South Carolina Living - March 2014 by South Carolina Living

SC STO R I E S

Man on fire HUMOR ME

March 2014

Taxes are a pain in the math

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THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS Vol. 68 • No. 3 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 470,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033

March 2014 • Volume 68, Number 3

Tel: (803) 926-3 1 75 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop

FEATURE

EDITOR

14 Stand your ground

Keith Phillips ASSISTANT EDITOR

Diane Veto Parham

Don’t let voracious garden pests and sneaky diseases turn a promising vegetable plot into a ravaged wasteland.

FIELD EDITOR

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Pam Martin

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

Susan Collins PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR

Van O’Cain COPY EDITOR

Susan Scott Soyars Contributors

Becky Billingsley, Mike Couick, Jim Dulley, Hastings Hensel, Carrie B. Hirsch, Jan A. Igoe, Charles Joyner, S. Cory Tanner Publisher

Tel: (800) 984-0887 Dan Covell Email: dan@scliving.coop Keegan Covell Email: keegan@scliving.coop National Representation

National Country Market Tel: (800) NCM-1181 Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication. If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor. ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send

to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above.

Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices. © COPYRIGHT 201 4. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor. SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

4 CO-OP CONNECTION Cooperative news

6 ON THE AGENDA Co-ops recover from Winter Storm Pax.

POWER USER DIALOGUE

10 Thank-you notes

How did South Carolina co‑ops recover so quickly from February’s ice storm? We had a lot of help from our friends. ENERGY Q&A

12 Efficient outdoor lighting Professional tips for lighting your landscape.

SC LIFE STORIES

21 Man on fire

“Smokin’ Ed” Currie holds the Guinness World Record for his insanely hot Carolina Reaper chili pepper—and he’s just getting started.

TR AVELS

22 Taking flight

Public tours offered by the Avian Conservation Center and the Center for Birds of Prey are as educational as they are entertaining.

RECIPE

26 Pleasing pastas, hot and cold

Julie’s zucchini lasagna Chicken, tomato and basil linguine Sausage and bow tie pasta dinner Garden rotini salad PETS

28 Good breeding

Meet the South Carolina dog breeder behind Chaser, the famous border collie who understands more than 1,000 words. CHEF’S CHOICE

30 The dough whisperer

Pastry chef Robert Plantadis brings the baking secrets of his native France to historic Bluffton.

Lee An n Wh ite / iStoc k

ADVERTISING MANAGERS

Mic Smith

Lou Green

HUMOR ME

38 Taxes bring pain in the math

A new scientific study proves what artistic types have known all along—math hurts.

34 MARKETPLACE 36 SC EVENTS

SC STO R I E S

Man on fire HUMOR ME

Taxes are a pain in the math

MARCH 2014

Printed on recycled paper

Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 7 million homes and businesses

It’s a jungle out there. Protect your summer vegetable patch with our professional tips. Illustration by David Clark.

On the Agenda

Highlights

TOP PICK FOR KIDS

MARCH 15, 22 and 29

At the races

March in South Carolina means the horses are running in Aiken and Camden. First up is the Aiken Trials on the 15th, six races showcasing young horses in training. Next up, the Aiken Spring Steeplechase invites you to “see horses fly” in its series of steeplechase races at Ford Conger Field on the 22nd. Famed thoroughbred jockey Ron Turcotte, who rode the legendary Secretariat to victory, will sign autographs during the event. And on March 29, the 82nd running of the Carolina Cup (pictured above) at Springdale Race Course in Camden gathers horseracing fans for a final weekend of incredible tailgates and fashionable hats, plus six steeplechase races. For details, visit aikentrials.com or call (803) 648-4631; aikensteeplechase.com or call (803) 648-9641; and carolina-cup.org or call (803) 432-6513.

The garden club of charleston

For a listing p m co lete s, see of Event 6 page 3

MARCH 20–APRIL 19

APRIL 11–13

World Grits Fesfuntiveatinalg or

If there’s a way to have competing with grits and corn, it’s happening at this 29th annual festival in St. George. The messiest involves rolling in a giant pool of grits, but other competitions include corn shelling, corn tossing and grits eating. The festival fun wraps up by 9 p.m. this year, so come early. For details, visit worldgritsfestival.com or call (843) 563-7943.

Leslie Bartsch

Charleston house and garden tours

APRIL 5–6

International Quidditch Association World Cup

No, the players don’t fly. But this turf-based version of quidditch blends elements of rugby, basketball and dodgeball in a fast-paced, full-contact, coed athletic competition, worthy of respect from diehard sports fans and Harry Potter devotees. The IQA’s World Cup is making its first S.C. appearance, bringing 80 international teams to the brand-new North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex. That’s a lot of quaffles, bludgers and snitches. For details, visit iqaworldcup.com or call (704) 962-5099.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

Charleston in spring is too pretty to miss, and two special events will lead you through some of its loveliest sights. Many of the historic city’s grandest private homes open their doors to visitors in the Festival of Houses and Gardens from March 20 through April 19. The daily tours, offered by Historic Charleston Foundation, showcase houses and gardens that date back as far as the 18th century. On the weekend of April 11 and 12, the Garden Club of Charleston will host its Walking Tour of Private Houses and Gardens in the city’s historic district. Each home will also feature creative floral arrangements. For details, visit historiccharleston.org or call (843) 722-3405; also, thegardenclubofcharleston.org or call (843) 406-7626 or (843) 886-0638.

Email COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND Story suggestions TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

Weathering the storm

Keith Phillips

that blanketed South Carolina in mid-February, will go down in the record books as one of the worst winter storms in decades, but thanks to dedicated co-op employees, the recovery effort may also set a new milestone. At the storm’s peak, approximately 144,000 co-op members were without power, according to Todd Carter, vice president of loss control and training for The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina. The greatest number of outages occurred in the Midlands and Pee Dee regions. Up to 1 inch of accumulated ice snapped utility poles and sent trees crashing into power lines, causing extensive damage to the infrastructure serving the Aiken, Bamberg, Walterboro, Moncks Corner, Kingstree and Georgetown areas. During the height of the storm, all of Walterboro-based Coastal Electric Cooperative’s 11,500 members were without power. Five more co-ops in the region experienced outages affecting 50 percent or more of their members. David Felkel, CEO of Bamberg-based Edisto Electric Cooperative, said the storm damage was “as bad, if not worse, than Hurricane Hugo. It hit our entire system.” While restoration in the aftermath of the infamous 1989 hurricane took four weeks to complete, Carter said South Carolina’s co-ops managed to repair most of the damage from Pax in about eight days, Aiken Electric Cooperative lineworker Brad Ivey reconnects one of many broken thanks to an influx of power lines in the co-op’s service territory. more than 700 co-op and

Photo courtesy of Santee Electric Cooperative

Winter Storm Pax, a two-day blast of ice, sleet and snow

A Santee Electric Cooperative contract crew had to go through the swamp to restore power off U.S. Highway 341 in Florence County. This type of terrain is common in co-op-served areas, and it’s one reason power restoration after a storm is so labor intensive.

contract lineworkers from Kentucky, Web Extra For more on the winter Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, North storm and the rapid recovery Carolina and Virginia who worked effort, visit SCLiving.coop. alongside local repair crews. “It’s mind-boggling what these guys have done in little more than a week’s time,” he said. “We realize a few people did not get their lights on for seven or eight days, but even in the best conditions, restoring power to some rural areas is a big challenge.”

Find featured videos and bonus content this month... O n ly o n SCLiving.coop GONE FISHIN’ The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour. Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after. Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

Photo Courtesy of Edisto Electric Cooperative

March

Areas served by Edisto Electric Cooperative received up to an inch of accumulated ice, causing damage that CEO David Felkel considered “as bad, if not worse, than Hurricane Hugo.”

