Colorado Country Life September 2015 Yampa

September 2015

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[contents]

September 2015

[cover]

Official logo for Rockestra.

4 4 Viewpoint

16 20 Education

Co-ops’ review of the EPA’s updated plan raises concerns about costs

Technical schools offer vital education

22 Recipes

5 Letters 6 Calendar

Add creamy goodness to your recipes’ ingredients

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23 Gardening

Co-op News

12 NewsClips

14 Applying Energy for You

24 Outdoors

Electric co-ops work to keep energy affordable, reliable for members

16 Rockestra

Bugs are beneficial to your garden, so let’s learn to coexist Use your smarts when packing for a fishing trip and keep it simple

25 Energy Tips

Classical, rock ’n’ roll merge for unforgettable musical series

29 Funny Stories 30 Discoveries

$800million annual sales of peanut butter in the United States. ­— National Peanut Board

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dogs competing for the World Class Sheepdog title at the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials

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Extra content:

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This month’s online extras ➤ LEARN more about events, festivals and shows under Community Events ➤W ATCH Grand Junction’s Rockestra perform with ZZ Top ➤ F IND out more about how to insulate your home properly ➤ S IGN UP to support the Power the Plains bicycle team ➤B E AMAZED by new lighting technolgoy

1882

the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in New York City. — U.S. Department of Labor

The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association || Volume 46, Number 09 COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor@303-455-4111; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Donna Wallin, Associate Editor; dwallin@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland@303-902-7276, advertising@coloradocountrylife.org; NCM@800-626-1181 SUBSCRIPTIONS: info@coloradocountrylife.org

EDITORIAL: Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 • Email: mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org • Website: coloradocountrylife.coop • Facebook: facebook.com/COCountryLifw • Twitter: @COCountryLife Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly for $9/$15 per year by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 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.

[viewpoint]

CLEAN POWER PLAN

Co-ops review of the EPA’s updated plan raises concerns about costs

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BY KENT SINGER || CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR || KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG

With the issuance of its final Clean Power Plan rules on Why do we believe there will be increased costs?

August 3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency charted It’s simple: If co-ops have to build new power plants or buy emisa fundamentally new direction for power generation in this sions credits, those are expenses that we would not otherwise country. The limitations on carbon dioxide emissions from the incur to keep the lights on. While the EPA says that the Clean power sector that are set forth in the rules may substantially Power Plan will actually result in lower electricity prices for change how Colorado’s electric co-ops provide electricity to our consumers in the long run, it acknowledges that the near term member-owners across the state. As nonprofit, member-owned costs will increase. These changes may also result in stranded aselectric utilities, we are concerned that those changes may also sets, that is, power plants that have significant useful life left that result in increased costs for electricity. must be abandoned, leaving consumers still paying for power The 1,560-page regulation establishes a framework to reduce plants that are no longer in use. carbon dioxide emissions from power plants nationwide 32 perThere are numerous legal arguments that can be asserted as cent by the year 2030. This is an increase in the overall required to why the Clean Power Plan is not authorized by the Clean Air reductions compared to what was proposed in the initial rules, Act. The one that I think is strongest is simply the fact that the and the methodology for achieving compliance with this target Act does not give the EPA the power to dictate comprehensive was also revised substantially. Whereas the initial rules estabenergy policy as proposed in the Clean Power Plan. These argulished a specific emission reduction target based on variables ments will be tested in the federal courts over the next several in each state, the final Clean Power Plan sets an emission cap years, and the U.S. Supreme Court will likely be the final arbiter that is applicable to every coal-fired and natural gas-fired power of whether the EPA overstepped its bounds. In the meantime, plant in the country. electric co-ops will have to decide whether to assume that the In the final rules, the EPA says electric rules will eventually be struck down or utilities must reduce emissions of carif they need to take steps to move toward bon dioxide using basically three tools: compliance by the dates set forth in the increased power plant efficiency, increased plan. use of natural gas generation (as opposed Colorado’s electric co-ops believe deeply to coal) and increased reliance on renewin environmental stewardship, and we do able energy for power production. If a utilour part to maintain and protect Coloraity cannot comply with the requirements do’s air, water and land. After all, many of Even if the Clean Power Plan does not of a state plan for emission reductions the power plants that provide the reliable directly require the closure of coal-fired by these methods, it can buy emissions and affordable power that we all enjoy are power plants since utilities can obtain credits from other utilities. The Colorado located in electric co-op service territories. credits, it will increase costs for comgoal for reduction of carbon dioxide emisWe have a huge stake in those plants being pliance that will be passed to co-op sions from power plants is 40 percent by run cleanly and efficiently since they are member-owners, as well as the consumers the year 2030. most often sited near the homes and busiof other electric utilities.

Colorado’s electric co-ops rely on nesses of co-op member-owners. coal-fired power plants for a substantial We support clean air and efficient portion of their power supply. Whether power plants, but we are concerned that your co-op is a member of Tri-State Generation and Transmisthe costs of the Clean Power Plan are not justified by the persion Association or it purchases its power requirements from ceived benefits. In fact, the EPA does not even try to predict or Xcel Energy, coal-fired power plants are still the foundation of estimate how or whether the rules will result in a reduction in the Colorado electricity grid. We built many of these coal plants global temperatures. during the early 1980s when the federal government would It’s hard to understand how regulations that will increase the not let utilities use natural gas for power generation. Many of cost of power in the United States make common sense given the power plants still have many years of useful life, and they their limited impact on the global climate. produce some of the cheapest electricity in the country. Even if the Clean Power Plan does not directly require the closure of coal-fired power plants since utilities can obtain credits, it will still increase costs for compliance that will be passed to co-op Kent Singer, Executive Director member-owners, as well as the consumers of other electric utilities.

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[ letters] Books for the Shelves Thank you for the great books. I have taken the liberty of reading some before the students. The books will be a hit in the fall. A donation of books is a gift for the future.

Kay Bivens, Barone Middle School, Meeker

Thank you so much for your donation of books to Dolores Elementary School. We were so surprised. I appreciate your support of our school and our students.

Sharon Maswer, Dolores

Electric Ride At the age of 87, a lot of old things are of interest to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the article about the electric car (May ’15).

Philip C. Esler, Limon

Hunting, Fishing Benefits I enjoy your stories about hunting and fishing. I’m sure (those who object) enjoy the hiking trails and open space, parks and nature walks and everything else that hunting and fishing licenses pay for.

Hunters and fishermen also buy a lot of gas and food from our businesses.

Gerald Johnson, Wiggins

Got the Blues About the Blues Over the years we have collected seeds from columbines in the southern Colorado Rockies and have planted them in our gardens here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Every spring they explode into yellow flowers and leave their seeds, which has resulted in a wild hedge of columbines.

But every summer when the temperatures rises, they go into hiding. When autumn comes, they peek their flowers out again.

Every year, we look for the blue and violet species and have attempted to get these to join our group.

We have had some luck with the violet, but can’t seem to coax the blues to stay with us. Your article (Gardening, July ’15) has given us some hope.

Bob Conway, Albuquerque, New Mexico

GOT A COMMENT? Send your letter to the editor by mail to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org.

coloradocountrylife.coop

SAVE THE DATE TRADE SHOW EXHIBIT SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE

MONDAY — OCTOBER 26, 2015 Westin Denver Downtown Hotel 1672 Lawrence St, Denver, CO 80202 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Please join the Colorado Rural Electric Association and dozens of electric industry experts at CREA’s sixth annual Energy Innovations Summit.

Visit crea.coop to register $125 registration fee includes conference, expo and lunch

For details and to register go to www.crea.coop or call 303-455-2700 ext. 700 Colorado Rural Electric Association 5400 Washington St Denver, CO 80216

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[calendar]

September

September 10-14 Hayden and Steamboat Springs Crane Festival Various Yampa Valley Locations coloradocranes.org September 11 Granby “Bulls, Boots & BBQ” Barn Dance Strawberry Creek Ranch 6 pm • gcruralhealth.com September 11-13 Creede “August: Osage County” Theater Performance Creede Repertory Theatre 719-658-2540 • creederep.org September 11-13 Trinidad ArtoCade Various Trinidad Locations www.artocade.com September 12-13 Black Forest, Monument, Palmer Lake Open Studios Tour Weekend Various Pikes Peak Locations 10 am-5 pm • 719-488-0629 September 12 Fort Collins Historic Homes Tour Various Fort Collins Locations 10 am-4 pm • 970-221-0533 September 12 Grand Lake Charity Golf Tournament Grand Lake Golf Course 9 am • 970-627-8773 September 13 Durango Wolfwood Art Auction Lost Dog Bar & Lounge 2-6 pm • wolfwoodrefuge.org September 17-20 Grand Lake “Forever Plaid” Theater Performance Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre 970-627-3421 rockymountainrep.com September 18-20 Boulder Jaipur Literature Festival Boulder Public Library and Civic Lawns jaipurliteraturefestival.org 6

