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Publisher/Ad Director Jennifer Heintzelman Magazine editor & Page design Rusty Schrader Published by Sauk Valley Media 113 S. Peoria Ave. Dixon, IL 61021 815-284-2222 Have a story idea for River City Living? Let us know ... Call 815-632-2531 or e-mail news@ saukvalley.com Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Small TownLiving may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

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Common Ground

More than a century ago, farmers came together in the shadow of war to form an organization that would shed light on agriculture’s important role.

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t was 1872, seven years after the end of the Civil War, and America was still healing from bloody battles that pitted brother against brother. The country was united again, but divisions remained. While working his fields and tending to his hogs in Montmorency Township, south of Rock Falls, Alonzo Golder was thinking about ways his fellow farmers could unite to help one another and make their rural communities a better place. He had heard about grassroots movements across the nation to bring people together. One such effort was a new organization — the The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry — that was started by farmers in 1867. It was one of the many social groups established after the Civil War; this and others, such as the Grand Army of the Republic, were meant to help foster unity and continue the social camaraderie that veterans experienced with fellow soldiers during wartime. Farmers like Golder wanted to bring local chapters of the Grange to their communities. After all, what better place to find common ground than in America’s soil? It would take more than a war to destroy the bond farmers felt with the land, and with each other. Agriculture remained an important part of the nation’s economy, even as manufacturing started to gain speed. When it came to feeding their nation, American farmers sought to work together to make it possible.

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Golder was a farmer who settled south of Rock Falls after growing up in New York. He established the Rock River Grange in 1870 and was later appointed the first Master of the Illinois chapter of the The National Grange.

Golder and his wife, Caroline, are buried across the road from their former farm, present-day state Route 40, in a cemetery that now bears their name. Caroline is buried near the tree, and Alonzo is next to her. The road also was once named after Golder, as well as an old one-room schoolhouse next to the cemetery; that school was later renamed Excelsior School, and became a part of the Montmorency School District in the mid-1950s. It was razed in the late 1990s. 105 W. Main St. Morrison, IL 815-772-8022 Facebook.com/brickblockpub Hours: Tuesday-Saturday open at 4pm Sundays & Mondays closed

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GRANGE cont’d from page 6 That was 150 years ago this year, when the seeds of Illinois’ chapter of The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry were sewn, with Golder serving as its first master. Golder wasn’t the first to help the Grange grow in Illinois. The first few local chapters were established between 1869 and 1870, the first being in rural McHenry County, before Golder organized the Rock River Grange in 1870 — the seventh in Illinois. But he was no less committed than those who came before him to see the group succeed. Commitment was something he was no stranger to. Golder had already traveled hundred of miles to find a new home in American’s heartland, eventually building up a 400-acre farm. He had traveled from Duchess County, New York, where he was born in 1807, to Illinois, where he put down roots in 1844. He first settled in Hartland, a small village in McHenry County, before coming to Whiteside County in 1856.

At one time, the Grange was much more secretive, as witnessed here in this May 4, 1872, article from the Sterling Gazette, which reported that there was little to report, owing to the Grange being “a secret organization,” and the newspaper not being “one of the initiated.” The writer was, however, able to report that officers were elected, including Alonzo Golder.

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GRANGE cont’d from page 7

One of the Grange’s earliest causes was farmers’ opposition during the late 1800s to the rising cost of railroad transportation rates, which cut into growers’ profits. The Grange helped pressure the rail companies to reduce their rates. This 1873 editorial cartoon made it clear how farmers felt about issue, showing a Grange member trying to rouse the country to oppose the bribery, extortion and other methods of the rail industry.

His 400-acre farm, with an average herd of about 70 cattle, 10 horses, and about 60 hogs, took up the area where the southwest corner of Whiteside County Airport is, as well as the land to the south of it, both along state Route 40. He and his wife, Caroline, raised two children, Ellen and Joseph; Caroline died in 1872, the same year the state Grange began. According to the first Whiteside County history collection, written in 1877 by Charles Bent and R. L. Wilson, Golder “early [on] became convinced that to become a successful agriculturist, the science of agriculture must be understood.” This involved communication, and lots of it, and through that early form of social networking, he had built up a great many contacts. One of the challenges Illinois farmers faced in the years after the Civil War was the rising cost of railroad transportation rates, especially after the rail industry’s rapid expansion throughout untouched regions of the country. The higher rates put a burden on farmers’ bottom line. That’s where groups like the Grange helped. There’s strength in numbers, and farmers used those numbers to pressure railroad companies to lower their rates. Getting this accomplished at the state level led to the formation of a state Grange chapter.

GRANGE cont’d to pages 9 & 10

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This 1873 print was an early promotional piece for the Grange. It depicts scenes of farm life, a Grange meeting, as well as offering a cautionary message against “ignorance” and “sloth” while promoting the virtues of “faith, hope, charity and fidelity.” The center scene depects a farmer digging into the soil with the words “I Pay for All” underneath, a phrase taken from the “Five All” or “Four All” signs that hung on British inns. The signs usually included a monarch saying “I rule (for) all” or “I govern all,” a bishop or minister saying “I pray for all,” a soldier saying “I fight for all,” and a farmer saying “I pay for all.”

