Life & Style Summer 2020

SUMMER 2020

Fertile FIELDS Unique farms dot the landscape of Southern Illinois

WE LIVE HERE

Flyway Family Farm is raising fungi … and a family

BUSINESS BUZZ

The mother-daughter duo behind Happy Hens Produce Life & Style : Xxxxxxxx 2020 1

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SUMMER 2020 Publisher Terra Kerkemeyer Executive Editor Tom English Art Director/Editor Alee Quick Design April Burford Diane Cunningham Jennifer Frencl Contributors Nellie Baril Amy Bertrand Niki Davis Leanne Italie Karina Neill Les O’Dell Daniel Neman Molly Parker Rosslind Rice Angela Rowe Isaac Smith Les Winkeler Photography Byron Hetzler Distribution Shad Hicks Advertising Sales Emily Blakely

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Life & Style in Southern Illinois is a publication of The Southern Illinoisan. Contact us at 710 N. Illinois Ave., Carbondale, IL 62901, or at P.O. Box 2108, Carbondale, IL 62902. Reach us on the Internet at www.

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Shawnee Health Service

(618) 519-9200

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CONTENTS

Summer 2020

22

Cultivating community How the U of I Extension supports small farms in Southern Illinois

SUMMER 2020

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Staying In

How one Golconda farm has adjusted to the pandemic

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In Our Backyard

New species are making their way into our region

features

8 SOCIAL SEEN

42 GOOD EATS

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Snapshots from prepandemic social events

21 QUESTIONS

Get to know SIU President Daniel Mahony

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Specialty crops are everywhere in Southern Illinois

WE LIVE HERE

Hatfields live and work on unique family farm

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Business Buzz

Meet the mother and daughter behind Happy Hens Produce

more inside 18 at home 32 scenic beauty 60 cheers 64 medical profile 66 parting shot

Fertile FIELDS

Unique farms dot the landscape of Southern Illinois

WE LIVE HERE

Flyway Family Farm is raising fungi … and a family

BUSINESS BUZZ

The mother-daughter duo behind Happy Hens Produce Life & Style : Xxxxxxxx 2020 1

cover photo In this issue, we look at some of the unique farms that punctuate the Shawnee hills of Southern Illinois. On the cover, a wheat field in Vergennes is pictured on an overcast late spring day.

Cover photo by Byron Hetzler.

FROM THE EDITOR

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Homegrown hope IN A WEARY WORLD

’ll do my best to avoid the tired pandemicrelated cliches we’re all sick of hearing, but since this magazine was produced in unusual circumstances, I think a small note of introduction is in order.

Life & Style in Southern Illinois is a magazine that celebrates all the bright spots of life here in this corner of the Midwest.

That, of course, won’t change. No matter what darkness may hang over us, there are always people helping their neighbors, creating art and beauty, doing what they love, celebrating achievements and milestones, and not only surviving, but also living well.

In this issue, we’re celebrating the small, unique farms that form the patchwork of the diverse agriculture of our region. We only have the space

to feature a few, but we know there are an endless amount of independent, talented farmers growing sustenance and beauty all across our area.

The pandemic uprooted life for all of us in ways large and small.

For the magazine’s editorial team, restrictions on gathering together meant adjusting to working from home, and it meant changing some of our best-laid plans.

We’ve been inspired by the stories in this magazine about how farmers and agricultural experts have adjusted on the fly to the way our world so rapidly changed in these last few months.

Our cover story, about how the University of Illinois Extension supports small farms from hobby gardeners to those who make their living from the land, shows the ingenuity of the people who are tasked with teaching. They used webinars and virtual

events to keep farms flourishing.

The story about how the Ryder Family Farm is bringing a farm experience to people’s homes is as hilarious as it is brilliant. And, the Hatfield family’s home-on-the-farm lifestyle is sort of perfect for a stay-at-home story (although I’m sad the writer didn’t get to visit the farm).

A popular feature in this magazine for years, Social Seen, shows snapshots of who’s out and about at popular functions like galas, banquets and parties. By March, most of the events we would have photographed for that series were canceled. So, you’ll see fewer Social Seens in this issue — but you’ll see one special spread dedicated to the new No. 1 fashion accessory of the summer: the mask.

We’re not sure what the rest of the summer will bring, but we’ll be back in the fall to continue to celebrate the life and style of Southern Illinois.

Alee Quick Magazine editor

Life & Style : Summer 2020

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SOCIAL SEEN

Mask Committee: Keep Calm and Sew STORY BY KARINA NEILL

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n March 20, I made a mask for my husband, who is a health care worker, because there was a shortage of personal protective equipment, or PPE, at his workplace. Then, I made more masks for my elderly neighbors, elderly local people and local friends, as well as friends from New York and Florida. I was using leftover fabric I had in my workshop — holidays patterns like Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Fourth of July.

I was running out of material and then Calico Country Sew store in Carbondale started donating fabric. I picked up some yards, and I was able to make masks for the police officers from Carterville.

But, that was it: I ran out of material, and Amazon wasn’t shipping until May. As soon as I announced on my Facebook page that I had run out of material, people started donating fabric, metal wire, machine needles and threads. With that donation, I was able to keep making more masks to donate, and I completed a group of masks for Herrin police officers.

WANT MORE? Go to LifeandStyleSI.com or Facebook.com/LifeandStyleSI for more social seen photos.

Then, Dr. Amanda Brazis Cook from Southern Illinois Healthcare approached me asking if I can reuse operating room drapes to make masks. She brought the material to my house, and at that point, I realized I needed extra hands to mass produce masks for area health care workers.

I asked the president of Carterville Rotary Club to help me find ladies who know how to sew, and Mary Slider and Louise Humble joined the effort. I also asked the president of my Woman’s Club in Herrin, and she was able to help me find three more ladies: Patty Cox, Carla Shasteen and Tienne Kollar, all of Herrin.

Another doctor joined the team: Dr. Danielle

Tomevi brought material and also found a lady to help us, Dorene from Murphysboro.

And that is how the mask committee was formed.

We named it “Mask Committee: Keep Calm and Sew.” After that, Joni, a nurse at Herrin Hospital, joined the committee, too, then Mary Russell, one of the managers from Dillards, Nancy, one of my neighbors, and Mirna from Murphysboro.

We have been sewing our hearts out since March.

April was the busiest month for us. We have made hundreds of masks to donate.

Then, we had a request of a new pattern and we had to divide the committee in two to work the requested pattern. Dr. Sara Altamimi provided us with more OR drapes to use, and we have been working making two different masks for area health care workers.

Ninety-five percent of the masks have been donated to SIH, and 5% to community members and police officers. We have received several selfies of health care workers wearing the masks in different departments. It really made us happy that we can give back and help the community in time of need.

FINANCIAL NETWORK

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Together we’ll go far

Call for a complimentary portfolio consultation.

Tison Wealth Management Michael Tison Senior Financial Advisor 37 South Main Street Harrisburg, IL 62946 Direct: (618) 253-4444 michael.tison@wfafinet.com www.tisonwealthmanagement.com

David Fry Financial Advisor 700 East DeYoung Street Marion, IL 62959 (618) 993-3513 David.Fry@wfafinet.com

Investment and Insurance Products: ▶NOT FDIC Insured ▶NO Bank Guarantee ▶MAY Lose Value Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2016 Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

Tison Wealth Management is a separate entity from WFAFN.

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1. Dr. Amanda Brazis Cook of Marion 2. Dr. Daniele Tomevi of Carbondale 3. Karina Neill of Carterville 4. Ryan Hudson and Gabe Ridings of Herrin Police Department 5. Dr. Sarah Altamimi of Carterville 6. Tienne Kollar of Herrin 7. Mary Russell of Marion 8. Louise Humble of Carterville Rotary Club 9. Patty Cox of Herrin 10. Carla Shasteen of Herrin 11. Mary Slider of Carterville 12. Nancy Smitch 13. Angelo Hightower of Carterville Police Department

Life & Style : Summer 2020 9

SOCIAL SEEN

Good Neighbor Award Reception

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SIU Public Broadcasting in 2019 started the One Region, All Neighbors campaign, inspired by the life and legacy of Fred Rogers of “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

The campaign encourages community members to nominate their neighbors who are making positive contributions through kindness, compassion and service for a Good Neighbor Award.

Winners are chosen in five categories: individual, youth, educator, community group and business. Winners are recognized on WSIU’s TV and radio stations, website and social media, and are invited to an awards ceremony.

The Good Neighbor Award Reception to recognize 2019’s award winners was held Feb. 9, 2020 in the Southern Illinois University Student Center. The campaign continues through 2020. To nominate a neighbor, visit wsiu.org/neighbor.

PHOTOS BY KARINA NEILL PHOTOGRAPHY 1. Karen Hartlieb, Robin Haller and Carol Burns, all of Carbondale, Susie Phillips of Murphysboro, Andrea Brown of Marion and Susan Tulis of Carbondale 2. Brian Flath of Carterville, Susan Coloni of Marion, Jennifer Fuller of Carterville and Susan Tulis of Carbondale 3. Abby Asher of Murphysboro, Benjy Jeffords of Carbondale, Zac Wright of Ivesdale, Illinois, Mark St. George of Carbondale, Darryl Moses of Herrin and Jordan Spudville of Newburn, Tennessee 4. Members of Shawnee Quilters, which won a Good Neighbor Award: Ann Collins of Creal Springs, Vickie J. Parry of Du Quoin, Judith Fosse of Marion, Barb Griffin of Murphysboro and Linda Woodard of Marion 5. Angie Hampton and Bryce Hampton of Eldorado 6. Jak Tichenor of Carbondale 7. Good Neighbor Award-winner Scott Martin of Murphysboro

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www.karinaneillphotography.com 346-291-8031 9

info@karinaneillphotography.com

11 8. Members of Carterville High School Interact Club, which won a Good Neighbor Award: Mackenzie Riedy, Charlie Hagan, Mallory Martin, Julia Stroud, Ben Haake and Graham Dynis, all of Carterville 9. Members of the Oak Street Art Group, which won a Good Neighbor Award: Kathy Smitch, Rachael Ensor, Shirley Krienert, Ann Fischer, Stephanie Dillard, Sue Ginglesparger and Luca Cruzat 10. Good Neighbor Award-winner Tom Harness of Carterville 11. Good Neighbor Award-winner Harriet Simon of Carbondale 12. Joe Lerner, Meadow Lerner, Preston Lerner and Leah Lerner, all of Herrin 13. Yael Beck and Good Neighbor Awardwinner Aur Beck, both of Carbondale 14. Good Neighbor Award-winner Karina Neill

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WANT MORE? Go to LifeandStyleSI. com or Facebook.com/ LifeandStyleSI for more social seen photos.

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Studio is located at: 3 South Avenue, Suite B, Herrin, IL 62948

SOCIAL SEEN

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Youth of the Year

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he Boys and Girls Club of Southern Illinois hosted its fifth annual Youth of the Year Competition on Jan. 23 in the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Student Center. Four youth competed for Senior Youth of the Year, and four competed for Junior Youth of the Year. Senior Youth of the Year Winner Erica Hines won a college scholarship, and went on to the statewide competition, which was held in a virtual format April 22.

At the January event, guests dined and finalists gave speeches incorporating the themes of three essays the wrote as part of the competition: My Club Experience, What Matters to Me, and Overcoming Obstacles. Judges asked each candidate two questions and two three-judge panels selected the winners. BGSI alumna Naomi Tolbert spoke.

Hines and Junior Youth of the Year William Toliver are 2020’s BGSI ambassadors.