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September 19 Fort Collins French Nest Open-Air Market Civic Center Park 9 am-3 pm thefrenchnestmarket.com September 19 Lake City Uncorked Wine & Music Festival Historic Lake City 970-596-9071 lakecityfestival.org September 19 Pagosa Springs Flea Market PLPOA Clubhouse 8 am-2 pm 970-731-5635 x 202 September 19 Peyton Young Eagle Flight Program 13550 Piper Lane 8:30-11 am • eaa72.org September 19-20 Centennial Chalk Art Festival Centennial Center Park larimerarts.org September 19-20 Durango Quilt Show and Sale Fairgrounds Extension Building 10 am • 970-403-4600 September 19-20 Wellington Quilt and Fabric Arts Festival Buckeye Elementary School 10 am-4 pm • 970-568-3401 September 19-20 Wray Beecher Island Reunion Beecher Island Grounds 970-332-4249 September 23-26 La Junta Fur Trade Symposium Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site 719-383-5010 • 2015fts.org September 25-26 Brush Oktoberfest and Car/ Motorcycle Cruise-In Downtown Brush brushchamber.org September 25-26 Golden Doll Sale Jefferson County Fairgrounds 303-988-8591 jet-lag@comcast.net

Featured Event

Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials

September 9-13 at various Meeker locations There’s no shortage of entertainment at the Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship trials. This five-day event features activities the whole family will enjoy, including a free outdoor concert; a photography workshop; an artisan and craft festival; Celtic musicians and bagpipes; lamb kabobs, gyros, fajitas, barbecue, Navajo tacos, ice cream and more delicious food; spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, pottery, painting and leather demonstrations; border collie handling, agility and fly ball; an international art contest silent auction; and, of course, the World Class Sheepdog Competition with 130 dogs. For more information, call 970-878-0111 or visit meekersheepdog.com.

September 25-26 Longmont Quilt-a-Fair Boulder County Fairgrounds 9 am-5 pm • 719-331-0693 September 25-27 Durango and Surrounding Areas Parade of Homes Various Durango Locations 970-832-0082 durangopoh.com September 25-27 Mancos Balloon & Art Festival Various Mancos Locations 970-560-0203

October

October 1-4 Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering Various Durango Locations 970-749-2995 durangocowboypoetry gathering.org October 2-4 Palmer Lake Christmas Arts & Crafts Fair Palmer Lake Town Hall 719-440-2120 palmerlakeartgroup.com

September 26 Calhan COC Health & Education Fair/ Calhan Alumni Luncheon El Paso County Fairgrounds 10 am-1:30 pm • 719-347-7638

October 3 Loveland Antique and Collectible Toy Show and Sale Larimer County Fairgrounds 9 am-3 pm lovelandlionsclubs.org

September 26 Fort Collins “The Scoot” Barn Dance Swift Ponds 5 pm • 970-663-0800

October 10 Elizabeth Wine in the Pines 165 S Main Street 12-5 pm • townofelizabeth.org

September 26 Hygiene Apple Festival Hygiene United Methodist Church 9 am-4 pm lindannroberts@hotmail.com September 27 Grand Lake Taking Steps to End All Cancer 5K Pancho & Lefty’s 10 am • 303-386-2836

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO: CALENDAR Colorado Country Life 5400 N. Washington St. Denver, CO 80216 Fax to 303.455.2807 or email calendar@ coloradocountrylife.org. Items will be printed on a space available basis. For more information on these and other events, visit coloradocountrylife.coop.

coloradocountrylife.coop

YAMPA VALLEY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, INC.

[YVEA News] A Cooperative Day in YOUR Life Co-ops are all around us!

BY DIANE JOHNSON || PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER || DJOHNSON@YVEA.COM

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So how did you spend your day? Chances are cooperatives were a big part of it from dawn until bedtime. Take a moment to read this quick overview of how coops might be impacting you every day.

Your morning orange juice might have come from Florida’s Natural, a producerowned cooperative based in — you guessed it — Florida, but distributing throughout the United States. If your morning coffee came from Equal Exchange (equalexchange.coop), you get bonus points because it sources its coffee from farmer-owned co-ops in developing countries, and it is a worker-owned co-op.

If you like milk in your coffee or cereal, check this out: More than 86 percent of all fluid milk flows through a co-op.

The wheat in your muffin or toast was most likely processed through a farmerowned grain elevator in the Midwest. If you had cranberries in that muffin, they likely came from Ocean Spray, or maybe you used Land O’Lakes Butter or Welch’s Concord Grape Jam, all producer-owned co-ops that make the products we love on our toast.

After that big co-op breakfast, it is time to start the day. Working parents might drop off their young children at one of

the over 1,000 preschool co-ops Many of the meat products that operate throughout the and vegetables are also sourced United States. from co-ops. If you are in a Perhaps this is the day to make hurry, maybe you swing by KFC, some improvements to your Taco Bell or Pizza Hut to pick home. Ace Hardware, True Value up dinner. The franchise owners Diane Johnson and Do It Best are all examples of these fast food restaurants of purchasing co-ops. These are are all members of a purchasing small businesses that come together to co-op, just like the hardware stores. So are form a co-op so that they can compete the owners of Dunkin’ Donuts and many with big box retailers that are not owned other franchises. by people in the local community.

After dinner, perhaps you are watchYou might need to stop by the credit ing television from one of the more than union for a loan or pick up some cash 1,000 small cable companies that serve for that home project from one of the rural America that came together to form 25,000 ATMs in the network. More than a co-op that helps keep costs as low as 100 million people in the United States are possible. Or maybe you are surfing the Inmembers of a credit union, and yep, you ternet through services provided by your guessed it, credit unions are co-ops. local telecommunications co-op.

On your way home, you may stop Travel plans? If you are on a business trip at one of the 300 community-owned or vacation and staying in a Best Western, cooperative grocery stores in the country. that is also a purchasing co-op.

And when it’s time for “lights out,” you can flip that switch knowing you’re receiving safe, reliable electricity from your local electric cooperative, Yampa Valley Electric Association. From morning until night, you can have a cooperative day.

That’s the cooperative difference. coloradocountrylife.coop

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[YVEA News] YVEA NEWS COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIPS September 5-6 — Wild West Air Fest September 26 — Rotary Club Barbecue and Barn Dance

STEAMBOAT WEST CONNECTOR TRAIL OPEN FOR BUSINESS With great community effort and collaboration, the West Connector Trail opened for business.

The 1.5 mile pedestrian and bicycle route, which links RCR 42 and the Steamboat II, Heritage Park and Silver Spur subdivisions to the western terminus of Gloria Gossard Parkway, affords residents of those neighborhoods pedestrian and bicycle access to the downtown area so that they can avoid walking or riding on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 40.

The project was made possible by the donation of a temporary easement by Yampa Valley Electric Association, Steamboat 700 and Steamboat Victory, LLC, and Janet Hruby, director for the County Road and Bridge Department.

PRO CHALLENGE The fifth USA Pro Challenge came to Steamboat during August. Yampa Valley Electric was happy to assist the USA Pro Challenge local organizing committee with one of the co-op bucket trucks, and Journeyman Lineman Rex Stafford volunteered to be on site with our truck for setup for the team presentation Saturday, August 15.

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YVEA HELPS BRING FIBER TO HAYDEN SCHOOL DISTRICT YVEA is proud to form a partnership with Mammoth Networks for this successful project. The Hayden School District hired Mammoth to look at getting fiber connectivity to its schools.

Mammoth then contacted YVEA to ask about the possibility of using co-op poles to host the alldielectric self-supporting fiber to get connectivity from a fiber connectivity point near Town Hall to the Hayden School District. The collaboration involved YVEA Electrical Engineer Jason Hall, YVEA Field Services Supervisor Larry Ball, YVEA Vice President and Operations Manager Steve Johnson, Mammoth Vice President of Colorado Operations Evan Biagi and John Cromer with Cromer Contracting.

This new fiber connectivity will improve the school district’s connectivity speeds from approximately 25 megabits per second to 100-Mbps, roughly four times faster than before the installation. The new service also has the capability of reaching 1000 Mbps without changing out any equipment or infrastructure and can easily scale as the school district’s demand for more bandwidth increases. The fiber cable that was installed has 48 individual fiber strands to allow for future projects and growth. YVEA is pleased to be a part of this great community project.

YVEA’S NEW EMPLOYEES Scott Flowers Field Service Representative Scott Flowers took a position with YVEA as field service representative. Scott comes to YVEA from Logan, Ohio.