17 6:31 18 12:46 19 1:16 20 1:46 21 2:31 22 3:16 23 1:01 24 11:31 25 8:46 26 9:31 27 10:16 28 11:01 29 5:16 30 — 31 12:16

Minor

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April 12:16 6:46 7:01 7:31 8:01 8:46 9:31 2:31 3:16 4:01 4:31 4:46 11:31 5:46 6:16

7:01 12:46 7:46 1:16 8:31 1:46 9:31 2:31 11:01 3:31 — 4:31 — 6:01 — 7:31 1:31 8:46 3:01 9:46 4:01 10:31 5:01 11:16 11:46 5:46 6:31 12:01 7:16 12:46

1 1:01 6:31 2 1:31 7:01 3 2:01 7:16 4 2:16 7:46 5 3:01 8:01 6 8:16 1:01 7 10:31 2:31 8 9:16 3:01 9 9:31 3:31 10 10:01 3:46 11 4:01 10:16 12 4:31 10:46 13 4:46 11:16 14 5:16 11:46 15 12:01 5:31 16 12:31 6:01

8:01 1:16 8:46 2:01 9:46 2:31 11:01 3:16 — 4:16 — 5:31 — 7:01 1:31 8:16 2:46 9:01 3:46 9:46 4:31 10:16 11:01 5:01 11:31 5:46 — 6:16 7:01 12:16 7:46 12:46

scliving.coop | March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

Sick of D.C. bureaucrats raising your power bill? Join the campaign to keep your electricity affordable and reliable Take action at sc.tellepa.com today

Flawed EPA policies could mean higher bills. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to impose new power plant regulations that rely on costly, unproven technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. If adopted, these policies could increase your power bill by 50 percent. Join your local electric cooperative and tell the EPA you disagree with new rules based on sensationalism and bad policy. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free and takes just seconds.

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If you have trouble understanding a call, the Captioning Telephone can change your life. During a phone call the words spoken to you appear on the phone’s screen – similar to closed captioning on TV. So when you make or receive a call, the words spoken to you are not only amplified by the phone, but scroll across the phone so you can listen while reading everything that’s said to you. Each call is routed through a call center, where computer technology – aided by a live representative – generates immediate voice-to-text translations. The captioning is real-time, accurate and readable. Your conversation is private and the captioning service doesn’t cost you a penny. Captioned Telephone Service (CTS) is regulated and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is designed exclusively for individuals with hearing loss. In order to use CTS in your home, you must have standard telephone service and high-speed Internet connectivity where the phone will be used. Callers do not need special equipment or a captioning phone in order to speak with you.

Dialogue Walter All rea d

Thank-you notes What a difference a week makes!

p Gov. Nikki Haley speaks to reporters after touring storm damage in Colleton County with (center left to right) Dukes Scott, executive director of the Office of Regulatory Staff; Keller Kissam, president of retail operations, SCE&G; David Felkel, CEO of Edisto Electric Cooperative; and Larry Hinz, CEO of Coastal Electric Cooperative.

Keith Phillips

Walter Allread

u Lineworkers Bruce Sapp (left) and Matt Hickey of Clay Electric Cooperative came from Keystone Heights, Fla., to help rebuild broken power lines in Colleton County.

cooperatives were a welcome sight in the aftermath of the storm. Aiken Electric Cooperative members Larry and Joyce Wood had nothing but kind words for the lineworkers, even after two days without power. “Praise the Lord,” Joyce Wood said. “We knew they were doing all they could, as quickly as they could, but it takes time to restore stuff.”

t Before Berkeley Electric Cooperative crews could repair damaged lines near Cross, S.C., fallen trees had to be hand cut by the co-op’s right-of-way contractor, Lucas Tree Experts.

Keith Phillips

Photo courtesy of Berkeley Electric Cooperative

u The news media kept electric cooperative members informed about the storm and the power-restoration efforts. Even before the first snow started falling in the Midlands, Ashley Johnson, director of loss control and training at The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, showed Columbia news crews how co-ops would handle repairs to damaged power lines.

p Repair crews from the state’s 20 electric

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

As I write this—Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m.—it’s 64 degrees and sunny here in Columbia. This time one week ago I was picking up my children early from school due to a weather-related dismissal and helping your cooperative get ready for a band of snow, sleet and freezing rain that would ultimately interrupt power to one out of four S.C. cooperative members. While several co-ops continue to restore electricity to the hardest-hit regions, they are very close to finishing this monumental task. How did our cooperatives restore power so quickly after an ice storm that did more damage to the grid than Hurricane Hugo? Answer: With lots of help. Join us in thanking the more than 700 lineworkers who came from Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina and Virginia to help our local crews get the power flowing again, not to mention the countless co-op employees who expedited the supply of materials, meals and accommodations they needed to get the job done. Gov. Nikki Haley said it best as she toured the state in the immediate aftermath of the storm: “The linemen across this state have angel’s wings.” The governor and other state officials, especially Dukes Scott, executive director of the Office of Regulatory Staff, also deserve our thanks. They all worked closely with co-op CEOs to bring the full resources of the state into play whenever it was needed to speed the restoration work. Whether it was traffic control in the vicinity of work sites or the coordination of state agencies with 20 local electric cooperatives, this past week has been a model of government that works. The challenges that nature can throw at us are daunting. It’s nice to have friends who help!

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina Mike Couick

EnergyQ&A

BY jim Dulley

James Dulley

Efficient outdoor lighting

I’d like to add outdoor lighting at my home for security and entertaining. How can I brighten outdoor spaces without driving up my electric bills?

p This motion-sensing, two-bulb floodlight, mounted over a garage door, stays on for only 60 seconds after no motion is detected. t A tall, die-cast metal landscaping light brightens a large area to double as a security light. The largediameter top limits light pollution of the night sky.

GetMore These companies offer efficient outdoor lighting: Energy Focus, (888) 704-2276, energyfocusinc.com Hadco, (800) 331-4185, hadcolighting.com Idaho Wood, (800) 635-1100, idahowood.com Kim Lighting, (626) 968-5666, kimlighting.com Wave Lighting, (877) 870-9283, wavelightingusa.com 12

Hadco

Outdoor lighting can be effective for security, but it can also up utility bills if done improperly. Security lighting is usually on all night; entertainment lighting is not. So choosing the proper security lighting will have a greater impact on your utility bills. Installing just two 150-watt security lights and keeping them on all night can increase your electric bill by more than $100 per year. As you plan your lighting, remember that security lights are not always best for entertaining and vice versa. Make your security and entertaining lighting plans independently, then check to see where they overlap. Do an outdoor walk-around inspection of your house at night to see where additional lighting might help. Sometimes the brightness from a neighbor’s home will illuminate dark, suspect areas. When planning outdoor lighting, make an effort to minimize nighttime light pollution. Bright lights can create problems for wildlife and annoy neighbors. I can barely see the stars on a clear night due to the excessive lighting in my subdivision. If you install floodlighting, mount

a directional light shield over it. Brighter lights don’t necessarily provide more security. Lower lighting levels are more effective because the human eye doesn’t adjust quickly from a very bright area to a darker area. If lighting is less bright, it’s easier to see movement in darker areas where someone might be hiding. Keep in mind, the wattage of a light bulb does not determine how much light it produces. Wattage refers to how much electricity a bulb uses. Instead, look for light output—measured in lumens—on bulb packaging. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) produce more lumens per watt of electricity compared to standard incandescent bulbs. For example, an L22 array LED fixture uses less than 25 watts to produce the same light output (about 1,800 lumens) as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. Motion-sensor lights are both efficient and effective for security. When the light comes on, a would-be thief assumes he has been seen. They also catch neighbors’ attention. Consider one with two-level lighting. You can switch it on for low-level background lighting; it only switches to full