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GRANGE cont’d from page 9

Nearly two dozen different local Granges — 23 in all — called the county home, as well as the Pomona (a county-wide) Grange, With more local Granges cropping up in Illinois by 1872, which met on the last Friday of the month in those days. especially in Whiteside County, one of the national Grange’s Golder was elected state master for two terms, and then key founders, former U.S. Bureau of Agriculture clerk Oliver H. served as a state representative to the national Kelley, came to Illinois to help get the state chapGrange for four terms before serving on the ter off and running. Dixon, in neighboring Lee national executive committee. During Golder’s County, was chosen as the central meeting place, terms as master, the Grange had its highs and as representation of Granges at that time was conlows. Initial excitement of its formation began centrated more in the northern part of the state. to taper off after a few years. Of the nearly 1,500 The first meeting took place March 5, 1872. Granges in Illinois as of 1875, nearly half had Whiteside County also played a role in the state disbanded in the next couple of years. Today, chapter’s early development. Of the 23 members only 24 remain. Many members realized that the elected to the first leadership positions, 17 of them Grange wasn’t going to be the absolute end-all to were based in Granges throughout Whiteside. Goldfarmers’ issues, but those who continued on proer was elected president, and Omer E. Fanning of ceeded to help make life better for their farming Galt was elected secretary. Officers were installed communities. during the May meeting in Sterling. Political considerations also factored into the By 1873, Whiteside County farmers had taken Grange’s waning popularity. Granges adopted on even more leadership positions: Golder was a practice of political neutrality, supporting master, Fanning was treasurer, A. Woodford of The U.S. Postal Service causes rather than politicians or political parRock Falls was lecturer, E. V. Lapham of Morrison issued this stamp in 1967, to ties, and many members found they couldn’t was overseer, S. J. Baird of Sterling was steward, commemorate the Grange's remain neutral as they got older. Joseph Anthony of Round Grove was assistant 100th anniversary. Under Golder’s leadership, along with help steward, J. H. Simonson of Round Grove was treafrom several of his county colleagues, the state surer, W. P. McAllister of Morrison was gate keeper, Maggie J. Lapham of Morrison was pomona, Ellen Golder was Grange weathered the changes to survive into the 20th century. flora, and H. P. Garrison of Morrison was lady assistant steward. GRANGE cont’d to page 12

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Editor’s note: The following photos appeared in a profile of the Leaf River Grange club in the spring 2021 issue of Sauk Valley Media’s Northern Illinois Ag Mag. We’re reprinting them here to give readers a glimpse into a local Granges’ history. Go to https://tinyurl.com/2vcsdzds to read the article.

Though rarely used for formal ceremonies anymore, staffs like these can still be found in many Grange Halls. The ones below are from the Leaf River Grange Club.

During the Grange's early years, voting boxes like this one, from the Leaf River Grange, were used to vote on prospective new members — a white marble for yes, black for no; hence the term "being blackballed."

Leaf River Grange member Tom Snodgrass talks about some of the symbols used by the Grange. Among them is the ax, a symbol of perseverance; the plow, a symbol of preparing the mind for the growth of knowledge; and the sickle, symbolizing peace, prosperity, joy and reaping rewards.

GRANGE cont’d from page 10 Other challenges, such as The Depression and urban spread, gave Granges something to fight for in their mission to strengthen the ag industry and keep its community strong. Granges also were active in enhancing agriculture education in schools, and some even were responsible for helping bring electricity to rural farms and dwellings in early days. New Granges were organized, and others reorganized — such as Galt’s and the pomona Grange, both in 1931. Still, membership kept declining, and by 1967 there were just four Granges left in Whiteside County in addition to the Pomona Grange: Galt, Round Grove, Coleta and Jordan. The

Pomona Grange ceased in 1992. Today, Galt’s is the only active Grange remaining. The national Grange was formed to advance methods of agriculture, as well as promote the social and economic needs of America’s farmers. Today, it’s the oldest American agricultural advocacy group with a national scope. But like many fraternal organizations across the nation, Grange membership is decreasing. Social media and growing demands for free time often get the blame for the decline; before technology took hold, people headed to social clubs instead of social media to interact with other like-minded people.