He attended Logan High School, Hocking College and Scranton School of Conservation. Scott and his wife have eight children between them. In Scott’s role as field service representative, he is part of the team that fields requests for new, revised and relocated services. Scott is responsible for designing overhead and underground distribution facilities, including calculating material breakdown, drawing staking sheets and determining the best design for the association. Scott also brings expertise in designing 69-kilovolt lines, so he will support these projects in the future. In his spare time, Scott enjoys bow hunting, biking and camping.

Emily Adams Accountant Emily Adams took the position of accountant with YVEA. Emily is originally from Steamboat and graduated from Steamboat Springs High School then attended college at Metropolitan State University. In her role as accountant, Emily prepares and posts entries to the general ledger, performs analyses and is responsible for monthly and year-end closing. She also performs reconciliations of balance sheet accounts and researches and resolves discrepancies, among other duties. Emily loves what she does because accounting comes naturally to her and she is a true bean counter­— spreadsheets make her giddy! In her spare time Emily likes to backpack, camp, snowboard and just about anything that involves the outdoors.

coloradocountrylife.coop

[YVEA News]

MEET THE YVEA TEAM RANDI OWENS HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Randi Owens is the human resources manager for Yampa Valley Electric Association. She was born in a small town in Iowa and grew up in Missouri. She lived in Lexington, Kentucky, for six years while she went to the University of Kentucky (go Wildcats) for her bachelor’s in English and communications and master’s in communications.

She moved to the area with her husband in 2012. As human resources manager, Randi is a department of one, which means she manages all human resource activities from hiring and training, administrating compensation and benefits, ensuring the association is compliant with all applicable regulations, to the various aspects of employee relations. Randi does it all.

She likes HR because she likes being able to support YVEA’s employees to succeed individually and as an organization. The pace is fast and every day is different, which she likes. Even though every day presents different challenges, Randi maintains that becoming an excellent organization and employer is always the overarching goal. In her spare time she enjoys skiing, road and mountain biking, hiking and camping. Randi is constantly reading and you can almost bet that at any given time, she has a book or three in her purse.

Something about Randi that you might not know is that she is a published author (under her maiden name). Her thesis was picked up by an academic publisher and can be bought through companies like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She warns that it’s a bit of a dry read: “It was tedious to write. I can only imagine how tedious it might be to read.”

LEVI SCHNACKENBERG JOURNEYMAN LINEMAN Levi Schnackenberg is a journeyman lineman for YVEA. Levi is originally from Craig and has been with YVEA for two years. Levi is part of the team that is coloradocountrylife.coop

responsible for installation, maintenance and repairs of the YVEA transmission and distribution electrical system. Levi is married and has two kids. Something unique about Levi is that he only eats four food items, including going for hot fudge sundaes with Travis Cox and Pizza Hut with Kevin Preston.

TERRY CALVERT METER TECHNICIAN Terry Calvert is part of the operations team at YVEA and is one of the meter technicians. Terry is orginally from Ottumwa, Iowa, and moved to the area in 1999 after more than 20 years of service at Iowa Rural Electric Association.

He has been with YVEA for 16 years. In his role as meter technician, Terry tests, services, maintains and calibrates all meters and metering equipment. He changes meters for testing according to schedule set in association rules and regulations. He also performs specialized work on kWh-KVAR meters including testing, cleaning, repairing, assigning company numbers and developing all meter records and company number plates. He also installs wiring, instrumentrated meter applications and recording multipliers for primary and distribution metering. Terry loves helping people and giving underpriviledged people more opportunity to advance to a better way of life.

Terry has two children who are both married and he has two grandchildren. He spends his vacations on mission trips to Trades4Life-Belmopan, Beliza CA Trade School for underprivileged young people of Belize. He has volunteered with Trades4Life Trade School Christian Summer Camp for three years and before that volunteered with building orphanages in Chihuahua, Mexico, for two years.

accounts receivable, adjustment voucher summaries, vehicle expense records and mileage summaries.

Another key role Shari plays is updating and maintaining all capital credit accounts. Shari enjoys interacting with members and helping to educate them on questions they may have on capital credits. She also enjoys keeping track of activities in the co-op. In her spare time she loves anything in the outdoors, all-terrain vehicle riding, camping or boating. Shari really enjoys meeting people and hearing about their experiences in life.

KIM TRUONG DISPATCHER Kim Truong is a part of the dispatch team.

Kim has been with YVEA for 17 years.

She was born in Minnesota and moved to Steamboat in 1979.

She graduated from Steamboat Springs High School. Kim coordinates with other dispatchers and communicates daily with crews for work activities and restoration of power. She supplies information to crews, such as mapping data, address and location information and transformer and meter numbers. Dispatch also provides coordination to members for requested line locates, trench inspection requests and electrical inspections. Kim enjoys helping fellow co-workers and co-op members. In her spare time she likes to take long motorcycle rides, is a NASCAR fan and enjoys spending time with her family.

SHARI ABNEY ACCOUNTING CLERK Shari Abney is part of the accounting team at YVEA. Shari is orginally from Pavillion, Wyoming, and moved to the area in 1997. She has worked for YVEA for 16 years. In her role as accounting clerk, Shari generates weekly accounts payable and maintains record of general funds invested in plant and keeps SEPTEMBER 2015

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[YVEA News]

TO SERVE YOU BETTER ‌

In the August issue, Yampa Valley Electric Association introduced Landis + Gyr, as the vendor to support the advanced meter infrastructure project. YVEA chosen the area that will be part of the pilot project of 500 meters in late fall.

Members within the projected test area will receive automated phone calls prior to the AMI changeover. When you receive the notification, please let YVEA know if you do not want to participate in the project.

YVEA is excited about its partnership with L&G on the AMI project. L&G is a worldwide leader in metering technologies and will allow YVEA to grow with it as the co-op makes improvements to the electrical infrastructure. This partnership will also allow YVEA to better serve you, the members, with real-time information that will improve reliability, response and service quality.

Each month as we work to modernize and upgrade the electric grid, we want to give you a better understanding of the steps we are taking to accomplish this. This month we want to address a few more questions you may have regarding AMI. Is there anything I should do before the AMI device is installed at my property?

Possibly. To help make the meter exchange quick and efficient, you should make sure the area around your electric meter(s) is clear to give our technician ready access to the meter.

We would greatly appreciate your assistance in removing any obstructions or barriers, such as overgrown shrubs, from around your meter. In fact, this should be done as soon as possible. We need clear access to your meter at all times, not just for the new meter installation.

What happens if my meter is not accessible?

If the meter is located inside of a locked area or an area that we will need your assistance to access, we will leave a door hanger advising you of this issue and request that you contact our office to schedule a convenient time for the changeover.

I have a generator that starts automatically when the power is off. What will happen during the meter exchange?

If the generator is installed to automatically transfer the power source, we would expect the generator to come on when the meter is removed. This should activate an automatic transfer switch that will isolate the customer’s generator from our service. The same sensing device that indicated a loss of service and started the generator should detect that service was restored, and after a few minutes, the generator should turn off.

Will I still see meter readers in my area occasionally?

Yes. The use of AMI technology will not completely eliminate the need for traditional meter readers. We may, on occasion, still need to send employees to inspect meters and service other co-op equipment.

For up-to-date information on this project as well as a video explaining AMI, please visit our website at www.yvea.com.

Educational Session Understanding Advanced Meter Infrastructure

Hosted by Yampa Valley Electric Association

September 15 at 5:30 p.m.

YVEA Steamboat office 2211 Elk River Road

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Looking for an easy efficiency upgrade?

Additional insulation can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Energy estimates you can reduce heating and cooling needs up to 30 percent by properly insulating and weatherizing your home.

Source: energy.gov

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[newsclips]

Co-ops, White House Talk Efficiency, Renewables

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Two Colorado electric co-op representatives were part of a delegation invited to a July meeting at the White House to discuss the progress and potential for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Led by National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jo Ann Emerson, Jasen Bronec, CEO of Delta-Montrose Electric Association in Montrose, and Diana Golis, senior manager of power supply and contracts for Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs, joined 27 other co-op leaders in a meeting with the White House Rural Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service. Electric co-ops shared an impressive list of new efficiency programs and renewable energy projects being added to the rural electric grid.

The nation’s more than 900 co-ops own or purchase about 16.5 gigawatts of renewable capacity and plan to add 2 GW of capacity in the near future. Co-op development of community solar has surged: co-ops developed 43 community solar arrays (including several in Colorado) and are planning another 35 projects in a total of 24 states.

Bronec noted that DMEA’s local renewable portfolio includes both a 7.5-megawatt hydroelectric facility on the South Canal and two solar gardens. Holy Cross Energy purchases electricity from two community solar gardens and a larger, 1-MW solar array, as well as from several small hydroelectric generators and a local 11.5-MW biomass plant.

RENEWABLES REACH 10%

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Renewable energy accounted for 9.8 percent of total domestic energy consumption in the United State in 2014. That marks the highest renewable energy share since the 1930s when wood was a big contributor to the domestic energy supply.

