Colorado Country Life August 2017 White River by American MainStreet Publications

Advanced Technology Allows Macular Degeneration Patients To See Again And Allows Many Low Vision Patients To Drive Again

A scene as it might be viewed by a person with age-related macular degeneration

Same scene of Grandchildren as viewed through telescope glasses.

For many patients with macular degeneration and other visionrelated conditions, the loss of central visual detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence driving. Colorado optometrist, Dr. Robert Stamm is using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration and other eye conditions. “Some of my patients consider me their last chance or people who have vision loss” said Dr. Stamm, one of only a few doctors in the world who specializes in fitting bioptic

telescopes to help those who have lost vision due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye diseases. Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough to change your life. Bioptic telescopes may be the breakthrough in optical technology that will give you back your independence. Patients with vision in the 20/200 range can many times be improved to 20/50. Bioptic telescopes treat both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration as well as other vision limiting conditions.

While there is currently no cure, promising research is being done on many fronts. “My job is to figure out everything and anything possible to keep a person functioning” says Dr. Stamm “Even if it’s driving”. “The major benefit of the bioptic telescope is that the lens automatically focuses on whatever you’re looking at,” said Dr. Stamm. “It’s like a self-focusing camera, but much more precise.”

For more information and to schedule an appointment today, call:

Robert Stamm, O.D. Low Vision Optometrist Member IALVS

Toll Free:

(877) 393-0025

www.NebraskaLowVisionDoctor.com

[contents] 4

VIEWPOINT

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COMMUNITY EVENTS

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

NEWS CLIPS

INDUSTRY

COVER STORY

RECIPES

GARDENING

OUTDOORS

FUNNY STORIES

DISCOVERIES

AUGUST 2017 Volume 48, Number 08

“White Fence” by Rhonda Dale Terry of Grand Junction, a member of Grand Valley Power..

MORE WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US

coloradocountrylife.coop

FACEBOOK CHATTER

[cover] Delicious chokecherry jelly adds summer flavor to a simple snack. Photo by Mona Neeley.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, Designer; cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant; kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland, Ad Rep; advertising@coloradocountrylife.org Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Individual subscription rate: $9 per year for Colorado residents or $15 per year for out-of-state residents, taxes and postage included. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. © Copyright 2016, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. Subscribers: Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Advertising Standards: Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual. EDITORIAL: Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 | mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife | Twitter.com/ COCountryLife | Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/COCountryLife1 Advertising: advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative: National Country Market | 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504 | Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181

COCountryLife posted: Youth Leadership Campers from Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma and Utah enjoy a week in the mountains courtesy of their co-op.

INSTAGRAM PIC OF THE MONTH

Colorado Country Life posted: Happy to see that Harrison Walter, the subject of our April issue, got the poster we sent of his cover shot. Love his smile.

PINTEREST SNEAK PEAK

Colorado Country Life pinned: Add a little spice to your day, try this lemon pepper jelly.

MONTHLY CONTEST Enter for your chance to win a H.E.C. Studio hat. To enter our contest, agree to the contest rules and complete the online form at www.coloradocountrylife.coop under the Contests tab.

[viewpoint]

WEATHERING THE STORM

CREA takes a hit, but keeps on rocking through a “Summer of Flying Dust” BY KENT SINGER CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG

The hailstorm that hammered the The entire staff had to work around a variety of work crews and north Denver metro area this past temporary obstacles as they continued to provide the services your May 8 caused more property damage co-op depends on. Nobody complained about the inconveniences than any previous hailstorm in and everyone showed great patience and flexibility in dealing with Colorado history. The Colorado Rural these unusual circumstances. Despite the last three months of Electric Association, the statewide employees being displaced, repair crews filling our hallways and the service organization that provides constant sound of construction, CREA staff continued to provide communication, legislative, educational the support services your co-op and the other 21 distribution co-ops and safety support for your local throughout the state depend on. electric cooperative, got hit hard. Those To make things even more interesting, we have a new Kent Singer of us in the office that day watched construction crew in the office remodeling the kitchen. Originally, as the ominous clouds rolled in, and the storm predicted on the this was the only construction project planned for this summer, but weather apps on our phones became a reality. But we still had no the project was pushed back once the hailstorm hit. Now we are idea what we were in for. When the hail started falling, it came back on track and have a couple hard and fast and we wondered if more weeks of hammering and the relentless pounding of golf ballequipment noise. But we’re excited sized hailstones would ever stop. about the improved functionality When it did stop, it was that will result from the updated immediately apparent that our kitchen and serving area. These building had sustained significant improvements will allow CREA damage. Water started dripping staff to better serve the ongoing through ceiling tiles with some employee and director classes that panels collapsing as they soaked up we provide for our member co-ops the runoff. Staff members reacted throughout the year, as well as quickly, using plastic sheets and facilitate the multiple meetings that large garbage bags to protect our are hosted in the building. computers and other equipment. Thankfully, the construction Every waste can and recycling is almost done. Those of us who bin was commandeered to catch work for your trade association will leaks. remember the summer of 2017 as It was obvious our roof was the “Summer of Flying Dust.” a problem. Further inspection For most of our members, our showed that our heating and crazy summer will not be noticed cooling system, our signage at all. The services we provide and outdoor lighting and the continued throughout the summer. employee and company vehicles Education classes went on as in the parking lot had also been scheduled, our legislative team damaged. continued to meet with legislators I’m happy to report that now, and policymakers and our safety a little more than three months and loss control team kept up later, we have a new roof on the with its visits to the co-ops. And CREA building and the ruined Colorado Country Life showed ceiling tiles and soaked carpets up in your mailbox, on time, were also replaced. The painters went through the building and the each month like clockwork. The mantra of CREA’s employees this CREA staff moved back into their offices. summer reminds me of a line from the movie “Ghostbusters”: “We The most important take-away from this whole event has been ain’t afraid of no dust!” the attitude and can-do spirit of everyone on the CREA staff. The communications department needed to move its entire operation into another part of our building because of the number of leaks overhead, but the staff did not skip a beat in continuing to publish Kent Singer, Executive Director this magazine and produce the other communication products it is responsible for. 4

AUGUST 2017

coloradocountrylife.coop

[letters]

Climate Change

An important issue that is missing from discussion in Colorado Country Life is climate change. Recent polls show Americans are concerned about global warming. It’s difficult to solve a problem if you don’t bring it to the table. [As co-ops members,] we all have a carbon footprint from our use of electricity from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association [the co-op power supplier]. Susan Atkinson, Durango member of La Plata Electric Association

A Look Back at Country Fans

Thank you for wanting to do a story on me and my sisters (June ’17). I do appreciate your wanting to know about us. It really pleases me to know that your readers are enjoying reading about us and some of the history of fan clubs. Kay Johnson, Fort Morgan

GIVE YOUR MARKET A

Facebook Posts

Editor’s Note: In response to Colorado Country Life asking Facebook followers for photos of how they are spending their summer, we got the following: I’m watching sunsets this summer over Kuwait City, Kuwait. Casey Warner member of Empire Electric Association

BOOST Together let’s grow your business to new heights.

Kris Wendtland 303-902-7276 advertising@coloradocountrylife.org

Got something to say? We welcome letters to the editor via mail or email. They must be signed and include the writer’s name and full address. Send your letter to Editor Mona Neeley at 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or at mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. Letters may be edited for length.

AG IS OUR MIDDLE NAME Money for agriculture. It’s what we know. It’s all we do.

Call 800.799.6545 today or visit AgLoan.com A part of the Farm Credit System. Equal Opportunity Lender.

coloradocountrylife.coop

AUGUST 2017

[community events] [August] Through August Colorado Springs “Expressions of Colorado” Art Exhibit Arati Artists Gallery 719-323-3935 August 9 Berthoud Summer Concert Series Featuring The Great Scotts Pioneer Courtyard at the Little Thompson Valley Pioneer Museum 5:30 pm • 970-532-2147 August 9 Brush People’s Market East Morgan County Library 4-7 pm • 970-842-2666 August 12 Calhan St. Paul’s Beer & Brat Festival 1450 5th St. 1-8 pm • 719-347-2798 August 12 Copper Acoustic Kids at the Guitar Town Festival Copper Mountain andymay.com/acoustic-kids August 12 Grand Lake Spirit of the Lake Regatta Brews & Crews 1117 Lake Ave. 7 am-5 pm • 970-531-6054 August 12 Hugo Front Range Dutch Oven Cooking Competition Lincoln County Fairgrounds 719-648-8260 August 12-13 La Veta Huajatolla Heritage Festival La Veta Town Park 10 am • 719-742-3307 August 16 Fort Collins “Understanding Social Security Options” Lecture Harmony Library 6:30-7:30 pm • poudrelibraries. org/events August 17 Buena Vista Optimist Charity Golf Tournament Collegiate Peaks Golf Course 8:30 am • 719-966-4002 6

