The Lakes of Kosciusko Magazine November 2022

TRADE SUCCESS

TRADEWINDS RESTAURANT AND THE GALLEY SPORTS PUB CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON ELKHART

/ Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Ali Schneider

At first glance, the sprawling complex that houses Tradewinds Restaurant and The Galley Sports Pub on the northern fringe of Elkhart is an impressive sight. Right away, it’s clear that this is not necessarily a place to grab and go, nor just another ordinary stop along the daily dash.

It is a venue for dining, but the establishments encompass far more

than that. It is an immersive experience and a place where every visit becomes a celebration of the good life.

The origin of Tradewinds Restaurant dates back to 1990, when Kelly Nelson took ownership. She eventually handed the reins to her son, Steve Nelson, in 1998, and in 2007 Jason Reynolds was recruited to assume the responsibilities of operating partner.

The frenetic pace and success of the business have only increased since then. Reynolds, an affable and engaging conversationalist, has a full plate these days, in more ways than one.

There have been many changes to the business in recent years, including an expansion that extends to the environment of The Galley as well. Each business has done well with regard to both customer traffic and establishing its own identity and vibe. For example, Reynolds explains, The Galley team is working to entice patrons by touting its spirits bar, soon to include high-end, oneof-a-kind moonshine.

The latter has generated such a buzz and excitement among the employees that they are undergoing special training to

the specificities of the process. In

with the sport-fueled

can also enjoy the lively tiki bar, gather with friends around the largescreen televisions, enjoy a bit of friendly competition in the game room, and test their precision on the dartboards. There is also a shuffleboard court, sand volleyball leagues, pool tables, and live music every Friday evening. For a grander scale of rambunctious rivalry, Reynolds notes that a few popular events include Tuesdaynight Friendly Feud games and Queen of Hearts drawings. He is also quick to add that although the season has now passed for sand volleyball, there might be something similar in the works involving snowballs in lieu of volleyballs.

Two of the most appealing aspects of the menu at Tradewinds are all-day breakfast and all-day dinner. Reynolds says customers are very willing to mix and match entrées and drinks, and many latenight workers appreciate the service. “If

Customers cheers to a popular cocktail named the “Vegas Bomb”

someone wants French toast

in the morning, then that’s what we’ll give them,” he says.

Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., and appetizers and charcuterie boards are available as well.

Another feature that has skyrocketed in

popularity, Reynolds says, is the addition of catering. In a fairly short amount of time, he says, Tradewinds has emerged as a preferred caterer for institutions like the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce

MUSIC EVERY FRIDAY POOL AND

Victoria Alugaili (bartender) serves

for

and Elkhart Community Schools. They have been chosen to provide dishes for everything from wedding receptions to small business meetings to large-scale community affairs. Presently, Reynolds notes, they receive approximately seven to eight jobs per week.

Reynolds says carry-out and delivery requests are also increasing. They partner with DineIn, Uber Eats and DoorDash, and he estimates approximately 10% of their daily business includes these services.

Tradewinds Restaurant and The Galley Sports Pub are located at 3147 Northview Drive in Elkhart. Call 574-333-2020 more more info, and to view their full menu and see testimonials from satisfied customers, visit tradewindsgalley.com.

ONE DOG AT A TIME

WARSAW COMPANY GIVES AID TO POOCHES IN NEED

Writer / Julie Yates Photography Provided

One Dog at a Time Rescue (ODTR) is dedicated to providing aid to dogs who are displaced from their homes and families. By placing dogs in temporary foster homes, their goal is to find these pets new homes to live in for the rest of their lives. The staff’s hope is that no dog spends time in a shelter.

“So many dogs that go into a shelter just shut down,” says President Suzanne Abel.

“They watch their family leave and they don’t know what’s going on. We hope to move dogs from one home to another. At one time I was a volunteer in a shelter and I was always in tears when dogs were dropped off. It was a horrendous experience.”

At times the organization will try to help families keep their dogs. Sometimes the continued cost of maintaining the pet is a factor in why a family feels they must give their dog away. ODTR can help with veterinarian bills and the price of food. Other times assistance is provided to the relinquishing family until a foster or another permanent home can be

found.

“The majority of these dogs haven’t seen a vet or had medical care in a long time, or even ever,” Abel says. “We do a heartworm check, microchipping, and get all vaccinations up to date. We donate 10,000 pounds of pet food yearly to the Combined Community Services food bank.”

The all-volunteer organization has a working board of directors. The majority are foster parents to dogs awaiting a new home. Dogs are assessed to make sure they are not aggressive and will fit in well with any existing pets and humans in the home. New foster homes are always needed, as are families who can give the dogs a forever home.

People who would like to adopt must go through an application process so the staff can be sure the dogs will be placed in a good home. A home visit is conducted and references are needed. There is a $175 adoption fee, which is lower than all the veterinary expenses ODTR pays on behalf of each dog before it gets placed in a home.

“I get calls to pick up strays but we are not a shelter,” Abel says. “We don’t have a physical site. We try to keep dogs out of shelters. If it is evident that the dog is not one that just got loose and needs to be reunited with their family, then I have to tell people to call animal control.”

Although ODTR has some excellent supporters who have given generous donations for several years, funds are needed to keep up with medical and food

expenses.

via

substantially

compared to other years.

featured on ODTR’s Facebook page, One Dog At A Time Rescue. Interested families can also visit the organization’s website to view available dogs.

Applications for fostering and adoption can be accessed via the website, as well as volunteer opportunities and a list of loyal supporters.

“It’s never an easy thing to do if a family must give up a pet,” Abel says. “We help them keep their pets out of shelters. I

have fostered over 80 dogs myself over the years. We really need more people willing to foster dogs until we can find them a home.”

Donations of pet food can be made at Combined Community Services, located at 1195 Mariners Drive in Warsaw.

Visit One Dog At A Time Rescue on Facebook and at their website, odtr.org. To make a donation, mail checks to One Dog At A Time Rescue, P.O. Box 76, Warsaw, IN 46581, or donate through a PayPal link accessible on their website.

BROCCOLI CHEESE CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 10oz Packages of Fro zen Chopped Broccoli 1 Stack of Ritz Crackers, crushed

• 1 Stick of Melted Butter

• 1 Can of Mushroom Soup

• Parmesan Cheese

• Dried Minced Onion

• 1 C of Cooked White Rice

• 1/2 lb of Velveeta Cheese

Sliced

STEPS

• Spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray.

• Add the broccoli and sprinkle with the minced onion and parmesan cheese. Add in the mush room soup, velveeta cheese and white rice and mix well. Mix the crushed crackers with the melt ed stick of butter.

• Add half the crackers to the mixture and stir in.

• Top the casserole with the rest of the crackers.

• Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

• Remove from oven and enjoy!

CRANBERRY APPLE MARGARITA

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ounces blanco tequila

• 2 ounces apple cider

• 2 ounces cranberry juice

• 1 ounce orange juice or orange liqueur such as Cointreau

• Ice

• Brown sugar and granulated sugar for rimming glass

INSTRUCTIONS

•

On a small plate, stir together small, relatively equal amounts of brown sugar and granulated sugar until evenly combined. Wet the outer edge of the rim of the serving glasses with water, then press it into the sugar mixture until the rim is coated evenly.

• Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Pour in the tequila, apple cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice/ liqueur. Shake well, then pour/strain into the rimmed glasses. Serve with ice and/or with thin apple slices for garnish if you like.

ROOT CAUSES THE TEAM AT MR. ROOTER PLUMBING GOES WITH THE FLOW

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Dennise Leismer is excited. Her enthusiasm is palpable and evident as she talks about Mr. Rooter Plumbing, the well-established business she operates in Milford. The pride of ownership is something she clearly shares with her seasoned staff and skilled technicians.

Yet she is not content to simply operate

within the limitation of standard parameters. She and the team are consistently training, learning and evolving from their years of knowledge and experience. Together, they aspire to be a leader of advanced services for water purification and drainage issues across northern Indiana.

Leismer’s establishment is part of a national franchise that dates back

to 1970. The Milford location has increased in its scope of service, and includes communities in north-central Indiana. Just as the region of coverage has broadened, so has their attention to providing the ultimate workmanship and customer service.