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

brightness when motion is detected. Wherever there is access to full sun, consider solar-powered, motion- sensing floodlights. These lights continue to operate even after a few consecutive cloudy days with little recharging sunlight. With low-cost, standard, 120-volt outdoor lighting fixtures, try using CFLs. These use only one-quarter as much electricity as standard incandescent bulbs and last at least 10 times longer. The overall savings will pay back their higher cost many times over. CFLs do not always work well in cold outdoor temperatures and take a little while to reach full brightness. Try one or two first, and read the packaging to see if the bulb is intended for outdoor use. LEDs, another super-efficient lighting option, are not affected by the cold. With a bright white light output, LEDs last up to 50,000 hours. Their light output is directional, so they are best for lighting specific targeted areas. To light a larger area for an entire night, LPS (low-pressure sodium) fixtures are efficient. The fixtures are fairly expensive, and they start up very slowly to reach full brightness. The light quality is monochromatic (yellowish), so they would only be applicable for security and not for entertainment lighting. Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, email energyqa@scliving.coop or fax (803) 739-3041.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

G a r d e n

G u i d e

r ground Get ready to combat common pests and diseases in your summer vegetable patch BY S. CORY TANNER | Illustrations by David Clark

Dreaming of a bountiful summer harvest of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, okra and corn? Dreading the mishaps that could bring your spring planting labors to naught? It pays to be vigilant, as voracious garden pests and sneaky diseases can turn a promising vegetable plot into a ravaged wasteland—sometimes overnight. Good news: With a few professional tips and simple techniques, you can guard your favorite veggies against the most common garden threats, then reap the rewards. T o m at o e s

Hopeful gardeners set out tomato transplants between March and May, but these garden favorites can encounter multiple threats on the way to producing their anticipated summer bounty. One of the worst early-season threats is cutworms, robust, soil-dwelling caterpillars that feast on tender plant stems while gardeners sleep. They hide in the soil during the day and emerge to feed at night. A morning walk through

the garden reveals cutworm devastation in the form of young seedlings or transplants severed from their roots, wilting in the morning sun. Fortunately, cutworms are vertically challenged. A simple stem collar can “foil” their feast. Loosely wrap a two-inch-wide piece of aluminum foil around your transplant’s stem at planting, and bury the collar one-half inch below the soil line. Or use a two-inch section of plastic irrigation tubing with a slit cut through one side so that it can be slipped around the transplant’s

March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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Once tomato plant stems become tough and woody, cutworms no longer find them palatable.

Right & Far right: Cory Tanner

You can also slow the disease’s spread by removing lower leaves that develop spots. Deposit infected leaves in the trash, not compost. Finally, if both the disease and favorable weather conditions (hot and wet) are present, a fungicide may help. Products labeled for the vegetable garden containing chlorothalonil, maneb, mancozeb or copper fungicide may slow the disease if applied before it spreads too far.

S q u a s h a n d c u c u mb e rs

Early blight on tomato leaves is noticeable as brown spots surrounded by a yellow halo. Remove symptomatic leaves to slow spread of the disease.

To m ato Quick tips Wrap a collar around tender young stems to foil cutworms.

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Plant diseaseresistant hybrids.

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Use mulch to protect lower leaves from soilborne fungus.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

Cory Tanner

stem. These can be reused year after year, but clean them annually to avoid disease. Either barrier will prevent cutworms from severing the tender stems of your new crop. Once stems become tough and woody (pencil diameter or larger), cutworms no longer find them palatable and the collar can be removed, but removal is optional as long as the stem can grow without girdling. Early blight disease is another problem that plagues tomato gardeners. This fungal disease attacks tomato leaves. It survives the winter in the soil and typically infects plants when soil (including spores) splashes onto leaves in the spring. The first symptoms show up as small, dark spots on lower leaves. As spring turns into summer, higher temperatures and humidity speed spread of the disease, and those small spots grow, leaving a bull’s-eye pattern within and a yellow halo surrounding the dead spot. The disease spreads rapidly up the plant, killing leaves as it goes. Left unchecked, it can consume most of the plant in just a few weeks. The best prevention is planting tomato hybrids resistant to this disease. Look for disease-resistance listings in seed catalogs and Clemson Extension fact sheets. And give your plants plenty of space. Planting them six feet apart, with non-tomato relatives in between, can prevent the disease from jumping from plant to plant. A thick layer of mulch, straw or leaves helps keep soil from splashing onto leaves.

Summer squashes (yellow squash and zucchini) are garden favorites that produce abundantly— if you can keep the squash vine borer away. In early summer, these clear-winged moths lay eggs on squash plant stems. When the eggs hatch, larvae bore into the stem and feed on the vine from the inside. Protected there from predators and insecticides, they feed voraciously, growing larger and devastating the stem. Eventually your squash plants begin wilting from the damage. Inspection will reveal gummy,

Colorful squash vine borer moths (left) may be seen flitting around squash plants late May through June. Their larvae (above) bore into and feed inside of squash stems.

sawdust-like waste emerging from holes in the stems. Delay the problem by planting your summer squash early. Vine borers don’t typically emerge until late May, so planting by mid-April lets plants become established and productive before vine borers attack. For later plantings, consider using row covers. These spun-bonded fabrics allow light, air and water to pass, but not flying

Row covers must come off at flowering to allow bees to pollinate the squash flowers.

Ginny DuBose, Clemson University

insects, so moths can’t lay their eggs on stems. Cover your squash at planting, and leave the covers on until plants begin to flower. But row covers must come off at flowering to allow bees to pollinate the squash flowers. Since insecticides can’t reach the destructive larvae already inside squash stems, they are not very effective against vine borers. But conventional garden products containing carbaryl or bifenthrin and organic materials such as Bt (Bacillus thuringiensi) and neem extract can provide some protection if they are applied to stems and surrounding soil before eggs are laid. Watch for brightly colored moths flying about during the day, then apply the product, according to label instructions, during the evening to avoid harming bees. For plants that have been attacked but aren’t yet severely wilted, you can perform stem

Downy mildew symptoms are first noticed as yellow, angular spots on the leaves in mid-to-late summer. Spots eventually merge, killing the entire leaf. Trellis your cucumber vines to allow for quicker leaf drying to reduce infection.

Squash & Cuke Quick tips Plant squash and cucumbers early in the season.

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Protect young squash plantings with row covers.

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Keep vining cucumbers off the ground.

surgery. With a razor blade, slit the stem carefully lengthwise on one side. Then use a long needle to pluck the larvae out of the stem; destroy them. Cover the slit stem with soil and keep it watered. The plant should develop new roots and recover. Another threat is downy mildew. This fungus can infect many gourd crops but is particularly damaging to cucumbers. Unlike powdery mildew, a less devastating disease that shows up as grayish-white powdery patches on the upper surface of leaves, downy mildew infects plants from the underside of leaves. The first symptoms are seen from above as yellow, angular spots that eventually spread, turn brown and consume entire leaves. Downy mildew does not survive our winter. Its spores blow up from southern Florida each summer during windy, cloudy periods, leading to outbreaks in our state during warm, wet weather. Dr. Tony Keinath, vegetable pathologist for Clemson University, has been the frontline commander for managing this disease in South

Carolina. He recommends planting cucumbers early and trellising them. “Cucumbers with downy mildew will stop producing fruit or fruit will be short and misshapen,” he says. “Keeping vining cucumbers off of the ground allows dew on the leaves to dry quickly, reducing the opportunity for infection.” He recommends the General Lee and Marketmore 76 varieties. Both can get downy mildew, but the disease shows up later, allowing plants to produce fruit for a longer period. Fungicides containing chlorothalonil and k k scliving.coop | March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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Cory Tanner

Which is better—seeds or transplants? Gardeners often ask me whether it is best to plant vegetable seed or to purchase transplants. My answer is “yes.” Some plants perform best when seeded directly in the garden (beans, peas, corn); others do better when transplanted (tomatoes, peppers, okra). Some are fine either way (cucumbers, squash, melons). A general rule of thumb is seed size: largeseeded vegetables grow best when direct seeded; smaller-seeded crops grow best from transplants. When shopping for both seeds and

transplants, quality is key. Seeds purchased in sealed packets from reputable suppliers are generally high quality. Look for a “packed for” date on the packet. It should be within the current year. Older seeds can lose viability, especially if they’ve been sitting out on a store shelf instead of in a cold, dark refrigerator. Transplants should be healthy, pest- and disease-free, and not root-bound. The most common mistake new gardeners make with transplants is buying them too large. One summer, I saw people lining up

at a discount store to buy $50 tomato plants that were 3 feet tall and already loaded with fruit. Imagine how many tomatoes you could grow for $50 if you were to start from seed or even small transplants. While tomato plants are fairly forgiving, most vegetable transplants work best when they are small and still able to establish healthy roots. If planted when over-mature or root-bound in their containers, many transplants will fail to establish and grow in your garden. —SCT

For more information about growing vegetable transplants, see HGIC 1259 on Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center at clemson.edu/hgic. General Rule of ( Gr e e n ) T h u mb

Cory Tanner

Tomatoes and lettuce are two vegetables that do well getting a head start inside before transplanting.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

Large-seeded vegetables typically grow best when direct seeded. Smaller-seeded crops grow best from transplants.