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PHOTOS BY KARINA NEILL PHOTOGRAPHY 5 1. Ahvineal Turman, Trinitey Thompson, Baron Faulkner, Erica Hines and Miles Showalter, all of Carbondale 2. William Toliver of Carbondale, Junior Youth of the Year winner 3. Tayvonne Landry of Carbondale 4. Cristina Castillo of Marion 5. Kurt Ford of Carbondale, Monique House of Murphysbooro and Diane Hood of Carbondale 6. Robin Freeman, Leo Hughes and Lee Hughes of Murphysboro 7. Ron Darnell, John Cherry and Patti Cuendent, all of Carbondale 8. Randy Osborn and Corrine and Milton McDaniel, all of Carbondale

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9. Elin Kensler, Finley Kensler, Brook Kensler, Robyn Davis and Heather Melton, all of Carbondale 10. Beyonce Higgins, Angienette McCrite, Peyton Shadowens, Maria Columbo, Zach Shadowens and Nathan Columbo, all of Carbondale, Javareus Briggs of Atlanta, Georgia, and Sheila Brown of Carbondale 11. Evie and Matt Barton of Marion, Vernon Cooper of Carbondale, Cristina Castillo of Marion, and Charlie and Naomi Chrisham of Murphysboro 12. Tina Carpernter of Carbondale, Joni and John Barwick of Marion, and Toni and Thomas Perkins of Carbondale 13. Mandy Mckee of De Soto, Erick Berrey of Carbondale and April Ruebke 14. Gregory Kupiec of Murphysboro, Amy McMorrow Hunter of Carbondale, Aur Beck from Carbondale, and Bryan Soady and Donna Reeves of Springfield.

15. Trinitey Thompson and her mother, Amanda McDaniel, and sisters, Noel McDaniel and Tamia Thompson; Miles Showalter and his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Showalter, all of Carbondale 16. Tanasha Rodgers of Carterville, Marcia and Jim Sinnott of Carbondale, Patricia Barthlomew of Carbondale, Jim Steinbach of Carbondale and Liz Hunter of Carbondale 17. Mel Watkin of Coben, Dezaray Nix of Carbondale, Don Romano of Marion, Corrine Nix of Carbondale, Becky Bruce of Carbondale and Paris Nix of Carbondale 18. Mandy Mckee, Jenna Jamison, Melanie Nelson, Erik Berrey and Ryan Thomas, all of Carbondale, and Amy MacMorrow Hunter of Makanda 19. Carla Childs and Mathew Wilson of Carbondale 20. Amy Spiller and Dalton Spiller of Marion 21. Jessica Sergeev and Melanie Nelson, both of Carbondale

Life & Style : Summer 2020 13

SOCIAL SEEN

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Carbondale NAACP 2020 MLK Breakfast

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he Carbondale NAACP hosted the 2020 Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 20, in the Southern Illinois University Carbondale Student Center.

The event’s theme this year was “Census 2020: Why Should My Family Be Counted?” Breakfast was followed by a program, which included a presentation of winners of the 2020 King Essay Contest, and a keynote address by Anna Jackson, a retired senior lecturer in English at SIU Carbondale.

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PHOTOS BY OLUWATOBI ELUGBADEBO

1. Sharon Simon of Carbondale and Faith Miller of Carbondale 2. Anna Jackson of Carbondale 3. Joshua Dawson, Sharon Simon, Anna Jackson and Faith Miller, all of Carbondale 4. Hope Logwood of Carbondale 5. Elder Marilyn James of Carbondale 6. Dr. Linda Flowers of Carbondale, Elder Marilyn James of Carbondale, Lolita L. Mack of Marion and Hellena L. Shorty of Carbondale 7. Prentice Bonner of Carbondale, DeAndre James of Chicago, Christopher Gillespie of Chicago, Kenya Walker of Carbondale, Matthew Wilson of Carbondale and Eyaan Mahone of Carbondale 8. Matthew Wilson and Logan Gay, both of Carbondale 9. Hellena L. Shorty of Carbondale 10. Kristen Matthews, Kenya Walker and Stacye Saunders, all of Carbondale 11. Brittany Jacob, Lori Krenshaw Bryant, Kenya Walker, Kristen Matthews and Stacye Saunders, all of Carbondale 12. Dora Micki Weaver, Pat Mayberry, Annie Ampy and Sharon Simon, all of Carbondale

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Marion Chamber of Commerce Banquet

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he Marion Chamber of Commerce held its annual awards banquet on Jan. 17, 2020. The celebration was the formal kick-off event for the chamber’s centennial.

The event was held at The Pavilion in Marion. Dinner, prepared by Great Boars of Fire, was a recreation of the Dec. 22, 1920 Marion Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner. Awards were given to businesses and individuals for their contributions to the community. A silent auction and wine and spirit pull benefitted the Marion Chamber Foundation, which provides scholarships to local students.

PHOTOS BY JIM SARGENT

1. Sgt. 1st Class Beav Detrick of Marion and Sgt. Joel Martin of DuQuoin 2. Gail Barger of Marion, Edward C. Spresser of Rising Sun and Deborah Hogg of Stonefort 3. Janet Jensen and Emma Garrison, both of Marion 4. Toni and Tommy Perkins of Marion 5. Kevin and Jennifer Frost of Herrin 6. Melissa Smith 7. Jon and Kendra Wofford of Marion 8. Kelly and John Caudill of Carterville; Aur Beck Adam Loo sand Claire Hughes, all of Carbondale 9. Tracey Clark, Tammy Grant Judy Lemmon and Hayden Gardiner, all of Marion 10. Denise Stoecklin of Marion

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AT HOME

Many better lines of outdoor furniture feature cushions that are mesh bottom and manufactured to drain the rainwater quickly.

OUTDOOR

SANCTUARIES How to make your backyard your happy place

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by ANGELA ROWE of DECORATING DEN INTERIORS oday’s homes have as much thought and style brought to the outdoor areas as to their interiors. Patios, porches, and sunrooms all offer homeowners a peaceful sanctuary as a prescription for their stressful lives.

Creating your perfect outdoor space will be the result of the successful combination of many design elements: landscaping, stonework, carpentry, furnishings, lighting and accessories. Careful preplanning will be the key to the creation of your personal sanctuary, so begin with creating your personal wish list.

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Angela Rowe

A space in direct sunlight may incorporate design elements to provide some shade.

Patios, porches, and sunrooms all offer homeowners a peaceful sanctuary.

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WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHOP! www.neighborhood.coop

Neighborhood Co-op Grocery 1815 West Main St, Carbondale 618.529.3533 Open Daily 7am-10pm Spaces made for outdoor entertaining may incorporate a variety of features, including a TV or a table perfect for board games or sharing outdoor meals.

Life & Style : Summer 2020

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& DEBIT DAWG!

AT HOME

In a sunroom, the furniture only needs to be sun and fade resistant.

ABOVE: One thing to consider when designing your outdoor space: Are you working around a swimming pool? RIGHT: Comfortable furniture should be the most important element in your design.

Start your plan with a few simple questions: Do you plan to frequently entertain outdoors?

Do you spend time outdoors in the evenings simply relaxing? Is outdoor grilling a year-round requirement for you? Do you enjoy planning simple family meals outdoors? Are you working around a swimming pool? Do you prefer lots of shade or direct sun exposure? Do you want a TV as part of the design? All of these questions will be the starting point of your design.

Next on the wish list will be comfortable furniture. This should be the most important element in your design. Many outdoor furnishings have been manufactured to withstand all that Mother Nature can bestow. The age of folding, vinyl 20 Life & Style : Summer 2020

strapped furniture is definitely now obsolete. Many furniture pieces of today look identical to indoor furniture but have been constructed and designed to stand up to all the outdoor elements. Just as with interior furniture, outdoor furniture comes in many levels of quality.

In a sunroom, the furniture only needs to be sun and fade resistant. If, on the other hand, you are planning a patio with little to no cover, you will need outdoor furniture tailored to harsh sun, wind, and other outdoor elements. Manufactures have

categories such as “Outdoor Limited Exposure” and “Outdoor Weatherproof.”

Many better lines of outdoor furniture feature cushions that are mesh bottom and manufactured to drain the rainwater quickly. The biggest name in outdoor fabrics today is Sunbrella. This company’s collection of fabrics is colorful, design-oriented, and totally durable. Sunbrella features gorgeous fabrics manufactured to resist fading from ultraviolet rays, mildewing from damp conditions, and odor absorption. It is just the ultimate outdoor upholstery

or drapery fabric that will be used and enjoyed by your family for years.

Also, on the wish list needs to be lighting. Be sure to incorporate various types of lighting in your outdoor space design, just as you would inside your home. Landscape lighting, overhead lighting, ceiling fans, sconces, and decorative side table lighting are all great ideas. Develop a creative lighting plan to help you create a space with increased ambiance and functionality.

So, after your wish list is complete, it is time to combine all the elements to create your outdoor dream area. Taking time to plan and making an investment in design will make your outdoor personal sanctuary truly your own.

ANGELA ROWE, DDCD is owner and interior designer of Decorating Den Interiors.

EDITOR’S NOTE: AT HOME is a series of articles including current trends in interior decorating and design. All content is provided courtesy of Angela Rowe, DDCD, owner and interior designer of Decorating Den Interiors.

Be sure to incorporate various types of lighting in your outdoor space design, just as you would inside your home.

Life & Style : Summer 2020

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ON THE COVER

COURTESY HEATHER WILLIS The Harrison Bruce Historical Village, located on the campus of John A. Logan College in Carterville, features many native plants. Local master gardener volunteers help care for the gardens.

small SUPPORTING

farms How the University of Illinois Extension cultivates local ag

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by NELLIE BARIL

he University of Illinois Extension is a familiar agency in our community, and the signs for field offices can be seen throughout Southern Illinois. But a look into what this incredible organization encompasses shows the importance of the Extension in our community’s health, happiness and success.

With outreach services provided to all counties in the state of Illinois, the Extension is crucial to a 22 Life & Style : Summer 2020

substantial group of Illinois residents with 4-H youth development, agriculture and natural Resources, community and economic development, and family and consumer services.

The five main areas of the Extension and its educational programs cover energy and environmental stewardship, youth development, family health and financial security, economic development, and food safety and security.

While the Extension offers in-person workshops, field days and lectures, the organization also has

online, self-paced programs with webinar series on a multitude of topics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this platform has been especially helpful to the community, offering online versions of regularly scheduled, annual courses, as well as new information specific to the pandemic.

Rather than canceling workshops related to relevant topics like gardening and landscaping, the Extension has implemented the use of Zoom technology to share information with a community that may be looking for assistance or distraction during a difficult time.

The research-based programs, brought to Illinoisans by educated and experienced specialists, reach a wide and varied audience, from commercial farmers wanting to expand their operations to families looking to grow their own tomatoes.

Maggie Ray, who has worked as a local foods and small farm extension program coordinator since 2015, operates out of the Murphysboro field office to

The Harrison Bruce Historical Village, located on the campus of John A. Logan College in Carterville, features many native plants. Local master gardener volunteers help care for the gardens.

PHOTOS COURTESY MAGGIE RAY‌AND HEATHER WILLIS‌

Horticulture educator Austin Little shows how to collect seeds from native plants. Little, along with local foods and small farms educator Katie Bell, offered a six-part beginning gardener webinar series this spring.

ABOVE: Local foods and small farms educator Katie Bell showcases her tomato trial at the Jackson County U of I Extension office in Murphysboro. Bell, along with horticulture educator Austin Little, offered a six-part beginning gardener webinar series this spring.

LEFT: Local beekeepers Jess Will and Kenny Fisher discuss the basics of beekeeping during an event hosted by University of Illinois Extension.

Life & Style : Summer 2020 23

ON THE COVER

create and schedule programming on topics such as composting, native plants, beekeeping, and goat and sheep parasites.

By locating educators and connecting them with residents of Southern Illinois, Ray helps to provide information on topics related to growers and their small farm operations, as well as hobby gardeners and individuals looking to improve the appearance of their properties.

For instance, the goat and sheep parasite management workshop, which is free to the community — like all programs at the Extension — aids producers in conquering some of the most challenging aspects of small farm operations. With a focus on scientific topics such as parasite life cycles and nutritional interactions, the Extension does the challenging work of researching these advanced areas of farming, then relays that information to small farm owners in a way they can apply it to their practices.

“I think Extension is important in agriculture going back to how Extension started — getting that science-based information back into the community,” Ray said.

Growing up on a farm in rural Illinois, Ray understands the importance of creating programs on a variety of topics that will benefit farmers and gardeners. She is passionate about advancing relevant topics that are of interest to her as an 24 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Local foods and smalls farms educator Nathan Johanning showcases the research plots at the Jackson County U of I Extension office during a summer twilight meeting. Johanning presented on asparagus production and marketing during the small farms winter webinar series.

Extension coordinator, such as weather pattern programs and fruit and vegetable canning, as well as working at the Murphysboro field office to research information on upcoming workshops.

The Murphysboro location is home to a high tunnel, unheated greenhouse, which Ray manages.