To that end, Leismer says, the technicians who work for Mr. Rooter are willing participants in ongoing training, adding to their repertoire of knowledge and

Mr. Rooter staff L-R: Trent Phillips, Matt Bulgar, Steven Perez, Emily Schoen, Dan Leismer (owner), Thom Beck and Dennise Leismer (owner).

One of the Mr. Rooter specialists has been with the company for almost 40 years, and nearly everyone spends time throughout the year attending various

and seminars, to learn more about the trade and become introduced to the

not just drains,” Leismer says. “We work with water heaters, reverse osmosis, and water treatment systems. We also handle faucets, toilets, garbage disposals, and clearing drain lines.” They are equipped to work with residential, commercial and light industrial properties.

One of the specialty services that the Mr. Rooter technicians offer involves working with cast-iron drain lines, utilizing a

Marlin & Dorene Yoder

process that can revive the flow and “bring a little extra life to the pipes,” Leismer says. Such lines are typically built with old materials, and are very susceptible to rust and corrosion, which eventually affects the water supply. Through the use of special equipment, Leismer explains, the pipes are cleaned and cleared by a HydroScrub technique, which helps to restore water movement to original levels.

Another aspect of the company’s commitment to service involves giving back to the community as the need arises. Leismer says the local staff has offered their skills to a worthwhile cause in Elkhart.

Currently, several groups have joined forces to assist Faith Mission in their efforts to provide transitional housing units to individuals and families facing difficult circumstances. The Milford team is playing an integral role in fueling the

power of human spirit that is forging a bridge between despair and hope.

The Mr. Rooter Plumbing regional office is located at 305 North Higbee Street in

Milford. To inquire about an estimate, schedule an appointment, or view available hours and services, call 574281-4133 or check out mrrooter.com.

WELL-EQUIPPED

CO-OWNERS OF THE II AMENDMENT AIM TO PLEASE

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Rob Kintz and Jack Hubbell, co-owners of The II Amendment store in Kendallville, strive to offer their customers a wide array of sporting goods and other items.

They say their growing number of loyal customers are pleased with the large selection of merchandise.

Hubbell notes the business began as something else entirely.

“We started as just a fireworks store last year in a nearby location, and grew to where we are today,” Hubbell says.

With more than a decade of experience in the fireworks industry, Hubbell and Kintz started their first retail fireworks store in May of 2021.

Hubbell had owned and operated The Amendment in Butler, Indiana, prior to 2021. The business sold firearms, and hunting and fishing supplies, as well as fireworks.”

LumberJack Jim Tree Service

We are safe, experienced, professional and reliable.

Removal & Trimming

Damage Clean-up Stump Grinding

Fully insured, 26 years of experience In business since 2005

give us a call at or send a text to 574.371.6536

Owners Rob Kintz and Jack Hubbell

Hubbell and Kintz decided to keep expanding the business.

“On April 2, 2022, The II Amendment store was born as a full sporting-goods store,” Kintz says.

Kintz notes that the

very hard

to make sure every customer is pleased with their purchase, and every question is answered about their merchandise.

“We are a sporting-goods store that prides itself on customer experience,” Kintz says. “We strive to carry as many products as we can, and offer high-quality

service to assist our clientele as much as possible.”

Hubbell adds that a lot of work is also being done to expand the store’s website, to enhance their customers’ shopping experience.

“Our website is ever-expanding, as we are pushing to acquire options for our customers from the comfort of their own home,” Hubbell says. “We carry firearms of all types and ages, as well as ammunition in almost every caliber. We also have hunting and fishing supplies for all seasons, and archery, disc-golf supplies, and fireworks year-round. We are also bringing in airsoft, which will include an indoor shooting range.”

Kintz stresses that many brands are sold at the store.

“We carry all of the top brands, as well as new brands coming out,” Kintz says. “From Smith & Wesson, Winchester and Ruger, to Canik, Kimber and Springfield, we have you covered.”

The business also offers a lot of ammunition.

“We have all types and variations of

ammo in stock or online,” Hubbell says. “We carry target rounds, hollow points and hunting rounds.”

Kintz and Hubbell have plans to grow the business.

“Jack and I are both family-driven individuals who work full-time careers along with managing the storefront,” Kintz says. “We look forward to expanding throughout northern Indiana in the coming years, in both physical locations as well as inventory.”

Hubbell and Kintz are thrilled about recently acquiring DTO Optics.

“Much like The II Amendment, the company’s owners also believed that providing a great product at a great price, with excellent customer service, was key,” Hubbell says. “We are running a massive sale on all currently in-stock binoculars and monoculars, up to 50 percent off. Stop in and take a look at the high-end quality, clarity, and probably best of all, the price.”

Customers can currently buy these products at the store or online at dtooptics.com, while supplies last.

“We ask customers to please be patient with us as these items and many more from the DTO line begin to filter into The II Amendment store website,” Hubbell says.

Kintz can’t say enough positive things about his customers.

“We want to thank all of our customers for supporting local businesses such as ours,” he says. “We love God, our country and our land, here in the Midwest especially, in that order.”

To find out more about The II Amendment, located at 832 North Lima Road in Kendallville, call 260-544-1045, or check out www. the2ndamendmentstore.com.

Owner Janet Martin welcomes shoppers to her store.

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Ambience succinctly describes the sensation of walking into a room and being swept into a welcoming, inviting panorama of living scenery. It evokes an oasis of respite where the accents are captivating and the air seems warmer.

It’s that moment when folks truly feel as though they’re finally coming home. Janet Martin, proprietor of The Barn Door Antique Boutique in Middlebury, understands this wholeheartedly. Within her aptly named business, beautifully laid out in a rustic, farmstead setting, there are distinctive wares, unique gifts, and many items bound to suit shoppers across the spectrum of interests and styles.

Right now Martin is navigating one of the busiest times of year, with shades of fall and hints of the holidays dominating the merchandise and decor. As of November 1, virtually every inch of the vast, 7,500-squarefoot building will, symbolically and literally, be ready to deck the halls.

Martin describes her shop as a place to find medium-range to high-end items. That includes, to list only a few, antiques, home furnishings, repurposed goods, vintageinspired designs, and an array of notions ideally suited as gifts. Trends that have consistently been in demand for the majority of customers are lake-cottage themes, primitives, and kitchenware from brands like Beatriz Ball and Casafina.

Among some of the newest product lines to make an appearance at The Barn Door are Mud Pie apparel and gifts, and Bourbon Barrel spices, sauces and coffees. Martin is anticipating the arrival of even more exclusive products by the first of the year. Inventories and collections are

(March 7 -

-6PM

L-R: Karen Frederick (Assistant Manager), Chrystal Ewing (Sales Clerk) and Janet Martin (Owner)

consistently changing to reflect the seasons, and Martin works with a variety of vendors. She is also open to accepting items on consignment.

Another feature of The Barn Door that draws customers in from across the Midwest is the selection of floral designs, crafted from artificial yet realistically fashioned materials. “We’ve become a destination for our florals,” Martin says. “We’ve had customers from as far away as Wisconsin and Chicago.”

The Barn Door also has a sophisticated and visually exciting website, where shoppers can browse and buy the same premier gifts and quality home goods found at the store. There, guests can take in the sights of thoughtfully executed vignettes and decorating ideas, read customer reviews, and see the dimensions of various items before purchasing. A refined searching process allows customers to narrow their views according to price points, brands, occasions and departments. Folks can also create gift registries, enlist the assistance of personal shoppers, and compile wish lists to review favorite items at any time. Martin also maintains an evolving social media presence on Facebook and Instagram, through which new products, special events and other information are revealed and updated. There are also snippets of news from the designers she carries, who share the platform as a way to promote current and future releases.

As Martin readies her boutique for the festivities of the coming months, she is also proud to present some approaching special events to show her appreciation for customers both near and far. The Barn Door will be the perfect setting for a “Hometown Holiday” open house, scheduled for November 17, 18 and 19. She is planning an extravaganza of special sales, product tastings and door prizes. Additionally, as part of an ongoing mission to support local businesses, she will be participating in local Small Business Saturday promotions.

Visit The Barn Door Antique Boutique at 52886 State Road 13 in Middlebury. To check out everything that The Barn Door has to offer, go to barndoorllc.com. For questions and more info, call 574-358-0074 or email janet@barndoorllc.com.

