, keys, or other small metal things can be used for chimes. Before attaching, use a nail and hammer, if necessary, to make holes in handles, or hanger to attach chimes. Using small chain, cable or heavy-gauge fishing line, attach chimes at various heights. Get creative, and don't forget to try it out and see if it sounds as good as it looks!
All That Glitters is Gold
Brush Up on Accessories
If you have a collection of old toothbrushes around to use for cleaning, here is cute idea for those bright colored toothbrush handles. First; using a pair of pliers, pull all of the bristles out of the toothbrush. Place the toothbrushes in boiling water for at least 10 seconds. Be careful, and use metal tongs to pick them up out of the water. To handle, use oven mitts and quickly shape them into a bracelet cuff shape. If it doesn't want to shape all the way, dip in water for a few seconds again, and re-shape. As it cools, it will harden and keep its new shape. Try twisting the hot handles for another cool look.
Pillow Talk
Turn a leftover twin-size sheet into a pillow bed kids! They’re ideal for reading, watching tv, kindy or sleepovers, in fact any time! You can use old pillows from your house, or purchase new ones for a few dollars each. First, lay your sheet out right side up and fold one of the long sides over 15" and pin. Fold the other side over 22", making a finished width of 28". Sew along one of the short ends. Measure 85" from the seam you just sewed. Mark, sew, and finish as you did the other end. Mark lines every 17" and sew, backstitching at both side edges. Insert your pillows. Tie a large ribbon around the bundled bed. It will be a favorite for Christmas morning!
Find unique gifts for everyone on your list, right at home. Sa e me and money y shopping local.
T mblin Jewelry & Gifts O N T H E S QUA R E
Cassville, Missouri 417-847-2195
LAYAWAY AVAILABLE December 2015 • January 2016 | 35
A Cure FOR YOUR BACON Cravings A roadtrip to Coursey’s Smoked Meats might be your new family holiday tradition STORY AND PHOTOS BY JENNIFER BAXLEY
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raveling down Highway 65 South in northwest Arkansas, it’s impossible not to see countless billboards for a popular landmark destination, a business that draws customers from across the country – Coursey’s Smoked Meats. Upon pulling into the parking lot, the mouth-watering aroma of the deep, rich earthy hickory smoke permeates the air. This distinct and soothing fragrance is like a beautiful memory that instantly brings happiness and comfort to many, and seems to evoke an appreciation and respect for the art of preparing food. This was the case for founder Lynn Coursey, who began his love of cuisine at a very young age and worked diligently to earn the title of gourmet chef in Oklahoma before settling down for what he thought would be his retirement in the small community of St. Joe, Arkansas. Coursey moved his family to the quaint town and before long grew tired of
his new carefree lifestyle. This boredom led Lynn to return to his roots of serving others the delicious recipes he had created when he opened Coursey’s Smoked Meats in 1945. This business, nestled close to the Buffalo River, began serving, and continues to serve, what many consider to be the best smoked meats around. Since then, his small venture has turned into a famous eatery that has been passed down two generations in the Coursey family and currently Lynn’s granddaughter, Mary Lu Neal continues on with the family legacy, still serving her grandfather’s original recipes. The deep affection and pride the Coursey family has for cooking and serving quality food originated in Texas when Lynn was just a small boy. “When he (Lynn) was growing up, he was one of 16 children and he would hide until all of the other kids would go out to work in the field and he would read all day,” Mary Lu said with a smile. “He taught himself French and he learned how to read French cookbooks. He was quite the chef.” That passionate desire to be in the culinary world led Lynn, throughout his self-taught career as a chef, and his humble beginnings – inspired him to be authentic in his cooking and also in his
customer service. Over the years, Lynn’s work ethic was contagious and after raising their family, he and his wife, Luta, spent their retirement years serving the community of St. Joe smoked meats and homemade jams and jellies, which Luta made by hand.
Roadtrip to Coursey’s
H
eaded to Coursey’s Smoked Meats in St. Joe? Make a day trip of it! Jennifer enjoyed the day with her daughters, Matilda and Grace, and stopped at several fun destinations along the way! Here they are at the Hurricane River Cave. HURRICANE RIVER CAVE located at 585 Impulse Dr. in Pindall This natural wonder, discovered around 1820, was once used a hide out for members of Jesse James’ gang. To get to this destination requires a bit of an off-road adventure, but if you follow the very bumpy road down the side of the mountain what you find at the bottom is beautiful. The front of the cave and grounds are charming and feature a beautiful waterfall that climbs several stories. This is a great place for a photo-op or you can pay to tour the cave – or if you’re brave and skilled enough you can book an extreme wild cave tour, which takes about 3 hours to complete. For more information on Hurricane River Cave visit Hurricanerivercaverns.com or call 1-870-429-6200. HISTORICAL MISSOURI AND NORTH ARKANSAS RAILWAY DEPOT located at 110 Highway 65 South in St. Joe This landmark doesn’t look very big, but it’s steeped full of historical significance. After two years, the renovation of this cool old depot is nearly finished. What now serves as a museum and historical marker was once the St. Joe Train Depot, which opened in 1902. It was a popular stop on the railway that ran from Joplin, Missouri to Helena, Arkansas. Inside the building are many artifacts, photographs, maps and reminders of the significance this railroad played in the area. In the back there is the original scale, which still works, that was used to weigh bales of cotton. This is a really neat place to visit, but before making the trip call St. Joe Mayor, John Henley, at 1-870-439-2012 or councilman, Norman Morrison, at 1-870-439-2369 to schedule a visit. GILBERT GENERAL STORE located at 1 Frost Street in Gilbert Take a step back in time and go to the “Coolest town in Arkansas” – Gilbert. This beautiful little town, located right on the Buffalo River is full of cool cabins for rent, a restaurant and also the famous general store. This store is such a great old building, and just a super eclectic place to visit. Opened in 1901, this store is on the National Registry of Historic Places. This unique business, which also serves as the home for Buffalo Camping & Canoeing, sells everything from t-shirts to drinks and is a place to take a minute to sit on the relaxing porch, as well as drive a block and be on the shores of the breath-taking Buffalo River. This is a must see! For more information call 1-870-439-2386.
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“They literally loved people,” Mary Lu commented. “Sometimes they used to bring their last person in the store home with them for dinner.” In 1957, when Mary Lu was in the third grade, it was time to pass the family legacy to the next generation. So, her parents, Jack and Mary Coursey, moved their family to Arkansas from Oklahoma and took over the business keeping Lynn’s recipes and high standards for the dayto-day operation. Jack featured half and whole smoked hams, just as Lynn had and business was good. After growing up working at Coursey’s, Mary Lu followed in her family’s footsteps, and in 1986, she stepped in full-time to run the business. She kept the tradition by continuing to use Lynn’s recipes, such as the infamous smear that is applied to the smoked meats, as well as Luta’s jam and jelly recipes. Mary Lu grew the establishment by adding a sandwich counter in 1989, serving made-to-order sandwiches that feature freshly-smoked Coursey meats and cheeses, which are a local favorite to this day. Living on site, just as her family before her, Mary Lu raised her family in the business, many times going to work with a baby on her hip. Her husband, John Neal, and children all pitched in over the years and oversaw the ever-expanding venture. It was important to Mary Lu to ensure that as the business evolved that the core never changed; Lynn’s original recipes and standards of operation were
the protocol and even with the addition of buildings and updating technology that has remained a constant. Open seven days a week; Coursey’s smokes ham, turkey, summer sausage, (both beef and venison), bacon, Swiss and cheddar cheese one day a week – that is until the busy season hits and around Christmas their smokestacks are firing
Kathy Scott, with them for 35 years. Mary Lu Neal, Owner. Brady Willis, a young apprentice, Robin Harris, with them for 20 years. Brian Loggins, with them for 13 years. John Neal (Mary Lu’s hubby and co-owner). 38 || 38
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everyday. Bacon continues to be their best seller, and according to John, who oversees the daily operation of the business, they sell between 5,800-5,900 slabs a year (a slab averages 10-12 pounds). Coursey’s not only has loyal customers, but according to Mary Lu, they have generations of returning dedicated buyers. Reviews scatter the Internet of testimonies from pleased customers on many sites such as Yelp, Trip Advisor and Roadfood.com. “The bacon is the best I’ve had EVER! I will drive the extra miles to stock up – nothing better,” cites Kevyn77 from Conway, Arkansas.