It provides space for research that can be shared during programs on gardening and small vegetable farms.

“We’re lucky that we have a large property where we can grow things and have different vegetable trials,” Ray said.

Zachary Grant, a local food systems and small farms extension educator in Cook County, works with small-scale farms to educate growers on all aspects of production and commerce. Small farms, which can range in size from several hundred square feet to 2 acres, veer away from a focus on major commodity crops like corn and soybeans and are a continually evolving component of the agriculture world.

With more than 20 years of experience focused on small farms research, Grant works to provide information on emerging trends such as micro greens, urban agriculture, and ginger and turmeric growing to keep programming relevant. His education and experience, both professionally and personally, provide a wealth of knowledge to the

PHOTOS COURTESY HEATHER WILLIS AND BRANDI SWISHER

Master gardener Terry Foster showcases a prairie that master gardener volunteers are helping to restore at the Harrison Bruce Historical Village at John A. Logan College in Carterville.

Commercial agriculture extension educator Teresa Steckler discusses parasites commonly found in goats and sheep while participants get a closer look through the microscope.

PANDEMIC RESOURCES

Commercial agriculture extension educator Phillip Alberti presents on the cultivation, distribution and processing of hemp for fiber, grain and cannabidiol (CBD).

“We attempt to be the intermediaries between research-based information and the growers who need it.”

— Zachary Grant, local food systems and small farms educator, University of Illinois Extension small farms of Illinois.

“A good percentage of our Extension staff either have in the past or are currently practicing the skill sets that they teach about. We attempt to be the intermediaries between research-based information and the growers who need it.” Grant said.

One of the annual events that Grant heads is the Small Farms Winter Webinar Series. Presented live in webinar format on Zoom, the series is held in the colder months at a time before the growing community gets busy in the spring. Teaching general skills on topics ranging from healthy soil and drip irrigation systems to digital marketing and purchasing hay, the series prepares small farm growers with the tools to succeed each year and provides that information digitally.

Although the University of Illinois Extension, an agency with agriculture at its core, is well-known for

its in-person programming and hands-on learning, Grant realizes the importance of offering digital, continuously available information, especially with the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on group gatherings.

Katie Bell, who recently joined the University of Illinois Extension as a local foods and small farms extension educator, is another staff member with a background in agriculture, and she parlays her childhood experience into her work with the community.

“I grew up on a small livestock farm in central Illinois. We raised sheep and goats, had a few cows.

My grandmother always had a garden, so I’ve been in the agriculture scene my whole life,” Bell said.

Bell recently teamed up with Extension horticulturist Austin Little to create a webinar series titled Gardening 101. The free, six-part series aired

Through a special addition to its website, the University of Illinois Extension has provided helpful information on several topics to offer assistance to residents of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As is the norm with the Extension, these resources cover a wide range of issues including cooking and food storage tips, the importance of self-care and mental health awareness, and even pet care while under quarantine. The list of articles includes subjects related to budgeting problems, grant and loan programs, and health insurance worries, while also linking to websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association.

A full list of the Extension’s upcoming live and recorded past webinars is also provided, for those interested in learning a new skill or gaining knowledge on self-help topics for health, happiness and exploration of new hobbies. Please visit the University of Illinois Extension’s website for more information and to explore these subjects: extension.illinois.edu/global/ resources-responding-covid-19

Life & Style : Summer 2020 25

ON THE COVER

“ ... we want people to have access to healthy food and know where their food comes from.”

— Katie Bell, local foods and small farms

two evenings per week throughout the month of April and touched on topics including site selection, soil, plant selection, plant nutrition, succession and companion planting, and harvesting. For those interested, the webinar series is also available to view at any time on the Extension’s YouTube channel. An already popular topic for many residents of Southern Illinois, the Gardening 101 webinar is especially helpful at a time when many residents are at home more than usual and looking for outdoor projects.

Through her work at the Extension, Bell not only helps create relevant programming for Southern Illinois, but also performs practical research that can be conveyed to registrants during workshops.

For example, through her recent work with tomato trials, Bell worked to explore techniques that benefit growers working on small-scale farms that may sell at local farmers markets or growers operating on a larger scale.

“We take information on complicated and complex subjects and we try to bring it to a level that everyone can understand, because we want people to have access to healthy food and know where their food comes from,” Bell said.

Another esteemed educator with the Extension is Chris Evans, forestry and Extension research

26

Life & Style : Summer 2020

Local foods and small farms educator Katie Bell showcases her tomato trial at the Jackson County U of I Extension office in Murphysboro. Bell, along with horticulture educator Austin Little, offered a six-part beginning gardener webinar series this spring.

specialist, who operates out of the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center in Pope County. A lifelong enthusiast of all things outdoors with an education in wildlife and forestry, Evans covers several topics in his research and workshops.

“I’m a split position between Extension and research. On the Extension side of things, my job is to work with private land owners, agencies and organizations and help them with forestry and natural resource-related topics and education in those areas,” Evans said.

The three major areas in which Evans specializes are forest health, with a focus on invasive plants, insects and diseases; forest management, including instruction on thinning forests and adding prescribed

fire; and agroforestry, with work integrating trees and forestry with agriculture.

Agroforestry, like all other areas of the Extension’s outreach, is backed by research to allow Evans to competently assist the farming community in new ventures. With demonstration units at his office location, Evans has been able to research important topics like alley cropping, which is integrating row crops in the same acreage as existing tree crops. His work with invasive species control has aided in the fight against the emerald ash borer and other pests that threaten trees. And, by assisting agencies such as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources with prescribed fire and management techniques, Evans helps keep

PHOTOS COURTESY HEATHER WILLIS, MAGGIE RAY, CHRIS EVANS

educator, University of Illinois Extension

Chris Evans, Extension forester and Kevin Rohling, Extension and natural resources and environmental sciences forestry research technician, show participants tools that can be used to manage invasive species in the home landscape.

the forests healthy and productive.

“The way I design my research, I want it to be very applied and it feed right into my Extension activities.

Anything we try to do research-wise, we try to bring into programming,” Evans said.

Perhaps one of the most popular workshops that Evans teaches is the maple syrup course that takes place the first Saturday of February each year. A program designed to give participants the technique and information needed to produce maple syrup on their own, Evans is a perfect fit as the educator on board, with his forestry expertise and several years experience making maple syrup at home with

Extension forester Chris Evans leads the popular maple syrup workshop.

his family. After a presentation and overview of the process, Evans spends the remainder of the program looking at trees, tapping trees, and exploring different systems used to get the sap out and boil it down.

“I like working with people. And I think that’s what drew me to Extension, is it really places an emphasis on science-based information and getting that good, sound technical knowledge to the public,” Evans said.

The educators and program coordinators at the University of Illinois Extension work together across the entire state and beyond to bring research-based information to residents of Illinois. Large-scale farmers, small-operation growers, gardeners, and people new to the world of agriculture and horticulture can trust the practical knowledge provided by the Extension to improve their business

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ventures and hobbies. The outreach that the Extension offers continues to improve and strengthen our communities during these unprecedented times, and will remain a trusted resource well into the future.

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION extension.illinois.edu On Facebook: @UIExtension On Instagram: @ilextension

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Life & Style : Summer 2020 27

STAYING IN

Through video conferencing, Ryders bring the farm to you

by MOLLY PARKER The days sure were dragging on. I don’t know about you, but in our household, we were constantly looking for interesting ways to break up our sheltered routine during the stay-at-home order. We went kayaking, played checkers, chopped a stump in the backyard, organized our sock drawers, cleaned light switches.

But turns out, there was an important thing missing from our lives: a Zoom meeting with a goat.

Well, not anymore.

Early in April, The Southern received an unexpected press release from the Ryder Family Farm in Golconda. It was announcing a new business service: for a fee, they’ll contribute a goat or other farm animal to your next business or family virtual meeting. (Cue the jokes about how your family or job is already a circus).

Our editor, Alee Quick, forwarded it to the reporters with this note: “I ... I don’t know. Could be ... fun? Remember fun?”

Receiving this caused me to have an odd reaction.

My belly shook a little. My facial muscles contracted.

A very strange noise emitted from my mouth — a rapid-fire emission of hard, vowel-like sounds.

I gasped for air, tears formed in my eyes and A goat from the Ryder Family my face turned red. My husband asked what Farm in Golconda was wrong. I showed him the release, and he joins a virtual started to have a similar reaction. Oh God — I meeting. thought — it was spreading. I logged onto WebMD to try to figure out what was happening to us.

Turns out, we were having a fit of laughter. Which is scientifically contagious, but also healthy for the body and mind — so long as it’s not in excessive quantities or at inappropriate times. It made us feel light and silly, and I started to have a sense of deja vu.

Yeah, I think I’ve felt this way before … or have I? Needing to further research this phenomenon, we decided to schedule a Zoom call with a goat and surprise his sisters and our niece and nephew. We set it up for 6 p.m. May 11, and everyone logged on for what they thought would be a little virtual family get-together.

When that goat’s head popped into one of the little squares on the computer next to my sister-in-laws’, it happened again. The laughter. It was the best thing ever. I don’t even know why. I guess because a goat shouldn’t be on a Zoom call. It was absurd, and hilarious. And the goat didn’t even really have that much to say.

We hung out with Heath — that’s Heath, like the candy bar — for about 20 minutes. He had beautiful curly horns. Though a little bashful, he went “baah baah” at least twice, much to our delight. Searching for common ground, my husband complimented Heath’s goatee, and asked if he had any tips for managing his own.

His owner, Nathan Ryder, was also pretty cool. He 28

Life & Style : Summer 2020

GOAT PHOTO PROVIDED BY RYDER FAMILY FARM; OTHER PHOTOS SCREENSHOTS

Heath, a goat of Golconda, gives us the side eye on a family Zoom call.

educated us on goat rearing, and entertained all of our deeply intellectual questions, such as: Is this goat a GOAT (the Greatest of All Time) or just a regular goat?

After the call, I followed up with Nathan and his wife, Talina, for an interview. They are truly a fascinating Southern Illinois family. Their story is one that warmed Nathan my heart in so many ways. They got Ryder from into farming despite having zero Ryder Family Farm family background in the trade. And near Golconda joins our family Zoom with the emphasis so often on all call with a goat, the people who are moving out of Heath.

Illinois — especially the southernmost region — I love that they are among this undiscovered cohort of people quietly moving in. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, they have found that Southern Illinois has a fountain of good to offer a family looking to get back to the basics.

The Ryders have been on their 10-acre “forever” farm in Pope County, roughly 2 miles north of Golconda on Route 146, for the past three years. In addition to Nathan, Talina and their three children, there you will find goats, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, guinea hens and rabbits.

Their vegetable garden consists of pretty much any type of produce you can grow in Southern Life & Style : Summer 2020

29

STAYING IN

Grayson Ryder, 6, shows off a kohlrabi at his family’s farm in Golconda.

Illinois, from A-to-Z — asparagus to zucchini, that is.

They’ve also started growing berries and are planning an apple orchard.

“Down here, they call us ‘Old MacDonald,’” Nathan said.

E-I-E-I-O, though I don’t recall the verse about Old MacDonald hosting “goat yoga.”

How does a couple from Arizona end up in a middle-of-nowhere town on the Ohio River?

“We left corporate jobs to follow our crazy farm dream,” Talina said.

Nathan is a former television news anchor and Talina worked in the corporate hospitality industry and is a trained choreographer. They moved to the Midwest in 2009, from their last station in Flagstaff to Evansville, Indiana, where Nathan had landed a job.

Expecting their first child, Talina said she desired trying to grow their own food, though it wasn’t something they had done before.

“We were like, ‘Hey, let’s grow a garden and get 30 chickens,” she said, “and it kind of …”

“Snowballed,” Nathan said, finishing her sentence.

“Chickens are a gateway drug,” Talina confessed.

“A year in we had totally filled in a postage-stamp backyard with turkeys, and chickens and food.”

To put it mildly, some of the other members of their homeowners’ association weren’t sure this was a good fit for their neighborhood. That’s when they went looking for farmland in Southern Indiana, and instead found an opportunity in Pope County to take up residence on an established farm and learn the ropes. “And it was a struggle, and we were broke, and we made mistakes,” she said. “We did that for three years, while we were learning if we could sink or swim. Then, we found this land.”