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Like other local clubs, Grange members put on or help with a number of community functions. Nearly all of the money raised by the Grange goes back to community organizations and local causes. Early on, Grange meetings were held in secret and members were sworn to privacy. Members were voted on during ceremonies using black and white marbles — white for yea, black for nay — and it only took a few black marbles to let a new member know he or she wasn’t welcome, “blackballed,” as it were. These days, some chapters have abandoned those long-held practices of secrecy and rituals as membership continues to dwindle. One of the more unusual concepts — for the time — when Granges began was equal membership among men, women and children: a farmfamily fraternity. Women had just as much say as men did — and this was before women could even vote in the U.S. Children 14 and older also had an equal say, and those 13 and younger could be involved in a Junior Grange organization. Of the two dozen registered Granges in Illinois, St. Clair County in the Metro-East area has eight of them. In northern Illinois, Boone County leads with seven. Other Granges in the northern one-third of Illinois are Galt; Troy Grove Grange in La Salle County, which has been around just as long as Galt’s; Richland Grange in Marshall County, now in its 96th year; and four Granges are in the areas of Winnebago County not included in Rockford’s city limits. Boone County’s annual fair is operated by the Granges in that county. If it weren’t for the dedication of Golder and his fellow farmers throughout Whiteside County and across the nation, life on the farm would have been a lot different during the 1800s. Their commitment kept farmers’ causes front and center, giving them a platform they could take a stand on and a voice to be heard. Today, the Grange’s voice can still be heard as its stands up and speaks up, reaching out and reaching new members who devote their time and energy to the group’s cause of strengthening individuals, families and communities through grassroots action, service, education, advocacy and agriculture awareness. The group may have been born in the shadow of war and grew up in the shadow of industry, but for members, it’s remained a shining example of unity, liberty, and charity, the three pillars that have been its foundation for more than 150 years and that are at the heart of its motto: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” n

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GRANGE cont’d from page 12

The Galt Grange, west of Sterling, is one of 24 Granges left in Illinois. After a short period of existence in the 1870s, it was reestablished in 1931.

Just 7 years after the beginning of the The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry in 1867, there were a couple of hundred clubs throughout Illinois. Of them, a good concentration — 23 total — were in Whiteside County. The state chapter is observing its 150th year in 2022. Here’s a rundown of information of the Whiteside County Granges in existence in 1873 ... Rock River, No. 7 P. C. Woods, master; J. W. Niles, secretary. Whiteside, No. 9 E. V. Lapham, master; A. B. Gibbs, secretary Regular meetings were on the last Friday in each month, with a special meeting every Friday. Rock Falls, No. 10 Robert McNiel, master ; J. Wright, secretary. Hume, No. 12 W. F. Ramsay, master; J. Angell, secretary. Hopkins, No. 13 S. J. Baird, master; S. N. Brown, secretary. Regular meetings were on the Saturday on or before each full moon. Round Grove, No. 14 J. H. Simonson, master ; Aaron Young, secretary. Regular meetings were Wednesday evenings on or before the full moon, and the second Wednesday evening after. Prophetstown, No. 15 Charles Humaston, master; G. W. Park, secretary. Gait, No. 16 B. R. Watson, master ; R. G. Wallace, secretary. Prairie Center, No. 18 W. P. McAllister, master; J. Upton, secretary. Regular meet-

ings were on Friday evening on or before full moon, and the second Friday following. Hahnaman, No. 20 W. K. Caughey, master; V. Rice, secretary. Tampico, No. 19 John Fea, master; J. C. Reeves, secretary. Jordan, No. 23 D. N. Foster, master; T. S. Kauffman, secretary. Genesee, No. 25 R. J. Silliman, master; B. F. St John, secretary. Union, No. 26 R. A. Langdon, master; S. H. Baird, secretary. Sterling, No. 27 Benjamin Stauffer, master; C. A. Wetherbee, secretary. Genesee, No. 28 W. H. Green, master; W. Tumbleson, secretary. North Prairie, No. 29 Henry Tucker, master; F. M. Thomas, secretary. Regular meetings were on or before the full moon of each month. Lyndon, No. 31 E. P. Gibbs, master; F. G. Brewer, secretary. Fenton, No. 34 A. S. Round, master. Regular meetings were on the last Thursday of each month.

Union Grove, No. 42 R. F. Logan, master; Geo. Topping, secretary. Newton, No. 47 William Payne, master; G. M. Miller, secretary. Garden Plain, No. 54 C. R. Rood, master; Alexander Wilson, secretary. Regular meetings were at the Garden Plain Township Hall every Thursday evening on or before the full moon, and the second Thursday evening following. Little Rock, No. 55 J. H. Platt, master; J. J. Davis, secretary. Regular meetings were the first Tuesday of each month. Franklin, No. 60 A. M. Abbott, master ; A. C. Crauch, secretary. Regular meetings were on Friday evening of each week. Ustick, No. 124 J. C. Martindale, master; G. W. McKinzie, secretary. Portland, No. 396 George B. Quigley, master; J. P. Averill, secretary. Regular meetings were on the first and third Saturday evening of each month.

Explore the grange life ... Go to illinoisstategrange.org to learn more about what Grange organizations, and for a list of state Granges. Go to nationalgrange.org to learn more about the national organization.