“Coursey’s is the place to stop for smoked meats. We have been going to Coursey’s since the mid-90s and the food is still a good as ever,” reviewed by kdbauder from Lorton, Virginia. “We have found that the bacon and ham have no equal,” says Bellesong from Greenville, Mississippi. One loyal customer, referred to as Mr. Davis, lives in Florida and orders 10-20 pounds of bacon at a time and has the shipment sent overnight. According to Mary Lu, the secret to maintaining a successful business that continues to flourish after three generations of operation is all about
quality and consistency. “I buy my meat where my grandparents and parents bought their meat,” Mary Lu said. “We start with good products and add to them. We do exactly like my grandfather did it… it’s wonderful having people like our product.” Mary Lu and John not only have a loyal customer base, but also have a dedicated staff that consists of several veteran employees. “It’s home,” said Kathy Scott who has happily been employed with Coursey’s for 35 years. Coming off of their best year ever, Mary Lu, John and their staff are
upholding the traditions set forth by Lynn and are heading into another holiday season, “I think he (Lynn) would be very proud – and I think my father would be very proud too,” Mary Lu said. “I don’t do anything here without thinking about what they would do.” This family and their successful operation continue to flourish in the same location, with the original smokehouse still on site as a reminder that steeping your product in integrity and tradition can reap great rewards and happy customers. For more information on Coursey’s Smoked Meats visit them at 152 Courseys, St. Joe, AR 72675 or call 1-870-439-2503. December 2015 2015 •• January January 2016 2016 || 39 39 December
Go o d F o r Y o u
Natural sugars that can be substituted for white granulated sugar.
Not So Sweet BY MARY LOWRY
i love sweets. It is definitely my vice. My biggest health challenge is to limit my consumption of sweets. In fact, fudge is my favorite holiday treat, so I know never to make it. My gift giving goal would be self sabotaged before the day's out. My husband would come home to find me half conscious on the sofa, with chocolate dribbling down my cheek. 40 |
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Looking at statistics, I’m not the only one with a sweet tooth. The average American consumes half of a pound of sugar a day. That is 150 to 170 pounds of refined sugar per year, and over 2 TONS of sugar in a lifetime! Back in the 1800s it averaged 18 pounds per year, and in the 1700s even less. We seem naturally designed to like sweets. The human race would have likely died out if breast milk was naturally bitter tasting. This built-in attraction for sweets also motivated our ancestors to hunt for berries and fruit
COCONUT SUGAR: Coconut sugar can replace granulated sugar at 1:1. It is produced from the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm. It has a glycemic index of 30, which is considerably lower than white sugar. TURBINADO SUGAR: Can be used 1:1 as a substitute for granulated sugar. It is the “raw” cane sugar, before it goes through the refinement process that makes white granulated sugar. Sucanat is even less refined, being the crystalized version of cane juice before being treated with heat.
to provide needed vitamins, fiber and antioxidants to their diet. Sweets are also attractive because most of us are conditioned to associate sweets with love. We often reward good behavior with a piece of candy or cookie, or console a crying child with a sucker. Often we show our love for others with sweets like chocolate at Valentine’s day and candy and baked goods at the holidays. We affectionately refer to our loved ones as, “honey, sweetie, sweetheart, sugar, cupcake, sweetie-pie.”
Dopamine Cravings Sugar and falling in love have the same effect on the brain. They both release dopamine, which causes us to feel pleasure. Dopamine is also the same hormone/ neurotransmitter involved with most addictive drugs. So the expression, “addicted to love,” has a new meaning. As we consume more and more sugar, the signal in the brain gets weaker. We form a tolerance to it. So we consume more sugar to get the same effect. When the body doesn’t get the substance, we will crave it. Sugar has been found to be eight times more addictive than cocaine! Yikes! Maybe there is more to raiding the cupboard, “than just wanting something sweet.” The desire for sweets may be natural, but why did the amount of sugar we eat rise so dramatically this last century, especially these last 30 years? Processed foods, and fast foods became available and plentiful, but along with that was the discovery of high
fructose corn syrup. A sweetener that was inexpensive to make and could be added to nearly all processed foods and beverages. It is the single largest source of calories in the US, and half of this is consumed in soda, fruit juice and sports drinks. It is added to nearly everything from ketchup, breads, most sweetened beverages, lunch meats and even cheese spreads. Along with the rise in sugar consumption, especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), has been a coinciding rise in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic inflammation and non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Presently, 70 percent of Americans are overweight, and that is expected to steadily rise to over 85 percent over the next ten years. 1 in 10 have diabetes, and the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) projects that by 2050 it will be 1 in 3 Americans. Dr. Robert Lustig, an endocrinologist and leading expert on childhood obesity, gives a very strong argument for sugar, especially fructose and high fructose corn syrup, being the cause of these conditions and alarming trend, rather than dietary fat as previously believed. Dr. Lustig’s video/lecture titled, “The Bitter Truth About Sugar,” is online and well worth the time to watch.
Don't quit it, just cut it So how can we cut down on sugar and improve our health? First off, avoid high fructose corn syrup, and limit fructose in general. That means reading labels, eating less processed foods, and being more picky about which fast foods to eat. Drink water instead of sodas and sweetened drinks. Avoid the popular coffee drinks with loads of sugar (largely HFCS) and partially hydrogenated fats. Although agave syrup is a natural sugar, it is very high in fructose, and best avoided. Honey has some, although less fructose, but in it’s unheated form, it also provides enzymes and other benefits. What about artificial sweeteners, like aspartame (Nutrasweet or Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and saccharin (Sweet’N Low)? Long term findings have surprisingly shown the people who have consumed these sweeteners tend to gain, rather than lose weight, and they show an increase in glucose tolerance (early risk for diabetes). Eran Elinav, M.D., of the Weizmann Institute of Science Dept. of Immunology, found a change in gut bacteria from the use of these artificial sweeteners, and this may be why they haven’t helped as planned. Another topic altogether.
If your goal is to eat healthier this holiday season, and in the coming new year; here are some ideas. Cook more whole foods from scratch. Flavor foods with herbs and spices rather than sugar. Eat foods with fiber, healthy fats and more protein so you can feel fuller, and not crave sugar as much. If you normally give sweet homemade gifts, consider fruit baskets with nuts and maybe a pomegranate (trying to crack the nuts and open a pomegranate will keep someone busy). Get and give hugs – they raise the dopamine also. Check your job, relationships and life focus to be certain you aren’t self-medicating with sugar. And lastly, come up with new names for your loved ones, that aren’t all sugar connected – how about, “my little pumpkin”? or the French term “mon petit chon” for “my little cabbage”?
How about sugar alcohols, like xylitol, sorbitol and erythritol? These sweeteners are not, “sugar-free,” but provide less calories because the body can’t completely absorb them. The problem with that, is in large quantities it may cause some abdominal gas, bloating,cramping, and diarrhea. Xylitol is now added to gum and even some toothpaste because it does have the added benefit of preventing tooth decay.
Stevia is a safe, natural sugar that is one-hundred times sweeter than sucrose (white table sugar). It has been around for 1,500 years, although my plant only lasted one season (ha-ha). Stevia in a liquid form is sold plain or flavored. A few drops of French Vanilla, English Toffee, orange, grape or other flavor can be added to sparkling mineral water for a natural soda. Stevia can also be added to sweeten plain yogurt, coffee or teas.
The best care at the best time: when you need it. COX MONETT HOSPITAL December 2015 • January 2016 | 41
HOOT 'n' Holler
Here in the Ozarks, or out and about! Let us know where you are, where you're going, and what you're doing! Grab your magazine and take a picture, then send it to ozarkhhart@gmail.com (or Exeter Press, P.O. Box 214, Exeter, Mo 65647) with a description, and we'll share it with all your friends and readers of Ozark Hills and Hollows.
READER'S SNAP
Mary and Tim Hagens and their guests, Dorothy and Ken Holloway from Smyrna, Tennessee, enjoyed a beautiful fall day at the Exeter Corn Maze in Missouri.
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Caleb Hine at the California Capital Airshow in Sacramento.
NAPSHOTS Valerie Person, of North Carolina, and Clarissa Lambert, of Alabama, took some time to read the magazine at a Civil Rights workshop in August at the Library of Congress.
Sue and Russ Hooge, former Missourians, travelled to Greenbay, Wisconsin, with their pets Pearl and PJ. They visited with Lee Parker, formerly of Shell Knob, Missouri, and Jean and Jim Heidemann.