In a non-COVID-19 world, their farm is open for tours, allowing people to come and mix and mingle with the goats and other farm animals. They sell goat-milk soap and vegetables at farmers’ markets, or directly from the farm, in addition to mums and pumpkins in the fall. The farm mostly supports the Ryder family, though Nathan also teaches agriculture at Vienna Correctional Center.

The pandemic changed their business operation.

People couldn’t visit and Adalyn Ryder, 8, is pictured with some farmers’ markets Tom the Turkey were put on hold.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY RYDER FAMILY FARM

on the Ryder Family Farm near Golconda.

30 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Talina Ryder and her daughter, Everly Ryder, 10, on their family farm in Golconda.

Emily Melvin and her daughter, Jayne, meet Heath the goat.

That means no goat yoga — where baby goats pop up onto your back as you sink into a cow pose. (Seriously!

Google it.) Though, on a bright note, more people are participating in the Community Supported Agriculture program, through which people essentially purchase a share of a farm in exchange for weekly deliveries of in-season produce.

But the pandemic has forced them to think creatively about ways to sustain their farm. They also wanted to offer a service to help people through these uncertain days by virtually connecting with their animals. “Now, we’ve got all these goat babies on the ground and we can’t do events. So we thought, would it be crazy to do a meeting?” she said.

Yes, crazy. But also a ton of fun. While our call was humorous, we also found it educational. I knew next to nothing about goats. Talking to the Ryders, I learned that the males are bucks and the females are does — just like with deer. The babies are kids — just like with people. It’s a misnomer that goats will eat anything. Grass is their favorite meal. I also learned that some goats are jerks. But not Heath.

Kate and Danny

But even Heath has his limits for Heath, who is 3, is a certified Alpine Kupferer meet Zoom calls. dairy goat, and the herd sire for all fullHeath the goat on our family Zoom At one point, he turned around size goats on the Ryder farm. An Alpine call. and stuck his arse into the camera. goat can produce up to a gallon of milk Bold move, Heath. … Try getting away a day.

I will say, Heath is quite handsome (but with that at your next virtual business or seriously, I haven’t been out much). family meeting.

For more information about the Ryder Family “He has a look to him, that’s for sure,” Nathan Farm, contact them at 618-615-0063, email said. The Ryders said that some of the bucks are so nryder98@gmail.com or learn about them online at aggressive that they need tennis balls on their horns. www.RyderFamilyFarm.com.

Not Heath. “He’s just a lover,” Talina said.

Life & Style : Summer 2020

31

SCENIC BEAUTY

WINKELER’S

Wings AND

Wildlife

Les Winkeler, the former sports editor for The Southern Illinoisan, after his retirement launched Winkeler’s Wings and Wildlife, in which he leads wildlife tours in Southern Illinois.

Newspaper veteran turns hobby into new business venture

A

by LES WINKELER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LES WINKELER

Great blue heron

s my car idles along Haulage Road at Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area, it’s impossible not to notice a flash of brown outside the driver’s window.

Without thinking, my right foot reaches for the break. My eyes are still trained on the spot where the flash disappeared into the treetops. The brown flash may turn out to be nothing more than a female cardinal — a beautiful but plentiful bird, but my instincts say no.

The color was too brown. The flash too long.

It may be, and I’m hoping it is, a yellow-billed cuckoo. The yellow-billed cuckoo is fairly common, but it is a secretive bird. Spotting a cuckoo perched at the end of a sun-drenched branch would make my day.

So, I have reached the point where many outdoorsmen converge as the years pile up.

Hunting is still very much a part of my life, but I rarely fire a gun these days. Instead, I live for opportunities to unleash a Canon barrage — as in a Canon 60 or 50D camera. And, when I head home at the end of the day, there are no animals to clean, and no trophies to gather dust above my mantle.

And, collecting photographs of the hundreds of species of birds and animals that call Southern Illinois home is every bit as satisfying as the more traditional hunting. Better yet, when armed with a camera, something is always in season,

32 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Winkeler’s Wings & Wildlife

Get up close and personal with Southern Illinois Wildlife like never before. Southern Illinois is uniquely located at the convergence of four geographic regions, creating a biodiversity unsurpassed anywhere in the United States.

Cedar waxwings

whether it’s ducks, warblers, raccoons, deer or turkey.

Nature photography is becoming more popular every day. Anecdotally, you can’t drive Mermet Lake’s levee road without seeing two or three cars stop, watching the windows roll down and seeing a camera lens emerge.

After retiring from the newspaper business, my goal is to introduce this hobby — it’s probably not too presumptuous to call it a lifestyle — to the general public.

That is how Winkeler’s Wings and Wildlife was born.

Over the past few years, my wife and I hired wildlife guides while on vacation at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. Both experiences were delightful and eye-opening.

The guides knew the area. They knew the habitat.

They knew the critters living there. And, they were eager to pass along that knowledge. After spending a day with a guide early in the trip, we became aware of places to go and what to look for once we got there.

So, I have essentially divided Southern Illinois into three regions — eastern, central and western.

Tours on the west side will include stops at Horseshoe Lake and, depending on the stage of the Mississippi River, various locations along Route 3.

Last year’s flooding brought thousands of wading birds — snowy egrets, cattle egrets and little blue

Your Guide Let Les Winkeler, the outdoors writer at the Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, be your guide to the region’s wildlife wonders. He has been exploring the region’s lakes, parks and backroads for the past 31 years. Les is a member of the Illinois Outdoors Hall of Fame.

He has received numerous awards for written and photographic coverage of the outdoors.

Great egret

herons — to Southern Illinois. In addition, blackbellied whistling ducks nested near Grand Tower, a virtually unheard-of phenomenon.

The central part of Southern Illinois is a waterfowler’s delight in the winter. And, during the spring and summer, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, the Shawnee National Forest and Mermet Lake are havens for egrets, herons and songbirds of virtually every color and stripe.

Tours on the eastern portion of Southern Illinois will include stalking the yellow-billed cuckoo, blue grosbeaks, dickcissels, meadowlarks and other grassland birds. In addition, Sahara Woods and the trail along Glen O. Jones Lake are alive in the spring with the yellows, oranges, blues and greens of warblers.

Life & Style : Summer 2020 33

Tours: • Sahara Woods and Glen O. Jones Lake • Crab Orchard and Mermet Lake • Horseshoe Lake Contact Us www.winkelerswingsandwildlife.com or Winkeler’s Wings and Wildlife on Facebook. To reach us directly call 618-841-8762 or email Les@winkelerswingsandwildlife.com

SCENIC BEAUTY

White pelicans can be seen in Southern Illinois.

Excursions will be about six hours in length, and can be customized to fit the customer’s interests and physical abilities.

And, if you’d like to dip your toe into wildlife photography, but are hesitant to purchase a camera, rentals are available. Although 35mm cameras appear imposing, they are quite user-friendly.

And, if you want to pass on the camera, we’ll spend the day searching Southern Illinois for its wildlife treasures.

Conversely, if you’d rather photograph insects, wildflowers or the spectacular scenery of Southern Illinois — it’s your trip.

Tours are limited to three persons. It is an intimate experience.

Cost is $250 for one person, $300 for two or three. Camera rental is $50 per person. Binoculars are provided. Your photographs will be made available to you at the end of the day.

For more information, or to book a tour, go to www.winkelerswingsandwildlife.com or call 618-841-7862. More information and photos are available on Winkeler’s Wings and Wildlife Facebook page.

LES WINKELER is the recently retired sports editor for The Southern Illinoisan. He remains a regular contributor to The Southern’s Outdoors page and to Life & Style in Southern Illinois.

Prothonotary warbler

34 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Cooper’s hawk

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Life & Style : Xxxxxxxx 2020 35

IN OUR BACKYARD

RANGE EXPANSI SOME ANIMALS ARE MOVING INTO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

36 Life & Style : Summer 2020

ION ABOVE: Cattle egrets were drawn to the Mississippi River in large numbers last summer as the result of flooding in the region. LEFT: Black-bellied whistling ducks, a tropical species, successfully nested near Grand Tower last year.

A

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LES WINKELER

by LES WINKELER

migratory pattern has developed across the United States over the course of the past few generations that has nothing to do with border walls or purity tests.

Various animal species, avian and mammal, are expanding their range into Southern Illinois. The armadillo is the most obvious, but several bird species including black vultures, anhingas and even black-bellied whistling ducks are being seen with more frequency in the region.

“I kind of think there are different factors going on simultaneously in various degrees,” said T.J. Benson, a senior wildlife ecologist at the Illinois Natural History Survey. “Climate change is certainly one of those, at the same time landscape change, that’s affecting suitability for some species. To some degree associated with that is food. Sometimes that’s associated with agriculture and sometimes with human provided foods, you think about the popularity of bird feeding.”

While the northward migration isn’t particularly new — Benson pointed out three common species, the northern cardinal, redbellied woodpecker and Carolina wren, have been moving progressively farther north for years.

“Up here (central Illinois) they’re (Carolina wrens) not terribly common in natural areas, but you can hear them more in towns and cities,” Benson said. “It seems like they are expanding.

They are also cavity nesters that adapt really well to nesting in human structures, even more so than a house wren.”

It takes more than warmer temperatures to push creatures out of their natural zones. Benson said most of the animals expanding their range have generalized diets that allow them to adapt to new areas. And, most of the species expanding their range have growing populations.

Although it may not be a factor of range expansion, species that tend to do well in urban settings are seeing population increases within their range. Benson cited the Cooper’s hawk as an example.

“It’s kind of a case where natural limits will influence where certain things are,” he said. “If you relax those, it provides opportunity. Climate is something that is certainly pushing different things north.

“The species that are expanding also tend to be the species growing in population. It’s rare to see range expansions without populations expanding, too.”

One of the more curious Southern Illinois examples was the presence of several pairs of black-bellied whistling ducks last year. The blackbellied duck is considered a tropical species, but Life & Style : Summer 2020

37

IN OUR BACKYARD

Black vultures have expanded their range into Southern Illinois and are commonly seen.

38

Life & Style : Summer 2020

Benson said the ducks have established a breeding population near Memphis.

“Black-bellied are cavity nesters,” he said. “They’ll use nest boxes. There is a breeding population of black-bellied whistling ducks in Memphis, maybe taking advantage of waste grain resources. If they are being successful, it’s only natural they’ll spread out and test the limits of the distribution.

“If they are able to reproduce successfully, it’s a good chance populations could become established.

It’s going to vary from species to species, a lot that expand their range will have fairly general diets. That’s one reason agriculture can facilitate expansion or people having food in bird feeders.”

While some species are obviously expanding their range, there are frequently temporary visitors to the region, brought here by unusual occurrences.

With the Mississippi River covering much of Southern Illinois most of last spring, the region as home to an inordinate number of cattle egrets, snowy egrets and little blue herons.

“When you get those floods like that it will distribute food over a wider area,” Benson said.

“When the water starts dropping, certain food items get stranded and they become virtual buffets for certain species.”

And, there are events called irruptions that push species south. The causes are unknown, but thought to include a shortage of food in the northern range or an unusually successful breeding season. The irruptions result in sightings like the snowy owl or a large number of red-breasted nuthatches.

The anhinga, a bird normally associated with Florida, has been spotted in the Cache River area in recent years.

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505 Rushing Drive - Just West of Logan Park on Rt. 13 | Herrin www.meridiansenior.com Life & Style : Summer 2020 39

21 QUESTIONS

DAN MAHONY

40 Life & Style : Summer 2020

PHOTO BY BYRON HETZLER

SIU System President Daniel Mahony.

‌D

an Mahony took the helm of the Southern Illinois University system in March, telling The Southern Illinoisan in his first week on the job that a big part of his role is to unify the divided system. He also said transparency and availability to students are goals he is working toward as he begins his tenure at SIU. Before he was selected as SIU’s president, he served as the president of Winthrop University in South Carolina for more than four years. Before leading Winthrop, he was the dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services at Kent State University. Before that, he spent 13 years at the University of Louisville, where he served as the director of its sports administration program; chair of the Department of Health Promotion, Physical Education and Sports Studies; acting dean and associate dean of the College of Education and Human Development; and assistant and associate university provost. He is considered an expert in sport consumer behavior and intercollegiate athletics.

