SW OH | March/April 2017 | Issue 37

Salt Flavor for Everyday Life | March/April 2017 Southwest Ohio

Having a ball

‌in the dryer Hope springs at Rocky Fork Lake

Living the self-sustaining lifestyle

2 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

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Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 3

Salt Flavor for Everyday Life thesaltmagazine.com Southwest Ohio March/April 2017

Publisher Editor Food Editor Layout Design

Doug Olsson Lora Abernathy Andrea Chaffin Jayla Wallingford

dolsson@civitasmedia.com labernathy@civitasmedia.com achaffin@civitasmedia.com jwallingford@civitasmedia.com

Sales Clinton County (937) 382-2574

Elizabeth Mattingly emattingly@civitasmedia.com

Fayette County (740) 335-3611

Kathleen Bottorff kbottorff@civitasmedia.com

Greene County (937) 372-4444

Barb VandeVenter bvandeventer@civitasmedia.com

Highland County (937) 393-3456

Sharon Hughes shughes@civitasmedia.com

Madison County (740) 852-1616

Lane Moon lmoon@civitasmedia.com

4 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

Contact SALT: editor@thesaltmagazine.com 761 S. Nelson Ave. Wilmington, OH 45177 (937) 382-2574 SALT of Southwest Ohio is published six times a year by Civitas Media, LLC and is available through the Wilmington News Journal, The (Hillsboro) Times-Gazette, the (Washington Court House) Record-Herald, the Xenia Daily Gazette, the Fairborn Daily Herald, The (London) Madison Press, The (West Union) People’s Defender, The (Georgetown) News Democrat and The Ripley Bee. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is prohibited. SALT is free to our subscribers and is also available at each of the newspaper offices.

Hide & Shake Find the shaker in this issue and be entered to win a $10 grocery card.

Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Shaker Contest link at the top and enter your contact information. Your name, street number, street name, city and zip code are required. Only your name and city will be published.

All entries must be received by March 22. Only online entries will be accepted.

In the January/February issue, the shaker was hidden in the bottom photo on page 31.

Congratulations to our most recent winner, Lynn Schindel, of Fairborn.

You could be our next winner!

Salt Scoop

Send us your favorite recipe. We may feature it in an upcoming issue.

Visit our website, thesaltmagazine.com, and click on the Recipe Submission link at the top to be entered. Include a photo of your dish, too, if you’ve got one. All entries must be received by March 22.

Every submitted recipe will be entered in a drawing for a $25 grocery card.

On the Cover

Please Buy Locally and Recycle.

Cherry blossoms bloom in Clinton County.

Follow us @thesaltmagazine

Photo by Jeff Hollon.

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 5

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Salt CONTENTS

features

6 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

7 10 13 16 24 30

Waves of Hope: Rocky Fork Lake TinCap the apple of Vaughan’s eye Having a ball ...in the dryer On their own: Bullingtons live self-sufficient lifestyle One lucky group: 7 Nations Celtic Club New coffee shop has West Jefferson buzzing

Staff LORA ABERNATHY Lora is the editor of Salt magazine and the director of editorial digital strategies for Civitas Media. She lives in Hillsboro with her husband, Gary, and is mom to a yellow Lab named Boris.

Reach her at labernathy@civitasmedia.com.

ANDREA CHAFFIN Andrea is the food editor of Salt magazine and the editor of The Madison Press. She lives in London with her menagerie and family in a house with way too much cooking equipment. She can be reached at achaffin@civitasmedia.com.

JAYLA WALLINGFORD Jayla is the designer of Salt magazine and is the manager of the special sections team for Civitas Media. She lives in Harveysburg with two cats, and offers free handouts to a slew of feline drifters.

Contributors

JEFF GILLILAND Jeff is the assistant editor of The Times-Gazette in Hillsboro. Reach him at jgilliland@civitasmedia. com.

GARY BROCK Gary is the editor of Rural Life Today, a Civitas Media publication, a writer for Salt magazine, and has been in the media business for more than 40 years. Reach him at gbrock@civitasmedia.com.

BEVERLY DRAPALIK Beverly is a writer for Salt magazine. She lives in Wilmington with her husband, Jeff. They also live with a dog, a cat, a parrot, chickens and bees.

Recipe Index

Beef and Barley Stew..........................................................26 Chocolate Guinness Cake.................................................28 Colcannon............................................................................26 Cookie Pizza........................................................................20 Corn Souffle´.......................................................................20 Fudgy Brownies...................................................................20 Granny Cake.......................................................................20 Jelled Cranberry Salad......................................................20 Moist Brown Bread..............................................................26

ERIN THOMPSON Erin is a reporter with The Madison Press in London. In her spare time, she likes to do home improvement projects, hike, read, and shower her husband and their young son with love and affection. Reach her at ethompson@civitasmedia.com.

JOHN HAMILTON John is a reporter with the Wilmington News Journal. In his spare time, he watches films and walks his black Labrador, Jamie. Reach him at jhamilton@civitasmedia.com.

Photos by Lora Abernathy

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 7

Waves of

hope

Rocky Fork enthusiast eager to see lake reach full potential

8 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

By Jeff Gilliland Because he treasures most all things pertaining to Rocky Fork Lake, Ben Sexton could not refuse when he was recently asked to give a presentation on the lake’s history – even though the idea was his in the first place.

“We were in a meeting brainstorming and I had an idea that wouldn’t it be neat if we got somebody in here to talk about the history of Rocky Fork Lake. The search for that person came up empty-handed, so I was honored to be volunteered to have the job,” Sexton joked.

So, he set about gathering memorabilia and information and the prior week gave an interesting presentation with lots of pictures and illustrations about the lake to a large crowd gathered for a Rocky Fork Community Alliance meeting.

This spring will mark the 64th anniversary since water first spilled over the Rocky Fork dam in April of 1953.

Col. Walter H. Hutchins was a Cincinnati resident and regular visitor to Highland County.

