dream may 2012 AtUrbanMagazine.com
lifestyle entertainment
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Urban 8 Urban Reader Now Hear This
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Crepe Diem Urban Appeal @Urban Is On Fire Signs of the South Life on the 4-13 10 Years with the Poser
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Tamarindo Margarita Praise the Panini
44 46
Oklahoma Renaissance Festival God Bless the Buffalo
Marla Cantrell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Randi Bomar Marla Cantrell Marcus Coker Terah Curry Catherine Frederick Tonya McCoy Mark Mundorff Todd Whetstine
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Marla Cantrell Marcus Coker Catherine Frederick Todd Whetstine
DESIGNER
Jeromy Price
WEB GURU
David Jamell
PUBLISHER
Read Chair Publishing, LLC
COVER IMAGE
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people
MANAGING EDITOR
Catherine Frederick
Offer Ignite: Chicken Moon Farm DIY: Make It For Your Mama Zombie Gardening
taste
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PRESIDENT
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travel
@INSIDE
Alex Ojeda
Advertising and Distribution Information
Catherine Frederick at 479 / 782 / 1500 Catherine@AtUrbanMagazine.com Editorial or Artwork Information
Marla Cantrell at 479 / 831 / 9116 Marla@AtUrbanMagazine.com Š2012 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in @Urban are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to @Urban or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. @Urban reserves the right to edit content and images.
@LETTER FROM CATHERINE
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ndings and beginnings. That’s what May is about for me. School will be over in a matter of days and summertime shenanigans will soon kick into high gear (let’s hope we’re spared
the record high temps). Kids will take to the ball fields, bombard the swimming pools, and the streets will be alive with skateboards, bikes, and lots of laughter. I remember summers when I was a kid. We had swimmin’ holes, not pools, and we played outside from sunup to sundown, when our mamas called us home to supper. We didn’t have cell phones, DS games or Xboxes. We just longed for a good rain so we could build boats out of toothpicks and paper, to see whose would float the fastest and longest along the creek. Kids nowadays are missing out. Just my opinion of course. But back to beginnings. We’ve got one of our own this month. We’ve moved the printing of @ Urban home, back to Arkansas, where it belongs. We hope you’ll join us in welcoming them to the @Urban family - they’ve sure been good to us. But enough about us. What’s in store for you? Let’s start by introducing you to the winner of our cover contest, Alex Ojeda. Isn’t that photograph stunning? We’d like to thank all who entered. You really are a talented bunch! Now to the stories! From a mom who has two sons and eighty, count ‘em, eighty girls, to an artist who’s caught the attention of Aerosmith and Oprah, to a love story set on a rambling ranch in Shady Point. We’re also exploring Zombie Gardening, taking you on a trip down the Buffalo, and showing you the man behind a great work of art called “Love Me Some Jesus.” There’s a recipe for a Panini that will knock your socks off, a visit to a gourmet food truck, and a DIY that’s sure to make you smile. So get going. Turn some pages. This here is what you call a beginning, and we’re just gettin’ started! To reserve this space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@AtUrbanMagazine.com
@LIFESTYLE
@lines Randi Bomar
He said, “Will you?” She said, “Yes.” It had nothing to do with love. She was still numb that October evening. Three dollars in her purse. The offer stood. Leave now. Pack nothing. A dozen reasons not to. Albuquerque lay An all-night ride west.
By morning she could be Working, waiting, wanting, or watching 800 hot-air balloons Fill a blue New Mexico sky. Her life had already gone upside-down. He seemed ok, the bike safe enough.
He was offering her the Land of Enchantment, after all. “Yes,” she said. “Yes.” It was the only choice.
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@story Marla Cantrell @images Marcus Coker
Each month in our Ignite series we’re bringing you a story about someone doing something to make their little corner of the world a little bit better. We hope this inspires new ideas right where you live. 8
C
harity Lewis lives on an acre of land just outside Fayetteville’s city limits with her two sons and eighty
other girls. Sounds like a tight fit, and it would be, if the girls Charity cares for weren’t chickens. Some of the laying hens are common breeds like the Rhode Island Reds, but they share real estate with the more exotic black and white Cuckoo Maran that lays eggs in a tree, and the Columbian Wyandotte.
@LIFESTYLE
The eighty ladies aren’t the only animals living on the small farm. Three pigs root in the mud in a pen in the front yard. Beside them are two bee hives. Charity rescued them when her former landlord called to tell her there was a swarm in a nearby tree. “I just took a stick and tapped it on the tree limb where they were,” Charity says, “and they fell, like one collective body, into the box that I’d brought with me.” As a child, Charity lived in a house with no electricity near the Ouachita River. “My parents were sort of hippies,” she
Before moving to her little acre of paradise, Charity lived in
says. There she became an expert at search and rescue. Their
Fayetteville proper. But then an ordinance passed that banned
neighbors had commercial chicken houses, and when the trucks
backyard roosters and limited the number of hens to four. One
came to take them away, a few would scatter. Charity’s job was
of the complaints was the wakeup call that came from the
to round up the renegades up and bring them home. “They’d
roosters each morning. Charity disagreed. “The roosters are
hide under things. I lured them out. I was the chicken herder.”
loud,” yes, “but no louder than a yippy dog,” she says.
She laughs. “If we hadn’t gotten them they would have been made into stew.”
The decision still troubles Charity, and a whole lot of other people. There are online sites, like Urban Chickens, Chicken
While she’s speaking, the girls are starting to overtake her with
Revolution, and Backyard Chickens, that coach city dwellers on
their cackling. “It’s egg-laying day,” she says. “They’re trying
the finer points of raising birds. A quick Google will turn up
to tell me, ‘Oh my gosh, I laid an egg! I laid an egg!’ They’re
other sites that outline covert plans for keeping code enforcers
very proud.” Just then, a rooster crows, and then another. “I
from finding your stash. How do they do it? They send the
have four roosters here,” she says. “Honestly, the girls would
illegal birds to a “chicken hotel,” which is usually a hideaway at
prefer it if they just went away, but they’re from the first eggs
a nearby neighbor’s house.
we hatched, and I kept them. They don’t really fight, like some roosters do, I think because they’ve been together forever, but
Charity, being the law-abiding citizen she is, took another route.
they do bicker.”