12. If you could start a collection of one kind of item, what would it be? I am trying to declutter, so the last thing I want to do is start collecting something new. However, I have a collection of baseball, football, and basketball cards, and would like to collect a few more of the earlier cards (pre-1970).

THE QUESTIONS‌

2. What is your favorite avocation/hobby?

I exercise every day for about 90 minutes.

14. What is your favorite smell? Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

3. If you could got back in time 1,000 years, what year would you visit and why? Since I am of Irish descent, I will choose 1015. That was the year after the Battle of Clontarf, which led to a long period of peace in Ireland. I would prefer to go back to a peaceful time.

4. What is your most treasured possession?

My wedding ring.

5. If you could rid the world of one disease what would it be? While coronavirus would appear to be the obvious choice today, I would still say cancer.

6. What is your most obvious characteristic? I am smiling most of the time and people have noticed that since I was young.

MARCEL PROUST was a French writer who believed that people must know and understand themselves before they could know or understand others. He developed a list of subjective questions he felt would help reveal to people their true selves. We fashioned our questions after his.

11. What song would you sing for your American Idol audition? My singing voice is awful so I would definitely be out in Round 1. I do have a deep voice, so I will go with Barry White’s “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe.”

13. If you were given the chance to run for mayor of your city, would you take it? No. I do not have a desire to run for political office, but truly appreciate those who do.

1. What is your current state of mind?

Right now I am very focused (particularly on finding solutions to the challenges that lie ahead).

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

10. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why? The ability to see in to the future. It would make decision-making so much easier.

7. Which words or phrases do you overuse most? I hope this makes sense.

15. What is the last book you read? Just finished “Southern Illinois University at 150 Years: Growth, Accomplishments, and Challenges” and am now reading “SIUE The First 50 Years: Transforming a Region.”

16. What was your favorite color of Crayola crayon growing up? Purple. I loved “Harold and the Purple Crayon.”

17. If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?

“A Very Lucky Man.” 18. What bad habit do you have that you know you need to break, but don’t really want to? I eat pretzel M&M’s throughout the day.

19. If you had to choose to live without one of your five senses, which one would you give up? Smell.

8. If you were to die and come back as a person or animal, what do you think it would be? I took a spirit animal test once and it said I would be a lion or a bear.

20. What skills do you possess that could help you survive the zombie apocalypse?

I am not sure I have any very useful skills for a zombie apocalypse. I do tend to stay calm and look for solutions even in the worst situations, and this might be helpful because this would clearly be the worst situation.

9. What is one thing you refuse to share?

The times that I get to spend with my wife and children alone.

21. What is your personal motto? When I talk with students about leadership, I always start with Rule No. 1: “It’s not about me.”

Life & Style : Summer 2020 41

GOOD EATS

SPECIALTY

CROPS Despite the name, they’re quite common here

I

by NIKI DAVIS

crops — they may not have an opportunity to llinois is one of the top producing states eat at home. in the U.S. for corn and soybeans; Another aspect concerns educating a drive through central Illinois people on the use of specialty crops makes that apparent. However, in home cooking. While more of us Illinois is also a top grower (82% according to Food Network) of several specialty crops are preparing meals at home than because of our favorable 10 years ago, only 14% of us cook climate and good because we love to. Millennials soil. What exactly are barely cook at all — only once specialty crops? or twice a week, according to The phrase sounds as if we’re prepandemic numbers. Not everyone discussing unique or unusual foods. knows how to prepare winter squash In fact, the tomato in your salad is a for cooking or what to do with a radish specialty crop. So is the green bell pepper beyond slicing it for salad. on your pizza and the asparagus next to your Pecans While no specific federal educational programs steak at dinner. Specialty crops include foods many of exist, there are many localized programs across the us eat regularly. country that teach people of all ages how to use Specialty crops are defined by the U.S. Department specialty crops in their cooking. Much like the Fresh Fruit of Agriculture (USDA) as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, and Vegetable Program, the overall idea is to introduce dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including people to a variety of foods so that they expand their cooking floriculture.” According to the Illinois Department of repertoire. To that end, follow The Southern Illinoisan’s Taste Agriculture, Illinois devotes more than 100,000 acres of section on Wednesdays this summer to learn more about farmland to growing specialty crops, which produce nearly using a variety of local specialty crops in your cooking. $500 million in sales for Illinois farmers.

Many specialty crops are grown right here in Southern NIKI DAVIS is the creator of Rooted in Foods food heritage blog Illinois, which makes buying locally grown food not only and a regular contributor to The Southern Illinoisan’s weekly easy, but also important. Buying local keeps an additional 32 Taste section. You can find her at www.rootedinfoods.com. cents per dollar in our communities. Local farmers’ markets are a great place to shop, but many area grocery markets also carry locally grown food items.

A growing interest in specialty crops in the early 2000s Lavender resulted in Title X (Horticulture and Organic Agriculture) of the 2008 Farm Bill. This was the first time specialty crops had been given special attention in agriculture policy development, partly because of a collective concern over health, diet, and an ever-growing obesity problem in the United States.

Increasing nutrition knowledge and consumption of specialty crops is one of the goals of the USDA. This is being achieved in part by the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which helps combat childhood obesity by introducing elementary school children to foods — specialty

42

Life & Style : Summer 2020

Southern Illinois specialty crops to use in cooking Fruit and Tree Nuts  Apples  Berries  Grapes  Peach  Pecan  Persimmon

Vegetables  Asparagus  Beans  Beets  Broccoli  Brussels Sprouts  Cabbage  Carrot  Cauliflower  Cucumber  Eggplant  Horseradish  Lettuce  Melon  Okra  Onion  Pepper  Potato  Pumpkin  Radish  Rhubarb  Spinach  Squash  Sweet Corn  Sweet Potato  Tomato  Turnip  Watermelon

Culinary Herbs and Spices  Basil  Cilantro  Dill  Lavender  Mint  Oregano  Parsley  Rosemary  Thyme

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Persimmon

CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP Yield: 4-6 servings Time: About 20 minutes Ingredients 2 ½ ½ 3 3 2 1 ½ ½

tablespoons butter pound asparagus, chopped yellow onion, chopped cups chicken stock sprigs fresh thyme tablespoons chopped fresh parsley cup half and half teaspoon salt teaspoon ground pepper

Directions Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Place the asparagus and onion in the pot and sauté until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the fresh herbs and sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then turn the heat down so the soup is just simmering. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. Turn the heat to low, then use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it is very smooth. Stir in the half and half and season with the salt and pepper. Serve warm.

— Niki Davis

When you need your smile to look its best!

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Implant Dentistry Cosmetic Dentistry IV Sedation Life & Style : Summer 2020 43

TOP LAWYERS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

These LEADING LAWYERS have been recommended by their peers to be among the TOP LAWYERS in Illinois.

Douglas A. Antonik William L. Broom III Patricia A. Hoke Kenneth R. Hughes Craig R. Reeves Sarah J. Taylor Michael R. Twomey Mark J. Ballard Terry R. Black Aaron S. Carnine Jerome E. McDonald Paul R. Lynch Julie A. Webb Kenneth F. Werts Brandy Lynn Johnson R. James Giacone II Cheryl Lynn Intravaia Kara L. Jones Kevin L. Mechler Jonathan A. Mitchell Angela M. Povolish John S. Rendleman III John C. Ryan Pieter N. Schmidt Murphy C. Hart Morris Lane Harvey Shane M. Carnine Mark D. Hassakis A. Ben Mitchell John T. Hundley Thomas J. Wolf Jr.

Antonik Law Offices Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP Black Ballard McDonald PC Black Ballard McDonald PC Black Ballard McDonald PC Black Ballard McDonald PC Craig & Craig LLC Craig & Craig LLC Craig & Craig LLC Early & Miranda PC Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan Hart Cantrell LLC Harvey Baker & Reinhardt PC Hassakis & Hassakis PC Hassakis & Hassakis PC Mitchell Law Office PC Sharp-Hundley PC Thomas J. Wolf Jr. PC

Mount Vernon Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Carbondale Benton Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Mount Vernon Marion

618.244.5739 618.457.0437 618.457.0437 618.457.0437 618.457.0437 618.457.0437 618.457.0437 618.242.3310 618.242.3310 618.242.3310 618.242.3310 618.244.7511 618.244.7511 618.244.7511 618.201.5966 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.529.3000 618.435.8123 618.244.9544 618.244.5335 618.244.5335 618.242.0705 618.242.0200 618.998.1122

Bankruptcy: Individual; Bankruptcy/Workout: Commercial Comm Lit; Land Use/Zoning/Condemn; Real Estate: Comm; Trust/Will/Estate Tax: Individual; Trust, Will & Estate Banking; Closely/Privately Held; Comm Lit Civil Appellate; Close/Private Held; Real Estate: Commrcial; RE: Residential Creditor Rights/Comm Collect; Gov/Muni/Lobby/Admin; Land Use/Zoning/Condemn Banking; Cred Rights/Comm Collect; Gov/Muni/Lobby; RE: Comm; Trust/Will/Estate Agriculture; Close/Private Held; Real Estate: Comm; RE: Residential; Trust/Will/Estate Banking; Creditor Rights/Comm Collect; Min/Nat Resource; RE: Comm; RE: Residential Family Ins/Insurance Cov/Reinsurance; PI Defense: General; Product Liab Defense Ins/Insurance Cov/Reinsurance; Med-Mal Defense; PI Defense: General ADR: Family; PI Defense: General; Tox Tort Def; Work Comp Def Work Comp Def Employment: Management; PI Defense: General; Work Comp Def PI Defense: General; Work Comp Def Work Comp Def Civil Appellate; Gov/Muni/Lobby/Admin; PI Defense: General Work Comp Def Ins/Ins Cov/Reinsurance; PI Defense: Gen; Prod Liab Def; Tox Tort Def; Work Comp Def Close/Private Held; Real Estate: Comm; RE: Residential; Trust/Will/Estate Close/Private Held; Employ: Mgmt; Gov/Muni/Lobby; RE: Comm; Trust/Will/Estate Comm Lit; Employment: Mgmt; Gov/Muni/Lobby; Med-Mal Def; PI Def: General PI Defense: General; Work Comp Def Creditor Rights/Commercial Collect; Real Estate: Commercial; Real Estate: Residential Family Personal Injury: General Nursing Home Negligence; Personal Injury: General; Work Comp: Petitioner’s Close/Private Held; Comm Lit; Mineral/Nat Resource; Trust/Will/Estate Bankrupt/Workout: Comm; Comm Lit; Creditor Rights/Comm Collect; RE: Residential Tax: Business; Tax: Individual; Trust, Will & Estate

These EMERGING LAWYERS have been identified by their peers to be among the TOP LAWYERS in Illinois who are age 40 or younger OR who have been admitted to the practice of law for 10 or fewer years.

David R. Hughes

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Banking; Comm Lit; Creditor Rights/Comm Collect

Elisha D. Sanders

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Close/Private Held; Comm Lit; RE: Residential; Trust/Will/Estate

Daniel R. Twomey

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Close/Private Held; Comm Lit; Cred Rights/Comm Collect; Trust/Will/Estate

Casey L. Twomey

Barrett Twomey Broom Hughes & Hoke LLP

Carbondale

618.457.0437

Closely/Privately Held; Comm Lit; Trust, Will & Estate

Matthew B. Flanigan

Black Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Close/Private Held; Mineral/Nat Resource; Real Estate: Comm; Trust/Will/Estate

Douglas R. Hoffman

Black Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Banking; Bankrupt/Workout: Comm; Creditor Rights/Comm Collect

Jarred R. Tynes

Black Ballard McDonald PC

Mount Vernon

618.242.3310

Agriculture; Closely/Privately Held; Mineral/Natural Resource; Real Estate: Comm

Brittany N. Meeker

Craig & Craig LLC

Mount Vernon

618.244.7511

PI Defense: General; Work Comp Def

D. Brian Smith

Feirich/Mager/Green/Ryan

Carbondale

618.529.3000

PI Defense: General; Work Comp Def

Joshua A. Humbrecht

Hassakis & Hassakis PC

Mount Vernon

618.244.5335

Personal Injury: General; Work Comp: Petitioner’s

James M. Ruppert

Hassakis & Hassakis PC

Mount Vernon

618.244.5335

Personal Injury: General; Work Comp: Petitioner’s

Devin M. Jones

Law Office of Devin M. Jones

Du Quoin

618.790.2102

Personal Injury: General; PI: Professional Malpractice; Work Comp: Petitioner’s

A lawyer CANNOT buy the distinction of Leading or Emerging Lawyer. The distinction was earned by being among those lawyers most often recommended by their peers. For a full description of our research process, a complete list of all Leading or Emerging Lawyers, and to view profiles of the lawyers listed on this page, go to

www.LeadingLawyers.com

44 Life & Style : Xxxxxxxx 2020

A Division of Law Bulletin Media – est. 1854

WE LIVE HERE

HOME ON THE FARM PHOTOS BY BYRON HETZLER

Hatfield home is one of Southern Illinois’ most unique farms

by NELLIE BARIL

Just outside Makanda sits a small farm owned by the Hatfield family, who not only reside on the serene piece of land, but also have made a career there in fungiculture.