If you’re in Barry County, I’m for you.
Chad Yarnall (417) 847-3399
December 2015 • January 2016 | 43
WINTER GARDENING
MAINTENANCE Preparing for Spring BY NAHSHON BISHOP
No two winters are alike. As such, there are many different recommendations for how to prepare your garden to come through the winter in top shape. Some of the suggestions mentioned below can be experimented with for years to come.
The Garden Spot: SOIL
A
s the days continue to become shorter and the cold weather sets in, many of us will begin receiving next year’s seed catalogues from our favorite seed companies. For those individuals who enjoy gardening, these brightly colored catalogs serve as a reminder that the winter season holds on for far too long! However, as we enter into a new year it is important to remember that the next planting season is just around the corner and there is still work to do within the garden. This article is meant to be used as a checklist, to make sure that your favorite garden spot is in top shape for this next growing season.
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It is important for us to realize that soil is the engine that drives our gardens. As such, it is important for us to take good care of our soil throughout the year. When we grow vegetables for consumption it is a wonderful thing for us to work with nature, rather than against it. As we observe the examples displayed by nature, one of the main lessons we learn is that nature does not leave soil bare (expect for specific locations… namely deserts) and neither should we. In order to ensure that our precious top soil (what little we have in the Ozarks) stays in place, it is our job as gardeners to make sure that this resource is covered year round. In general, we refer to this all important tool as “Cover Crops”. Cover crops are crops grown to enhance and enrich soil quality. We can accomplish this by adding to existing biomass, and in some cases adding additional nitrogen to our soils. An example of a cover crop would be winter peas sown in late fall mixed with a rye grass. This simple mixture would provide nitrogen by way of nodules that form on the roots of the winter peas, as well as biomass from the rye-grass that would be tilled back into the garden in the spring in order to increase organic matter. The Missouri Extension Office recommends that soil testing be conducted every three years so that any nutrients lacking in your soil can be added manually.
PLANT RESIDUES Equally important, we need to remove plant residues completely from our garden. The reason for this is that residues make a perfect hiding place for vegetable diseases and pests throughout the winter months. For many, these residues can be added to their compost
pile. It is important to remember that compost piles should be closely monitored and turned routinely to ensure that proper temperatures are achieved to kill existing pathogens.
VEGETABLE ROTATION As we move into the winter season and begin to look over the pages of our favorite seed catalogues, it is never too early to begin planning; what we are going to plant, when we are going to plant, and finally how are all of the plants going to fit into our garden. The University of Missouri has a wonderful vegetable planting calendar that gives start dates for many popular vegetable varieties depending on your location within the state of Missouri (this PDF will also work well for Northwestern Arkansas). This sheet also recommends varieties of vegetables that tested well throughout growing trails conducted by university personnel. After deciding what vegetable varieties are going to be included for your 2016 planting season, I often find it helpful to group each vegetable together by botanical family on index cards. An example of botanical families would be: Tomato, potatoes, peppers and egg plants. A full list of botanical families is also available through the University of Missouri’s website (www. extension.missouri.edu). Once you have grouped vegetables together by botanical families, you can begin laying out your garden. Be sure that you are rotating or moving the location of the ‘Night Shade’ family or ‘Tomato Family’ as well as other botanical families on a yearly basis. The members of the Night Shade family should not be planted in the same place as last year. By arranging your garden by botanical family and rotating the planting places every year, harmful pests and mirco-organisms will have a much harder time becoming established in your garden soil. Typically, vegetable rotation is three years in length. Meaning if your garden is divided into four spaces (easily done in a rectangular or square shaped garden), you would move each botanical family forward one space and on the fourth year the tomato plants will start the rotation over again.
PERENNIALS For many individuals, the pride and joy of their garden operations are the perennial plants that they have. In order to ensure that our favorite brambles, bushes and trees continue to yield consistently,
Blackberries In February, after the coldest part of winter has passed, remove all dead shoots (last year’s crop) from the blackberry patch. It is also a good practice to shorten lateral branches to maximize airflow. New shoots should be ‘tipped’ (removing the top part of the primocane to encourage lateral shoot growth) at 36-48 inches in height in the summertime. If you would like to add mulch to your blackberries for weed control, late winter is a wonderful time to achieve this. When mulching, do not mulch over the center of the blackberries because new shoots (next year’s fruit crop) will have trouble emerging. Blueberries This wonderful and healthy fruit should be pruned in late February. Every year cut out 1-2 of the oldest shoots, as they no longer produce fruit, and remove any diseased or weak growth from the bottom of the plant. For weed control, apply a thick layer of mulch to the base of the blueberry plants.
yearly maintenance must be carried out toward the end of the winter season (typically late February after the coldest time of the year has passed). Below, please find a list of basic care tips for popular fruiting plants throughout the Ozarks.
Elderberry Many individuals actually cut these bushes to the ground at the end of February. Mulch can be applied after new canes have emerged in the spring.
Peaches Typically, peach trees should be trained to have an open center. Remove branches that are growing in the center or pointed toward the center of the tree. The key to pruning peach trees is to allow as much sunlight and air movement as possible throughout the center of the tree. This can result in removing up to 60% of last years shoots. In horticulture the common theory when pruning fruiting plants is “when in doubt, prune it out.”
Apples (Also, Cherry, Pear, Plums) Apple trees generally have a central leader that runs the entire length of the tree. As such, thinning out scaffold branches that are growing back towards the central leader (or tree trunk) will allow good light and air movement to ensure a consistent harvest. Typically, apples should not be pruned as aggressively as peaches Grapes If your grape vine is trained to a cordon system, prune back last year’s shoots leaving four to five buds on each shoot. The end goal is to have 5-6 of these shortened shoots for each cordon arm per vine. Strawberries For a matted row system, place straw over the top of the strawberry bed, 6-8 inches thick. This straw should be applied between thanksgiving and the first week of December. By doing this, you will ensure that strawberry crowns have experienced cool enough temperatures to have entered dormancy.