Use of renewable energy grew an average of 5 percent a year from 2001 to 2014.

Much of the increase comes from the growing use of wind, solar and bio fuels. Wind energy grew from 70 trillion Btu in 2001 to more than 1,700 trillion Btu in 2014. During that same period, solar energy grew from 64 trillion Btu to 427 trillion Btu. The use of bio fuels grew from 253 trillion Btu to 2,068 trillion Btu. Hydroelectricity was the largest source of renewable energy in 2014, but hydropower consumption decreased from what it was in the mid-to-late 1990s. Wood remained the second-largest renewable energy source, with recent growth driven by demand for wood pellets.

— U.S. Energy Information Administration

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“We had a productive conversation about how we can maximize the value of current federal programs and find creative opportunities to extend the benefits of new efficiency and renewable energy technologies to co-op consumers,” said Emerson.

Maximizing co-op and end-user efficiency is a key component in a broader strategy to meeting the challenges of growing electricity demand and rising costs. According to NRECA research, • 67 percent of co-ops offer residential energy audits • 42 percent provide energy usage data online • 39 percent offer weatherization and conservation services Nationally, 82 percent of electric cooperatives offer energy efficiency programs to their members. In Colorado, every co-op offers some type of energy efficiency program to its members.

Register Now for Energy Innovations Summit What’s the latest in solar? What’s new in wind generation? What are Tesla and others discovering in battery storage? Attend the Colorado Rural Electric Association’s daylong Energy Innovations Summit Monday, October 26 at the Westin Downtown Denver hotel and find out.

Listen as industry experts review the latest breakthroughs in energy efficiency, discuss net metering and how to make it work for those on both sides of the meter and get an idea of what’s next for electric cooperatives in Colorado.

There will also be opportunities to visit with vendors offering a variety of new products and services.

Register at www.crea.coop. The event is open to anyone interested in Colorado’s electric industry.

SURVEY SAYS …

Colorado’s largest electric co-op was in the top 20 for customer satisfaction nationwide in the 2015 J.D. Power residential customer survey.

Intermountain Rural Electric Association, headquartered in Sedalia, was listed as one of the top midsized electric co-ops in the country. The survey, now in its 17th year, found the overall average consumer satisfaction increased from 647 to 668 on a 1,000-point scale.

coloradocountrylife.coop

[newsclips]

HELP THOSE IN NEED PAY HEAT BILLS

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Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives will raise money for Energy Outreach Colorado as their Powering the Plains bike team rides in this year’s 172-mile Pedal the Plains bike tour of Colorado’s eastern plains.

The September 18-20 annual ride will take riders from Julesburg to Holyoke to Sterling and back to Julesburg. Nearly 1,000 riders are expected to enjoy the hospitality of northeastern Colorado with parties in Holyoke on Friday night and Sterling on Saturday night.

The electric co-ops, which are among the sponsors for the annual bike ride, donate all money raised to Energy Outreach Colorado, which helps those in need pay their energy bills. Anyone interested in donating to support fundraising efforts can send a check payable to CEEI/PTP to 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216. For more information, visit www.poweringtheplains.coop.

Supporting the Powering the Plains team are the Colorado Rural Electric Association, Colorado Country Life, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs, K.C. Electric in Hugo, Highline Electric in Akron, Poudre Valley REA in Fort Collins, Morgan County REA in Fort Morgan, Mountain View Electric in Limon, San Isabel Electric in Pueblo West, San Miguel Power in Ridgway, Southeast Colorado Power in La Junta, United Power in Brighton, White River Electric in Meeker, Lewis Roca Rothgerber in Denver and Wright & Williamson in Sterling.

Local Co-op Adds More Solar

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Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association in Fort Collins announced 8 megawatts of solar generation facilities will be added to its system. It also contracted for an additional 4 MW in 2016.

Built in locations determined by local generation need and existing substations, the facilities will be tied directly into the co-op’s distribution system and used as local energy sources for all PVREA members. This is different than the way the co-op’s current community solar farms offset the electricity used by the individual co-op members who purchased those solar panels.

The new facilities will require at least 100 acres of land and include approximately 35,000 solar panels. When complete, the facilities will generate enough electricity for nearly 1,300 PVREA households.

Cooperatives Praise Electrify Africa Act

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National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jo Ann Emerson welcomed the U.S. Senate’s introduction of the Electrify Africa Act in early August.

“Electric co-ops have proudly expanded electricity access to rural communities in other countries for 50 years, and the Electrify Africa Act continues that tradition. This bill would help reach 50 million people in Africa by 2020, bringing electricity to many areas of sub-Saharan Africa for the first time,” Emerson said. “Not only will we help these men, women and children step out of subsistence living, but it also offers them a better quality of life with better health care, improved education, safer streets and economic growth.”

NRECA’s international affiliate, NRECA International, has worked in developing countries since 1962. Its global commitment helped provide electricity to more than 110 million people in 43 countries.

coloradocountrylife.coop

SEPTEMBER 2015

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[industry]

The low-density rural areas served by electric co-ops often stand to gain the most from advances in automation and efficiency.

Applying Our ENERGY for YOU

Electric cooperatives work together to keep energy affordable, reliable for members

BY JUSTIN L ABERGE

Like shelter, food and clothing, electricity is a staple of our lives. When the price of energy goes up, you have less money to spend on other things. For some families, that might mean a shorter vacation or one less meal at a restaurant. But for many families, increases in energy costs mean hard choices, such as whether to pay the light bill or the grocery bill.

Colorado’s electric cooperatives understand that reality and work hard every day to keep rates as low as possible while still maintaining a safe and reliable system.

A detailed explanation of all the ways cooperatives work to keep energy affordable could fill every page of this magazine, but here are a few you should know about.

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Not-for-profit model

The most powerful weapon in your cooperative’s fight to keep energy affordable is the not-for-profit business model. Unlike investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives aren’t in business to make profits for shareholders.

Electric cooperatives exist to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to members in the communities they serve.

Any surplus revenue is reinvested in the cooperative, used to pay down debt or returned to members over time through capital credits.

Energy advocacy

Regulation is a necessary and important part of a modern world, but well-intentioned regulations often have costly and unintended consequences.

Your electric cooperative is a member of the Colorado Rural Electric Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which act as voices for you and your fellow co-op members at the Colorado Capitol and in Washington, D.C. These associations work hard to ensure lawmakers and regulators understand the impact changes they propose could have on the cost and reliability of your electric service.

coloradocountrylife.coop

[industry] The Kit Carson Windpower Project, located northwest of Burlington, generates enough electricity to power up to 14,000 homes.

Technology and innovation

The energy industry is in the midst of a period of significant change, and many of these advances have the potential to improve the affordability, reliability and efficiency of our nation’s electric system.

Your local electric cooperative is actively involved in the development of new technologies and monitors the advances of other researchers through its national association.

It might surprise you to know that America’s electric cooperatives are often leaders in the implementation of new energy technologies. The low-density rural areas served by electric co-ops often stand to gain the most from advances in automation and efficiency.

Technologies, such as automated meter reading and remote system control, allow electric cooperatives to save money while improving service.

In rural areas where people and infrastructure are more spread out, crews often travel great distances to reach trouble spots and make repairs. In addition to travel time, this results in higher costs for fuel and labor.

Through advanced grid technology, many routine system issues can be addressed remotely. When a crew must be dispatched to make repairs, advanced grid technology can help diagnose the problem remotely so the co-op can send the right personnel, equipment and parts to make the repair quickly.

Electric cooperatives are also leaders in the development of renewable energy projects. In fact, three of the top four solar utilities in America are electric cooperatives.

Colorado’s electric cooperatives continually prove to be leaders in renewable energy projects. For example, DeltaMontrose Electric Association, based in Montrose, brought President William Howard Taft’s 100-year-old vision to life when the co-op’s South Canal Hydroelectric Project broke ground in 2012. It’s estimated that this renewable energy project could generate around 7 megawatts of capacity each year while eliminating more than 275,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere over a 30-year period.

Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the wholesale electric power supplier for 18 of Colorado’s 22 co-ops, entered into several wind generation agreements over the years, starting with the Kit Carson Windpower Project, located northwest of Burlington. This facility generates enough electricity to power up to 14,000 homes. Tri-State’s Colorado Highlands Wind Project, located near Sterling, began electricity generation in 2012. The Carousel Wind Farm is located in K.C. Electric Association’s territory and is slated to come on line in 2016. The Twin Buttes II project south of Lamar in Southeast Colorado Power Association’s territory is scheduled to begin

coloradocountrylife.coop

The Erie Landfill gas plant turns “methane to megawatts” by capturing methane from the landfill’s waste and generating approximately 3.2 MW of capacity.

supplying Tri-State with electricity in 2017.