Established in 2008 in one of Southern Illinois’ most breathtaking locales, Flyway Family Farm is an idyllic place for a family living a sustainable lifestyle and creating a working farm.

A sparkling pond surrounded by green forest land full of mature trees sits near a wellestablished vegetable garden and orchards of fruit trees with beautiful blooms that return each spring. Hogs, ducks, goats and rabbits reside on the friendly farm, and provide a wholesome foundation of sustenance for the Hatfields.

ABOVE: Michael Hatfield shows shittake mushrooms growing in his fruiting room at Flyway Family Farm in 2019. TOP: Chestnut mushrooms grow in the fruiting room at Flyway Family Farm.

Life & Style : Summer 2020 45

WE LIVE HERE

It would not be immediately apparent to passersby that a well-thought-out mushroom operation is underway in the climate-controlled facility on the property, but Flyway Family Farm has become known for their year-round cultivation of gourmet mushrooms.

Michael, and his wife, Jessica, who live on the farm with daughter, Iris, and son, Oliver, have the experience and skills to succeed as growers of exotic mushrooms. The pair, who met after moving to Carbondale to attend Southern Illinois University, have both been avid gardeners throughout their adult lives.

“I always had big gardens. Even in school, I talked all of my landlords into letting me have big gardens, building chicken coops, and having chickens. I usually lived just outside of town and Jessica was doing the same thing,” Michael remembers.

Even with their backgrounds in hobby gardening and Michael’s forestry degree, the foray into mushroom farming didn’t happen overnight. Before purchasing the farm together, Michael began hunting morel mushrooms with a friend and learned that there was much to be discovered about the different varieties and flavors of edible mushrooms beyond the store-bought button mushrooms he never particularly cared for.

Through his research and outdoor adventures, Michael started educating himself on growing strategies for some of the varieties, and eventually met a local mushroom farmer that showed him how to begin growing shiitake mushrooms at home. After purchasing the farm in Makanda, Michael and Jessica slowly built more mushroom beds and eventually had 3,000 to 4,000 logs in the forested area of their land.

“When we first moved out here, I didn’t know that it would become a full-time job necessarily. We were, and still do live a sustainable life. We have horses, ducks, chickens, rabbits, usually a couple hogs, big gardens, and orchards. The mushrooms were a big part of it in the woods,” Michael says.

Due to the unpredictable weather in Southern Illinois, outdoor mushroom cultivation can be tricky, though. The Hatfields soon began researching indoor mushroom growing operations, which led to their current setup. Stores, markets and chefs rely on consistency of products, and the climate-controlled facility now in use at Flyway Family Farm allows the Hatfields to grow certain varieties all 12 months of 46

Life & Style : Summer 2020

Flyway Family Farm produces a variety of mushrooms from the Hatfields’ Makanda home.

Lion’s mane mushrooms have a very distinct appearance, with a globe shape full of long, shaggy spines.

Golden oyster mushrooms have a signature bright yellow color and are more flavorful than pearl oysters.

PHOTOS COURTESY KATHERINE ACCETTURA AND MICHAEL HATFIELD

The Hatfields, who run Flyway Family Farm from their Makanda home, from left: Michael, Jessica, Oliver and Iris.

Flyway Family Farm’s mushroom jerky is an addictive, toothsome treat you can find at local farmers markets and on LEAF Food Hub.

the year to supply customers, restaurants and grocery stores with the items they desire.

Using sterilized sawdust mixes, Flyway Family Farm has a rather extensive roster of gourmet mushrooms that are grown year-round and offered for sale most of the time. These varieties include shiitake, chestnut, lion’s mane and several different types of oyster mushrooms.

Oyster mushrooms in general are popular for their delicate texture and savory flavor. Thin and either oyster-shaped or fan-shaped, the mild flavor of cooked oyster mushrooms make them delicious sautéed, stir-fried, or roasted, in sauces, pastas or risotto.

The pink oyster mushrooms cultivated by Flyway Family Farm are almost too beautiful to eat, displaying a vibrant pink ruffle of mushrooms that can look like a large flower. Pearl oyster mushrooms also live up to their moniker with a light white hue and a somewhat sweet flavor.

Golden oyster mushrooms are a stunner with bright yellow color and a tad more flavor than pearl oyster mushrooms. Unlike the pink, pearl and golden oyster mushrooms, blue oysters do not have a hue to match their name, and present with dark caps atop pale gills.

Lion’s mane mushrooms have a very distinct appearance, and true to their name, they are known for their globe shape full of long, shaggy spines. With a range of health benefits and a simultaneously sweet and savory flavor and meaty texture, the lion’s mane mushroom is a treat for consumers.

Chestnut mushrooms are a rich and beautifully colored mushroom with a distinct nutty flavor that makes it a favorite in brothy soups, creamy sauces, or simply fried with butter and garlic. The brown caps are a gorgeous color and the texture is something

FLYWAY FAMILY FARM flywayfamilyfarm.com On Facebook: @FlywayFamilyFarm On Instagram: @flyway_family_farm Makanda Mushroom Festival information and tickets: makandamushroomfestival.com

treasured when cooked.

Shiitake mushrooms have a distinct earthy, umami flavor and are used often in East Asian cuisines.

The extremely healthful shiitake mushroom is also enjoyed fried, sautéed, or in stir fry and rice dishes.

Flyway Family Farm has a booth at the Carbondale Farmers Market and the farmers market in Urbana each week, and their products are also available via the online farmers market, LEAF Food Hub. The gourmet mushrooms are also sold at the Neighborhood Coop Grocery Store and Fresh Foods in Carbondale. The mushrooms can be added to CSA packages with several different farms in Illinois, most notably through All Seasons Farm in Cobden.

While Flyway Family Farm stays busy growing and selling fresh gourmet mushrooms year-round, they also offer interesting and unique homemade mushroom products, cultures and growing kits for anyone looking to try their hand at mushroom cultivation.

Mushroom tinctures, which the Hatfields make on-site at the farm, are extremely beneficial to overall

health and are easy to use. Just one or two droppers of the tincture in coffee or tea provides numerous advantages.

“They have anti-inflammatory properties, they’re loaded with micro and macro nutrients, and they can have antihistamine properties. There’s a lot of evidence showing they are good for reducing tumor growth and cancers, and immune system support, too,” Michael says.

Mushroom jerky is another unique product created at Flyway Family Farm. The vegan snack made with oyster mushrooms under Illinois cottage food certifications is an addictive and toothsome treat sold at the markets and on LEAF Food Hub. On the Flyway Family Farm website, customers can purchase both mushroom cultures as well as more established growing kits. The cultures, which are petri dishes of an isolated culture, are genetic material for other farms to use in their labs and expand upon.

Michael mentioned that the cultures are intended for growers who have more advanced capabilities and on-site labs.

The growing kits sold by Flyway Family Farm are an extension of these cultures and are more suitable for mushroom enthusiasts looking to grow their own varieties at home without starting from the petri dish.

“The growing kits are the almost finished product that we grow the mushrooms off of. So the process of going from the petri dishes, as an isolated culture, then onto sterilized grain is basically like a transplant,” Michael says.

All of this work is done in a sterile lab environment with a laminar flow hood to ensure a superior product in both the cultures and the growing kits.

Another exciting development for Flyway Family Farm is the Makanda Mushroom Festival set for Sept. 25, 26 and 27 at Camp Manitowa Cedar Point in Makanda. The three-day event will provide ticketholders with access to free workshops, live music, artist markets, kayaks and canoes, foraging hikes, and “mush more.” Mushroom enthusiasts old and new, from near and far, can participate in this lively festival in the Shawnee National Forest to celebrate and learn more about all things mushrooms.

The festival was originally set for April 2020, but with the COVID-19 pandemic and the state’s stay-athome order, the festival was moved to September. The Hatfields, although disappointed about the change in plans, have been able to live life fairly close to normal throughout the pandemic thanks in large part to the sustainable lifestyle they were already practicing.

The pair have long enjoyed homemade baking and preparing homemade meals sourced from their gardens and livestock, but miss the social enjoyment of the farm.

“It’s definitely changed things a little bit. We have a pond we can fish in, we have horses we can play with. Lots of food to eat. I do miss not having people out to the farm. We have friends out most Sundays especially as it gets warmer. It’s not so much leaving the farm, but not having people come visit that is hard,” Michael says.

No matter the unique challenges that the current pandemic presents, Michael and Jessica are able to continue to grow and sell the exotic mushrooms varieties that residents across Illinois look forward to, while enjoying a life on a plentiful farm. Make sure to visit one of the many local retail establishments or markets to experience the gourmet adventure of Flyway Family Farm mushrooms for yourself.

Life & Style : Summer 2020 47

BUSINESS BUZZ

Jane Tretter tends to plants in the Happy Hens greenhouse.

Mother-daughter duo Ashley Glidewell and Jane Tretter are pictured in the Happy Hens greenhouse.

Hensand Produce

Mother-daughter duo grow garden into farm he farm-to-table movement is expanding in Southern Illinois and one of the fastest growing sources for local plants and produce is a mother-daughter team from rural Murphysboro.

Ashley Glidewell, 37, grew up helping her mom, Jane Tretter, 60, in the family’s large garden and with the subsequent preserving and canning of what they raised.

So, it was only natural that the pair decided a couple of years ago to grow the operation and begin selling what they were growing, both at the Murphysboro Farmers Market and directly to consumers who pick up items at the farm under the Happy Hens and Produce banner.

“We just thought we would expand out to 48

Life & Style : Summer 2020

consumers, so we started doing that and now, here we are a few years later and we’re just having the time of our lives,” Tretter explains. “I love working with my daughter every day.”

Tretter and Glidewell handle everything themselves — with a little help from family members for seed bed preparation and mechanical work — spending hours each day in the ever-expanding garden and greenhouse.

“We expanded this year, and we’ve added a couple of other growing spaces here on the property; I’d say we’re probably close to two acres now,” Tretter says.

Glidewell adds that she hesitates to call the area a garden.

“It just doesn’t seem appropriate anymore. It is much more than that. I like to call it a growing space,” she explains.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ASHLEY GLIDEWELL

T

by LES O’DELL

Mother-and-daughter duo Jane Tretter and Ashley Glidewell handle everything at Happy Hens and Produce from seed to harvest to can to storefront.

Ashley Glidewell waters herbs in the Happy Hens greenhouse.

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BUSINESS BUZZ

Happy Hens and Produce sells asparagus and many other vegetables.

Tretter continues, “It’s nothing for each of us to walk 10 miles or more a day going from the greenhouse to the garden to the shop and just out in the space.”

Together, they raise and sell a wide variety of produce ranging from asparagus to zucchini and much in between including horseradish, lettuce, tomatoes, okra, flowers, peppers, potatoes, and all kinds of herbs and flowers.

“We’ve sold a lot of catnip this year,” Tretter adds. “People think it’s just for cats or to keep bugs away, but you can use it for tea and for medicinal purposes, too.”

She says they also grow and sell products to help others with their own gardening.

“We have something in the greenhouse right

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50 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Happy Hens and Produce sells eggs, greens and more in their produce stand.

now we call the Happy Bee Mix Pot. It is a variety of plants in one container that is meant to be transported into people’s personal growing spaces that really attract bees so that they pollinate everything,” she says.

As the Happy Hens and Produce name implies, eggs are also available for sale as well as some other unique products including milo sorghum flour and freshground corn meal.

Some of the products stem from Glidewell’s own dietary needs. Diagnosed with celiac disease, Glidewell is pleased to offer gluten-free and other specialized products.