“He and other visitors were drawn to this area by the beauty of the Rocky Fork gorge and The Seven Caves as early as the mid 1800s,” Sexton, the vice president of the RFCA, told the crowd. “Col. Hutchins was the one who first had the dream of constructing a dam near McCoppin’s Mill and was also the lake’s biggest promoter.”

Planning for the lake began in the late 1940s by what was then known as the Division of Conservation and Natural Resources. Clearing of timber in the lake area began in 1949, and construction of the dam started in 1951.

According to Sexton, a total of 30,000 cubic yards of concrete were used to build the dam. The height of the observation platform to the bottom level of the dam is approximately 70 feet,

Photo by Jeff Gilliland

Ben Sexton holds a pair of 1960s-era paintings of McCoppin’s Mill and the Rocky Fork dam by late Hillsboro artist Truby Abbott. Sexton said he found both paintings at different yard sales on the same day in the lake area about 30 minutes apart.

and the width of the spillway is 154 feet.

Construction of the North Beach area was still underway even after the lake filled with water. Boats were first allowed on the lake in 1953, and one of the original boat ramps was located at the end of a road that is now a circle drive alongside North Beach. The boat ramps at North Beach and Blinco were not constructed until 1954.

Before the lake was built, Sexton said, Blue Ribbon Road ran from state Route 124 to U.S. Route 50, and there was a covered bridge where the road crossed over Rocky Fork Creek.

In the meantime, Rocky Fork became a state park in 1950 with a total of 3,484 acres, including 2,080 acres devoted to the lake itself. Unlike Paint Creek Lake, which was built to control flooding, Sexton said his understanding is that Rocky Fork was constructed strictly for recreational purposes and economic development.

No history of the lake, Sexton said, would be complete without discussing Barrett’s Mill. The mill itself was destroyed by fire several years ago, but the dam that powered it still exits and is located just below the Rocky Fork dam.

The mill was established in 1829 and was in operation as an actual mill until Feb. 9, 1979, when it was owned by Lynn A. Sidenstricker. He purchased the mill in 1952 from Harry McCoppin after working for McCoppin for several years.

The mill was used strictly to grind wheat flour and consisted of four roll stands powered by two water turbines. It was capable of milling seven tons of flour a week, and one of the biggest challenges was transporting the flour to the city.

“Some of the flour was sold to The Martha White Company in Huntington, West Virginia,” Sexton said. “The mill did offer milling services for grains other than wheat to local farmers

by use of a gasoline-powered grinder. There were some water-related issues during the contraction of the lake, and (the) state agreed to a settlement for the purchase of a gasoline engine for the mill. Unfortunately, during the construction of the dam, there was a young man who died at the site.”

In the late 1800s, the mill was owned by Thomas Costello. He promoted the Black Diamond Railroad Company’s proposal to bring a rail line through the area.

Sexton said the line would have brought a depot, stockyard and telegraph office to Rainsboro. And, a town that was to be named “Lodore,” was to be built near the mill. A post office was erected at the mill at that time, but it closed in 1903 because the railroad never made it past the planning stages. Costello died in a milling accident in 1906.

Sexton, who two years ago started a camping business at the lake called Old Days Vintage Campers, said he remembers the days when there were exciting and successful businesses at the lake like Wanta-Linga, Fun-n-Sun and the Francis Marina. He said he and others are interested in restoring the lake to its former glory.

There have been recent indications that recovery for the area is underway.

The Rocky Fork Lake Area Safety and Advancement Project was recently awarded a grant of more than $800,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice to initiate a plan to improve economic development and fight crime at the lake. And Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera is in the process of opening a new sheriff’s office substation at the lake.

“Rocky Fork Lake, now more than ever,” Sexton told the crowd, “has the potential to become so much more than what we’re used to.”

ROCKY FORK COMMUNITY ALLIANCE The RFCA meets at 7 p.m. the third Thursday of each month at the Rocky Fork Activity Center.

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Jason Vaughn holds a pint of his home-brewed blackberry cider at his self-made bar at home.

Photo by John Hamilton

TinCap the apple of Vaughan’s eye Entrepreneur turns love of hard cider into new business 10 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

By John Hamilton At his home on West Truesdell Street in Wilmington, Jason Vaughan has been crafting and perfecting his homemade hard ciders — which he hopes to share with the public.

A part of the inspiration for brewing came from his family — in particular, from his grandma, Dorothy “Dot” Brown, and his father, George.

“I remember my grandma would have me picking grapes from a local vineyard, which would be used to make wine,” Vaughan said. “My father was a homebrewer and I remember helping him and learning a little bit from helping him. For me, I just started being a homebrewer, and I’ve always had a passion for doing things on my own.”

Vaughan, who is a nurse full time, had always liked craft beers, and his wife, Michelle, was into wine. But he didn’t find

that niche until he tried ciders and realized that he enjoyed them. When he starting learning about the process, he also started the process for TinCap — his name for the business — to become a licensed winery, because cider is technically a wine, he said.

“Cider, even though it’s drunk and sold like a beer, it falls under the wine category, at least in the U.S.,” according to Vaughan.

The process is like making wine instead of beer, he said, with cider taking the crushed juice from the apples, which are used to firm it. ”Beers are around 98 to 99 percent water, so we use pretty much no water, it’s just natural apple juice,” Vaughan said.

The apples for Vaughan’s cider come from local orchards.

He said that the “curiosity of being selfsufficient” was a motivation for him.

“I had obstacles to face, just like with any kind of beer or whatever. I wouldn’t call them failures. There’s a flavor out there for

everyone,” he said.

Vaughan described cider making as a learning experience and described it as the wild west of the alcohol industry.

“There are so many things you can do with it,” he said.

Some of the flavors he has worked on include blackberry, ginger, sweet apple and vanilla pecan. He’s had the opportunity to share his creations with friends and family during parties, and even at his own wedding, but he hopes to sell the ciders soon.

“We’re a licensed winery, but there’s a lot of process to going into that,” he said.

“We’re still getting our last labeling process.

We’ll be selling, kegging and distributing it here at home.”