How can you reduce the risk of

Breast Cancer?

Be Physically Fit Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables Avoid too much Alcohol Get a Mammogram

Thinking about scheduling your 3D mammogram…

Earning the right to care for you, your family, and our community!

That’s a Wrap

MAGNUM WRAPPING HAS ADVERTISING NEEDS COVERED

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Tony Straw

Bao Tran, owner of Magnum Wrapping in Plymouth, considers himself lucky to be busy every day at a job he truly loves.

“I love the variety of everything we work on, and a lot of customers have told me they are happily surprised at everything we can do,” Tran says. “It has helped me build my business to the point where we are busy all the time. I’m not complaining. That’s a really nice problem to have. I’m also a wrap

installer, graphic designer, and I also do business branding.”

Tran says he looks forward to going to work every day.

“I’m the founder of Magnum Wrapping, and Toni Ann Erickson is the cofounder,” Tran says. “I think the business has built up because we also really listen to what our customers want. It’s been that way since we started. We go the extra mile to find out exactly what our customers need, and we offer the highest quality.”

Tran says Magnum Wrapping began as a completely different business. “Our company started as a travel installer,” he says. “We were subcontracting for various companies throughout the U.S.A. and Canada.”

Magnum Wrapping then expanded through positive word of mouth.

“We have done thousands of projects from small commercial projects to big fleet jobs for companies like Amazon, UPS and FedEx,” Tran says. “We have done a lot of work for helicopters and planes as well.”

Tran did a lot of traveling to grow the company.

“We eventually wanted to build a company closer to home, and to offer a high-quality

Owners Bao Tran and Co-Founder Toni Ann Erickson

digital wrap shop in the region,” Tran says.

“We really have been able to expand by having such a special niche. We succeeded in offering something a lot of different companies were looking for. It became something where the sky really was the limit in terms of where we could go.”

He set up shop in Plymouth, where he has been very happy.

“This is an absolutely great place to be,” Tran says. “The people are so nice and friendly. There are a lot of wonderful people in this community.”

Magnum Wrapping does many types of wrapping jobs for a variety of companies. “Our business is mainly catered towards commercial businesses who want to expose their business to more people so they can get more customers,” Tran says. “We wrap trailers, food trucks, commercial vehicles, boats, helicopters and planes. It’s been a

lot of fun to work on all of these different things. It also enables us to just keep expanding our customer base. We have a solid reputation for great work that is also really fast.”

Magnum Wrapping also has a lot of products for customers to choose from.

“We offer banners, billboards, wall graphics, window graphics, vehicle wraps and fleet graphics,” Tran says. “We have told customers that vehicle wraps give you 30,000 to 70,000 ad impressions, which is the number of people who will potentially see your particular ad per day. You just can’t beat that. That’s great.”

Tran says 80% of consumers can recall relevant details about a particular vehicle wrap after seeing it once.

“It really sticks in a person’s mind,” Tran says. “It’s perfect. It’s amazing how vehicle wraps just greatly increase brand

recognition more than other modes of different advertising.”

Tran believes the company has prospered because of its uniqueness in the area.

“We have been successful because we are the only Master Certified wrap company in the region,” Tran says. “That has helped us get quite a lot of businesses from so many companies in the region who have a real need for the quality work that we do. Our standards are high on every job that comes into the shop. We do a great job of printing too. We have outstanding, top-of-theline printing equipment that allows us to produce graphics for high-volume jobs.”

Tran says the printing equipment has made a huge difference in the company’s high quality.

“Our HP Latex wide format lets us provide not only high premium quality, it also

provides extremely durable prints,” he says. “We also really have an unmatched and outstanding efficiency to provide graphics that are on time, to install or ship on the same day. You just can’t beat that either.”

Tran adds that their high number of loyal customers has made a huge difference in the amount of growth they have been able to enjoy.

“We have had customers like Justin Time Plumbing & Heating, McGrath Air Conditioning, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and Culver’s Portside Marina who have recommended us highly to other people,” Tran says. “The word has spread that we will do an outstanding job.”

Other satisfied customers include A-Z Detailing and ALL Temp Heating & Cooling.

Tran notes that Magnum Wrapping also has its own line of apparel and gear.

“We have Magnum short-sleeve T-shirts, premium Magnum hoodies, sport bottles, cozy beanies, pet tank tops, long-sleeve T-shirts and coffee mugs,” he says. “People have really enjoyed them.”

For more information on Magnum Wrapping, located at 16210 Lincoln Highway in Plymouth, call 574-341-2334, email bao@ magnumwrapping.com, or visit magnumwrapping.com.

grain

AN UNCOMMON AND TASTY DISH FOR

Photography Provided by New Kitchen Store

Are you looking to impress your friends and family this Thanksgiving? To truly put your culinary skills to a test? We have just the thing for you.

Consider turducken. What on earth is this, you ask? Well, glad you asked.

Turducken is a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, then stuffed into a mostly deboned turkey. It’s layered with savory stuffing, usually a sausage stuffing inside the chicken and between each bird.

From the outside, it looks like a traditional roasted turkey, because you leave the wings and legs attached, to make

shaping the stuffed birds much easier. Carving is easy, as the duck and chicken are completely deboned.

Turducken’s origin is unknown, but it is widely believed that chef Paul Prudhomme invented the dish sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. He trademarked the name in 1986 and served

it at his restaurant, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen.

The practice of cooking a meat inside another meat, called engastration, probably goes back to at least ancient Roman times. Seems chefs have always been looking to up their game and do something different.

Sports commentator John Madden made turducken famous after his first bite at a New Orleans Saints Game. He fell in love with it and mentioned it at every Thanksgiving Day game thereafter.

There are many recipes available online for Turducken. You can also find many different completed and cooked versions for sale online.

You will need a 15- to 20-pound turkey, thawed and deboned, except for wings and legs. Remember that a turkey can take four or five days to thaw in your

Custom Built Vinyl Windows

Custom Built Vinyl Windows

Windows

Storm Doors

Screen Doors •Sliding Glass

Windows

Doors

Windows

Doors

Storm Doors

New Construction & Replacement Windows

Screen Doors •Sliding Glass

Storm Doors

Screen Doors

New Construction & Replacement Windows

Call today for free estimate (574) 825-7863

Glass

New Construction & Replacement Windows

Call today for free estimate (574) 825-7863

59323 CR 35, Middlebury

59323 CR 35, Middlebury

Custom Built Vinyl Windows We offer Provia Windows that have a lifetime warranty that includes glass breakage

Call today for free estimate

825-7863

59323 CR 35, Middlebury

refrigerator. You will need a five- or six-pound duck, and a three- or fourpound chicken. These will be completely deboned. You will need a very sharp knife, and you will be using mostly the tip, as close to the bone as you can.

You will need two to two and a half pounds of giblets, and use both chicken and duck giblets. You will need close to a gallon of good stock. You will want to debone your birds first, and use the bones and necks with about two gallons of water to make your stock. Remember to roast those bones for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees in the oven.

Then, put them in a large stock pot with two gallons of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for two to three hours. You want to reduce the stock by half for a good, rich flavor.

When deboning, it is probably best to start with the chicken, then the duck, so

that by the time you get to the turkey, you should have deboning down. With the turkey, you want no mistakes. You want the skin without any holes or cuts, and you do not want it to dry out.

You will need several pounds of your favorite sausage to make the stuffings, along with cornbread and any other desired stuffing ingredients.

Start several days in advance. Make your stuffings in advance. Debone your birds and construct your turducken the day before. Plan on about five hours for this step.

Recipes can vary a great deal in cooking temperatures and times, so look through several recipes and see which one you like. I think a roast of nine or 10 hours, at 190 degrees, is preferable.

That said, it is important to know your oven’s actual cooking temperatures when

it is cooking. When you have your oven at 325 degrees, is it actually at 325 degrees? Ovens can vary by 20 degrees or more from the temperature you actually pick.

This dinner is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to impress everyone, this is the way to go. People will talk about it for years to come.

Remember to read through several recipes. Once you pick the recipe you like, get all of the ingredients ahead of time and plan your time. Start a week ahead for thawing, stock making and other steps. Enlist the family, turn it into a family affair and have fun with it.

Good luck and good roasting!