She moved out of town two years ago, expanded her brood, and started selling eggs – right now she’s getting about four
The birds that aren’t laying are ambling across the yard. Charity
dozen a day - to a base of loyal egg subscribers. Along with
lets them out at 7:30 each morning and gathers them back
the brown eggs, are blue, green and even pink ones. “Some of
up when night falls. “When it gets dark, they just stop where
my customers are concerned with the life of the chickens. I tell
they are. That saying, chickens come home to roost, really does
them they can hang out with the girls any day they want. They
have merit.”
have a natural diet, foraging bugs and leaves and grass. Eggs
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@LIFESTYLE
will last five weeks when they’re as fresh as mine. And there are studies showing eggs like these are better nutritionally.” She’s also holding workshops for new chicken enthusiasts. “Every farmer should be a teacher,” she says. In one class, students learn how to make a chicken truck, which is a cage without a bottom that has wheels so you can roll it from one part of your yard to another. It’s the perfect solution for those who have to leave their birds during the day and want to make sure they’re happy and protected from predators, like the hawks circling in the sky above. As Charity’s talking, a few chickens roll in the dirt, which is their version of taking a bath. The air is punctuated with clucking, and Charity spots a few wanderers in the next yard. “People are really laid back here,” she says. “It’s nice not to have to worry about neighbors. “I’ve ordered sixty more that will be arriving soon.” she says. “Chickens are easy. Feed and water and a place to roost at night. It’s not hard. I like that my boys are growing up here. One night my youngest son was looking up – there was waning moon – and he said, ‘Look mom, a chicken moon!’ I asked him what he meant. He thought it the little sliver of moon looked just like a rooster’s talon. That’s why we called it Chicken Moon Farm.” Charity heads inside to start the process of divvying up the eggs for delivery. Bees buzz along the fence line, the pigs root in the front yard, and all across her glorious acre the girls are calling out, “Oh my gosh, I laid an egg!”
For more information, visit chickenmoonfarm.com.
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@LIFESTYLE
@story and images Catherine Frederick
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1. Want a rustic feel? Rough it up a bit with a sander or heavy grit sandpaper.
his is a great DIY, whether you’re looking to make Mom
2. Brush on the stain and wipe off with an old cloth
something handmade for Mother’s Day or you just want
3. Place the sawtooth hangar onto the back- you may have to hammer it in a bit.
to add a shabby chic touch to your home. It’s a cinch to make and easy on the pocketbook (less than $20). Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Materials (mine came from Lowe’s)
4. Position the flange, marking your screw holes with a pencil. Attach the flange with two wood screws. 5. Hand turn the threaded rod into the middle of the ceiling flange until you can no longer turn it.
»» 2 X 8 cut into 18” pieces
6. Twist bottom half of the screen hanger onto the threaded rod
»» 3/8th inch ceiling flange
7. Place the neck of your wine bottle into the screw hanger and place the other half of the hanger on top, tightening it down with the screws that came with the hanger.
»» 3/8th inch split ring hanger »» 12 x 1-¼ wood screws »» 3”L x 3/8”W threaded rod »» Sawtooth hanger »» Sandpaper or grinder »» Wood stain
8. Voila! You’re masterpiece is complete with the exception of finding just the right stem to adorn your shabby chic DIY. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect cherry blossom. Trust me, you or your mom are sure to love it! Want the tutorial complete with step by step photos? » Follow me to the web: AtUrbanMagazine.com
»» Brush to apply stain
» Pinterest: pinterest.com/catfrederick
»» Old cloth
(As seen in @Urban Magazine board)
»» Wine bottle (Hobby Lobby)
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» Flickr: flickr.com/urbanmagazine (@Urban DIY projects)
[Celery]
Save the bottom portion of the celery stalk (about three to four inches) and place the base in a bowl of warm water overnight. Plant it in your garden, or container, stalk-side up. Water the transplant and cover it with an inch or so of soil. Keep it watered. Expect to see results in a few days.
[Potatoes]
Soak a chunk of a potato – make sure it has an eye - in a jar or bowl of water. When shoots begin to sprout and roots appear, move it to your @story Catherine Frederick
garden or container. Place the entire potato beneath the soil,
T
hey’re not really dead you know. Before long, before you know it, they’ll come back to life. Ready to eat.
Now before you get all worked up preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse, put down the machete and relax. We’re not killing zombies, we’re just exploring a little something called Zombie Gardening. In a nutshell, Zombie Gardening is the recycling of your fruit and veggie waste. You simply germinate and plant the section you don’t eat (think the bottom base of celery or the spiky portion of a pineapple) and in a short time, you’ve got your favorite fresh foods. Intrigued? Let’s begin with a few you can bring back to life.
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leaving only the foliage exposed. Water when the soil begins to feel dry, and provide it with plenty of light.
[Ginger]
Soak the unused portion of
the
ginger
root
overnight in water. Plant it with buds up in the soil. Water regularly as ginger must have moist conditions to thrive.
@LIFESTYLE
[Green Onions]
out of the soil. Pineapples will thrive in a warm environment, so keep them outdoors if sunny and warm, but move indoors if not.
Save the bottom portion of the onion (the white part) and soak in water for a few days before planting outside. You will see growth in a matter of days.
[Garlic]
Leftover garlic cloves can be
You can even re-grow onions in a glass of water indoors, cutting what
planted upright in an inch or so
you need and allowing them to rejuvinate continually. Give them fresh
of soil. These are best planted
water every other week, if growing in a jar.
in the fall so they are ready to harvest by summer. They are ready to harvest when the
[Tomatoes]
leaves turn brown and die away.
Place the pulp of a ripened
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. There are actually
tomato in a jar with about an
books written on Zombie Gardening, although they omit the zombie
inch of water. Cover the jar
reference. Boring! If you want to read more, you should try “Don’t
with a paper towel and let sit
Throw It, Grow It!: 68 Windowsill Plants From Kitchen Scraps”, by Deborah Peterson or “The After Dinner Garden Book” by Richard Langer. Both are available on Amazon.
for five days. Strain the mixture and save the seeds. Once dry, they are ready to plant.