Corn earworms are so common that 90 percent of the ears in an untreated planting will likely be affected.

mancozeb can be sprayed before vines become infected, but unfortunately, Keinath says, there are no organic sprays.

Sweet corn

R.L. Croissant, Bugwood.org

If you’ve ever shucked homegrown sweet corn, you have probably encountered the mushy, brown remnants of a corn earworm. Maybe you’ve found the plump caterpillar responsible as well! Corn earworm is a common pest of sweet corn in the home garden—so common that 90 percent of the ears in an untreated planting will likely be affected. Fortunately, the damage is usually restricted to the top third of the ear. Childhood summers on my grandfather’s tobacco farm involved large plantings of sweet corn. Many ears would be infested, but we would just cut off the damaged areas before cooking. If you find the damage unappetizing, a few tricks will discourage this pest. First, plant early. Corn earworm is a lateseason pest. Planting at the earliest date possible for your area can help avoid damage. Second,

Corn earworm damage is typically restricted to the top third of corn ears. Impacted ears are usually fine to eat. Simply cut off the damaged portion and wash the ear well.

a few sweet corn varieties are more resistant to earworm. Country Gentleman, Stay Gold and Silvergent have tighter husks that slow earworms down. Another low-impact trick is to apply five drops of mineral oil from an eyedropper to corn silks on each ear about five to six days after the silks emerge. Adding an organic insecticide containing Bt at the rate of one part Bt to 20 parts mineral oil improves effectiveness. Mineral oil blocks the earworms from getting through the silks. Don’t apply the oil earlier, however, as it can interfere with pollination.

Co r n Quick tips Plant early to avoid damage from corn earworm.

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Choose varieties with tighter husks that slow earworm penetration.

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Apply mineral oil to newly emerged corn silks.

Okr a

Okra has relatively few problems in the home garden, but planting too early is a common mistake. Okra is a hot-weather crop that hates cold soil. Wait until the soil temperature four inches deep is at least 65 degrees F. Okra seeded into colder soil will become stunted and never develop properly. A soil thermometer will check temperatures, but I’ve found that a simple meat thermometer is accurate enough. When I was a kid, we soaked okra seed over night in milk before planting, the theory being k k scliving.coop | March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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Soaking the seed in water overnight improves the germination rate.

Fighting against fire ants Red imported fire ants are a nuisance in the yard and garden. Their stings are painful, and fire ants will occasionally damage vegetable plants. They’ll feed on okra pods, corn seedlings, broccoli stalks and other crops. In the vegetable garden, they create a unique challenge, because many of the pesticides that control them in lawns and other landscaped areas are not safe in the vegetable garden. Fortunately, products with the active ingredient spinosad are approved for use in organic vegetable production. Very effective against fire ants, they come in both broadcast-bait and mound-treatment formulations. Baits, which are relatively inexpensive, are designed for spreading over a large area when ants are actively foraging (warm, sunny days) and tend to provide the most benefit in spring and fall. Mound-treatment products, on the other hand, are designed for direct application onto fire ant mounds, typically as liquid mound drenches. Mound treatments approved for use in vegetable gardens include either of the active ingredients spinosad or carbaryl. No matter which strategy you choose, read and follow the label instructions carefully. When misapplied, they are worthless. A note of caution: Read labels to ensure you never use fire ant products containing acephate in the vegetable garden. Acephate, found in some commonly used treatments, is readily absorbed by plant roots and will find its way into vegetable fruits and leaves, posing a danger to both humans and animals. To avoid pesticides, you can disturb fire ant mounds repeatedly with a shovel or hoe. This usually encourages them to relocate, but you can’t predict where—frequently, they simply set up shop somewhere even more annoying.

Okr a Quick tips Don’t plant okra in cold soil.

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Let beneficial natural predators (like the lady beetle larva above) take care of small aphid infestations.

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Coat larger aphid populations with insecticidal soap. Above: Clemson UniversityUSDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org

Visit Clemson Extension’s Home & Garden Information Center at clemson.edu/hgic for more tips on managing fire ants.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

that it improved germination. In college I learned that soaking in water or freezing the seed provides the same benefit without wasting milk. Now I store okra seed in the freezer year-round, where it’s ready as soon as the soil warms sufficiently. I seed my okra directly in the garden soil, but it also transplants well. (See “Which is better—seeds or transplants?” p. 18.) Want to get a little jump on the season? Sow seeds in a sunny, warm indoor location a few weeks before your desired planting date. Aphids can be troublesome to okra. They can also target tomatoes, squash and sweet corn but are often noticed on okra. Tiny insects, sometimes called plant lice, they use their syringe-like mouthparts to suck sap from plants. If their populations are heavy, they can cause flower and fruit drop and release sticky material, called honeydew, that attracts ants and covers fruits and leaves, which eventually turn black from sooty mold growing on the honeydew. I call aphids “the jelly beans of the insect world.” They are plump, juicy, fragile insects that many other insects love to eat. My advice: Don’t reach for the spray bottle at the first sign of aphids. In short order, the pesky little guys will become lunch for a variety of beneficial insects. The aphids will all but disappear, and the beneficial insects will remain in your garden, seeking other pests to eat. If the aphid population grows and significant crop damage is occurring, corrective action may be needed. My next line of defense is insecticidal soap. These products are sometimes labeled organic, are nontoxic to humans and mammals, and are relatively safe to beneficial insects. To work effectively, they must contact their target directly, so make sure you thoroughly coat aphid colonies, checking under leaves and other places aphids hide out. Products with neem extract and spinosad are effective, low-impact insecticides. is an area horticulture agent and Master Gardener coordinator for Clemson Extension based in Greenville County. Contact him at shannt@clemson.edu.

S. CORY TANNER

SC Life

Stories

“Smokin’ Ed” Currie Age:

Fort Mill Occupation: President, founder, mad scientist and chef at PuckerButt Pepper Company (puckerbuttpeppercompany.com) Claim to fame: As the breeder of Smokin’ Ed’s Carolina Reaper, the world’s hottest pepper, Currie is the first South Carolinian to achieve an individual Guinness World Record. Hot stat: Currie eats five to 10 hot peppers every day. It gets worse: “The Carolina Reaper is just the first of 19 peppers we’re going to roll out that are all hotter,” he says. Home Turf:

Web Extra Video

Jonathan Sharp

Visit SCLiving.coop to watch Ed Currie chow down on a Carolina Reaper—and learn why you shouldn’t try this at home.