New Kitchen Store has all your spice needs for whatever you are cooking. Visit the store are 330 Liberty Street in Walkerton. For more information, call 574-586-2745 or visit newkitchenstore.com.

UNDERGROUND SUCCESS

MIDDLEBURY RESIDENT CONTINUES TO GROW TIRE TANK BUSINESS

Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided

Owning a business means putting in a lot of hours, especially if you work two jobs.

Just ask Weldon Yoder, owner of The Tire Tank in Middlebury. When he’s not busy at The Tire Tank, he works during the early part of the day at Grand Design RV, also in Middlebury.

“I love to keep busy,” Yoder says. “I work at

Grand Design RV from 4:30 a.m. to noon. I work in the cabinet shop making cabinets, and I really enjoy the work. It’s very satisfying. After that, I work at my business in the afternoons and early evenings. I put in a lot of time to make sure everything is running smoothly. I have busy days and nights, but that’s what keeps me happy.”

Yoder isn’t complaining.

“It’s a perfect setup for me,” he says. “I like how the work at both jobs is very different

and satisfying, and I enjoy earning extra money. I like being able to pursue two completely different jobs where I can use what I know to do good work. It’s also a lot of fun.”

Yoder started The Tire Tank in July of 2021, and is pleased that he is able to keep growing his business through satisfied customers who have recommended him to their family and friends.

“I’m an agricultural dealer that makes

721 Main Street Rochester, IN 46975 574-223-3514 www.primosbarandgrill.com alexmartinez@primosbarandgrill.com Like us on Facebook!

automatic waterers, made out of used skip loader tires,” Yoder says. “A tire water storage tank is basically a container made from a tire. It’s used for storing water. It’s an opentop mining tire. It’s usually placed over an underground inlet pipe.”

Yoder adds that he bolts the tires together to act as tubes.

“Four of the tires go underground,” he says. “Two are sticking out above the ground. The tubes that go into the ground heat the ground around an inlet pipe to keep it from freezing. I can provide delivery service of the tire tanks, but I don’t install them.”

Yoder has a quick turnaround time.

“I keep the tire tanks in stock, so I’m ready to deliver as soon as a customer wants one,” Yoder says. “I enjoy working with my customers and finding out what will work best for them. I will also work with farm supply stores to make sure an order is just

CALLOR

Automatic waterer for all types of livestock

VISIT YOUR LOCAL STORE TO ORDER YOURSTODAY!

right. I can also go to the tire dealer to get the tires. I spend time with customers to make sure they get what they need, and what tire tank will really best work for them.”

The fall and winter months mean good business for Yoder.

“People want to make sure their underground pipes are ready for cold winter months ahead,” Yoder says. “I enjoy finding out exactly what my customers need for their tire tanks, and I enjoy spending time with my customers. That’s a great part of owning a business. I like putting in the time to get to know them.”

Yoder says the community of Middlebury has been very supportive of his business.

“I’ve been in Middlebury for seven years and I have loved the way people have helped me grow The Tire Tank,” he says. “They not only say nice things about the business and

the work I do, but they also like to tell a lot of their family members and friends about the quality work I will do for them. I’ve been able to get steady business. You just can’t beat that. It’s a very satisfying feeling, and reminds me why I’ve been so happy to live here. People are so neighborly. My family has also been very happy here.”

When Yoder isn’t busy working, he enjoys spending time with his family, which includes his wife Cheryl and children, Seth, 5, Caleb, 4, Kayla, 2, and Josiah, 1.

“We like to get to know our neighbors and spend a lot of time outside,” Yoder says. “I just can’t say enough nice things about this community, and I hope I can get to know more people through my business.”

To find out more about The Tire Tank, located at 465 South 1150 West in Middlebury, call 574-825-9812.

Monday - Friday 10 am -

pm,

BUSINESS IS POPPING

KING KORN OWNERS OPEN NEW STOREFRONT LOCATION

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Nostalgia often encompasses much more than what can be described in a simple word.

It’s a sentiment, a movement, a sense of capturing a moment in time and embracing it with an open heart.

Now, there is a place nestled in historic downtown Ligonier where folks can

engage all of their senses while surrounding themselves in that very same nostalgia.

At King Korn, members of the Culp family are devoting themselves to the cause of drawing upon bygone memories and creating cherished new ones. Their selections of flavored popcorn, retro candies and snacks, and premium ice cream are downright irresistible, as is their pledge to provide superior customer service.

The King Korn storefront is brand new, and the official grand opening was held

in June. The retail aspect of the business is a brick-and-mortar spinoff from the wholesale banner of Indiana Snack Foods in Cromwell. Thus far, even though it has only been open for a few months, the reception from the community and the customers has been overwhelmingly positive.

Co-owner Larry Culp is joined by Amber Culp, who oversees a spectrum of operations for the family business.

Larry Culp explains that the gourmet popcorn is made with unique and exclusive recipes, all truly homemade, at the nearby Cromwell warehouse location.

Approximately one year ago, the Culps were given a chance to purchase the business from longtime owners Sam and Ruth Buckles. With the proverbial passing of the torch, the Culp family became the titans of a beloved local tradition. It felt like a serendipitous decision at the time, as the Culps had very fond memories of their own late parents, Romane and Lillian, both of

Larry Culp of King Korn in Ligonier

whom shared a passion for popcorn as a special treat.

Initially the Indiana Snack Foods team distributed the popcorn selections via online sales, retail distribution and delivery.

Then, as Culp recalls, a somewhat comical and interesting phenomenon started happening - something that made the Culps wonder if there were other avenues to pursue.

“All of a sudden people were coming to Cromwell and they started coming in to the facility,” Culp says with a laugh. “It got to the point where we thought it might be time to start selling beyond online.”

Once the Culps made the necessary arrangements to open a shop, they went about making decisions on what products would entice customers the most. Of course, the gourmet popcorn, now available in 60 flavors, was at the top of the list. “We

CALLING LOCAL WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS!

part of

MAGAZINE

ARE LOOKING FOR LOCAL WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS IN THE AREA WHO ARE INTERESTED IN FREELANCE WORK!

EMAIL YOUR RESUME AND PORTFOLIO TO OUR EDITOR AT JOSH@TOWNEPOST.COM!

make every bit of it,” Culp says.

are also 16 different flavors of handdipped ice cream, all procured from regional creators such as Hudsonville, Ashby’s and Prairie Farms. There is also a vast assortment of bagged candies,

most of which comes from Albanese Candy. Culp says visitors are also excited to see the old-fashioned candy displays, featuring items that many believed were no longer available or readily distributed for years. The store also carries a few newer items such as freeze-dried candy,

which is exactly what it sounds like and is made to literally melt in your mouth.

Many of the popcorn mixes are a reflection of the community, or have been inspired by the tastes of customers. “We come up with all of the flavors ourselves,”

Amber Culp scoops up a delicious cone at King Korn.

King Korn’s new location in downtown Ligonier.

Culp says. Some of the biggest sellers so far for popcorn flavors include bacon cheddar, caramel, and a blend of jalapeño cheddar and caramel, which they call Sweet Heat. Culp says some other flavors that move well are peanut butter and jelly, and white cheddar, along with locally themed creations such as Cromwell Style and a blend named for the West Noble Chargers.

With the holiday season approaching, the Culps are gearing up for seasonal products including pumpkin spice, cinnamon, peppermint crunch and crème de menthe flavors. There are plans in the works to add a selection of nostalgic sodas to the inventory as well.

To find King Korn’s new store location, head to 316 South Cavin Street in downtown Ligonier. Go to kingkorn.com for more information, or call 260-856-4265.

Flight boards are popular. Customers can choose six different flavors of hand dipped ice cream.

Jim and Kim Kephart outside Journeys End & Bourbon hometown diner

egend has it that the town of Bourbon was built when it was certain that railroad tracks would be laid to its area. Another bit of trivia - its motto is “Small Town, Big Heart.” In the 1850s, many of its first settlers came from Bourbon County in Kentucky, where, at the time, there were more than 25 distilleries. All this lore makes Bourbon the perfect home for two establishments - Bourbon Hometown Diner and Journey’s End.

Jim and Kim Kephart recently assumed ownership of the businesses, which are located in a historic building right next door to each other. Although both have a separate door and individual space, they share the same kitchen. While Journey’s End is a fun and lively place to savor an adult beverage, Bourbon Hometown Diner has a family- and kid-friendly atmosphere.