Her mother explains, “It was one of the reasons we started all of this. One of the big kicks is for her to feel great and to meet her dietary needs. This way we know for a fact how our food is grown and that it 100% safe for her.”

The women grow everything from seed to final product, which Tretter says adds to the safety.

“We often say, it’s only our hands touching anything. There’s no middlemen whatsoever,” she says.

For her, Happy Hens and Produce is not

just about spending time with her daughter and providing high-quality local produce, it’s also about educating consumers.

“We don’t want to set up a store or have a middleman,” she explains.

“We want to have the consumer talking to us. We love sharing the experience of the farm with people and letting them know how the farm operates.

That gives us an opportunity to educate people about agriculture.”

Most of all, however, she says, the opportunity to work with her daughter is special.

“I feel like it’s a bonus because we’re getting to do something we enjoy doing and do it together.

We’re having a blast.”

HAPPY HENS AND PRODUCE For more information about Happy Hens and Produce, visit the farm’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ happyhensandproduce.

Lettuce grows in the Happy Hens greenhouse.

Life & Style : Summer 2020

51

LIVING

52 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Jill Rendleman, left, readies community-supported agriculture orders for pickup March 27 at the Neighborhood Co-op in Carbondale.

Community

SUPPORTING

• Aban Kitchen • Anchor Grille • Big Blue Que

agriculture

• Bottoms Up Bar & Grill • Bunker’s Bar & Grill • Centralia House • Chango’s Bar & Grill

Pandemic food worries spur support for small farms

• Cristaudo’s • Jack Russell Fish Company

by ISAAC SMITH

hile buying patterns have changed as consumers adjust to social distancing, some Southern Illinois farmers say directto-customer sales have seen an uptick.

Jill Rendleman is the owner/manager of All Seasons Farm and is on the board of the Little Egypt Alliance of Famers (LEAF) Food Hub. She said that in the last few weeks of March, both her farm’s direct-to-customer sales as well as shares in LEAF’s community-supported agriculture program saw a noted uptick in customers.

“I must have gotten five or 10 new customers within a week,” she said of her own farm after the virus began spreading rapidly in the United States.

“We saw a big uptick in the number of people buying meat as well as other value-added products,” she said of LEAF. The community-supported agriculture, or CSA, model has customers pay in advance for weekly food boxes to be picked up. The LEAF program also allows consumers to make weekly payments and order from a selection in an online store. These offerings come from a variety of local farms.

The uptick makes sense to Rendleman.

“I think this is a moment where people are questioning everything about what they eat, where it comes from, how it is grown, who handles it and how they handle it,” Rendleman said.

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The Carbondale Farmers Market is operating with social distancing guidelines. As the pandemic caused foodsupply worries, local farmers said they’re seeing an uptick in community support.

“I think this is a moment where people are questioning everything about what they eat, where it comes from, how it is grown, who handles it and how they handle it.”

— Jill Rendleman, All Seasons Farm owner and LEAF Food Hub board member She said people may come up with different conclusions, but for local growers, “hopefully a lot of people will come to realize that food grown locally is, first of all, a lot more nutritious, is fresher (and) has had less handling.”

She hopes that after the concern about the coronavirus is over, many people will keep the habit of buying local.

“I think long term, it will be a benefit to local farmers,” she said.

Even with limited handling of items, Rendleman said they are taking precautions with CSA share pickups. A late March pickup at the Neighborhood Co-op saw Rendleman handling orders with gloves and placing them into grocery carts wiped down with disinfectant. Customers were not allowed to just go pick up their bag, but instead had to wait, 6 feet apart, and tell Rendleman their name before their order was placed on a bench for them to pick up and take home.

Rendleman said people respected the new rules.

Rendleman and her team weren’t the only ones having to think outside the box to deliver local food.

Seven weeks into its 45th season, the Carbondale 54 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Farmer’s Market, after operating as a drive-thru market since it opened for the spring, made changes to its format to allow in-person shopping.

When the market opened on April 6, concerns over COVID-19 were ramping up, and with Pritzker’s executive order shutting down nonessential businesses and restricting travel for residents, the market had to come up with a way to adapt.

To do this, it developed a drive-thru market with limited vendors.

On May 23, the open-air market returned, with some changes: Vendors would be spread further apart and customers were asked to keep 6 feet from one another and to wear masks.

Market Manager Ann Stahlheber said there would be about 20 to 30 feet between vendors, enough space for them to spread out their wares, but also enough room should a line form. She also said selection will be limited to products the state has deemed “essential” — things like produce, meat and garden starts. Market organizers said there is only so much they can only do to keep the public safe.

“We really need the public’s help with this thing,” said Kurt Sweitzer, market board president

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8 a.m. to noon Saturdays April through October facebook.com/farmersmarketcarbondale

and architect of the new market layout. “You can’t physically hold everybody’s hand and lead them away from each other.”

Stahlheber said vendors will be doing their part to manage their stalls safely, wearing masks and keeping things clean. But, she added, public cooperation is key.

Sweitzer said the popularity of the drive-up market, which saw as many as 350 cars on a given Saturday, made him and others realize that the model wasn’t sustainable. Wait times could exceed 90 minutes, and sometimes even reached two hours.

“That really amazed me that they would stay that long in the line,” Sweitzer said.

However, he could tell it wasn’t ideal for many.

“You could just read it in their faces,” Sweitzer said of customer frustration, adding that he thought they hid it pretty well.

Sweitzer said finding a way to get the market as close to normal as possible was important not just for customer satisfaction, but also for financial reasons, too. He said of the four markets his farm goes to each week, Carbondale’s is the biggest. He said for many vendors, their farm is their primary source of income.

That said, he was impressed with the support the community showed in those seven weeks the market was drive-thru only. He said it was “really cool” to see cars backed up to Illinois 13, all waiting to get into the market.

“Now this is a good problem to have,” he recalled telling vendors about the line.

But, Sweitzer said as the season wears on, he knows there will be more and more people coming, and a change was needed — 350 cars could turn into 700 to 800 quickly, he said.

With the current plan, Sweitzer said he knew there would be problems and kinks to work out, but he was nonetheless excited to see shoppers out, even if the circumstances are challenging.

There was a point he reiterated more than once, though, and that was cooperation.

“We really need the public to help us,” Sweitzer said, asking that all shoppers keep their distance and wear a mask.

The Carbondale Farmers Market is set to operate the rest of its season as an open-air market with social distancing guidelines.

All Seasons Farm grows a variety of lettuce that is available at several local farmers markets and in CSA boxes.

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ELECTRICAL, COOLING, & HEATING

Life & Style : Summer 2020

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TRENDS

‘MINIMONY’ A fresh trend in pandemic vows: The ‘minimony’

by LEANNE ITALIE of the ASSOCIATED PRESS

C

ouples trying to salvage weddings put on hold by the coronavirus are feeding a fresh trend in the bridal industry: the “minimony.”

Rather than wait, they’re getting hitched alone or with a few local loved ones looking on at a safe social distance as other guests join virtually.

Then they plan to reschedule larger celebrations when allowed.

“We were about to put a $15,000 deposit down on

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Life & Style : Summer 2020

a venue when coronavirus hit,” said Kate Whiting, 35, in Northern California’s tiny Lake Almanor Peninsula.

“Why would I want to wait to marry my best friend?”

The 300-guest wedding of her dreams, and those of her 40-year-old fiance, Jake Avery, will happen once a COVID-19 vaccine is in place. For now, a close friend recently ordained would marry them in their yard in June.

Their approach, born of necessity, is a play on micro weddings, the first choice for some couples looking for a more intimate experience or unable to afford splashier affairs.

Before the pandemic so dramatically changed lives, 20,000 to 30,000 weddings happened every weekend in the U.S., with more than 550,000 originally planned

PHOTOS COURTESY MICHAEL WARGO AND MONIQUE BIANCA PHOTOGRAPHY

In this April 11, 2020, photo provided by Michael Wargo, newlyweds Danielle Cartaxo and Ryan Cignarella kiss while wearing masks after getting married in West Orange, New Jersey. Barred from getting married in a public space due to lockdown restrictions, Cartaxo and Cignarella got married on the front lawn of the home of a stranger who offered to help.

This photo shows the wedding of Renee and Ryan McCarthy in March 2019 at Temecula Creek Inn in Temecula, Calif. The couple had 24 guests, feeding a trend toward micro weddings that has grown stronger since the coronavirus pandemic sent millions into isolation.

Life & Style : Summer 2020

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TRENDS

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and New Orleans.

“Since the coronavirus outbreak, I’ve had numerous couples come to me every day with similar stories: They’re canceling their big wedding due to travel complications, not wanting to assemble a big group of people or other virus-related problems,” said the site’s editor, Karen Norian.

“These couples are heartbroken, not just about the financial losses, but the thought of pushing their marriages out to some ambiguous future date is devastating,” she said.

Renee McCarthy, 33, and her husband, Ryan McCarthy, live in San Diego and wed at Temecula Creek Inn in Temecula, California, in March 2019, with 24 guests attending.

“We both wanted to focus on the guests we did have there, our families and closest friends,” Renee said. “Even for a small wedding it was overwhelming trying to put it together, but we couldn’t be happier with how our wedding turned out.”

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since the virus struck, but some couples were ahead of that curve.

Melissa Todd, 50, and Jeffrey Hall, 59, used PopTheKnot.com for their $7,000 elopement with seven guests. They married last November in Chicago, where they live, and wanted to do something quick.

“I’m just one of those people who never dreamed of a big elaborate wedding,” Todd said. “I’m pretty mellow.”

Pop the Knot makes use of downtime at venues around the country. It operates in nine cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Austin, Texas.

“We already were quite busy, but sadly we have been receiving a ton of emails from clients that had their weddings canceled due to COVID and are now wanting to do a small pop-up,” said owner and wedding planner Michele Velazquez.

SimplyEloped.com offers low-cost packages in destinations including the Florida Keys, Lake Tahoe

HO HE

H

R

This photo released by Erin Elliott shows the wedding of Melissa Todd and Jeffrey Hall in November 2019 in Chicago. The couple had seven guests, feeding a trend toward micro weddings that has grown stronger since the coronavirus pandemic sent millions into isolation.

PHOTO COURTESY ERIN ELLIOTT

for April, May and June this year, according to data from the wedding planning site TheKnot.com.

Worldwide, 93% of couples whose weddings are impacted by the virus are rescheduling, with only 7% canceling altogether, the site said.

The average cost of weddings pre-pandemic was teetering at just under $34,000, and the average guest count at 131.

Nicole Ochoa and Brad Wilkinson, both 27, had an initial guest list of 200-plus before choosing to go micro for their July nuptials. Really, really micro.

The Sonoma County, California, couple decided on fewer than a dozen guests for the wedding on a ranch near home that overlooks estate vineyards.

“We just really wanted it to be personal,” Ochoa said. “I hope that other people can pause and consider this as an option. It feels like the wedding industry and wedding trends have turned into such a show.”

Guest lists of 50 or fewer accounted for just 8% of U.S. weddings last year, down from 10% the year before, according to The Knot, which surveys more than 25,000 couples annually. Weddings with 51 to 150 guests encompassed 54% of couples.

Kristen Maxwell Cooper, editor in chief of The Knot, said couples who want to keep their original plans but worry that virus restrictions will drive their guest counts down might consider “shift weddings.”

Once conditions allow, she said, “They can host their ceremony with a group of 25 of their guests while live-streaming to the rest of their loved ones, followed by a reception with the same group who attended the ceremony for a few hours before the next group of guests arrive.”

With the second of three deposits due on their venue, Ochoa and Wilkinson are in the process of asking for a “force majeure” clause in their contract so they can get their money back in case virus restrictions remain in place.

“If the venue denies our request, we’ve decided to keep the date and get married in Nicole’s parent’s Sonoma County backyard,” Wilkinson said.

Ochoa added: “We would be incredibly sad if we can’t be married at the venue we fell so hard for, but there’s something pretty magical about the thought of walking across the lawn in my dress with my Dad, too.”

Vendors focused on micro weddings and organized elopements have seen an uptick in interest

Life & Style : Summer 2020

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Life & Style : Xxxxxxxx 2020 59

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60 Life & Style : Summer 2020

I

by AMY BERTRAND of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH find I often want just a drink of something, to take outside with me and enjoy on the deck after work.