AUGUST 2017

August 18-20 Vernon Vernon Olde Tyme Saturday Various Vernon Locations 970-332-4241 oldetymesaturday.com August 19 Colorado Springs National Honeybee Day Celebration Bear Creek Nature Center 9-10:30 am • 719-520-6387 August 19 Durango “Summerfest” Fundraiser Smiley Building 3-8 pm • alternativehorizons.org August 19-20 Grand Junction Gypsy Fest Horse Show Mesa County Fairgrounds 269-209-3784 • gypsyshow.horse August 19 Littleton Denver NF Walk Clement Park 1 pm • nfwalk.org/denver August 20 Dolores Night with the Ancients Astronomy Program Anasazi Heritage Center 8 pm • 970-882-5635 August 20 Loveland Sportsman and Outdoor Gear Yard Sale Grace Yoga 9 am-1 pm • 970-646-2022 August 25-26 Clifton “Peach Promenade” Square and Round Dance Mount Garfield Middle School 7:15-10 pm • 970-424-3543 August 25-27 Colorado Springs Comic Con Colorado Springs Event Center cscomiccon.com August 25 La Veta 4th Friday Art Walk and Art Reception Opening Night La Veta Gallery on Main lavetagalleryonmain.com August 25-27 Longmont Yesteryear Farm Show Dougherty Museum yesteryearfarmshow.org

Yampa Valley Crane Festival and Wild West Air Fest

August 31-September 3 At various Yampa Valley locations, Steamboat Springs The Yampa Valley Crane Festival features guided crane viewings, nature and bird walks, expert speakers, films, crane and bird art, workshops, children’s activities, live raptors presented by HawkQuest, ranch tours, a community barbecue at The Nature Conservancy’s Carpenter Ranch and more. Festival keynote speaker is George Archibald, co-founder of the International Crane Foundation. On September 2, the Wild West Air Fest will feature pilots performing aerobatic and formation flying, as well as static aircraft displays, food, exhibits, vendors and children’s activities. For more information, visit coloradocranes.org or steamboat.com. August 26 Fort Collins Garden A’Fare Beer Tour Gardens on Spring Creek 5-9 pm • 970-416-2486 August 27 Walsenburg Marathon of the Legends Team Relay Race & 20K Walk Miner’s Plaza 7:30 am-12:30 pm • 303-746-3092 August 31-September 3 Westcliffe Quilt Show and Boutique Westcliffe Schoolhouse 10 am-5 pm September 2 Buena Vista Free Kids Fishing Derby Town Lake 9 am-12 pm collegiatepeakstu.org/fishingderbies September 2 Durango Durango Brew Train Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad durangotrain.com September 2 Kit Carson Kit Carson Day Various Kit Carson Locations jamielconaway@gmail.com

[September] September 3 Bellvue Rist Canyon Mountain Festival Across From RCVFD Fire Station 1 10 am-4 pm • rcvfd.org September 4-10 Boulder Doctors Without Borders Traveling Outdoor Exhibit Courthouse Plaza forcedfromhome.com September 8-9 Canon City Italian Festival Sons of Italy Royal Gorge Lodge 2866 e7a@juno.com (Use “Italian Festival” in Subject Line)

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS

TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO:

Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303455-2807; or email calendar@ coloradocountrylife.org. Please send name of event, date, time, venue, brief description, phone number, a photo, if you have one, and email and/or website for more information. coloradocountrylife.coop

WHITE RIVER ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

[White River] What You’re Missing at the Annual Meeting BY ALAN J. MICHALEWICZ | GENERAL MANAGER | AMICH@WREA.ORG

Did you know every cooperative is required to conduct an annual meeting of the membership? The purpose is to hold the election for the board of directors, share important financial information, vote on matters that need to come before the membership and, of course, give away great door prizes. On September 13, 2017, White River Electric Association’s annual meeting will be a community gathering where neighbors can meet new neighbors and catch up with old acquaintances. As our lives get busier with errands and more of our interactions with others are on social media, we must renew the value of face-to-face human connections. Unlike WREA, few organizations are uniquely positioned to bring together all members of our local communities. While rural Americans probably do a better job of staying connected to our neighbors — in part because we need to — it is not something we should take for granted. The simple act of smiling, saying hello and shaking someone’s hand truly lifts both parties. Our country and community face many challenges. As a nation, we are divided. It’s important that, as a small community, we work together to make decisions that best represent our goals. Overcoming challenges will only happen if we come together, let our voices be heard and find solutions that meet a

coloradocountrylife.coop

common goal. White River Electric’s annual meeting is designed to take care of the important business of your co-op and the equally important business of building a real sense of community. All cooperatives serve both an economic and social purpose. While safe, reliable and affordable electric power is crucial to our mission, improving Alan J. Michalewicz the quality of life for all members is at the core of what we do every day. If you have not attended the WREA annual meeting in the past or if it has been a few years, we urge you to take the time to be with your fellow co-op members. Plan to join us at the Fairfield Center for lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. on September 13, 2017. And if your schedule allows, stay for the business meeting at 1 p.m. and round out the afternoon with entertainment from the Meeker High School choir. White River Electric is connected to you by more than just powerlines. We are your neighbors and we look forward to seeing you at your annual meeting.

AUGUST 2017

[White River]

Top 10 Reasons to Consider a Co-op Career BY JUSTIN LaBERGE

There are many ways to earn a paycheck, but some are more rewarding than others. Here are 10 reasons to consider joining the electric cooperative family. 10. Tech focused: The electricity industry is at the leading edge of a global energy revolution. Rapid advances in renewable generation, energy storage and smart grid technologies will change the way we use electricity. If you work at an electric cooperative, you can be part of this once-in-a-lifetime industry transformation. 9. Business on a human scale: Cooperatives hold themselves to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity while still maintaining a close-knit, family-friendly working environment. Decisions are made locally by managers who know employees by name, not by people who are halfway across the country in some corporate headquarters. Their smaller size and local control also gives co-ops more flexibility to innovate and try new ideas to improve the service they provide. 8. Cleaner environment: Electricity is one of our cleanest energy sources, and as technology improves, electric cars, nextgeneration heating and cooling systems, home automation and other forms of environmentally beneficial electrification will reduce our reliance on less efficient forms of energy. 7. Retirement security: It might seem like a long way off today, but we all need to plan for retirement. Co-op employees deliver a valuable service to their communities, and they’re rewarded for that dedication with outstanding retirement benefits. Many coops offer both a 401(k) plan and a defined-benefit pension plan. 6. National reach: America’s 900-plus electric cooperatives serve 47 states and 56 percent of our nation’s landmass. So whether you want to stay in your hometown or explore another part of the country, odds are good that there will be an electric cooperative nearby.

5. Stability: There are no guarantees in life, but some bets are safer than others. Electronics play a critical and growing role in our daily lives, and as our reliance on technology increases, so too will our demand for electricity. As long as we need electricity, we’ll need workers to ensure it is safe, reliable and affordable. 4. Principles, not profit: When you work for an electric cooperative, you’re not helping some Wall Street elite get richer. You’re working to serve your friends, family and neighbors who collectively own the cooperative. 3. A global movement: As a member of the co-op family, you’re part of something much larger than yourself. The cooperative movement represents a human-centered, ethically-driven way of doing business. More than 250 million people around the world earn their living working in cooperatives, and the cooperative economy generates approximately $2.5 trillion in global economic activity each year. 2. Competitive pay: You won’t get rich working for your local electric co-op, but you’ll enjoy excellent pay and benefits that can help you and the people you love achieve the American dream. 1. A stronger community: Safe, reliable and affordable energy is critical to the health and prosperity of a community. Electric cooperatives power our homes, schools, farms and businesses and keep rural America connected to the global economy. To learn more about a cooperative career, contact White River Electric Association. Justin LaBerge writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

KEEP CURIOUS KIDS SAFE

Ensure your children are protected from the electrical service connection to your home. Keep ladders or long poles stowed and away from youngsters who might be tempted to use them to reach the wires connected to your house. If you added a room addition or deck, make sure the service connection remains well out of reach. Contact White River Electric if you are unsure the distance is safe. 8

AUGUST 2017

coloradocountrylife.coop

Become a Fan of Summer Efficiency

[White River]

Rising temperatures outside can mean increased use of your air conditioner and higher utility bills. With the aid of ceiling fans and ventilation in your home, you can maintain comfort while decreasing the amount of money you spend on utility bills. Ceiling fans boost efficiency in both hot and cool seasons. Fans create a cooling breeze when moving in a counter-clockwise direction, resulting in a low-level “wind chill” throughout the room. When fans move in a clockwise direction, they force the warmer air that naturally gathers near the ceiling back down into the room. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, installing a ceiling fan will allow consumers to raise their thermostat temperature by approximately 4 degrees and still maintain comfort. By using a ceiling fan along with increasing a thermostat’s temperature by 2 degrees, EnergyStar.gov reports that a person can save 14 percent on air conditioner use throughout the cooling season. Although ceiling fans are effective in lowering energy usage, turn them off when you leave the room. Unless you are sitting directly under the fan to feel the “wind chill,” energy is wasted. When shopping for a new fan, remember to look for an Energy Star model. These labels indicate that the fans operate with peak efficiency, using the most energy-efficient technology. Paired with ceiling fans, natural ventilation can also increase energy efficiency by giving the air conditioner a rest. Although ventilation is not an effective cooling strategy for all climates, natural ventilation can work in climates with cool nights and regular breezes. For natural ventilation, close doors, windows and window coverings during the day, and reopen them at night. Ventilation in the attic can also help reduce your air conditioner use. Attic fans can push hot air that accumulates in the attic out of your home. To maintain airflow, never block attic vents. For further help with your home’s energy efficiency, consider upgrading insulation in the attic. In addition, seal air leaks with caulk or weather stripping to keep more of the hot air out and the cool air inside your house. Reducing air leaks also helps cut back on any moisture problems. Even small steps in efficiency can help you reduce energy use and save money. Keep window shades and curtains shut on sunny days, cut back on your use of the oven and range and keep as many lights off as comfortable to help lower the level of heat in your house. For more information on energy efficiency, visit EnergyEdCouncil.org.

coloradocountrylife.coop

AUGUST 2017

[White River] Earn an “A” in College Electrical Safety

The start of each semester comes with a fresh start for college students, along with the potential for new friends and opportunities. Alongside the excitement of college also comes great responsibility. One of these responsibilities is electrical safety in one’s dorm room or apartment. To help with keeping the semester on track and staying safe, Safe Electricity shares electrical safety tips for college students. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there is an average of 3,870 campus fires each year. Between 2000 and 2015, 11 percent of these campus fires were electrical in nature. As you move in your books and clothes and rearrange your furniture, also make sure to conduct a visual inspection of switches, outlets and light fixtures. Report any damaged or discolored equipment to the resident assistant or apartment manager for repair or replacement. Also, make sure outlets around sinks are equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters before use. If they are not, contact the housing staff. Safe Electricity provides these additional tips for college students: •

Check with campus housing regulations on what electronics are acceptable to bring. Do not bring prohibited items that could create safety hazards.