“We’ve owned them since November of 2021,” Jim Kephart says.

“When we first saw they were for sale, it was under contract. Then, 30 days later the contract fell through. Over the years I’ve owned five businesses. I’m the one who’s usually up for adventure and my wife is the conservative one, but when we learned it was up for sale again, she was the one who wrote the check.”

“We think the building used to be a place that housed horses,” Kephart continues.

“There is a manual elevator in the back. It looks like it was used to raise up hay to the second floor. After that it might have been a barbershop. When we bought, the business had been a restaurant for 20 years. It had been owned by a father and two sons. We were able to keep all the employees. They are local and had worked there for a long time.”

Step by step, Kephart is enhancing the appearance of the two spaces and making needed structural improvements. He applied for and was granted financial assistance through the Facade Grant Program. Inside, the walls and hallway have a fresh coat of paint. The word is getting out to surrounding areas that the establishments are under new ownership.

“We have people starting to come from Plymouth, Bremen, South Bend, Warsaw and Rochester,” Kephart says. “Kim’s a mom of five and she’s a good cook. She’s developed a halfpound Triton burger with a sauce in the school colors. She’s got other ideas and we have specials that aren’t on the menu. Our son also cooks. There’s lots of good, home-cooked food.”

Kephart feels that you can’t have a bar and eatery in a town

named Bourbon without paying homage to the beverage. On the Journey’s End side, in addition to pool tables, there is a Bourbon cabinet that Kephart had custom made. It’s filled with a collection of high-end Bourbon.

produced by veterans who fought together against the Taliban. Hooten Young whiskey is the result of a partnership between Tim Young and Norm Hooten, the actual “Hoot” who inspired the movie “Black Hawk Down.” Responder Bourbon was founded by a group of police officers. A portion of sale profits are donated to first responders.

SOME

YODER POPCORN

Menus for the month are posted on Facebook. Featured dishes include meatloaf, country-fried steak, Swedish meatballs and pasta dishes, just to name a few. Brown-bag delivery from the sandwich menu is available, with a minimum of two orders, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Several weekly activities happen at Journey’s End. There is trivia on Tuesdays, and Fridays feature Karaoke. On Saturday nights there might be live bands or open-mic nights.

The Kepharts are glad to assist their vendors and beverage distributors with fundraising promotions. Bikers doing runs for charity are always welcome to stop in. On Veterans Day, vets get a

free drink, and Triton School Corporation employees have been treated to free burgers.

“We love it,” Kephart says. “We have a great staff. Our biggest surprise is how much the town of Bourbon supports us. They thank us for being owners that care. It’s a place where everyone knows each other.”

Bourbon Hometown Diner is located at 116 North Main Street, and Journey’s End is located at 118 North Main Street, in Bourbon. View both on Facebook for menus and upcoming activities. Call 574-342-0123 to reach both establishments.

VERTICAL VISION

WAREHOUSE CLIMBING COMPANY’S PRESENCE IN GOSHEN IS ANYTHING BUT ROCKY

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger Photographer / Ali Schneider

When Ryan Borntrager was growing up, he had an inquisitive mind and a bit of a restless spirit. While many of his peers were consumed by the typical allures of teenage life, Borntrager found a more adventurous way to channel his energy. With a group of his friends, he spent countless hours scaling a makeshift climbing wall that was built inside his parents’ barn.

Although he may not have realized it at that time, Borntrager had discovered a future purpose to inspire others to reach seemingly lofty goals, quite literally one step at a time.

In May of this year, Borntrager opened the doors to his new enterprise situated in Goshen, a place he has christened Warehouse Climbing Company. Within the spacious facility there are multiple walls of dazzling colors and patterns, studded with meticulously placed artificial stones for climbing.

Borntrager’s business is rapidly becoming known as among the first of its kind in northern Indianaa business known as a bouldering gym.

Warehouse Climbing Company is designed for folks of various ages, from beginners to the

Welcome to Greencroft Goshen, where our greatest hope is that you will feel free. Free to live life to its fullest. To find out more, call us at 574-537-4010 or 574-537-4128.

Pictured is owner Ryan Borntrager

most intrepid athletes. Borntrager is keen on emphasizing this, as the practice of rock climbing might initially seem daunting. It is about far more than just testing one’s mettle by maneuvering along a vertical incline. It is also a way to improve upon one’s fitness level, by using the power of one’s own body weight to propel forward and upward.

“It really is for everyone,” Borntrager says.

“We want to get people excited about being healthy and active. It’s not just a thrill-seeking thing. It’s about making it something to incorporate into a daily workout.” Currently, there are programs being developed that do not require machines, but rather allow people to reframe their idea of strength by working with the momentum of their own bodies and the resistance they provide.

Borntrager also says more than half of his customers are new to the sport. He strives to educate patrons on the benefits of this method of strength training. “It helps to build muscle

and it’s good for personal growth,” he says. Borntrager believes that those who visit Warehouse Climbing Company are drawn to the contemplative, introspective nature of the sport. He also feels there is a camaraderie that is established among like-minded individuals. It’s a mindset on which he’s well-versed. He reflects on the direction of his earlier life, and how his vision grew from something of a slow burn to the realization of a dream he spent years cultivating.

“I was doing some soul searching,” Borntrager recalls. “I had moved out and was working for the family business, and I could feel myself falling in my dad’s footsteps. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy working with my family, but it just wasn’t what I thought my purpose was.”

He began considering how he could best contribute something to the business landscape, while still pursuing a goal he is passionate about. “I started making small

moves, thinking about what was missing from this community,” he says. Once an opportunity presented itself to purchase a building in Goshen, things began to proceed.

Then the pandemic struck. It was the spring of 2020, and suddenly the list of tasks required to start a business grew painfully long and moved painstakingly slowly. There were permits to secure, construction items to complete and limited ways to achieve progress.

Yet what might have seemed overwhelming to most did little to hinder the realization of Borntrager’s fledgling business, as he chose to undergo much of the interior renovation by himself. Though it may have taken a little longer than what he had envisioned, Warehouse Climbing Company finally opened in May of 2022.

Borntrager’s entrepreneurial spirit, perhaps mixed in with a bit of adolescent mischief,

has served the business well so far. All along, he hoped for “a place where people could gather and meet new people, and work on themselves,” he says. And that, he has accomplished.

Warehouse Climbing Company is located at 605 Logan Street in Goshen. Call for pricing and reservation information at 574238-3562, and visit warehouseclimbingco. com for details on rental footwear, gift certificates and membership fees.

ROAD JANUS MOTORCYCLES OFFERS UNIQUE RIDES

Writer / Robert Noah Torres Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Janus Motorcycles manufactures a line of unique bikes with small displacement and an unlimited potential in customizable style. Small displacement means having a light weight bike with a smaller engine than is typically used. Some may call these bikes small, but for Janus and its team small displacement helps define their corner of the market — a corner that has progressed naturally from a couple of friends with a focus on vintage repair to the established and thriving business it is today. They are a business that is held up by its amazing team and grows through the fluid leadership of its founders.

Richard Worsham is the co-founder and lead designer of Janus Motorcycles. Underneath that title, Worsham does everything from service and repair to making business decisions and planning for the future of the company. An example of this can be found in the way that Janus is starting to fabricate its own motorcycle parts, a project which Worsham spearheaded and that he hopes will lead to all in house fabrication in the future.

“I do a little bit of everything and am always happy to show up in the morning,” Worsham says.

Janus currently has three models — the Phoenix, Halcyon, and Gryffin. These bikes have 250cc engines. The latest model, the Halcyon 450 came out in the spring of last year.

“People kind of laugh when we say 250,” says Worsham, who sees Janus as in its own industry. “We talk about it being our big bike but that for most people is a small bike. That’s really what we do — a light weight, lower displacement, not high horsepower bike.”

Janus does not aim to compete with Kawasaki, Honda, or some other major manufacturer. Instead they are happy in their lane.

Their brand is built around classic styling, traditional craftsmanship and small displacement. This is evident in the way Janus started and how it has grown. A key component of Janus is that they “make it out of metal and not plastic, make it last,” says Worsham, whose progression toward Janus started in 2007 when he came to Indiana to attend the University of Notre Dame. While pursuing a degree in classical architecture Worsham got around on an old vintage Garelli Moped. Needing to do work on his moped, Worsham found a local repair shop that specialized in vintage mopeds. When the man who ran the shop, Devin, and Worsham met they hit it off and would work summers together doing repair and customization work.

