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August 2014
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[contents]
August 2014
[cover]
The Oldsmobile F-88 spins on a dais in the showroom of the Gateway Canyons Auto Museum. Photo by publisher and editor Mona Neeley.
4 4 Viewpoint
One story captures ingenuity of pioneers before co-op electricity
5 Letters 6 Calendar 7 Co-op News 12 NewsClips 14 Fair Ladies of the State Fair
Making sure every kid comes out a winner at the state fair
16 The Golden GM
Salvaged ’50s concept car stars at Western Slope auto museum
$83.17
In 1960s, the monthly payment for new Camaro with a sticker price of $2,575
®
The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association || Volume 45, Number 08
16 20 Recipes Tempt tastes with recipes that
include fresh corn off the cob
22 Gardening
Xeriscaping helps save water and beautifies dry areas
24 Outdoors
Finding memories in a garage sale box of junk
25 Energy Tips 29 Funny Stories 30 Discoveries
$250
the annual membership cost to be a Fair Lady
22
Explore online
coloradocountrylife.coop
This month’s online extras — •A video showcasing the Tesla electric car • 4-H and FFA kids at the State Fair •G ateway Canyons Resort ateway Canyons •G Auto Museum •H ow to grill corn on the cob
1980s
‘xeriscape’ becomes a word frequently used in the gardening community
COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor@303-455-4111; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Donna Wallin, Associate Editor; dwallin@coloradocountrylife.org • Amy Higgins, Editorial Assistant/Writer; ahiggins@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland@303-902-7276, advertising@coloradocountrylife.org; NCM@800-626-1181 OFFICERS: Bill Midcap [Fort Morgan] President; Don Kaufman [Sangre de Cristo] Vice President; Jack Schneider [Poudre Valley] Secretary; Jim Luek [Highline] Treasurer; Kent Singer [CREA] Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Jim Elder [Delta-Montrose]; John Porter [Empire]; Don McClaskey, Tom Walch [Grand Valley]; John Vader [Gunnison]; Jim Lueck [Highline]; Megan Gilman [Holy Cross]; Dan Mills, Tim Power [K.C.]; Jeff Berman [La Plata]; Jeff Hauck [Mountain Parks]; Donna Andersen-Van Ness [Mountain View]; Debbie Rose [San Isabel]; Eleanor Valdez [San Luis Valley]; Dave Alexander, Kevin Ritter [San Miguel]; Randy Phillips [Southeast]; Ginny Buczek [United Power];
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]
History Lesson
Nothing Daunted looks back at “can do” spirit of Colorado’s early residents BY KENT SINGER || CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR || KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG
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I love history and I recently came across an interesting historical biography that tells the story of some of Colorado’s early pioneers. It is the true story of two young “society” women who traveled across the country in 1916 to teach school in a remote settlement in northwestern Colorado. The story that unfolds is part biography, part travelogue and part early Kent Singer 20th century American history. It’s a great read and it’s a testament to the ingenuity of folks in the far reaches of Colorado before electric co-ops brought them central station electricity. These folks were able to figure out ways to light their community, provide a quality education for their children and even bring some new, single women into their community. (More on that later.) The name of the 2011 book is Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West. The book’s author, Dorothy Wickenden, is the executive editor of The New Yorker magazine and the granddaughter of one of the main characters in the book. Dorothy Woodruff and her friend Rosamund Underwood, both 29-year-old women born into wealthy families, traveled to Colorado in 1916 to teach school at a one-room schoolhouse 20 miles north of Hayden in a community called Elkhead. Dorothy and Rosamund were born and raised in Auburn, New York, and were daughters of a judge and a businessman respectively. Both graduated from Smith College and later traveled to Europe for the Grand Tour. But rather than getting married and settling down, they sought a western adventure, which turned out to be a year in Routt County teaching the children of the area’s farmers and ranchers. The principal story line in Nothing Daunted is how two privileged young women from the East were able to successfully teach 30 or so students in different grades using little more than their enthusiasm, resourcefulness and life experience. Neither one had teaching experience, but what they lacked in formal training they made up for with passion and ingenuity. In addition to being teachers, Dorothy and Rosamund frequently were called upon to be surrogate mothers to children who needed the food, clothing and companionship that could be found at the school. It also turns out that one of the motivations for the ranchers involved in seeking eligible young women from back East to teach at the newly built Rimrock School was to try to match them with the local bachelors. While it is not clear how often the matchmaking was successful, Rosamund did end
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 4 August 2014
up marrying Ferrington Carpenter (a Princeton and Harvard law grad who was one of the main sponsors of the program) later in life after her first husband died. (Her granddaughter and namesake would end up the wife of a longtime Colorado cooperative board member.) One of the most interesting aspects of Nothing Daunted is the book’s description of life in a remote Colorado community shortly before the outbreak of World War I. Today, of course, the town of Hayden is a thoroughly modern place with convenience stores, gas stations, hotels and Internet access. In 1916, however, it was not much more than a frontier outpost with a train station and one hotel. Since the mission of electric co-ops is to provide electricity in rural Colorado, I was particularly interested in the book’s references to electricity before the advent of the co-op program. Yampa Valley Electric Association was not created until 1939, so the Rimrock School was not able to hook up to co-op lines. Without central station power or an electric grid to rely on, both the town of Hayden and the builders of the Rimrock School were pioneers in what we would today call distributed generation. While most ranchers were still relying on kerosene lamps and woodstoves for heat and light, the school had electric lights, I assume from either a hydropowered or coal-fired generator — another example of the ingenuity and foresight of the Elkhead community. Nothing Daunted is an entertaining and often-touching recounting of a year in the lives of two intrepid young women who challenged convention and chose adventure and selflessness over comfort. The story of Dorothy and Rosamund is lovingly told, and I would highly recommend Nothing Daunted for your summer reading list. It will give you an appreciation of those who settled the far corners of our state.
Kent Singer, Executive Director
[letters] Pawnee National Grassland This is a correction in the Pedal the Plains story (June ’14). There is no way the bike trip will take you anywhere near the Pawnee National Grassland area. You will be quite aways from it at Goodrich, like 20 or more miles. I would like to see something in Colorado Country Life about the Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic & Historic Byway. It is a Colorado treasure. Doris W. Williams, chairman, Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic & Historic Byway
EDITORS NOTE: Our apologies. We did incorrectly state that the September Pedal the Plains bike tour would go past Pawnee National Grassland. It won’t. It will travel through an amazing area of northeastern Colorado and those who wish to venture off the route will not be far from the grassland area.