In 2011, United Power, headquartered in Brighton, was the first Colorado electric co-op to add landfill gas generation to its renewable portfolio. The Erie Landfill gas plant turns “methane to megawatts” by capturing methane from the landfill’s waste, producing approximately 3.2 MW of capacity.

Other Colorado co-ops are turning waste heat to electricity, capturing coal mine methane and adding solar gardens and small hydropower projects.

As energy technology continues to advance, you can be confident that your local electric cooperative is keeping a close eye on these changes and seeking ways incorporate more renewable energy into its resources while keeping electricity affordable and reliable.

Conservation and efficiency

Finally, it’s important to remember that the cheapest kilowatt is the one you never use. Though there are many factors that impact the price of electricity that are beyond your control, you do have control over the energy choices you make in your home or business. Check with your local electric cooperative to find out what programs and services it offers to help you improve your efficiency and better understand how the choices you make every day impact your energy consumption.

And be sure to ask about any rebates your co-op offers while you’re at it.

As you can see, there’s no shortcut to keeping energy affordable. It takes a lot of people working hard on many different fronts to fight the affordability battle. Though it might not be simple, you can be confident your local electric cooperative is looking out for you.

Justin LaBerge writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

SEPTEMBER 2015

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The Rockestra singers perform at a free concert on the Green at Colorado Mesa University.

Rockestra The encore of “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll” gets full audience participation.

A Magical Marriag e of Classical and Rock ’n’ Roll

BY HEIDI KERR-SCHLAEFER

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAWN MORROW

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coloradocountrylife.coop

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hat happens when you combine rock ’n’ roll with the sweet sounds of an orchestra? Pure magic.

This is what the folks of Grand Junction discovered five years ago when the Rockestra, a semiprofessional ensemble that includes a rock band, singers and an orchestra, was born. It’s the brainchild of Calvin Hofer, Ph.D., head of the music department at Colorado Mesa University. Dr. Hofer was first introduced to the idea of a Rockestra through his connections to Sioux City, Iowa.

“A friend in Iowa sent me a DVD of the Sioux City Rockestra,” Hofer says. “I watched it and instantly thought to myself that this would go over big in Grand Junction. We were perfectly set up for it.”

He began to discuss the idea with other Grand Junction musicians. One of those musicians was Scott Davis, a former student of Hofer’s. Davis had gone back to college to obtain a second degree in music education about the time that Hofer came to CMU. The two men, who were about the same age, became friends.

“Calvin started talking to me about the Rockestra,” Davis says.

“He was from the classically trained world and I was from the rock and roll world, and he said that he needed someone to help out with that side of things.

I was in.”

“I guess one thing that always Today, Davis is a music surprises me is the age range of the teacher at Mount Garfield fans that come to the Rockestra.

Middle School in Clifton and he’s also one of the Some of the older people who show founding members of Exit up will sing along with every word, 42, a country music band and I’d have never guessed they that’s been on the Grand Junction scene for 24 years. even liked rock music,” says Davis.

Jeena Williams (left), Toni Meade and Scott Bets (Mr. Hips) belt out a hot number.

Get t ing t he Rock es t ra Tog et her The Rockestra’s rock band has had the same four members playing along with the orchestra since the beginning. Davis plays guitar and Doug Morrow, a CMU piano major graduate who works extensively as a collaborative pianist in the music department, is on keyboard. Darin Kamstra, a professor of jazz studies and percussion at CMU, is the drummer, while Scot Bingham plays bass. This season Bingham, the principal of Broadway Elementary School in Grand Junction, will share bass duties with his son Lucas.

“Lucas is a fantastic bass player who just graduated from high school and is coming to CMU as a computer major,” Hofer says.

“Father and son are going to start sharing the Rockestra duties.”

Playing in the Rockestra’s rock band presented some one-of-akind opportunities for those involved, and Davis feels intensely grateful to be a part of something so unique.

“I get to arrange some of the tunes for the Rockestra and that’s been a really cool thing for me,” he says. “Instead of a guitar, bass and drums, I get to say, what will the violins sound like if I add them here or what would the brass section be able to do here? Then I get to hear it come to life. It’s really rewarding.”

“This is probably one of the most interesting musical ventures I’ve been on in a while,” he adds.

After Hofer got the rock band members on board, he approached the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra about being part of the Rockestra concept. At the time, Hofer was principal trumpet player in the orchestra, a position he just recently retired from after 10 years.

The response was resoundingly positive, and the Rockestra’s orchestra is made up entirely of professional GJSO musicians.

Each season, Hofer starts with his master list of professional orchestra members and if the need arises, he goes to his list of substitutes, which includes some upper level music majors at CMU who can handle the show.

Once the rock band and orchestra members signed on, Hofer needed singers.

He decided to hold an “American Idol” type competition in Grand Junction and was surprised when 32 people showed up to compete. The panel of judges narrowed it down to 12 finalist and then to four. Today there are six singers and auditions are only held when someone leaves. [continued on page 18]

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A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

[continued from page 17]

Jeena Williams, the principal at Riverside Middle School in New Castle and a musical theater graduate of New York University, auditioned for the Rockestra two years ago and has sang with the group ever since.

“It’s a really unique opportunity for a performer because you get the chance to sing in front of a huge orchestra. The musicians are so extraordinarily talented and professional,” she says. “It’s different from anything else I’ve done.”

Over her two seasons with the Rockestra, Williams had the opportunity to sing some of her favorite songs, such as “Hey Jude” and a medley of Led Zeppelin songs.

“The Rockestra arrangement of ‘Hey Jude’ was absolutely beautiful,” she says.

One of last year’s shows was themed Singer’s Choice and that meant the Rockestra’s singers chose the songs they sang in the show. Hofer liked the way the show worked out and is planning a more collaborative approach with the vocalists going forward.

At this summer’s show in August, the theme was Director’s Choice and while some people thought Hofer would choose old school rock songs, he delighted the younger folks in the audience by choosing songs by Green Day, Jimmy Eat World, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry.

Giving her all, Toni Meade, one of the two founding singers, belts out one of her favorite songs.

DEDICATION REQUIRED

The rehearsal schedule for the Rockestra requires a lot of dedication on the part of the musicians involved. The singers get their set list six weeks prior to the show, the band gets sheet music a month before and the orchestra gets music just two weeks prior to the event.

“It’s all very fast and I think that speaks to the level of professionalism of all the people involved in the Rockestra,” Williams says. “The requirement and expectation is that you will do a great deal of preparation and rehearsal on your own time.”

All the musicians in the Rockestra are paid and the rock band and vocalists are occasionally hired to perform at events around the area.

Band members rock to a great tune.

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coloradocountrylife.coop

Scott Davis, ripping on guitar, displays mad skills for the audience.

A STANDING OVATION

“Stairway to Heaven” compilation, with the Colorado Mesa Theater Singers, and directed by Jeremy Franklin is a classic.

In the beginning, the rock band members were worried about how devotees of the GJSO would react to this blend of rock and classical music, but from the start, followers of the GJSO showed their support for the Rockestra by coming out to the performances in droves.

“I guess one thing that always surprises me is the age range of the fans that come to the Rockestra,” Davis says. “Some of the older people who show up will sing along with every word, and I’d have never guessed they even liked rock music.”

Hofer was also surprised at the diverse mix of audience members, but has come to believe that it’s simply based on the Rockestra’s enormous entertainment value.

“The shows are just fun,” he says. “People hear a ton of their favorite songs in a way that they’ve never heard them before and never will anywhere else.”

And he’s right. The Grand Junction Rockestra is the only Rockestra with a full season west of the Missouri River.

“I think this is one of the most unique entertainment experiences that people are going to have anywhere on the Western Slope,” Williams says. “The marriage of these extremely professional, classically trained, precise musicians playing rock songs that everybody knows — it’s just a really neat combination.”

Dr. Hofer started the group for two reasons; the first was to provide the community of western Colorado with a musical ensemble like no other. The second reason was to raise money for the CMU music department scholarship fund and for the Grand

Junction Symphony Orchestra. The two organizations split the Rockestra proceeds evenly.

While the musicians are professionals, a number of CMU students are involved in the Rockestra on other levels. Each year, Dr. Hofer hires a theater major to run lighting for the shows and a few music business majors help promote and market the Rockestra.

“They get really good, practical, behind-the-scenes experience of putting on a concert,” Hofer says.

The Rockestra plays four shows a season with a gala fundraiser/concert in June, an outdoor show on the CMU campus in August and concerts in October and January at Robinson Theater at CMU. The theme of the October 17, 2015, show is, “I Love Rock and Roll,” and every song title performed will have the word love, rock or roll in it. The January 16, 2016, concert theme is “Rock of Ages, Rock Music from Movies, II.” Tickets can be purchased by calling the GJSO at 970-243-6787 or by visiting gjsymphony.org.

“It’s a really fun evening,” Williams says. “You get to say that you saw the symphony orchestra, but it’s not so stuffy. It’s kind of the best of both worlds.”

Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a Colorado freelance writer and founder of HeidiTown.com, the place for Colorado festival and travel stories.

Watch the Rockestra perform with ZZ Top at youtube.com/GJRockestra/videos. Click on the Legs video and enjoy. coloradocountrylife.coop

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[education]

Technical Schools Offer Vital Education

Source: North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D.

Forging a career

Colleges partner with companies like Caterpillar to provide specific course work to train future employees.

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As an electrician with a technical college degree, Travis Johnson knows the demand for his skill firsthand. A 2008 graduate, he now co-owns an electrical contracting company where the telephone rings constantly. The electrical technology program was an excellent career path for Johnson, who was looking for a challenge.

“One day, you’re

Students learn how to use instruments to analyze process operations as they are taught how equipment should operate.

putting an outlet in somebody’s house, and the next day you can be putting a 1,000-amp service in a grain elevator,” he says, pointing to his technical college education that prepared him for a variety of work.

“We have an image and perception problem that exists for technical education,” Holcomb says. “That problem is that we are a second choice or we are a lesser choice. We want students to understand that this is a career choice, and it is a valuable and vital career choice.”

High school counselor Connie Armstrong agrees.

“A technical education usually means less schooling. However, it doesn’t have to mean less pay,” she says.

Forty-three percent of young workers with licenses and certificates earn more than those with an associate’s degree, 27 percent of young workers with licenses and certificates earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree, and 31 percent of young workers with associate’s degrees earn more than those with a bachelor’s degree according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

“They are careers.

They’re not jobs,” Link says. “And it’s an affordable education. It’s an exciting time to be in technical education.”

Luann Dart, owner of Dart Communications, is a certified cooperative communicator with a background in electric cooperatives.

Source: North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, N.D.

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Synchronized to the millisecond, a robotic arm performs a mechanical ballet to sculpt raw steel into a precisely made machinery part. But this isn’t a manufacturing plant. It’s the precision machining lab at a technical college, where skilled professionals are trained in two years or less to fill critical jobs — the workers who keep the world humming.

“Nationwide, the highly skilled, technically educated and highly competent technicians are just absolutely critical to being much of the core workforce of America,” explains Harvey Link, vice president for academic and student affairs at the North Dakota State College of Science, a two-year college in eastern North Dakota.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents in a 2011 manufacturing skills gap study indicated they were experiencing a shortage of qualified workers — with 12 percent reporting severe shortages and 55 percent indicating moderate shortages, according to the Association for Career and Technical Education.

“That skilled labor workforce that has been the bedrock of manufacturing, agriculture, energy, construction and a variety of other industries is really running short of workers,” says Jeff Holcomb, president of a Midwest technical institute.

And at least some training will be critical, one study shows.

Of the 46.8 million job openings expected to be created by 2018, 30 percent will require some college or a two-year associate’s degree. And occupations requiring an associate’s degree are projected to grow faster than those requiring a bachelor’s degree, according to a study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

“There is so much technology in so many different industries that for an individual to enter it as an unskilled worker, it’s going to be very, very difficult for them to be as successful as they could be,” Link says.

Source: Bismarck State College, Bismarck, N.D.

BY LUANN DART, CCC

John Deere hires graduates from technical schools to fill key positions. coloradocountrylife.coop

[education] SPONSORED

Welding Education Offers Employment Options

BY BLAIR WEILNAU, FORNEY INDUSTRIES

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Trade schools and community colleges are becoming a more popular option for students, allowing them to learn a skill or trade related to a specific job in a shorter amount of time. According to the Colorado Community College System, enrollment in community colleges increased 28 percent since 2007.

Steve Anderson, president and CEO of Forney Industries in Fort Collins, believes passionately in the need for the technical training that trade schools and community colleges offer. That’s why he got involved with the welding technology program at the Fort Collins campus of Front Range Community College.

Front Range offers a two-year associate’s degree in welding technology in which students learn entry-level skills and train in a certified testing facility with expert welding instructors. A welding degree is one of the top degree programs within Colorado’s community colleges, increasing 30.9 percent from 2011 to 2013. That increase includes more women students, according to Jason Walsh, certified welding inspector and instructor at FRCC where 15 percent of the welding students are women.

When the program started growing, FRCC reached out to Anderson inquiring about Forney products. Anderson quickly assessed the programs and offered support. Anderson liked what he saw and knew Forney could help.

The company not only donated welding machines, but also created starter kits that included a welding helmet, gloves, chipping hammer, MIG pliers, safety

coloradocountrylife.coop

Steve Anderson of Forney Industries supports technical training such as the welding program at Front Range Community College.

glasses and other necessities. This ensured students had the proper equipment to begin welding and learn with the correct tools.

Welders can expect to earn as much as $75 an hour depending on the type of welding, experience and location. Most welding programs struggle to retain students in their two-year welding program because the opportunity for highpaying jobs is available before certification completion.

Anderson stresses that it’s critical for companies like Forney to invest in the future of the industry, and encourages other companies to do the same by supporting trade programs and community colleges.

SEPTEMBER 2015

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[recipes]

Everything’s Better With Peanut Butter Add creamy goodness to your recipe’s ingredients

BY AMY HIGGINS || AHIGGINS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

If it looks like a nut and tastes like a nut, it must be a nut.

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Scrumptious on sandwiches, delectable in cookies and splendid by the spoonful, peanut butter is terrifically toothsome and a tremendous ingredient in recipes of all sorts. While the sweet and salty favorite is high in fat, it’s the “good fat,” and it’s also full of protein and fiber. Many of us, though, throw the nutritional features out the window and instead simply savor our peanut butter.

Right? Wrong. Peanuts are part of the legume family, like lentils and beans.

Peanut Butter Saltine Brittle 1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 sleeve (4 ounces) regular saltine crackers 2 cups milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanut butter chips 1/2 cup roughly chopped, dry-roasted, salted peanuts

Out of the Norm In most cases, where the flower blooms the fruit forms.

bloom above ground and fruit underground.

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Source: Southern Peanut Growers/PB My Way

That’s not the case with peanuts. They

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line 10- by 15- by 1-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Place butter, peanut butter and sugar in heavy-duty, 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter and sugar are melted; bring ingredients just to a boil. Boil mixture 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

While mixture cooks, lay saltines in a single layer on prepared pan. Pour cooked mixture evenly over saltines. Place in oven and cook 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let cool for 3 minutes, then spread chocolate completely over top of saltines. Sprinkle peanut butter chips evenly over top of chocolate. Return pan to oven for 1 minute to soften chips. Pulling tines of a fork through softened chips, partially cover chocolate. Sprinkle peanuts over top and gently press peanuts down. Let cool on rack for about 15 minutes, then place in freezer for 3 minutes. Remove from freezer and break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Source: Southern Peanut Growers/PB My Way

Master of Disguise

Nutty Monkey Granola 2 cups old-fashioned oats 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 cup coconut flakes 1/3 cup chopped peanuts 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 3 tablespoons ground flax 2 tablespoons chia seeds 1 banana 1 egg white 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Visit colorado countrylife. coop for more peanut butter recipes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees and line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 8 ingredients in large mixing bowl. Use blender to combine banana, egg white and peanut butter until smooth.

Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until incorporated. Pour mixture in even layer on baking pan. Bake until crisp, about 20-30 minutes, removing from oven and stirring every 10 minutes to allow granola to brown evenly and break up into smaller pieces. When granola is golden and crisp, remove from oven and stir in cranberries and chocolate chips (chocolate chips should melt a little). Allow to cool completely before storing in airtight container. coloradocountrylife.coop

[gardening]

The Web of Life

All bugs are beneficial to nature, including yucky spiders

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BY KRISTEN HANNUM || GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

When I heard that a neighbor was considering widespread outdoor spraying to get rid of the “yucky” spiders in the trees, it’s difficult to exaggerate my despair.

The web of life, after all, doesn’t exclude spiders. Even big ones. Or any other creepy, crawly beastie.

The contrast between her view of spiders and that of master gardeners couldn’t be greater.

I knew that most of the insects and spiders in our gardens were harmless bird food — even beneficial — but I had no idea that it was upward of 90 percent. When we spray with pesticides (or herbicides, for that matter), it’s the equivalent of turning to the Dark Side, dealing out death instead of life.

The collateral damage is unacceptable.

The lovely ladybug and her voracious appetite for aphids is the poster bug for this disregarded truth. Except we even get ladybugs wrong: it’s ladybug larvae that do most of the aphid eating, and those larvae qualify as homely. Yucky, even.

Similarly, lacewings are so delicate and pretty that they surely win over even the staunchest insect-hater. Unfortunately, their larvae aren’t as appealing. Again, it’s the larvae, which we call aphid lions, that gobble up aphids.