Through that work Devin and Worsham, the co-founders of

Janus, built up

with a lot of local, predominantly Amish, vendors. They started working on 50cc vehicles and eventually moved to a larger platform with 250cc engines. From there they kept growing into what they are today. Janus Motorcycles started in Goshen in a rented space in the back corner of a building. Today Janus owns that whole building and continues to grow out of what is affectionately called HQ.

Worsham has always been obsessed with vehicles. Fascinated from a young age, he would draw and design motorcycles. He has even had the dream of being a manufacturer since childhood. That dream came to fruition at Notre Dame through studies of classic architecture which came hand and hand with the early automotive history of the 20s and 30s. In that era there was a “level of design that matched the beauty of the cars and the beauty of the cars was as important as their function,” says Worsham, who brings that philosophy to Janus where function is as important as design, craftsmanship and the materials used. They offer a range of customizable mid range bikes which are “sure to get all the attention, even when sitting next to an $80,000 bike.”

The success and continued growth of Janus relies on its incredible team which takes pride in its work and takes care of its workers.

Hannah Lehman in Sales at Janus Motorcycles

Employees assemble Janus motorcycles in Goshen, Indiana.

“What we do would not be possible without the phenomenal group of people we have here,” says Worsham, who is more than willing to help his team stay happy and comfortable. Janus Motorcycles offers a pleasant work environment, flexible schedules, a willingness to work with its workers and none of the typical factory craziness.

Lopi Pacific Energy Kozy Heat

To fully experience Janus and their approach to the motorcycle business give them a call and set up a tour. Janus Motorcycles is located at 211 S. 5th St. in Goshen. They can be reached by phone at (574) 538-1350. Visit their website janusmotorcycles. com to shop and customize bikes as well as explore options to tour the shop and take a test drive.

• Since 1982 • We aim to keep you warm! We install & service what we sell.

LaGrange County Community Foundation Staff and board members celebrate with a ribbon cutting.

THIRTY YEARS OF PHILANTHROPY

THE HISTORY OF THE LAGRANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Story Provided Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Since 1991, the LaGrange County Community Foundation has been a charitable partner in LaGrange County, helping connect donors to their charitable dreams and building permanent community funds.

A community foundation is a tax-exempt public charity serving thousands of people who share a common interest - improving the quality of life in a geographic region.

Individuals, families, businesses and organizations create charitable funds that help meet those local challenges.

The foundation began with a group of community leaders who believed in the importance of building long-term permanent funds for LaGrange County.

Governed by volunteer committee members from across the county, the Board of Directors oversees strategic planning, establishes policy and sets priorities.

“Our responsibility is to be a wise steward of the assets entrusted in our care,” says Octavia Yoder, executive director. “The foundation works on behalf of donors who want to do charitable good in LaGrange County.”

The foundation began humbly in the basement of Farmers State Bank in LaGrange. The first director, Elsie Willard,

Quality Construction at an Affordable Price

New Homes • Room Additions Roofing Shingles or Metal Roofs Interior/Exterior Remodeling

Types of Residential Construction

donated her salary back to the foundation, and under her direction the team encouraged the start of a community arts fund.

Today, the foundation manages 150 unique funds and has

grown to $24 million in assets, with three full-time staff members. While the foundation focuses on building permanent funds for charitable efforts, the organization also supports funds for short-term community projects.

After occupying the old Bir Hotel near the intersection of State Road 9 and U.S. Highway 20 in LaGrange for nearly 25 years, the foundation moved its offices a few miles outside of LaGrange in April of 2021, to a location near the intersection of U.S. Highway 20 and 250 West. The facility includes a community room available to nonprofits for meetings, trainings or events.

In 30 years, the foundation has granted more than $3.3 million from its unrestricted funds to support local charitable needs. The foundation’s Caring Community Fund provides grants to local agencies seeking funding through its Community Impact Grants program. Nonprofits apply and a committee reviews the applications.

The Caring Community Fund is an unrestricted fund, which allows it to be used for any community need. “Some donors create funds for a specific nonprofit or a type of cause,” Yoder says.

“The flexibility of an unrestricted fund is important because the needs in LaGrange County can change over time. When a donor supports the Caring Community Fund, they are supporting grants to local agencies.

Donations of all sizes are pooled together in the fund and support a robust grant program.”

Nonprofits such as Elijah Haven, LaGrange County Trails, and Rainbow Years Learning Ministry are just a few of the beneficiaries.

In 2019, the foundation awarded LaGrange County Trails $25,000 to support the development of the Hawpatch Trail. The 17-mile bike and pedestrian recreation trail will connect Wolcottville, Topeka and Millersburg. The grant supported operational startup expenses, which included legal fees, title research and appraisals.

Connecting donors to charitable opportunities like LaGrange County Trails is changing the landscape of the community in a positive way.

“The foundation recognizes the power of community philanthropy and what can happen when a generous community gives,” Yoder says. “It’s neighbors helping neighbors.”

HOOFIN’ IT

MILLERSBURG RESIDENT FINDS HIS STRIDE IN THE HORSE REPRODUCTION BUSINESS

Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Cletus Bontrager, owner of Rumbling Acres in Millersburg, says working with his customers is one of the highlights of his business.

It’s one of many factors that keep him highly motivated throughout the day. He says he had a longtime dream of owning his own business, and he wants to keep finding ways to make it grow. He also believes his customers are the key to making that happen.

“Making sure my customers are satisfied is one of the things that keeps a business going,” Bontrager says. “I’ve tried to make it that way since we started.”

Bontrager started Rumbling Acres in 2020.

“We are an equine reproduction and sale fitting business, and we have been lucky to have loyal customers who have been enthusiastic and happy to be working with us,” he says. “You can’t ask for more than that.”

A typical workday for Bontrager can vary.

“During the spring reproduction part of our business, we do mare boarding here,” he says. “We have a full line of reproduction. It involves the selective breeding of horses. Horse owners have come to rely on Rumbling Acres as a solid business. They are looking for a certain type of purebred horse. One of the positive things about this business is that there is always a market for it.”

Closeouts, Furniture, Overstocks!

Bontrager is glad that the business has been able to grow.

“We specialize in driving horses,” Bontrager says.

“We have been able to have new customers by

offering a high-quality service with this.”

Bontrager spends a lot of time with customers to find out exactly what they need.

“They also like the fact that we have horses for sale, and we also can raise your own foal,” he says. “That has appealed to a lot of people. They have been very happy about that. We are a small business but we have a lot of room for growth, and we are

hoping to be able to get more customers.”

Bontrager enjoys the sales part of his job, and has grown to like it even more during the last few months.

“We strive to make the customers as happy as possible, and that pays off in the long run,” he says. “We usually have about 12 to 14 horses here at a time. We sell young stock and driving horses. They will all be sold by the end of the year. We also buy and

resell horses. People call us and tell us what they need, and we make it work for them.”

Bontrager notes that there is a big demand for horse reproduction, and that people are always looking to purchase more horses.

“People have been saying very nice things about us, and the best way to get great new customers is through positive word of mouth,” he says.

Bontrager says residents of Millersburg have been very supportive of his business.

“One of the great things about living in Millersburg is the laidback atmosphere,” he says. “My wife, Joanna, and I talk about how this place always gives us a great feeling, to see how much people care about each other here. They also want to see businesses succeed.”

When Bontrager isn’t busy at Rumbling Acres, he can also be found at Bonteville Wood Products in Shipshewana.

“I work there with my dad, Vernon, and we make wood cabinets,” he says.

Buildings

-Equipment storage -Equestrian stables -Livestock facilities

-Garages -Pole barns -Toy barns

-

-Storage buildings -Office buildings

buildings

-

the

NOVEMBER IN HOOSIER HISTORY

Writer / Jeff Kenney Photography Provided

It’s November in the lakes area - a month most people associate, appropriately enough, with the Thanksgiving holiday, or perhaps (due in large measure to said holiday) Native American history, football, or the sometimes unpleasant topic of elections. Poor November tends to be a rather brown or gray month. It’s not quite the time for Christmas excitement, and the sunnier pleasures of autumnal harvest events or Halloween have passed.