Though TinCap was approved by the city of Wilmington’s Building and Zoning Department to be considered a winery, it won’t be open for a few more months — but Vaughan is looking forward to a tasty future of TinCap.

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Having a ball

12 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

‌in the dryer

Photos by Lora Abernathy

By Beverly Drapalik

Julie Carter

WHY DRYER BALLS? According to landlnaturalproducts.com, they: • Have no chemicals • Are non-toxic • Decrease drying time by up to 35 percent • Save energy and money • Decrease static • Work as a wrinkle releaser • Have no fragrances added • Do not harbor any kind of bacteria because of the wool • Last for several years • Negate the need for dryer sheets or softeners

L & L NATURALS BY JULIE landlnaturalproducts.com julielcarter@yahoo.com

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Looking for the perfect gift?

Something you would want, your friends would want and even your dog would covet?

Put dryer balls on your list.

Julie Carter began working on dryer balls in 2010. She was figuring out how to incorporate fiber from the alpacas on her parents’ farm in Ballground, Georgia, into a useful product.

Those resulting alpaca and wool dryer balls have been her best seller at L & L Naturals by Julie.

Dogs can’t buy them, but dogs do love them.

“I get calls all the time from customers who have bought a set of five, but they need more.

Every time they get a load of clothes out of the dryer, dogs are standing by,” she said.

L & L Naturals by Julie sells a line of products that is made from essential oils and natural ingredients.

“Vegans and vegetarians like my products,” Carter said.

“I even sold some products to a store in Cleveland that deals in merchandise for cancer patients.”

Fragrances such as lavender and other florals are very popular right now. One of the products is a tension reliever, another is a spray for fabric.

Lots of customers like to use it during ironing.

Regarding popular fragrances, at one show, Carter and her daughter, Lindsey, met an older gentleman. Carter said he asked them what “ladies like.”

Thinking he was buying a gift for his wife, they showed him the lavender products, and he bought the spray. He immediately sprayed his clothes, put the bottle in his pocket and proceeded to walk around the show.

“That was entertaining,” Carter said.

Carter’s family is totally involved in the business. Husband Phil does the designing of the labels; Lindsey adheres labels and stirs products; son Lukas totes products and helps set up shows.

She creates recipes for the 100-percent natural products and does all the work in her

kitchen. She creates small batches and is constantly in control of quality.

Judy Prettyman, Carter’s mom, is a spinner and a bar soap maker, so she has been an inspiration to her. Fiber comes from Prettyman’s farm in Georgia, but fiber also comes from local farms such as Taylor’s Tunis and Kingdom Acres Alpacas.

Local beeswax is also used, as well as coconut oil.

Felted soap, sugar scrubs, lotion bars, cuticle cream, bath salts and detergent are only a partial list of products, and dryer balls remain the best seller by far.

Two items have become very useful during summers: The bug spray, which is safe for people, and the line of flea and tick spray which is safe for dogs.

Carter has also created a dry dog shampoo and a balm for dogs’ noses and the pads of their feet. One of her customers, who didn’t have the dry dog shampoo, however, used her personal L & L soap for washing her “doggies and it worked great,” Carter said.

The business seems to be one of the most interesting and satisfying ventures for Carter.

She has sold real estate and is a para-professional at Miami Trace Elementary School in Washington Court House. She loves working with children, but she leaves room for the creation of natural products. She will take a suggestion from a customer and try new creations, using requested essential oils.

Recently, a Dayton shop owner who specializes in vintage bicycles asked Carter if she could create a chaffing balm for cyclists.

Carter said new products are on her agenda.

“I like to create products that I would like to use,” she said.

Acquainting the public with these products is also on the agenda — perhaps some education, too. Some men have been known to throw the dryer balls into the trash, and one woman put the felted soap into the dryer.

Education, however, may not work on the dogs.

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• NET/TANF/OWF Transportation Services: We provide non-emergency Medicaid transportation (NET) services for HCDJFS & ACDJFS. We provide educational and employment training transportation through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program of HCDJFS. We provide Title XX transportation services for ACDJFS.

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• HARTS Fare Program: program offers affordable transportation for those who are elderly, disabled or considered low income living within the Hillsboro City Limits or within a 5-mile radius of the center of Hillsboro. Purchase a $20/$25 HARTS Fare Card for 10 or 5 one way trips depending upon location and age. **FRS Transportation also provides transportation services through grants with the Federal Transit Authority and Ohio Department of Transportation.

These include our 2016 grants for Job Access & Reverse Commute (JARC), and Ohio Coordination Mobility Management. **Highland County Mobility Manager works to keep our Highland County Locally Developed Transportation Plan updated so that the county’s transportation providers are eligible to apply for FTA grant funding.

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Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 15

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On their own

Meigs County couple, neighbors live 21st-century, self-sufficient lifestyle

16 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

By Gary Brock Debbie Bullington stood in the kitchen of her Meigs County farm home preparing a breakfast of French toast, sausage, honey and fresh fruit.

Most of the ingredients came from her farm.

She talked while cooking, explaining her and her husband Phil’s agriculture lifestyle, but explaining their commitment to a self-sustaining farm isn’t always easy.

“We would like to see a whole lot more people doing what we do. It has not been easy, but we are doing pretty good right now. It is all about taking the first step,” she said.

The Bullingtons are among a growing number of rural Americans collectively known as “homesteaders.”

But neither she nor Phil like that word, or even agree that it accurately describes their way of living. That is because they have been living a self-sustaining, self-sufficient agriculture lifestyle for more than 30 years. They are not new to the “movement.”

“I hate to keep using the word ‘homesteading.’ We try really hard to produce as much of our own food as much as we can. We recycle.

Ninety-eight percent of the things in our home have come from estate sales, dumpsters, things people gave away,” she said.

“When you say ‘homesteading,’ it brings up so many different possibilities depending on who you say it to. If I say ‘homesteading’ to you, a certain picture comes to mind. And I am not sure we fit into that,” Phil said.

They use electricity, they shop at the grocery when they have to, and use the Internet when they need to.

“What is very important to us is to leave as small an environmental footprint as possible.

