HAILEY
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KETCHUM
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SUN VALLEY
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BELLEVUE
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CAREY
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S TA N L E Y • FA I R F I E L D • S H O S H O N E • P I C A B O
GALLERY WALK PAGE 9
HEALTH & WELLNESS PAGE 10-11
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NYADSURVIVAL AGAINST THE SEA READ ABOUT IT ON PAGE 7
M a y 2 1 , 2 0 1 4 • V o l . 7 • N o . 2 3 • w w w .T h e W e e k l y S u n . c o m
McCord Shares Fresh Dreams
Al McCord STORY & PHOTOS BY BRENNAN REGO THE KETCHUM KEYSTONE
The Wood River Sustainability Center makes it easy for Valley residents to eat locally produced, great grub such as fresh greens from Hailey, raw cow’s milk and grass-fed meats. Located at 308 S. River Street in Hailey, it’s a one-stop shop for foods grown or produced within about 200 miles, said owner Al McCord in an interview. “Many people’s food choices come out of convenience,” he said. “One of my goals is to teach people that healthy food can be convenient.” McCord, a cancer survivor with 26 years of experience in the restaurant industry, said he purchased the Sustainability Center from founders Melinda and Dick Springs about a year ago. Because of his experience fighting the big C, he often thinks about how health and nutrition tie into all aspects of life and lifestyle. “Most people who live in the Valley moved here for the quality of life,” he said. “We mountain bike, ski, fly-fish, all of it. With that, we also need nutritious food. It’s a big player in quality of life. We need to think about what it takes to make sure we’re mentally, physically and nutritionally sound.” The Springs established the center about four years ago, with the vision of providing a source for “beyond organic” foods to the community, McCord said. “That means you know who the farmers are and what their practices are,” McCord said. “Like the farm where I get my raw cow milk from, Desert Winds Farm in Blackfoot. There’s a face behind it. Every product has a story.” Now that he’s holding the center’s reins, McCord’s goals include teaching people how to grow food themselves and prepare their labor’s fruits in healthy and savory ways. He currently holds monthly cooking classes and educational farm-to-table dinners. He also mentors local students on the farm-to-table approach to food. “I’ve done classes on home fer-
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Harry Huffaker nearly completed his initial attempt on the English Channel, even though he didn’t train for it. / Harry Huffaker swam channels that had never been swum before in a time when information on currents and tides was scanty. STORY AND PHOTOS dental school to travel Europe. Having Midwest was the hotbed of swimming in BY KAREN BOSSICK the 1950s—California was not even in the never swum more than two miles at a time, he attempted the 21-mile swim equation then, he said. Most high schools across the English Channel between had swimming pools and in the summer here was a time when Harry France and England. He did better than yacht clubs and country clubs held swim Huffaker thought 200 yards was anyone expected before succumbing to competitions. a long way to swim, even as he hypothermia in the 61-degree water. “Illinois and Michigan had more was winning state and NCAA collegiate Determined to complete the swim, all-American swimmers at that time than championships. he began training, swimming 21 miles the others combined,” Huffaker said. That was before he swam the English around Michigan lakes. Swimming was so commonplace that Channel and dangerous channels be“Between 1870 and 1960 only 20 people Huffaker dove in for the first time at 8 tween the Hawaiian Islands. had swam it. Now, more than 20 people without giving a second thought to the Today, the Greenhorn Gulch resident swim it every year—of course, they have fact that he didn’t know how to swim. He is considered a pioneer of open-water expertise in training and nutrition. And was pulled out Code Blue and told to take swimming—a recognition that earned they use GPS, which cuts two hours off by lessons. him a place in the International Marakeeping them on course,” Huffaker said. In time, he and his swim team at the thon Swimming Hall of Fame, alongside Without those things Huffaker made University of Michigan won four NCAA Diana Nyad, who is the keynote speaker another attempt but the water was decidchampionships in the five years between at the Sun Valley Wellness Festival this edly colder—56 degrees. He got a half1957 and 1961. weekend. mile from shore and blacked out again, Huffaker was introduced to marathon Huffaker grew up in landlocked Michigan—Detroit, to be specific. But the swimming when he took a year off during
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