I’m definitely going to give the celery, potato, green onion and pineapple a shot. While I’m waiting for them to grow, I think I’ll
[Pineapple]
check out the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) article entitled Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse — it really
Let the crown (the spiky/leaf
exists. You never know, it could happen. If it does, come on over!
portion) dry out, then place it
I’ll be the one with plenty of food.
in water for a few days until you see roots beginning to grow. Bury the bottom portion of the crown roots in a container filled with soil, allowing the spiky portion of the crown to remain
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school friends Chandler, Sarah and Leigh are now thirty-five, an age where they assumed they’d be established in their careers, probably mothers, and happily married. But nothing has gone according to plan. Chandler and Sarah are married, but not happily so, and Leigh, already divorced, has sworn off men. What Leigh really wants is to know who her father is, and what it feels like to belong. “My mom only tells me what she has always told me in her vague way; My father wasn’t handsome and was always getting fired, and that is why she left him in California and moved back to Fort Smith, Arkansas, where I was born. She has stuck to her story, and if I ever ask his name, she says it doesn’t matter, and asks why I want it.” There is a haunting goodness about Leigh, and you want to
The Weight of Memory By Jennifer Paddock 254 Pages
believe she will find her father, that he will be good to her, and
@review Marla Cantrell
While Leigh starts out on her search, Chandler, a lawyer and
that her life will be put right.
former aide to a U.S. senator, who now works in an Alabama bookstore is dealing with her own issues. “I often wonder if I could do a job like that again. I’ve been out of the workforce so long. How could I explain why? The answer
A
is simple: my father killed himself, and it has stalled me, and
uthor Jennifer Paddock grew up in Fort Smith, attended
changed me, and I am not ambitious anymore.”
the University of Arkansas, and then moved to New York,
where she earned her M.A. in creative writing from NYU.
Meanwhile, Sarah, the former aspiring actor, musician and artist, has a tempestuous relationship with her father, whom she calls
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In The Weight of Memory, her third book, she reunites three
C.H. He’s a self-absorbed, respected surgeon, who uses his
characters we met in her debut novel, A Secret Word. High
money to control those closest to him. When we meet Sarah,
@ENTERTAINMENT
she’s working in a dress shop, living in her father’s vacation
it be better to live in the moment, to forget what pains us most,
house in Destin, and trying to figure out how to get her husband,
or would we miss the ghosts of the hard times, like every good
who’s still in New York, to come back to her.
memory we handle with such great care?
“I do not have a nice cell phone because C.H. pays my phone
Finally, Chandler answers the question this way. “The past is
bill and doesn’t think I need one. I also don’t have cable for
important to me,” she says. “Memory is everything.”
this reason. On my way out, I straighten a red/blue/green abstract canvas I painted that rests on the floor at the turn in
The Weight of Memory is an extraordinary book. Paddock
the staircase. I left blank spaces in the canvas. Cézanne used to
weaves the stories effortlessly, taking the reader from Fort
do that if he couldn’t give a reason for a color. I often feel like I
Smith, to Destin, to Point Clear, Alabama, to New York and back
have blank spaces in my life, things I don’t understand.”
again. It will remind you how much friends matter, the blessing of a good mother, and that what we lose is just as important
The novel, told chapter by chapter in the voices of the three
as what we keep.
women, is an ambitious work filled with converging story lines that Paddock handles deftly. Two marriages hang in the balance. One of the women falls in love with a gentle man named Walker
Jennifer Paddock will be the guest of honor at the Fort
who has a memory disorder that causes him to periodically
Smith Library Endowment Trust’s “Having a Party
lose time, forget his past, but somehow he’s able to retain
with Music, Books, and Drinks” on Thursday, May 3, at
information like his girlfriend’s Social Security number – he can
6:30, at Second Street Live. Poet Carla Ramer will be
recite it backwards - and the names of all the constellations.
performing, and the Frog Bayou Boys, the Don Bailey Ensemble, Gary Hutchinson and the Oreo Blue Trio
Running even deeper is the bond that holds Leigh, Sarah and
will be playing music.
Chandler together. When they were in high school in Fort Smith, a boy they loved died. The events surrounding his death caused
You’ll be able to get the first copies of The Weight of
them guilt and sorrow that have not yet abated.
Memory, a full day before its release.
The three deal with it all in Destin, while waiting on Hurricane
Tickets are $20 per person, or $35 per couple. Call
Katrina to make landfall.
479.783.0229 for more information.
Paddock’s writing is spare and lyrical. The rhythm of her words seems to mimic the tide coming in. There is a sway to them, mesmerizing, and then a rush of emotion follows. And always, the question of what memory means is put to the test. Would
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@ENTERTAINMENT
The next cut, “Chameleon Comedian,” brings you to the real start of Edwards’ genius. Static backbeats and solid guitar riffs blend into Edwards’ vocals, showcasing her talent both as a singer and as a songwriter. Just as you catch the glimpse of her musical mind, she lets you fall into the heart of her music with “A Soft Place to Land.” You’re left with the feel of the early seventies, the classic style of folk rock, the dawning of the new age. In “Change the Sheets,” Edwards continues to wow. But here, it’s her writing as much as her vocals that take hold. “My love
now hear this kathleen edwards — voyageur @review Mark Mundorff
K
is like a stockpile of broken wills, like Santa Fe, margaritas and sleeping pills. ..Change this feeling under my feet. Change the sheets, and then change me,” she sings. In her plea, and with a voice that’s rhythmic and lyrical, she takes the listener down a road filled with both heartbreak and hope.
athleen Edwards. You probably don’t know her name, but you should. Listen to her latest release Voyageur and you’ll
Edwards, who first came to the music world’s attention in 2003,
understand why. She’s more than just your upfront, hyper-
when Rolling Stone named her one of the year’s most promising
promoted talent. Still not ringing a bell? If you watched this
new acts, keeps getting better and better. Let her music move
year’s Grammys you may have seen her with her boyfriend,
you. Let it open you and let it change the way you feel. It will,
Bon Iver’s front man Justin Vernon, who took home the award
if you listen.
for Best New Artist. Another fun fact? Vernon is the one who produced Voyageur.
And someday, when the music world is looking back at the prolific singer/songwriters of this generation, it’s likely
Edwards, who’s from Ottawa, was trained in classical violin as a
Edwards will be remembered as one of the greatest influences
child. But her musical influence came from her older brother’s
of her time.
recordings of musicians like Tom Petty and Neil Young. Just listen to “Empty Threat,” the first cut on her latest release, and you’ll get a great feel for her style. Great rhythms, melodic voice, and perfectly crafted lyrics. The first song does what any opening of an album should do: it leaves you wanting more.
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I Rate It
F
or the longest time, I’ve associated food trucks with greasy eats and the state fair, two things I dearly love. There’s just
something about eating a deep-fried Twinkie while standing next to barnyard animals that makes mealtime unforgettable. Still, despite my love for corn dogs and funnel cakes, there’s only so much grease one can handle. Thankfully, grease is something you won’t find at Mountain Crepes, a gourmet food truck in Fayetteville on the corner of Dickson and Gregg Streets. Mountain Crepes opened on March 15 and is part of the growing food truck trend. Nationally, food trucks are a billion dollar a year industry, having grown by eight percent each year for the last five years. Statewide, the number of trucks increased from only 112 in 2008 to 665 in 2011. And in Fayetteville the number nearly doubled from 15 in 2006 to 27 in 2011. The growth coincides with the launch of TV shows like The Great
crepe diem (seize the crepe) @story and images Marcus Coker
Food Truck Race, where the menus in the mobile eateries include gourmet items, like crepes. If you happen to know what a crepe is, I won’t blame you if you stop reading right now and start driving to 608 W. Dickson Street. (They’re that good.) But if you don’t know what a crepe is, it’s time you learn. I don’t feel like it’s hyperbole to say that a crepe is a small miracle, just like Velcro or Hot Pockets. “It’s basically a really thin pancake,” says Mountain Crepes co-owner John Lester. I think of it like a gyro made out of magic pancake batter, filled with tasty ingredients, then rolled up like a burrito. I’m guessing it’s a sin to eat one, but only if it has whipped cream on top. Crepes come in two basic styles—sweet and savory. Sweet crepes are like desserts, savory crepes like meals. Mountain
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@PEOPLE
Crepes offers over a dozen of each kind, ranging in price from
to $75,000. But many trucks cost less than just the kitchen
$5 to $10. All are handmade in Mountain Crepes’ bright yellow,
equipment required for a traditional restaurant.
eighteen and a half by eight foot trailer. Food trucks can often succeed where restaurants would fail for Inside the trailer, there are refrigerators, grills, and a sink. “We
two main reasons. First, customers like variety and a changing
make our own batter from scratch. We use staples like butter,
menu, which food trucks can provide more easily than brick and
sugar, and flour, but also two secret ingredients,” says co-owner
mortar restaurants can. Second, food trucks are mobile, which
Bo Clower, who offers to make me a Bananas Foster. Bo pours the
means they can travel to where demand for their product is high.
batter onto a grill, and it forms a thin circle a foot in diameter. When it’s light brown, Bo folds the crepe in half and places it
Mountain Crepes currently has a ninety-day permit to be in
on another grill, which burns at a lower heat. He adds butter, a
their present location, and they hope to get that extended. Bo
sliced banana, brown sugar, and a splash of Grand Marnier, and
says, “If we’re doing well, there’s no need to move. We’d like
then puts it on a plate.
to build a deck out here and put out more tables and chairs.” John wants to start making their own sodas and ginger ales and
I start producing insulin immediately, and then Bo adds
eventually have a fleet of gourmet food trucks in the area.
chocolate, powdered sugar, whipped cream, and strawberries. I feel guilty about breaking my new diet, but I remind myself that
So the next time you see a food truck, don’t just think of the fair.
the strawberries are organic and locally grown. “The nature of
Try something new, and you may discover a small miracle like
a crepe is not a health food,” says Bo, “but we try to stay with
Mountain Crepes. Gourmet food on the go could easily be the
organic fruits and vegetables.”
answer to your next meal. And if you’re anything like John and Bo, it could be the answer to your next business venture.
The Bananas Foster is warm, and melts in my mouth. I rarely moan when eating, but I end up sighing strongly more than once. I collapse a bit in the chair as all the flavors blend together,
Mountain Crepes is open six days a week (closed
and I feel like I’ve made a new friend. John talks about their best
Sunday or Monday), from 10 AM to 10 PM, and later
sellers, crepes with brie cheese, honey mustard, raspberry jam.
on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, visit www.mtncrepes.com.
“Food trucks are starting to come around big,” says John. “Customers are responding to TV shows like Food Truck Wars and realizing that trucks are selling good, unique food. And people are looking into it for business, because of the low rent and overhead.” Of course, like any business, there are costs involved. A food truck can range in price from $2,000
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4 @Urban teams up with I.O. Metro bringing you design & decorating tips for your home.
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Function No matter how pretty it is, you won’t love your décor if it doesn’t mesh with your lifestyle demands. Function matters.
Interests Draw inspiration from places you’ve seen during your travels. What elements of these places appealed to you?
Old and New Mix things up. Keep the things you love, and mix it with new things that inspire you. It’s okay to mix antiques with modern art. Your home should be a combination of styles, color tones, shapes, and textures. Tip: Create a LOOK BOOK BINDER or PINTEREST ACCOUNT Create a Look Book binder filled with magazine clippings, swatches, paint chips, and photos of things you love. Or, use Pinterest to create a virtual board that will become a base for
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Cooking with organic food really does make a delicious difference.
It’s been two months since we decided to take on The Pioneer Woman, cook every recipe in her new cookbook, Food From My Frontier, and post the recipes on our Food blog at AtUrbanMagazine.com.
Sometimes it takes longer to shoot the photos than it does to actually cook.
Here’s what we’ve learned.
The Marlboro Man is one lucky hombre!
It takes an SUV to carry a month’s worth of ingredients from Ozark Natural Foods back to our kitchens.
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Come join us anytime by clicking on our Blog tab at AtUrbanMagazine.com. And LIKE us on Facebook so you’ll be the first to know when we post a new recipe!
@story Marla Cantrell @images Courtesy Old Try
M
icah Whitson, from the great state of Alabama, thought it was about time he experienced winter. So seven years
ago he moved north, all the way to Boston, where the snow rose as high as the windowsills. Micah loved the snow, getting his bike out every day, riding through the neighborhood streets that were as quiet as a whisper under the white winter wrap. He’d come to New England with his wife, Marianna, who was born and raised in North Carolina. They adapted quickly, this Southern couple, in the land of stoic Yankees. For the most part they blended in. “I wasn’t saying ya’ll or wearing a cowboy hat,” Micah said, and then laughed. “And I don’t have much of an accent, unless you get me around my brother, or if I’ve had a little whiskey. But I was always aware of my roots, and when I found myself being short with people, I’d slow down and remember one of the best things about the South: we value relationships over everything else.”
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@PEOPLE
Micah, a graduate of Old Miss, began thinking about his hometown of Athens. He’d left behind his father, who was known for his lyrical storytelling, and his gracious mother, who happened to grow up in Trumann, Arkansas. And then one day he looked up and saw a sign. “There was a concert poster that I found up here a day after a show,” Micah said. “It was gorgeous, and I knew it was letter pressed. Old wood type and wood blocks. It reminded me of the rodeo posters back home when I was growing up. I pulled it off a telephone pole and took it home and framed it.” It could have ended there, but Micah, who’d studied design in
a woman say, ‘Quit your bellyaching.’ I hadn’t heard that in a
Atlanta, saw more than nostalgia in the piece. So he drew a few
long time.”
designs that reminded him of home. There was an old letterpress just a few streets away from his house. He stopped by and
But not every idea translates to print. “My day job is website art
met the owners, showed them his work and asked if they’d be
direction. I can do absolutely anything I want. I can make laser
interested in printing a few posters that he’d try to sell.
beams come out of a deer’s ears and eyeballs. But what I love about letterpress is that I have a design and then I have to go
With that, Old Try (adapted from Give it the Old College Try) was
to the guys and say, ‘What kind of type do you have that’s close
born. Micah and Marianna set up a website that went live in July.
to this?’ They’ve got 300 typefaces, and I have to stay with that
“We weren’t even sure it would fly. But we said even if it went
range. If I have to adjust, I adjust.”
up in flames we’d have tons of paper left over to write on.” He adjusts, yes, but one thing this ad man doesn’t do is advertise. It didn’t go up in flames. Since then, the two have sold more
“I believed if you made something truly spectacular and really
than 1,500 prints. For Razorback fans, Root Hog or Die feels
different, you wouldn’t even have to talk about it because
exactly right. Others read Love Me Some Jesus, The New
people would do it for you. The work would speak for you.”
South, The South Wind, and his favorite, a quirky take on the Yellowhammer, which is Alabama’s state bird.
He’s right. News of his work is spreading. And customers love his attention to detail. “I answer every email. People recount
Micah now carries a notebook with him wherever he goes,
stories. They say, ‘I grew up in Mississippi but now I live in
making sure no fresh idea escapes him. He also does a little
D.C. and I remember my dad teaching me to spell Mississippi,
eavesdropping. “I was recently in the Atlanta airport and I heard
crooked letter, crooked letter.’ People in Boston don’t know
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@PEOPLE
what you’re talking about, just like they don’t understand why Southerners have so many churches. If you’re Southern, you don’t have to explain any of it. You just get it.” Right now, Micah estimates he and Marianna, both thirty-one, work about seventy-five hours a week, between keeping up with Old Try and their regular jobs. In what little spare time he has he reads Southern literature. Last summer he read a lot of Curtis Wilkie and Willie Morris. Curtis moved to Boston, working for the Globe for years. Willie moved to Manhattan and swore never to return to Mississippi, but the pull of home called him back at the end of his life. Mitch mentioned Oxford’s favorite son, saying “You know, William Faulkner’s quote, ‘To understand the world you first have to understand Mississippi,’ is true. These themes play out everywhere.” Micah’s story, at least for now, is playing out in Boston. “So many Southern writers wrote when they weren’t at home and explained their relationship with home,” Micah said. “Powerful stuff.” Micah is a kindred spirit to these writers. The only difference is that he uses a different kind of printed word. “I was missing home and I found a way to address it,” he said simply. “I’m a problem solver. And yes, I’d say I’m a storyteller. When I design these prints, I feel like I’m saying, ‘Sit down and listen to this.’”
For more signs of the South, visit TheOldTry.com
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@story Terah Curry @images Terah Curry and 4-13 Ranch
W
ith a flick of her wrist, Mindy Roland, a pretty cowgirl with sun-kissed hair and a year-round tan, commands
the attention of war-horse-like Friesians and captivating Andalusians that she and her husband Derrail raise on their ranch in Shady Point, Oklahoma.
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@PEOPLE
Mindy stops what she’s doing and begins to tell her story. It
It was a difficult time for the fiercely independent Derrail. He
sounds a little like a country song.
grew up in Shady Point, working on a ranch from the time he was fourteen, rodeoing in high school, and going to college on a
On a blue-skied April morning in 2006, Mindy and Derrail got
rodeo scholarship, where he earned his degree in forestry.
hitched. “We were married in the morning and went to a rodeo that same night,” Mindy said. “After we got married, that’s when
It was a much different childhood than Mindy’s, who was raised
we decided to call this place the 4-13 Ranch.”
on a dairy farm in upstate New York. She bought her first horse at age eleven, riding in 4-H. Her dream was to become a cowgirl.
The 4-13 is named after a passage in Philippians: “I can do all
Even later, when she joined the Marine Corps, and lived in North
things through Christ who gives me strength.” Little did they
Carolina, she kept her horses.
know what kind of strength they would need. “That was the biggest reason I wanted to come to Oklahoma,” In October, 2007, Derrail was leading in the rodeo standings,
Mindy said. “I wanted to be a cowgirl. It’s a good climate for
but the night before his finals he was seriously hurt while
raising horses. I finally flipped a coin. Heads I go. Tails I stay.”
saddle bronc riding a practice horse, and suffered a head injury that caused his brain to bleed and swell.
Flipping a coin may not have been the best way to make a choice, but in hindsight, she’s glad she did. When Mindy moved
“He was life-flighted to Tulsa and had a six-week hospital
to Oklahoma with only three horses and one dog, she didn’t
stay,” Mindy said. “There were four surgeries and a very bad
know anyone, but it wasn’t long before she and Derrail met.
prognosis – they didn’t think he was going to live. But he made it on prayers, and it gave me proof that God answers prayers
He was shoeing a horse the first time she laid eyes on him.
and that He is real.” The year Mindy and Derrail married, they refinanced their house “All I remember,” Derrail added, “is riding one of those bucking
to buy Mateo, a buckskin pearl Andalusian who has now been
horses, and one threw me off and kicked my head and the next
taught how to drive carriages.
thing I knew I woke up and was in the hospital. I felt just helpless. “When I got home, I had struggles. The better I got, the more I
The Rolands’ horse breeding program is built around three
wanted to do. I wasn’t gonna settle for being sick. I wanted to
stallions: Jan (pronounced Yan), a black Friesian imported
be healed. To me, I was doing good, but I really wasn’t. I’d write
from the Netherlands, Mateo, and Leo, the program’s athletic
little notes everywhere, and I’d double-check everything I’d do.
Quarter Horse.
Like I’d lock a gate, then I’d drive down the road and think, Did I lock that?”
“It’s given us three very different stallions with very different strengths that appeal to diverse owners,” Mindy said.
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@PEOPLE
show ring. They are never evaluated by a judge from another country, and they are never pitted against a clock. Some of the greatest horses in the world travel hundreds of miles down quiet paths, carrying their riders through rivers, over mountains, and down the sides of highways.” The couple’s love of horses both great and small continues to lead them into new ventures. Lately, Derrail and Mindy have been taking their horses to what they call Cowboy Church. “We bring horses, give kids rides, and give demonstrations on how we train the horse to show how God works with us,” Derrail said. “We lead the horse and that’s how God leads us. The horse trusts us, we trust God.” The Rolands look out their windows and see progress on the 4-13. They credit friends and family who helped them along the way, especially during Derrail’s hardest time. “This was a wonderful area to move to – Fort Smith and eastern Oklahoma,” Mindy said. One of Mindy’s goals is to provide a “dream horse” for other
“The horse and rodeo community watch out for each other.”
horse owners. It turned out better than she ever imagined, Mindy said, this “Working class people can get their dream horse here,” Mindy
woman who only wanted to be a cowgirl. And she is thankful,
said. “We’ve really tried to cater to a middle-class horseman by
always, that the coin toss landed her in Shady Point with the
cross-breeding. I looked for a niche. My first set of foals was
man (and horses) she loves so much.
born in 2006. I started with Arabian mares and crossed with Andalusians and had a lot of success – most of the babies sold right away.”
To see more of Mindy and Derrail’s horses, visit the4-13ranch.com
Her philosophy on horsemanship is summed up best on their 4-13 website: “We love that our horses can perform in a show ring, they’re being judged and approved by some of the highest organizations in the country, but that’s not all we breed for. Some of the greatest horses in the world never set foot in a
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@story Tonya McCoy @images Laura Wattles
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@PEOPLE
S
he sketches the eyes first and works outward. This is how Fort Smith artist, Laura Wattles, creates her close-up portraits. The
fact that she uses simple graphite pencils to draw these amazingly detailed pictures boggles the mind. It’s also what’s garnered the attention of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, NBC Weatherman Al Roker, and Oprah Winfrey. Yep, you read that correctly. “To me, if I can’t get the eyes right, I have to start all over,” Laura says. She’s a perfectionist who’s been drawing since she was a child. She started using watercolors three years ago, and she’s just as particular about her paintings. “I’m known for getting a drawing or painting into a frame and then pulling it out two weeks later and working on it some more. Because I’ll start seeing things that bother me, and I’ll think, Not good enough. I may rework it to nothing. I may rework it and throw it away.” Laura earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic and Image Production from Missouri State University. She moved to the area in the nineties, working for UA-Fort Smith, Beverly Enterprises, and Donrey Media Group. But all the while, she was drawing portraits in her downtime. She combined her dedication to detail with her love for eighties rock in 1993, and caught the attention of the band Aerosmith. She was a member of the Aerosmith fan club and put her
After the show in Oklahoma, she got her photo taken with Tyler,
talent into drawing portraits of Steven Tyler. Her drawings were
a thrill of a lifetime. A member of his crew said if she drew a
so good, that when she sent them to the band, they sent her
picture of the whole band, they’d give her backstage passes to
backstage passes to a concert in Oklahoma.
their next show in St. Louis. Laura went to work immediately. In just two weeks, she drew a perfect portrait of Aerosmith.
“I’ve been backstage and Steven Tyler owns one of my drawings now. And they’ve all signed this,” Laura says as she points to a
Generally Laura can do a drawing in a couple of weeks or
poster-sized drawing of the whole band.
months, but one of Laura’s favorite drawings took her several years to get ‘just right.’ The Poser is a drawing of a man dressed
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@PEOPLE
Sheriff’s Youth Ranch in Alma. She has been carrying a sketchbook around since she was a child. Laura, forty-five, admits she sketches less now, but still keeps it with her. Drawing is something she’s always enjoyed. “When I’m in the zone, when I’m really focused, it’s a great feeling. It’s like everything else goes away except for drawing and painting, and I like that feeling. I don’t know, I just like to create. I’ve always liked to do things like that.” At one time Laura owned a business designing paper dolls called Paper Kids. She made a replica paper doll from a photo of a twoyear-old Oprah Winfrey and sent it to her “O” magazine. The magazine loved it, and featured it in the May 2003 issue. Laura in 1920s era clothing- a white shirt and tie - with his hand
says even Al Roker, NBC meteorologist, ordered a custom paper
splayed across his chest, as he squints down through an old-
doll from Laura, who used an image of one of Al’s daughters for
time monocle. The effect is striking. Laura says it took her ten
the design.
years of “off and on” work to get this picture right. And she’s not sure she’s ready to part with him yet.
Laura continues to evolve, working on nostalgic portraits that make her so happy. Whether they turn a profit doesn’t influence
Laura admits she’s choosey about the subjects she draws as
her in the least. She shrugs and says, “I’m choosing to do what
well. She shops antique stores searching for eye-catching old
I like and hope it will sell. And if it doesn’t, it’s okay, it can hang
photos to use as the focus of her drawings. Her work tells a
on my walls.”
story of simpler times. Laura uses the simplest of tools. Her pencil of choice is a standard 5mm lead pencil. The same kind of pencil used by schoolchildren. But she works her magic, meticulously sketching in minute details. On the drawing The Window, Laura spent forty-five minutes adding texture to just one inch of the checked shirt of her subject, a young boy in overalls. Locals recognize Laura’s talent; the portrait has already sold to the
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To see more of Laura’s work, visit PK-Art.Posterous.com.
@TASTE
WORLD’S MARGARITA CHAMPIONSHIP @image Catherine Frederick
2 oz. Tequila Avion Silver 1 oz. Grand Marnier 1/2 oz. lime juice 1/2 oz. orange juice 1/2 tsp. tamarindo puree 1 tsp. sugar Rim glass with coarse salt and chili powder Lime wheel and tamarindo peel for garnish (optional) Rim a glass with coarse salt and chili powder, fill glass with ice. Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake thoroughly and pour over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and tamarindo peel (optional). Tamarindo puree: (4-5 fresh tamarindos per drink) Remove the outer shell & strings, boil the fruit for about 30 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool, then strain to remove seeds. Add ½ tsp. of salt & sugar, blend until pureed. Tamarindos can be found at most Hispanic markets.
Sponsored by Cheers Liquor 4000 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith 479.782.9463 Cheers of Fort Smith
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I once overheard my youngest son defending me from accusations that I never cooked. He said, “She does so cook!” I smiled. That was my boy. He was nourished. He was indignant. I’m going to take him to Walmart and buy any toy he wants, I thought. And then he said this, “She does so. Every Thanksgiving and every Christmas.” My heart fell. I looked at my cupboard. Inside was an entire shelf devoted to croutons, which might have made sense if I’d had any lettuce in my refrigerator. Apparently, when I shopped I saw myself as the kind of mother who made her children fresh meals that started with lovely green salads. But alas, I was not.
@story and images Marla Cantrell @recipe The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier
I cooked more after that. And I actually started buying lettuce. But I was never what you’d call an adventurous chef. So when we decided to cook every one of The Pioneer Woman’s recipes from her new cookbook on our Food Blog at AtUrbanMagazine.com, I made a decision of my own. I was going to hone my cooking skills and broaden my food horizons. This recipe does just that. A couple of things before you get started. If you don’t have a Panini maker, don’t worry. You can grill the sandwiches in a skillet, one at a time, using a second heavy skillet on top to press it together. Turn halfway through to grill both sides. Also, this recipe is super easy, so don’t let the multiple steps fool you. The Panini, filled with roasted bell peppers, zucchini, sautéed mushrooms, squash, tomatoes, and pepper jack cheese, turned into a roasted delight once it had been heated through on French bread and slathered in a dressing of hot pepper jelly and mayo. It probably didn’t hurt that the recipe had 5 tablespoons of butter! The Pioneer Woman loves her some butter. I won’t use that much again. Did you catch that? I said again! Because I’m a convert. And I’m turning into a better cook. Turns out there’s a lot of satisfaction in trying out new things.
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@TASTE
1. Make the marinade for the vegetables by combining the olive oil and ¼ cup of the balsamic vinegar in a large bowl. 2. T hrow the squash, zucchini, and peppers into the bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. 3. Toss to coat. Set aside. 4. I n a small skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Spicy Grilled Vegetable Panini 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper to taste
5. G rill the vegetables on both sides until golden brown and tender. While the vegetables are grilling, toss the tomato slices in the marinade. 6. F or the Panini spread, combine the mayo and pepper jelly. Stir to combine.
1 yellow squash, cut into thick diagonal slices
1 zucchini, cut into thick diagonal slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks
8. Place 1 to 2 slices of cheese on each slice of bread.
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
5 Tablespoons butter (I only used 1 because I didn’t
9. T ake 4 slices of bread and layer on some zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and squash.
use the other 4 Tablespoons to coat the outside of the bread once I’d finally gotten my sandwiches together.)
2 roma tomatoes, sliced
7. T o assemble the sandwiches, coat each piece of bread with a generous amount of spread.
10. Carefully bring the 2 halves together, spread the outside with the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, and grill in a Panini press, or skillet, until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup hot pepper jelly (the spicier the better) 12 to 16 slices pepper jack cheese
8 thick slices crusty French bread (If you, like me, don’t
If you don’t want to grill the veggies, you can roast them on a baking sheet at 400 degrees, until brown.
have a Panini maker, I’d opt for a thinner sliced bread, maybe a nice sourdough.)
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@TRAVEL
moves they’ll make when they portray living chess pieces. When visitors arrive, they’re welcomed back to 1539. The villagers are getting ready to welcome King Henry, who’s due to arrive at any moment. Children are asked if they can help find
oklahoma renaissance festival
the queen’s ribbons that she lost on the fairgrounds. They’re
@story Marla Cantrell @image Courtesy Oklahoma Renaissance Festival
be chivalrous, or that they’ll hug their parents every day. In
I
t was about twenty years ago when Matt Hiller’s eccentric
given clues, and the search begins. At 4:15 they’re brought into the Great Hall where they’re knighted for their valiant efforts. Children are also asked to sign a contract that states they’ll exchange, they play games for free, dig for buried treasure, or make their own marbles, paper or crowns.
father looked across a sprawling piece of land in Oklahoma
and thought: castle.
All this activity will make you hungry. That’s okay. There’s everything from the traditional turkey legs, to Mediterranean
His neighbors scratched their heads at this history teacher who
and Israeli food, to deep-fried chicken wrapped with bacon.
envisioned a 16th century, 32,000 square foot English castle rising from the town country star Merle Haggard immortalized
Going without the kids? There’s one area, away from the
in his song “Okie from Muskogee.”
crowds, where you can drink spirits and be entertained by a little bawdy humor.
But that didn’t slow down the Hillers. In 1995, the castle took form on thirteen acres. Not long after, the crowds arrived. The
So get your traveling shoes on. There’s a castle, just over an
first year they opened, the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival
hour from Fort Smith, calling your name. It would be a crying
ran for just one weekend in August. Last year, 73,000 people
shame to ignore it.
showed up for what is now a five-weekend event that runs until the end of May.
For ticket prices and additional information, visit okcastle.com
There are 600 performers, along with food and crafts vendors, from as far away as New Hampshire. The actors arrive five weeks early to study history, etiquette, and the parts they’ll play on fifteen stages. Merchants set up booths, jousters prepare to take the arena, puppeteers practice, and players work on the
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1. Wear sunscreen. 2. Study the website and decide what you want to do. There’s no way to see everything in one day. 3. Sundays are less crowded than Saturdays.
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@story Todd Whetstine @images Wild Woods Photography
@TRAVEL
G
od bless the Buffalo National River. The whitewater beauty, which was named America’s first Natural River in 1972,
flows 135 miles and is one of a handful of undammed rivers in the lower forty-eight states. Its history can be traced all the way back to the Native Americans who called the banks of the Buffalo sacred, and claimed the land until 1828. Pioneers feared establishing home sites because high-rising floodwaters would destroy everything in its path. I’ve always been curious about the Buffalo. I planned to go when I was fresh out of high school but the river was raging and the trip got canceled. This venture made up for it. I spent four and a half days hiking twenty-three miles, and floating another twenty-three. These trails and whitewaters brought out the kid in me again. The towering bluffs seemed to reach all the way to the heavens, and the valleys were coming to life with
and the leaders had much bigger concerns so the plan was
vibrant, flowering dogwoods. After two days hiking and two
scrapped. The next attempt was in 1957. Thankfully, President
days backpacking, it was difficult for me to say what I liked best.
Eisenhower vetoed it.
I enjoyed watching young families float the Buffalo, seeing the love of nature passed from one generation to the next. I also
In April of 1962, a float trip to show the majesty of the Buffalo
enjoyed the peace and solitude I found under the canopy of the
was hosted by Dr. Compton. His guest of honor was U.S. Supreme
dense Ozark National Forest. Pick your poison: water or trail.
Court Justice William O. Douglas. After the trip Douglas said,
You can’t go wrong. Floating, fishing, hiking, or horseback riding,
“The Buffalo River is a national treasure worth fighting to the
the Buffalo National River Park, less than three hours from Fort
death to preserve.”
Smith, is a superb spot to vacation. March 1, 1972, President Nixon declared the Buffalo River part The scenic bluffs and lush green forest of the Buffalo River came
of the National Park system and the nation’s first National River.
under attack several times from people in Washington, the first,
It happened one hundred years to the day after Yellowstone
back in the early 1900s. Damming the river was almost a done-
Park became the first federally protected park.
deal when the Ozark Society sprang into action. Led by Dr. Neil Compton, they were successful in keeping the Buffalo River
So what’s so majestic about the Buffalo River National Park?
free flowing. Then, in 1938 Congress authorized its own plan
Start with Hemmed In Hollow. There, a 204-foot waterfall rains
to dam the river, but the United States declared war on Japan,
down to a boulder-strewn tributary of the river. This is the
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Not far away is the homestead of Granny Henderson. She once lived in the valley below Ponca, raising pigs, and cattle. You can still visit her rustic old cabin (highly recommended!) and even do a walk-through. I got to watch the sun peek over the mountains from Granny’s front porch. After hiking out of Granny’s, you’ll be ready for a creek crossing at Sneeds Creek. After crossing the creek the path splits. Both will take you to Hemmed In Hollow, with one trail taking a longer route. Almost all of the Buffalo is floatable, but the upper section is best left to pros. I floated twenty-three miles from Ponca to Pruitt. The first ten miles from Ponca to my camp at Kyles Landing was far and away the most beautiful float I have ever taken. This is where you’ll look up and see people high on the Goat Trail. You’ll also float by the Granny’s cabin before floating past Sneeds Creek. A path along the creek will lead you about three-quarters of a mile to Hemmed In Hollow. This is the easiest access to this breathtaking beauty. (Depending on the water level.) highest waterfall between the Rockies and the Appalachians. It’s worth the hike and draws quite a crowd, especially on
I envy Granny, Dr. Compton, and the rest of the folks who called
weekends. You can take the Centerpoint Trail or the Compton
this river home. I also thank them for preserving the rich history
Trail. The Compton trail is 2.7 miles one way of very steep and
and free-flowing waters. I can’t imagine Arkansas without it.
rugged terrain. The Centerpoint trail is not quite as steep but it’s twice as long at 5.4 miles one way.
And with just a short drive to get there, the Buffalo is close enough to visit over and over again. It’s a great place to have a
About 2.8 miles off Centerpoint Trail is a spur trail known as
picnic, float, backpack, ride horses, hike, or fish. Go see it!
the Goat Trail. This is a must-see as a thin shelf about 400foot high makes a narrow walkway that wraps around one the highest bluffs in the park. Be cautious here, the spur trail can be treacherous.
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To learn more about the Buffalo, visit buffaloriver.org
Read Chair Publishing, LLC 3811 Rogers Avenue Suite C Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903