There are all kinds of beneficial beetles in addition to the pretty little ladybugs. Those of us who grew up in the manicured suburbs just need to adjust our mind-set.

Some other fabulous insect garden guards are the unfortunately named parasitic wasps (that just means they do not sting) and assassin bugs, including the amazing wheel bugs, which have a kind of spiny wheel on their backs that looks straight out of “Jurassic Park.” Assassin bugs kill caterpillars and just about anything else they can catch. If you pick them up for a better look, however, their bites reportedly make a bee sting instantly forgettable. Assassin bugs feast on hornworms, Mexican bean beetles, Colorado potato beetles, cucumber beetles and more. They’re on your team.

It goes without saying that all the little pollinating insects are indispensable for your garden. Pollinators aren’t just honeybees. As hard as honeybees work, their wild cousins — who sometimes look more like little flies than bees — do just as much and even more pollinating. Other pollinators include moths, wasps, beetles and butterflies. And if you like butterflies, you need to develop an appreciation for caterpillars, maybe even plant a milkweed or three for those dwindling numbers of monarch butterflies.

Then there are bugs like roly-poly bugs and ground beetles, that, together with centipedes, millipedes and worms, shred organic matter like rotting leaves and are part of the

Learning to coexist with bugs and spiders will benefit your garden.

decomposing process. Think of them as living fertilizer factories and garden “cleaner-uppers” all in one, keeping our world from piling up with dead trees, squirrels and everything else. They do the work, we get the rich soil.

For a while people thought they could replace this miniature world of life with chemical fertilizers. We have learned better.

Don’t get me wrong. A fat fly just cheekily dive-bombed me and I’m trying to remember where the swatter is. My spiders will take too long.

As for my neighbor’s spraying program against the spiders, it hasn’t happened. I spent hours compiling information from the Web that showed her that spiders aren’t harmful. I’m still uneasy, but for now she and the spiders are coexisting.

Read

previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Search for Gardening. Kristen Hannum is a native Colorado gardener. Email or write her with wisdom or comments at gardening@coloradocountrylife.org.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

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[outdoors]

As a kid, columnist Dennis Smith only needed these essentials for a night of fishing.

Keeping it (Not So) Simple Use your smarts when packing for a fishing trip

BY DENNIS SMITH

M WiseSaver

Keep your curtains open during the daytime when the sun is shining and closed at night to keep your home warm in the fall months.

My grandson, Derek called the other day to ask if I’d like to do a little cat fishing.

“When?” I asked.

“Tonight,” he said. “The ditch is running and the cats are, too. With any luck we’ll catch enough for a fish fry.”

Fishing Colorado’s vast network of irrigation ditches is a given in these parts, but success hinges largely on the timing of water releases between the various lakes.

When the ditches are running, there’s a more than even chance fish will migrate from the main lake body into the moving ditch water. The operative theory is that water releases from one lake and flushes a fresh food supply into the other. Fish stage at the inlets or run up the ditches to gorge on all the new groceries. The running water is also attractive to species like white bass that prefer to spawn in oxygenated water. Regardless, when the ditches are running, the fishing is definitely better.

Typically, the ditch companies fill the reservoirs in spring with snowmelt, but this year the lakes were already full, so water transfers were delayed until mid-summer when farmers began depleting current supplies.

“You got bait?” I asked.

“Yup.” “OK,” I said. “I’ll get my stuff together and meet you around eight o’clock.”

I hung up and set about collecting my gear. I quickly selected a rod and reel with a 30-pound test line from the 10 or

12 rods hanging in the shed, a pack of big catfish hooks, some heavy-duty sliding bank sinkers (to hold the bait on the bottom in the fast-moving water), beads and swivels to prevent line twist and a pair of needle-nose pliers for hook removal.

Let’s see, what else? Oh yeah, a lawn chair, Coleman lantern with spare propane bottle and extra mantles, headlamp (in case the lantern fails), flashlight (in case the headlamp fails), long-handled net, sand spikes to hold the rods, water bottles and snacks, wet wipes to clean the nasty catfish slime off our hands, mosquito repellent, line clippers, a stringer to keep the fish alive until we quit for the evening, a bucket to carry them in on the short hike back to the truck. … What did I forget? Oh, a backpack to carry the tackle, tools and snacks in, and a shepherd’s hook to hang the lantern from. … Oh, and a rain jacket (you never know) and a flannel shirt to ward off the night chill.

Right about the time my wife asked me if I was going fishing or packing for a 30-day expedition to the wilderness, it hit me. This is nuts. When I was a 13-year -old, I pulled all-nighters on the creek bank with little more than a fish pole, pocket knife, can of worms and a book of matches for the fire. I don’t know if I was stupid then or just got soft in my old age, but I do know life was a lot simpler then.

I kind of miss those days.

Miss an issue? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Search for Outdoors.

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coloradocountrylife.coop

[energy tips]

UNDERSTANDING HEAT LOSS/GAIN

BY JAMES DULLEY

T

No Tablet or Smartphone?

Wishing you could scan the magazine pages and bring them to life?

Then enter to

WIN

***

ENTER NOW

an iPadMini Send your name, address and phone number via the U.S. mail to:

iPad Contest Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St. Denver, CO 80216

***Contest rules at coloradocountrylife.coop Winner will be drawn

October 16

One entry per month will be accepted.

“It isn’t what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so.”

— Will Rogers

coloradocountrylife.coop

The basic types of heat flow are conduction, convection, radiation and air infiltration (leakage).

Conduction is probably the most common type.

This is how the handle on a cup gets hot from the coffee or how heat flows through the wood studs inside the walls.

The amount of heat lost or gained from conduction is primarily a function of the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor surfaces of an outside wall. If the outdoor temperature drops so that the temperature difference is twice as large, twice as much heat will be lost through the wall.

Convection refers to heat flow from a fluid, such as air or water, moving over a surface.

The heat lost by convection will also double if the temperature difference doubles, but it will increase even more as the air blows faster. This is what causes a wind chill factor during winter months.

Radiation is heat flow, which An insulating window shade moves through with sealed sides blocks all space or air. This three modes of heat loss and improves your comfort when is how the sun sitting near a window. warms us. Your home also loses radiant heat to the outdoors, especially on a clear, cold night. But on a summer afternoon a black shingle roof can easily reach 160 degrees, which radiates heat down through the insulation and the ceiling.

If you have a persistently chilly room that is located on the northwestern side of the home, convection losses and air infiltration from winter winds could be a factor. Erecting some type of windbreak — a privacy fence or even planting evergreen trees — can help.

Learn more about insulating your home at coloradocountrylife.coop. Look under the Energy tab for Energy Tips.

SEPTEMBER 2015

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SEPTEMBER 2015

coloradocountrylife.coop

[marketplace]

Advertise in MarketPlace in time for the holidays.

Get your product in front of 400,000 active readers.

Call Kris for information 303-902-7276

THE TEAM IS RAISING MONEY TO HELP THOSE WHO STRUGGLE TO PAY THEIR HEATING BILLS. A team of representatives from local electric co-ops will ride in the 2015 Pedal the Plains bicycle tour of eastern Colorado. They will ride September 18-20 from Julesburg to Holyoke to Sterling to Julesburg.

If you would like to ride with the team, call Donna at 303-455-4111 or email dwallin@coloradocountrylife.org.

If you would like 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/PTP.

Sponsor our team and help raise money for To send your tax-deductible donation, fill out this form and send it and a check to: CEEI/Pedal the Plains, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216

Name: Address: City: State: ZIP: I would like to contribute: r $20 r $50

r $75

r OTHER $

r Please send receipt

DONATIONS WILL BENEFIT ENERGY OUTREACH COLORADO

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SEPTEMBER 2015

27

[classifieds] 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 before the 10th of the month to: mail: Colorado Country Life

5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303.902.7276 fax: 303.455.2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUES

BOOKS/CDs/DVDs

CHAIR CANING Hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning.

Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-15)

FAST-PACED, LIGHT-HEARTED romantic mystery book series by Colorado author, Cricket Rohman is available at Amazon.com or www. cricketrohman.org (259-12-15)

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. 17 years at this location, over 900 satisfied customers! Designers: We can provide you a single item or a whole houseful. Call ! 970-627-3053.

(085-09-15)

BOOKS/CDs/DVDs CHANT OF A CHAMPION: Auctioneering DVD from World and International Champion Auctioneer John Korrey. Let John show you how to improve all aspects of your auctioneering chant. Order online at www.chantofachampion.com (210-11-15) “CHERRY VALLEY, 92223” — Newest book by award-winning humor writer Carol Dunn. Laugh, groan, shake your head in disbelief!

On Amazon.com or send $18 to POB 1213, LaVeta, CO 81055 (151-09-15)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.)

HEALTH FOOD STORE & DELI: 2 turnkey businesses in one. Strong income/customer base. Colorado mountains (970-641-5175), leave name & number. (252-12-15)

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. (109-12-15)

ENERGY 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT on solar water panel system. Contact Granite Installation for consulting.