Readers have likely ascertained by now that these pages in your Lakes Magazine, particularly when this author’s name is attached to them, tend to focus on history-related matters. And as it turns out, November has some pretty interesting offerings in terms of Hoosier history. Below is a look at just a handful of highlights.

1778 (November 2): Frances Slocum, one of the best-known people of European descent to be abducted and raised by Native Americans, is taken from her home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at age 5 by three Delaware warriors, and eventually taken to today’s Ohio and Indiana. Slocum married a Miami chief known as Deaf Man and, taking the name Maconaquah, settled at Deaf Man’s village along the Mississinewa River near present-day Peru, Indiana.

Later in life, Slocum’s siblings learned of her whereabouts and sought to bring her with them, but by then she had become completely assimilated into Miami life, culture and language, and opted to remain with her Native American family and village.

Many entities in the Peru area today are named in her honor.

1791 (November 4): The greatest defeat suffered by the U.S. Army at the hands of North American Native Americans takes place when forces under the Northwest Territory governor, General Arthur St. Clair, are defeated near Fort Wayne. Famous Miami Indian Chief Little Turtle led an army of Miami, Delaware, Iroquois, Ojibwa, Potawatomi, Shawnee and Wyandot, which killed 623 of St. Clair’s men and wounded another 258 on the banks of the Wabash River. The event led Congress to authorize a larger army in 1792.

1806 (November 29): Vincennes University is incorporated, making it the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana (even if, at the time, the location’s official moniker was the Indiana Territory, becoming a state in 1816). It held the distinction of being the only such entity until Indiana University was established in 1820.

1811 (November 7): General William Henry Harrison’s forces are victorious at the legendary Battle of Tippecanoe against the Shawnee. The dramatic backdrop of the event, which took place near Lafayette, includes a warning from Shawnee leader Tecumseh to his brother Tenskwatawa, known as the Prophet, not to engage in the battle until Tecumseh returned from a wide-ranging campaign elsewhere in the U.S. to gather Native support for a united Indian movement. The “prophesies” of Tenskwatawa had often seemed to come true, but the U.S. victory effectively put an end to Tecumseh’s efforts and also aided Harrison in his presidential bid in 1840.

A trip to Battle Ground, Indiana, and Prophetstown State Park allows visitors to walk the sites of various aspects of the story.

1862 (November 3): Dr. Richard Gatling patents the first machine gun, named for him, in Indianapolis. Gatling had a number of inventions to his name prior to inventing the gun, and (perhaps ironically) had studied medicine not long before the outbreak of the American Civil War. With the onset of that brutal conflict, he turned his attention to inventing and enhancing firearms. He conceived of the crank-operated, rapid-fire machine gun in 1861, perfecting it by the following year. The war was nearly over before the federal government authorized its use, but it was certainly integral to future developments in and out of wartime.

1880 (November 12): Crawfordsville-based author and American Civil War General Lew Wallace publishes “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.” The novel might seem a rather tough slog for modern audiences, but it was the best-

selling book in the United States, after the Bible, in the entire 19th century. It would go on to be adapted numerous times for the stage and screen, including the 1959 movie version, which itself became one of the most awardwinning films of all time. Parts of the novel were written in the lakes region, including Lake Maxinkuckee and Bass Lake (Wallace, after all, was an avid fisherman).

1888 (November 6): Benjamin Harrison of Indiana wins the presidential election, making him the third Hoosier to serve in that office (if one counts Abraham Lincoln, who spent part of his childhood in southern Indiana). His status also makes his father, John Scott Harrison, the only person in U.S. history to hold the distinction of being both the son of a U.S. president (in this case, the aforementioned other Hoosier president, William Henry Harrison) as well as the father of one. Benjamin Harrison defeated incumbent Grover Cleveland via electoral vote (233-168), though Cleveland led in the popular vote.

1899 (November 22): Musical giant Hoagy Carmichael, who composed the music for some 50 hit recordings, is born in Bloomington. Best known for “Stardust” and the music for “Georgia on My Mind,” he appeared in numerous movies, TV shows and live productions.

1904 (November 6): Charles W. Fairbanks, an eight-year Indiana senator, is elected vice president of the United States. Besides the fact

that the city of Fairbanks, Alaska, was named after him (due to his work on a commission settling the Alaska boundary dispute), he also visited the lakes area when he reviewed the corps of naval midshipmen at Culver Summer Schools in 1905.

1920 (November 2): As Hoosiers voted for the first time since the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which allows women to vote, Julia D. Nelson was elected as a state representative and became the first woman to serve in the Indiana General Assembly. The Delaware

County native advocated for the support of impoverished parents and children, and introduced bills involving topics such as sexual assault and regulations of movies.

1928 (November 10): Notre Dame’s football team “wins one for the Gipper.” Few scenarios in American sports history rival the legendary Notre Dame football teams of the 1920s under coach Knute Rockne, who took over as head coach in 1918. Up against the undefeated Army team and losing at halftime, team members rallied after Rockne shared what he said were the last words of former Notre Dame player George Gipp, who had died in 1920 at age 25. Among them was the encouragement to go out and “win one for the Gipper” when things looked bleak. Notre Dame proceeded to upset Army and win 12-6 (though a week later, they lost their first home game in 23 years against powerhouse Carnegie Tech).

1941 (November 21): The USS Indiana battleship is launched from Newport News,

Virginia. Not long after, on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took place and the USS Indiana, fully loaded with ammunition and supplies, departed for the Tonga islands and joined the Pacific Fleet in 1942. The ship was nicknamed the “Hoosier Houseboat” by her crew. Though decommissioned and sold for scrap in the 1960s, parts of her are on display at various museums and other sites around Indiana.

1986 (the week of November 7): “Hoosiers,” arguably the most revered basketball movie in history, premieres at the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis. The movie is loosely based on the Milan High School boys basketball team of 1954, which won the state championship. Milan was the smallest school ever to win a single-class state basketball title in Indiana when they defeated much larger Muncie Central High School - an accomplishment known as the Milan Miracle. The movie, starring Gene Hackman, was shot entirely in Indiana.

In 1939, Hoosiers celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday on two different days. In 1839, Indiana Governor David Wallace proclaimed Thursday, November 28 as an official day of Thanksgiving statewide, asking residents to show appreciation for good harvest and health. However, in 1939, the holiday, always on the last Thursday of November, fell on November 30. This was a concern for business owners, who knew that most people waited to start Christmas shopping until after Thanksgiving. That year’s late date meant fewer shopping days, which led to a concerted effort from businesses to convince President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare Thanksgiving a week early, on November 23.

A wave of controversy followed, emanating from a variety of institutions such as schools, churches, managers of industry and many others, which left many communities opting to stick with the original date of November 30. Some communities, including the Indiana cities of Washington, New Albany and Delphi,

gave workers both dates off to celebrate the holiday. All of this led to 1939 being the year of two Thanksgivings!

Today’s policy of Thanksgiving falling on the fourth Thursday in November went into effect in 1941, thus ensuring that the holiday would never fall later than November 28.

Be it large or small, let our

add our special touch

your next project. We

in marine

in today and check

or

FAST FAVORITE BACKROADS TAVERN IS FINDING A FIRM FOOTHOLD IN WOLCOTTVILLE

Writer / Melissa Gibson Photographer / Kari Lipscomb

Noble County residents Lori and Pete Phares had no previous experience opening a restaurant, yet it was something they had dreamed of doing over the years.

In April of 2022, that dream came to fruition with the grand opening of Backroads Tavern in Wolcottville.

Their choice in food, atmosphere and entertainment seemed simple. “There wasn’t anything around here with steak, without going to a larger city,” Lori Phares says. “We knew we wanted to offer the prime, which is a specialty item, and we knew we’d have rib eye and ribs, so that’s what led to the tavern style.”

The menu is bursting with bar-and-grill favorites, and the team posts specials on Facebook each day. They offer many classics like brick-oven pizza, burgers, cheesesteaks, bacon-wrapped pork, and smothered chicken with a side of coleslaw, green beans or fries.

For lunch, visitors can grab a quick bite of the Texan, a grilled Swiss cheese topped with bacon, jalapeños and blackberry jam, or the Coyote Ugly, a breaded chicken sandwich with hot sauce, coleslaw and pickles.