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Vintage woodwork can be a sight to behold, a testament to a craftsman’s talent. The tools are his brushes and the wood is his canvas as he turns lumber into works of art. Details and dovetails. Millwork, miters and and mortises. Precise lines and graceful curves. Surfaces as smooth as glass but as strong as an oak. His skill ingrained into every inch of the work. Furniture, doors, cabinets, moulding … in the hands of a skilled woodworker, they’ll last a lifetime. But first they begin life as little more than boards. It takes talent and tools to turn them into something else, and Daniel Schwank has both. His talent comes from a life spent honing his craft, and the tools come from his workshop in Emerson, where he’s taken his appreciation for centuries-old skills of master craftsmen and turned it into a business that’s blossomed in recent years. At Schwank’s home-based business, Red Rose Reproductions, he recreates vintage tools by hand, from winding sticks to bench hooks, wooden vises, miter jack saws, and more. But if you walk into his shop, his speciality is plane to see. Schwank turns out a variety of hand planes and plane kits — moulding and speciality are the emphasis.

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RED ROSE cont’d from page 15 The plane that His work is a started it all. Schwank marriage of demonstrate a traditional spill modern techplane, which turns wood shavings niques and the into makeshift matches. The spills that time-honored curl out from the plane were once used skills of to light lanterns, candles, and whatever 18th-century else needed a flame. More than just a craftsmen novelty these days, some cigar aficiowho mastered nados prefer to light their stogies their trade with a spill, claiming it avoids making tools leaving the taste of lighter that made the fluid or matches in furniture and other the cigar. pieces that have withstood the test of time. While factory-made metal planes have become the workhorse of most carpenters, there was a time when wood planes were considered stateof-the-art tools, and Schwank’s work recaptures that time. “Someone along the way had the tools to make all of that stuff,” Schwank said. RED ROSE cont’d to page 17 ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM

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RED ROSE cont’d from page 16

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Even today, some carpenters would rather use wooden planes than steel ones, preferring their lighter weight, more organic feel, and lack of friction on the plane’s sole — and they also admire the skill that goes into making them. For people like that, Schwank’s work is just what they’re looking for, from the person who simply appreciates handmade tools, to the master craftsman who wants to reproduce or work on period pieces with the kind of tools that were originally used to make them. Hand-crafted woodwork is making a comeback, Schwank said, due in part to people’s appreciation of the past combined with the knowledge that’s readily available online and in trade publications. “I’m in a really narrow niche market,” Schwank said. “Not only am I catering to woodworkers, but I’m also catering to a very specific set of woodworkers, guys who are doing hand work. There’s been a trend that way for the last 20 years because of people moving back to hand tools, to kind of .COM DIA ME reconnect with the past.” AW SH Schwank has made hundreds of different hand Before it’s a plan plane profiles over the years. Each one, he said, is e, it’s a plan drawn up by composed of a body and wedge, which are made Schwank. At left are the of wood, and the steel “iron,” a general term for plans for his mite r ja ck vise. the plane’s blade. The body of the plane has the Then he turns to hi s to ols of mirror profile of the molding it’s designed to the trade to craft the pieces, make, with the iron ground to precisely match hammer, mallets — and of the profile. Most planes have a fence to guide the course, hand plan es. plane along the wood, as well as a depth stop that stops the plane when the molding’s full profile depth is reached. The plane glides its way along the board, shavings twisting and curling from its blade, and after a few passes, the wood begins to take shape. Bead planes are among the most popular styles. They range from one-eighth to three-eighths of an inch, and round the edges of the wood. “A lot of times you’ll see them on the edges of a drawer or the bottom of an apron of a table,” Schwank said. “Some of the simpler moldings are more popular because there are more ways to utilize them.” PH OT O

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RED ROSE cont’d from page 17 Many woodworkers and furniture experts consider the 1700s as the golden age of furniture making, Schwank said. Jacobian, William and Mary, Queen Anne, Chippendale and Federal styles found homes in countless living rooms, bedrooms and private studies of the day. Those styles evolved from prior ones, and go all the way back to ancient Greece. Today, some of those pieces can command huge prices in auctions and antique shops. “A lot of these molding profiles were actually derived from the Greek architecture,” Schwank said. “If you’ve ever seen the coliseums and the temples, If you look at the crown moldings around the top of the temples, there are a lot of ogee curves, and so they scaled a lot of that down for mantle pieces, and even to furniture. It’s a lot of the same basic profiles.” Another popular moulding tool, the panel-raising plane, is one of his more complex pieces. If you’ve ever noticed the design work on a drawer or door, it’s not just there for appearance; it serves a purpose. “The reason why they designed doors with panels on them is because wood is constantly moving,” Schwank said. “It swells in the summer and it shrinks in the winter. They make a frame, and the panel just basically floats in the door, and it’s free to expand and contract. It’s kind of an artistic way to accommodate wood movement.” One of the planes that’s special to Schwank is the one that got him started in the tool business: the spill plane. The spill

plane wasn’t used to shape wood, but instead create a stiff, cone-shaped shaving with a tight curl — called a spill — that was used like a matchstick. “They would have used that back in the early days, and they would stick these pieces in their fireplace and light their candles with it,” he said. A former neighbor’s history lesson spilled over into Schwank’s free time, and that’s how his affection for the plane was born. When he lived in Pennsylvania, Schwank had a neighbor he knew well who was into history. He put on field trips with the local elementary school children to show them blacksmithing, gardening, raising tobacco, woodworking and other colonial-era activities. He asked Schwank to help with the woodworking lesson one day and Schwank thought, “Okay, but what are you going to do with a batch of kids in 20 minutes?” he recalled. “So I wanted to make one of these things, because the kids find them fascinating, and I helped each kid make one.” Word got out after that, and Schwank found himself making a lot of spill planes. “That was the tool that got me started,” he said. Once plane making picked up, Schwank kept learning more and more tricks of the tradesmen. By 2014, his hobby had turned into a part-time business, and by October 2017, it became his full-time profession.