With your garden plot taken care of, your fruiting plants pruned and your garden layout mapped out and ready for implementation, it will not be long until you are harvesting the fruits of your labor in the 2016 growing season. Good luck and happy gardening! December 2015 • January 2016 | 45
) g n i w o r (BigG Fish in a Small Pond S
ome of my favorite evenings have been spent on my farm pond in a canoe catching brim and bass as the sun goes down. First the kingfisher makes his rounds, chattering for me to leave his fish alone, then the swallows flit around me and chase willow flies – and finally as it grows dark, the bats come out to scoop up mosquitoes, God bless ‘em.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JESSE WOODROW
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If you’ve ever flown over the Ozarks on a clear day and looked out the window, you may have noticed a lot of farm ponds. In fact, Missouri ranks number one in the country in the the number of small ponds on private land. There are more than 300,000 privately owned ponds and lakes in Missouri. Twelve record holding fish came from these waters, including black crappie, white crappie and bluegill. Quality pond fishing start with the right size and mix of stocked fish. Largemouth bass, bluegill and channel cats are the species best suited for Ozark farm ponds. Largemouths will be the top of the food chain. They are voracious eaters, feeding on minnows, frogs, crawfish and insects. In our area, big mouth bass can live up to 10 years and grow to 10 pounds or more. The size of the pond is important in determining the type and number of fish to stock. For ponds less than 1-acre, a strategy including fish that have limited reproductive capacity is your best fit. That way, you keep the overall numbers low so the average size can be larger. These fish include channel catfish, hybrid bluegill, hybrid crappie, and hybrid stripers. Ponds at or over 1-acre, can be stocked with about anything. Experts recommend limiting the stocking of black crappie to ponds that are at least 2-3 acres. Also, a muddy pond, that is not able to be cleared, should be
stocked primarily with catfish, since they do not depend on sight to feed. You might want to consider stocking your new pond with adult fish. This gives you the opportunity to start fishing right away. Also, size the different fish accordingly so you can stock your pond with both the forage and the bass at the same time. It is important not to stock fish that may immediately be eaten by larger fish. Bluegills provide food for bass, as well as great sport and excellent eating. Bluegills feed on everything from microscopic plants and animals to insects, snails, crayfish and small fish. They can reach 6-inches long and start reproducing after just one year. Once introduced into a pond, they usually sustain their numbers through natural reproduction. Bluegills in Missouri may live five to 10 years. Channel catfish are primarily bottom feeders, eating insects, crayfish and fish. They can be trained to feed on commercial food pellets. Populations of channel cats rarely increase in ponds as the bass eat all the young ones. A stocking of catfish longer than 8-inches every couple of years is needed to maintain a healthy population. The number of bluegill, bass and catfish that a pond can support depends on the amount of available resources, referred to as carrying capacity. Condition of habitat, the amount of available food
and space, and even the soil type affect a pond’s capacity. The typical stocking combination for most farm ponds in fertile soil is 100 bass, 500 bluegill and 100 catfish per surface acre of water. Most of the time, stocking more fish than recommended is counterproductive. Another popular pond fish is the redear sunfish or, “shell cracker.” These cousins of bluegills produce fewer offspring than bluegills and rarely provide enough food for largemouth bass by themselves. Rather than letting them replace bluegills, they are best added to a pond along with bluegills. Shellcrackers are sometimes stocked to help reduce numbers of snails, which are part of the life cycle of the white grub parasite anglers sometimes see in the fins and meat of fish. Redear can grow larger than bluegill, reaching 2-pounds or more, and taste just as good as any other fish in the skillet. “What about crappie?” many pond owners ask. It’s true that the state records for both Missouri crappie species came from private ponds. However, not all ponds produce quality crappie. Successful crappie ponds typically have somewhat clear water and a lot of aquatic vegetation. More important, pond owners must manage the pond intensively. You can’t just stock the pond and walk away. Landowners have to be willing to manage the pond for numbers of largemouth bass and make sure that the pond is fished often enough to remove adult crappie. Crappie can be managed successfully in a pond, but owners must know beforehand that there is a risk that the crappie will spawn hordes of young and have very slow growth rates. If, despite the risk, you decide to stock crappie in your pond, consider putting in black crappie, which don’t compete with bass for food as much as white crappie. Usually, folks want to stock additional fish to to establish a population of forage fish to fatten up their bass. To stock fish directly for the bass to eat is a waste of money. First, determine if a growing population of bluegill is present. Bluegill are the backbone of the food chain, and there is no sense stocking other forage fish if the bluegill are not established. If bluegill are lacking, stock adults that will spawn quickly and make an immediate impact on the forage population. If you decide
that your bluegill are in good shape, then move on to other baitfish that will add to the bass’ feeding options. Chances are, you won’t grow big bass without some additional species. Other feedstock can include threadfin shad, gizzard shad, tilapia, golden shiners, and crawfish. Threadfin shad are the best option if the lake has a good plankton bloom for them to feed on. Golden shiners are good for clear lakes, but they are not as prolific as shad. Tilapia are quick growers and will provide a large food item for bigger bass late in the year, as the water cools and they get sluggish. Crawfish do well where there is a lot of newly submerged grass or weeds. Many landowners who want to clear their ponds of weeds stock white amur or “grass carp.” These large Asian minnows can eat two-to-three times their weight in vegetation per day. When stocked at conservative rates, grass carp can offer pesticide-free vegetation control. Grass carp, however, do not control algae, cattails or water lilies. Although they don’t reproduce in ponds, they are hard to remove and may live for up to 30 years. Over-stocking grass carp results in a barren and muddy pond, as the carp stir up bottom sediments searching for scarce plant life. A weed-free pond might sound nice when casting from shore, but aquatic plants are necessary to start the food chain, contribute oxygen to the water, provide cover for juvenile as well as adult fish, and protect shorelines from erosion. In every situation it is best to take time to evaluate where the pond is – in regards to both the predator and forage populations. Hiring a lake management professional will get you where you want to be faster and more efficiently in the long run. The Missouri Department of Conservation provides fish for stocking private ponds that meet certain guidelines. A landowner who wants fish must fill out a pond stocking application and agree to have the pond inspected by the Department. The best way to check and keep up the health of your pond? Fish it! Invite friends, especially those with small children, and introduce them early to the joys of fishing. A well-planned and maintained pond can provide generations of memories. Who knows, you might even catch that big fish in the small pond we all dream about.
Family owned and operated since 1971.
For over 30 years, Race Brothers Farm and Home Supply has been owned and operated by the DeForest family, who is dedicated to providing the Ozarks with quality service and products including a complete line of farm and home supplies.
CLOTHING | ELECTRICAL PLUMBING | LAWN AND GARDEN OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT TOOLS | TRUCK ACCESSORIES PET SUPPLIES | TOYS C AT T L E H A N D L I N G E Q U I P M E N T
SPRINGFIELD 2310 W. Kearney 417-862-4378 CARTHAGE 2309 Fairlawn Drive 417-358-3592 MONETT 210 Hwy 37 417-235-7739
www.racebros.com December 2015 • January 2016 | 47
rogers
On Walnut Street Have you been to downtown Rogers lately? Take a trip to the east end of Walnut street to see what’s going on. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHERRY LEVERICH
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Historically pleasing and relevant History is important to the folks of downtown Rogers. It’s obvious when you drive through the maintained brick roads that enclose the historic pinnacle, which is the downtown district, and see the maintained structures of the vastly growing area. “All of the buildings in the downtown area, and even some of the surrounding homes, are listed with the Arkansas Register of Historic Places,” shares Terrilyn Wendling, Assistant Director of the Rogers Historical Museum. Terrilyn is primarily in charge of the collection of historical items that have been acquired or donated to the museum. Being entrenched in the historical prevalence of all things Rogers, I asked Terrilyn what were her favorite features of the downtown are, “The brick streets that define the historic downtown area, and all of 1st Street.” Many of the residents
and business people of the downtown area have a great appreciation for the city’s past – which is rich in history and events.
Visiting during lunch or dinner?
No problem, look at what’s cooking downtown: Levi’s Gastrolounge and Lowbar
Located in the basement of the historic Poplar Plaza Building
Heirloom restaurant 113 South 2nd Street
Hammontree’s Grilled Cheese
113 West Walnut Street
Iron Horse Coffee Co. 220 South 1st Street
How did Rogers begin? Rogers was established in 1881, when the Frisco line came through the area – it was actually named after the general manager of Frisco. The city, situated near already established Bentonville (the county seat), grew quickly and maintained a steady growth. A lot of the original buildings, that still house downtown businesses today, were built through the late 1800s and into the next century. The beautiful brick pavement was installed on a concrete base in 1924 to put an end to the complaints of dirt, potholes and mud. By the depression era, the city was well established – concrete sidewalks, an opera house, brick pavement, a thriving, and architecturally attractive, business district, and a large agrarian community that steered surrounding industry. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture, which can be accessed online at encyclopediaofarkansas.net, explains that during the pre-incorporation years of the city, the surrounding areas grew
Club Frisco
105 West Poplar
The Rail: A Pizza Co. 218 South 1st Street
Parkside Public
112 South 1st Street
Las Palmas
113 S. 2nd Street
One of Terrilyn Wendling, Assistant Director of the Rogers Historical Museum, favorite architectural features of downtown Rogers is the 1st Methodist Church. “It’s on Elm and 3rd Street. It was designed by A. O. Clark – he designed four churches in town, and this is the only one that is still standing. It was built in the 1890s with red brick and white stone and has beautiful stained glass windows.” December 2015 • January 2016 | 49
from the cash crop of tobacco, and the lumber industry (which may be echoed in the tree street names) – especially east of Rogers, near the War Eagle area. But, during the years of the city development, the flourishing crop was apples. Apple orchards covered the landscape, and along the railroad were apple drying plants, and vinegar producers. Through the late 20s, Rogers even hosted an annual apple blossom festival. Though agricultural activities have gone through transitions – they still, even today, play a large role in the surrounding industry of the Rogers area. At Poor Richard’s Art on the corner of Walnut and 1st, Ali Stinespring, a talented fused glass artist, shows one of her creations, alongside another artist, potter, Jim Young, and Poor Richard’s manager, Bill Schopp. Bill consigns the work of 30 artist in the Northwest Arkansas area.
The memories we have Now, in 2015, those early establishment years are just whispers of the past. But, we can still see the footprints of the middling years of some of those businesses still present today. Though I didn’t grow up in the Rogers area, my parents were married here, and lived north of the War Eagle area, in Rambo – and my brothers and
I were all born at St. Mary’s hospital on Walnut. I grew up in Missouri, but my family visited downtown Rogers for Christmas and school shopping every year. On those visits in the 70s, I vividly remember some icons of downtown Rogers. It was the only town I had ever visited as a child that had brick roads. That was very fascinating to me.