Popular appetizers include fried mushrooms, mac-and-cheese balls and loaded fries. Desserts include cheesecake in a variety of flavors.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the prime rib and baby back ribs are local favorites.

The past six months have been an adventure, as the couple learned what works and what doesn’t. Phares says they surrounded themselves with people with industry experience, and the choice has been the key to their success.

They completely renovated the kitchen area prior to opening,

Tavern owners Pete and Lori Phares

and were up against pandemic-related shipping issues, but just days before the grand opening, everything had fallen to place.

They’ve also had a consistent following and support from the community, helping to shape the restaurant and create a must-have dining stop on the way home from work or during a weekend out on the town.

“We began with a lot of the lake-community residents throughout the summer months and now, since the seasonal customers have left, we have regulars that have supported us from day one,” Phares says. “Several people asked about tenderloins and cod, so we’ve started offering those - just figuring out what works for us and what people want.”

Late this summer, Phares added entertainment on the back patio. What was once a 21-and-over space at Backroads is now family friendly, and the couple has received good feedback from the variety of bands gracing the stage.

Local musicians like Jeff Colin, Gunslinger, Scott Bond, and Jackie and Lindsey keep the live music going, and guests can bring their own lawn chair to sit outside and enjoy the performances.

Handcrafted staircases, doors and floors.

Complete package in hardwood for your home or office specializing in hardwood flooring.

“Originally it was set up as half bar, half restaurant, and the patio was classified as 21 and over, but when we realized how many families would be interested, we reclassified the patio,” Phares says. “It’s been really nice to see the bands come out over the summer, and families being able to sit outside and enjoy that as well.”

Entertainment is expected to slow during the winter months, but there is space indoors for karaoke with Ronda Scarlett, football

games on a big-screen TV and a small stage for musicians. The bar includes a full-service host of drinks for just about any person’s tastebuds.

From cocktails like the Huckleberry Hound Lemonade and Caramel Apple to draft beer, bourbon and moonshine, Backroads Tavern has a little bit of everything.

When they aren’t running Backroads Tavern, the couple has a farm to operate, but they are enjoying the time they have together. Phares says each has their own tasks with the restaurant, and some tasks take a group effort.

“This is something we’ve always wanted to do,” Phares says. “We’re fortunate that we can do it. We have a great staff and we’re just lucky to be in the position we’re in. We’ve been

blessed. We so appreciate the outpouring of support from the community.”

Backroads Tavern now accepts reservations on weekends, and customers can visit their Facebook page for daily updates and specials. It is located at 725 West 700 South in Wolcottville. For more information, visit facebook.com/brtinwolcottville.

What’s Happening IN NOVEMBER AT THE LAKES

ELKHART COUNTY

NOVEMBER 4, 2022 5-9pm Arts Tour, Goshen

Local artists showcase their work in downtown businesses in this inspiring annual event. The Arts Tour features exhibits and performances by artists of all ages in a variety of locations. Shoppers purchase art directly from the makers themselves while filling their hearts and minds with meaningful art and their stomachs with great food. FREE https:// downtowngoshen.org/events/2022-no vember

NOVEMBER 12, 2022 10am-2pm

Holiday at the Mill, Bristol Horse-drawn carriages, cookies, and crafts are just a sampling of what visitors can look forward to at this free holiday celebration. Visitors can sample baked goods made with Bonneyville Mill flour at the One-Room Schoolhouse, snag some free recipes, as well as purchase their own for holiday baking. Kids will have the chance to meet Santa and personally deliver their lists. Seasonal crafts, carriage rides (weather permitting), and grain mill ing demonstrations will keep the whole family entertained. Don’t miss out on the celebration – come be a part of Holiday at the Mill – the perfect start to your holiday season!

https://elkhartcountyparks.org/events/ holiday-at-the-mill-3

NOVEMBER 19, 2022 8:30am2:30pm

Nappanee Home for the Holidays Craft & Vendor Market, Nappanee

A holiday craft & vendor show specializ ing in homemade crafts mixed with some of your favorite local and direct sales companies. Claywood Event Center FREE https://nappaneevendormarkets.net

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY

NOVEMBER 5, 2022 10am-6pm

Christmas Shopping Extravaganza at the Village of Winona, Winona Lake

Special sales to help get a jump start on your holiday shopping with everything you need to give unique, meaningful, and locally supported gifts.

https://villageatwinona.com/events/christ mas-shopping-extravaganza

NOVEMBER 18, 2022 11am-1pm

Jamie Ward Book Signing – 100 Things to Do in Indiana Before You Die, Warsaw Creighton’s Crazy Egg Cafe & Coffee Bar 4221 W Old Rd 30, Warsaw, IN 46580, (574) 267-3549

FREE and open to the public https://fieldsandheels.com/100-things-in diana

NOVEMBER 19, 2022 8am-2pm

Milford Holiday Market, Milford Annual Holiday Market at Milford School featuring a variety of small businesses, artists and crafters from in and around the community. Breakfast and lunch provided by Milford Helping Hands and Kid’s Mar ket. Support the local food pantry and bring non-perishable goods or monetary donations.

https://www.facebook.com/milfordba zaar08

NOVEMBER 19, 2022 3:30-6:30pm

Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Village at Winona, Winona Lake 3:30-6:30pm Toys for Tots Collection, Kid’s Ornament Making (Brick Alley Pavil ion), Train Rides for All Ages (Letterwood brick paver parking lot), Christmas Carol ers throughout The Village. 5:30-6:15pm Free Cookies & Hot Chocolate, Santa Claus. 6:15pm Tree Lighting Ceremony (Village Christmas Tree next to Letter wood). Admission into the event, please

bring a new and unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots.

https://villageatwinona.com/events/ tree-lighting-ceremony

NOVEMBER 26, 2022, 6-8pm

Old Fashioned Christmas at Oakwood Resort, Syracuse

Come celebrate with the Town & the Chamber in our annual program of faith and fun!

https://www.swchamber.com/event-de tails/old-fashioned-xmas

SHIPSHEWANA/LAGRANGE

NOVEMBER 18-20, 2022 (Friday-Sunday)

NOVEMBER 25-DECEMBER 31, 2022 (seven days/week)

Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy

Shipshewana’s Christmas Light Drive-Thru Experience, Shipshewana

Closed 12/8, 12/25, & 12/26

6-9pm Sunday-Thursday 6-10pm Friday & Saturday

$20 per vehicle

Season Pass = 5 Visits : $60

Same Night 2nd Time (traffic permitting) : $5

Group Pricing for buses and motorcoach call for pricing (260)768-4725

https://www.shipshewanalightsofjoy.com

NOBLE COUNTY

NOVEMBER 13, 2022 Noon-5pm

Veteran Presentation

Celebrating Vets by displaying artifacts in the auditorium, gymnasium, and recep tion to honor those living and those who have passed.

https://thecommunitylearningcenter.org/ events

BOOST™ WORKS LIKE NATURE

Helping produce higher yields, better crops, treat waste

Compost: The ability to return to nature that which was borrowed from nature.

Some refer to the soil as “Mother Earth.” Fertile soil is the source of what feeds us, clothes us, and shelters us. In so doing, we are borrowing that which makes the soil full of life; in the grains which takes its nourishment; in the forage which feeds our livestock; in the timber which provides our shelter.

Composting manures improves the fluidity of the manures by taking on the role of soil bacteria in breaking down the manure components (preconditioning) into molecular structures necessary for soil chelation and plant root absorption.

improve the soil for current and furture crops

What we borrow we must replace.

If we continue to “take” and never return in equal share; if we borrow and never repay, we steal from the earth, from that which makes the soil fertile and able to nourish all things that grow from it.

If in greed we coerce the earth to give more through the overuse of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides without replenishing the organic structure, the soil ceases to provide.

The application of Boost™ preconditioned manures greatly increases the volume of beneficial soil bacteria

As with the beef manure containments

Boost™ is a primary

agent that preconditions the manure for land application by performing the same nutrient reclamation processes one would find from the bacteria in the soil web. When applying manure that has been preconditioned for land application with Boost™, one will find a uniform nutrient column from the top to the bottom of the containment, whether it is of beef, dairy or swine manure.

Lagoon