•

Only purchase and use electrical products tested for

safety. Some common approved safety labels include Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Canadian Standards Association and MET Laboratories. • Never block an exit or impact fire sprinklers. It is important that windows and doors are accessible so that escape routes are clear in case of an emergency. • Never tack or nail an electrical cord to any surface or run cords across traffic paths or underneath rugs where they can be trampled or damaged. • Be sure to use the correct wattage lightbulbs for lamps and fixtures. • If space heaters are permitted, always turn them off when leaving the room or before going to bed. • Do not overload your electrical outlets, power strips or extension cords. • Use power strips with a protector that will shut off power automatically if there is too much current being drawn. • Potentially older wiring in student housing and apartments may not be able to handle the increased electrical demand of today’s college student. If use of an appliance frequently causes power to trip off or if its power cord or the outlet feels hot, the appliance should be disconnected immediately and the condition reported to the housing manager. • Smoke detectors should never be disabled, and always take all fire alarms and drills seriously. For more information on electrical safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.

Watch Clearances With Large Equipment

When working with large equipment there are hazards that come with the job. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, of the 4,379 work fatalities in 2015, 8.6 percent were electrocutions. Safe Electricity encourages large equipment operators to look up, look out and follow all safety procedures around overhead power lines. In September 2016, two construction workers were injured in an electrical accident. The workers were touching a crane’s cable when the crane made contact with an overhead line. The two men received electrical shocks, leaving one man in critical condition and the other in serious condition. While most large equipment requires a 10-foot clearance from overhead power lines, cranes and derricks require an even greater distance for safe operation where overhead power lines are present. In such

AUGUST 2017

situations, OSHA requires that individuals, their tools and their equipment stay a minimum 20-foot distance away from power lines. The total distance increases as the voltage of the power line increases. Visit OSHA.gov for a full list of regulations, voltages and distances. When working with large equipment, it is important to follow all OSHA regulations. Conduct a site survey to identify the location of overhead power lines, and take measures to prevent incidents with lines. Make sure you know the maximum height of your machinery’s extensions. Never work with large equipment without first having the proper training. Even experienced large equipment operators must always take protective measures against electrical hazards. Before using large machinery, also make sure that the equipment is mechanically sound. Always use the equipment as intended.

Remember to lower extensions while moving large equipment. When possible, use a spotter. To help reduce the likelihood of an accident, never store machinery directly under a power line. If your equipment makes contact with an overhead power line, the safest option is almost always to stay in the cab. Immediately call 911, warn others to stay away and wait for utility crews to arrive on the scene and de-energize the lines. Never assume a line is de-energized. The only time you should leave the cab is in the rare case that the equipment is on fire. If this is the case, jump off the equipment with your feet together and without coming into contact with the equipment and the ground at the same time. Then, still keeping your feet together, bunny hop away. For more information on electrical safety, go to SafeElectricity.org. coloradocountrylife.coop

Portable Oxygen For The Way You Want to Live The ALL-NEW Includes Everything You Need To Regain Your Freedom Meets FAA Requirements for Travel

Portable Oxygen That Will Never Weigh You Down. At just 2.8 lbs, the Inogen One G4 is the ultralight portable oxygen concentrator you have been waiting for. The Inogen One G4 is pp y half the size of the approximately IInogen nogen O ne G 3. One G3.

JUST 2.8 LBS!

REQUEST YOUR R R FREE

Actual size: L 5.91" x W 2.68" x H 7.2"

IN INFORMATION KIT TODAY.

CALL NOW! C

ADE IN

E US

MKT-P0055 AUGUST 2017

[news clips] Bicyclists Ride, Raise $ for Those Struggling With Bills When Colorado electric cooperatives ride in the annual Pedal the Plains three-day bike tour of eastern Colorado September 15-17, they will be raising money for Energy Outreach Colorado. EOC helps low-income Coloradans afford home energy and stay safe and warm in their homes. The co-ops invite you to join them. You can register to ride the three days as a member of our Powering the Plains bike team or you can donate money to the team, which will go directly to Energy Outreach Colorado. Visit poweringtheplains.coop for information on how to donate to the Powering the Plains bike team.

Average Prices for Residential Electricity 2015 figures, in cents per kWh U.S. Average: 12.65¢ per kWh WA 9.1¢ OR 10.7¢

NV 12.8¢ CA 17¢

MT 10.9¢ ID 9.9¢

UT 10.7¢

AZ 11.9¢

WY 11¢ CO 12.1¢ NM 12.5¢

ND 9.6¢ SD 11.1¢

MN 12.1¢

NE 10.6¢ KS 12.3¢ OK 10.1¢ TX 11.6¢

WI 14.1¢

IA 11.6¢ MO 10.2¢ AR 9.8¢ LA 9.3¢

MI 14.4¢

VT: 17.1¢ NH: 18.5¢ MA: 19.8¢ RI: 19.3¢ NY CT: 20.9¢ 18.5¢

PA 13.6¢ IN OH IL 12.5¢ 11.6¢ 12.8¢ WV VA KY 10.1¢ 11.4¢ 10.2¢ NC TN 11.3¢ 10.3¢ SC 12.6¢ GA AL MS 11.7¢ 11.5¢ 11.3¢

ME 15.6¢

NJ: 15.8¢ DE: 13.4¢ MD: 13.8¢ DC: 13¢

FL 11.6¢

AK 19.8¢ HI 29.6¢

Residential Average Price (cents per kilowatt-hour) Over 12.5¢ Under 10 ¢ 10¢ to 12.5¢ Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Numbers rounded to nearest tenth of a cent

Co-ops Provide Camp Experience

The grand champion sheep is sold at last year’s Touchstone Energy Junior Livestock Sale.

More than 100 students and chaperones recently returned from the electric co-ops’ Leadership Camp in Glen Eden, Colorado. Sponsored by the Colorado Rural Electric Association and Colorado’s electric co-ops, the camp offers high school students leadership training; a look at our congressional process; a visit to a power plant, a coal mine and a solar facility; and more.

Co-ops Support Ag Kids at Colorado State Fair Prize-winning beef cattle, hogs, goats, lambs, rabbits and chickens will be sold for top dollar at the Tuesday, August 29, Colorado State Fair annual Junior Livestock Sale, sponsored by Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Future Farmers of America members and 4-H’ers from around the state spent the last year raising animals in hopes of reaching this premier sale in Pueblo. All grand 12

AUGUST 2017

champion, reserve grand champion, champion, reserve champion and first, second and third place animals will be sold at the auction. Bids will come from buyers and buying groups and are expected to raise more than half a million dollars for more than 130 student participants. The local electric co-ops, which serve most of the farms and ranches where the top-rated stock sold at the sale is raised,

have sponsored the Junior Livestock Sale since 2006. This year, Colorado Country Life, the Colorado Rural Electric Association and Tri-State Generation and Transmission continue their support, along with 17 of the state’s 22 electric co-ops, all under the shared Touchstone Energy Cooperatives brand.

coloradocountrylife.coop

Tired of struggling on the stairs? Introducing the Affordable Easy Climber® Elevator

Can be placed virtually anywhere in your home.

Home Improvement that actually improves your LIFE! SAFE

u Equipped with weight, balance and obstruction sensors u Works even in a power outage

VERSATILE

u Can be placed almost anywhere in your home u Quick professional installation

CONVENIENT

u Footprint is slightly larger than a washing machine u Compact and Quiet

Stan W. US war veteran and retired professor coloradocountrylife.coop

•

Its small “footprint” and selfcontained lift mechanism adds convenience and value to your home and quality to your life. It’s called the Easy Climber® Elevator. Call us now and we can tell you just how simple it is to own. For many people, particularly seniors, climbing stairs can be a struggle and a health threat. Some have installed motorized stair lifts, but they block access to the stairs and are hardly an enhancement

No more climbing up stairs No more falling down stairs Plenty of room for groceries or laundry Perfect for people with older pets Ideal for Ranch houses with basements

to your home’s décor. By contrast, the Easy Climber® Elevator can be installed almost anywhere in your home. That way you can move easily and safely from floor to floor without struggling or worse yet… falling. Why spend another day without this remarkable convenience. Knowledgeable product experts are standing by to answer any questions you may have. Call Now!

Call now to find out how you can get your own Easy Climber Elevator. Please mention promotional code 106623. For fastest service, call toll-free.

1-888-291-7788

82821

“We are tickled about our new elevator. This is the first time I’ve seen the second floor of my home! It’s like an early Christmas present.”