Gary Townzen with regular customer, Jimmy, in the barber’s chair. Gary is lifelong resident and business owner, and a city councilman for the city of Rogers. He is also the man behind the Rogers historical calendar that goes on sale every year, featuring vintage photos of the city and area. The proceeds from calendar sales goes to Samaritan Community Center, which feeds 1,500 meals to those in need each week.
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You could smell the bakery’s mouthwatering aromas blocks away. My mom would always stock up on bread and other baked goods while we were in town. Harris Baking Co., which was established in 1926, grew, even within the depression years, and provided baked goods to grocers throughout the area and the surrounding states. Gary Townzen, lifelong resident and owner/barber at Townzen’s Barber Shop, also remembers the mouth-watering smells coming from the bakery in his youth, “Before we’d go to the theater to watch a show, we’d stop by Harris Bakery. I’d get a loaf of bread that had just been baked, and hadn’t been sliced yet. We’d stop by Phil’s (grocery store), and get a stick of butter. We’d pull out a little bread from the middle of the loaf and put the stick of butter in it – better than eating buttered popcorn!” Another icon that caught my interest as a young girl was an alluring attraction at the Dollar Saver, located in the large building that was the Rogers Wholesale Grocery, when it was built in 1908. The trickling and sprinkling of the water fountain that could always be found in the center of the store would be the first thing noticed when entering. Though Bruce Parker, (owner of Dollar Saver, that his dad, Jack, had managed since 1972, and later purchased) has just sold the property and it will become a new business – the historic 100+ year old building will remain a
feature of a lot of memories. Besides the fountain, I remember the unique variety of Christmas ornaments they carried, and my mom strolling through all the racks of material, searching for just the right pattern for a home-spun Christmas project she was dreaming of creating. My oldest brother’s first haircut was in a seat at Townzen’s Barber Shop, where Gary Townzen works today, and was established in 1927 by his grandfather, Arthur. The building, located on 1st street, was built in 1895 as a bank. It was Gary’s dad, Herschel, that cut my brother’s hair back in 1966. Townzens has been recognized as the oldest, continuously family owned barber shop in Arkansas. Gary added to this fact, “This is the
oldest business that has remained open continuously in Rogers, too.” Above the barber shop is the old opera house (which was added to the existing structure in 1903). It has recently been bought by John Mack, of JKJ Architects, and is being renovated. Gary, who has so many fond memories of downtown Rogers, said, “I used to play up there when I was a kid. It went vacant in the 40s.” Gary is pleased to see it being rejuvenated, “There was a wall in the dressing room, and everyone that came to perform there would sign and date the wall. It was a really neat thing to look at. John Mack is doing a really good job preserving all of the old stuff, and he is going to preserve that wall.”
Change can be exciting Those long-time residents of Rogers have seen years of change through their town. Gary said, “I remember 5000 people. It was a great town to grow up in – and it was a great town for my kids to grow up in.” Rogers has benefited from the success of some key locally grown businesses – Gary also added, “My kids have good jobs – they have been able to stay here because of how the area has grown – there is a lot available.” Gary is a city councilman, and has been directly involved with some of the changes, “You can’t stay the same – if you do, you die. I think the infrastructure of the city has kept up to change with the new growth.” Kathryn Greenlee, who, along with her husband, Roger, bought the big red barn on Poplar, right across the train tracks. “We bought it in ‘85, and started “The Bargain Barn.” Back in the 50s it was a feedmill...and then a hatchery.” Kathryn and Roger (who graduated from Rogers in 58, and 57), both entrepreneurs, have had different businesses in Rogers and Eureka Springs, but now Kathryn has been running Cottage at the Barn Antiques and Collectibles at the location for five years. “We have 7,500 square feet here, and I’m very selective as to what comes in – We do things a little different here, we do new and old both.” Kathryn has seen a change in the last several years that has spawned growth, “We are becoming a destination. Rogers is getting many tourists – and
CREATIVE FABRIC
&
FIBER SHOP
FABRIC ❆ YARN ❆ WOOL EMBROIDERY AND PUNCHNEEDLE PATTERNS SUPPLIES AND ACCESSORIES
www.therabbitslair.com 479-636-3385
116 South First Street ❆ Rogers, Arkansas 72756
Apparel jewelry gifts home decor
Charming Accessories for You and Your Home Fun Holiday Shopping!
103 West Walnut Rogers, AR 479-372-4437 /missjudi’swisterialane
A wonderful mix of OLD & NEW
ANTIQUE & VINTAGE
COUNTRY & CONTEMPORARY
The Rabbit’s Lair is bridging the gap between old school quilters, yarn junkies and newbie quick-craft projects with a large fabric and fiber collection, and workshops held regularly at the shop. “We have Thursday Night Wine and Cheese, and teach a simple project,” said Mary, who promotes many different kinds of crafts, besides traditional quilting, knitting and crochet.
Crystal Bridges has helped that. They come from all over the country to visit the museum, and they visit the downtown areas too.” Kathryn is excited to see the current renovations and plans for adjacent Lake Atalanta. “The city of Rogers is building a new bike park, and it goes down to Lake Atalanta, which they are also rebuilding.” She ended with an exuberant, “Downtown Rogers is going to explode!”
OU R TA L ENT E D V EN D OR S OVERFLOW WITH CREATIVITY.
Come get inspired!
R R
H ISTOR IC D OWNTOWN RO G E RS
121 E. Poplar Street • Rogers, Ark. 479-621-0333 Mon-Fri: 10am-5pm • Sat: 10am-4pm Sun: 1pm-4pm
December 2015 • January 2016 | 51
Setting the pace
Cottage at the Barn is located in what was a feedstore for many years of it’s long history. Kathryn is holding a sign that they found in the attic after buying the building in 1985.
Gary Townzen also echoed the same enthusiasm, “Lake Atalanta will be a destination, and it will bring people to downtown Rogers – things are happening!” A lot of new business owners are coming into the area, and seasoned business owner, Gary, encourages it, “I take it as a compliment that people choose to live here, it is a great place.”
Don’t miss:
ROGERS CHRISTMAS PARADE DECEMBER 4, 2015 The 31st annual Rogers Christmas Parade, a Main Street Rogers event, will be held on Friday, December 4, at 7 p.m., and will wind through Downtown Rogers District. This year’s theme is “Twas the Lights before Christmas.” Come early for the – 6 p.m., Nutcrackers performance by Ballet Westside, and 6:30 p.m., Christmas tree lighting.
Mary Elizabeth Schopp, along with mom, Clarice Moore, own and run “The Rabbit’s Lair,” which is on 1st street, just south from Townzen’s. “Mom started with Poor Richard’s Art Gallery – which my husband, Bill, now manages.” Clarice was interested in getting the vacant building, because she feared it’s fate. The old Applegate Pharmacy building is unique in that they have preserved all of the original fixtures and furnishings – not only is it a business, but Clarice makes her home in the apartment on the 2nd floor. In 2007, they moved Poor Richard’s Art across Walnut street, and turned the Applegate Pharmacy building into The Rabbit’s Lair, a small quilt shop that they bought out. “We expanded the small quilt shop into a larger fabric and fiber shop,” explained Mary. Neither Mary or Clarice were quilters, “The first couple of years, we took classes to learn how to quilt. My mom is really good. She is a perfectionist, which makes her a good quilter. I’m better at small projects. I have fallen in love with handwork – I can take pieces in my purse and work on them when I’m waiting,” said Mary. Mary explained that, along with the other business owners in town, everyone is very conscientious about improving downtown and they pull together to make things happen. “People like my mom, Myra, (Trolly Line Bookshop), and Ruth (Favorite Tuxedos and Alternations), those girls have motivated everybody to do things.” Mary explained that improvements taking place all over town are because of store owner efforts, even for small beautification projects, like adding permanent outdoor art pieces to the “bump-out’s” where bushes and other flowers are planted.
Next time you visit northwest Arkansas, go East on Walnut till you hit the brick – and take a step back in time, and a look into the future. There’s something for everyone here – stores of every kind, and more opening up all the time. You’ll also find the the store owners are interesting, involved and genuine. 52 |
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t s n i a Ag N i a r the G
{ } With craftsman style techniques and quality workmanship, a new generation of skilled cabinetry combines personal customization with creative intuition
STORY BY SHERRY LEVERICH PHOTOS BY ROB LOTUFO AND HEATHER HUDGINS
UNCONVENTIONALLY CONVENTIONAL
Matt Hudgins, along with wife Heather, own MH Woodworks and Unique Cross Grains Furniture and Decor. The wood-craftsman is known for creating beautiful all wood cabinetry and furniture with customized features. His portfolio shows proof that he can craft traditional styles, design with the current trends, as well as construct creative original pieces. December 2015 • January 2016 | 53
Matt with his head installation manager, Eric, discussing a current install.