A bottle of wine can sometimes be too much to mess with, so I’ve turned to canned wines. Many are the size of half a bottle, about two drinks. They are convenient and easy to grab after a day on the laptop.

Tricia LaRue, marketing director at St. James Winery in St. James, Missouri, says canned wines are definitely growing in popularity. “It’s not a fad,” she says. “It’s very clear it is something that’s here to stay.”

St. James recently began offering its sparkling fruit wines in cans.

The big things canned wine has going for it, LaRue says, is that the cans are easily recyclable and easy to take with you — to concerts, barbecues, the pool and outdoor gatherings. And easy to open.

I decided to do a little taste testing, looking at 10 different brands. I stuck with whites or rosés and mentioned a few of the reds I tried in the same line. I still prefer red from a bottle and not chilled.

1.

BACKPACK WINE We like this company’s tagline: “Skip the Cork and grab a pack of Backpack Wine!” Backpack entered the market as a canned wine version, sourced from grapes in Washington state. I tried all four varieties: Cheeky Rosé, Snappy White, Rowdy Red and Bubbly Rosé. I enjoyed all four, but my favorite was the sparkling rosé. It was still on the dry side, but the fizz seemed just right coming out of can. And I have to say, the red (though I prefer it poured in a glass) was a dry surprise. Instead of opening a bottle of cab late in the evening, I’ve been grabbing one of these for a glass.

2.

SCOUT & CELLAR Scout & Cellar, known for its clean, organic wines, has a new kid on the block. Its 14K canned wines are just as refreshing as the bottle versions. I tried the rosé: It was easy to drink right out of the can, which had zero tinny taste. It’s made from 85% zinfandel and 15% syrah grapes.

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DARK HORSE Dark Horse makes the first canned wine I ever tasted, about a year ago. I’ll admit, I found it startling to drink wine from a can; it wasn’t quite as smooth as poured from a bottle into a glass. That day, I found the nearest cup I could pour it into, and that’s still how I prefer this fruity, crisp pinot grigio.

4.

STERLING The 2017 Sterling Vintner’s Collection Rosé is predominately made from syrah and tempranillo grapes from the Edna Valley.

I wanted to love this wine because I love the unusual bottle, which did keep it super cold. But the bottle also had a bit of a tinny taste that detracted from the wine.

Poured in a glass, however, it was a solid summer sipper.

5.

BONTERRA Even if this wine weren’t delicious, I’d probably drink it just for the can. It’s gorgeous. But the Bonterra sauvignon blanc was one of my favorites of the wines I tested. Bonterra also has a rosé and a drierthan-you’d-think red. I loved the smaller (250 ml) cans, and the refreshing taste. Is it because the wines are organic? Who knows, but this is a very sippable white that isn’t too grapefruity like many sauvignon blancs.

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PROPHECY This beautiful Prophecy can, with artwork by Victo Ngai, a New York-based illustrator, is filled with a very sippable sauvignon blanc called High Priestess. From New Zealand’s Marlborough region, it tastes of grapefruit, orange, lime, apple and white tea, which makes it not too grapefruity.

7.

6.

KIM CRAWFORD Kim Crawford makes one of the most popular (and one of my favorite) upscale sauvignon blancs. The New Zealand winery’s canned version tastes almost as good as the bottled, but I really fell in love with its slightly sparkling canned rosé. It’s a more complex wine than some of the others I tried, and the fizz is really perfect for drinking out of a can.

ST. JAMES WINERY St. James Winery, in St. James, Missouri, has recently gotten into the canned wine game. But theirs isn’t a canned Norton or Chambourcin. The folks there decided they wanted fizzy and fruity.

The result: blackberry, peach, mango and strawberry wines that are made with real fruit and are lower in alcohol (6%, a little more than a beer) than other canned wines (which are in the 11-13% range). They are perfect for the pool, but beware, they taste a lot like a fruity soda and go down just as easily.

9.

CRAFTERS UNION I love this can and loved carrying it around, hoping someone would ask about my wine. The pinot grigio is super-refreshing, and though it has a citrus and stone fruit background, it is not overpoweringly sweet.

10.

PACIFIC RIM EUFLORIA Made from pinot gris, muscan, gewurztraminer and riesling grapes grown in Washington and fermented in steel, Eufloria’s aromatic white wine is slightly bubbly and sweet, but not too sweet. It’s also more complex than I expected, with a freshness perfect for a can. And it’s, I might add, another beautiful can.

62 Life & Style : Summer 2020

Cupboard

cocktails You probably already have the ingredients for these classic drinks

I

by DANIEL NEMAN of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

decided to whip up a few cocktails cocktails with ingredients you likely have on hand: Classic Negroni — but I used a variation that goes a little heavier on the gin — never a bad thing — and lighter on the bitter Campari.

Sidecar — I opted for the French version, more quiet and reserved than the American.

Bronx Cocktail — a well-crafted, thoughtful combination, not too fruity but not too sophisticated either.

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NEGRONI Servings: 1

Ingredients

1½ ounces gin, preferably London dry gin 1 ounce sweet vermouth ¾ ounce Campari 1 strip orange zest 1 thin round of orange, for garnish

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Directions Stir together gin, vermouth and Campari in an ice-filled mixing glass until very cold. Strain into a cocktail glass or an ice-filled rocks glass. Twist the orange zest over the drink to spray with its oils; discard the zest. Garnish with slice of orange.

Recipe from Bon Appetit

BRONX COCKTAIL SIDECAR Servings: 1

Ingredients

1¼ ounce cognac

4 teaspoons Cointreau or Grand Marnier 2 teaspoons lemon juice Twist of orange peel

Directions Chill glass in refrigerator. Place cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice in a shaker with plenty of ice and shake until cold, 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into glass and garnish with orange-peel twist.

Recipe from “Tasting Paris,” by Clotilde Dusoulier

Servings: 1

Ingredients 1½ ½ ½ 1

ounces gin ounce sweet vermouth ounce dry vermouth ounce orange juice Dash Angostura bitters Orange peel twist

Directions Combine gin, both vermouths, orange juice and bitters with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well until cold and strain into a glass over ice.

Recipe from “The Essential Cocktail”

by Dale DeGroff COLTER PETERSON PHOTOS, ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Life & Style : Summer 2020 63

Before

After

706 Eagle Pass Dr. Carterville, IL 62918

618-201-7744 http: //www.phdsaloncarterville.com

‘OPEN-DOOR’

POLICY Dr. Lukasz Dabrowski’s pediatrics practice inspired by home-based clinic

D

by ROSSLIND RICE of SOUTHERN ILLINOIS HEALTHCARE

r. Lukasz Dabrowski is the kind of pediatrician that makes you want to be a kid again. It’s no understatement to share he is beloved for his kindness and ability to connect with his young patients at each stage of their lives. An East Coast transplant and now “more than happy” Southern Illinoisan, Dr. Dabrowski, his wife, Kristina, and 5-year-old daughter, Lexi, call Carterville home.

Dr. Dabrowski grew up in New Jersey, the son of entrepreneurs with an affinity for numbers. His strong work ethic was gleaned working for his father’s commercial roofing business at an early age; he began putting in sweat equity at the age of 11 or 12. His mother, a former math teacher, owned and operated beauty salons. For fun, the family often did math problems. Dr. Dabrowski’s natural inclination not only toward math, but also science, stoked his passion for medicine.

“After finishing my undergrad in chemistry at New York University, I went to medical school to become an interventional cardiologist. I liked the physics and components of it,” said Dr. Dabrowksi.

So how did he end up in pediatrics? The keen eye of his future wife.

“Kristina pointed out I was happiest during my pediatric rotations; it dawned on me to reconsider my initial plan,” Dr. Dabrowski says.

After some brief soul-searching, he pivoted to pediatrics. His clinical approach mirrors that of his family doctor in New Jersey who operated a home-based practice with extended hours, with a sort of “open-door” policy.

“I’ve tried to mirror that as much as I possibly can in order to be available to my patients. I like the fact that folks are able to get ahold of me,” he said.

Pediatrics indeed proved to be his calling.

“I love babies. They’re just so sweet. I love young families. It gives me an opportunity to convey things my wife and I went with or went through with our daughter. Jokingly, my wife always says our daughter is my street cred. Lexi likes to be very, very sassy,” laughs Dr. Dabrowski. “She puts us through a lot of different scenarios that allow me to be able to relate to others. And so that’s why I really enjoy meeting with young families and going over the stories of what we’ve dealt with in order to make their experiences a lot more pleasant … being a young parent can be an extremely stressful process.”

As his patients grow into each stage of their lives, Dr. Dabrowski looks to connect with each of them on what interests them and

64

makes them unique.

“I especially try to empower young adolescents to pursue their dreams. I wholeheartedly try to support their endeavors as much as I possibly can,” adds Dr. Dabrowski, who says a shared focus on his patients’ mental health is one of his priorities.

Dr. Dabrowski joined SIH Center for Medical Arts in Carbondale five years ago. When he and Kristina began searching for the right community toward the end of his residency in California, they had three requirements: a surrounding population of at least 100,000, a location two to three hours from a major airport and close proximity to a Target. Come again?

“If it didn’t have a Target, it wasn’t family-oriented enough for us … and so if it didn’t have any of those, I wouldn’t even take the time to talk to those folks. We eventually narrowed it down from over 100 places to nine. This was our favorite and it still is.”

The Dabrowskis have a shared love of Broadway and community theater. Kristina was involved in theatre in high school and college, and Lexi is part of a dance program in Energy. But don’t think for a moment that Dr. Dabrowski himself doesn’t have some performance pizazz. A little-known fact about the doctor: His parents wanted to make sure their son knew how to “cut a rug.” They enrolled him in ballroom dance classes on the eve of his first sixth grade school dance. He advanced to the competitive circuit and, at one time, was a two-time national champion in his category.

“This was all before ‘Dancing with the Stars’ became very popular. It’s interesting to see because some of the people that do it now are some of the people that I competed against,” he recalls.

The doctor put his dance prowess to excellent use on one of the most important days of his life: his wedding. He choreographed his first dance with his wife.

In his off time, Dr. Dabrowski enjoys classic television murder mysteries (think “Matlock” and “Colombo”), board games, playing vintage Super Nintendo with his daughter or trying out local cuisine with his family. Now, true Southern Illinoisans at heart, the Dabrowskis’ shared love of the region extended to his parents. They sold their businesses and relocated to Herrin three years ago.

“Becoming part of the community has been wonderful. I thought it would be more challenging to be as embraced as I has been. We love it here. And I am amazed that my wife, who grew up on the West Coast, has assimilated so well to the area and to the community. Our family and friends are blown away when they come out and visit. I think the one thing I realized is that sometimes, it’s good for people to move around to see other things, because then when you finally find that special gem, it makes you appreciate it that much more.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: MEDICAL PROFILE is a series of articles highlighting the medical staff at Southern Illinois Healthcare. All content is provided courtesy of SIH.

Life & Style : Summer 2020

PHOTO BY ROSSLIND RICE

MEDICAL PROFILE

Life & Style : Summer 2020 65

PARTING SHOT

p.s.

Raindrops collect on plants on the Southern Illinois University campus.

PHOTO BY BYRON HETZLER

Photographers, we want to see Southern Illinois through your eyes Do you have a color photo that you’d like to share with us? Please email it to alee.quick@thesouthern.com. Use the subject: PARTING SHOT. Include your name, where the photo was taken and a brief caption for the photo. Please submit only one shot. You may see it here in print in the next issue. Don’t worry if you aren’t chosen. We’ll publish your photo online at lifeandstylesi.com. See page 5 for terms of use.

66 Life & Style : Summer 2020

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Life & Style : Xxxxxxxx 2020 67

Heart Attacks & Strokes Can't Wait.

Heart Attack

Get the help you need.

If you think you could be having a heart attack or stroke, call 911 immediately.

Our hospitals have precautions in place to keep you safe.

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» Pain or discomfort in chest » Lightheadedness, dizziness, or nausea » Shortness of breath » Cold sweat » Discomfort in arm or shoulder

Stroke » » » »

Loss of balance Blurred vision Facial drooping Numbness, weakness or loss of movement in either or both arms » Confusion or trouble speaking If you experience any of these symptoms, call 911.