Man on fire

As he stands in his downtown Fort Mill store, surrounded by chilies, hot sauces and sprouting pepper plants, the intensity in Ed Currie’s voice rises, like the swelling burn of one of his peppers, when he begins talking about his Guinness World Record. “I got the email saying, ‘You’re officially amazing! Congratulations! You have the new world record!’ I literally fell to the floor,” he says. “I was crying. I was praising God, thanking God. People thought someone had died or something.” A former banker, Currie began growing hot peppers for medical researchers studying capsaicin, the oily compound that creates the fiery burn. It took 12 years to breed Smokin’ Ed’s Carolina Reaper, a “super-hot” chili that registers a blistering 1.5963 million on the Scoville heat unit scale, or 300 times hotter than a jalapeno. Perfecting the Carolina Reaper’s blend of sweet, floral flavors and gut-scorching heat was a labor of love for the self-described “chilihead,” the name for hard-core pepper enthusiasts who test their physical limits, and their sanity, by eating superhot peppers with names like the Trinidad Scorpion and the Naga Viper. While setting a new world record has been great for business—his store ships out thousands of orders a day, ranging from Carolina Reaper seeds to hot sauces made from the bumpy red pepper—Currie is even more pleased that he’s creating jobs and supporting agriculture in South Carolina. “A product from Carolina that no one knew about a year ago will be available nationwide this year,” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. “It’s just amazing how God works in our lives to weave that tapestry.” —Hastings Hensel

scliving.coop | March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SCTravels

BY hastings hensel | photos by Mic smith

Taking flight 2014 and the 6,438th since its incepstarted the Charleston Raptor Center in 1991— tion. Last year, the staff treated 580 as an amateur bird enthusiast, in his birds, mostly from South Carolina, own house on Broad Street, while but also from neighboring states such moonlighting from his job as a comas Georgia and North Carolina. The term “bird,” however, might be a bit mercial real estate broker—he never broad. The center’s primary focus, as envisioned what it would become. Visitors to the Center for its name implies, is on large raptors— His Avian Conservation Center Birds of Prey enjoy daily flight and the Center for Birds of Prey is eagles, falcons, vultures, owls, kites demonstrations featuring a variety of raptors, including a now a 152-acre campus in Awendaw, and hawks. yellow-billed kite (above right). Jim Elliott complete with an avian medical clinic. “Historically there’s been animosity Trained handlers like Meghan His focus, as it’s always been, is towards these predators,” Elliott says. Sparkman, shown with a Harris hawk, ensure the safety of solely on healing raptors injured by run-ins with “But they just have a charismatic nature. They’re the birds and the spectators automobiles or irresponsible hunters. very compelling birds because of the niche during public tours. “I’m still very much a student of birds,” he they occupy in the food cycle. Over the past says while watching a female bald eagle receive few years, I’ve been able to witness a tangible, chelation therapy at the clinic. He keeps his measurable shift in people’s attitude toward birds voice hushed so as not to distract Magenta of prey.” Kline, an avian care specialist administering a chemical compound that helps eliminate toxic metals from the bird’s system. The likely cause of the eagle’s suffering: lead shot, perhaps even just a few pellets worth, left errantly by hunters in waterfowl or skinned GetThere deer carcasses. The Center for Birds of Prey is located at “The fact that these birds 4872 Seewee Road in Awendaw. show up with these issues is Hours: Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. the fundamental reason we to 5 p.m. Tours are offered at 10:30 and do what we do,” Elliott says. 2 p.m. Advance purchase of tour tickets is “There’s no better window recommended. on ecological health than Admission: $15 per person. wild birds.” Details: Visit thecenterforbirdsofprey.org This eagle was the 24th or call (843) 971-7474. bird admitted to the center Medical clinic director Debbie Mauney (left) and avian care spesince the beginning of cialist Magenta Kline treat a female bald eagle for lead poisoning. When Jim Elliott first

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

“ There’s no better window on ecological health than wild birds.” —Jim Elliott

That shift could, in part, be attributed to the center opening to the public in 2008 and hosting up to 10,000 visitors a year. To get to the Center for Birds of Prey, you wind down a dirt road between pine trees and ponds until you reach the well-manicured grounds of the campus. The place is alive with the sound of cawing, hooting and chirping, and it’s not unusual to see dozens of vultures and eagles banking and wheeling in the sky above. On the Thursday that the bald eagle was receiving treatment, staff member Natalie Grasser led the first

of the day’s two educational tours. She stood in front of about 20 people, discussing the various birds perched in shelters behind her. The tour was a mixture of interesting bird trivia—that all birds can rotate their heads 270 degrees; that peregrine falcons often nest in cities in order to perch on tall buildings and feed on pigeons—and ecological insights.

A Eurasian eagle owl thrills the crowd before landing safely on the gloved arm of educator Natalie Grosser.

The tour then segued into the 11:30 a.m. flight demonstration led by the director of education, Stephen Schabel. “Training birds is like teaching children,” he says, standing in front of a set of bleachers and monitoring

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SC Travels

Natalie Grosser educates visitors about the habits and benefits of raptors, including this Eurasian eagle owl. Rehabilitating injured birds also allows the staff to study rare hybrids like this cross between a gyrfalcon and a prairie falcon (right).

the sky. “You give them positive reinforcement and rewards when they do something good.” For the birds in the flight demonstration that day—a falcon, a hawk, an owl and a kite, all in turn—the incentives were small bits of raw meat at

the end of the handlers’ protective gloves. The birds would circle, land in trees, swoop down, perch beside the spectators, and then hop into carrying cages, exhibiting “recall behavior”

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

that seemed nearly flawless. At one point, Schabel picked out Tad McCord, a young boy visiting for a home-school field trip, to run out into the field while holding a string attached to a stuffed animal. When McCord ran full-speed into the field, dragging the mock prey, the falcon swooped down and snatched it up with exceptional precision. “Now I can tell my friends I’ve officially been chased by a hawk!” McCord says. The day seemed to be another good one for the center—the bald eagle’s prognosis for returning to the wild was estimated at two to three weeks, and the tours had educated visitors on the importance of protecting raptors from human impact. “Admittedly there’s a moral problem,” Elliott says. “If we’re the ones causing the problem, then we’re the ones who ought to mitigate it.”

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Recipe

EDITED BY CArrie Hirsch

Pleasing pastas, hot and cold JULIE’S ZUCCHINI LASAGNA SERVES 10–12

¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 ½ cups fat-free cottage cheese 2½ cups tomato sauce 2 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoons dried oregano

Stephanie Frey / iStockphoto

CHICKEN, TOMATO AND BASIL LINGUINE SERVES 6

In a large skillet, heat olive oil, then saute garlic, onion and mushrooms until softened. Add tomatoes and basil and saute for 2 more minutes. Stir in cooked chicken and simmer 1–2 minutes. Add hot linguine and Italian dressing. Cover and allow the pasta to soak up the dressing for 1–2 minutes. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This dish is good served hot or as a cold salad, and it freezes well. SHEILA STRACK, MANNING

Michael Phillips / iStock

2 ounces olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 large onion, chopped 1 12-ounce package mushrooms, sliced 4 large fresh tomatoes, chopped 12 fresh basil leaves, chopped 2 boneless chicken breasts, grilled and cut into bite‑sized pieces 1 16-ounce box linguine or angel hair pasta, cooked 1 8-ounce bottle zesty Italian dressing Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

¼ cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced J teaspoon black pepper ½ pound lasagna noodles, cooked 1 ½ cups raw zucchini, sliced thinly and uniformly* Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine 1/8 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Set aside. In medium bowl, combine remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with the cottage cheese. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce with basil, oregano, onion, garlic and black pepper. To assemble, spread thin layer of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish. Layer half of the cooked lasagna noodles over the tomato sauce, then spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over noodles. Add a layer of sliced zucchini. Repeat layering in the same order, beginning and ending with sauce. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35–40 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. *Using a mandoline ensures the slices are of equal thickness. JULIE DEVER, COLUMBIA

Karen Wiesner / iStockphoto

GARDEN ROTINI SALAD SERVES 8–10

1 16-ounce box rotini pasta 1 large cucumber, peeled and cubed 1 bunch spring onions, chopped 1 bunch spinach, chopped 1 large tomato, diced 1 0.7-ounce package Italian dressing, prepared as directed (makes 8 fluid ounces) Salt and pepper to taste

SAUSAGE AND BOW TIE PASTA DINNER SERVES 2–4

In a medium skillet, heat oil, then saute sausage links and onion until browned, breaking up sausages with a spatula as they cook. Add tomato paste, fireroasted tomatoes and water, and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, uncovered, for 15–20 minutes. Serve over hot pasta. KATHLEEN DEFEE, FLORENCE

1morecreative / iStockphoto

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 12-ounce package maple breakfast link sausages ½ medium-to-large onion, chopped 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 1 can (14 to 16 ounces) fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained 2 cups water 8 ounces bow tie pasta, cooked according to package directions

In a medium pot, cook rotini until tender; drain and rinse with cold water. Add vegetables to rotini, then stir in Italian dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. JACKIE HUDSON, ROCK HILL

W h at Õ s C oo k i n g i n July: A taste of the coast

Fresh from S.C. waterways, crab is popular across the state, not just on Lowcountry tables. Traditionalists steam, boil or devil them, while creative types serve crab atop nachos or in Asian-style roll-ups. Show us how you dress up crab in dips, soups, salads, entrees or more. Deadline: April 1 Submit

SCRecipe

Turn your recipes into cash!