Ludlow Recalled It was so good to see your great support for the Ludlow anniversary. At a recent memorial of this disastrous event, one strong call really stood out: Young people need to know about this. The Miner’s Cap, a finalist for the 2014 Colorado Book Award in Juvenile Fiction, is a newly published historical novel for young readers based on the miners strike and the Ludlow Massacre. As an author, I find it sad, but very gratifying to be able to write about these disastrous events and to imagine the courage and resources of the young people who struggle to survive. Ann N. Black, Colorado Springs/Cuchara
Learning Ag Issues Thank you (to the Colorado Rural Electric Association) for being a sponsor in the Colorado Ag in the Classroom workshop. I learned so much about the importance of agriculture in our community. It really opened my eyes to the necessities of farmers and ranchers. I can’t wait to share this with my class. Stacy Johnson, Grand Junction
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 August 2014 5
[calendar]
[August] Through August 23 Grand Lake Les Misérables Theater Performance Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre 970-627-3421 • rocky mountainrep.com August 8-10 Golden Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo Jefferson County Fairgrounds jeffcofairinc.org August 9-10 Colorado Springs Air Show Colorado Springs Airport 11 am-2 pm • pprairshow.org August 9 Dolores Escalante Days Mountain Bike Race 5th and Central 9:50 am • 970-564-1241 August 9 Falcon Classic and Custom Car/ Truck Show Falcon Walmart Parking Lot 10 am-2:30 pm • 719-683-2173 August 9-10 Frisco Rockies Art Festival Main Street 10 am-5 pm • 561-746-6615 August 10 Lake City Meet the Wolves Backcountry Basecamp 10 am-3 pm • wolfwood refuge.org August 10 Littleton Peter Frampton Concert Hudson Gardens hudsongardens.org August 14-17 Durango True West Railfest Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 888-872-4607 • durangotrain. com
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 6 August 2014
August 15-September 13 Durango “Food for Thought” Exhibit Durango Arts Center www.durangoarts.org August 16-17 Beulah Yoga in Nature Women’s Retreat Mountain Park Environmental Center 719-485-4444 • hikeand learn.org August 16 Elbert Elbert Day Festival Elbert Road 8 am-4 pm • 303-648-3611 August 16 Florence Golf Tournament Sumo Golf Village 8 am • wetmountainvalley rotary.org August 16 Ignacio Scholarship Dinner Foxfire Farms 970-759-3221 August 16 Kremmling Demolition Derby Middle Park Fairgrounds kremmlingchamber.com August 16 Ohio City Gold Rush 5K/10K Run Gold Creek Road goldrush5k10k.com August 22-23 Dolores Quilt Show Dolores Community Center 970-882-2191 • dolores mountainquilters.org August 22-23 Durango Blues Train Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 866-515-6166 • www.durango bluestrain.com August 22-24 Longmont Yesteryear Farm Show Dougherty Museum 9 am-8:30 pm • 303-776-5171
August 22 Pagosa Springs Night Sky Archaeoastronomy Program Chimney Rock National Monument 6:45 pm • chimneyrockco.org August 23 Brush Demolition Derby Morgan County Fairgrounds 7 pm • 970-842-2666
August 30 Bayfield Farmers Market Roadside Park 8:30 am-12 pm • 970-731-2882 August 31 Larimer County Arts and Crafts Sale Water & Sewer Building and Fire Station 9 am-3 pm • 970-834-1168
August 23-24 Buena Vista King Boletus Mushroom Festival Buena Vista Heritage Museum buenavistaheritage.org September 3-7 Meeker August 23 Meeker Classic Sheepdog Chama, New Mexico Championship Trials Sunset Train Ride Ute Park Cumbres & Toltec Scenic meekersheepdog.com Railroad 5:30 pm • 888-286-2737 September 5 Pueblo August 23 First Friday Art Walk Cortez Downtown Pueblo Wine, Food and Art Festival 5-8 pm • 719-242-6652 Parque de Vida 1-6 pm • 970-564-2701 September 6 Loveland August 23 Harvest Festival and Vintage Fort Collins Baseball Game Open House Timberlane Farm Museum Rocky Mountain Raptor 10 am-4 pm • 970-646-2875 Program 11 am-3 pm • 970-484-7756 September 6-7 Salida August 23 Salida Fiber Festival Grand Lake Riverside Park Brews & Crews Festival salidafiberfestival.org Grand Lake Shore 12-4 pm • grandlake Capture the extra layer of chamber.com content on this page. See
[September]
August 23 Meeker 50 Years Wild Celebration Downtown Meeker 3 pm • 970-878-4039 August 29-September 1 Denver A Taste of Colorado Civic Center Park atasteofcolorado.com August 29-September 1 Durango and Ignacio Four Corners Motorcycle Rally Various Durango and Ignacio Locations fourcornersmotorcyclerally. com
page 2 for instructions on how to connect to websites and videos or visit our website calendar.
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TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO: Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303455-2807; 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.
YAMPA VALLEY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION INC.
[YVEA News] Teach Your Children Well About Electrical Safety BY DIANE JOHNSON | | GENERAL MANAGER || DJOHNSON@YVEA.COM
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Electricity is a dynamic power source. We live our lives surrounded by it, but sometimes we forget just how dangerous electricity can be. Many home electrical fires, injuries and electrocutions can be prevented when we understand and practice electrical safety. This is especially true for our youngest co-op members. Throughout the year, not just in May during National Electrical Safety Month, Yampa Valley Electric Association offers many valueadded benefits to help teach youngsters about electricity. YVEA regularly visits schools to present safety demonstrations all over our territory. We hold a “Bright Stars for Safety Contest” in May of each year and challenge students to come up with the best safety ad. The winners receive awards and are featured on our Facebook page as well as our local newspapers. But as your children’s first and most important teacher, perhaps it’s time to have a talk with your sons and daughters to reinforce those lessons. Start at an early age, teaching them about the physical dangers associated with electrical components and how to handle electrical plugs, outlets, switches and other devices. Keep in mind, talking to your children about electrical safety should also include fun activities and facts about the basics — what is electricity, the need to respect its power and how to use it efficiently as they study, work and play. As we all know, kids will be kids. Getting them to show interest in some of these lessons won’t be easy. Just remember that what your children learn from you today can be a lifesaver later when they encounter potential hazards like seeing downed power lines in their path, playing hide-and-seek behind those big metal electrical boxes in the neigh-
borhood or thinking they can clamber up a tempting utility pole. Gather your youngsters around the kitchen table or on the front porch—some of the Diane Johnson best teachable moments about electrical safety can happen in and around your home. Look around. There are plenty of opportunities to demonstrate safety that are as close as the electrical outlet on your living room wall. For example, show young children how plugs work, and let them know that even if they are curious about the slits of an electrical outlet, nothing else should be placed inside. Each year about 2,400 children end up in the emergency room after suffering injuries caused by inserting objects — paper clips, pens, screws, nails, forks, hairpins, coins and more — into electrical receptacles. That’s about seven children a
day who sustain injuries ranging from electric shock to burns. But this isn’t the only electrical mishap that impacts youngsters. Our reliance on electronics and gadgets have left both youngsters and their parents at risk when they overcrowd electrical outlets, continue to use frayed wires, place devices near liquids or leave electronics on for long periods of time. Some of the same guidelines Yampa Valley Electric offers to protect adults also help protect children. We should all set good examples for our youngsters. Supplement your lessons at home with resources galore, including those provided by YVEA. The Electrical Safety Foundational International (ESFI.org) is among the many national organizations offering free kits, videos and interactive online tools that make learning and practicing electrical safety fun for you and your children. And as they grow older, remember to keep teaching them about the power of electricity and how to use it safely.
ELECTION RESULTS Yampa Valley Electric Association’s Annual Meeting was held June 26, 2014, and in the only contested race Mike
Mike Brinks
Larry Ellgen
Tom Fox
Brinks was elected to another three-year term over Katherine Deitz, 1,274 to 554. Larry Ellgen ran unopposed for District 2. Tom Fox was ran unopposed for District 6. Both were deemed elected. ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 7
[YVEA News] YVEA Rate Increase for Residential and Irrigation Members
OUR COMMUNITY
BY DIANE JOHNSON | | GENERAL MANAGER || DJOHNSON@YVEA.COM
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One of the best parts of managing an electric cooperative is the ability, indeed the responsibility, to focus on providing a great value to our members. We want to provide the absolutely best possible service while keeping our rates at levels in line with other electric utilities. While virtually all aspects of today’s cost of living continue to rise, we pride ourselves on avoiding routine price adjustments. We only consider an adjustment when we really have to. We believe that reliable electric service at a reasonable price is something that you can count on and that we deliver on a daily basis. On August 1, 2014, Yampa Valley Electric will implement its first rate adjustment since 2009. As a nonprofit electric cooperative, YVEA values its members and places a strong emphasis on providing you with exceptional service. To maintain and improve the quality, reliability and integrity of the services YVEA provides, it is necessary to adjust the pricing structure. Before making this decision, we conducted a rate study to look at how its rates work and how they affect the revenue of the cooperative compared to the costs of operation. The study showed that to cover the costs of serving residential and irrigation members, we need a slight increase in the energy charge (cost per kilowatthour) and an increase to our facilities charge. The facilities charge covers costs such as distribution lines and equipment, emergency response, labor, meter equipment, meter
YVEA RATE INCREASE
reading, billing and other costs that occur no matter how much energy each member
Effective August, 1, 2014
uses. These changes are listed in the box on
How much will this increase my electric bill per month?
the left.