There hasn’t been a chemical put on this farm in 40 years,” said Debbie, a Meigs County Master Gardener.

The Bullingtons are not the only rural residents in Meigs County living this self-sustaining lifestyle. Within just a few miles of them are more than a dozen families with similar farming practices.

She said they all grow, raise and preserve as much of their own food as they can.

“We trade with each other our surpluses and are all “locavores” who support everyone at the Athens Farmers Market. We all belong to

Phil and Debbie Bullington

Photo courtesy of Debbie Bullington

“Back in the 1950s, what did people call organic food? They called it food.”

— Debbie Bullington two natural food co-ops (one in Iowa and the other in Pennsylvania) that delivers to our door all the grocery items we can’t make or grow ourselves. If only we could grow coffee in Ohio,” she lamented as she poured cups of coffee during breakfast.

The way to her heart

Photos by Gary Brock

What is 21st-century ho

mesteading?

Here is how Mother Earth News defines modern ho mesteading: “These days at Mother Ea rth News, we’re using the phrase 21st century homesteading , which is all about self suffi ciency — wherever you live. It’s ab out using less energy, eat ing wholesome local food, inv olving your family in the life of the community and makin g wiser choices that will im prove the quality of life for your family, your community an d the environment around you.

With today’s advanced tec hnology, living off the grid doesn’t mean going without electr icity, but producing your own with photovoltaics (PV), hydrop ower or wind turbines. In addition , home businesses are no longer limited to farm produce sta nds and craft sales, but can include marketing a home business or telecommuting via the Internet.”

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 17

Debbie, 59, and Phil, 66, have been married 34 years.

They have three children, two of them born at home.

Their daughter, Lark, lives with her family in Colorado; Adam, the oldest, lives in Racine, Ohio; Ian, the youngest, graduated from Ohio University and lives in Athens.

Phil bought the 29-acre, 165-year-old farmhouse in 1977 and moved into it in 1978.

“I moved here in 1982,” Debbie said. “I was living in Nelsonville at the time and met Phil at a party, and that was it. We have been together ever since.”

Phil said their move toward a self-sufficient lifestyle developed since he bought the property.

“I was an avid Mother Earth News reader,” Phil said.

He said Issue 3 of Mother Earth had Carolyn and Ed Robinson’s “’Have-More’ Plan,” and it “turned on a lightbulb.”

“This was the first ‘back-to-the-earth’ wave in the late ’70s. Up until the time I met Phil, I might have canned once in my life. I never raised a cow or chickens — nothing,” Debbie said. “When we got here, I thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful to grow our own food and raise animals and have our kids at home? So, I wasn’t looking for it, it just kind of found me. I really appreciate Phil for that.”

Phil said that after they met, he invited her to his farm for dinner.

“I had beefalo (five-eighth beef, three-eighth buffalo) then, and the first time I brought her here to the farm, I fed her a beef rib steak,” he said.

For the Greenville, Ohio, girl who had spent almost no time on a farm, the steak was the turning point.

Although she worked a few years at the Pomeroy Library, most of her time has been spent on the farm.

“I am a homebody. I enjoy it. We try to live within our means, and we don’t need all that extra income. I was fortunate to be home when raising our kids,” Debbie said.

“We have had so much fun in this house. Our society has become so transient. People don’t put down roots any more,” she said. “In our yard, we have trees and each one has an incredible story to tell. Our roots here are deep.”

Self-sufficient lifestyle

18 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

“When we first moved here, we were sort of thought of as the ‘freaks’ for how we lived here. We were surrounded by people who did not care about the environment. But as years went by, all of those people have left, and they have been replaced by herbalists, tree huggers and midwives,” Debbie said.

She said most of the men are self-employed or work on their farms, and most of the women are the ones who have paying jobs.

“The people here think of me as sort of the matriarch because of my age and experience,” she said.

“To me, it looks like a new ‘back-to-the-land’ rush, just like the one Phil went through before.”

She said only one of the families is totally off the grid, meaning no electricity or gas.

“They all practice self-sufficiency to their own degree,” she said.

At any given time, she said, someone will call and say they are out of something. If she has it, she will share.

“You never know when a barter happens. Phil traded a wood stove for a cement mixer recently,” Debbie said.

What is the “‘Have-Mor e’ Plan”?

This 60-year-old back-tothe-land homesteading “ho w-to” book introduces readers to the basics of finding lan d; bu ilding a homestead; growing veg etables, fruits, and herbs ; raising livestock, fish and honey bees; building farm struct ures; harvesting firewood and mu ch more.

Written by Ed Robinson an d wife Carolyn, it was the ir dream that every family can own a home and a little land. Th eir classic book, “The ‘Have-More’ Pla n,” was written in the 194 0s and is subtitled: “A Little Land — A Lot of Living: How to Ma ke a Small Cash Income into the Best and Happiest Living Any Fam ily Could Want.”

The book has been kept in print unchanged because it is still, after 50 years, a useful ref erence for the home garde ne r. More than 500,000 people hav e now discovered how to do thi ngs in ways that work simply an d well.

Trying ‘about everything’ When asked about modern homesteading, Debbie was quick to explain, “We are just ordinary folks trying to live as cheaply as we can for our Earth, our family and our friends. It is so simple, really. I love to sew. I try to make all of our Christmas gifts, starting that in August. We try to find things at auctions and repurpose them. We try to be self-sufficient as much as we can.”

Phil said, “On this little ‘farm,’ we do have livestock, we have a garden, but no grain crops. We muddle through it with varying degrees of success.”

“We tried free-range chickens for the first time this year. We have coyotes, but didn’t have much trouble with them,” she said.

Debbie said they don’t really think of themselves as homesteaders since they don’t live “off the grid” completely. They have electricity. But they have tossed away one electronic device most Americans might find hard to live without: the cell phone.

Trial and error While finishing breakfast in the farm home kitchen, Debbie and Phil talked about their livestock and the future.

“This sausage is from our own pigs,” Debbie said.