For each one of your original recipes we publish, we’ll send you a $10 BI-LO gift card. Send us your recipes—appetizers, salads, main courses, side dishes, desserts and beverages— almost anything goes. Be sure to specify ingredient measurements. Instead of “one can” or “two packages,” specify “one 12-ounce can” or “two 8-ounce packages.” Note the number of servings or yield. Entries must be original and must include your name, mailing address and phone number. Entries without a phone number will not be considered. Recipes may be edited for clarity and editorial style.

• online at SCLiving.coop • email to recipe@scliving.coop • mail to Recipe, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033

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Pets

BY DIANE VETO PARHAM

Good breeding Chaser, a playful border collie

Border collies are born with great intelligence, breeder Wayne West says. Patience and repetition in training brings out the best in them.

As her fans continue to be enchanted by Chaser’s abilities, West sees her talents simply as the natural result of pairing dedicated training with an instinctively astute and hard-working breed of dog. He starts training pups to respond to the sound of his voice at just 4 weeks old, and his farm served as a classroom of sorts for Pilley for years before Chaser was born. Pilley would bring his psychology students to West’s Flint Hill Farms to watch West work his border collies

GetMore For more on Chaser’s exploits, visit chaserthebordercollie.com or facebook/Chaser-the-Border-Collie.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

with his sheep and horses. West grew to appreciate border collies as a young man working on an Alabama ranch. After receiving a border collie as a gift, he befriended Arthur Allen, one of the premier border collie breeders, and spent a week at Allen’s Illinois home, learning the art of breeding and training these dogs. “The more I fooled with them, the more interested I got,” he recalls. West is among those who breed the dogs not to achieve a certain physical appearance, but for “what they are supposed to do—herd livestock.” “Breeders don’t care what they look like,” he says. “We breed ’em for what’s between their ears—for their brains, herding instinct and ability. That’s the reason they’re the smartest dogs in the world.”

Milton Morris

who lives in Spartanburg, has been winning worldwide fame for years, wowing people with her uncanny gift for understanding the spoken word. Nobody could be less surprised by this than Wayne West. “They’re the smartest dogs in the world,” he says without hesitation. He would know—he has been breeding border collies, including Chaser, at his Spartanburg County farm since the mid-1960s. Chaser’s claim to fame is knowing the names of more than 1,000 different objects, as well as understanding the verbal commands for how to interact with them. Documentation of her unmatched accomplishments by her owner, retired Wofford College psychology professor Dr. John Pilley, led to international media interest in 2011, including appearances on NBC’s “The Today Show,” ABC’s “World News Tonight” and the PBS series “NOVA ScienceNOW,” plus multiple newspaper and magazine articles. West sold Chaser to Pilley as a 7-week-old pup in 2004 and has ridden the publicity train with her, fielding calls from across the country from interested buyers. A new wave of attention has now arrived with Pilley’s newly published book—Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words. A trustee of Broad River Electric Cooperative, West is mentioned 24 times in the book and included in a photo. In February, “60 Minutes” sent a crew to South Carolina to interview West and Pilley and to videotape Chaser in action.

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scliving.coop | March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SCChefÕsChoice

BY Carrie Hirsch

When was the last time a pastry chef

personally offered you samples and guided you through the dilemma of what to select from an array of delicacies still warm from the oven? This is the type of personal attention Robert Plantadis and Michelle

Gluten-Free Chewy Cookies Makes 2 dozen

4 egg whites ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups powdered sugar 3 cups gluten-free flour ¼ cup gluten-free cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form, then stir in vanilla. Combine powdered sugar, flour and cocoa powder, then sift together well. Fold dry ingredients into egg white mixture until well incorporated. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scooper and a spoon, drop cookie dough about the size of a walnut onto parchment paper. Allow ample space in between each, as the dough will spread out while baking. Bake 10–12 minutes. The tops will crack slightly. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing cookies from the parchment paper.

Cuttings provide once the aromas wafting throughout historic Bluffton’s promenade have enticed you into Midnight Bakers. “We look forward to seeing our customers every day,” Plantadis says. “The relationships we have are very rewarding. We have been embraced by this community and are truly grateful.” The bakery’s name provides a blatant clue as to when the behindthe-scenes magic happens. While most of us are sleeping soundly, Plantadis and Cuttings are just starting work in the small kitchen, baking all night. When the doors open at 7 a.m., the shelves are lined with fresh baguettes, brioches, tarts, cookies, croissants, éclairs, pastries and

PHOTOs BY BUTCH HIRSCH

The dough whisperer

Chef Robert Plantadis puts in a hard day’s night baking authentic French pastries and breads.

delectable surprises like sablé cake and kraket, a thin, cracker-like bread based on a medieval recipe. French-born Plantadis learned traditional baking techniques in his native land, and although he has spent much of his working life abroad, he never forgot those early lessons.

Plantadis and his partner, Michelle Cuttings, are always ready to help customers choose from the wide selection of items at Midnight Bakers.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

“In a small town in France where I was doing an apprenticeship, I was fortunate to encounter blind people who influenced me the most,” he says. “I was invited into their atelier and learned about food in a way I had never learned before. When working with the dough, they could sense the temperature of the dough with their hands, and their senses were more attuned to the ‘feel’ of the dough.” Plantadis practiced his art at dozens of Club Med resorts and on private yachts before finding his way to South Carolina. In the early ’80s, he opened Seven Oaks Restaurant in Greenville and later worked at Columbia’s Capital City Club. Regardless of the location, he says, the fundamental rules of baking always apply. “The fewer and simpler the ingredients, the better,” he says. “It is important for every chef to know how to make everything from scratch—to be prepared for any circumstance.” Since opening Midnight Bakers with Cuttings in 2012, Plantadis has found his niche in Bluffton. He Midnight wears his chef’s toque with pride Bakers and greets his 14 Promenade St. guests with an Bluffton, SC 29910 energetic smile. (843) 422-0440 Interacting with Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or until sold out) customers on a daily basis has even led to new menu items. At the request of regulars, Plantadis developed glutenfree selections and even sells his own gluten-free mix: chestnut, rice, defatted tapioca and soy flours with unsweetened whey powder. One piece of advice he offers to those setting their sights on a career in the culinary arts: “You need to be willing to work very hard for long hours and find places which have a passion for food that matches your own.”

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www.cypresscampingresort.com By entering, you may receive information from these great sponsors: jj Cypress Camping Resort, Myrtle Beach jj Ft. Mill Strawberry Festival jj City of Aiken jj Alpine-Helen/White County, Ga. jj Come See Me Festival, Rock Hill jj S.C. State Museum, Columbia jj Lowcountry Tourism jj Rock Hill Parks and Recreation jj S.C. Farmers Markets Flower Festival jj Aiken County Parks, Recreation & Tourism jj “Taste of Bluffton,” Bluffton jj Cheraw Visitors Bureau jj Sparkleberry Country Fair, Columbia jj Blue Ridge Festival, Pickens jj North Charleston Arts Festival jj S.C. Hammock Coast Tourism jj Clear Creek Ranch, Burnsville, N.C. jj Towns County, Ga. jj Pendleton Historic District jj South Carolina Living magazine jj Santee Cooper Country

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scliving.coop | March 2014 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

Calendar of Events Please confirm information before attending events. For entry guidelines, go to SCLiving.coop.