• Residential customer charge will go from $17.50 to $21 per month with the kilowatt-hour charge going up from 0.07781 to 0.07998 (approximately $5.27 per month based on 900-kilowatt use*).
an increase is needed for commercial or
• Irrigation customer charge will go from $136 to $196 per season with the kilowatt-hour charge going up from 0.07993 to 0.08400 * Tariff sheet details as well as qualifying facilities tariff sheets can be viewed at yvea.com. (Go to “Electric Service” and click on “Rates”.)
I’m pleased to say that we don’t feel industrial customers. As the economy in northwestern Colorado begins to rebound, we are proud to be a part of that recovery by keeping these prices steady. I want to reassure you that we at YVEA will remain proactive in planning for your
FOURTH OF JULY — CRAIG
COMMUNITY CALENDAR:
anticipate any potential issues that could
Moffat County Hot Air Balloon Festival...............Aug. 2-3
escalate the costs of energy. Whenever
Moffat County Fair...........Aug. 3-9
future energy needs. We work hard to
possible, we work to minimize the impact those issues could have on your energy bill. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the implementation of this rate adjustment, we encourage you to call our offices at 970-879-1160 or 970-824-6593. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 8 August 2014
FOURTH OF JULY — STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
Routt County Fair........... Aug.8-16
[YVEA News]
YVEA HAMILTON CANYON POLE SET
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YVEA crews recently repaired and replaced an electric pole in Hamilton Canyon that was damaged extensively during a May 11 storm. A total of nine poles failed during that storm when spring snow built ice on the conductors and high winds caused the poles to fail, leaving 144 members without power for nearly 10 hours. Crews isolated the lines and “backfed� the circuit until repairs could be made at a later date. The terrain where the damaged pole was located proved to be a challenge for restoration efforts. YVEA would need to build a road to the site or use a helicopter to haul the pole to the work area. After evaluating the costs and time frame for restoration, YVEA chose the helicopter option. Visit the YVEA Facebook page (Facebook.com/Yampa ValleyElectricAssociation) and see amazing video footage of Cromer Contracting and Heliqwest Helicopter Services setting a pole.
See amazing video of crews setting the pole at Hamilton Canyon at Facebook.com/YampaValleyElectricAssociation.
Purchasing a Generator
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Yampa Valley Electric and Safe Electricity urge you to make sure you understand power and safety considerations before adding a generator to your home. There are two types of generators homeowners can choose from: portable and standby. A portable generator is usually gas powered and can be moved around. Standby generators are installed directly to the house and are typically powered by natural gas or propane. These generators start automatically when the power goes out. Begin by identifying your basic electrical needs in the event of a power outage and calculating the number of watts needed. You will want a generator that produces more power than all the equipment combined plus the initial surge when it is turned on. You may want to contact an electrician to determine your needed power usage. After choosing a generator, there are many safety concerns to consider. Before hooking it up, be sure to read and follow all manufacturer operating instructions to properly ground the generator. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. This creates backfeed, which means the generator is feeding electricity back through your electrical system and meter and into the power lines. This jeopardizes the safety of linemen attempting to restore power as well as anyone who may be near downed or sagging lines as the generator energizes the previously dead lines.
Standby generators should be installed by a qualified electrician who will also install a transfer Please contact us at YVEA switch to prevent backfeed. and let us know where your That device will automatigenerator is located so that cally separate your home we can put an alert on your system from the utility account for the safety of our system. Yampa Valley Electric should be linemen during an outage. notified before directly wiring a generator Contact us at 888-USE-YVEA into your home’s electrical circuit. if you have any questions. Portable generators can be handy when used properly but can be deadly as well, particularly from carbon monoxide fumes emitted by the gasoline engine on the generator. Always operate your portable generator outdoors to keep exhaust fumes out of the home. It should be kept at least 10 feet from your home and operated with extension cords. It is recommended that you operate your generator once a month for at least 10 minutes to ensure it is running properly. Keep the generator where it will be easily accessible and safe from the elements. It is advisable to have enough fuel for at least 24 hours.
For more information on generator safety, visit SafeElectricity.org. ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 9
[YVEA News]
BEYOND THE FLIP OF A SWITCH
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With a mere flip of a switch, electricity illuminates our lives. But have you ever thought about where your power comes from? Most of us don’t give it a second thought until our service is interrupted and we’re left in the dark, even if only for a short amount of time. In today’s world, electricity is a necessity, and this needed resource travels a great distance to reach you, our members. Yampa Valley Electric Association provides electricity to more than 26,000 meters, and it takes a network of folks to do so. YVEA builds and maintains overhead and underground power lines and manages the equipment needed to provide you with safe, reliable power. But did you know that YVEA doesn’t actually generate the power that is supplied to your home? That’s where the power supplier comes in. Yampa Valley Electric Association receives electricity from Xcel Energy, an investor-owned utility. Xcel Energy generates electricity and then sends the power over high-voltage transmission lines to Yampa Valley Electric. After the power is sent over Xcel’s high-voltage transmission lines, it then makes its way to YVEA substations where the voltage is reduced in order to make it to your home safely. Yampa Valley Electric owns 19 substations, each located within its service territory. From the substations, power is sent to Yampa Valley Electric’s transformers — those large cans that sit at the top of power poles — then directed to your home. (See chart at right.) As you can see, there’s a little more to it than flipping a switch, but we’ve got you covered. We have provided our members with safe, reliable and affordable power for 73 years and that continues to be our number one goal today.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 10 August 2014
ColoradoCountryLife.coop June 2014 11
[newsclips]
Youth Tour ROCKS D.C.
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Thirty students representing 20 Colorado co-ops toured the nation’s capital in June as part of this year’s Washington, D.C., Youth Tour. The week started at United Power, a Brighton-based electric co-op, where students learned the basics of the electric grid and safety. They also toured the state capitol and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association’s operations center where they got a glimpse of how electricity is dispatched minute by minute. In Washington, the Colorado group traveled with eight other state groups visiting the memorials, museums, the National Cathedral and Arlington National Cemetery. On Youth Day, Colorado students gathered with more than 1,600 students from across the country for educational and motivational presentations. The students also participated in a congressional simulation to help them understand the decision-making process a member of Congress goes through. They were able to make decisions and then see what some of the unintended consequences might be. The exercise allowed them to see how changing one thing could have a rippling effect, good and bad. The students then spent a day on Capitol Hill where they met with Senator Michael Bennet (D) and Reps. Cory Gardner (R), Ed Perlmutter (D), Jared Polis (D) and Scott Tipton (R). This was the 50th anniversary of the electric co-op Youth Tour.
Pedaling to Keep Coloradans Warm
U.S. Moves Closer to Energy Independence
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The United States could be energy self-sufficient by 2035, according to BP’s 2035 Energy Outlook report. The report projects that worldwide energy demand will grow by 41 percent in the next 20 years, which is slower than the 52 percent growth over the last 20 years. According to the report, energy production in the United States is expected to increase by 24 percent while consumption will expand by only 3 percent and energy consumed in power generation will increase by 10 percent. Coal is expected to remain the dominant fuel source, although the report projects that its share will drop from 43 percent to 35 percent. Renewables are expected to be the fastest-growing source of electricity generation.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 12 August 2014
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Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives will sponsor a bike team in the third annual Pedal the Plains bike tour this September. Bicyclists will ride from Wiggins to Fort Morgan to Sterling and back to Wiggins along with an expected 1,000 other riders exploring Colorado’s eastern plains September 19-21. The team is gathering support for the 173-mile ride and donating that money to Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit that helps provide home energy assistance for low-income Coloradans. Sponsor a rider by visiting www.poweringtheplains.coop and downloading the form to mail in with a check.
Renewable Energy on the Rise for Co-ops
Electric cooperatives have doubled their owned and purchased renewable energy capacity since 2009. Co-ops’ aggregated total capacity has jumped from 2.9 gigawatts to 5.9 gigawatts, plus another 10 gigawatts of renewable hydropower purchased from federal facilities. Source: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
[newsclips]
TESLA CARS GET A CHARGE IN LIMON
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Tesla Motors has promised those who buy its Model S electric car that they will find charging stations every 150 miles or so across the country’s major thoroughfares. Fulfilling that promise, Tesla has installed five superchargers along Interstate 70 in Colorado, one of which is on electric co-op lines. The new Limon supercharger station in Mountain View Electric Association’s territory is located in the Arby’s parking lot off Highway 24 before it intersects with Interstate 70. There are six charging stations at this location with room for two more and a total of 1,280 kilowatts of charge currently available. “There is a potential for a lot of load there, but for very short periods of time,” says MVEA Member Services Manager Darryl Edwards. Maximum load will only occur if all six stations are charging at the maximum rate. According to Tesla Motors, Model S drivers can get a half charge in approximately 20 minutes; an 80 percent charge is enough for travel between many supercharger stations. The company currently has 99 stations in North America, according to
its website. The Colorado superchargers are located in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Silverthorne, Lone Tree and Limon. More are coming along I-76 and in Colorado Springs in the near future.
Check out all things Tesla at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkm00ZffzNM or visit the http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger for more information.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 13
[industry]
Fair Ladies of the Colorado State Fair Making sure every kid comes out a winner BY KRISTEN HANNUM
Midori Clark joined the Fair Ladies buying group without being completely convinced that the group’s mission of buying prize-winning animals at the junior livestock sale was important. The Colorado State Fair was all good, she thought, but she wondered: “How much good could bidding on those young farmers’ and ranchers’ livestock really do?”
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Then Clark went to her first fair as a member of the Fair Ladies and met the kids who were lined up to greet the arriving busloads of bidders. They erased her doubts. “You see these kids line up, they look you right in the eye, give you a firm handshake and ask you to bid on their animal,” Clark says. “They’re pleasant, direct and well spoken.” Clark has paid her $250 annual membership fee ever since, which is all that’s required for any woman to become a Fair Lady. The group is one of several buying groups that join individual buyers in bidding on and buying prizewinning livestock each August at the Colorado State Fair. The Fair Ladies’ numbers fluctuate, but there are usually between 85 and 100, says Clark. “The more the merrier,” she adds. “Anyone can join.” Although the group is casually organized with no official history, most Fair Ladies agree that the organization began in 1991, after an energetic local woman, Diane Hanson, died of breast cancer. Her friends realized that there would be no better way to honor Hanson than to support young farmers and ranchers at the state fair. Hanson had, after all, raised her three children on a Beulah ranch, and was a strong supporter of their 4-H activities. “They kept her memory alive,” says Holly Hanson, Diane’s daughter. Barbara Fortino remembers that it was just four women to begin with, and each of them recruited one other member.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 14 August 2014
Then it was eight women, each of whom recruited another. Then it was 16, and so on.
Bringing the bling to the stands
The youngsters at the fair are the 4-Hers and Future Farmers of America who won the honor of selling their steers, goats, lambs, pigs and even rabbits at the state fair’s junior livestock sale. “They have gifts and cards for us, telling us what their background is, about their animal and how hard they’ve worked,” says Margie Hilvitz, another Fair Lady. Following a social time, the youngsters lead their prizewinning sows, steers, goats and lambs — often bedecked
at the event, their group would focus on buying the second and third place animals, in order to make sure all the kids got a fair price — thus the Fair Ladies. “It’s truly an outstanding accomplishment to move from the county fair to the state fair,” says Debbie Rose, another Fair Lady. “They work hard and deserve a fair price for their animals, too.”
Rural roots
with ribbons and flowers — around an arena in front of enthusiastic buyers. No group is more fervent than the Fair Ladies, dressed in variations of black skirts or jeans and white shirts. “And as much jewelry as possible,” Hilvitz adds. “Lots of bling,” emphasizes Melody Baker, the group’s treasurer. “You wear all the junk jewelry that you can get on,” agrees Kay Stillman, another Fair Lady. Last year, the Sam Brown family bidding group bought the grand champion steer for $57,000, a record price at the junior livestock sale. The Brown family often bids against the Denver Rustlers, a well-heeled bidding group that last year bought the reserve champion steer for $20,000 and the grand champion lamb for $13,000. Those sales of grand champion large animals are the hottest contests of the auction. The excitement sometimes lags, however, when smaller animals are up for bid, or the second and third place livestock come out. That’s when the auctioneer is likely to turn to the bank of seats where the Fair Ladies are sitting. “OK, Fair Ladies, are you bidding on this?” he’ll ask. Along with most of the longtime attendees of the sale, he knows the real reason the Fair Ladies chose their name. Holly Hanson, for years the group’s president, explains that the 30 or 40 original members decided that since there were already other bidding groups that had come together to buy the grand champion steer and other headline livestock
Rose joined the group a dozen years ago when Lola Spradley, a founding Fair Lady who lived in Beulah, told Rose that she should join. Spradley, who would become the first woman Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, told her that the Fair Ladies were the only all-women bidding group at the junior livestock sale, and that their goal was to ensure that all the kids got a fair price for their animals. “I said count me in,” says Rose. Besides serving as a Fair Lady, Rose is vice president of the board of San Isabel Electric Association and lives in Beulah, about 25 miles southwest of Pueblo. Although San Isabel Electric is now headquartered in Pueblo West, and although most of the Fair Ladies live in Pueblo, both organizations actually began in little Beulah. The electric co-op traces its history to 1938, when a Pueblo county extension agent told some area ranchers about the possibility of electrification. They recruited 300 farmers and ranchers to sign on and secure a loan to begin the co-op. San Isabel and 21 other Colorado electric co-op entities now sponsor the livestock sale, which is officially Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale. In 2006, Xcel Energy, the auction’s previous sponsor, told fair officials that it was bowing out. Mountain View Electric Association (already a part of the Pikes Peak Posse bidding group), San Isabel Electric and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association took over the sponsorship. Over the next three years, they convinced more and more of the electric co-ops and related entities, such as Colorado Country Life, to join as sponsors. With 22 now participating, they are able to keep Colorado’s rural roots alive and launch young farmers and ranchers into a successful future. “I’d invite everyone to come,” says Clark. “Pueblo puts on a very good state fair, and the auction is one of its crowning jewels.”
See junior livestock auction action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX4iUrCwQNo ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 15
THE GOLDEN GM: the F-88
J
Salvaged ’50s concept car stars in auto museum
BY K R I S T E N H A N N U M
John S. Hendricks, founder of The Discovery Channel, was sitting at a campfire under a starry Kenyan sky with a BBC film crew when he asked the well-traveled group where they had seen the most dramatically beautiful landscape of their lives. “I had expected them to list exotic locations in Nepal or New Zealand, but to a person they said ‘the American Southwest,’” Hendricks wrote in his 2013 memoir, A Curious Discovery: An Entrepreneur’s Story. “I was only a little surprised: There really is no place on earth possessing such grand contrasts.”
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 16 August 2014
Loving the West
It was the tipping point for Hendricks, who already had reasons for loving the West. When he returned from Africa to his Maryland home, he and his wife immediately began searching for a place of their own in the West’s spectacular country, a retreat where they could unwind. They bought a ranch in remote southwestern Colorado, but instead of building only a secluded retreat, Hendricks built a resort, known as Gateway Canyons, and a museum, the Gateway Canyons Auto Museum. In the same way the It’s one of Discovery Channel gave him a way to the many cars … share his passion for science and that I wish engineering, the resort and museum I hadn’t sold,” says give Hendricks a way to share his Don Williams, passions for the Southwest and rare legendary classic car cars. In fact, the museum is home owner and seller. to one of the most famously expensive and unique cars in the world, the 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 concept car, a prototype created for showcasing an automaker’s styl-
“
ing, a car shown at motor shows but often never put into production. Despite the fact that most Coloradans have never heard of this place, the resort and museum attract visitors from around the globe. Celebrities who love rare cars also favor Gateway. Jay Leno? “Can’t say,” says Scott Shaw, who works at the museum. “We respect our patrons’ confidentiality.”
Escaping the crusher
They come to see amazing cars, including the legendary Oldsmobile F-88 that is the centerpiece of this out-of-theway museum. “It’s the original, one of the great prototype cars developed in the fifties,” says Don Williams, a legendary classic car owner and seller. “It’s one of the many cars in my life that I wish I hadn’t sold,” he sighs. According to the original General Motors press release, “Oldsmobile’s experimental sports car, the rakish F-88 is a two-seater sports convertible with ‘competition-type’ instruments and a low-slung body that gives an impression of speed even when standing still.” Like the 300 original Corvettes that debuted in 1953, the F-88 had a fiberglass body. Harley Earl, the son of a coach builder who became GM’s vice president of design, led the teams that created both the Corvette and the F-88, a car that combined the sexy, good looks of the Corvette with extra bells and whistles, including a powerful engine. [continued on page 18]
ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 17
(The first Corvette was equipped with only a V-6.) The F-88 starred in the 1954 GM Motorama, that year’s version of the GM traveling shows that hit America’s major cities with both the concept cars and new models for sale. Only two F-88s were ever built: the gold one that went on tour, and Earl’s personal cherry red model. No one knows what happened to that red F-88, although it is rumored to have been destroyed, either in an accident or from catching on fire. The gold F-88 also disappeared. To the extent that anyone gave its fate any thought, it was assumed that the gold show car suffered the same ugly demise as dozens of other concept cars. GM’s policy was that the cars be scrapped within a year of their creation. “They were told to cut up the F-88,” says Williams. “It’s what happened to most of the concept cars; they put them in the trash.” That wasn’t a policy Earl agreed with, so it’s possible he was the person who sent a passel of wooden crates containing a disassembled F-88 to the Beverly Hills home of E.L. Cord, a former race car driver, car salesman, auto company owner and designer.
Loving cars
As those crates sat moldering, stacked in the Cord family’s six-car garage, Hendricks’ father was taking pride in how his son could reel off the make, model and year of just about any car they saw on the West Virginia roads.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 18 August 2014
Hendricks’ father only reluctantly returned East after World War II; what the older Hendricks really wanted to do was to move to Colorado’s Western Slope. “He often told me that there was a particular place out West he thought the most beautiful and grand: the canyon country southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado,” wrote Hendricks in his memoir. Hendricks’ father and uncle worked on western ranches as young men. The two brothers traveled all over the West and amassed a good collection of both maps and memories. After his dad returned home from his work, young Hendricks often headed out to sit behind the wheel of the family car, armed with his dad’s stories about the West and those brightly colored maps of Colorado and other western states. He would plan his routes and imagine long western drives, all in the driveway of his family’s modest West Virginia home. Young Hendricks’ love affair with cars shifted into a higher gear when he achieved the dream car of just about every teenage boy of the late 1960s: a Camaro. “A key number is still etched in my mind: $83.17,” Hendricks wrote in The Performing Art of the American Automobile. “According to my father, that was the monthly car payment required for the purchase of a new Camaro with a sticker price of $2,575.” He managed to buy the Camaro — just as, in 2006, he managed to buy the F-88. Fellow classic car collector Williams has made a tidy living from buying and selling classic cars. He was the first person to sell a car (a 1931 Duesenberg) for more than $1 million. He sold more than $100 million worth of classic cars in 1992, in 1998 and annually since 2001. He briefly owned the F-88, and sold it twice. Before Williams acquired the F-88, the car was, as GM had instructed, unusable. No one knows how long the pieces — along with water-stained blueprints for putting them back together again — sat in those wooden crates in Cord’s California garage. But at some point the crates began to change hands. According to Consumer Guide’s How Stuff Works, the crates went to first one and then another supplier of vehicles to the film industry. They were sold to classic car dealers in Arizona, Ohio and Michigan and then back to Arizona. It was that last buyer before Williams, a talented restorer, who began the painstaking job of putting the F-88 back together. It was already recognizably beautiful when it caught Williams’ eye. He bought it in 1990 and then quickly flipped it at the 1991 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, a world-famous event (at least in clas-
sic car circles) that he co-founded. The car came back to him in 1997, and he sold it again at his California consignment showroom, a part of his Blackhawk automobile museum in Danville, California.
The F-88 comes to Colorado
The last time the F-88 sold, it was again through the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2006, this time for a record $3.24 million to Hendricks. The car, which bears a definite resemblance to that Corvette Hendricks fell in love with as a 6-year-old, now spins on a dais, the centerpiece of his museum. Like the rest of the world-class collection of rare and unique cars at the museum, it is displayed like a gleaming, lovely piece of art. It almost didn’t happen, at least in Gateway. In his memoir, Hendricks wrote that he and his wife had decided on property in northern New Mexico when he happened upon a real estate ad in The Wall Street Journal, a “ranch for sale in the spectacular red rock canyon country southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado.” Those words brought up so many childhood memories of his father’s stories that Hendricks immediately changed his schedule to take a look at what turned out to be “the most stunning red rock landform I had ever seen, glowing in the morning light.”
Appropriately, the road to Gateway from Grand Junction, a 45-minute section of Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway 141, is beautiful enough to film car commercials on, something that hasn’t escaped the automobile marketing people. In sections it’s like driving down the center of a small-scale Grand Canyon, with red, red rocks beneath a blue, blue Colorado sky. More people make the trek than you might think. Shaw, a museum employee, says people from around the world come to see the cars. They tell him it’s more like an art museum than the unfortunate parking lot effect that some car museums offer. They also love the Colorado scenery. So is it beautiful enough to lure Jay Leno? Especially considering that the resort also rents out high-end vehicles to tool around in? “Can’t say,” Shaw repeats good-naturedly. But he will admit that Hendricks pops in on a regular basis. “It’s his baby,” says Shaw. “He stops in and looks at the cars.” Kristen Hannum is a Colorado native, freelance writer and editor who lives in Denver.
Scan this page with our app (see page 2) and see more of the cars displayed at the museum or visit youtu.be/ x5kb0DdUcL0
Read an expanded story on the museum at coloradocountrylife.coop and learn more about Gateway Canyons resort at gatewaycanyons.com.
Visit the museum and see more amazing cars ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 19
[recipes]
All Ears for Delicious Corn Dishes Tempt tastes with recipes that include fresh corn off the cob BY AMY HIGGINS || AHIGGINS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG Creative Cob The next time you cook corn on the cob, check your refrigerator and spice cabinet
F
Fortunately for us, growing corn in Colorado is somewhat simple. And if you’ve been keeping the roots warm and moist, you’re probably harvesting these sweet ears about now. Corn is heavenly with a little butter and salt, but the kernels are also a delectable component in a variety of recipes. So get shucking and try your hand at one of these recipes.
for nonstandard seasonings. For example, add some zip with a cilantro, lime and honey combination. Or sweeten corn with cinnamon, sugar and butter.
Sweet Corn and Black Bean Enchiladas 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1 cup fresh sweet corn kernels 2 bell peppers, diced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 cup salsa 1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste 10 6-inch corn tortillas 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1 8-ounce can enchilada sauce Diced avocado, optional Sour cream, optional
on until you’re
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray an 11-by7-inch (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Heat vegetable oil in a medium pan. Cook onion, corn and bell peppers over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add cumin, salsa and black beans, and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly. Place an even amount of the filling mixture in each tortilla. Divide 1 cup shredded cheese among all 10 tortillas. Carefully roll up tortillas and place seam side down in sprayed baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over rolled enchiladas, spreading to coat all tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly around edges. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve.
ready to cook.
Courtesy of Fresh From Florida
Hold On to the Husk It’s tempting to tear off the corn’s husk right away; after all, you want to ensure it’s worm-free. But the husk keeps corn fresh and moist. With your next ears of corn, inspect closely for wormholes beforehand and leave the husk
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 20 August 2014
Fire-Roasted Corn and Chorizo Dip 3 to 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husked 1 small onion, peeled and sliced into rings 1 small red bell pepper 1 cup cooked chorizo 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1/2 pound spicy pepper cheese, such as pepper jack or habañero cheddar 1/4 cup chopped green onions Preheat oven to 400 degrees and preheat grill pan to high heat. Place fresh sweet corn, onion slices and red bell pepper on grill. Grill corn and bell pepper for 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes until all sides are slightly charred. Grill onion slices for approximately 3 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, cut corn off cob. Then chop onions and pepper, removing pepper seeds. In 8-by-8-inch baking dish or 1-quart soufflé dish, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until edges are bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Courtesy of Sunshine Sweet Corn How to grill corn on the cob - http://allrecipes.com/ video/256/how-to-grill-corn-on-the-cob/detail.aspx
ColoradoCountryLife.coop December 2013 21
[gardening]
Landscapes That Long for Less Water Xeriscaping helps save water and beautifies dry areas BY KRISTEN HANNUM || GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG A couple years ago I was surprised to read about the importance of xeriscaping in Britain. This was tucked in a British gardening book filled with lush photos of riotous gardens from Cornwall to the Scots border. (OK, I admit I was mostly looking at the pictures.) The author credited the Denver Water board’s role in promoting water-wise landscaping, beginning around 1980, and with coining the word xeriscape, over part of your lawn to native plantings, which is a combination of the Greek you don’t need to poison your turf to get “xeros,” meaning dry, and landscape. rid of it. If you’re working on a fairly flat That writer’s point for British gardenarea, sheet mulching — layering various ers was that xeriscaping doesn’t actually ingredients on top of your lawn — is easimean dry landscapes. It means gardening er both on you and the planet. September with species that require less or no irrigais the best time for sheet mulching, so it’s tion. best to plan now. Here in Colorado, xeriscaping is more xeros than in rainy Britain, but in both places water-wise landscaping doesn’t just save water and money. It’s also a more interesting landscaping choice compared to the standard subdivision lawns of the second half of the 20th century. Denver Water played an important role in that change, but it had to begin by convincing people that xeriscaping didn’t From turf to native plantings: mean tearing out their lawns in favor of rocks and cacti. People get that now, 1. F igure out where to lose the turf. says Travis Thompson, a Denver Water Spray paint or use chalk to line the spokesperson. “We’re promoting stunperimeter. ning landscapes rather than yards, and 2. Cut the grass as short as possible it’s not an all-or-nothing approach. We’re inside your defined area, leaving the asking people to think about places on cuttings behind. Water. their property — a slope where the grass is hard to keep alive, for instance — where 3. Spread a layer of compost inside the they might make more efficient choices lines. Water. than lawn.” 4. Cover with newspaper or cardboard Every Colorado gardener knows how then water again. important it is to amend our soil with F 5. inally, layer a couple inches of heavy organic matter and to mulch, but those compost covered with mulch. practices bear repeating with regard to using water wisely, because they’re key. The amended soil grows stronger plants that In the spring, you can plant a selection can withstand tough summers and the of native and drought-tolerant perennials mulch keeps the soil cooler and wetter. that you can water with drip irrigation. August is a prime month to assess your Within a couple years, depending on lawn and garden water consumption and the species, they’ll need little irrigation then plan what changes would make for beyond rainfall. less irrigation. If you decide to change You don’t need poison for sloped lawn
A
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 22 August 2014
areas either. A better way is to cut out the turf or bake it under black plastic in the late spring and summer. Denver Water offers a generous number of xeriscaping products, tips and links. That’s not because a frustrated gardener is in charge of the utility but rather because landscaping and toilets consume the most water. Its main page for xeriscaping is at DenverWater.org/Conservation/Xeri scape. As for trends in xeriscaping, Lauren Springer Ogden, author of The Undaunted Garden: Planting for Weather-Resilient Beauty, says she’s seeing more interest in cacti and succulents in gardens. “People have gotten over their fear of spiky things,” she says. Ogden also says gardeners have become more interested in planting bird-friendly gardens, often with native plants. That, too, cuts water use. Gayle Lehman, park supervisor at the Yampa River Botanic Park in Steamboat Springs (YampaRiverBotanicPark.org), says she sees an increased appreciation for ornamental grasses that are less thirsty. “People should come see what they look like,” she says, and adds that seeing a different kind of garden can help expand our perception of what’s beautiful. Hooray for that! Watch xeriscaping basics http:// www.hgtvremodels.com/video/ xeriscaping-basics-video/index.html Read previous gardening columns at colorado countrylife.coop. Search for Gardening. Kristen Hannum is a native Coloradan gardener. Email or write her with wisdom or comments at gardening@coloradocountrylife.org
ColoradoCountryLife.coop June 2014 23
[outdoors]
… Another Man’s Treasure
Finding memories in a dusty garage sale box BY DENNIS SMITH || OUTDOORS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
M
My next-door neighbor, Art, cruises the local yard sale circuit almost every weekend keeping an eye out for collectible Matchbox cars, antique pocketknives, unique kitchen utensils and that sort of thing. But he’s just as likely to come home with a bent metal tackle box stuffed full of rusty hooks, paint-chipped lures, busted bobbers, faded trout flies and, on occasion, an old reel or two. A lot of it is just old stuff, but some of it can be surprisingly valuable, depending on the viewer. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” and all that.
This could demolish you! bit.ly/UmDHFN
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 24 August 2014
A few days ago he hollered at me from over the back fence: “Hey, come take a look at this stuff.” He held up a greasy cardboard box of old fishing tackle. “I got the whole box for two bucks,” he said. Buried in the dusty clutter of lures and tangled spools of line were some intriguing aluminum leader tins and three old reels. Two of the reels were cheap plastic models, but one pretty well leaped out of the box at me. It was matted with hardened grease and dried mud and its spool was filled with rotted blue line and, still, my eyes lit up. You couldn’t read the engraving on its round, black cover plates through the dirt, but I’d have recognized it anywhere. “Holy mackerel,” I said. “Would you look at that? A Mitchell 304 CAP.” “What the heck is a Mitchell CAP?” Art asked. “Is it worth anything?” “Well, it might be, but I honestly don’t know,” I told him. Even if it were worth hundreds of dollars, it still wouldn’t matter to me. The
Mitchell CAP was the first honest-to-God piece of adult fishing gear I ever purchased with my own money. I was 10 years old and I spent most of the summer mowing lawns and bucking hay behind a horse-drawn wagon on Muller’s farm to earn the $16.95 that little reel cost. I know it seems silly, but the sight of that old reel in a box of junk churned up a slew of childhood memories: summer nights on the Rondout Creek hooking catfish by the light of an old kerosene lantern with my brother and cousin; cool spring mornings sneaking along brook trout streams A Mitchell 304 CAP spinning reel, circa 1953 was a hot little number back in the day.
with my father; our old wooden rowboat tied up beneath the sycamore tree where we caught largemouth bass on frogs and hellgrammites. I could go on and on. I think I caught just about every species of freshwater game fish on that reel before it just evaporated into the jaws of time. And now, suddenly, here it was again. “If you ever decide to sell that thing, I want first crack at it,” I told Art. He must have recognized the long lost look on my face because he said, “Heck, you can have it for five bucks.” I‘d have given him a hundred if he’d asked.
Miss an issue? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Search for Outdoors.
[energy tips]
WATER HEATER UPKEEP Maximize your water heater’s potential BY JAMES DULLEY
O
Old or new, water heaters need a little TLC in order to do the best job possible. At least once a year, drain a gallon of water from the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. This will flush out sediment, which collects there. Sediment insulates the water from the heating element. It is important to keep the water temperature as low as possible. A greater temperature difference between the hot water and the air in your basement or utility room increases the tank standby losses. During the summer, these losses heat up your house and make your air conditioner run With an old-style, analog style longer, creating water heater, switch off the a double energy electric power and then adjust the thermostat on the heating expense. elements to lower the hot water Check the temperature. temperature of the hot water at the faucet you use most often. If you have to mix a considerable amount of cold with the hot to tolerate the temperature, the water heater is set too hot. Be sure to turn off electricity to the water heater before making any adjustments. Feel the temperature of the hot water outlet and cold water inlet pipes. If they are fairly warm, it means hot water — because it is less dense — is naturally circulating upward and cooling off. Put tubular foam insulation on the water heater inlet and outlet pipes to minimize the heat loss. This type of insulation is split on one side, making it easy to install over the pipes. Insulate the first 4 to 6 inches of the exposed piping. For more information on water heaters, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Energy Tips. ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 25
RIDE WITH US
A team of representatives from local electric co-ops will ride in this year’s Pedal the Plains bicycle tour of eastern Colorado. They will ride from Wiggins to Fort Morgan to Sterling and back to Wiggins September 21-23.
If you would like to sponsor the team and help raise money for Energy Outreach Colorado, fill
out the form below and send it with your check. Make check payable to CEEI/EOC.
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: CREA/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 ColoradoCountryLife.coop 26 August 2014
WE ARE LOOKING FOR BACK ISSUES OF COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE. If you have copies of the magazine from these years, please contact us at 303-455-4111 or info@ coloradocountrylife.org or send them to 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 October 1959 • March 1970 • 1971 • 1975 • January-July 1976 • 2004
[marketplace]
Keep in Touch
WiseSaver
Adding insulation to your attic, basement, exterior walls and/or crawl spaces will boost your home’s efficiency. ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 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
ANTIQUE RESTORATION
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
ANTIQUE RESTORATION STUDIO – Antique conservation. Quality craftsmanship since 1974. Bayfield, CO, www.antiqueresdurango.com 970-884-1937. (988-12-14)
PIANO TUNING PAYS. Learn with American School home-study course. Tools included. Call for info. 800-497-9793. (158-01-15)
CHAIR CANING, hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-14)
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. (085-09-14)
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.)
WORK LESS & LIVE MORE! MiaBellaNation.com Department #745 (831-10-14)
CARS/TRUCKS/BOATS 28’ BAYLINER CRUISER. Sleeps 6. Galley, bridge. Always garaged. Nice! $19,500. 970-946-4071 (18608-14) 50 SUBARUS! (1995-2014) Outbacks, Foresters, Imprezas, Tribecas & more! Great prices! Warranties available! Dealer: www.MonumentMotors.com 719-481-9900 (574-08-14)
CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Clocks bought and sold. Call Robert 970-247-7729, bob.scott@ usa.net clockrepairandrestoration. com (109-11-14)
EVENTS COLORADO GOLD AND COLORADO SILVER Jewelry Manufacturing Company by Vimar Corporation. Factory to be moved. Includes business, registered trademarks, equipment, and inventory. Call Doris @ 719-740-2274 (187-08-14) 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 (932-02-15)
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 28 August 2014
SALIDA FIBER FESTIVAL, September 6-7, Riverside Park. Vendors selling fiber, yarn, textiles, fiber-related supplies, finished products, more! Demonstrations and children’s activities. Classes offered, see www.salidafiberfestival.org for list and vendors. (062-08-14) SUPPORT AGRICULTURE! Help raise $$ for ag scholarships. Taste of Four Corners FFA Fundraiser Fajita Dinner & desserts. Entertainment by Lacie Black. Aug. 16, 5-8p, Foxfire Farms, Ignacio, $40. Call Bridget 970769-0288 for tickets, information. (168-08-14)
FARM & RANCH SUPPLIES
QUILTS
TECHNOLOGY
PET FOOD, GRAINS, GRASS/alfalfa hay, straw, shavings, bedding/stove pellets, & firewood. 719-495-4842. Ayer Ranch TLC, Inc., 12558 Meridian Road, Elbert/Black Forest, CO 80106 (146-10-14)
DOLORES, CO — AUGUST 22-23, Dolores Mountain Quilters Guild Quilt Show. 100+ quilts exhibited. Dolores Community Center. doloresmountainquilters.org 970882-2191 (180-08-14)
FINE ART
REAL ESTATE
UNLIMITED RURAL INTERNET – Get unlimited 3G/4G high speed internet today. Faster than satellite. No data cap! 10 day free trial, $119 monthly for unlimited bandwidth. Visit us: www.evdodepotusa. com 888-508-3389 – Ask for Patti (177-10-14)
NAVAJO RUGS, QUILTS, other weavings, wrought iron or Aspen textile display racks. Custom wallmounted or freestanding. www. TwinRavenz.com “Made in a good way.” (184-11-14)
BAYFIELD/VALLECITO — Beautiful mountain retreat, 4bd, 3ba, 3436sf on 1.2 acres, well water, septic, 5 minutes from Vallecito Lake. $467,900. 970-884-9324. (163-09-14)
FOR SALE GRASSFED YAK AND BISON MEAT for sale. Delicious and nutritious. Delivery available. Quarter, half, or whole. 720-256-3364 (029-11-14) MARY KAY Independent Beauty Consultant, 20% product discount. Free shipping. 970-394-0719, www.marykay.com/wcarlson14 (188-08-14) OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS - $380 with warranty. Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies. Repair and service of equipment. Aspen Concentrator Repair Service 719-471-9895 (040-08-14)
FREE FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite! Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 888-211-1715. (814-08-14)
HEALTH A WAR IS GOING ON inside your body! Do you have what you need most to survive this battle? Take the free QUIZ at www.Health WiseAnswers.com (800) 959-5343 (176-09-14)
MACHINERY & PARTS 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 www.sawmill exchange.com . (267-09-14)
QUILTS 30th ANNUAL HAXTUN CORN FESTIVAL QUILT SHOW, September 27, Community Center, 100+ quilts & boutique. 970-520-2463 (190-09-14)
COLORADO MOUNTAIN GETAWAY near Pagosa Springs. 3bd/2ba/3car/ barn on 40+ wooded acres w/ views. National Forest/BLM two sides. Hunting/fishing/$30,000 below appraisal. ForSaleByOwner. com Listing ID 23994657 (189-11-14) DURANGO COLORADO – 35 acres with beautiful views. Was $195,000. NOW $119,000. More information and photos at www.Durango Colorado.com or call 970-749-2088. Linda Crowther, Keller Williams Realty (107-08-14) OWN PROPERTY? NEED INCOME? We’ll rent exclusive hunting/fishing rights from you. Encourage young sportsmen by providing safe, private access. You make the rules. 303-460-0273 (069-08-14) SAN ISABEL LAKE – Rustic cabin, 1/3 acre, $55,000. See craigslist 4560540952 or 719-271-4785 (17908-14) SOUTHERN COLORADO near Spanish Peaks. Home on 36 wooded acres, 3br, 3ba with high-end finishes. Views, wildlife, seasonal stream. 303-908-3434, www. forsalebyowner.com #23971720 (158-10-14)
RELIGION 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 (441-12-14)
Get out and enjoy yourself
TICKETS NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. All seating levels available. Call 1-888-NFR-rodeo (1-888-6377633) or www.NFR-Rodeo.com. *BBB Member; Since 1990. (912-11-14)
VACATIONS EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISES, Alaska Cruise/Cruise Tours. Fall Foliage / Canada, New England. Call for prices & brochures. Bon Voyage Cruise & Travel, Inc. 719-596-7447 (183-08-14)
VACATION RENTAL KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-245-6500; makana crest.com; kauaiweddings.com. (756-05-15) KONA, HAWAII, Paradise Villa condo located on the 18th fairway of Kona Country Club with sweeping ocean views; 3bdr, 2ba specials. (503) 369-2638; www.konacondo. info (116-11-14)
WANTED TO BUY NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-12-14) OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303757-8553. (889-08-14) 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 970-565-1256. (871-11-14)
[funny stories] WANTED TO BUY
WANTED TO BUY
WANTED TO BUY
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. (519-11-14)
VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. Gary, 970-222-2181 (170-10-14)
WE PAY CASH for minerals and oil/ gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122 (099-02-15)
OLD POCKET WATCHES — working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209 watch doctor@hotmail.com. (870-06-15)
WANT TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-03-15) WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets. 888-735-5337 (099-04-15)
During a company workshop on emergencies, our instructor asked, “What would you do if you received a letter bomb?” One guy shot up his hand and said, “Write ‘return to sender.’” Kervyn Dimney, Peyton
I asked my 10-year-old grandson, Ian, what he wanted for dinner. “Deviled eggs,” he said. His twin, Jacob, responded, “Grandma can’t make deviled eggs because she’s Lutheran.” Vicki Cool, Longmont
Advertise in Colorado Country Life — call Kris at 303-902-7276 for information.
Send us photos of you with Colorado Country Life
We’re Looking for
photos of readers and their copy of Colorado Country Life. Got a great pic of you or your family member with the magazine at some fun place? Send it and your name and address to info@ coloradocountrylife. org. We’ll post it on our Facebook page and on August 18 we’ll draw a winner from the submissions and send that winner a $25 gift card.
Congratulations Congratulations to Jena Gallegos, who won a $25 gift card for submitting the photo above of these boys reading the magazine on a hot summer day.
Two sisters, one blonde and one brunette, inherited their family ranch. Unfortunately, after a few years they were in financial trouble. In order to keep the bank from repossessing the ranch, they decided to purchase a bull so they could breed their own stock. The brunette took their last $600 and headed out West where a man was selling a prize bull. “When I get there, if I decide to buy the bull, I’ll contact you to drive out after me and haul it home,” she told her sister. The brunette arrived at the man’s ranch and inspected the bull. The man said he would sell the bull to her for $599, and not one cent less. She paid the man and then drove to a nearby town so she could send her sister a telegram. She walked into the telegraph office and told the clerk, “I want to send a telegram to my sister telling her that I bought a bull. I need her to hitch the trailer to our pickup truck and drive here so we can haul it home.” “Sounds good,” the clerk said. “It’s 99 cents per word.” After paying for the bull, the brunette only had $1 left. Realizing she only had enough money for one word, she nodded and told the clerk, “I want you to send her the word ‘comfortable.’” The clerk shook his head and asked,” How will she ever know that you want her to do all that if you send her the word ‘comfortable?’” The brunette explained, “My sister is blonde. She’ll read it slowly.” (com-for-ta-ble) Anonymous
We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year, we draw one name from those submitting jokes and that person will receive $150. Send your 2014 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. ColoradoCountryLife.coop August 2014 29
[discoveries]
Allergy Assistant
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Many parents are anxious sending their children off to school, but when their kids have serious food or bee allergies, it can be utterly frightening. Allerbling™ wristbands
The Littleton-based company is offering Colorado Country Life readers discounted Shine Pals — email jenny.sabell@shinepals. com before you order for your discount.
help alleviate that fear.
Allerbling™ wristbands are customizable medical ID bracelets that identify your child’s allergies. Charms and wristbands are brightly colored for easy identification. One wristband with a medical charm costs $5; additional charms cost $5 each. For more information, visit allerbling.com.
Keep Devices Looking NICE
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With Shine Pals, kids can keep their cell-
Healthier LIFESTYLE
phones and tablets smudge-free with a little personalization. Shine Pals manufactures these charming accessories, which
Ever wonder if your young one is getting enough exercise at
attach to a handheld device’s protective
school? GeoPalz® will help you and your child find out together.
case for use in cleaning off excess oils and
GeoPalz® is a Boulder-based company that manu-
fingerprints that linger on the screen.
factures pedometers that attach to the hip or on a
Style options will show off your child’s
shoe and track the child’s steps throughout the day.
special interests with designs, such as
Those steps are converted to points to redeem for
baseballs, flowers and horseshoes. In addi-
prizes on the GeoPalz® website or app.
tion, with a 250-order minimum, you can
Classic GeoPalz® come in cool designs, such as
customize Shine Pals for your school, team
butterfly, basketball and rock ’n’ roll and sell for $25. People with smart
or business. To view the collection and to
devices may prefer the GeoPalz® ibitz™ Kid Wireless Pedometer. These
order, visit shinepals.com.
gadgets are synced to your iOS Bluetooth 4.0® phone or tablet. The ibitz™ Kid Wireless Pedometer is $34.99, and comes in seven colors (red, blue, pink, green, orange, purple and black) and is available at geopalz.com and retail stores throughout Colorado.
Keyboard CLEANUP
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Muck mounds up on computer keyboards, no mat-
ter how many times your children wash their hands. Eliminate the residue and germs with eKlenz keyboard cleaners. These little sanitizing wipes are perfectly sized to squeeze into any keyboard’s crevices and remove the gunk and germs. Once the keyboard is wiped down to your satisfaction, let it air dry, toss out the wipe and breathe a sigh of relief as your child completes that online assignment. eKlenz wipes are 99.9 percent effective and help stop the spread of germs, the Littleton-based company touts. Prices start at $9.27 for a box of 10 cleaners. To find out more or to purchase eKlenz keyboard cleaners, visit eklenz.com.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 30 August 2014
Make ’Em LAUGH
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Give your child a giggle with these delightful downloadable and printable lunch box notes. Websites, such as kikicomin.com, have several to choose from.