GROWTH RINGS FORM THE GRAIN Building a Craftsman and Businessman
Matt Hudgins bought his dad’s cabinetry shop in 2006, when he was just 23 years old. Growing up working with wood helped prepare him for becoming an independent wood craftsman, but owning and growing his own business was, and is, an education in itself. Business was going steady, until the downturn of 2008, when Matt, just like many small businesses, found out how the economy can affect business. “In 2009, everything started to change.” Matt soon went from a shop full of buzzing machines and motors, and busy tools in the hands of 13 employees, to a staff of one. “I was just hoping the phone would ring – everything stopped.” With nobody building houses, or renovating existing homes, Matt’s business suffered. 54 |
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GRAIN DIRECTION DETERMINES STRENGTH Family and Faith steer the way Matt is married to Heather, and they have two children, 13-year-old, Sydnie, and 12-year-old, Laine. Their cabinet shop is located in Seligman, Missouri, just a few miles from the Arkansas border. Heather started attending Rogers public school in ninth grade, and Matt, who went to school in Missouri, transferred to Rogers school later that same year. They met, and have been sweethearts ever since. It is clear to see that Heather has respected Matt’s vision, “Matt accepted the challenge of keeping the shop in the family.” Though there was no clear path through the recession, Matt relied on his family and faith, “I just wasn’t going to fail. I felt like I couldn’t give up. That’s when you really get religion...and I knew that it wasn’t me behind the steering wheel.” Matt’s persistence has
paid off, and he has learned about running a business, “If you worry about the whatifs, you’re not going to get anywhere... you have to just jump in.” With fewer full-time employees than pre-recession, Matt is seeing his business grow, and new projects rolling through the workshop doors. “Having a cabinet shop can be good business – if you manage it right,” said Matt. Matt has always nurtured relationships with builders, some of which were retained from when his dad owned the shop. During the recession recovery, Matt learned to never turn down any job. “I learned so much, and took all the jobs that the builders would say, ‘nobody else wants to do it.’” That’s when Matt realized his niche for custom work, and custom finishes that the larger massmanufactured cabinet shops either can’t or won’t do. He still never says no. Wendell Parton, builder and longtime colleague of the Hudgins, has seen Matt grow from a seedling to a strong oak. “Matt can build anything...and not only that, he is a perfectionist and if something isn’t right – it won’t go in the house.” Wendell has been building homes with his own construction company for over 35 years, and is licensed in both Missouri and Arkansas, “I’m very particular on who I recommend for sub-contracted work, and I trust Matt and Heather with any job. Matt has just continued to get better over the years. They are just good people, and have become like family.”
TURNING TREES INTO HEIRLOOMS Working with weathered wood and fresh ideas
Since 2013, Matt has seen orders become more consistent. “We are finally starting to get the reputation we were striving for, and becoming known as the high-end cabinet shop I always knew we were,” said Matt. Looking back, Heather can see the silver lining of the hard economic time, “Eventually we started to learn that positive and negative, we are going to grow from it. Business is crazy now – it comes from everywhere – word of mouth, repeat customers, builder and designer referrals...” As the business grows, Matt and Heather see one aspect of the cabinet business as a huge point of strength – teamwork. Matt’s crew starts early every day, and they are expected to be there before 7 each morning for a meeting. Heather, taking pride in Matt’s work, says, “They build everything custom and are very meticulous. This isn’t a factory, this is old-school hand-made cabinetry...and people appreciate the work.” Working with the customer is key with custom building. Matt’s inspiration comes from customer ideas and dreams. Something that Matt has become skilled at is concealment design. Heather said, “Matt likes guns, and that is what got him started – he wanted to be able to hide them in un-obvious locations.” That idea can be found in many of his pieces, and are used for not only firearms, but valuables and jewelry. Heather helps with the design process by taking Matt’s drawings and spec-sheets and turning them into a computerized image of the cabinetry and furniture for the customers to view and make modifications if desired, before the building begins.
UNIQUE CROSS GRAINS Combining Craft and Style
Visit with Matt and Heather if you are looking for custom wood furnishings and cabinetry. MH Woodworks, mhcustomwoodworks.com, 28179 Farm Road 1075, Seligman, 417662-3329. Unique Cross Grains, on facebook, where Heather updates frequently with new arrivals, store location; Main and 8th street in Cassville, 417-847-7658.
Just one year ago, Heather and Matt opened a furniture and décor store on the square in Cassville, Missouri. This has become an outlet for creative furniture, repurposed finds; either refinished or turned into furniture, along with original pieces made with reclaimed woods, including barnwood. Unique Cross Grains was born as an alter-ego to the straight-grained, MH Woodworks Cabinetry. “We wanted to go in a completely different direction. Using cross grain wood is a no-no with cabinet building, and we wanted to be unique – so, we came up with Unique Cross Grains,” explained Heather. Barnwood is a common feature with a lot of their furniture offerings at the store, “Reclaimed barnwood has all sorts of cross grains – it’s not at all cabinet grade.” How does Heather keep her ideas original and fresh when purchasing decorating items for the store? “I really
keep an eye on trends, listen to the customers feedback, and what they are looking for. People also send me ideas from Pinterest and online.”
December 2015 • January 2016 | 55
OUR READERS ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS
Celebrating Heritage, Farm and Healthy Living in the Heart of America
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PRESERVING COMMUNITY ONE STITCH AT A TIME
Bunker Hill Community Quilting
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATRINA HINE
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s green leaves begin to change their color and drift into the chilly air, thoughts turn to hot chocolate and snuggling in a thick quilt to watch classic holiday movies. The art of quilting is much like creating a stained glass window, each is as unique as its creator who carefully pieces scraps of material in an array of colors and patterns, cut and sewn to make memories for generations to come. Sadly, this art form is becoming passé in this age of instant gratification. Yet, in small rural communities scattered across this nation are groups of ladies who create their art with material scraps, thread, and sewing machines. One such group of ladies can be found five miles east of Anderson, Mo., on Highway 76. As you encounter the Junction of East Highway 76 and Highway W, you find that there is nothing in particular enticing you to venture off the beaten path. That is, unless you knew that warm fellowship and dedicated purpose awaited you just a stone’s throw south, on Highway W, in the simple surroundings of what was once the community of Bunker Hill.
As you turn into the drive marked, Bunker Hill Community Building, you notice two plain white buildings – one reminiscent of the old schools of by-gone days. Bunker Hill, like so many places, was homesteaded in the early days by families looking for land in the rough Ozark hills of McDonald County. With more families, came more children, making the construction of a school necessary. Schools were built every three miles or so, to prevent children from having to walk too far. The first Bunker Hill schoolhouse consisted of a one-room log building built at the turn of the century; however, at some point it burned and was replaced with another structure. Later that new structure would succumb to the same fate in 1927. School was temporarily held in a home at a spot in the road called, Wiley, where a Post Office was also located, until
Like dedicated soldiers, they carefully coordinate swatches of material for just the right match in each unique creation. This is not a venture to make vast sums of money for themselves, but rather for school fundraisers, cancer patients, military members – past and present, or anyone they think may not get something at Christmas. There are times that they take in projects for hire, but those funds go to preserve and maintain the old school and the new community building. It is not unusual for someone to bring in a tattered old quilt found in an old trunk or tucked back on a shelf to be patched up and restored by the group. The fee to restore the quilts goes back into necessities for the property. In fact, a year or so ago, lightening nearly burned the new building down, but thankfully they lost only a few machines, and a couple other appliances.