UPSTATE MARCH

7–16 • “9 to 5: The Musical,” Spartanburg Little Theatre at Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 585-8278. 14–15 • “Belles on Their Toes,” Abbeville Opera House, Abbeville. (864) 366-2157. 15 • St. Paddy’s Day Dash and Bash 5K and 10K, Fluor Field, Greenville. (864) 879-6977. 19 • Laurel and the Lads Irish Favorites, Public Library Headquarters, Spartanburg. (864) 948-9020. 28–29 • Hub City Hog Fest, Grain District, Spartanburg. (864) 921-1587. 28–April 6 • “The Comedy of Errors,” Easley Foothills Playhouse, Easley. (864) 855-1817. 29 • “Peter and the Wolf,” Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787. 29 • “Stories of Land and Sea,” J. Harley Bonds Career Center, Greer. (864) 355-8080. 29 • Spartanburg Soaring! International Kite Festival, Barnet Park, Spartanburg. (864) 278-9663. APRIL

2 • John Hoppe Jazz Trio, Barrett Room, Public Library Headquarters, Spartanburg. (864) 948-9020. 5 • African-American Culinary Traditions, Walnut Grove Plantation, Roebuck. (864) 576-6546. 5–6 • Spring Jubilee, Village Green, Pendleton. (800) 862-1795. 6 • ShalomFest, Temple of Israel, Greenville. (864) 292-1782. 9 • Tamassee DAR Golf Tournament, Keowee Key Golf Club, Salem. (864) 944-9921. 10–12 • Spring Skunk Music Fest, 4063 Jordan Rd., Greer. (864) 233-8430. 11 • Starry Nights, Roper Mountain Science Center, Greenville. (864) 355-8900. 11 • TEDxGreenville 2014: Unzipped, Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, Greenville. (864) 527-5948. 11–14 • French Heritage Festival, various locations, Abbeville. (864) 942-2850. 12 • Tame the Tyger River Race & Festival, Old Hills Bridge, Spartanburg. (864) 595-5356. ONGOING

Mondays • Waltz and Cha-Cha Lessons, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 583-0339.

Tuesdays, March 11–April 15 • Sowing and Growing: Fundamentals of Gardening, Greenville County Extension Office, Greenville. (864) 232-4431. Tuesdays through Sundays, through March 29 • Abstract Invitation, Spartanburg Art Museum at Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 582-7616. Tuesdays through Sundays, through June 15 • Protests, Prayers and Progress: Greenville’s Civil Rights Movement, Upcountry History Museum, Greenville. (864) 467-3100. Wednesdays and Saturdays • Hub City Railroad Museum, 298 Magnolia St., Spartanburg. (864) 316-6924. Thursdays through Sundays • New Science Exhibits, Spartanburg Science Center, Spartanburg. (864) 278-9680. Saturdays • Historic Trolley Tour, Augusta Museum of History, Augusta, Ga. (706) 724-4067. First Saturdays • Oconee Appalachian Kids, Oconee Heritage Center, Walhalla. (864) 638-2224. Third Saturdays • Milling Day, Hagood Mill Historic Site & Folklife Center, 138 Hagood Mill Rd., Pickens. (864) 898-2936. Sundays • Sundays Unplugged Musician, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

MIDLANDS MARCH

13–16 • “Alice in Wonderland,” Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County, Camden. (803) 425-7676. 15 • Clarendon Christian Music Festival, Wheldon Auditorium, Manning. (803) 433-7469. 15 • Old Friends Barbecue Cookoff, Jim Thomas 4-H Horse Club Arena, Bamberg. (803) 682-5805. 15 • Southern Comedy Show, USC–Lancaster Bundy Auditorium, Lancaster. (803) 289-1486. 17 • St. Patrick’s Day on Main, Main Street, Rock Hill. (803) 802-1678. 21 • “You Can Haz Cheezburger: The Art of Online Cat Videos,” Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College, Columbia. (803) 407-5011. 21–22 • Commissioners Cup BBQ Cook Off & Festival, State Farmers Market, West Columbia. (803) 737-4664. 21–June 29 • Mama, Let’s Make a Moon, South Carolina State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898-4921.

22 • Elloree Trials, Elloree Training Center, Elloree. (803) 897-2821. 22 • Springtime at the Garden Festival, Riverbanks Botanical Gardens, Columbia. (803) 779-8717. 22 • Children’s Day at the Farm, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells. (803) 628-6553. 28–30 • SHE, Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Columbia. (864) 250-9713. 28–30 • Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic, S.C. State Fairgrounds, Columbia. (803) 734-4008. 29 • Puddin’ Swamp Singers, Wheldon Auditorium, Manning. (803) 433-7469. 29 • Carolina Cup, Springdale Race Course, Camden. (803) 432-6513.

Tuesdays through Sundays, through April 20 • Japan and the Jazz Age: Unique Exhibition of Japanese Art Deco, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia. (803) 799-2810. First Thursdays • Art Crawl and Streetfest, Main Street, Columbia. (803) 988-1065. Fridays • Bluegrass Open Stage, Silver Dollar Music Hall, Long Creek. (864) 647-0188. First Saturdays • South Carolina State House Tours, 1100 Gervais St., Columbia. (803) 734-2430. Second Saturdays • Experience Edgefield: Living History Saturdays, Town Square, Edgefield. (803) 637-4010.

APRIL

LOWCOUNTRY

3–12 • Come-See-Me Festival, multiple locations, Rock Hill. (800) 681-7635. 4–5 • Striped Bass Festival, downtown, Manning. (803) 435-4405. 5 • Suzy Bogguss, McCelvey Center, York. (803) 909-7313. 5–6 • Columbia Open Studios Tour, multiple art studios, Richland and Lexington counties. (803) 779-4571. 5–6 • International Festival, S.C. State Fairgrounds, Columbia. (803) 799-3452. 10–13 • Midlands Plant and Flower Festival, S.C. State Farmer’s Market, West Columbia. (803) 734-2210. 11–12 • Palmetto Half Marathon, Village at Sandhill, northeast Columbia. (803) 600-1800. 11–13 • New Ellenton Riding Club Spring Trail Ride, 756 Bent Tree, New Ellenton. (803) 652-3835. 12 • Recovery Road Race, Swan Lake Iris Gardens, Sumter. (800) 688-4748. 12 • Ultimate Challenge Mud Run, 1215 Valley Ridge Rd., Gaston. (803) 451-1197. 12 • Bring a Nerd to the Museum Day, Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121. 12 • Sheep Shearing Day, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells. (803) 628-6553.

MARCH

10–15 • Hilton Head Wine & Food Festival, multiple locations, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-4944. 14–15 • Palmetto Women’s Show, Florence Civic Center, Florence. (843) 679-9417. 15 • St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, Main Street, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570. 15 • St. Patrick’s Day Festival, Ocean Boulevard between 8th and 9th avenues North, Myrtle Beach. (843) 421-9848. 15 • ArtFest, Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884-8517. 15 • Palmetto Swamp Fox Adventure Race, Francis Marion Forest, McClellanville. (803) 292-1900. 15 • Shamrock 5K Run, Pope Avenue to Coligny Plaza, Hilton Head Island. (843) 757-8520. 15–16 • Ashley Hall Horse Show, Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island. (843) 768-5867. 16 • The Burning of the Socks, S.C. Maritime Museum, Georgetown. (843) 520-0111. 18–22 • Charleston Fashion Week, Marion Square, Charleston. (843) 971-9811. 20–22 • Pee Dee Street Rodders Run to the Sun, 2501 N. Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach. (843) 669-3564. 20–April 19 • Spring Festival ONGOING of Houses and Gardens, historic Tuesdays through Fridays, through March 31 • Submissions district, Charleston. (843) 722-3405. accepted for Santee National 21 • “Love Letters” Dinner Wildlife Refuge Photo Contest, Theatre, Charleston Area Santee NWR Visitor Center, Convention Center Ballroom, Summerton. (803) 478-2217. North Charleston. (843) 740-5847. Tuesdays through Sundays, 21–22 • WingFest, Shelter through March 23 • Cove Community Park, Hilton Tutankhamun: Return of the Head Island. (843) 681-7273. King, South Carolina State Museum, 21–23 • International Antiques Columbia. (803) 898-4921. Show, Memminger Auditorium, Charleston. (843) 722-3405.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