• • • •

Revolutionary elevator can give you– and your home’s value– a lift Elevators have been around since the mid 19th century, and you can find them in almost every multistory structure around… except homes. That’s because installing an elevator in a home has always been a complicated and expensive home renovation project… until now. Innovative designers have created a home elevator that can be easily installed almost anywhere in your home by our professional team without an expensive shaft-way.

Imagine the possibilities

[industry]

Clint Shults knew what to do when he was at the wheel as a powerline came down on his bus loaded with FFA students.

SAFE ON THE BUS

“It was one of those wrong place at the wrong time type of deals,” Clint Shults says. On a snowy morning in April 2016, Shults loaded a school bus with FFA students from Meeker High School. The group was heading to a competition at Colorado Northwest Community College, about 65 miles away. A heavy, wet snow was accumulating. Shults, a longtime volunteer for FFA, drove the school bus. The FFA team’s horse judging coach, Silvia Otabachian-Smith, followed the bus in her car. The caravan traveled just 7 miles when disaster struck. Out of the corner of his eye, Shults saw a flash of snow falling off a power line and then heard the sound of a wire coiling. From behind the bus, Otabachian-Smith witnessed several bursts of fire. The bus snagged a power line just as it was falling to the ground under the weight of the snow. “There’s an unmistakable sound, if you’ve ever heard wire unraveling from a roll,” Shults says. “The noise of us dragging the wire across the highway and just through the air ... and then the strain 14

AUGUST 2017

of the wire as it became unraveled.” Rather than throwing on the brakes, Shults took his foot off the accelerator and let the bus coast to a stop. Behind the bus, Otabachian-Smith’s first thought was to get out of her car and check that the students were unharmed. Luckily, a phone call from a student kept her safe. “They all started yelling at me on the phone,” she explains. “At that point, I knew we were in pretty big trouble.” Amidst the chaos, Shults and his wife, who was also on the bus, kept the students calm and called 911 to notify dispatchers of the accident. Once Shults assessed the situation, his next concern was whether oncoming traffic could see them and stop in time, seeing as the bus signals shorted out. John Purkey, line superintendent at White River Electric Association, and Sherriff Anthony Mazzola soon arrived on the scene. Sheriff Mazzola says, “John Purkey got out first. He needed to secure the scene.” He ensured that the lines were de-energized and untangled from the bus and that the scene was safe before first coloradocountrylife.coop

responders moved in. White River Electric regularly provides training to local first responders. “We knew from this training that you don’t approach a scene because there is such a thing as step voltage, that even though the wire is on the ground as you walk into that scene, you could be stepping into different voltage variations and injure yourself,” Sheriff Mazzola explains. The rescue took less Frank Sampson of White River Electric than 20 minutes and emphasizes the importance of treating every everyone remained safe be- downed power line as if it is live. cause they knew the right steps to take. “Everybody did everything right,” Sheriff Mazzola says. “The dispatcher told them not to leave the bus. Clint and his wife told everybody not to leave the bus.” “In my opinion, a very dangerous situation was avoided because the correct steps were taken,” Otabachian-Smith says. “People were patient. People communicated. Luckily, we had cell phones and help was there almost immediately.” Afterward, the students and adult volunteers continued according to schedule. “We were told to get back on the bus, went on to CNCC and competed,” Shults says. “Some of the kids got their

coloradocountrylife.coop

[ industry]

names called, and it ended up being a good day in spite of what happened that morning.” Shults and others are working with Safe Electricity to share their story so that others can learn from their experience. Safe Electricity wants you to know the steps to take to stay safe if you are in a vehicle that comes into contact with a downed line or power pole: 1. R emain calm and stay inside the vehicle. 2. Call 911. 3. Warn others to stay away from the vehicle. 4. S tay seated and do not exit the vehicle until utility personnel say it is ok to do so. 5. If you must exit the vehicle because it is on fire, jump clear of it with your feet together and without touching the vehicle and ground at the same time. Keeping your feet together, shuffle or “bunny hop” to safety. For other chaperones who travel with students and might encounter a downed power line, Shults warns, “Do not tell any young person or any passenger to get off the bus.” “Electricity is invisible and there is no way to determine visually if a wire is energized,” explains Frank Sampson, manager of operations at White River Electric. “Never assume that a wire has or doesn’t have electricity in it because you can’t see it. You can only see the effect of it, and it travels at the speed of light. It’s extremely destructive and exceedingly fast.” After 26 years in law enforcement, Sheriff Mazzola knows firsthand the importance of electrical safety education. “Everybody needs to know what electricity can do, and we all need to be aware of it.” Learn more and see the story at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-O6GjPiyQ5U.

AUGUST 2017

Make Chokecherries a Part of Your Summer

Preserving summer’s goodness now means delicious treats come winter STORY AND PHOTOS BY RACHEL TURIEL Chokecherry preserves are a southwestern delicacy. The jellies, jams and syrups have a deep berry sweetness with a whisper of wild earth tang. The flavors are layered — sweet, then spiced, then nutty, then grassy — like geological strata or a fine wine. If the berries had a spokesperson, it would be a cultured debutante who ran off to the mountains to learn the crazy wisdom of the Earth. Capturing that illusive, delicious taste is worth the effort. If you’ve ever made pints of chokecherry jelly, gleaming with a magenta shine, you know the feeling of pride that blooms when you line up your finished jars on your pantry shelf. However, making chokecherry jelly is so time consuming that after you squeeze the last drop of bright fruit juice from your jelly bag, you begin to regard other popular jelly-making fruits — raspberries, blackberries, blueberries — as obscenely rudimentary. You cannot buy chokecherries at the store. You must roam the hillsides like a hungry black bear before landing under a 16

AUGUST 2017

chokecherry tree laden with accommodating fruit. But, those tiny purple orbs contain as much seed as flesh, and separating the two is like sneaking a lovey out from under a sleeping toddler. Case in point: 26 cups of berries equals 9 cups of finished jelly. Nine extremely precious cups. But not to take part in the historical gathering of chokecherries that beckons every which way in Colorado’s late summer would be like attending a wedding and not jumping to your feet when the cover band thumps the first chords of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.” IDENTIFICATION AND NATURAL HISTORY Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) are in the rose family, along with apples, cherries, apricots, pears and many other cherished, cultivated fruit trees. Chokecherries often have multiple trunks and their bark ranges from grey to red, marked with lenticels coloradocountrylife.coop

[ feature]

Clusters of chokecherries are ready for picking.

(horizontal pores through which gases are exchanged). The leaves are uniformly and mildly serrated, and oval with a pointed tip. They bloom in early spring in profuse racemes or clusters of tight white flowers, and then brighten Colorado slopes from August through September with drooping berries. The berries are ripe when the color is so dark purple they’re almost black. Fresh off the tree, their flavor is sweet with a hint of cotton balls inserted between your lips and gums. Astringent is the technical term. My children, whose taste buds are mysterious, confounding organs, eat them raw by the handful. Chokecherries are typically considered shrubs, but if said shrub is lucky enough to grow along a waterway, it can become a 15-foot-tall tree, providing welcoming shade for a bedded deer or picnicking family. In Colorado, chokecherries grow at elevations of 5,000 to 10,000 feet, interspersed most commonly with scrub oak, ponderosa pine, piñon pine, juniper, cottonwoods and aspens. They are especially abundant along waterways and can be found in 47 out of our 64 Colorado counties. Chokecherries grow all over North America, except the far north and south, but, lucky us, the western berries are thought to be sweetest.

The writer’s kids run through blooming chokecherries. Photo by Rick Scibelli Jr. coloradocountrylife.coop

CHOKECHERRY NUTRITION Chokecherries were the most important fruit crop in the diet of many Western Native American tribes, who pounded and dried the berries (including the protein- and fat-rich seed), making it with meat to make pemmican, a dried, portable and indispensable snack. It was such a valuable plant for the Ute tribe, they called it, simply, “berry.” According to Native American Ethnobotany by Daniel E. Moerman, chokecherry juice was given as a special drink to husbands and favored children of the Blackfoot tribe. Chokecherries have high amounts of anthocyanins, a group of phytochemicals or flavonoids responsible for the purple color of the fruit. Anthocyanins have antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties, and are also anti-inflammatory. Including anthocyanins in one’s diet decreases capillary permeability, protects the integrity of blood vessel walls, is membranestrengthening and alters development of hormone-dependent disease (such as breast or ovarian cancer). Research trials have shown anthocyanins to markedly reduce tumor formation and cancer cell proliferation, and to improve night vision. JAMS, JELLIES AND SYRUPS There’s no doubt that a pantry stocked with chokecherry preserves contributed to the food security of Colorado pioneer families. However, if you want to avoid muddling through what Katie O’Hara Barrett of O’Hara’s Jams and Jellies calls the most labor intensive jam in her repertoire of commercial fruit preserves, there are plenty of options to procure authentic Colorado chokecherry preserves. These preserves are intrinsically special because companies can’t order a flat of domestically grown chokecherries to be shipped to their commercial kitchen any time of year. Just like the wild animals that rely on chokecherries, you must scour ditches and hillsides, creeks and alleys to procure this fruit that ripens in elevational succession. O’Hara’s Jams and Jellies, in business for 24 years in Durango, purchases between 1,400 and 2,000 pounds of fresh, hand-picked chokecherries each season. “The berries come to us in bags, buckets, boxes,” Katie says. “One season we put an ad in the paper seeking berries, and now people just bring them to us every year. Our best picker is in his 70s.” Katie, who owns the business with her husband Jim O’Hara Barrett, explains that despite having to “boil, boil, boil, then smush, smush, smush [the berries] all by hand,” it’s worth it. “It’s a local favorite and one of our top sellers. Plus, when we’re making chokecherry jelly and syrup, our kitchen just reeks of chokecherries.” And that, she maintains, is a good thing. WHO ELSE EATS CHOKECHERRIES? In autumn, Colorado black bears must consume 20,000 calories a day to achieve denning weight. Because

[continued on page 18] AUGUST 2017

[feature]

Women spread chokecherry-apple mixture on parchment paper to make chokecherry-apple fruit leather.