“We have a boar, sow and four piglets; a Jersey heifer and baby; and we put 26 broilers in the freezer last weekend. The blueberries are from a neighbor, but the raspberries from the store. There are some things, no matter how hard you try, you can’t grow here. We are not a tropical climate,” she laughed.

She said they got their first cow for Y2K, 16 years ago, “so we would have a source of milk.”

“I’ve tried raising cattle two or three times and the problem here is fencing,” Phil said.

Debbie said the have tried “almost everything” and that their way of farming is an ongoing learning experience.

The food they eat

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 19

The Bullingtons say a lack of chemicals used on their farm also improves the flavor and taste of their chicken and pork.

“People don’t know what real food tastes like anymore. It is a shame. If people sat down and had a meal of non-toxic, wellprepared food, I think they would never go back. I would have a hard time going back,” Debbie said.

They cook differently today than they did in the past, and “we are not hurting for cookbooks,” she said, motioning toward a shelf full of them. She also has her own three-ring binder full of personal recipes.

“We have our favorites,” she said. “We will get the main idea for a dish and then just go our own way.” She showed her collection of recipes, saying, “I have a variety of recipes, and added all of my own ideas into it.”

“We use a lot more olive oil than we used to, as opposed to vegetable or corn oil,” Phil said.

She added this is also more economical for them to cook all their own food and buy in bulk.

“Back when we were first together, we didn’t have two nickels to rub together, so, it was really out of necessity that we learned to cook our own food because we couldn’t afford to buy it,” she said. “People shouldn’t have to put up with their food being loaded with additives and chemicals. Back in the 1950s, what did people call organic food? They called it food.”

Walking hand-in-hand around their farm on the unusually warm November day, the Bullingtons pointed out their “people power” plow, their pigs, chickens, dairy cow, the changes they have made to their property over the years, and the buildings they want to convert for more self-sustaining uses in the future.

For them, farming is always evolving, and enjoying together the life they lead.

Some of Debbie Bullington’s favorite recipes

20 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

CORN SOUFFLE´ Ingredients: One 8-ounce carton sour cream 1 stick butter, softened 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix 1 can creamed corn 1 can whole kernel corn, drained Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix sour cream and butter together until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, stir until combined.

Spread mixture into a shallow baking dish and bake for 1 hour.

GRANNY CAKE Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground 3/4 cup butter, softened 2 cups (about 6) ripe bananas, mashed One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained 3 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup pecans, finely chopped Directions: Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan. Set aside.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves. Set aside.

In a mixer, beat butter for 30 seconds.

Add to mixer dry ingredients and bananas, pineapple, eggs and vanilla and beat on slow until combined. Stir in pecans.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 70-75 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan by turning upside down onto a plate.

JELLED CRANBERRY SALAD Ingredients: 2 ribs celery 1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans 1 can jellied cranberry sauce One 3-ounce box raspberry JELL-O 1 cup boiling water Mayonnaise, optional Directions: Chop celery and nuts into small pieces, set aside.

Mash and stir cranberry sauce until

Cookie pizzas Photos courtesy of Debbie Bullington

liquified, set aside.

Mix JELL-O with boiling water, stir until dissolved.

Mix all the above ingredients together and pour into a decorative serving dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm.

Serve with a thin “frosting” of mayonnaise on top, if desired.

COOKIE PIZZA Ingredients: 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, M&M’s, assorted nuts or chocolate candies of your choice for toppings.

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a large pizza pan.

Beat shortening and butter on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add sugars and baking soda and mix until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.

Spread out the cookie dough onto the pizza pan like you would with any pizza dough. Arrange the candies and nuts on top and gently press them into the dough.

Bake until golden, cut into wedges and serve.

Notes: You can also make a chocolate version by adding 1/2 cup cocoa powder to the flour mixture. You can lightly score the dough with a pizza cutter before baking to

make serving marks and decorate within the scores.

FUDGY BROWNIES Ingredients: 1 cup butter 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup Hershey’s Syrup, chocolate flavored 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup nuts, chopped (optional) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8 1/2-by-14 baking pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add cocoa powder, stirring constantly until blended. Remove mixture from heat and cool. Stir sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs a little at a time and blend after each addition. Add chocolate syrup and vanilla, stir until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Stir flour mixture into chocolate mixture. Add nuts, if desired.

Spread into baking pan and bake for 3040 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Cool and cut into squares to serve.

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Out & About ADAMS COUNTY March 18 The Bellamy Brothers, 7 p.m., Red Barn Convention Center, 2223 Russellville Road, Winchester. Call 800-823-9197 or visit redbarnconventioncenter. com.

March 18-20 Serpent Mound Spring Seed Blessing Peace Summit, sponsored by Alternate Universe House of Phacops, at both Serpent Mound and Woodland Altars in Peebles. Call 937-205-3810 or visit alternateuniverserockshop.com.

April 8 Shenandoah, 7 p.m., Red Barn Convention Center, 2223 Russellville Road, Winchester. Call 800-8239197 or visit redbarnconventioncenter.com.

22 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

April 8 The seventh annual Quilt Show, 1-3 p.m., Stone Chapel United Methodist Church, 89 Trefz Road, West Union. Call Linda Copas at 937-544-3438 or visit adamscountytravel.org.

May 6 The 17th Season Opener Brush Creek Motorsports Complex and Fireworks, 22148 state Route 41, Peebles. Call 937-544-3344, email stevepartin@brushcreekmotorsports.com or visit brushcreekmotorsports.com.

BROWN COUNTY March 25 March for Meals quarter raffle, 3 p.m., ABCAPAlverda Reedy Gym, 406 W. Plum St., Georgetown.

Compiled by Lora Abernathy

FAYETTE COUNTY April 8 Denim and Diamonds, the Mahan Building at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. Call 740-333-2710.

April 28-30 Scott Antique Market, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Visit scottantiquemarket.com.

April 29 Chocolate Walk, 1-4 p.m., downtown Washington Court House. Call 740-335-8008.

April 1 and 8 Talent Show, 6 p.m., Gaslight Theater, 301 S. Main St., Georgetown. Visit browncountyohiotourism. com.