21–23 • RenoFest Bluegrass Festival, downtown, Hartsville. (843) 332-5151. 22 • Palmetto Pump & USA Climbing Competition, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795-4386. 22 • Mardicrawl, Shem Creek, Mount Pleasant. (203) 988-8906. 22 • Twilight Run and Oyster Roast, Habersham Marketplace, Beaufort. (843) 321-8309. 22 • Walk to Defeat ALS, Grand Park, Myrtle Beach. (866) 492-4821. 22–23 • Battle of Charleston, Legare Farms, Johns Island. (843) 559-0788. 22–23 • Pet Fest, Palmetto Islands County Park, Mount Pleasant. (843) 795-4386. 28–29 • Plantation Tours, multiple locations, Georgetown. (843) 545-8291. 28–30 • Catfish Festival, Alice Price Park, St. Stephen. (843) 567-3597. 28–30 • Sea & Sand Festival, Folly Beach, Folly Island. (843) 408-6439. 29 • Spring Jam Music Fest, Brittlebank Park, Charleston. (843) 412-6122. 29–30 • Spring Festival, Cheraw Community Center, Cheraw. (843) 537-8420. 29–30 • Art in Common, Valor Park, Myrtle Beach. (843) 235-2315. 29–30 • Atalaya Sleepover, Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet. (843) 237-4440. 29–April 6 • Family Circle Cup, Family Circle Cup Stadium, Charleston. (800) 677-2293. APRIL

4–5 • Seafood Festival, Shelter Cove Community Park, Hilton Head Island. (843) 681-2772, ext. 137. 4–6 • Flowertown Festival, downtown, Summerville. (843) 871-9622. 4–13 • SOS Spring Safari, multiple locations, North Myrtle Beach. (803) 645-1876. 5 • Cooper River Bridge Run, Cooper River Bridge, Mount Pleasant. (843) 856-1949. 5 • An Evening of Motown with the Long Bay Symphony, Myrtle Beach High School Performing Arts Center, Myrtle Beach. (843) 448-8379. 5–6 • Art in the Park, Chapin Park, Myrtle Beach. (843) 446-3830. 5–6 • International Quidditch Association World Cup, North Myrtle Beach Park and Sports Complex, North Myrtle Beach. (704) 962-5099. 6 • Lowcountry Cajun Festival, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795-7275.

8 • Farmers Market Opening Day, Coleman Boulevard, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884-8517. 9–13 • International Film Festival, Sottile Theatre, Charleston. (843) 817-1617. 9–13 • Dig South, multiple locations, Charleston. (843) 478-1167. 10–12 • Puddin’ Swamp Festival, downtown, Turbeville. (843) 659-2781. 10–13 • Race Week, Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, Mount Pleasant. (888) 856-0028. 11 • Art and House Tour, five locations, Kiawah Island. (843) 722-2706. 11–12 • Plantasia, Wragg Square, Charleston. (843) 579-9922. 11–12 • Walking Tour of Private Houses and Gardens, historic district, Charleston. (843) 886-0638. 11–12 • NASCAR Nationwide Series 200 and Bojangles’ Southern 500, Darlington Raceway, Darlington. (866) 459-7223. 11–13 • East Coast Paddlesports & Outdoor Festival, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795-7275. 11–13 • World Grits Festival, downtown, Saint George. (843) 563-7943. 11–13 • Women’s Coastal Skills Clinic, Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island. (843) 838-4868. 12 • Tidelands Combined Training Horse Show, Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island County Park. (843) 768-5867. 12–13 • Art in the Park, Valor Park, Myrtle Beach. (843) 446-3830. 14–18 • Spring Break Camps, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795-7275. 14–20 • RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island. (843) 671-2448. ONGOING

Daily through December 2014 • Finding Freedom’s Home: Archaeology at Mitchelville, Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island. (843) 689-6767. Mondays through October • Coastal Kayaking, Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet. (843) 235-8755. Tuesdays through Fridays • Introductory Tours, Hobcaw Barony, Georgetown. (843) 546-4623. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays • Myrtle’s Market, Mr. Joe White Avenue at Oak Street, Myrtle Beach. (843) 997-1716. Fridays through April 11 • Senior Dances, Base Recreation Center Ballroom, Myrtle Beach. (570) 881-0244.

SCHumorMe

By Jan A. Igoe

Taxes bring pain in the math natural talents: Terrifying my accountant with a personal visit. Yes, it’s tax time. Judging from the way she clutches her temples and one eye spins, a year isn’t quite enough time for my CPA to recover from last year’s appointment. She’s not great with creative types. “Where are your shoeboxes?” Melissa asks, pressing her hair against her head so it won’t fall out. With more than 1.2 million professionals who decipher 72,000 pages of U.S. tax laws for a living, she really could be a little nicer. I’m sure at least three of them would be happy to have my shoeboxes as clients. Besides, I upgraded to Tupperware three years ago. “Let’s review,” Melissa says. “Your dogs are not dependents, so doggie day care and femur bones are not deductible. You own a home, so if we multiply your weight in grams by last year’s millage increase…” This is where we part ways. The harder I study her mouth moving, the fuzzier the sound gets. The room starts spinning, and she asks: “If my condo has 27 doorknobs and you have six cookies, how many rhinos eat pizza?” To the right-brained, the answer is obvious: “Oprah, since zombies can’t fly.” By now, Melissa knows she’s lost me. The language barrier has kicked in, which is my father’s fault. Math wasn’t his native tongue, either. My late dad was a musician who traveled around the country when I was little. Mom and I wouldn’t see him for months at a time, but he always made sure she had enough money to run the house. During one trip, he left her with $119 in the checkbook. That was enough to buy a small island back then, so he figured we’d be OK. ’Tis the season to display one of my greatest

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | March 2014 | scliving.coop

And we would have been, except for the decimal point. Being a musician, he understood the value of dots on a staff, where each one dictated the precise amount of time to hold a note. There was no room for error. The slightest miscalculation might cause the entire band to implode. But in a checkbook, Dad wasn’t as fussy about where dots go. So he left Mom with $1.19 by mistake. The poor man immediately lost all his checkbook rights and spent the next 60 years apologizing to my mathematical mother for his unforgivable error. But it wasn’t his fault. My dad was an HMA long before the malady was diagnosed. HMAs are gifted individuals—largely humor writers, artists and their fathers—who suffer from High Math Anxiety. These delicate creatures might erupt in hives at the slightest exposure to algebraic equations. Prolonged contact could be fatal. According to cbsnews.com, which reported on a groundbreaking study, the mere suggestion of an impending math problem caused HMAs measurable agony and “a rush of activity in parts of the brain associated with pain perception, including the dorso-posterior insula and mid-cingulate cortex.” Translation: Math hurts. Scientific brain scans said so. I presented this study to Melissa in the Tupperware container with the orange lid, hoping she’d offer a discount, or at least spring for some calamine lotion. It’s only fair. She and her 120.002 million billion beancounting peers give taxpayers hives. (Let’s let her worry about the decimal point.) JAN A. IGOE was never her math teacher’s pet or accountant’s favorite client. But her allergist loves her. Write her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop.

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1999

If You Buy Tools Anywhere Else, You're Throwing Your Money Away

Each year, PalmettoPride teams up with the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources to host the Francis Marion National Forest Cleanup. Since cleanups began in 2008, over 228 tons of trash have been picked up from the forest. To all our volunteers who participated in our 7th annual Francis Marion National Forest Cleanup,

thank you.