[continued from page 17]

of their abundance and close proximity to acorns, chokecherries are an ideal source of food for bears, who may eat 20 to 30 pounds of berries and acorns daily in the fall. According to Bryan Peterson of Bear Smart Durango, an organization that helps people and bears coexist, it takes 1,500 chokecherries to make a pound. That’s a whole lot of chokecherries. Additional partakers of the chokecherry fruit are wild turkeys, grouse, raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, foxes, coyotes and deer. Many birds seek the seed in fall, some of them spitting out the fruit flesh for the reward of the fat- and protein-rich seed. Nabbing the high berries that the rest of us can’t reach are evening grosbeaks, robins, thrushes, jays and woodpeckers. MEDICINE It seems that every Native American tribe had its preferred medicinal use for the chokecherry. The Navajo made an infusion of fresh berries for stomachaches. The Blackfoot tribe drank berry juice for diarrhea and sore throats. Arikara women drank berry juice to stop postpartum hemorrhage. The Sioux placed poultices of dried roots in open wounds to stop bleeding. The chokecherry was listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia National Formulary from 1820–1970. And, in their journals, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark recorded that, while camped on the upper Missouri River, Captain Lewis developed abdominal cramps and fever. He made a tea from chokecherry twigs and fully recovered by the next day. 18

AUGUST 2017

Debra Reuben, clinical herbalist and proprietor for 26 years at Durango’s Dancing Willow Herbs, relies on chokecherry for respiratory care. Reuben uses the inner bark as a cough suppressant, noting that not only does chokecherry help to loosen mucus so that it’s easier to expectorate, but it also calms coughs by soothing spasms of the smooth muscles involved in coughing. Furthermore, because chokecherry supports the nervous system, while quieting coughs it can also address anxiety caused by uncontrollable coughing. Reuben makes chokecherry tinctures (plant constituents extracted in grain alcohol) for adults, and for children, syrups. Reuben points out that there is no need to cut a central tree trunk for medicine; small diameter branches or newly downed branches are useful. And even twigs contain the same bark medicine. And finally, because in spring the bark contains high levels of cyanide, which as summer progresses migrates into the pit, the optimal time to harvest chokecherry limbs is fall after the cherries become ripe. TOXICITY Seeds and wilted leaves contain hydrocyanic acid. When the seeds are ground or pulverized an enzyme is released that breaks down the hydrocyanic acid making it toxic. The hydrocyanic acid is supposedly poisonous, although it’s indisputable that Native American tribes ate many seeds, as they would grind the berry whole to mix with meat and dry in “sun cakes” or pemmican. Wilted leaves have killed livestock, though deer, elk, bighorn sheep, coloradocountrylife.coop

[ feature]

HOW TO USE YOUR CHOKECHERRIES

Chokecherry recipes start with juice.

Start all chokecherry recipes with juice. Create the juice by separating flesh from seeds, as outlined in steps 1-4 below. 1. Pick a mess of chokecherries. If you’re making multiple gathering trips, chokecherries can be stored in fridge or freezer until you’re ready to work with them. 2. Wash and remove big central stems and leaves. 3. In a large pot, add 4 parts chokecherries to 1 part water. Turn on heat and wait for any insects to float to top; remove. Simmer vigorously for 30-40 minutes with lid on, periodically crushing berries with a potato masher. 4. Let cool a few minutes. Strain juice by squeezing through cheesecloth, cotton shirt, jelly bag or strainer. Be aggressive; you want to get all the juice possible. Typically, you can extract 4 cups juice for every 10 cups berries. Now you have your chokecherry juice. You are ready to start. CHOKECHERRY JELLY

The writer’s daughter squeezes the juice from chokecherries, a messy job.

moose and other ungulates eat the leaves with no problem. OTHER USES According to the exhaustive tome Native American Ethnobotany, out of all native plants, the chokecherry tree rates second in having the greatest number of uses. This category of “other uses” is my favorite, as it begs the question: What was chokecherry not used for? There is a certain poetry to the practical: For the Okanagan tribe, ripe berries indicated that salmon were coming up river to spawn. Also, the leaves were used as a green dye, the berries as a purplish dye. The branches were used for arrow shafts, and the trunks for bows. The sap was used to fasten arrowheads to shafts, the leaves as a poultice for cuts. Branches were used as digging sticks and as tipi stakes. And the berries were mixed with bear fat for painting pictographs. My son’s godmother once told him that the letters he sent her were more valuable than gold. “Then if I give you letters, will you give me gold?” the 6-year old wondered. “No, honey,” she said, “They’re so valuable you can’t put a price on them.” This is exactly how I feel about the jars in my pantry packed with thick, magenta oceans of chokecherry jelly. Rachel Turiel is a professional writer who has lived in La Plata County for the past 17 years. She shares her experiences on her blog http://6512andgrowing.com. coloradocountrylife.coop

Mix juice with desired amount of sweetener, typically 1/3–1/2 cup sweetener to 1 cup chokecherry juice. Heat to a low simmer. Add the proper amount of pectin (follow directions on pectin box), bring to a hard boil for 2 minutes, stirring all the while. Remove from heat, ladle into jars. Can be safely waterbath canned. You can test the “set” by putting a spoonful of the jelly in the fridge. When it cools it will represent the jelly’s final consistency. CHOKECHERRY SYRUP Mix juice with desired amount of sweetener. (See previous chokecherry jelly recipe.) Pour into jars. Can be frozen or water-bath canned. May separate when cool, but perfectly good. CHOKECHERRY-APPLE FRUIT LEATHER Mix juice with wellblended applesauce, about 1:1. Spread about 1/8-inch thick on parchment paper on cookie trays and bring outside into the sun for two to four days. Leather should peel off easily.

More recipes at www.coloradocountrylife.coop AUGUST 2017

[recipes]

SPREAD SOME JOY

SCRUMPTIOUS, SPREADABLE RECIPES THAT CAPTURE SUMMER’S FLAVORS BY AMY HIGGINS RECIPES@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

TIP

Use the Proper Pans Be sure to use nonreactive pans when cooking jams, jellies and marmalades. Bullwinkel explains, “Thin metal pans are poor preserving pans because they are vulnerable to burning the fragile fruit and sugar contents over the hot flame required for fruit preserving.”

Is it Done Yet? When your candy thermometer reaches 216 degrees, you hit the jell point. If you’re still unsure you’re there, keep boiling the mixture for another minute or two.

By now your garden harvest is abundant, keeping your produce drawer stocked. One great way to let the fruits of your labors last through winter is by canning jams, jellies and marmalades. When we found the recipe book Artisanal Preserves: Small-Batch Jams, Jellies, Marmalades, and More, we couldn’t help but salivate. Author Madelaine Bullwinkel does a superb job at explaining the cooking and canning process, offers great tips for techniques and testing and even includes some additional lip-smacking recipes to spread your creations atop. Try these recipes the next time you want some spreadable delights in your kitchen.

Lemon Lime Marmalade with Cinnamon 2 large lemons 2 limes water sugar 1 cinnamon stick The Night Before Scrub the fruits and trim the outer peel from lemons and limes into thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Cut off the inner white peel from all fruits. Reserve the inner white lemon peels in a cheesecloth bag and discard the inner white lime peels. Thinly slice the fruits and combine with the zest (outer peels). Measure the fruit and peel and add it with an equal volume of water to a heavy, nonreactive 5-quart pan. Add the cinnamon stick and cheesecloth bag of lemon peels. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and simmer for 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, cover and let stand overnight at room temperature.

The Next Day Remove the cheesecloth bag and squeeze out juice into the marmalade base before discarding bag. Measure fruit 1 1/4 pounds whole peaches and liquid and set aside an equal volume of sugar. Bring 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided mixture to a boil and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting 3/4 pound peeled and cored fresh pineapple for the liquid to return to a boil each time before adding 1 1/2 cups sugar more. Cook until marmalade reaches the jell point, which is 8 degrees above the boiling temperature measured on Dip the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then your thermometer. This will take 5 to 10 minutes. move them to an iced water bath. When cool enough to Pour the marmalade into a 1-quart measure cup or pan handle, peel, halve and pit them. Coarsely chop peaches and let sit for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cinand place them in a heavy, nonreactive 5-quart pan. Stir in namon stick. Stir down the fruit pieces. 1 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Ladle mixture into hot, sterilized jars to within 1/4 Coarsely chop the pineapple before combining it with inch of the rims. Wipe the rims clean, attach new lids and the peaches in the saucepan. Cover and bring fruits to a screw caps on tightly. Invert jars briefly to vacuum seal or boil. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring regularly. process in a boiling water bath, submerged by 1 inch, for After most of the fruit juices evaporate, stir in remaining 10 minutes. lemon juice and begin adding the sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Allow jam to return to the simmer between additions. Cook another 5 minutes over medium heat or until the candy thermometer reads 210 degrees. Fill hot, sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of lips. Wipe the rims clean, attach new lids and screw the caps on tightly. Invert the jars briefly for a quick vacuum seal, or process in a boiling water bath, submerged by 1 inch, for 10 minutes.