I consult. You install. Payback much better than electric solar. Preheat water to your boiler and hot water tank. blhn2010@yahoo.com (25609-15)

FIND HIDDEN TREASURE IN THE CLASSIFIEDS Thanks for entering this month — even though the date in the contest was wrong.

Read through the ads and FIND the CCL classified explaining how to WIN a $25 gift card.

It’s easy. You could WIN.

The classified ads August winner was Donna Holle, Berthoud.

She correctly counted 37 ads.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

EVENTS

REAL ESTATE

WANTED TO BUY

LA VETA OKTOBERFEST 5K FUN RUN. 8 am, October 3, La Veta Town Park. Registration information at http://tinyurl.com/ Oktoberfest5K (258-09-15)

HORSE RANCH, BARN, HOUSE on 6 acres or more available. NE Colorado, $380K, 970-466-1464 (257-10-15)

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.

(519-11-15)

OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS - $380 with warranty. Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies.

Repair and service of equipment.

Aspen Concentrator Repair Service 719-471-9895 (040-12-15)

OWN PROPERTY? NEED INCOME? We’ll rent exclusive 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 (069-12-15)

FREE

RELIGION

FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite!

Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 888-211-1715. (814-12-15)

BECOME AN ORDAINED Minister by correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7558 West Thunderbird Rd, Ste 1 - #114, Peoria, AZ 85381. http://www.ordination.org (44112-15)

HELP WANTED

TICKETS

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 (932-02-16)

NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. Call 1-888-NFR-Rodeo (1888-637-7633). www.NFR-rodeo. com A+ rated BBB Member. (91201-16)

FOR SALE

MACHINERY & PARTS www.sawmillexchange.com SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North America’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment. 800-459-2148. (26709-15)

MISCELLANEOUS DEBT RELIEF for seniors – Nonprofit. 888-779-4272 www. careconnectusa.org (213-09-15)

REAL ESTATE 40 ACRES, 15 miles west of Walsenburg, CO on CR520. Fenced.

Prime grazing. Small 2bd recently upgraded trailer on property with tenant. 8-10 gal./min. domestic well. $89,500 OBO. Owner may carry. 719-251-1131, 719-989-0850, 719-738-3500. (207-09-15) ARROWHEAD LOT – CIMARRON, CO. Beautiful, level, tree-covered lot. ALL utilities in place, ready to build cabin or bring your RV. Gravel drive, parking, and RV pad.

Rock patio, firepit, barbecue. 2 sheds with electricity. Much much more. $65,000. Carol, 970-497-9740 (109-10-15)

WANT TO WIN A $25 GIFT CARD? Simply count the number of classified ads on pages 28 and email that number to classifieds@ coloradocountrylife.org. The subject line MUST say “Classified Count.” We will draw one name on September 16 from among those who enter.

OLD MODEL AIRPLANE ENGINES, unbuilt airplane kits. Cash. Will pick up or pay shipping. Don, 970-5993810. (233-10-15) OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209. (87012-16)

VACATION RENTAL

VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. Gary, 970-222-2181 (170-10-15)

KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-2456500; mokihana@hawaiian.net; kauaiweddings.com. (756-05-16)

WANT TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201.

(402-03-16)

WANTED TO BUY BUYING AUTOGRAPHS (all kinds), sports cards (pre-1980). Vintage sports and music collectibles (albums, etc.). Cash paid.

Established dealer since 1986. Mike 720-334-0206, mmunns1@hotmail. com (245-09-15) NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-12-15)

WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets.

888-735-5337 (099-04-16) WE PAY CASH for minerals and oil/gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122 (09902-16) WE PURCHASE MINERALS and royalty interests – honest, fair offers. Bridget, 720-723-2771. bridget@quiatcompanies.com (243-09-15)

OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303757-8553. (889-02-16) OLD COWBOY STUFF – hats, boots, spurs, chaps, Indian rugs, baskets, etc. ANYTHING OLD! Mining & railroad memorabilia, ore carts! We buy whole estates. We’ll come to you! Call 970-759-3455 or 970-5651256. (871-01-16)

HAPPY HARVEST

ADVERTISE IN COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE CLASSFIED SECTION DON’T FOLLOW THE CROWD LEAD THEM! Call Kris at 303-902-7276 or email advertising@ coloradocountrylife.org coloradocountrylife.coop

[funny stories]

AUGUST WINNERS

Fifty years ago, when my sister Katie was 8 and my brother was 3, my mom went down to the basement to put a load of laundry in the washer. She asked my sister to keep an eye on my brother. When she came back upstairs, Katie was laying on her back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling.

“You’ll never get anywhere on your back,” my mother said.

Katie looked up at her and replied, “Michelangelo did.”

Enough said.

Jim Deacy (on behalf of his mother), Durango

Allan and Beth Green from Bayfield find time to read CCL in Tasiilaq, Greenland. Their entry was selected in the August drawing.

Elizabeth Chang from Berthoud sent a photo of her boys at the Airplane Restaurant in Colorado Springs.

Eileen Waldow from Fraser, visited the statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro.

My 5-year-old daughter and I went to the store.

My daughter had $5 to spend. She lifted up a ball and asked, “Mommy, how much is this ball?” “$3.99 plus tax,” I said. She put the ball down. We walked around a little longer and she picked up another toy.

“How much is this?” she asked. “$2.99 plus tax,” I said. My daughter started crying. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

Through the tears, she said, “I can’t buy anything. I don’t have any tacks!”

Teresa Stevens, Grand Junction

Over the summer, my daughter traveled to Kansas to help with her cousin’s wedding preparations. I called to ask how she was and what she was doing during her stay. She told me she and her aunt had manicures. Listening to me tell my husband about what our daughter was doing, our youngest son asked, “She looks like a man now?”

After explaining what a manicure was, he said, “Oh, that must be a girlycure!”

Peg Bundgaard from Granby takes a break in Tokyo, Japan, with the magazine.

Annette Begler, Roggen

Don Fiddes, Denver, takes the magazine to Zanzibar for a quick read.

Take Your Photo with Your Magazine and Win! 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 Wednesday, September 16.

The August winners are Allen and Beth Green, La Plata Electric members from Bayfield, who took their magazine with them as the visited East Greenland, an area they discovered relies on a hydropower plant for its electricity.

With so many great entries in August, we’re sharing a few more photos here. Find all of last month’s entries on our Facebook page at facebook.com/COCountryLife.

coloradocountrylife.coop

While paying for our purchases at a small-town Pennsylvania hardware store, my husband flipped through the free wall calendar on the counter, studying its stunning wildlife photos and sponsor ads.

“Take one. It’s free,” our cashier said. Not wanting to take local advertising out of the community, my husband replied, “It’s a nice calendar, but we’re not from around here. We’re from Colorado.”

The man flashed us a knowing look and said, “You know, it has the same days and dates as Colorado.”

We took the calendar.

Paula Moore, Pueblo

$15

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 2015 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.

SEPTEMBER 2015

29

[discoveries]

Tech TINKER Time

COLOR

Your LIFE

Do you like to tinker? Check out littleBits.

These doohickeys are just that: little bits of technology you snap together to make your own controls. How about a remote garage door sensor? Or a bark monitor?

How about controlling a window AC unit via the Internet? All are possible with littleBits’ Smart Home Kit. A littleBits Smart Home Kit costs $249.

Find out more at littlebits.cc.

Watch litteBits in action: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=YUUsJSDa7PE.

Philips makes an individually controllable LED bulb called Hue. Using its app, you can control the light level, on and off schedule and color. Philips even developed a custom scenario for a recent Syfy series to re-create the mood of the series itself. A bit much, perhaps, but pretty cool nonetheless. Yes, you can achieve energy savings and create a party mood all at once.

Philips Hue LED bulbs start around $60. For more information, visit meethue. com.

How many years does it take to change a lightbulb? Watch at youtube.com/ watch?v=UVUTEVZCqsg.

Connect to

Your Home Get Control With Kevo Security for the home and family is a top concern. How about a door lock that you can control from a smartphone? The Kevo lock from Kwikset is a smart door lock with nifty features, such as remote monitoring of lock status, temporary guest and contractor access, multiple users and more. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are the two networks used.

The Kevo lock sells for as little as $199 online and at big box stores. For more information, visit kwikset.com/kevo.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

The WeMo line

by Belkin allows you to control individual lights and appliances through the use of their little plugs. Insert the WeMo plug into an outlet, connect the light or appliance and then, via your existing Wi-Fi network and the WeMo app, you can create schedules and exercise control over your home.

For more information, visit belkin.com.

coloradocountrylife.coop

coloradocountrylife.coop

MAY 2015

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[discoveries]

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OCTOBER 2014

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