The art of quilting is much like creating a stain glass window, each is as unique as its creator.
the new school was finished in 1928. By the late 1940s, tiny rural schools were consolidated into bigger communities, such as Pineville. Never-the-less, the residents and ladies of Bunker Hill were determined to keep the old school alive and bustling with activity. The old school is still the site of many activities, such as, Sing-Alongs held the first Saturday of every month, hosted by the Ozark Ridgerunners, featuring old-timey folk music and a down home potluck dinner. If you arrive on any given Thursday morning around 10 a.m., you will find a smattering of cars pulling into the grassy drive. Ladies of different ages and locales trickle in with covered containers and bags of cloth in every color and design imaginable. These are the ladies of the Bunker Hill Community Quilting group, most with roots as deep as the ancient oaks
that grace the top of the hill and nearby sloping pastures. One by one, they enter the newer building at that location, taking their special homemade dish to the little kitchen next to the large, open room filled with sewing machines, tables, ironing boards and containers filled with material. The whir of sewing machines reminds one of a buzzing beehive where bees are busily about their craft. The ladies never miss a stitch as they tense and quip with each other across the open room, laughter mingles with the hum of sewing machines and the steam hissing from hot irons. The meaning of this gathering goes far beyond quilt making and they do not quilt solely just to pass time. Many have been coming for years, several remember coming with their mothers as small children. “What I make with my hands, I give with my heart”
Of the ladies that make up the current group, Arlena (Painter) Tierno is the matriarch, coming since she was a child to sit at the feet of quilters now long gone. At the youthful age of 88, she has served as the club’s historian and always hangs the United States flag out at each meeting. Arlena, born in 1927, cannot remember a time when there was not a ladies quilting group at the school. She recalls, “I remember seeing women walking up from the hollows from every direction, each carrying little bags of material and another filled with their lunch. It has been going on here as long as I can remember.” December 2015 • January 2016 | 59
Inside of the old Bunker Hill School house
Both of Arlena’s parents attended the little country school, but later moved the family out of state for work, returning when Arlena was in seventh grade. While she never attended school at Bunker Hill, she knows quite a bit about the location and the folks who lived among the hills & hollows. Some logged, others farmed and raised cattle and many others raised strawberries, which they hauled to Anderson, known at that time as the “Strawberry Capital of the World.” Arlena tells the story of her Aunt Muriel Russell who was very active in the quilting group and an active community
organizer. She laughs, as she recalls how her Aunt did not know how to drive until a local car dealer gave her a quick lesson and then she bought a car. “Once she started driving, there were no place she didn’t go, and no way of stopping her.” From across the room DeDe Lewis speaks up to add that many women taught themselves to drive back in those days. “Most women probably came to get away from their husbands,” jokes Pat Elkins who lives near Goodman. And so the chatter goes from discussion of family members long gone, events that shaped their lives and talk of people in
Old School picture from Bunker Hill school.
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need of compassionate acts of kindness. It is clear that the little gatherings mean much more to the generations of ladies that has crossed the threshold, first of the old school house and now, the new building; camaraderie is what keeps them coming. The ladies nod in agreement that they know each other because they have become friends; they have fun together (most of the time) and are there for each other when things are tough. “These ladies, like when my son died, the way they were concerned and helped then. They’re with you in times like that too,” Pat adds. For most of the ladies, the time together means the equivalent of family and such was the case for Clara Miller, whose picture hangs on the wall near scrapbooks of the many functions held at Bunker Hill. It can be said that it is because of Clara, the new building became a reality. In 2005, the current community meeting facility was constructed next to the old schoolhouse with proceeds from the auction of household items belonging to Clara, who was killed in an accident, just shy of her 100th birthday. Having no children of her own, the family knew of her love for the quilting ladies and felt it was fitting that the funds go to help keep the group warm in a newer building. Just before noon, a couple of the women lay aside their sewing to warm up the covered dish delicacies for the noon
YOUR LEGACY
The old school is still used for community events.
meal. No one knows what the other will bring, and on occasion, there are more desserts then healthy food but no one seems to care. Quietly ladies begin to clear quilting material off the large center table
and set out paper plates, while others arrange chairs for each member. Debbie Ziemianin, the longest running president, calls the women to the table and asks one to give a prayer over the meal. As the ladies reverently bow their heads, they hold the hands of their neighbors, forming a complete circle of friendship. As the prayer ends, the chatter and giggles start up again while homemade dishes are passed around the table and recipes are discussed. As the women discuss upcoming projects, they are reminded that their next most pressing project will be making Christmas stockings for over 20 individuals who are alone over the holidays. Debbie holds up a quilt that will be raffled at next year’s Quilt Show, as Donna Hobbs points to one of many hanging on the wall that will be raffled on December 10. It is clear that efforts to maintain a sense of community has been kept alive for over nearly a century, one stitch at a time at the corner of Highways 76 and W. in the former hamlet known as Bunker Hill.
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December 2015 • January 2016 | 61
Santa's Country Helpers BY STAN FINE ILLUSTRATION BY GARY ADAMSON
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he old and jolly, white bearded, red and white clothed black boot wearing Santa Claus isn’t always the one tasked with the delivery of Christmas gifts, and a reindeer drawn sleigh streaking across a cold and clear late December sky may not be the only mode of transportation driven by the bearer of much needed gifts. But Larry, even in his wildest imagination, could have never envisioned that events he witnessed during the Christmas month in 1965 would serve to leave a lasting memory in his mind and a tale for him to later tell many times over. “Hi, we’re here to pick up some boxes that Nick said he left with you. The boxes have clothes and toys that he was unable to load into his airplane,” the smiling driver of the red station wagon bearing Arkansas license plates parked in Larry’s driveway said as he stepped from the vehicle. “Well let’s go out to the barn, that’s where the boxes are,” Larry replied. “I didn’t know what items were in the boxes but considering the holiday season the items you mentioned seem like appropriate things to be transporting,” remarked Larry. “Nick gets dressed up like Santa Clause every Christmas eve and passes out gifts to the local less fortunate boys and girls. He puts on the suit, black boots and wears the white beard and really looks and acts the part. The families
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really need and appreciate the gifts, and the kids almost believe Nick is really Santa Claus. You know how kids are.” The driver of the vehicle continued, “That’s for sure,” the other young man remarked as he also left the wagon. Larry and his brother Bob first met Nick two days earlier while Larry, his wife Nancy, and Bob and his wife Jeanne were traveling from Noel to Anderson. As the group traveled along the southwest Missouri Ozarks winding narrow two lane road known to locals as the Noel to Pineville Road and by those unfortunate souls who were not indigenous to the area as Highway “H”, they talked about their families and how much everyone was glad to be together for the holidays. After all, Christmas was only three short days away. As the group talked and enjoyed the scenery offered by the rolling tree covered hills, Bob changed the topic of conversation and said, “Look, there’s a plane and it looks like it’s coming down.” Larry, the driver, took his eyes away from the roadway and saw a small, one engine plane flying very low. “I see it,” Larry acknowledged. “It looks like it’s going to land over there, beyond that group of trees.”
Larry had lived in the area since he was a young boy and knew there was no suitable place in the direction he and the others were looking for the plane to make a landing. Suddenly Larry lost sight of the small plane, “I think that plane may have crashed over there.” It was the type of observation one often makes with the anticipation that someone, anyone, will find fault in the account, but no words were uttered. Everyone just watched and waited. “Let’s pull down this dirt road and take a look,” Bob suggested. Larry didn’t say a word but nodded his head and turned off the paved road and onto an unnamed dirt path. As the group traveled slowly down the rocky road Nancy blurted out, “There it is, over there by that row of trees.” Larry maneuvered the car toward the trees and saw that the nose of a small, single-
propeller fixed-wing airplane was engulfed by the branches of several trees. To everyone’s amazement the pilot, an older looking gentleman, was climbing out of the wreckage. The man with long gray hair was dressed in coveralls and wearing a red and black plaid shirt. He reached the ground and while rubbing the top of his head gingerly walked toward the rear of the airplane. As the car came to a stop a short distance from the plane and a row of trees Larry called out, “Are you alright, do you need a doctor?” The obviously shaken old man responded “I hit my head, but I’ll be alright.”