April 30 Hike for Hospice. Call 749-335-0149.

April 22 ABCAP Foundation Reverse Raffle Dinner, 6 p.m.

Call Janie Phillips at 937-378-6041, ext. 232 or email jphillips@abcap.net.

March 16-April 2 “9 to 5,” Wright State University Festival Playhouse, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton.

Visit beavercreekchamber.org.

CLINTON COUNTY

April 4 Journey with special guest Asia, 7:30 p.m., Wright State University Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton. Visit nuttercenter.com.

GREENE COUNTY

April 8 Loose Thread Quilters Quilt Show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Peebles United Methodist Church, 1370 Measley Ridge Road, Peebles. Email dscott70@frontier.com.

March 18 The Drowsy Lads, 7:30 p.m., The Murphy Theatre, 50 W. Main St., Wilmington. Visit themurphytheatre.org.

April 15 The 25th annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, 1 p.m., Wilson Children’s Home, 300 N. Wilson Drive, West Union. Call 937-544-2511 or visit adamscountytravel.org.

March 24-25 Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival, Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Road, Wilmington. Call 937372-5804 or visit somusicfest.com.

April 8 Super Hero 5K for Child Abuse Awareness, Prevention and Elimination, 9-11 a.m., Beavercreek High School, 2660 Dayton Xenia Road, Beavercreek. Visit violencefreefutures.org.

April 1 The Great Ohio Toy Show, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Road, Wilmington. Visit clintoncountyohio.com.

April 15 Honoring Glen Helen Benefit Concert, 7-9 p.m., location to be announced. Visit yellowspringsohio.org.

April 8 Wilmington Public Library Easter Egg Hunt, 9-11 a.m., 268 N. South St., Wilmington. Call 937-3822417 or visit clintoncountyohio.com.

April 16 Young’s Jersey Dairy 35th annual Easter Egg Hunt, 2 p.m., Young’s Jersey Dairy, 6880 Springfield-Xenia Road, Yellow Springs. Call 937-3250629 or visit youngsdairy.com.

April 22 Annual Adams County Historical Society Bus Tour “Chillicothe,” 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call Lynne Newman at 937-587-3358 or Mary Fulton at 937-5872043 or visit adamscountytravel.org.

April 29 Bentonville Anti Horse Thief Society Banquet, 7 p.m., Burning Heart Camp, Bentonville. Contact Verna Naylor at 937-549-3360.

May 5 Wheat Ridge Amish School Benefit Auction and Supper, 4 p.m., Ridge Way Lumber, 3735 Wheat Ridge Road, West Union. Call 937-544-7566.

May 5-7 Adams County Trade Days, Adams County Fairgrounds, 836 Boyd Ave., West Union. Call Darlene Anderson at 937-205-7141.

April 29 Le Vent du Nord, 7:30 p.m., The Murphy Theatre, 50 W. Main St., Wilmington. Visit themurphytheatre.org.

May 5-6 One-derings Lavender Farm Open House, 2195 S. Clarksville Road, Clarksville. Call 937-7250830 or visit onederings.com.

April 16 Annual Easter Egg Hunt, 2-3 p.m., Central Park, 300 S. Central Ave., Fairborn. Visit fairborn.com.

April 21 Chamber Banquet, 6 p.m., Holiday Inn, 2800 Presidential Drive, Fairborn. Call 937-878-3191 or visit fairborn.com.

See OUT & ABOUT | 28

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One lucky group Club talks Ireland, other Celtic nations and, of course, food

By Lora Abernathy A tourist walks into the dark Irish pub, not knowing what she’ll discover beyond its old door. She wonders about its age, its story, how the food will taste.

The bartender is friendly, his hello just loud enough to be heard above the floor creaking beneath his feet as he walks behind the bar.

She expects raucous drunks causing mayhem. Instead, moms, dads and children gather at the tables. Family time

24 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

A 7 nation celebration

Jill McDonald, the immediate past president of the 7 Nations Celtic Club in Portsmouth, said she enjoys history, in particular “really, really old history.”

In 2012, she traveled to Ireland with a few other members of the club.

Though not everyone in the club has been to a Celtic nation, they all do their best to make the Celtic culture come alive each fourth Thursday of the month during their meeting at the Port City Pub in Portsmouth.

The club was founded in 2006 by John Hogan who, at that time, also owned the pub with his wife, MacDonald said. The club is made up of people who may or may not have a Celtic heritage, but who appreciate the culture.

Members invite guest speakers, learn about the nations’ histories, plan their annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and their Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day event.

Four times a year they have a carry-in, with the pub supplying the bangers and mash, and members bringing in other traditional foods such as soda bread or Irish potatoes.

rules here.

From the waitress, she and her companions order dinner, a spread of meat and vegetables, and a Guinness.

After giving her time to enjoy her first sip of the brew, folks at a neighboring table ask her where she’s from, though her accent has already given her away.

“The United States,” Jill MacDonald says.

The patrons welcome them with smiles and stories about the pub, themselves, the region and its history. She soaks up every word they have to say. They delight in telling her.

They spend a lot of time talking about the food.

More than bangers and mash

Though traditional foods such as pork, potatoes and cabbage are still staples in Ireland, Mark Cardosi, the club’s current president, said in an email, “it is a major mistake or misconception to think those staples are all there is to Irish food and dining in Ireland.”

He said the menus of restaurants such as The Bank Bar and Restaurant in Dublin, Kirwin’s Lane in Galway and Dolce Sicily in Dublin “reveal just a small part of the diversity of Irish food and dining.”

“The Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna sells some of the best smoked salmon in the world,” he wrote. The seafood chowder served in Dingle, Dublin, Galway and along the Irish coast “is always as wonderful and varied as is the local ‘catch of the day’ in any ocean town.”

MacDonald said Ireland was “very rural, but not completely rural” and that,

Back in Ireland, the waitress brings the food to MacDonald and her companions. Though potatoes were included with their order, a roasted potato is also served on the side.

That’s peculiar, they say to one another.

