2019-02-SREMC

February 2019

Baking Bread for

Healthy Living page 10

Published by

NC co-op supports world event page 14

Eat right while dining out page 18

PERIODICAL

South River EMC is looking for your best photos—see center pages Feb covers.indd 19

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5

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Guaranteed to grow new green shoots within 45-60 days or we’ll replace it FREE – for up to 1 year – just call us. We ONLY ship you living genuine Amazoy Zoysia grass harvested direct from our farms. Easy planting and watering instructions are included with each order. Every Reorder assumes success of previous orders (plantings), voiding any previous guarantees, but initiating a new one-year guarantee. ©2019 Zoysia Farm Nurseries, 3617 Old Taneytown Rd, Taneytown, MD 21787

Freestyle Plugs You decide how big to cut the plugs. Each grass

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CHOKES OUT CRABGRASS AND WEEDS ALL SUMMER

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NOW 3 WAYS TO START YOUR AMAZOY ZOYSIA LAWN!

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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO START AND MAINTAIN A CAREFREE BEAUTIFUL ZOYSIA LAWN

PLANTING TOOLS * PLANT FOOD * WEED AND PEST CONTROLS * ORGANIC PRODUCTS * SOIL TESTS * GARDEN GLOVES * EDGING AND MORE

All Available Exclusively at www.ZoysiaFarms.com/mag or 410-756-2311 ZOYSIA FARM NURSERIES, 3617 OLD TANEYTOWN ROAD TANEYTOWN MD 21787

AMAZOY IS THE TRADEMARK REGISTERED U.S. PATENT OFFICE for our Meyer Zoysia grass.

ZoysiaFarms CarolinaCountry fullpg Feb2019 Dept5232.indd 1 CC02-wk.indd 2

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We ship all orders the same day the plugs are packed and at the earliest planting time in your state.

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Volume 51, No. 2

14

10

Favorites 4 Viewpoints 8 More Power 26 On the House 28 Energy Sense 30 I Remember 32 NC Outdoors 36 Carolina Compass 38 Marketplace 39 Classifieds 40 Carolina Kitchen 42 Where is This?

42 Photo of the Month

On the Cover Steve and Franca Gilbert at their Tarboro bakery, Alimentaire Wholesome Breads. Read about the couple’s dedication to healthy living and improving their community on page 10. Photo by Randy Berger Photography.

10 14 18 20 34

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The Joys of Good Bread Alimentaire Wholesome Breads stands for a healthier, happier community.

On the Equestrian World Map

Polk County hosted 250,000 visitors for an international event.

Dining Out, the Healthy Way 7 strategies to stay fit and well-fed.

Finding UFOs

A personal journey led retired professor and author David Halperin to study UFOs.

A Century of Reliable Service

Celebrate a milestone with Conrad & Hinkle Food Market.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Home Improvement Fails You tried, you failed, we’re interested! Share photos of home improvement projects gone awry —w e’ll feature our favorites in our May issue. See page 37 for details.

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$1

Viewpoints

Improving the World, One Patient at a Time

By Bruce A. Cairns, M.D.

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have long been vital partners in the development, growth and support of the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Health Care in Chapel Hill.

Since the Burn Center first opened in 1981, North Carolina’s electric co-ops have helped ensure that it remains focused on providing the best, most supportive burn care possible, including aftercare and global burn care, while always thinking about the next big idea that might advance care and improve outcomes.

The Burn Center at UNC has grown from the singular vision of John Stackhouse, an electrical contractor in Goldsboro, to become one the largest, busiest and most innovative burn facilities in the world. In 2017 alone, the Burn Center admitted more than 1,700 patients. More than 400 were children.

It has become a recognized leader in all aspects of burn care, including prevention, treatment, research, reconstruction and rehabilitation, but Donn Young

Dr. Cairns (right) performs surgery at the NC Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Health Care.

one of the most important and unique Central Hospital. Over the 10 years services the Burn Center provides of this partnership, this burn unit is aftercare. has treated countless numbers of Once a person suffers a burn injury patients, most of them children, of any kind and at any age, that indiwith results nearly identical to those vidual — and his or her family — “As a member of a North Carolina will deal with the consequences of electric cooperative, you can that burn injury be immensely proud of what for the rest of their lives. The your co-op and its colleagues burn aftercare have accomplished.” program at UNC provides comprehensive services for children, obtained in mid-income countries teens, couples and families. The Burn such as South Africa.

Center’s Camp Celebrate is the oldest Over the years, electric co-ops have pediatric burn survivor camp, and helped fund a new wound care inpathe center maintains one of the largtient unit at UNC, secured resources est continuously running adult burn for a new family waiting room and reunion programs in the country. up-to-date interactive playroom, While focusing on patient care, the supported education and training for Burn Center has also been busy devel- nurses and doctors in Malawi, supoping new treatments and therapies ported research programs at the Burn for burn scarring and smoke inhalaCenter, and helped secure financial tion injury, two of the most common sustainability for the burn aftercare problems burn patients face. The programs at UNC. Burn Center has a very active research As a member of a North Carolina team, and this group has published electric cooperative, you can be hundreds of papers as well as secured immensely proud of what your co-op millions of dollars of research funds and its colleagues have accomplished. from the federal government and Through hard work, prayers and the industry. financial support, those efforts have Another major focus of the Burn been changing and improving the Center has been the development of world — one patient at a time. one of the most successful burn units Bruce A. Cairns, M.D., is medical director in sub-Saharan Africa in Lilongwe, of the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center Malawi, in partnership with Kamazu in Chapel Hill.

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Viewpoints

THIS MONTH’S ISSUE:

Healthy Living Our cover story this month highlights a Tarboro couple dedicated to baking fresh, locally sourced breads and pastries for their rural community. As they put it: “Real food made mostly from scratch nourishes a healthier, happier and more resilient future for the world.” Also, get the inside scoop on the Tryon 2018 World Equestrian Games in co-op territory (it was a big deal).

—Scott Gates, editor

Foodie Love Before my wife, Molly, and I even started dating, we discovered we share a love for reading Carolina Country magazine, a monthly publication of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. Since we married we’ve looked forward to receiving the latest magazine each month from our parents, who are members of a cooperative while we are not. We settle side by side into the couch and spend 30 minutes to an hour digesting the entire magazine.

Each issue shares a set of recipes, many of which we’ve tried and saved in our personal collection. We read about this Banana Pudding Pie recipe in Carolina Country and knew we had to try it! … We made this recipe and modified it to fit mini pies. Any way you make it, this Banana Pudding Pie is delicious!

Matthew Tessnear, Shelby, via the blog #FoodieScore.

Read more from Matthew and Molly at foodiescore.blog.

Bolivian Roots Always enjoy reading Carolina Country magazine, as it has different topics of interest.

An article in your December issue (“NC Co-ops to Bring Electricity to Bolivian Village,” page 8) really touched me, as I was born in Cochabamba City, which is located in the “Departamento de Cochabamba” in Bolivia. The article mentions that NC co-ops are going to Bolivia, specifically to Cochabamba, and obviously just reading the name of the place I was born brought happy memories of living there with my parents.

I came to the United States in 1960 as a legal immigrant, joined the Air Force and became a U.S. citizen in 1964.

Thank you for the article that brought me back to my childhood. Gracias.

Johnny Kirkwood, Havelock A member of Carteret-Craven EC

Correction to our January issue On the Carolina Music featured track and in our story “Greetings from Byrdland,” Johnny Waken (not Walken) plays electric guitar.

Contact us Phone: 919-875-3091 Fax: 919-878-3970 Mail: 3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616

(ISSN 0008-6746) (USPS 832800)

Read monthly in more than 700,000 homes Published monthly by

3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616 919-875-3091 carolinacountry.com Warren Kessler Publications Director Scott Gates, CCC Editor Renee C. Gannon, CCC Senior Associate Editor Karen Olson House Contributing Editor Tara Verna Creative Director Erin Binkley Graphic Designer Jenny Lloyd Publications Business Specialist Tom Siebrasse Advertising tom@carolinacountry.com Joseph P. Brannan Executive Vice President & CEO Nelle Hotchkiss Senior Vice President & COO North Carolina’s electric cooperatives provide reliable, safe and affordable electric service to 1 million homes and businesses. The 26 electric cooperatives are each member-owned, not-for-profit and overseen by a board of directors elected by the membership.

Why Do We Send You Carolina Country Magazine?

Your cooperative sends you Carolina Country as a convenient, economical way to share with its members information about services, director elections, meetings and management decisions. The magazine also carries legal notices that otherwise would be published in other media at greater cost.

Your co-op’s board of directors authorizes a subscription to Carolina Country on behalf of the membership at a cost of less than $5 per year.

Has your address changed?

Carolina Country magazine is available monthly to members of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. If you are a member of one of these cooperatives but do not receive Carolina Country, you may request a subscription by calling Member Services at the office of your cooperative. If your address has changed, please inform your cooperative.

Subscriptions: Individual subscriptions, $12 per year. $20 outside U.S.A. Schools, libraries, $6.

Carolina Country is available on digital cartridge as a courtesy of volunteer services at the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Raleigh, N.C. 888-388-2460.

Advertising published in Carolina Country is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and willingly sold to customers at the advertised price. The magazine, North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., and the member cooperatives do not necessarily endorse the products or services advertised. Advertising that does not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading is never knowingly accepted.

Should you encounter advertising that does not comply with these standards, please inform Carolina Country at P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, NC 27611. 919-875-3091.

Carolina Country magazine is a member of American MainStreet Publications that collectively reach more than 27 million readers every month.

Web: carolinacountry.com Email: editor@carolinacountry.com

Experiencing a power outage?

Please contact your electric co-op directly to ensure prompt service. Visit carolinacountry.com/co-ops to find yours online.

Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, N.C., and additional mailing offices. Editorial offices: 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. Carolina Country® is a registered trademark of the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Carolina Country, P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, NC 27611.

All content © Carolina Country unless otherwise indicated.

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Exp Plea Visit

ADVERTISEMENT

THANK YOU! To those who care about the

North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center North Carolina’s electric cooperatives raised $150,800 for the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, a division of the UNC Department of Surgery, in October 2018.

What would have been the 20th annual golf tournament was cancelled due to flooding from Hurricane Florence, but the associated fundraiser was a success nonetheless.