Peach Pineapple Jam

For more tasty jam recipes and to find out how to win the featured cookbook, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. 20

AUGUST 2017

coloradocountrylife.coop

ts o N rac

“My friends all hate their cell phones… I love mine!” Here’s why.

B Bu igg tt er on s

FREE Car Charg er

Say good-bye to everything you hate about cell phones. Say hello to the Jitterbug Flip. “Cell phones have gotten so small, I can barely dial mine.” Not the Jitterbug® Flip. It features a large keypad for easier dialing. It even has a larger display and a powerful, hearing aid compatible speaker, so it’s easy to see and conversations are clear. “I had to get my son to program it.” Your Jitterbug Flip setup process is simple. We’ll even program it with your favorite numbers. “What if I don’t remember a number?” Friendly, helpful Personal Operators are available 24 hours a day and will even greet you by name when you call. “I’d like a cell phone to use in an emergency.” Now you can turn your phone into a personal safety device with 5Star® Service. In any uncertain or unsafe situation, simply press the 5Star button to speak immediately with a highly-trained Urgent Response Agent who will confirm your location, evaluate your situation and get you the help you need, 24/7. “My cell phone company wants to lock me in a two-year contract!” Not with the Jitterbug Flip. There are no contracts to sign and no cancellation fees.

Order now and receive a FREE Car Charger – a $25 value for your Jitterbug Flip. Call now!

$14.99/mo1

Monthly Plan

$19.99/mo1

Monthly Minutes

200

600

Personal Operator Assistance

24/7

No add’l charge

FREE

Nationwide Coverage

YES

30-Day Return Policy

YES

Long Distance Calls Voice Dial

More minute plans and Health & Safety Packages available. Ask your Jitterbug expert for details.

“My phone’s battery only lasts a short time.” Unlike most cell phones that need to be recharged every day, the Jitterbug Flip was designed with a long-lasting battery, so you won’t have to worry about running out of power. “Many phones have features that are rarely needed and hard to use!” The Jitterbug Flip contains easy-to-use features that are meaningful to you. A built-in camera makes it easy and fun for you to capture and share your favorite memories. And a flashlight with a built-in magnifier helps you see in dimly lit areas. The Jitterbug Flip has all the features you need.

tar Enabled

12:45P Mon Jul 31

Available in Red and Graphite.

Enough talk. Isn’t it time you found out more about the cell phone that’s changing all the rules? Call now! Jitterbug product experts are standing by.

Call toll-free to get your

Jitterbug Flip Cell Phone

Please mention promotional code 106624.

1-866-540-0301

www.JitterbugDirect.com 47669

We proudly accept the following credit cards:

IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Jitterbug is owned by GreatCall, Inc. Your invoices will come from GreatCall. 1Monthly fees do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges and are subject to change. Plans and services may require purchase of a Jitterbug Flip and a one-time setup fee of $35. Coverage is not available everywhere. 5Star or 9-1-1 calls can only be made when cellular service is available. 5Star Service will be able to track an approximate location when your device is turned on, but we cannot guarantee an exact location. 2We will refund the full price of the Jitterbug phone and the activation fee (or setup fee) if it is returned within 30 days of purchase in like-new condition. We will also refund your first monthly service charge if you have less than 30 minutes of usage. If you have more than 30 minutes of usage, a per minute charge of 35 cents will be deducted from your refund for each minute over 30 minutes.You will be charged a $10 restocking fee. The shipping charges are not refundable. There are no additional fees to call GreatCall’s U.S.-based customer service. However, for calls to a Personal Operator in which a service is completed, you will be charged 99 cents per call, and minutes will be deducted from your monthly rate plan balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Personal Operator. Jitterbug, GreatCall and 5Star are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. Copyright ©2017 GreatCall, Inc. ©2017 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc. coloradocountrylife.coop

AUGUST 2017

[gardening]

Groom Your Garden When the Heat is On Gussy up your garden to further your enjoyment

BY VICKI SPENCER MASTER GARDENER GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG By August, when summer is in full force, leaves on some plants start wilting in the intense heat. Flower blossoms are beginning to die and lawns are taking on a brownish hue. You might feel like the gardening season is coming to an end, but there is still a lot to enjoy and plenty of work to do before winter. Hot daytime temperatures may discourage you from doing much of anything, especially any gardening that involves hard labor. But this is a good time to take advantage of longer daylight in the mornings and evenings to groom and weed your gardens. If you are a night owl, you might balk at the thought of getting up early, but you might be surprised how gratifying it is to look over your garden just after sunrise with a cup of coffee in hand. It’s one of the most peaceful times of the day; the perfect time to relax, listen to bird songs and enjoy cool breezes while planning the day ahead. It’s also a good time to water your garden. Although plants may look thirsty, most plants only need about an inch of water per week. Avoid watering in the middle of the day when most of the water evaporates before hitting the ground. Also avoid light surface watering, which also wastes water. It evaporates quickly from the top of the warm soil, so it never reaches the roots where it is needed. Watering less frequently and practicing deep watering encourages roots to grow deeper and plants are less

likely to dry out. Deeper roots also help anchor the plants into the ground. If you are not sure how much water your garden needs, use a trowel to dig down into the soil a few inches. Ideally the soil will be moist about 3 to 4 inches down. For hanging baskets or patio containers, push a finger deep into the planters to see if you feel any moisture. If not, it’s time to water thoroughly. Annuals that look leggy and worn out should be cut back and fertilized to encourage new growth. Mums and other fall-blooming perennials especially benefit from one more feeding before fall. Most roses should receive nitrogen fertilizer after midmonth. Deadheading both annuals and perennials gives flower gardens a fresh look, and pinching off side shoots of dahlias encourages bigger flowers. In mid-August, start dividing springflowering perennials, such as lilies, bearded iris, bleeding heart and bloodroot, to fill in bare spots. Plan to work in the coolest part of the day, dig up as much root as possible and discard old center sections and borer-damaged parts. While moving plants around, identify bare spots where you want to fill with more bulbs, then start ordering bulbs for fall planting. During extended dry spells, soak shrubs instead of just sprinkling their leaves. Again, get the water down to the roots where it will do some good. While watering

shrubs, look them over and decide if they need pruning to improve their shape. If you have summer-blooming shrubs, just do some light pruning and wait until they finish flowering to clean them up for fall. Pruning hybrid roses encourages fall blossoms. Remove about one-third of the vigorous growth, any stems that cross each other, as well as any canes that were damaged by black spot fungus. This is also a good time to transplant any evergreens you want moved. By August you have the pleasure of enjoying the harvest from your vegetable garden, but it too needs some tending. For example, it’s a good time to pinch the tops of tomato bushes to concentrate growth into the established fruit. It’s also a good time to plant another crop of green onions, lettuce, spinach, beets and radishes. If you want to enjoy herbs later in the year, take cuttings now, place them in moist, welldrained potting compost and put them in a cold frame. This works particularly well with rosemary, sage and mint. Gardening is something you can enjoy throughout the summer and well into the fall. It’s especially fun when you can eat your vegetables and bring cut flowers into the house. So even though things may slow down in the dog days of summer, there is still plenty to do.

More Online: Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening under Living in Colorado. 22

AUGUST 2017

coloradocountrylife.coop

AUGUST 2017

[outdoors]

Chasing Off Pepé Le EWW How to remove a stinky critter you wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole

BY DENNIS SMITH OUTDOORS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

JULY

CONT E

ST W IN

Classifieds Natalie Gmitter Colorado Springs

N E RS

Travel Gift Cards Jason Shook Anton Don’t forget to enter this month. You could be the winner of a H.E.C studio hat or a cookbook. To enter, go to coloradocountrylife.coop under the Contests tab. 24

AUGUST 2017

Few things in this world are as physically overpowering as a full on, in-your-face dose of good old-fashioned, gag-you-to-tears skunk musk. The stuff has been likened to tear gas because it can cause temporary blindness, coughing and vomiting and, in high concentrations, can actually be fatal to humans. Who knew Pepé Le Pew could kill you? So, where was I? Oh yeah, bolting in panic from a cagetrapped skunk that just discharged enough vile-smelling spray to gag a committee of buzzards, never mind stink up the whole neighborhood. All because I wanted to remove an ill-mannered raccoon that was making a real nuisance of himself for a couple of weeks. Thankfully, the home-brewed plastic tarp I held in front of me prevented the noxious spray from reaching me, though I didn’t realize it at the time. I tossed it at the cage in sheer panic and dove through the rear door into the garage coughing and gagging, certain that I took a direct hit of the toxic juice. Amazingly, though, I didn’t get so much as a drop on me. Whew, no pew. Perhaps even more amazingly, the tarp drifted over the entire cage, covering it and the skunk completely. What luck. All we had to do now was release the skunk. The plan called for me to sneak up on the covered cage, quietly open the locked door and let him walk out. We decided to wait a while for the “air to clear” before venturing back out into the yard, but it became evident after a couple of hours that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. So, holding my breath, I crept up to the cage, lifted the front of the tarp, carefully opened the cage door and shot back into the garage, fully expecting Mr. Skunk to dash from his stinky prison, free at last. But, no. Instead, he retreated to the rear of the cage and hid in the darkness. Now what? I tried to lure him out by hiding behind the cage and dangling a slice of raw bacon from one of my fishing rods at the

front door, but he couldn’t care less. Then we threw marshmallows in front of the cage to tempt his sweet tooth. When it occurred to us that sitting in that stinky cage might have ruined his appetite, I tried inching the tarp

farther and farther back, depriving him of his security and thinking the smell of fresh air would appeal to him. No luck. We tried waiting him out, thinking if we left him alone he’d surely leave. He didn’t. It was now after 6 in the evening, the skunk had been in the cage since the night before and, despite our best efforts all day long, he wouldn’t leave. The cage was almost completely uncovered and the door was open. Bacon, marshmallows, pieces of bologna, and freedom were at his disposal and still he refused to leave. We were desperate. Suddenly my wife’s eyes lit up. “I’ve got it!” she said, reaching for the cord to the old air compressor sitting near the back door. This thing makes the most god-awful noise you ever heard and is guaranteed to make your ears bleed if you stand too close to it. When she pushed it on to the patio and fired it up, the skunk shot out of the cage like a scalded cat, never to be seen again. The ’coon was back the next night. It’s funny now, but it wasn’t then.