Before they could call the “problem” to their server’s

because it is an island, residents grow a lot of their own food. She was impressed by how fresh and healthy the food was everywhere she went.

While staying at one bed and breakfast, the lady there served them a full Irish breakfast which included eggs, white sausage, blood sausage, bacon, baked beans and broiled tomatoes.

Not everything, though, is sourced on the island or from its coastal waters.

During a visit to a wine store, MacDonald asked the folks there if they had any Irish wines.

“They laughed,” she said. “’We only get 60 days of sunshine. We can’t even grow grapes here.’ ”

Pull up a chair, stay a while

“(Ireland) is just the kind of place you want to go back to,” MacDonald said, and she hopes any newcomers feel the same way about their club.

“This is a place where you can come and feel welcome and comfortable,” MacDonald said. “I think we’re just all friends. We share a common interest, and like to get together and socialize.”

attention, one of their new friends stops them.

“No matter what food you order, even if it’s a potato,” she says with a smile, leaning in closer, “you will still be served a roasted potato.”

Tradition. Another unique Irish tradition. MacDonald absolutely loved it.

7 NATIONS CELTIC CLUB Where: Port City Pub, 424 Chillicothe St., Portsmouth When: 6 p.m. the fourth Thursday of the month Contact: facebook. com/7nationscelticclub

THE 7 CELTIC NATIONS

Photos by Lora Abernathy

Guy Steele, foreground, talks to fellow club members, from left, Gail Valentine, Jill MacDonald and Rose Rosier during a recent meeting.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE • Though the parade is usually held the closest Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, it is Saturday, March 18 this year, its 11th edition.

• It was started by John Hogan as a simple celebration of spring and a day for the community to come together, Jill MacDonald said.

• It is supported by local sponsors.

• There are not many bands, because it’s prime competition season in March, MacDonald said, but there are people with dogs and bicycles and a couple dance troupes. The club also has a float.

Though more Scottish than Irish, the Cyril Scott Pipe Band from Columbus

is annually featured in the parade, in full regalia.

• MacDonald said a green line is painted along the route Friday night by volunteers. “There’s quite a bit of Guinness drinking, because the line’s a little curvy, so that’s why we say the leprechauns do it,” she said with a wink.

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 25

Brittany Cornwall Ireland Isle of Mann Galicia Scotland Wales

Recipes BEEF AND BARLEY STEW

26 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

This is a wonderful winter stew.

Serve with brown bread and butter or a baguette.

— Jill MacDonald Servings: 4-6 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil (I use olive oil but any vegetable oil is good) 1 1/2 pounds stew beef or chuck, cut into pieces Salt Pepper 1 large yellow onion, diced 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced (I cut into thick chunks) 1 large carrot, diced (I cut into thick chunks) 1 cup barley 6 cups beef stock One 12-ounce bottle Guinness, extra stout (use the bottled Guinness, not the canned) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped 2 bay leaves, if desired Directions: In a dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium heat, heat the oil.

Season the beef with salt and pepper and sear, in batches if necessary, until nicely browned. Remove beef to a dish and set aside.

In the oil and juices remaining in the pan, cook the onions until browned. Add all the remaining ingredients, plus the beef, and stir.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.

Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat, vegetables and barley are very tender. Stir it a few times while it simmers, and if it seems dry, add another cup or 2 of water. At the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper. It may be necessary to add more salt to taste because the barley will absorb a lot of the salt while cooking.

from 7 Nations Celtic Club members

COLCANNON (IRISH POTATOES) Every Irish family or descendant has its own version of this classic dish.

My recipe is a part of our St. Patrick’s Day menu, along with lamb chops, carrots and soda bread.

— Rose Ann Rosier Servings: 12-16 Ingredients: 2 pounds cabbage, shredded 2 cups water 4 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 cups milk Salt Pepper, coursely ground 1 cup green onions, chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, chopped 1/4 cup butter, melted Bacon, cooked and crumbled Fresh parsley, minced Directions: In a large saucepan, bring cabbage and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid.

Keep cabbage warm.

Place cooking liquid and potatoes in a large saucepan, add enough additional water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 15-17 minutes or until tender. Drain and keep warm.

In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil, remove from heat.

In a large bowl, mash potatoes or keep in chucks. Gently add milk mixture, beat until blended. Stir in the cabbage, salt, pepper, green onions and garlic. Drizzle with melted butter, bacon and parsley.

MOIST BROWN BREAD — Jill MacDonald

Servings: One 8-by-4 loaf Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups stone ground whole-wheat flour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/4 cup wheat bran 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature 1 egg 1 1/2 cups buttermilk Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter an 8-by-4 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, stir together flours, germ, bran, salt and soda. Using your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.

Beat the egg into the buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Stir to combine, then turn the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the surface is crusty and cracked, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

Cool completely in pan before removing.

Serve with lots of good butter. This bread can be made without butter or egg, if desired.

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CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE I make this cake all the time and everyone loves it, and you make the icing to look like the froth of the beer.

You can make cupcakes, too. You can also skip the icing and just put confectioners sugar on it. The cake itself is just so good.

— Jill MacDonald Servings: 10 Cake Ingredients: 1 cup Guinness 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup cocoa 2 cups superfine or granulated sugar 3/4 cup sour cream 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda Frosting Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream Cake Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and line with parchment paper a 9-inch springform pan.

28 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

OUT & ABOUT, continued from page 22

Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan and add the sliced butter.

Heat until the butter is melted and remove from heat. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla. Add the sour cream mixture to the Guinness mixture in the saucepan. Finally, beat in the flour and baking soda.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Frosting Directions: Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until well combined and creamy. Add the cream and beat again until it’s a spreadable consistency. Slowly adding the cream and beating the icing very well gives excellent results. At first there seems like a lot of frosting for just the top of a 9-inch cake, but don’t skimp. The idea is to frost the top of the cake until it resembles the frothey head of a pint of Guinness.