Larry returned to his home, hitched a small flat-bed trailer to an old truck and returned to the row of trees and the plane. With the aid of a winch the group was able to maneuver the plane onto the trailer. As darkness approached the plane was taken to Larry and Nancy’s home. Nick was extended all the hospitality Larry and Nancy had to offer. The group talked, ate a home cooked dinner and laughed about the plane’s botched landing. Nick didn’t talk much about himself and none of the four inquired into the details of his personal life. The time passed without notice when Bob
What a rare commodity today, the love and caring for those in need. Giving happiness and hope to someone and asking for nothing in return. The disheveled pilot said he became lost and attempted to bring the plane down when the landing went disastrously wrong and he crashed into the row of trees. The man didn’t appear to have any broken bones and he was not bleeding. He told the group of rescuers that he was from Mena, Arkansas and was going home. He said his name was Nick. Nick asked if the four would help push the injured plane out of and away from the trees. Everyone agreed to help and after several minutes of pushing and pulling the plane was moved away from the trees and fallen branches. Nick, Larry and Bob walked around the plane and saw that the tail dragger was broken off and one wing had sustained damage to the leading edge. Bob offered to drive to the nearest town, Pineville and report the incident to the Sheriff ’s office, but before he finished his sentence Nick interrupted him saying, “No, please don’t report this to anyone.” A moment or two of silence passed then Nick said, “I think I can fly this out of here.” Larry glanced at the damaged plane, then at Nick and said, “There is no way this plane can be flown in its current condition. I live nearby and if you would like you can stay with us while we try to make some repairs.” Nick nodded his head and with a sigh of relief said “Thanks.”
eventually remarked, “We better get some sleep if we’re going to get that plane fixed tomorrow.” All agreed, said goodnight and prepared for a night’s sleep. The following day was spent working on the damaged airplane. With some drilling and welding the tail dragger was reattached. Nobody would speculate how long it would remain on the underside of the plane but for now, it seemed sturdy enough. There was no way to weld or apply fasteners to the wing so after a long discussion the three unanimously agreed to apply several rolls of duct tape to the wing. There were no aeronautical engineers to consult and everyone agreed that duct tape fixed just about everything imaginable. The later part of the afternoon found the three standing silently alongside the patched plane. Larry and Bob were silently skeptical about the ability of the plane to fly but Nick said “I need to get home this afternoon, let’s take it to the blacktop and I’ll fly it out of here.” The three unloaded the boxes of cargo as it was decided that the reduced weight would give Nick a better chance of taking off. The two couples and Nick drove the trailer to a relatively straight piece of roadway on the Noel to Pineville two-lane road and unloaded the crudely repaired
plane. It was decided that Nancy and Jeanne would drive a short distance down the road and there stop any oncoming traffic. Larry and Bob would do the same at the spot where Nick would attempt to get the plane airborne. The road there was as straight as any on Highway H but several utility lines crossed the blacktop, there was a dip a short distance away and on the other side of that depression the road curved sharply to the left while a tall row of trees brought an end to the relatively straight and narrow patch of asphalt. Larry and Bob helped Nick position the plane and stood by as Nick started the engine. Nick opened the plane’s side door and as the engine noise became greater and the propeller spun more rapidly, Nick waved and yelled, “Merry Christmas.” The bright sun lit up the cold December day as the plane began to move slowly forward. After a moment the plane left the road and began to rise. It barely missed the overhanging power lines and as it neared the road’s depression Larry and Bob lost sight of Nick and his airplane. For a moment they feared the worse but suddenly the plane reappeared and, almost without belief, rose up and over the tall trees. It was as though the small plane with the lone solitary propeller could somehow, and enigmatically, defy Newton’s gravitational law. While continuing to hold his hand above his eyes so the bright sunlight wouldn’t interfere with his last glimpse of the plane Larry quietly said, “Merry Christmas.” As the tops of the trees finally obscured the view of the plane Jim replied, “And the same to you, I hope that duct tape stays on.” “Me too, me too,” replied Larry. Christmas Eve day found Larry and Bob aiding Nick’s two friends and helpers load boxes of Christmas gifts into an old station wagon. It seemed important that those gifts arrived in Mena, Arkansas before Christmas Eve. What a rare commodity today, the love and caring for those in need. Giving happiness and hope to someone and asking for nothing in return. Santa, it would seem, and the very idea of someone like him may sadly be merely a myth, but for Larry and his brother Bob, The Christmas of the plane crash will be one they will always remember. December 2015 • January 2016 | 63
Taking photos when traveling and outdoors BY SHERRY LEVERICH
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vacation, and some time away from the usually routines, can be an amazing time to sit back and relax and enjoy beautiful scenery and create wonderful memories. Photos can assist with sharing and remembering those fond memories. Whether your vacation takes you to the beauties of our own Ozarks, or to another domestic treasure, like the majestic Grand Canyon, or an exotic foreign destination – you must have a camera in hand to capture those moments of a lifetime. Here are some tips to help you come back home with images worth sharing. USE HUMANS WHENEVER YOU CAN! Landscapes are better with people in them. Another bonus: People can also help create a sense of scale, and depth. BAD WEATHER = GREAT PHOTO WEATHER. Rain can help diffuse glaring sunlight. Light mist can soften a large landscape, and bring out rich colors from surrounding foliage. Overcast days can also mean interesting cloud patterns in the sky, which makes for more interesting photography. THINK "PEOPLE, PLACES, THINGS." The best travel photos will often be about all three of these. TURN THE CAMERA ON ITS SIDE. In some situations, turning the camera on its side to take a vertical shot is just not good composition, it is almost essential for some icons visited during travel (i.e. Eiffel Tower). But taking vertical shots also has an added benefit: it will enhance the interest of your overall photo collection considerably, adding geometrical variety as folks flip through your vacation slideshow. 64 |
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COMPOSE YOUR SHOTS. Every time you look through that viewfinder, before you shoot, scan the scene shown. See what you're including, and excluding. Take your time to compose, and then, shoot. START AT HOME. Photograph family members packing bags, and getting ready for their voyage. CATCH THE QUIET MOMENTS. Capture photos of you and your travel companions enjoying an afternoon cup of coffee at a pretty park, or a candid photo of a friend or family member reading a book during the journey. PASS THE CAMERA TO SOMEONE ELSE. The designated photographer is frequently absent from the vacation photos. TAKE A PIC, BEFORE PICKING UP YOUR FORK! Meals are a big part of traveling...take pictures of food you are eating along the way, especially if it's particularly unique or special to the area in which you are traveling.
FEET ON THE GROUND. Interesting roads, pathways and stairways make visually appealing photographs. HAVE A FOREGROUND, MIDDLEGROUND, AND BACKGROUND. Those three layers add literal (and psychological) depth to a photograph. Pay attention to all three planes for a more engaging image. TRY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. Get down low for a more interesting foreground, or take a pic of your tour group below you, from a upper deck or tower window.
A R LOG FO A LL CAT CA EE FR
It’s more than just a trip, it’s Making Memories
Stop by one of our Tour Preview Shows to see what we have to offer for 2016!
MAKE IT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. The entire trip is the experience, make sure to include all the people, places and things that you see along the way. It doesn't matter if it's a silly street sign, or a funny butterfly that kept landing on your head. SHOOT THE NONTRADITIONAL. Taking photos of traditional landmarks is an important part of capturing the experience of a vacation, but also try taking some shots of interesting things that you stumble upon while exploring.
CONSIDER THE TIME OF DAY. There's no time like sunrise or sunset to take compelling, interesting and even stunning travel photos. Sunrise in particular can produce very striking images, and sunset photos are always appealing.
Friday, Feb. 26 Joplin, MO
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Holiday Inn 3615 S Range Line Rd. Joplin, MO
Saturday, Feb. 27 Cassville, MO
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM Crowder College 4020 Main St. Cassville, MO
DON'T MISS THE DETAILS. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in taking photos of landscapes and landmarks that we overlook the details.
DON'T FORGET THE GROUP SHOT. Ask someone to take the photo, and arrange the entire travel group for a photo that includes some pleasant background scenery. A photo like this can ground the entire trip, and let scrapbook visitors visualize the scope of your vacation.
PUT DOWN THE CAMERA AND JUST ENJOY WHERE YOU ARE. Sure, we all want to document our trips, but know when to put the camera away and experience real life. Enjoy your trip!
WATCH FOR WILDLIFE. Animals, butterflies, birds and other critters can make great photos, especially if the animal isn't a typical variety from where you come from.
You take care of the memories. We’ll take care of you.
makingmemoriestours.com
888-845-9582
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Wishing our Friends and Family a Joyous Holiday filled with Peace, Love, and Prosperity.
From All of Us at Ozark Hills & Hollows
B E S T W I S H E S F O R A H E A LT H Y N E W Y E A R !
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Watercolor by Jim Sexton, Holiday Island
W e h o p e y o u en j o y ed r ea din g Ozark There’s still so much more to come! Coming up in February • March: Geocaching for Young and Old Growing Shrimp in the Ozarks Romantic Tree-House Getaways and much more...
Hills Hollows
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 December 2015 • January 2016 | 67
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