Miss an issue?

Read the beginning of this story at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors. coloradocountrylife.coop

[ energy tips]

CHARGING AHEAD Pros/Cons of EVs BY PAT KEEGAN AND CHRISTINE GRANT

Electric vehicles are vehicles that plug into the electric grid for some or all of their power. There are two primary types of EVs. All-electric EVs, such Nissan LEAF is the world’s as the Nissan LEAF, best-selling EV. Photo are powered entirely Credit: Nissan with electricity. Plug-in hybrid EVs, such as the Chevrolet Volt, are dual-fuel cars, meaning both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine can propel the car. There are good reasons why EVs are becoming more popular, but there are also a few potential drawbacks. BENEFITS • Trips to the gas station are either vastly reduced or eliminated altogether. • Charging with electricity is nearly always cheaper than fueling with gasoline. • Because of cost reductions and technology improvements, EVs are hitting some major performance and affordability milestones. • EVs are well-suited for many commercial applications. One of the primary draws of EVs for commercial use is their minimal maintenance requirements. • More and more public charging stations are popping up across the United States. DRAWBACKS • In lieu of gas refueling, EVs need to be recharged. • Most models currently have a range of less than 100 miles per charge. • Because charging stations aren’t as abundant as gas stations, “range anxiety” is a concern for many potential buyers. If you are interested in learning more about EVs, contact a local car dealer to schedule a test drive. Your electric co-op can also be a great resource. More and more co-ops own EVs as part of their fleets and may offer “ride and drive” events. This column was written by Pat Keegan and Christine Grant of Collaborative Efficiency. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more about electric vehicles. Look under the Energy tab.

coloradocountrylife.coop

AUGUST 2017

2018 Photo Contest 4 categories • 4 chances to win 1st, 2nd or 3rd

Categories are: • Classic Colorado Photos that convey the feel, the look that is Colorado • Cute Critters Animals of all kinds • Seasonal Salute Capture spring, summer, fall or winter • Water Wonders Water in all of its wonderful forms: creeks, rivers, waterfalls, water sports, fountains, etc.

Deadline: December 15, 2017

Winners will be published in March 2018

Contest rules:

• Photographer must be a member of a Colorado electric co-op. • Photographer may enter up to 2 photos per category. • A completed entry form must accompany each photo. The form is available at coloradocountrylife.coop under Contests or may be requested at info@coloradocountrylife.org. Form may be duplicated. • Photos may be in a printed or digital format. • Printed photos must be 8X10 inches and may NOT be printed on a home printer. Prints will not be returned. • Digital photos must be at least 8X10 inches in size at least 300 dpi. • Photographer may win only one first-place prize. • By entering the contest, photographers give Colorado Country Life permission to publish the image in print and online. • Find a full list of official rules online at coloradocountrylife.coop

Send entries to: Photo Contest, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or info@coloradocountrylife.org.

Prizes: 1st place – $175, 2nd place – $75, 3rd place – $50

THE TEAM IS RAISING MONEY TO HELP THOSE WHO STRUGGLE TO PAY THEIR HEATING BILLS. SPONSOR OUR TEAM AND HELP RAISE MONEY FOR

A team of representatives from local electric co-ops will ride in the 2017 Pedal the Plains bicycle tour of the eastern plains of Colorado. This three-day tour will take riders on a 177mile adventure highlighting three unique and quaint communities in Weld and Morgan counties: Kersey, Keenesburg and Brush. If you want to sponsor the team and help raise money for Energy Outreach Colorado, fill out the form here and send it with your check. Make check payable to CEEI.

To send your tax-deductible Powering the Plains donation, fill out this form and send it with a check to: CEEI, c/o CREA/PTP, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216. Name: Address:

City:

ZIP:

I would like to contribute: ❏ $20 ❏ $50 ❏ $75 ❏ OTHER $

Donations will benefit Energy Outreach Colorado. 26

AUGUST 2017

For more information or to make a donation via PayPal, visit poweringtheplains.coop

DONATE TODAY coloradocountrylife.coop

Turnkey Business for sale: Mountain Gates LLC, 970-584-9978. This is a successful, lucrative, gate-building business. All tools and supplies included. Call Will to get specifics, 970-584-9978.

[ marketplace]

GIVE A SUBSCRIPTION TODAY * 12 months for * Colorado residents; $15 for out-of-state residents

ONLY $9

Give us a call to order: 303.455.4111

25 Year Warranty • Easy Bolt-Together Design Engineered Stamp Blueprints

Farm • Industrial • Commercial

RHINOBLDG.COM

888-875-8233

info@rhinobldg.com

Who? Who will know your business? Everyone! Advertise in MarketPlace and everyone will know your BUSINESS. Call Kris for information at 303-902-7276 coloradocountrylife.coop

POLE BARNS

Specializing in Post Frame Metal Buildings Hay Sheds, Machines, Sheds, Horse Barns, Garages, Residential Homes, Commercial Buildings, Plumbing, and Concrete in Colorado.

Serving the Entire State of Colorado

A&C

BARN BUILDERS, LLC

800.889.1096 www.aandcbuilders.com

The EASY DR® Way to TRIM and MOW! NEW LOW PRICE! • Comes in various Sizes and Colors. • Website shows nearly 100 uses for this product. • Helps prevent Bruising, Cuts, Scratches, and Burns. • Ideal for those who Bruise Easily or have Thin Skin. • Protection from thorny/needled plants & trees. • Easily worn under regular gloves or over sleeves.

protect what matters

TOW-BEHIND MODELS TOO!

looks like

mother nature The DR® TRIMMER MOWER gives you 5X the power and NONE of the backstrain of handheld trimmers!

FREE SHIPPING

1 YEAR TRIAL

SOME LIMITATIONS APPLY

• Trims and mows thick grass and weeds without bogging down—the ONLY trimmer guaranteed not to wrap! • Rolls light as a feather on big, easy-rolling wheels! • Thickest, longest-lasting cutting cord (up to 225 mil) takes seconds to change.

DIY KIT 30 x 36 Starting at $8,559

Check out our new 3D designer on our website!

Call for FREE DVD and Catalog! TOLL-FREE

888-212-1095 DRtrimmers.com

coloradocountrylife.coop

Visit our website at WorldwideSteelBuildings.com for more information.

AUGUST 2017

[classifieds]

FOR SALE

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $1.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay by credit card. Send your ad to: mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUE RESTORATION CHAIR CANING — Hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-17)

ANTLERS

ANTLER CHANDELIERS made only from REAL antlers. We are the manufacturer and we sell all of our products at wholesale prices; save as much as 60% from store prices. Many other antler products and mounts, including 56” elk mount, giant moose paddles, and elk antlers. Showroom now open year ’round in Granby, CO. 18 years at this location, over 900 satisfied customers! Designers: We can provide you a single item or a whole houseful. Call ! (970) 627-3053. (085-09-17)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

HEALTH FOOD STORE & DELI: 2 turnkey businesses in one. Strong income/customer base. Colorado mountains (970-641-5175), leave name & number. (252-08-17)

CLOCK REPAIR &RESTORATION

www.clockrepairandrestoration. com DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Clocks bought and sold. bob.scott@usa.net Call Robert 970-247-7729. (109-10-17)

ENERGY

SOON CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT UNITING will suppress “Religious Liberty,” enforcing a “National Sunday Law,” leading to the “Mark of the Beast.” Be informed / Be forewarned! Need mailing address for FREE materials. TBSM, Box 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo. com 1-888-211-1715. (814-08-17) TIME TO ENTER to win a $25 gift card. Email name/address/phone/ number of classified ads on this page to classifieds@coloradocountrylife. org. Deadline 8/15.

EVENTS

GRASS

DYNAMIC GUIDED TOURS, interactive exhibits, educational events at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. Check us out www.wmmi.org, 225 N. Gate Blvd., Colorado Springs, 80921, 719-488-0880 (346-09-17) POLKA LOVERS Klub of America — Dance to a live band Sundays, 3-7pm. Denver Kickers Sport Club, 16776 W. 50th Ave., Golden, CO. $5.00/members, $10.00/ non-members. polkadenver.com for information / band schedule. Leo, 720-232-0953 (345-09-17)

FINE ART

MORNING LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY & PET PHOTOGRAPHY of Steamboat Springs will capture your memories. Affordable & available for locals and visitors. Mention COSUMMER17 for 15% off our summer package. MLPETPHOTO. COM 970-734-5797 (353-08-17)

FOOD

FREE BUTCHER SUPPLY CATALOG — Meat grinders, saws, slicers, cutlery, seasonings — Everything for the home butcher. Pioneer Butcher Supplies in Loveland, CO, since 1975. 1-888-891-7057 toll free. (349-12-17)

It’s easy to win with Colorado Country Life. Simply take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and email the photo and your name and address to info@coloradocountrylife.org. We’ll draw one photo to win a $25 gift card each month. The next deadline is Tuesday, August 15. This month’s winner is Debra Krizmanich of Howard. AUGUST 2017

FREE

SOLAR WATER SYSTEMS — livestock or any remote location. 3-10 gpm. Variable speed. Call Peterson High Reach for free quote, 719-688-0081. Windmills available. (316-09-17)

TAKE YOUR PHOTO WITH YOUR MAGAZINE AND WIN!

OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS — $400 with warranty. Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies. Repair and service of equipment. Aspen Concentrator Repair Service 719-471-9895 (040-08-17)

STOP FEEDING PRAIRIE DOGS. We’ll rent hunting rights from you. Looking for antelope, goose, duck, coyote, & prairie dog habitat. Encourage young sportsmen by providing safe, private access. You make the rules. 303-460-0273 (069-08-17)

HELP WANTED

LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME opportunity. No sales, investment, risk. Training/website provided. Monthly income plus bonuses, benefits. Call Carrie 303-579-4207, www.WorkAtHomeUnited.com/ OurAbundance (932-02-18)

IMPROVEMENTS & REPAIRS

SEPTIC PROBLEMS: DON’T REPLACE IT, REJUVENATE IT! Standing water on your drain field? Septic drain slow? I have an alternative — warrantied — to avoid installing a new septic system! Call Septic Rejuvenating Specialists LLC toll free 855-797-6072. (352-11-17)

POULTRY & GAMEBIRDS

FREE COLOR CATALOG. 193 varieties, Cornish Cross, standard breeds, fancy chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, bantams, guineas, pheasants, quail, supplies, video. 417-532-4581. PO Box 529, Lebanon, MO 65536. www. CackleHatchery.com. (876-08-17)

REAL ESTATE

DISCOVER BEAVER LAKES! 10 miles south of Leadville. New custom 2-story with 4br, 3.5ba. Breathtaking mountain, lake, aspen grove views from every room. Reduced $120,000 to $479,000. Call Joe Arnold at 303-550-3794. (351-10-17) FSBO: OAK CREEK/STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — 3 corner lots centrally located above park – great views. Scrape off & build. $75k OBO, 719-890-4488. (348-10-17) MOUNTAIN CABIN BY STREAM — 10 minutes from Westcliffe — beautifully renovated summer cabin, fully furnished, 3bdrm, loft, 2.5ba, stone fireplace, great kitchen, near Rainbow Trail. $189,000, 719-783-2234 (354-09-17) READY TO RETIRE? +-13 acres near Mancos, CO. Trout-stocked canyon lake, commercial greenhouse, gardens, lots of water, passive solar timber frame home. $525,000. Jim, 970-769-1391, for pictures. (282-10-17) TIN CUP, COLORADO — 1600sf log home, attached 30x90 workshed, 3 car building for storage. Willow Creek runs through adjacent BLM land. Seasonal access or snowmobile. Matt, Monarch Realty, 970-641-1900. (340-10-17) WE BUY LAND and/or mineral rights. CO TX NM KS. 1-800316-5337 (099-04-18)

TICKETS

VACATION RENTALS

3BDR, 2BA, HOT TUB, open year around, pet friendly, redfeatherlakescabin.com 970286-9028, $195/nt (344-09-17)

WANTED TO BUY

CAST-IRON COOKWARE (Wagner & Griswold). Pyrex. Old toys in good condition. Vintage signs. Anything cowboy and Indian – hats, boots, spurs, rugs, etc. After family gets what they want, we’ll buy the rest. Antiques, collectibles, furniture, glassware, etc. We come to you! 970759-3455 or 970-565-1256. (871-08-17) NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-12-17) OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303-757-8553. (889-08-17) OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces, too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-17) OLD POCKET WATCHES — working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209. (870-06-18) WANT TO PURCHASE mineral and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-03-18) WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets. 888-735-5337 (099-04-18) WE PAY CASH for mineral and oil/gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800733-8122 (099-02-18)

NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS — Las Vegas. Call 1-888-NFR-Rodeo (1-888637-7633). www.NFR-rodeo.com A+ rated BBB Member. (912-04-18)

READER PHOTOS For more reader photos, visit facebook.com/cocountrylife

WINNER. Debra Krizmanich, a Sangre de Cristo Electric member, and her daughter Emily enjoy the ruins at Machu Picchu, Peru.

Jamie Pursley of Buena Vista visits New Harbor, Maine.

Anneliese Neumeier of Meeker makes a stop in Ketchikan, Alaska. coloradocountrylife.coop

Morton_COCountryLife_8.17.qxp_Layout 1 7/5/17 4:22 PM Page 1

[ funny stories]

your chance to win ack! Is B

Our 5-year-old great-granddaughter was asked by her dad, “What is one of the only fruits that grow their seeds on the outside of the fruit?” She thought for a minute and said, “Strawberries and hamburger buns.” Judy Stauffer, Buena Vista

WITH OUR ANNUAL GIVING AWAY THE FARM SWEEPSTAKES 2017 Now is your opportunity to win over $100,000 in prizes which includes a $50,000 Morton building* and a $56,500 Cat 259D Compact Track Loader. Register online or at participating trade shows. Visit mortonbuildings.com for more information. ®

800-447-7436 • mortonbuildings.com

*Awarded as a $50,000.00 credit towards the construction of a Morton Buildings building of winner’s choice (subject to Sponsor’s approval). NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and D.C., who are 21 years of age or older who own land within the Morton Buildings service area (excludes all of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington). Sweepstakes starts at 12:00:01 a.m. CT on July 11, 2017 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. CT on October 19, 2017. Void where prohibited. See official rules at www.MortonBuildingSweepstakes.com for details, including prize details. Sponsored by: Morton Buildings, Inc., Morton, IL. ©2017 Morton Buildings, Inc. A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses. Ref Code 604

I explained to my 4-year-old cousin that our mothers are sisters. “So that means she’s your mom but she’s my aunt,” I said. “No, she’s not!” she yelled. Her little eyes filled with tears. Thinking she didn’t want to share her mom, I tried to do damage control. “She’s still your mom,” I said. “She’s just my aunt.” Crying harder she declared, “My mom is not a bug!” Brooke Everett, Wiggins A few years ago I was wearing my cutoff jeans that are all frayed but extremely comfortable. My young grandson said, “Grandpa, you can buy jean shorts now and don’t need to cut them off.” Frank Niehus, Elbert

Do You Have the Perfect View for this Home? This Cedarwood B blends the features of a ranch home with the “view maximizing look” of a prow home. This home has a formal dining room, five foot shower in the master bath, huge master closet and hand hewn beams in the kitchen and living room.

1-800-759-2782

www.heritagehomesofne.com coloradocountrylife.coop

Each year we add a few baby chicks to our chicken yard. Last year two of them grew into roosters. We named them Rodger and Randy. All was well until they started picking on the girls. When they refused to stop, we took them to a remote corner of our property and let them go. A week later, Rodger appeared in the backyard socializing with our dogs. A few days after that, he moved back into the chicken yard and has been exhibiting perfect behavior ever since. Kay Robinson, Loveland We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year we will draw one name from those submitting funny stories and that person will receive $200. Send your 2017 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@ coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check.

$15 AUGUST 2017

[discoveries]

Tailored to Inspire Denver-based Colorado Threads demonstrates Colorado pride on its active wear with creative designs decorated with Centennialstate inspiration. Check out Threads’ collections for cute clothing adorned with the much-loved Colorado “C” as well as prints decorated with iconic Colorado locations. For more information, visit coloradothreads.com.

What the H.E.C.?

Top your noggin with a one-of-a-kind hat made by Buena Vista resident Sarah Haske. Actually, Haske was born and raised in Buena Vista, but since purchasing and remodeling a 40-foot 1996 International Genesis school bus, her home is wherever her heart takes her. It’s also where her company, H.E.C. Studio, is headquartered. Using fabrics from all over the country, Haske hand-makes each hat with different patterns, several of which are emblazoned with the Colorado “C.” Hats cost $40. For more information, visit hecstudio.com. See the transformation of Haske’s bus-turned-tiny-home on season three, episode 12 of HGTV’s “Tiny House, Big Living” on Amazon or at http://www. hgtv.com/shows/tiny-house-big-living/ episodes/tiny-bus-workshop. 30

AUGUST 2017

GREAT GLASS GOODS Take a look at Hudson-based Copperline Glass’s stunning collection of stained glass art, including Colorado “C” plates that are sure to be conversation pieces at any gettogether. In addition, with a variety of animal- and nature-inspired works of art, these handmade pieces also make great gift ideas. For more information, call 303-670-3636 or visit copperlineartglass.com.

Call the Doctors

RepYourWater co-founders and Boulder natives Corrine and Garrison Doctor have the fishing bug and their merchandise demonstrates it beautifully. The Doctors started their Eriebased business about six years ago where they sell apparel such as hats, belts, socks, shirts and even dog accessories. They show their love of fishing and Colorado with dapper designs, intertwining the Colorado flag within fishing gear, flies and more. Performance T-shirts and sun hoodies block up to 96 percent of ultraviolet radiation, an important feature for the avid fisherman and fisherwoman. For more information, call 303-717-0267 or visit repyourwater.com. coloradocountrylife.coop

coloradocountrylife.coop

AUGUST 2017