April 29 Native Plant Sale, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., James Ranch Park, 177 Fairgrounds Road, Xenia. Call 937-562-6440 or visit gcparkstrails.com

April 21-23 “Shakespeare’s Macbeth,” presented by Wright Statue University Theatre Creative Arts Center, ​ Herbst Theatre, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton. Call 937-775-2500 or visit beavercreekchamber.org.

May 5 Miami Valley Cycling Summit, Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton. Visit cyclingsummit.com.

April 22 MIX 107.7 Time Warp Prom featuring Stranger, 8 p.m., Wright State University Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton.

Visit nuttercenter.com.

March 17 The 5-County Transition Expo, Good News Gathering, 6250 U.S. Route 62, Hillsboro. Contact Cynthia Crews at 513-309-5140 or email cynthia.crews@ood.ohio.gov.

April 23 The 20th annual Taste of Greene County, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wright State University Nutter Center, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton.

Visit nuttercenter.com.

March 18 The Appalachian Artisans Guild’s 14th consecutive Cabin Fever Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Southern State Community College Patriot Center, 100 Hobart Drive. Hillsboro.

Contact Bootsie Robison at 937-5872394, email appartguild@hotmail. com or visit appartguild.com.

April 29 Greene County Housing Program 5K Run/Walk, Community Park East, 691 E. Dayton Yellow-Springs Road, Fairborn. Call Linda Bynum at 937376-3111 or visit xacc.com.

HIGHLAND COUNTY

March 19 The Cincinnati Choral Society Concert, 3:30 p.m., St. Mary’s Episcopal

The 7 Nations Celtic Club meets the fourth Thursday of each month at the Port City Pub.

Church, 234 N. High St., Hillsboro.

Call Deanna Flinn at 937-393-4193 or email deasart@att.net.

March 25 Decade Dinner and Dance of the 1950s and 1960s, 5-9 p.m., Highland County Senior Center, 185 Muntz St., Hillsboro. Call 937-393-4745.

March 26 Daniel Jacky Organ Recital, 3 p.m., St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 234 N. High St., Hillsboro. Call Deanna Flinn at 937-393-4193 or email deasart@att.net.

April 7 First Friday: Chocolate Walk, 5-8 p.m., uptown Hillsboro, sponsored by the Hillsboro Uptown Business Association. Search for event on Facebook.

April 8 Pancake Extravaganza with the Easter Bunny and Friends, 8 a.m. to noon, Highland County Senior Center, 185 Muntz St., Hillsboro.

Call 937-393-4745.

April 15 The second annual Easter Egg Hunt and Kite Flying, sponsored by the

Hillsboro Uptown Business Association. Search for event on Facebook.

May 5 First Friday: Mom’s Night Out and Cruise In, sponsored by the Hillsboro Uptown Business Association.

Search for event on Facebook.

May 21 Paddle on Paint, sponsored by Greening Greater Greenfield. Visit g3greenfield.org.

MADISON COUNTY April 10 Full Moon Ride, 7:30 p.m., Prairie Grass Trailhead, Madison County Senior Citizens Center, 280 W. High St., London. Visit fmcpt.com.

May 6 Missler-Rozanski Memorial 5K, 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Glacier Ridge Metro Park, 9801 Hyland-Croy Road, Plain City. Call 614-425-1156 or visit raceroster.com/events/2017/11234/ missler-rozanski-memorial-5k.

May 10 Full Moon Ride, 7:30 p.m., Prairie Grass Trailhead, Madison County Senior Citizens Center, 280 W. High St., London. Visit fmcpt.com.

Camping at it’s best in Southern Ohio!

Mineral Spring Lake Farm Resort 160 BLUEGILL ROAD, PEEBLES, OH 45660 T: 937-587-3132 • F: 937-587-6263

100 Acre Spring Fed Lake 2 Shelter Houses Modern Restrooms Showers Over 300 Camp Sites Fishing Swimming Laundry Fresh Water Jelly Fish

Canoeing Abundant Wildlife Hiking Trails Camp Store Cabin Rental Boat Rentals All Amenities

www.mineralspringslakefarmresort.com 40958251

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 29

Rare Plants

s a h p g o n h i s z z e u e f b f n o s r e f f New co e J West Family business offers fresh drinks, doughnuts

30 | Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017

By Erin Thompson Those who prefer the more caffeinated things in life have a new option for their coffee needs.

The Daily Buzz, at 62 E. Main St. in West Jefferson, opened its doors for the first time in February.

The new coffee shop offers different types of drinks, such as hot or iced coffees, lattes and macchiatos, as well as doughnuts, baked in-house.

Owner Stacy Trimmer describes her shop as a “small, family operation.”

Stacy makes all the coffees, while her two teenage daughters, Sierra and Jada, help man the register.

After 20 years in the dental insurance industry, Stacy said when the space next door to her husband’s barbershop, At The Buzzer, became available, she decided just to go for it.

“The people have always been great here,” said Rich, Stacy’s husband and owner of the barbershop.

It’s taken roughly six months to get the business off the ground.

Stacy got the keys to the unit in July and “totally gutted” the interior, a task she described as a “labor of love.”

The coffee beans are freshly roasted in Columbus and the doughnut choices are varied, from the classics, such as bismarks and long johns, to a bit more unique, such as maple bacon and cinnamon toast crunch.

Fully embracing the coffee-shop archetype, The Daily Buzz has comfortable seats, free Wi-Fi and mellow music.

Stacy, who has heard Madison County residents are known to go all the way to Galloway for a wellmade cup of coffee, hopes that people will try something a little closer to home.

“I want people to come hang out… it smells good in here, feels good… it’s a happy place,” she said.

Photos by Erin Thompson

Stacy Trimmer, right, smiles with husband Rich and daughter Sierra in their recently opened West Jefferson coffee shop, The Daily Buzz.

Stacey Trimmer whips up a fresh coffee in her new coffee shop, The Daily Buzz.

THE DAILY BUZZ 62 E. Main St., West Jefferson, OH 43162 614-917-8266 Open 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tuesdays through Fridays, and 7 a.m. until noon Saturdays

Salt | Southwest Ohio | March/April 2017 | 31

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