RED ROSE cont’d to page 20

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RED ROSE cont’d from page 18 Schwank grew up in rural Whiteside County and is a Morrison Institute of Technology graduate. He moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 23 years ago and worked as a tool and die maker for 18 years before focusing more on wood. When he decided to return to his old stomping grounds and be closer to family, he loaded up his tools and headed back home nearly 3 years ago, but he still maintains his connections in Lancaster, which also is the source of the business’ name — Lancaster’s is known as the Red Rose City. “I’ve always been a hands-on person, since I was a kid,” Schwank said. “Legos, models, model railroading, rocketry, it’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do. It’s just a continuation of that. There’s a lot of satisfaction with starting out with a piece of steel and two pieces of wood and turning it into a ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@SHAWMEDIA.COM functioning tool.” The wood for each tool comes from beechwood trees from a mill in Pennsylvania, some of which comes from Europe. The metal parts come from contacts back in the Keystone State as well. Schwank’s creations aren’t limited to just wood: He has designed several metal tools, such as dividers, and contracts for those to be made.

This miter jack vise started off as a one-off for Schw ank’s own use but has become a popular to ol with Red Rose’s customers.

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RED ROSE cont’d from page 20 Schwank once had an idea to recreate a more modern version of a sector, a tong-like proportioning tool which was a concept that is believed to date back to Galileo. It used to be popular before the slide rule, he said. Used with dividers, sectors help in drawing polygons, figuring ratios, and calculating rake and splay leg angles for chair making. They, too, are contracted out to be made, and Schwank has sold hundreds so far. “You get a lot of connecHours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday tions, and a lot Online: redrosereproductions.com of those connecContact: 717-799-0940 or dan@ tions really help,” redrosereproductions.com Above: Though he's a one-man shop, he said. Social media: Facebook, YouTube and Instagram (@ Schwank’s works Schwank is able to produce a large line redrosereproductions). Go to the YouTube and of tools, thanks to help from a network of have found homes in Instagram pages to view video demoncolleagues and businesses. The wood and shops across the country, strations of Red Rose’s moldmetal for Red Rose’s tools comes from with orders going out to all ing planes. sources in Pennsylvania, his former home 50 states last year, and overseas state. Below: Red Rose’s panel raising plane to places such as Australia, Canada and is among Schwank’s most popular models. England. One of Schwank’s largest tools, a miter jack vise for PHOTOS: ALEX T. PASCHAL/APASCHAL@ precision trim work, was bought by someone in Moscow. Want to know what’s new from the shop? Subscribe to the SHAWMEDIA.COM email newsletter on Schwank’s website, redrosereproductions.com, which lets people know when a new batch of tools is done, or when something new is being made. “When you start making the tools to make the furniture, it adds a level of intrigue,” Schwank said. “What I feel like I’m doing is I’m helping people who want to make their own high-quality furniture; they probably wouldn’t know how to make the tools.” The road from bringing history to life for students to bringing history to workbenches around the world hasn’t always been easy, and Schwank said he knows how fortunate he is to be able to turn his talent into a living. “It was really hard for me, when I was building it for 3 years, to know that if I jump full-time, was it going to work? And it worked,” he said. “I feel real fortunate with that. I have a real good customer base. I try to build the best quality that I can. It gives me a lot of enjoyment to make something that’s fulfilling to other people.” n

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A tale spun by Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Media

t’s fluffy. It’s sticky. It’s oh-so colorful and tasty. It brings a smile to the faces of kids and kids at heart. And one of its ingredients is air. When it comes to sweet treats, cotton candy is one of a kind. The fluffy confection has a taste and texture all its own, and you won’t find the real deal in stores (and let’s face it: the stuff in a bag just isn’t as magical as a freshly spun bit of candy magic perched atop a stick, waiting for you to soar to new sugar highs). Most people have to wait for a carnival or fair to come to town to get their fluffy fix — but not anymore. A local business can brighten your day and satisfy your sweet tooth whenever, and wherever, you want. The family-owned Sweet Butts Cotton Candy spins all sorts of freshly made fluffy flavors from their machines at their home in rural Deer Grove. They also take their show on the road to fairs, festivals, parties, and other events. And we’re not talking about just the few flavors you’ll find at most places that sell cotton candy. Sweet Butts has taken cotton candy making to a whole new level. If you thought the words “gourmet” and “cotton candy” were an unlikely couple, check out just a few of their flavors: apple bourbon, bacon jalapeño, caramel corn, cheesecake, chocolate, mocha, caramel apple, pumpkin spice, root beer … the list goes on. They even have organic and sugar-free options. The family who loves playing in their own cotton bowl is Melissa Butts, who co-owns the endeavor with her oldest daughter, Jennifer Cooper, and youngest daughter, Carlene Butts. Several more family members help out, including Jennifer’s daughter, Tim Plote, who has spent quite a bit of time helping out recently. “I like the fact that we get to do it together,” Melissa said. “As our kids have gotten older, everyone has their own lives and is always busy. That and meeting people. COVID was hard because all of us are really social, and being able to get out: It’s so nice to be out with people.”