Over the years, electric cooperatives, in partnership with more than 80 organizations and individuals, have donated more than $1.9 million to the Burn Center.

Beyond providing the very best in compassionate care, the Burn Center’s mission extends to advancing burn prevention education and outreach, innovative treatment, research, rehabilitation and life-long aftercare. Its success has led to the Burn Center’s recognition as one of the best comprehensive burn centers in the world.

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are grateful to all of the organizations and individuals who contributed to the success of this fundraiser and the Burn Center. With the help of generous donors like these, the Burn Center can continue its groundbreaking work in helping burn patients become burn survivors.

Diamond Sponsors (12,500 and up) CoBank Lee Electrical Construction, Inc.

North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives PowerServices

Platinum Sponsors ($10,00–$12,500) Duke Energy

Pike Electric, Inc.

Gold Sponsors ($5,000-$7,499) NRUCFC Silver Sponsors ($2,000-$4,999) ACES Power Marketing Albemarle EMC Blue Ridge Energy Booth & Associates, Inc. Brunswick Electric Central Electric ElectriCities of NC, Inc. EnergyUnited Four County EMC

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Bronze Sponsors ($1,000-$1,999) Altec Industries, Inc. American Electric Power Bellwether Management Solutions Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative EdgecombeMartin County EMC

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NextERA Pitt & Greene EMC Rutherford EMC Sandhills Utility Services, LLC Substation Engineering & Design Corp.

The Okonite Company Xylem, Inc.

Individual Sponsors & Donations ($50-$999) Anixter ENERCO Energy Services General Cable Lekson Associates, Inc.

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1/10/19 12:05 PM

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1/10/19 12:05 PM

More Power

Farris Leonard (center) was presented the award by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ Senior Vice President and COO Nelle Hotchkiss (left) and CEO Joe Brannan.

NC Safety Leader Receives National Honor Farris Leonard, manager of Job Training & Safety Field Services for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, was recently awarded the H.C. Potthast Award by his peers.

The national award was first given in 1972 in memory of the late Herman C. Potthast, who exemplified the qualities of dedication, leadership, cooperation and service.

Members of the National Utility Training & Safety Education Association who live out the qualities demonstrated by Potthast are recognized with the prestigious award.

“Someone once asked me what I thought made a good Cooperative Safety Professional.

After some contemplation, a very simple answer came to mind for a very complex question: ‘You must care,’ ” said Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation Manager of Safety Dana Mauldin on recommending Leonard for the award.

“After 20 years of being a cooperative safety person, I know no one who cares more than Farris or anyone who represents this ethos any better.”

Leonard got his start with electric cooperatives at Four County EMC, where he served as director of Safety Training and Loss Control for eight years. He joined North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives in 2007, where he has held the roles of Job Training & Safety specialist and manager of Job Training & Safety Field Services.

“I am truly honored by being selected as the recipient of this award,” Leonard said. “Even though this is an individual award, I recognize there are many past recipients listed on the plaque who were my mentors for the last 20 years.

Also, I am thankful for the numerous individuals who have shared their expertise and time with me — without them, this would not have been possible.”

Crisis Counseling Available to Hurricane Florence Victims North Carolina residents in counties hit hard

by Hurricane Florence can now benefit from counseling services through the Hope 4 NC program, overseen by a division of the NC Department of Health and Human Services.

The program provides survivors of Hurricane Florence access to crisis counseling, outreach and education, and assessments and referrals for services and further support. Disaster preparedness is also a focus of the program.

“The challenge for us now in North Carolina is no longer ‘if’ we will be impacted by the next storm event, it is ‘when,’ ” said Susan Robinson with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, who heads up the Hope 4 NC project. “Our aim is to help individuals of all ages in our communities stay resilient through trauma experienced, recover well and be prepared.”

Hope 4 NC will be providing services through September 2019, and is supported through funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Hope 4 NC Hotline If you were affected by Hurricane Florence, call 1-855-587-FIND (3463) to receive more information about Hope 4 NC and available resources.

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More Power

ENERGY TECH

An Outlet for Energy Savings

Thnk Eco

Insteon

Does the ebb and flow of your energy bill have you searching for an affordable way to reduce or better control your use?

Take control of appliances at the source with energy-saving outlets — practical and easy-to-install devices that allow you to better manage your home’s energy use.

Several devices found inside your home are commonly referred to as “parasitic loads,” “phantom loads” or “energy vampires.” Energy-saving outlets can potentially curb these loads, which can cost the average household an extra $200 per year.

There are several different kinds of energy-saving outlets available, but there are two factors you should consider.

First is size. There are many different sizes ranging from a single external outlet to a power strip with multiple sockets. The second is Wi-Fi connectivity. For those without Wi-Fi in the home, energy-saving outlets are available with built-in timer switches.

Internet-connected outlets, commonly known as smart plugs, provide greater control of the outlet through a smartphone, tablet or home assistant (like Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa).

With these connected smart plugs or smart power strips, a

few clicks and swipes on your smart phone will enable you to fully shut down the electrical currents to your high-powered devices to prevent them from consuming electricity even when switched off.

Advanced smart plugs and smart plug apps also have the ability to automate the use with your schedule and even your presence in the home. You can also have large-load devices turn off at a set time each night and turn on every morning when you’re ready to use them.

For folks who are looking to optimize their energy use and eliminate vampire loads, smart plugs may be your best option. For others who want more of a hands-off option to save additional dollars, energy-saving outlets and power strips without the Wi-Fi connection may be a better choice.

These advanced outlets typically cost around $10 to $20 each, depending on Wi-Fi functionality, and have the potential to pay for themselves within two years or less.

—Kaley Lockwood, NRECA

Co-op Linemen Earn Advanced Certificates at Nash Community College

Fall 2018 Advanced Certificate Recipients Blue Ridge Energy

Pitt & Greene EMC

• Shane Castevens • Josh Greene • Johnny Sloan

• Trey Radford

South River EMC

Halifax EMC

• William Sessoms • Chad (Maverick) Smith

• Nick Cannon

Tideland EMC

Piedmont Electric

• Matthew DeVan

• Mike Oakley

Tri-County EMC • Christopher (Todd) Harrell

Ten electric cooperative linemen recently completed advanced education work in Nash Community College’s Electric Lineman Technology program. The lineworkers earned advanced certificates for completing 17 college‑level credits.

The program includes courses in the classroom and outdoors on a specially designed training field built by the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives. They learn skills such as overhead line construction, underground line construction and the National Electrical Safety Code. Beyond classes in line work and energy management, they can take courses toward an Associate Degree ranging from writing and math to critical thinking, computers and communication.

Since the program began in 1998, 22 co-op linemen have graduated with an Associate Degree. The community college program is supported entirely by the cooperatives but is also attended by linemen from Duke Energy and the municipal electric systems. In 2018, approximately 400 co-op employees attended the NC Electric Cooperatives’ Job Training & Safety Technical Training Schools at Nash Community College.

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d a e r B d o o G

OF THE JOYS

e Breads m o s e l o h ire W Alimentaor a healthier, stands f community er y Berg y Rand b s o h ap p i e r t o cy | Ph . La

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Steve and Franca Gilbert believe all people should have wholesome breads.

As a family and as business owners, the couple believes in “nourishment over convenience, flavor over cost and goodwill over profit.” With those principles, the Gilberts started Alimentaire Wholesome Breads in Tarboro, the only bakery in rural Edgecombe County.

“I don’t use chemical yeast,” Franca explains. “I use a sourdough starter for all the pastries and breads except the quick breads.”

“Alimentaire” is the French word for nourishment. The small bakery located right across from the town square sells baguettes, white sandwich loaves, wheat boules and ciabatta rolls, along with a variety of specialty breads, pastries, biscotti, cookies, scones and croissants.

Franca uses locally sourced ingredients, including organic flour from Lindley Mills based in Graham. The couple also sells a variety of local or regional food products such as lunch meats, cheeses, pastas and sauces from Capri Flavors based in Morrisville, as well as kale, spinach, lettuces and seasonal vegetables from Lake Valley Farms in Tarboro.

Shoppers can easily pick up fresh produce, meats and breads to make a flavorful meal at home. Or they can make themselves comfortable at one of the community tables in the bakery and eat a warm piece of bread right out of the oven.

BAKING WITH PURPOSE

While the Gilberts have only been in business in Tarboro for a little over a year, they have spent very little on advertisement.

Their reputation has spread by word of mouth. And they have already received recognition. The NC Rural Center honored them as the 2018 Rural Entrepreneurs of the Year.

The award recognizes entrepreneurs who are making a significant difference on their local economy, serving as mentors to other local entrepreneurs, and taking leadership roles in their rural community.

“They just captured our hearts in lots of ways,” says Rural Center President Patrick Woodie. “They showed up with a vision for how they wanted to do things. They understand the health of their business is dependent upon the health of their local community. They have quickly become a part of the fabric of that community.”

“Many of our rural communities suffer from food deserts,” he continues. “They don’t have access to fresh and quality foods. As rural food entrepreneurs, the Gilberts are driven by the idea of using food for a purpose … And small business is the absolute backbone of rural North Carolina.”

The Gilberts believe that “real food made mostly from scratch nourishes a healthier, happier, and more resilient future for ourselves, one another, and the world.”

Franca says it was important to them to accept WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) vouchers so underserved communities could have access to healthy breads. The bakery also offers half-loaves for people who live alone.

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THE ROAD TO TARBORO

The couple, married for 24 years, work together like bread and butter. The two met at Fort Bragg, where they were both U.S. Army paratroopers. Franca, originally from Belgium, started baking early in the marriage because she couldn’t find good bread to feed their three children.

Their journey to Tarboro started when the couple met Inez Ribustello, the co-owner of On the Square restaurant and the Tarboro Brewing Company at the Carolina Food Summit in 2016.

Inez suggested the Gilberts, who then lived in Franklin County, come to Tarboro for a pop-up bakery once a month to sell their breads. Customers kept coming back.

The demand for their breads grew. So Franca, a former Wake Forest French teacher, and Steve, a small business start-up entrepreneur, decided to move to Tarboro and open a bakery.

COMMUNITY HOT SPOT

Now the Gilberts supply homemade pretzels for the Ribustello’s brewery and baguettes for the restaurant. In addition, their customers include hospital workers from nearby Greenville, teachers, lawyers and everyday folks looking for good bread and fellowship.

“This town had been talking about needing a bakery,” says Kevin Cross, who moved to Tarboro five years ago to work in the Pfizer’s Rocky Mount pharmaceutical facility.

Kevin, a quality control manager, likes picking up pastries to share with his staff.

And when the bakery opened, he started a new morning routine.

“I come in for coffee and an almond croissant or a blueberry lemon scone. Franca and Steve will often sit down and have a cup of coffee with me. They are really involved in the community. Sometimes new people will lay low. Not them.”

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Many people drive several hours to participate in their cooking classes, including pasta, bread and pizza making.

“People tell us ‘I don’t know what we used to do on Saturdays,’ ” Steve says. “We are a gathering spot for singles, families and retirees. We often introduce people who live here but who have never met. It’s gratifying to have this type of response.”

Bridgette A. Lacy is a freelance writer and the author of “Sunday Dinner: A Savor the South cookbook” by UNC Press of Chapel Hill.

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Franca Gilbert’s Sweetheart Chocolate Cranberry Rye Sourdough Bread This is a hearty and slightly sweet bread with a tight crumb — rich and chocolatey with fruity cranberries.

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Mix flours and salt. Add sourdough starter, water and mix thoroughly by hand.

Knead well so as to develop the gluten.

You will be kneading by hand for about 5–10 minutes.

When the back of your hand touches the dough and comes away clean, you know you are done kneading.

Fold in the cranberries and chocolate. Let sit for one hour on parchment paper.

Turn the dough a few times onto a floured surface, cover.

Let sit for one more hour and turn the dough again.

Place the dough in an airtight plastic container for 6–24 hours in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to bake, take the dough out of the refrigerator and form into a ball. Cover with a cloth. The dough will be ready to go in the oven after about 1–2 hours, when it is poked with your finger and the dough springs back.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Dust with flour and score a heart in the center (with a razor blade). Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 25–35 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 180 degrees.

If you are able to wait, let it cool for 40 minutes or so. It slices better when it’s room temperature.

Yield: One loaf

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1/10/19 12:05 PM

On the Equestrian World Map Polk County hosted 250,000 visitors for an international event

By Leah Chester-Davis

The 13-day “horse Olympics” attracted athletes from 68 countries.

TIEC

T

he crowd gives an appreciative cheer as horse and rider enter the competition arena. They then grow quiet, almost a collective holding of breath, as the horse begins its gallop and sails over obstacles as high as five feet. Pure grace and athleticism are on display. As the duo completes its run, the crowd erupts into cheers and spectators from the rider’s home country proudly wave their country’s flag.

The World Equestrian Games, sometimes called the horse Olympics, put North Carolina in the international spotlight last September with the games being hosted at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Polk County. Many of the athletes were vying for spots at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games during the 13-day event.

The quiet, bucolic setting of the Blue Ridge Mountains was transformed into a thriving international village, a reminder that people from around the globe enjoy friendly, yet serious competition and a good time.

Numerous languages (68 countries were represented) could be heard as fans gathered to watch athletes and their exquisite animals compete.

Crowds hopped on shuttles as they hustled from one arena to the next to catch a favored event or to stop at rows of tents that made up the marketplace with equestrian-themed goods and wares from around the world.

International spotlight

Tiny Tryon stands in stark contrast to the cosmopolitan cities that have hosted the Games in the past.

The governing body of the Games,

Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), had always selected European cities: Stockholm, Sweden; The Hague, Netherlands; Rome, Italy; Jerez, Spain; Aachen, Germany; and Normandy, France. The only other time the Games have been held outside Europe was in Lexington, Kentucky, in 2010.

The 2018 Games presented an opportunity for a large swath of western North Carolina to showcase the state’s beauty and hospitality.

Even the eventing course, designed

by Capt. Mark Phillips — a British gold-medal-winning horseman and the ex-husband of Princess Anne — gave a nod to many of the unique features of North Carolina, such as the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and the Hendersonville apple growing

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FEI/Liz Gregg

TIEC

FEI/Liz Gregg

TIEC

ntries.

Big Numbers TIEC

Countries represented:

68

Attendance:

TV viewers:

250,000*

4.7 million

*Down from an expected 400,000 due in part to Hurricane Florence

region, by incorporating iconic symbols as part of the jumps.

Logistical juggernaut

Safely bringing hundreds of horses and hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators (an estimated 250,000 people) to rural Polk County took careful planning and coordination.

“One of the biggest logistical efforts was bringing in all the horses from all over the world,” explains Michael Stone, president of the World Equestrian Games Organizing Committee. That entailed airlifting 530 horses from six different continents.

Another 197 horses traveled over land.

Michael says it required 380 staff members, nearly 400 ancillary staff and 1,700 volunteers to pull off the Games. Nearly 800 veterinarians were on-site checking horses before, during

and after competitions, overseeing USDA quarantine requirements or representing competing federations.

Because of the numerous countries represented and the anticipated crowds, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, TSA, the State Highway Patrol and the Polk County Sheriff’s Department worked together. Fire, emergency medical services and public health departments also were involved.

Peak power performance

As the venue was making preparations, Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation, which serves the entire Equestrian Center complex, developed its game plan for handling increased demand during the Games. Tom Haire, system engineer, says the venue needed additional electrical service, and Rutherford EMC supplied that as

well as anticipating and preparing for any unforeseen circumstances.

“We staged material for quick response, had a dedicated on-call crew and staffed more people in the office to respond to calls more quickly,” he says. “We had most of our outside force available as well.”

Tom and the engineering department went to construction meetings every week in the months leading up to the event and also met with the emergency services team working the event. “We went through with our right-of-way crews. We looked at poles and verified back feeds.”

During the Games, Tom walked through the venue periodically to verify load and to check transformers to ensure there wasn’t something that might cause a potential failure.

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TIEC

The design of the eventing course jumps gave a nod to many of the unique features of North Carolina, such as the Hendersonville apple growing region.

An experience of a lifetime

Oscar and Joyce Creech, of Marion, about 40 miles from the venue, volunteered for several days greeting guests and driving shuttles. When they weren’t volunteering, they enjoyed watching the various competitions.

“This is the biggest thing that has ever happened to western North Carolina,” Oscar says. “We just wanted to come down and be a part of it. We like to get out and promote our community and the rest of North Carolina.”

Some highlights for them were meeting people from around the world.

“The first day I drove the golf cart (shuttle), I drove people from 25 different countries,” Oscar says.

“The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Qatar, Dubai, Costa Rica, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Mexico — you name it.”

“It’s been so exciting to watch the events,” Joyce adds. “We watched the reining competition in this arena and

Missed the Games?

Enjoy world-class competition year-round The Tryon International Equestrian Center hosts events and competitions year-round.

Saturday Night Lights is a Grand Prix equestrian event showcasing the highest level competitive show jumping on select Saturday evenings during spring, summer and fall.

Admission, parking and carousel rides are free.

Various food options and live entertainment are featured at the impressive venue. See what’s happening at tryon.coth.com/events.

Precious cargo: horses being loaded on a plane in Belgium for transport to the United States

the United States won gold. To see them raise the American flag…” her voice trails off as the emotion of that moment hits her again.

Cade McCutcheon, of Texas, the youngest competitor to ever make the U.S. Reining Team at age 18, was on the medal stand when the significance of the win hit him.

“It was unreal, something I’ll never forget. Standing there, and when they played the national anthem more than anything, that was the best moment of the whole week,” he says.

Competitors included Olympians, world champions, sheiks, princes and teenagers. In addition to the U.S. Reining Team, the U.S. Jumping Team won Gold in a thrilling competition to close out the event.

Tryon on the world map

Despite the challenges of dealing with a hurricane, unseasonably hot temperatures, high humidity and race snafus, organizers closed the games on a high note.

Michael Stone says one of the most pleasant aspects of the games was North Carolina’s hospitality.

Leah Chester-Davis

FEI/Hippo Foto—Dirk Caremans

“We did an infrared shot on everything in the complex with our infrared camera,” he says. An infrared camera helps detect hot spots and uncovers potential problems that might cause an outage.

Even with the venue’s best-laid plans to accommodate a large crowd, Hurricane Florence served as a major disrupter, as it was bearing down on the Carolina coast just as the games were beginning. While heavy rains and flooding affected one competition day, the event was largely spared. When it comes to the electric service, “we never once blinked the lights,” Tom says.

Oscar and Joyce Creech of Marion volunteered at the event.

“The people of the region really took it to heart and did an amazing job of making all the foreign competitors and teams feel so welcomed. That was fantastic.”

“These games were the opportunity to get this venue on the world map and to really show what we have the ability to do,” says Sharon Decker, chief operating officer for Tryon Equestrian Partners, Carolina Operations, and a member of the organizing committee.

Sharon served as Secretary of Commerce for two years during Governor Pat McCrory’s term. “The compelling thing for so many of us who are involved is the opportunity to grow not only equestrian sport in our country and to create the premier location for equestrian sport, but it’s the job creation and the economic development this brings to this region.”

Carolina Country contributing editor Leah Chester-Davis loves to explore North Carolina. Her business, Chester-Davis Communications (chester-davis.com), specializes in food, farm, gardening and lifestyle brands and organizations.

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Dining Out, the Healthy Way 7 clever strategies to stay fit and well-fed

Love eating out with family and friends? If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your healthy lifestyle, a big part of being successful is having the freedom to enjoy the things you love and not feel deprived. Unfortunately, those tasty meals at restaurants can contain more calories, salt and fats than food you’d prepare at home. Also, people can have a tendency to overeat when dining out (it’s hard to say “No” to freebies like chips and salsa or freshly baked bread).

Aim for the right balance of enjoyment and clever restraint by using these strategies from Mandi Knowles, dietitian for South Beach Diet.

1

Go online before you dine.

Most restaurants post their menus online. Make a game plan beforehand so you won’t be tempted by unhealthier options in-person.

2

Don’t show up starving.

Don’t skip out on breakfast or snacks so you can splurge. Showing up overly hungry makes you likely to overindulge. Plus, skipping meals can lead to a blood sugar crash and subsequent snacking, throwing you off track.

3

Be the portion police.

Restaurant portions are often two or three times the amount you need for any given meal. Consider sharing an entrée with a friend, saving half your meal for later, ordering from the

kid’s menu or choosing a few healthy appetizers instead of a full meal.

7

4

Stay hydrated.

According to a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, drinking just over two cups of water 30 minutes before a meal helped dieters consume fewer calories and lose 44 percent more weight than those who didn’t hydrate before meals.

5

With these tips, visit your favorite restaurants without guilt or risk of sabotaging your healthy lifestyle. For additional recommendations, visit palm.southbeachdiet.com.

Include greens.

Start with a side salad to sneak in a serving of veggies and prevent overdoing it once your main meal arrives.

Hold the croutons and cheese and ask for the dressing on the side.

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

Seek out lighter preparations. Think steamed, broiled and grilled instead of breaded, battered and fried. Switch preparations, substitute ingredients, nix the butter or cream, and if that’s not possible, ask your server to point you to healthier selections.

6

Make reservations.

Nothing’s worse than waiting when you’re hungry. Before you know it, you’re seated and your desperate tummy is calling the shots.

—StatePoint

Traveling in NC? At Tripadvisor.com, if you put in “North Carolina” and “healthy restaurants” in the search field, you’ll get more than 30 pages of choices in various NC cities and towns. You can also put in a specific location and get a list. Those interested in vegan and vegetarianfriendly restaurants in NC can peruse more than 720 choices at happycow.net.

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Carolina People

Finding UFOs Inward (Not Upward) A personal journey led retired professor David Halperin to study UFOs

By Donna Campbell Smith

North Carolina ranks tenth in the top ten states for sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) — more than 2,000 have been spotted since the 1950s. What is the source of these mysterious objects? Well, 36 percent of Americans believe extraterrestrials have visited Earth, according to a survey commissioned by the National Geographic Channel.

But don’t count David J. Halperin, author of the novel “Journal of a UFO Investigator,” among them.

David came to live in North Carolina 42 years ago to teach religion at UNC-Chapel Hill. But his journey into Ufology (the study of UFOs) did not begin in North Carolina. He was living in Levittown, Pennsylvania, working on a research paper in the fall of 1960 — at the age of “12 going on 13” — when he read the book “They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers” by Gray Barker. He was fascinated with Barker’s accounts of flying saucers and men in black who came to scare the people who’d seen the flying saucers into keeping quiet. This story inspired the 1997 movie “Men in Black.”

Young David was convinced the stories were true and the men in black were real.

“I believed in UFOs because I believed in the men in black, and I believed in the men in black because I knew them from personal experience. Not literally, of course. But in my own home — my snug little suburban home in Levittown, Pennsylvania — there was a terrible secret that my entire family knew, but none of us would talk about. Namely, that my mother was not just a ‘semi-invalid,’ as we’d agreed to call her, but was slowly dying from a diseased heart.”

To David, her disease symbolized an invader, and by solving the UFO mystery, he felt he could ward off her death.

“Of course, I couldn’t,” he says. “My mother died when I was 16, less than four years after I started in with the UFOs. Everything followed from that.”

The closest he has come to seeing a UFO was in Durham, when he and his wife were out for a walk and saw lights circling overhead. Turns out it was

a flock of birds caught in the light reflecting from a building.

David now believes that UFOs, space aliens and other scary things that go bump in the night are figments of our imaginations. He says he doesn’t mean this in any belittling or dismissive sense. He believes in psychic realities, although in a different way.

“That’s what drives my current interest in UFOs: the quest to understand what this different kind of reality is.”

At one point in his novel, “Journal of a UFO Investigator,” the teenage protagonist Danny Shapiro is talking with his friend, mentor, and lover Rochelle Perlmann, who’s helping him to understand the strange things that have been happening to him. “But, Rochelle,” he protests, “It’s only a myth.” She answers: “Myths are real. That’s what I’ve been trying to explain. They have to be real. Otherwise they wouldn’t stay around for centuries.

They’d vanish like last year’s top tunes.”

“It’s all in our “So, yes, it’s all in our heads,” David says, “As a heads … and it’s dream is, or one of those absolutely real.” collective dreams that we call myths. And it’s absolutely real.”

David says he was first a Ufologist, then a scholar of religion. “When I went to college, I put UFOs behind me — and found myself attracted to religious phenomena like heavenly ascensions, otherworldly journeys, and the wheels of the prophet Ezekiel. In other words, UFOs; only in more conventionally respectable guises.”

It took 10 or 20 years before he was able to turn around and face his teenage study of UFOs and explore what it meant to him. “‘Journal of a UFO Investigator’ came out of this process of self-exploration,” David explains.

David is currently working on a nonfiction book on UFOs, “Intimate Alien: The Hidden Story of the UFO,” which is scheduled to be published by Stanford University Press in 2020.

Leaving us scratching our heads, questioning whether there really have been visitations to Earth from outer space, the retired professor writes on his blog (on davidhalperin.net): “Inside our minds, our souls, there’s enough alienness to fill a universe.”

Donna Campbell Smith is a Carolina Country contributing writer who lives in Franklin County.

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Carolina Living

A New Furry Friend Consider your lifestyle when picking a pet

Pets are more than fur-ever friends — numerous studies have shown they provide their owners with health benefits such as reducing stress and lowering blood pressure levels and heart disease risk. For families, they are a great opportunity to teach kids about responsibility and can help everyone be active and fit.

If you are considering adopting a pet, it’s crucial to do research and review your lifestyle. Here are tips from experts at PetSmart Charities to help make your new pet’s adjustment a happy one for everyone.

or fully adult pet offers numerous benefits, such as potentially being house‑trained already. Finally, if you have children, find out as much as possible if the pet you are considering is known to get along with kids.

Consider adoption over purchasing There are literally thousands of animals of all breeds and ages looking for loving homes. Consider adopting a pet that needs a home from a local shelter or rescue group.

Involve your children early on Set expectations with children so they don’t startle or scare their new pet with bursts of excitement. Teach them how to carefully hold and gently hug their new pet. Involve them in training the pet as well, so everyone knows the same commands. Once the basics are mastered, you can move on to fun tricks.

Select an appropriate pet Integrating one into your household, especially for a first-time pet owner, can take some work. Consider factors like how often you travel, how active you are, your financial resources, what your schedule will allow for regarding attention and walks, and if you’re willing to provide other necessary care, such as frequent brushing for a long-haired animal.

Also consider whether you truly want a puppy or a kitten. An older

Educational opportunities February is Dog Training Education Month and National Cat Health Month, both of which offer opportunities to learn more about training and caring for new pets.

Look for special events on animal organizations websites.

—FamilyFeatures.com

Local resources Visit shelters in your town and county, and ask plenty of questions about an animal you like. Some offer fostering programs where you can temporarily care for a dog or cat and see if it’s a good fit. If it isn’t, you can return the animal and provide helpful information for future descriptions that will enhance chances of the animal getting adopted, such as: “knows sit and stay.”

You can also browse several web portals to see animals ready for adoption near you.

For example, Petfinder.com lets you put in mileage limits from where you live and choose sizes, breeds, age range, gender and whether or not you want an animal that gets along with kids or other dogs. Rescue groups and animal shelters across North Carolina post on its site, and you can opt to get email updates on new animals available.

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Carolina Living

Let the Sunshine in

Enjoy health perks of natural light through windows During winter months, sunlight can be harder to come by. Savoring every opportunity for natural sunlight is more important than ever, especially during daylight savings time. Yet humans spend an average of 90 percent of their days indoors, according to a recent study by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The best way to get natural light is to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. But those who can’t get out when they need or want to can also enjoy the health benefits of natural lighting through windows.

Natural light provides the benefits of vitamin D, while decreasing direct exposure to the sun and potential sunrelated cancer risks. Additionally, according to experts, sunlight can reduce blood pressure, help us cope with anxiety and stress, and protect against the effects of seasonal affective disorder felt most commonly in the winter. Allowing natural light into homes helps regulate circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, providing more energy and better focus. One study published in an online supplement to the journal “Sleep” showed that people exposed to more natural light during the day were able to sleep an average of 46 minutes more each night.

If you decide to install or enlarge windows in your home, identify the Energy Star® climate zone you live in (bit.ly/epa_climatezones) and select a window that meets your zone requirements. Hire a reputable contractor to help you select the right windows for your home and to ensure your windows are installed according to local building codes.

Location, location, location If you are building new or planning a renovation, consider the direction your windows and patio doors face to take full advantage of available natural light. For example, southfacing windows will allow for the most winter sunlight, but little direct sun during the summer. Meanwhile, north-facing windows admit relatively even, natural light, producing little glare and almost no unwanted summer heat gain. Finally, east- and west-facing windows admit good daylight in the morning and evening, respectively. However, these directions

South-facing windows will allow for the most winter sunlight, but little direct sun during the summer.

could create a glare and admit heat during the summer and contribute little solar heat during the winter.

Energy efficiency of modern windows Exposure to natural light through windows goes hand-inhand with energy efficiency at home. Even though they may supply sufficient light, older windows — especially those with multiple panes of glass, as opposed to one large pane — are notorious for air leakage and allow heat to escape the home while letting in cold air. Homeowners in the market for new windows should look for Energy Star-rated options, as well as windows that have argon or krypton gas fills, and are made with special Low-E glass coatings.

Ply Gem is among window manufacturers that offer customizable sizes and energy-efficient options.

—Brandpoint

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February 2019

South River EMC

Communicator YOU‘RE INVITED! Mark Your Calendars

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

South River EMC Annual Meeting of Members Thursday, April 11 Crown Theatre and Arena, Fayetteville Doors open at 6 p.m.

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South River-0219.indd 1

Nominating Report

B

Educational Programs

C

Safety Checklist

D

Advise Guys

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NOMINATIONS MADE BY COMMITTEE The South River EMC nominating committee met on January 3 to make nominations for the election of directors to be held during the 2019 Annual Meeting of Members on April 11 at the Crown Center in Fayetteville.

The following members have been nominated:

in writing, listing the nominees separately with respect to the particular term and the particular directorate district from which they are nominated, not less than 40 business days prior to the meeting.

2. From nominations by a committee on nominations.

District 4: Jeffery Martin

2018 Nominating Committee Members: District 1 - Glenda Taylor District 2 - Raylon Wood District 3 - Iris Lucas District 4 - Johnnie Baggett District 5 - Anthony “Tony” Warren District 6 - Carol Hudson District 7 - Warren Paul Jones District 8 - Walter Clark At Large - Alexander Eastman

District 6: Dr. E. Sue GodwinBaker District 8: Clifton McNeill Jr. Terms of office for directors are staggered so only three expire each year. The ways which directors may be elected: 1. By petition. Any 150 members of the Cooperative, acting together, may make nominations

Left to right: Glenda Taylor, Walter Clark, Carol Hudson, Alexander Eastman, Iris Lucas, Johnnie Baggett, Warren Paul Jones, Raylon Wood and Tony Warren.

AN AWESOME BASKETBALL OPPORTUNITY

S

outh River EMC is offering local middle school students an awesome opportunity.

and the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Academy at NC State (June 9-12).

Current fifth, sixth and seventh graders who love basketball can apply for the Touchstone Energy Basketball camps offered at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill.

The overnight camps are held over summer break, and campers work with coaches and players to develop fundamental skills, helping them perform and excel both on and off the court.

This opportunity gives boys and girls a unique experience to attend basketball camp on one of two of the state’s largest college campuses.

Cooperatives across the state encourage students statewide to apply for 50 all-expenses-paid scholarships to attend the Roy Williams Basketball Camp at UNC-Chapel Hill (June 22-26)

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South River-0219.indd 2

February 2019

Campers must: Be a rising sixth, seventh or eighth grader.

Attend a school in the South River EMC service area.

Have permission from a parent or guardian to attend.

Have their own transportation to and from camp.

Winners will attend the camps courtesy of South River EMC. The Cooperative funds one scholarship to each camp.

Applications are scored on academics, extracurricular activities and an essay that must accompany the application. The application period closes March 31.

Eligible students interested in this opportunity can call 910892-8071, or download an application from sremc.com/content/ basketball-camps.

www.sremc.com

1/10/19 1:40 PM

LAST CHANCE TO SUBMIT THOSE A‘S!

S

outh River EMC will be holding their “Give Us An A” drawing February 5.

telephone number, report cards will not be accepted without this information.

So grab your child’s most recent report card containing at least one ‘A’ on it and submit it to:

The drawing is held for students achieving at least one A on their report card. Each of the 15 students whose names are drawn will receive a $25 gift card.

South River EMC “Give Us An A” PO Box 931 Dunn, NC 28335

The program is open to students who are members, or children of members, of South River EMC. Don’t miss an opportunity to celebrate good grades, send that report card to us.

Or: connections @sremc.com.

You must include the member’s name, address South River EMC account number and daytime

Local Teachers And Their Bright Ideas

E

ducators across South River EMC’s service area saw some of their bright ideas become a reality.

A total of 40 Bright Ideas applications were chosen for funding in the 2018-2019 school year, totaling $59,935. These grants will affect the lives of about 9,692 students in our communities this year alone!

Since the program’s 1994 inception, South River EMC has awarded $1,107,545 in Bright Ideas grant funding. Statewide, the program has funded over $11.5 million.

“The Bright Ideas Grant program is an investment that will pay dividends to our community for years to come,” said Catherine O’Dell. “The funds provided to teachers through this program keep educators from having to dip into their own pockets to

South River EMC Communicator

South River-0219.indd 3

provide exceptional educational opportunities for students.”

Funding decisions are never easy, 176 grant applications were submitted for 2018-2019.

Grant requests range from technology to sewing equipment, math manipulatives to books, encompassing all subject matters.

The selected teachers represent 24 schools from four counties.

Funding is typically around $50,000, but the Cooperative’s Operation Round Up program awarded a $10,000 grant to the Bright Ideas program. This provides an even greater opportunity for educators to bring new learning experiences to their classrooms.

For more information on Bright Ideas visit sremc.com or ncbrightideas.com.

Winning applications were chosen based on the innovative presentation of their idea and a well-written application.

Teachers receiving grants were featured on South River EMC’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

February 2019 | C

1/11/19 9:48 AM

ELECTRICAL SAFETY CHECKLIST

Nearly half of all home fires occur during winter months. Take a few minutes to identify and correct any potential electrical hazards to ensure the safety of your home.

Switches And Outlets Are any switches or outlets warm to the touch?

Warm switches or outlets indicate an unsafe wiring condition. Yes No Are any switches or outlets discolored?

Discoloration indicates dangerous heat buildup at these connections.

Yes No

Do plugs fit snugly into outlets?

Loose fitting plugs can cause overheating and fires.

Yes No

Cords Are any cords cracked, frayed or damaged?

Damaged cords can expose wires, causing shocks or fire hazard.

Are any cords pinched by furniture or windows, or attached to anything with staples or nails?

Pinching and/or stapling cords can damage the insulation, causing shock or fire hazard.

Do you use extension cords on a permanent basis?

Extension cords should only be used temporarily.

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Electric Panel Do you have recurring tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses?

If yes, this could indicate you’re exceeding a safe level of electrical current.

Yes No

Do you have arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs)?

AFCI provide greater fire protection.

Check your circuit breakers for the AFCI label.

Yes No

Please note this is not a comprehensive safety checklist.

Visit ESFI.org for more information,

D | February 2019

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www.sremc.com

1/10/19 1:40 PM

LOOKING FOR SOUTH RIVER SCENES

D

o you enjoy taking photos?

If so, we have just the activity for you. South River EMC is hosting an amateur photo contest and we want to see your handy work.

All photos must be taken somewhere in the five counties served

by South River EMC and feature landscape, buildings, landmark or anything you think defines our communities.

As long as there are sufficient entries, we will have adult, high school (grades 9-12), middle school (grades 6-8) and elementary school (1-5) categories. The adult division will have a first, second and third place winner. A single winner will be selected from each of the

high school, middle school and elementary school categories. There must be a minimum of entries by three different photographers for each category in order for that category to be considered for judging.

Photos will be on display at each South River EMC office March 25-April 5 and at the South River EMC Annual Meeting of Members on April 11 at the Crown Center. Members can view the photos and cast their vote for their favorite photo from each category. The photo that receives the most votes from each category will be declared the winner.

Photographs must be a minimum of

3” x 5” and a maximum of 8”x 10”. All photos must be mounted on a flat rigid cardboard or mat board. Each photo should have an accompanying description of the photo including the significance of the subject and where it was photographed (including

city/community and county). This description must be printed on an 8½ x 11’ sheet of white paper. Photographer’s name, address and phone number must be on the back of the mounted image. All submissions must be submitted along with a signed copy of the contest rules. The deadline for submissions is March 22, 2019.

Visit sremc.com/ content/annual-meeting for complete details and contest rules. We look forward to seeing all of the beautiful photos from across the area.

For details please contact South River EMC at 910-230-2982 or sremc@sremc.com

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February 2019 | E

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ENERGY smarts

Don’t worry, smart shopping can help you save.

On The Go And In Control Be on the go and in control of your heating and cooling costs with a smart thermostat.

With a smart thermostat, you could also be eligible for a rebate from South River EMC. For

complete details visit sremc.com or call 910.892.8071 x 2152.

Oh, That‘s Not Important... Or Is It? Heating your water is important, which is why you don’t take cold showers for three weeks while you select a new water heater.

er, ahead of time, you can be ready. Check the system’s efficiency, space requirements, the cost to purchase and install, and consider the payback period.

However, by selecting a heat pump or solar water heat-

Just because it sounds like a great deal, doesn’t mean it’s the

best deal for you. Read up on these systems, and see which one is your best deal. Maybe you can cut down on water heating costs as well. For details on the rebates South River EMC offers, call 910.892.8071 x 2152 or visit sremc.com.

Pick The Pump That Suits You Are you considering a new heating and cooling system?

Depending on the age, that’s not a bad idea.

Heat pumps transfer heat energy from a heat source (i.e. the earth, or air) into the home.

For climates with moderate heating and cooling needs, heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners.

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South River-0219.indd 6

Most homeowners have an air source unit, while mini-splits are used for areas unconnected to the exiting heating and cooling system. Meanwhile, the most efficient geothermal unit, can usually be found in new construction, since it involves digging to install.

If you’re considering a new system, no matter the type, make sure to use the seasonal energy

efficiency ratio, or SEER, rating to narrow down choices. SEER measures the cooling efficiency of a system, which is important for humid summers.

South River EMC offers several rebates on high efficiency (17 SEER or greater) systems. For full details visit sremc.com or call 910.892.8071 x 2152.

www.sremc.com

1/10/19 1:40 PM

ENERGY smarts HERO, The Home That Helps Save Homes cost money to buy and money to run. If you’re looking for savings, consider a high efficiency residential option, or HERO, home, which is 30 per-

cent more efficient than homes built to code.

For information on the HERO home code you can visit

energycodes.gov. Visit sremc. com to see rebate options available for HERO homes. For questions, call 910.892.8071 x 2153.

Pool Pumps, Now? Yeah, Right!

Is it really time to think about pools? No, but it will be before you know it! If you want to save, begin by looking at variable or

two speed pumps, which use less energy and water.

So, no, you don’t have to think about pools. But if you do, think

about the pumps and which can save you the most. Visit sremc.com or call 910.892.8071 x 2152 for details on rebates.

How Improvements Can Help You Increase comfort with home improvements. That’s right, by weather stripping around doors and windows, caulking around plumbing and electrical penetrations, and replacing

insulation, you could solve two problems – comfort and cost.

With warmth lost through infiltration and heat transfer, these small improvements can also improve

comfort and cost as well.

South River EMC offers insulation and weatherization rebates, for details visit sremc.com or call 910.892.8071 x 2222.

Pay Attention To Those Labels When appliance shopping, consider labels and features to help you purchase appliances with low operating costs.

One such label is the Energy Star logo, which marks appli-

ances that have undergone rigorous testing to prove their efficiency.

If you purchase an Energy Star certified refrigerator, clothes washer, dryer, or dehumidifier,

you could be eligible for a rebate.

For complete details visit sremc. com or call 910.892.8071 x 2152.

Make sure you have enough insulation at the right depth to maintain comfortable temperatures.

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February 2019 | G

1/10/19 1:40 PM

ADVISE ENERGYGuys smarts Smart Thermostats Can Help You Save Did you know that 48 percent of the average monthly residential energy bill is heating and cooling costs? Decreasing the runtime of your heating, cooling, and ventilation system (HVAC) is the key to lower energy bills.

The amount of time your HVAC system runs during the month depends on the weather. To lower your energy use, it’s important to address insulation and weatherization issues in your home. However, did you know that your thermostat plays a big role? The thermostat is the brain of the HVAC system. The type of thermostat you have, and how you operate it, makes all the difference when it comes to energy savings. Advances in technology have made it easier than ever to customize your heating and cooling schedule, thereby limiting the amount of time your HVAC system operates when you’re away from home.

There are four types of thermostats on the market: mechanical, electronic, connected, and smart. Mechanical thermostats operate with bimetal coils and either mercury bulbs or magnets. These are found on older systems and, over time, can become inaccurate. For the last 15 years, the majority of thermostats installed have been electronic. These thermostats are highly accurate and often have a programmable feature that allows the user to build a five- or

seven-day schedule. This programmability allows the homeowner to automatically increase or decrease temperature during times when they are normally away. This limits HVAC runtime and saves money. A connected thermostat offers the same features, with the added bonus of being Wi-Fi connected. Wi-Fi connectivity allows the user to adjust the temperature setting remotely. A smart thermostat is electronic, programmable, Wi-Fi connected, and has the ability to “learn” or alter its operation based on the activity of the homeowner.

There are many smart thermostat brands, but Nest and Ecobee are the most recognizable.

Both have the goal of saving the customer money on heating and cooling costs, but each brand does it in a different way. The Nest is primarily a “learning” thermostat. For the first two weeks, the homeowner sets the device to whatever comfort level they desire during the day. After this initial period, the thermostat uses that temperature information, and information from motion sensors, to determine when the home is occupied or unoccupied. The thermostat then adjusts the temperature accordingly. The Ecobee on the other hand, allows the user to build a seven-day schedule and uses the provided motion and temperature sensors to detect occu-

South River EMC

Communicator

Advise Guy Aaron Jackson pancy in the home. If someone happens to come home during a part of the day when the thermostat is scheduled to be in “Away” mode, it switches to the “Home” mode temperature setting. Both brands are controllable via a smartphone app or website and both offer the customer information on how their HVAC system is operating. The Ecobee for example, records HVAC system activity including the time the unit starts, the duration of the run, the temperature inside the home, and the outdoor temperature. Information like this allows a homeowner to really “dial in” their HVAC settings for maximum comfort and maximum energy savings.

South River EMC offers a $20 one-time rebate for the purchase and installation of a smart thermostat, and I’ll be happy to help you take advantage of that offer.

PO Box 931 Dunn, NC 28335 910.892.8071 800.338.5530 www.sremc.com

Follow Us! southriveremc H | February 2019

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www.sremc.com

1/10/19 1:40 PM

Carolina Living

Electrifying Word Search Can you find the words associated with electricity in the puzzle below? Use the word bank if you need a hint!

Y E X A E B M W I J C R O D H

R T B X N P F K N F U X M Q T

X E I I E I A X B E R O O T Z

B U W C C Q U J R J R P B H P

P L N O I H R L S I E P R C H

O X P K P R A R W X N P A L G

S B L U B C T R U X T G I L G

T I U C R I C C G C T S Q A V

X K K V S S V I E E T E O L V

K W L T Q O M N J L F R S W O

C B T K L L U Y J M E I Q B C

G A B T A H D G D M X W E R J

W P A H T J E R S W I T C H I

A G L J P O T Q S Z L I A E S

E W Z L O E E M R L B K R Z S

Word Bank ELECTRICITY CIRCUIT WATTS CURRENT WIRES POWER SWITCH VOLTAGE BULB CHARGE

February 2019 | 23

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1/10/19 11:56 AM

Carolina Living

A Versatile Vegetable

These potatoes keep you sweet and in the pink

T

he sweet potato seems to be newly discovered of late. Despite its versatility, it often has been served safely in its oven-baked jacket or puréed and topped with marshmallows. Today, it’s popping up in biscuits and flapjacks, smoothies, soups, stews and more. Foodies are not only charmed by its taste but by its significant health benefits. These recipes are from the NC SweetPotato Commission. For additional recipes, visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.

NC SweetPotato Commission

Sweet potato leader For several decades, North Carolina has produced more sweet potatoes than any other state in the United States. Its hot, moist climate and fertile soil are ideal for cultivating them.

NC SweetPotato Commission

Sweet Potato Chicken Flat Bread

1 1/4 1/2 2

clove garlic cup walnuts cup flat-leaf parsley cups sweet potatoes, cooked & mashed 1 tablespoon butter, softened 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon dry ranch dressing mix 4 8-inch round flat bread 1 (9-ounce) package pre‑cooked chicken breast Shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, add garlic, walnuts, parsley and blend well.

In a medium bowl, add mashed sweet potatoes; stir in parsley mixture, butter, salt, pepper, powder ranch dressing and mix well.

Spread sweet potato mixture onto flat bread. Top each flat bread round with chicken pieces and sprinkle cheese over the top.

Place each flat bread on a large baking sheet (without edges touching). Bake until heated through and cheese is melted (about 10 minutes).

Yield: 4 servings

Sweet Potato Sausage Spread 2 cups of diced sweet potatoes (about a ¼ of an inch cubed) 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 pound breakfast sausage ¼ small onion, chopped (¼ cup)

1 small sweet red bell pepper (¼ cup) 2 garlic cloves 8 ounces cream cheese 4 ounces Colby jack cheese, shredded 1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian diced tomatoes (slightly drained)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine olive oil and cayenne pepper. Toss sweet potatoes gently to coat. Spread evenly on a baking pan and bake 350 degrees for 35–40 minutes or until tender, stirring if needed.

In a medium frying pan, add sausage, chopped onion and chopped red bell pepper. Cook until brown. Drain grease and press garlic into sausage mixture. Cook for 2–3 minutes.

Add cream cheese, ¼ cup of Colby Jack cheese, roasted sweet potatoes and canned tomatoes. Stir until well blended.

Add sausage mixture to a small baking dish.

Top with the remaining Colby jack cheese, and bake until cheese is melted, approximately 5 minutes. Serve with baguettes.

Toasted Baguettes 1 French loaf baguette 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

½ cup of olive oil 1–2 ounces of parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut loaf in quarter-inch slices. In a small bowl, add Italian seasoning to olive oil and mix well.

Brush olive oil mixture onto each slice of bread and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle finely shredded parmesan cheese to cover bread pieces. Toast for 7 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

24 | carolinacountry.com

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12/19/18 9:43 AM 1/10/19 12:05 PM

Jake Winders

On the House

Bringing Home Baby Saving energy after a new addition

By Hannah McKenzie

Q: A:

The author with her family’s newest addition.

My energy bill noticeably rose when I brought my first baby home, and our second is arriving soon.

How can we limit the expected increase?

Higher energy bills after a baby can be quite a shock. How can someone so small need so much? Fortunately, there are a number of ways to save, so find what works best for your family.

Laundry (with icky stains) is a persistent chore for families with children. Clothes washers with the Energy Star® label use approximately 10 gallons of water less per load than standard washers, and they produce equally clean laundry. A growing family is a great reason to upgrade to an energy-efficient washer and dryer.

Keep laundry costs down by: ■■ Washing and drying full loads, and

taking care to not under- or overfill the machine. This may mean mixing your clothes or linens with your baby’s.

■■ Using cold water when possible,

warm water for diaper leaks and hot water for epic adventures like lice. “Prewash” or “stain” cycles are more likely to remove stains than hot water.

■■ When drying clothes, use the

Energy Star or dry-sensing setting rather than timed-dry to limit cooking your already dry clothes. Empty

the lint trap. If you have time, hang clothes outside to dry and whiten in the sunshine.

Gadgets like swings, baby monitors and sound machines can add up fast. Turn off, unplug or avoid electric devices when possible, and consider rechargeable batteries like Panasonic’s eneloop to limit the need to repeatedly purchase batteries.

Lights are often on as we care for newborns at all hours or scare away under-the-bed monsters. Add LED light bulbs to your baby registry and change ALL of the bulbs in your house, including night lights. LEDs last 10+ years and are less likely to shatter than incandescent bulbs or CFLs, which release dangerous chemicals when broken. Energy Star-labeled LEDs meet stringent quality standards for their light quality and life spans. Changing bulbs will immediately and noticeably save energy.

Clothing that is appropriate for the temperature inside can keep heating and cooling costs down.

Layered clothing, hats and socks are a few items that help babies stay warm while leaving your heat at 68 degrees or below.

Toddler proofing — covering outlets, hiding cords and moving electronics out of reach — is also a great time to limit the electric devices at home. As children grow, many prefer time with their family over electronics by opting for board games, reading together or playing outside. The same goes for the baby who loves being held and rocked when sleeping. You’ll save energy and spend time with your child who will be too big for snuggles in a matter of years.

Breastfeeding and cloth diapers offer savings but are personal choices that present obvious challenges.

Breastfeeding limits the energy needed for washing, refrigerating and warming bottles when mom is home, but is more likely to save noticeably elsewhere in your budget. Cloth diapers, while marginally increasing energy and water bills, can limit the energy needed to manufacture, transport and dispose of singleuse diapers.

Making space for a growing family in an existing home rather than moving to a larger home might also keep energy costs low.

Bringing home a tiny human comes with all sorts of changes, including a need for more electricity, but you can keep that impact to a minimum.

Hannah McKenzie is a building science consultant for Advanced Energy in Raleigh.

26 | carolinacountry.com

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Energy Sense

Seven Low-Cost Energy Tips for Renters Tame winter chills without breaking the bank

By Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen

A

n energy efficient heating system can go far in helping to reduce winter energy costs.

But not everyone can make HVAC upgrades, whether they’re renting or their budget won’t allow it. Here are seven low-cost efficiency tips that can help you reduce winter energy bills.

1

Mind the thermostat.

You might be able to trim your energy bill by carefully managing the temperature in your home. The Department of Energy suggests setting your thermostat to 68 degrees on winter days. If that’s too cool, try other ways to stay warm like layering with an extra sweater. You can save more energy by turning down the thermostat even lower at night or when no one is home.

2

Go programmable.

If you don’t always remember to adjust your thermostat manually, you could benefit from a programmable model. In the right situation, set correctly, programmable thermostats can save $150 a year. Some programmable thermostats can be managed from your smart phone or other devices. Before you purchase one, make sure it makes sense for the type of heating system installed and your landlord approves.

3

Try zone heating.

If you don’t mind less-used rooms being colder, you might be able to save energy (and money) by zone heating. Electric baseboards make it easy because they typically have thermostat settings on the units or in each room. Portable electric space heaters can also be a good tool for zone

heating if they are used safely and wisely in the area you spend the most time. Keep in mind, if you’re using space heaters, you’ll need to reduce the heating you’re supplying to the rest of the home. Space heaters that are used incorrectly can be dangerous and increase energy costs. If your heating system needs to be replaced, you can talk to your landlord about installing a mini-split system, which is perfect for zone heating and cooling, and easier to install than a new duct and furnace system.

4

Stop air leaks.

Small gaps around windows, doors, wiring and plumbing penetrations can be major sources of energy loss. This problem can be alleviated with a little weather stripping and caulk, but you should check with your landlord before you get started.

Better yet, convince the landlord to do the work! A door draft stopper (also known as a “door snake,” which cost from $10–$20) is a simple way to block gaps underneath exterior doors.

Sealing air leaks around your home could shave up to one-fifth of your heating and cooling bills.

5

Manage your windows and window coverings.

Your windows may be letting heat out during the winter and letting heat in during the summer. Window coverings like medium or heavy-weight curtains and thermal blinds can help. On cold winter days, window coverings can keep warmth inside and improve comfort. Opening up window coverings when you’re receiving direct sunlight is a ‘passive solar’ technique that can help cut your heating costs. You can

Get the most out of your hot water use by only washing full loads of dishes.

also cover windows with clear plastic to reduce heat loss and air leaks.

6

Look for energy wasters.

There are also small steps you can take every day to reduce your energy use. Water heaters should be kept at the warm setting (120 degrees).

Wash dishes and clothes on the most economical settings that will do the job and always wash full loads. Use the microwave instead of the oven when possible.

7

Landords (and others) can help.

Hopefully these tips will help you reduce your energy bills and increase your comfort, but consider talking to your landlord about additional ways to save, like installing better insulation, energy efficient windows or heating systems. Many landlords make these types of investments to add appeal to their rental properties, which ultimately improve the value of the property. A home energy audit is the best way to identify areas for energy efficiency improvements.

Contact your electric cooperative to see if they offer energy audits or if they can recommend someone local.

An audit would be a great way to start a conversation with your landlord about potential improvements.

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency.

Visit carolinacountry.com/your-energy for more ideas on energy efficiency.

28 | carolinacountry.com

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12/11/18 4:27 PM 1/10/19 12:05 PM

2

I Remember

Memories and photos from our readers

Sneaker-Wearing Guard Rooster I ran across this photo of our big Red Island Rooster. He was much more of a pet than a rooster. He was among 24 biddies that came to us one Easter.

Until they were older, we could not tell which were chicks or which were roosters. He was about the only rooster that survived. He quickly became a pet, of his own choice. He was named Bock Bock because when he ate scratch food, between bites, he seemed to be saying “bock, bock.” As if to say, “this is the best food I have ever eaten!”

Bock Bock quickly became friends with our German Shepard, Cameo.

They hung together most of the time.

Bock Bock even ate dog food with Cameo and slept with him. Cameo was named because his coat was of so any different colors. Cameo took great pride in rounding up the chickens when a truck needed to unload at the dock of the business.

However, Bock Bock himself was also protective of the place. When he saw a truck coming on the property, he refused to let the truck come more than just a little distance, then would not allow the trucks to go any further.

Bock Bock was protecting his territory. The truck drivers finally figured a way around the guard rooster. They bought a box of Cheerios. When they first drove in the lot, they would roll down the window and throw a handful of cereal out as far as possible.

They know that Bock Bock would eat until they could unload and leave!

This maneuver was quite successful.

I found a tiny pair of white Reebok tennis shoes at a thrift store that just fit Bock Bock. He allowed us to put them on him and he strutted his stuff in them.

I wrote the Reebok Company suggesting that in my opinion Bock Bock would make a real successful TV commercial for then to feature Bock Bock in his tennis shoes. I suggested the commercial could have him say something like, “My name is Bock Bock, and I wear Reebok.”

Well, I tried many times to contact them by every means I thought possible, but they refused to either talk with me or allow me to explain my

plan. I figure it is their loss.

Bock Bock by himself was on guard duty in the office every morning. He would wait at the front door until it was open, then go in first to case the joint out. This is just a part of his regular routine in and around the business. (In reality, after he looked around, he would go toward the green plants growing in the office and peck around hoping to find a bug of some kind.)

I find Bock Bock very fascinating, but it may be because he was a part of our lives. A call to the vet told us roosters usually live only 7 years, if they are healthy and taken good care of. Bock Bock was certainly that.

Jean Sosebee, Bessemer City A member of Rutherford EMC

Tire Play When I was growing up in Glen Raven, a small section of Alamance County located between Burlington and Elon College, I would get up early on summer mornings and, if my grandmother didn’t have some vegetables or fruit to be prepared for canning, I would head outside for tire play. Tire play is when I would find an old used car tire, clean off the mud and empty water out of it. Playing with the tire meant running alongside or behind the tire throughout my neighborhood. When the other boys found their tires, we raced each other through homemade courses or to a fixed finish line. I had to do some kind of trick or routine that made me and my tire stand out from the others. Most of all, you just had to be fast. Being an adult now I realize what creative play now means!

Robert Jeffers, Burlington, a member of Piedmont Electric

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1/11/19 2:16 PM

Sunday Church Not Optional This picture was taken in 1963 in front of Harper’s Ferry Church, located south of Pembroke off Hwy 710. The church sets right on the bank of the Lumber River. Stories have it they did quite a bit of baptizing in the river behind the church.

Pictured are my four siblings from back row, left to right: sister Lynna V. and Len Edward. Front row, left to right: Stanley Edward and Allen Lee. The picture was taken before I was born and reflects the times, noting the Sunday attire they are wearing. These guys were visiting for the summer from Detroit, Michigan, where I was yet to be born. Attending Sunday church was not optional during their stay with Aunt Nonie. Lynna and Allen have passed on to the afterlife now. Brothers Stanley and Len reside on the Currituck Sound.

Our parents were part of the automotive migration during the 1940s and 1950s. My mother, Margaret, is from and still resides in Robeson County. My father Edward Lee, whom has passed on, was from Arkansas.

Taking pictures back then also appears to have been much more exciting than it is now.

Dwight Murray, Pembroke, a member of Lumbee River EMC

Send Us Your Memories We love sharing photos and memories dear to our readers.

Submit your photo, plus roughly 200 words that describe it, online or by mail with a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want it returned (only one entry per household, per month). Include your name, mailing address, phone number or email address, and the name of your electric co-op. We retain reprint rights, and we’ll pay $50 for those we publish. Online: carolinacountry.com/contact U.S. Mail: I Remember, Carolina Country, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616

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1/10/19 1:32 PM

NC Outdoors

Spring Catch

Shad are the harbingers of spring

Guide Mitchell Blake lands a hickory shad for a client on the Roanoke River.

Story and photos by Mike Zlotnicki

One of the many blessings of living in the Tar Heel State are the myriad fishing opportunities. From the mountain streams to the Gulf Stream, there is something for any angler.

Two species that “ring in” the start of spring fishing are the American shad and the hickory shad. Starting in February and lasting into early April, these shad species start spawning runs up coastal rivers like the Roanoke, Tar, Neuse and Cape Fear.

(The fish, like striped bass, are anadromous, meaning they live in salt water and spawn in fresh water.)

The American (or white) shad are larger than the more common hickory shad. American shad average 2–4 pounds, while hickories grow 1–2 pounds. When they’re thick it’s not hard to catch 50 to 100 “hicks” in a day’s fishing. To identify shad,

Hickory shad

look at their jaw. Hickory shad have a protruding jaw that looks pouty. The American shad does not have this feature and their lips are even when their jaw is closed.

Equipping for the catch Tackle is pretty straightforward. For conventional tackle, a light or ultralight spinning rod with 6- to 8-pound test is fine. Lures for shad include shad “darts” (a type of jig) and small spoons, sometimes in tandem with the spoon at the bottom and a dart and foot or two above on a short leader tied to a swivel. Rick Goines of Tarboro is a veteran shad angler and outdoor writer, and his favorite shad rig is the Custom Jimmy-D Shad Rig, hand-tied by Jimmy Dupree, Jr. of Tarboro. It is a tandem rig consisting of a one-eighth ounce green jig head, a green curly grub, and a 1½-inch green Nungesser spoon.

You can certainly just use small crappie jigs, marabou or plastic bodied, in green, chartreuse and pearl.

Fly-anglers use 4- to 6-weight outfits and sinking lines. Many use Clouser minnows in Crazy Charlie style in hot pink/chartreuse and red/gold.

Green seems to be a common color in jig bodies.

For shad fishing, casting from a boat is best, and on the Roanoke you will see everything from canoes to cabin cruisers. There is some limited bank fishing spots available, as well. Goines identified these locations as shad hot spots (originally published in Wildlife in North Carolina magazine): The Shad Hole

Battle Park

35.894168, -77.531993 103 E. River Road, Tarboro

35.959824, -77.794831 Falls Road @ US 64 E, Rocky Mount

The Pipe

Weldon

35.976956, -77.724044 NC Highway 97 East, Rocky Mount

36.4267323,-77.5906955 Rockfish Park, Rockfish Drive, Weldon

Daily creel limits for American and hickory shad vary by river and species combination, so consult an NC Wildlife Resources Commission regulations digest before fishing (available online at ncwildlife.org/ Licensing/Regulations). Creel limits by species can also be found online at bit.ly/eregulations-ncgamefish.

Mike Zlotnicki is associate editor at Wildlife in North Carolina magazine. He lives in Garner with his wife, three daughters and two German shorthaired pointers.

NC WILDLIFE UPDATE

Rare Case of Rabies in NC Black Bear A black bear that died in December in Hyde County has tested positive for rabies — the first known case of a rabies-positive black bear in the state, according to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

Johnny Dale of Fairfield contacted the Commission on Dec. 17 after finding the yearling male bear dead at his game feeder.

Dale reported he first observed the male bear the day before at his game feeder and that it was

alive, but very lethargic and unable to move.

Commission personnel conducted an initial necropsy (autopsy performed on animals) and sent the bear to researchers at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia for further testing. The Study confirmed rabies as the cause of death.

“Rabies in wild black bears is extremely rare; it has been documented only four times in the lower 48 states since 1999,” says Colleen

Olfenbuttel, the Commission’s black bear and furbearer biologist in a news release. “You can only get rabies by coming in direct contact with the saliva, tears, or brain/nervous tissue of an infected animal.”

Anyone who encounters a black bear exhibiting disease symptoms or comes across a dead black bear should call the Commission’s NC Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401. On weekends, please call 800-662-7137.

32 | carolinacountry.com

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The storefront of Conrad & Hinkle is located at the same place it has been for 100 years: 6 North Main Street in Lexington, NC

A Century of Reliable Service Celebrate a milestone with Conrad & Hinkle Food Market

By Craig Distl | Photos courtesy of Lexington Tourism Authority

It’s a typical Tuesday and Lee Hinkle is where he’s been most every Tuesday of his adult life — working his family’s grocery market, Conrad & Hinkle, on the square in downtown Lexington.

Memories flow as he talks about an upcoming Tuesday (Feb. 12, 2019) that will be anything but typical. It’s the day this beloved hometown institution celebrates 100 years in business.

Lee shares a story about a customer who came in during the 1990s and realized her family’s account, which hadn’t been used in years, carried an unpaid balance. The account, she said, was important because it helped her parents get through the Great Depression. The ledgers revealed a $300 balance, so she wrote a check for twice that amount and said, “I hope this will cover the interest.”

As Lee finishes the story, Judy Black enters with a sack of pecans collected by her family and shelled by hand.

Lee is glad to see her and buys the entire sack (“We’ve been doing ‘local’ for 100 years, he says.”) Check in hand, Judy leaves with a friendly reminder to bring in more pecans soon.

Simple and reliable

There’s a genuineness at Conrad & Hinkle that started back in February of 1919 when Lee Hinkle’s great-grandfather, Walter Conrad, and grandfather, Odell Hinkle, set up shop. And it

continues today under a fourth generation of leadership.

“As soon as you walk in, they are welcoming you and more than likely calling you by name. That is personalized service you don’t get in larger operations,” says Lexington mayor Newell Clark. “It’s just part of the DNA at Conrad & Hinkle.”

While Lee is proud to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his family’s business, in many ways he sees it as a natural extension of what he and his brother, Jim, learned as kids working for their grandfather, Odell, and later for their father, Dwight.

There’s no magic formula, Lee says, nor does he feel he’s done anything special. “I like to keep it simple,” he says.

Perhaps therein lies the secret. In a world of electronic scanners, self-checkout counters and 12 different flavors of the same sports drink, there’s comfort in the simplicity of places like Conrad & Hinkle.

“We don’t have all the selection the Walmarts, Food Lions and big box stores have, but we have a personal

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Legendary pimento cheese Conrad & Hinkle produces more than 1,500 pounds of pimento cheese per week, which started with Grandma Hinkle’s recipe in the 1940s.

Customers loved it then, and they love it now. It is available in house, as well as at a number of stores throughout the Piedmont — Lee Hinkle runs a weekly delivery route to keep the stores stocked.

Owner Lee Hinkle with cartons of the store’s famous pimento cheese.

touch. Like our meat department, everything is cut to order,” Lee explains. “It’s service, it’s quality, and you can walk in here and talk to one of us and we can tell you how something is because we’ve tried it.”

Generations of service

Lee believes credit for the store’s success goes to his grandfather, father and staff. Odell Hinkle took over in 1927 when Walter Conrad’s health declined. He ran it for decades and when people asked why he didn’t shorten the name to Hinkle’s, he said it was too costly to change the signs. Although frugal, Odell made wise investments.

In 1941, he installed what was believed to be the second walk-in freezer in North Carolina. Home freezers were an uncommon luxury at that time, so customers rented space in the freezer, still in use today.

Dwight Hinkle started full time in the 1950s and ran the store for decades until handing it over to Lee and Jim in 1990. Dwight, who was Lexington’s mayor from 1978–1985, kept the store afloat during the economic downturn of the early 1970s and set the stage for a fourth generation of the Hinkle family to carry on the tradition.

Lee eventually bought out his brother’s share and says that someday his teenage son, John, might take the helm.

In the meantime, there are canned goods to stock, pimento cheese to deliver and groceries to bag. Yes, at 56, the owner still does those things on a regular basis.

“Recently I was carrying groceries to the car for a man who was 93 years old and he told me he could remember coming in here when he was a boy,” Lee says. “Generations of people have shopped here their whole lives, so we must be doing something right.”

Craig Distl is a Belmont-based freelance writer and proud native of North Carolina.

This photo from 1927 shows the store’s interior. The metal ceilings and the hooks holding the bananas are still in use today.

Second from right is Odell Hinkle.

Ashley Hinkle (left) and Emily Trexler (right) speak with a customer at the front counter.

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Carolina Compass

Mabyn Ludke

Wedding Expo Feb. 16, Burnsville

February Events MOUNTAINS NC Conceal Carry Class Learn about permit Feb. 2, Dallas 704-692-4176 carolinasfirstdefense.com

Chair Caning & Seat Weaving

Wedding Expo

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Demo with Brandy Clements Feb. 15–17. Asheville 828-253-7651 grovewood.com

Exhibits, vendors Feb. 16, Burnsville 828-682-7209 burnsvilletowncenter.com

Tour of Seagrove galleries Feb. 8–10, Seagrove 336-707-9124 seagrovedowntownshops@gmail.com

President’s Day Family Weekend Fireworks, moonlight skating Feb. 15–18, Blowing Rock 828-295-7828 appskimtn.com

The Music of Beatles & Eagles Tribute performances Feb. 14–17, Flat Rock 828-693-0731 flatrockplayhouse.org

Kyle Petty & David Childers Stories, songs Feb. 16, Dallas 704-266-1472 facebook.com/odb1863

Traditional Oil Painting Demo with Bryan Koontz Feb. 15–16, Asheville 828-253-7651 grovewood.com

Outhouse Races Feb. 16, Sapphire 828-743-7663 admin@pineapple-pr.com

PIEDMONT Open House Orchids, refreshments Feb. 7–Feb. 14, Hickory 828-294–3950 ironwoodorchids.com

Gallery Goes Pop: Warhol Silk screen images Feb. 7–April 12, Fayetteville 910-425-5379 davidmccunegallery.org

Sammy Kershaw Country music artist Feb. 9, Liberty 336-534-0010 thelibertyshowcase.com

Other Dimensions Varied artworks Feb. 21–Mar. 24, Hillsborough 919-732-5001 hillsboroughgallery.com

Tree Seedling & Fruit Plant Sale Natives, heirlooms available Feb. 23, Monroe 704-283-3822 mastergardenersunioncountync.org

carolinacountry.com/calendar

See more events online with photos, descriptions, maps and directions.

MOUNTAINS

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PIEDMONT

Listing Deadlines: Submit Listings Online: For April: Feb. 25 For May: March 25

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carolina­country.com/calendar (No email or U.S. Mail.)

COAST

Unnatural Resources Fair Creations from discarded materials Feb. 1–3, Greenville

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Carolina Compass

Know Before You Go

In case something changes after Carolina Country goes to press, check information from the contact listed.

Stephen Freeman

African American Music Series

Elvis Tribute artist Feb. 23, Liberty 336-534-0010 thelibertyshowcase.com

Feb. 8, Greenville 252-551-6694 pittcountyarts.com

COAST NC Jazz Festival Include Brazilian music Jan. 31–Feb 2, Wilmington 910-793-1111 ncjazzfestival.org

First Friday Artwalk Special sales Feb. 1, Greenville 252-561-8400 uptowngreenville.com

Ensemble Melange Chamber music Feb. 1, Oriental 252-617-2125 pamlicomusic.org

Unnatural Resources Fair Creations from discarded materials Feb. 1–3, Greenville 252-355-1039 unnaturalresources.org

Savannah Jack Interactive music show Feb. 12, Washington 252-947-2076 gobcca.org

Ability Gardening Refreshments, presentation Feb. 13, Morehead City 252-222-6352 mjwolff@ec.rr.com

Ability Gardening Feb. 13, Morehead City

Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart Actor brings history alive Feb. 15, Greenville 800-328-2787 bit.ly/ecu-jackie-robinson

Eastern Bridal Expo Vendors, exhibits Feb. 17, Greenville 252-975-8540 easterncarolinabridalexpo.com

Boat Show Feb. 22–24, Greenville 252-321-7671 vera@visitgreenvillenc.com

There are more than 250 farmers markets in North Carolina, and some stay open year-round. For one near you, visit bit.ly/NCfarmmarkets.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Home Improvement Fails

You tried, you failed, we’re interested!

Ever start a home improvement project with big plans, but end with regrets, a mess and a fervent wish you’d called in a professional? (We have.) If you can finally laugh about it, please share photos of and stories about your DIY project fail. We will pay $50 for each photo or story published in our May 2019 issue.

Rules

Send to

Deadline: March 15, 2019

Online: carolinacountry.com/DIYfails No emails, please.

One entry per household Digital photos should be a minimum of 1200 by 1800 pixels; prints a minimum of 4 x 6 inches.

Include your name, electric co-op, mailing address and email address or phone number with your entry.

Text should not exceed 200 words.

We retain reprint and online rights. Payment will be limited to those entries appearing in print, not entries featured solely on carolinacountry.com.

Mail: Carolina Country Home Improvement Fails 3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616 If you would like us to return your photo print, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

(We will not return others.)

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Marketplace

$11,495 - 30x40x10

EASTERN

DIVISION

Painted Enclosed Built Price (Not Shown)*

STORAGE BUILDINGS HAY BARNS HORSE BARNS GARAGES *Custom building shown.

Call for pricing.

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

Custom Solutions

1-800-882-5150 Quality Steel Buildings since 1995

Hurricane Upgrade E of I-95 • Fully Insured • #1 Metal • Custom Sizes 4/12 roof pitch • Engineered trusses • Local codes/freight may affect prices

www.nationalbarn.com

1-888-427-BARN (2276)

Farm • Industrial • Commercial

RHINO.BUILDERS/NC 940-304-8072 info@rhinobldg.com

• Workshop • Garage • Barn • