August, 2012
CRiver Retreat umberland
Traveling the Barn Quilt Trail Written Endorsement from the Jobsite Monthly Floor Plan: Custom Clayton
contents August, 2012
3 Cover Story: Cumberland River Retreat 10 Traveling the Barn Quilt Trail 12 Rachel Meadows Named Vice President 13 Written Endorsements from the Jobsite 14 Lodge Recipe: Grilled Margherita Pizza 16 Monthly Floor Plan: Cumberland Cabin Honest Abe’s now found on...
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CRiver Retreat umberland
About thirty “river miles” downstream from the Wolf Creek Dam in Kentucky, sits a quaint hide-a-way and tribute to a family patriarch. Randy Fudge, President of Honest Abe Log Homes, remembers spending many Spring and Summer holidays on his sister’s farm near Burkesville, Kentucky. His sister Charlotte and brother-in-law Danny purchased a 150 acre farm in 1990. For years following, the family would gather on the bank of the Cumberland River to picnic and fish. “We always seemed to gravitate to this one particular spot down by the river,” Randy recalls with a grin, obviously reliving fond memories. “Someone, often times my Dad, would always mention that we needed to build a cabin on the site one day.” The family kept on saying, “one day”, and that day finally came about 15 years later. In 2005 they started on the construction, something that comes natural for Randy. He grew up around the construction industry, as his father built many homes during his career. Randy went on to college www.honestabe.com
and majored in Industrial Technology, and soon after graduating, he started his career at Honest Abe Log Homes. Through the years, he climbed the ranks of Honest Abe, making his mark in creating and managing the company’s dry-in construction service which still goes strong today. Now, as President of the company, he attributes much of his success to the knowledge and experience passed down to him by his father. As the cabin construction began, so did the rewards and challenges. “We were doing it all on the weekends, so it was a pretty casual build and took longer than even I expected” says Randy. Even though the cabin is small, they took their time. Randy’s niece Allison often helped along with friends like Dale and Ann Payne, and co-worker Rachel Meadows, who enjoyed spending time helping them. A drive of over a mile is required August 2012 • Honest Abe Monthly • 3
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Left: The view from the deck is exceptional, with the river just being yards away. Left Inset: The WPA outhouse, fully original, stands near the cabin and now serves as a great storage shed. Above: The rear of the cabin facing the driveway, which includes a set of French doors, provides additional access in and out of the cabin. Above Insest: This painting by Charlotte sits above the kitchen table, and is quite representational of the mile or so drive through the beautiful rolling farm to reach the cabin. Just across from the painting, the kitchen cabinets also have a personal touch with hand painted trout and other wildlife.
from the highway, passing by countless rows of corn and soybeans to reach the site near the river. The cabin itself is only 560 square feet, and was initially designed for the company to use at log home shows that are hosted around the country. The family adapted the design to best suit the location, but kept the size small and cozy. The most notable feature is the gable wall of windows facing the river, which provides perfect views from within. While the cabin is on the power grid, the family has to pack in fresh water, held in storage tanks under the floor. www.honestabe.com
They even worked in a small bathroom, a must! Touring the property, it’s obvious that many personal touches have been included to encourage the bonds of family. One interesting landmark, acknowledged even by Randy to seem a little strange, is an old outhouse found near the cabin.
“Our dad had a creative spirit which he passed down to Charlotte and I. He loved to build things. When his health kept him from building homes, he started building models. Dad was well known for constructing doll houses, and even replicas of outhouses (or as he called them, priveys) that were common in the area when he was a boy.” His father’s models turned into quite the nostalgic success, selling them as far as England and Holland. Randy goes on to talk about how his dad grew August 2012 • Honest Abe Monthly • 5
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Top Left: Quite possibly more enjoyed than the cabin itself is the adjacent shelter seen here. Complete with fire pit, a hammock and ceiling fans, it’s equipped for enjoyment any time of the year. It was constructed after the cabin was built and uses Honest Abe’s Timber Frame product. Bottom Left: A view from within and looking out to the nearby cabin and river. The painted floor by Randy’s sister Charlotte is hardly distinguishable from the real thing.
up during the depression. The government led WPA (Works Progress Administration) made vast improvements to their rural area with roads, schools, bridges and so forth. Another improvement was the construction of many outhouses. When the family happened upon a WPA outhouse at a local estate sale they expressed an interest to purchase it, much to the surprise of the organizers, and it was happily given to them free of charge if they would just remove it from the property. It now functions as a small storage shed near the cabin, but stands mostly as a memorial. Other unique elements have been added by his sister Charlotte, who’s well known in the area as a local artist. Charlotte retired from teaching art several years ago, and now takes on commissioned work to fuel her creativity. One of the most recent additions is a screened door in which she hand painted a Rainbow Trout mural on the exterior side of the screen. When a shelter was added to the location, a stone floor was installed that didn’t quite look right to the family. With her talents, Charlotte painted a large screen to give the appearance of a stone floor, then stretched it over the existing one. A small trout statue stands in the front of the cabin which she made from concrete and gravel, a homage to the fish found just yards away in the Cumberland. Other personal touches can been seen throughout, but Charlotte and Randy teamed up to make their kitchen cabinets special. “Dad used to build a lot of FHA houses, so the need for low-cost, yet well functioning cabinets was constant. He could knock out a set of cabinets in a day, and I was always tasked with helping him,” says Randy. When it came time to make their cabinets for the cabin, it was decided they didn’t want or need anything expensive. Randy continued, “I decided to make them out of Birch plywood like we used to, but it took me a little longer than it took dad.” From www.honestabe.com
Above: One of the newest features added to the cabin is this screen door. Painted by Charlotte, it stands welcoming visitors to the trout and wildlife theme of the property. Charlotte does commissioned art work. If you are interested in commissioning a custom screen painting, contact Honest Abe for more information.
there, Charlotte added her personal touch, painting a turkey, trout and a deer on the doors, each commonly found wandering the property. Since its construction, the family has used it as a base for fishing, canoeing and enjoying their farm. “I don’t use it as often as I would like to,” said Randy, “But it’s a great place to escape, enjoy the peace and quiet, do a little fly fishing, and Abbey my Labrador loves having the extra space to run around.” The family agrees that autumn is probably their favorite time of the year, when a small fire in the pavilion
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Top Right: A view standing in the kitchen area. Almost the entire first floor can be seen from a single shot. Bunk beds help to accommodate more people, and the full bathroom is located just adjacent to the bed. Middle Right: Looking out of the sleeping loft, the river can easily be seen through the trees offering their valued summer shade. Bottom Right: The front consists of a wall of windows, offering a great perspective on the wildlife just outside the cabin. Below: A view as you enter the cabin, looking into the kitchen
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Above: Another view down to the river from beside the cabin. Above Left: Randy on the Cumberland River with a newly caught Brown Trout. Right: Closest of friends, Randy and his Labrador Retriever, Abbey, pose for a photo together on the deck of the cabin.
feels perfect. It has even hosted a few Honest Abe events and occasionally houses guests of the family. The cabin was built from a custom design, using Honest Abe’s 8” x 8” D-Log profile, offering exceptional energy efficiency. It also features the company’s Heavy Timber Roof and Ceiling Systems, which utilized large exposed beams for its structure. The family chose to use Perma-Chink’s Driftwood color of stain, providing a washed and naturally weathered look to blend into the farm and river surroundings. The pavilion was built using Honest Abe’s 8” square Douglas Fir Timber Frame product.
While some may expect company executives to have sprawling vacation homes with plush amenities in exotic locations, Randy prefers the simplicity of their cabin with the accompaniment of friends and family close to home. This tiny cabin located on the waterfront of the Cumberland River provides the perfect location to relax, be appreciative and honor the past, while building many more memories for the future. Article & Photography by: Joshua Beasley, Honest Abe Log Homes August 2012 • Honest Abe Monthly • 9
Traveling the
Barn Quilt Trail
Article by: Suzi Parron, Author of Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement
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hese days, a family getaway often means a trip close to home. Heading into the countryside to visit historic towns and sites along the way, stopping for a countrycooked meal, and perhaps spending the night where the sounds of nature lull us to sleep are as relaxing as a visit to any resort. For the past decade, another attraction has begun to invite travelers to leave the interstate behind and drive the rural highways—brightly painted quilt blocks, known as barn quilts hung on barns and visible to passersby. Barn quilts are not fabric heirlooms left out in the weather; they are painted on plywood, usually eight-by-eight feet, and then mounted on the surfaces of barns and other buildings. About four thousand barn quilts are now on display in forty-five states, and the number continues to grow.
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The first barn quilt was created in Ohio, in 2011, by Donna Sue Groves. She wanted to honor her Appalachian heritage and her mother’s quilting by decorating their barn with a replica of a quilt square. Donna Sue brought the idea to her community, and soon a sampler of twenty barn quilts were sprinkled throughout Adams County, Ohio, for both locals and visitors to enjoy. Since then, over one hundred communities across the country have created their own quilt trails; most supply a driving map that www.honestabe.com
Purchase Suzi Parron’s book, Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement, on her web site or on Amazon at: http://amzn.com/0804011389
guides travelers along the way and provides information about the quilt pattern at each stop. Individual barn quilts are sometimes chosen simply because they complement the barn or building—the geometric design and bright colors are emblematic of the pride that the owners have in their property. Other quilt blocks are replicas of cloth quilts, often family heirlooms painted by a beloved quilter from an earlier generation. Many quilt trails include destinations such as galleries, farm stands, and other attractions that provide a chance to enjoy not only the painted quilt but also a bit of country life. After stopping to take a photo, the family can peruse the local crafts, produce, jams and jellies, and sometimes even some wine made in the area. The quilt trail www.honestabe.com
offers enjoyment for just about every traveler. When planning a trip, it is easy to find the quilt trails along your route. Visit the website www. barnquiltinfo.com and click on the states you plan to visit. You will find links to each of the quilt trails along the way, along with information to help you plan your journey. If you’d like to find out more about this incredible grass roots art movement, the book Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement tells the story of the quilt trail from its beginnings, including over eighty photographs and dozens of stories gathered from across the country. Editors Note: A special thanks to Suzi Parron for her contribution to this article and the quilt trail movement. For more information, please consider purchasing her book. To read more about her recent travels, visit her blog at: http://americanquilttrail.blogspot.com/ August 2012 • Honest Abe Monthly • 11
Rachel Meadows Named Vice-President Honest Abe Log Homes proudly announces the promotion of Rachel Meadows to Vice-President of Sales. Rachel was recently recognized during Honest Abe’s Summer Conference event. Rachel began her Honest Abe career as a receptionist in 1995. Later, she assumed the responsibility of schedule coordinator where she was responsible for establishing manufacturing and delivery schedules for the entire company. She also assisted in coordinating construction crews and labor schedules. In 1999, Rachel entered sales, initially as a sales assistant and later as the sales representative for Honest Abe’s National Headquarters in Moss. Recently, Rachel served as the sales manager for all company models and Southeastern U.S.
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Dealer sales. “Rachel is the most dedicated person I know.” says Randy Fudge, President of Honest Abe Log Homes. “She’s a natural leader who has contributed so much to our company’s success. It’s an honor to serve with her on the Honest Abe team and I congratulate her on this achievement.” Rachel and her husband Landon reside in the Moss community of Clay County. They have three sons, Powell (Karla) Walden of Celina, Saylor ( Ashley) Walden of Moss and Kenny (Judy) Meadows
of Celina as well as six grandchildren. She is also the daughter of the late Ray and Nova Cain formally of Tompkinsville, KY.
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Written Endorsement from the Job Site Often times, short and simple is better. Honest Abe Log Home’s Construction Coordinator, Josh Watson, received an unexpected note of gratitude and endorsement recently from a customer. The unsolicited note was quickly written on the back of a check-off sheet used as an evaluation tool and final inspection of the construction work done. When the paperwork was returned to the office Josh Watson discovered it. “Thankfully, we work with
several good and dedicated crews, so it’s not unusual to get testimonials from customers,” says Watson. “This one stood out to me though because of it’s simplicity and sincerity.” As seen below, it gives a quick appreciation for Joe
Isenberg and his crew which have been building homes for Honest Abe for over 30 years now. “We build relationships with our crews, and I believe that motivates them to build relationships with the customers, as evidenced by this note,” stated Watson. For more information on Honest Abe’s Dry-In Construction Service, visit our web site at www. honestabe.com
Photo taken from earlier in the construction process.
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Grilling expert and cookbook author Elizabeth Karmel loves grilled pizza with a capital “L!” While she was writing her book Pizza on the Grill she realized that it took only a second for pizza to go from underdone to overdone on a charcoal fire. The Lodge Pizza Pan changes all that and ensures a gorgeous, crispy, slightly smoky crust every time. The cast iron pan creates hot, consistent indirect heat that browns food beautifully and helps prevent burning. This recipe also provides directions for using it on a gas grill, but it’s not as important as it is when cooking over charcoal. Try it it will be the best “open-fire” pizza you have ever eaten! Once you master the Margherita, add your favorite toppings. Remember, a grilled pizza crust is a blank canvas for all your favorite foods!
We hope you enjoy this recipe from the new Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook: A Treasury of Timeless Delicious Recipes. The cookbook can be ordered from the Lodge web site or from Amazon. For more information about Lodge and their cast iron cookware, visit: www.lodgemfg.com
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Grilled Margherita Pizza serves 2 to 4 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with or without basil, drained. 2 garlic cloves, minced Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup uncooked grits or polenta (for rolling the dough)
1 ball prepared pizza dough, at room temperature 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices, or 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella (if fresh is unavailable) 10 fresh basil leaves
1. Preheat a gas grill by setting all burners on high. Close the lid and leave the grill on high for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat of all burners to medium - you don’t want the heat too high, or the crust will burn. Place a Lodge Pizza Pan in the center of the cooking grates. (If you have a charcoal grill, let the coals burn to a gray ash and spread in an even layer. Place your pan on the cooking grate and let it preheat for 5 minutes. 2. For the sauce, pour the tomatoes into a small nonreactive bowl. Add half the garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. 3. Sprinkle work surface with the grits. Roll out and shape dough ideally into a thin, organically shaped piece of dough (about 1/4-inch think). Drizzle or brush both sized generously with the oil. 4. Pick up the dough by the two corners closest to you. In one motion, lay it down flat on the pizza pan from front to back. Grill, with grill lid down, until the bottom is nicely browned, about 3 minutes. 5. Using tongs, flip the crust. Spread the entire surface with 1 cup tomato sauce; sprinkle with the remaining garlic and top with the cheese. 6. If using a gas grill, switch to indirect heat by turning off the center burner(s) or one of the burners if you have a 2-burner grill. The pan will now be over the unlit section. (If using a charcoal grill, you won’t change anything.) Grill, with the lid down, until the bottom of the crust is well browned and the cheese has melted, 7 to 10 minutes. 7. Using a pizza peel or a flat-sided cookie sheet, remove the pizza from the grill; garnish with the basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice and serve immediately. “The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook: A Treasury of Timeless, Delicious Recipes” - Oxmoor House. 2012 www.honestabe.com
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FLOOR PLAN OF THE MONTH: Cumberland Cabin
O
riginally designed as a display model to be set up at log home shows, this small cabin was designed as a rustic retreat for land owners looking for something simple. The cabin’s name arrives from 16 • Honest Abe Monthly • August 2012
the first one built along side the Cumberland River in Kentucky. Its small footprint incorporates the necessities of home, including a full bathroom and kitchen. Porches and a spacious front deck provide ample room to enjoy the views.
A ladder allows access to a sleeping loft, which does not meet typical residential codes. However, the plan can easily be modified to meet or exceed local code requirements through Honest Abe’s custom design service, which is standard with all www.honestabe.com
FLOOR PLAN:
Honest Abe’s Customer Creations: Cumberland Cabin Square Feet: First Floor: 392 Open Sleeping Loft: 168 Floors: 2 Bathrooms: 1
log home sales.
Want More Great Plans?
For more information on the Cumberland Cabin, and to see the bonus rooms on the second floor, download the PDF available through the members area of Honest Abe Extra! Check out the floor plans section dedicated to log and timber home plans created by Honest Abe Log Home customers! www.honestabe.com
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