CANDY cont’d to page 24

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Sweet Butts Cotton Candy is based in Deer Grove is run by three generations of family, from left: Carlene Butts, Tim Plote, Jennifer Cooper and Melissa Butts. “I like the fact that we get to do it together,” Melissa said. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

CANDY cont’d from page 23 “That’s kind of where we’d like to be, with our friends and neighbors,” Cooper said. The family has taken their tasty talents to popular local events such as Rock Falls’ Hometown Holidays, Tampico Days and others in Morrison, Prophetstown and Walnut. For Valentine’s Day weekend, they set up a kiosk at Northland Mall in Sterling to see how well having something there would work out. Customers used to the few flavors of cotton candy from their childhood are surprised when they see what Sweet Butts has to offer. “It’s an interesting niche,” Carlene said. “Everyone’s used to the pink and the blue traditional colors. We bring to the table different flavors like the root beer flavor, the banana caramel cheesecake flavor, the cherry apple cider, and we even have dill pickle. It can be as wild and crazy or as fun and nostalgic as you want. That’s what makes cotton candy so cool.” Melissa has 14 grandchildren, with one more on the way, and with that many grandkids comes a lot of birthday parties and other celebrations where treats like cotton candy are a favorite. That’s what helped spark Melissa’s idea for turning cotton candy into cash. She bought a cotton candy machine last year, found a sugar distributor with a large variety of flavors, and she was on her way. Sweet Butts also mixes up their own cotton concoctions.

One of their first blends she made was banana caramel cheesecake. “People lost their minds,” Melissa said, and that’s when they realized that this could be something to expand upon. “We love to be creative,” Cooper said. “If somebody has an idea of a flavor that they want to try, and we haven’t already created it, we’d love to create it.” It’s not just flavors where they try out new ideas. At Tampico’s Fourth of July celebration, they used lighted sticks to hold the candy, giving their goodies a glow. Some customers want to try out new flavors, while some stick with the standards, just happy to be able to take their taste buds on a trip down memory lane as the sugary strands melt in their mouth. “We try and personalize everyone’s flavors, and then sometimes we can get so busy that people will tell us to just give them what we got,” Carlene said. “They’re just happy to have it.” Cotton candy comes to life when sugar and heat (about 200-300 degrees) are combined in a cotton candy machine. The heats melts the sugar which is spun out of a drum through tiny holes into a large bowl, where the fluffy filaments are piled onto a tube or stick as the air cools them. Watching cotton candy be made is almost as fun as eating it.

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An average serving of cotton candy is made up of two tablespoons of sugar and a lot of air. Want to get some cotton candy in the U.K. and India? Ask for candy floss. In Australia and Finland it’s called fairy floss. In France and Greece, the names are a little less appetizing. You’d sink your teeth into a soft and sweet treat called Papa’s Beard or Old Ladies Hair, respectively. Threads of cotton candy are thinner than a human hair. While cotton candy is a 20th century invention, spun sugar has been around since the 17th century. Chefs whisked melted sugar into thin strands with a fork, using them to decorate cakes and pastries. Other nations have their own versions of cotton candy. Iran has pashmak (Persian for “woollike”) with sesame added to the sugar; Bhutan has ngathrek golop lhakpa, which is spun sugar with butter tea and chili pepper added; China has “dragon’s beard candy,” with peanuts and coconut (and a texture like horsehair); and Turkey has Pismaniye, using sugar blended with buttered flour. National Cotton Candy Day is December 7. Fabric makers use a process similar cotton candy’s meltingand-spinning to make polyester thread for weaving into cloth. Source: Portable Press (reference book publisher)

CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVAL LEY .CO M

CANDY cont’d from page 24 Here’s a fun fact, with no small amount of irony: Cotton candy was invented by a dentist. William Morrison, a dentist from Tennessee, came up with the idea and teamed with candy maker John Wharton to create the treat in 1897. It was a more of a local and regional favorite before it was brought to a wider audience at the 1908 World’s Fair in London. And while sugar is a big part of cotton Want to see all of the colors candy, the treat won’t overload your diet as of the cotton candy rainbow, much as you think. and try some new flavors? e som “You go and pick up a Hershey bar and there’s Tim Plote whips up How about bringing the actually more sugar and calories than in a cotton strawberry-flavored cotcottton candy experience to candy puff,” Carlene said. “It’s actually more healthy for you ton candy at Northland an event or birthday party? re whe , as an alternative to chocolate bars.” Mall in Sterling Go to sweetbutts.com, Can’t make it to one of the events Sweet Butts is at? The family will the business had set email sweetbutts2021@ bring their business to you. They’ll take their show on the road for Live up a kiosk for Valengmail.com, or check them d. Spins, which can be scheduled in 2- and 4-hour blocks for birthdays, ken wee Day tine’s out on social media on weddings, parties and other events (go to sweetbutts.com/contact-us for Facebook, Pinterest or Inmore info). You can also buy cotton candy at sweetbutts.com, as well as Sweet stagram (@sweetbuttscotButts clothing. The cotton candy can be shipped, or delivery is available to most of Whitoncandy). teside County, and it’s available in various sizes, from small bowls (“Diet Size”) to familysized, about the size of an ice cream tub. “In the middle of summer, you’d think cotton candy would melt, but we’ve found a way to ship it — even as far away as Texas — and actually have it be candy when it’s there,” Cooper said. “It’s just boomed. We’ve found a good little niche, that’s for sure.” “It’s exciting to bring somebody something that they’ve never even thought of before,” she said. “I love it.” n

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Looking for a lovable and loyal dog with a heart of gold?

A Prophetstown couple that’s brought

into the world is happy to help Stor y Cody Cutter Sauk Valley Med ia

Prophetstown couple knows a golden opportunity when they see one. It’s cute, it’s cuddly, it’s got 4 legs and it’ll lick you in the face. You’ve probably figured out by now that it’s a dog, but not just any dog — it’s like having two dogs rolled into one. This cross between a poodle and a golden retriever is better known among canine friends and fans as the goldendoodle, and Kim and Ed Larson can hook you up with one. Desi Doodles, named after one of the Larsons’ first female goldendoodles, is where pups are bred, born and brought up until they’re ready get a home and a family of their own. Kim and her husband, Ed, breed and train the dogs on their farm east of Prophetstown, giving the puppies the skills they need to become an owner’s best friend. There’s one goldendoodle skill they don’t have to teach; it just come naturally. Goldendoodles are a happy breed, Kim said. They’re fun, easy to like, and have attributes not found in other breeds. “The golden retriever is a big family dog, they’re very loyal and they think a lot about their families,” Kim said. “Then the poodle is one of the smartest breeds you can have, and they’re hypoallergenic, which people want — they don’t want a dog that’s going to shed all over. Golden retrievers shed a lot, but a poodle does not. You cross those two breeds and you get a real nice blend of both a loyal dog that wants to be with a family and loved, and a smart one that you can train easily.”

DOODLES cont’d to page 28

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DOODLES cont’d from page 27 The Larsons own a few females, but they are all guardianed out; meaning, a family agrees to be a guardian of a breeding girl and raise her. When it comes time for her to breed, she’ll come back to the Parsons’ where she is bred four times with a stud. After giving birth, the mother is spayed and given back to the guardian family 6 weeks later for them to keep, while the Larsons keep the puppies. Kim does her due diligence to ensure the dogs are ready for breeding, crossing the T’s, dotting the I’s, and making sure they’re healthy enough to handle a pregnancy. About 30 days after a canine couple hooks up, a vet takes an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy. All together, it takes about 8 to 9 weeks after mating before the litter is born. The Larson’s chief priority is offering a safe, nurturing environment for the dogs. After birth, the puppies spend about 3 to 4 weeks roaming about in a small swimming pool to keep them close together. Once they start jumping out of it, they’ll go into larger rooms with more space to stretch their little legs.

DOODLES cont’d to page 29 Ed and Kim Larson raise and breed goldendoodles on their farm east of Prophetstown. Ricky (left) is the stud and Desi (right) is the namesake of the business. CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SAUKVALLEY.COM

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DOODLES cont’d from page 28

When the Larsons knew that Lily’s time was short, they got Lucy, their first goldendoodle. Lucy still roams around the Goldendoodles are popular sellers, and waiting lists are Larson house, but she’s happily retired. common. Kim creates a private Facebook page for each new The Larsons added Desi to their family litter, so that customers can see and learn in 2017 and not long after, Desi Doodles was about the litter. She’ll post updates, informaborn. Ricky, the stud, soon joined the pack. tive articles and care-taking tips, and it’s also And if you’re sensing a theme with the a way for families to connect with her with dog’s names, you’re right. Lucy, Desi, Ricky … any questions about their goldendoodles and they’re all names from the TV show “I Love puppies. Lucy.” Who knows, there may even be a Fred The most popular requests are videos of and Ethel in their future. Kim’s brother, Kinch, the puppies, which she tries to upload to the also names his dogs after TV characters, but Facebook page at least once a week. he’s more of a “Seinfeld” man — not that “They want them every day, of course,” Kim there’s anything wrong with that. said. “It’s like having babies; they get just as This year marks the third generation of crazy as someone who is going to adopt a baby. goldendoodles born, raised and cared for on It’s the same thing, they get so excited, and the Larson farm. The Larsons themselves have they get their kids so excited. Then when they three grown children and four grandkids, with come to get their puppy, they’re just funny — SUBMITTED PHOTO two more on the way soon. When their grandthey buy all kinds of stuff, give them a collar Daisy is the newest female with their name on it. added to Desi Doodles’ breeding kids stop by for a visit, they not only enjoy see“They’re just so excited, and that’s part of program. The mini Bernedoodle ing their grandparents, but also the many dogs that run up and interact and play with them. the fun, too.” (a cross between a Bernese “We were real excited about Lucy,” Kim Kim had plenty of fun with her mother’s Mountain Dog and a poodle) lives said. “My sister-in-law said, ‘You got to breed schnauzer as a child, and she took in her first in Dixon with her guardian family. her,’ and I said. ‘I don’t know anything about dog, a mutt named Bo, not long after graduatbreeding,’ but she said they are great to breed because a lot of ing from college. After she settled in with Ed on the farm, they people would like them.” also got a small, white bichon named Lily, who lived for more than a decade before passing. DOODLES cont’d to page 30

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DOODLES cont’d from page 29 Goldendoodles, which can grow to weigh about 50 to 70 pounds, possess some human traits, have a relaxed disposition, and are highly intelligent and low shedding. There are also different types of doodles. Some are flatcoats, which look more like a golden retriever than a poodle and are easier to groom. A typical Goldendoodle has curly fur, which can require more work, Kim said. If they’re not groomed every 6 weeks the fur can become matted. Some of their puppies have gone on to make an impact on many people’s lives in the community, some of whom have never seen or even heard of goldendoodles. One of those dogs was even drafted into service by the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Department, as a comfort dog. The pup was born in May 2021, and, fittingly enough, it was named Copper. Copper spends much of his time at the April House Children’s Advocacy Center in Morrison, a place where child crime victims stay and be interviewed by police or other professionals. The newest four-legged member of the sheriff’s department, which also has two K-9s, Copper is in the late stages of a year-long training period with Susan Jacobs, a professional dog trainer with more than 30 years’ experience.

Whiteside County Jail Administrator Kim Cavazos holds Copper in July 2021 during a parade in Tampico. Copper was one of Desi Doodles’ pups before becoming a comfort dog with the sheriff’s department. ALEX T. PASCHAL/ APASCHAL@ SHAWMEDIA.COM

DOODLES cont’d to page 31

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DOODLES cont’d from page 30 Another doodle serving the community is 4-year-old Murphy, the therapy dog at Winning Wheels, a residential care facility in Prophetstown for people with physical and other disabilities. “It really warms my heart when I see the puppies out there in the community doing things like that,” Kim said. “That’s awesome. That would be cool if every litter could have something like that.” When she’s not tending to the dogs, Kim works as a consultant for Head Start, a program that promotes school readiness for low-income children, and a job where she sees firsthand the importance of a nurturing environment in children’s development. Ed’s job also helps with the couple’s business. He farms full-time and raises cattle, and sometimes his knowledge animals comes in handy with the dogs. Having his advice has been a big help, Kim said. Tending to so many dogs can be a big commitment, sometimes putting other priorities in the back seat. It takes a certain kind of person, Kim said; not just anyone can do it. “You just have to be committed,” she said. “You know that it’s going to have to take time. Sometimes we have to put off vacations and put off things that we want to do. It’s a real big commitment, and you’ve got to be willing to do that.” So far, though, the benefits have been worth it, so much so that Kim’s expanding her business’ pawprint to breed other types of dogs, something she could do more of during her eventual retirement. She recently bought a bernadoodle (a cross between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a poodle) and looks to have it ready to breed in a couple of years. She’s also thinking about adding sheepadoodles to her growing pack. “I love the birthing, I love meeting new people, and making people happy,” Kim said. “They’re always so pleased with the puppies, and that just makes me so happy.” n

MORE INFO

Find Desi Doodles on Facebook, go to desidoodles. godaddysites.com, email kim.larson1959@gmail. com or call 815-441-0431 for information about owning a goldendoodle and about the business.

Thinking about getting a goldendoodle? Here are a few facts about the breed, from the pet website, dailypaws.com. Height: 17-21+ inches Weight: 50-90 pounds Life span: 10-15 years Breed size: large Shedding: infrequent Exercise needs: medium Energy level: active Barking level: when necessary Drool amount: low Intelligence: high Good with: kids, dogs, cats, families Temperament: gentle, friendly, outgoing, playful Coat length/texture: medium curly Colors: black, gray, red, blue, cream, white, fawn, gold/yellow, brown/chocolate/liver Patterns: bicolor, brindle, merle, black and tan Other traits: hypoallergenic, easy to train, can require lots of grooming, low prey drive, good for first-time pet owners, strong loyalty, loves water, good hiking companion

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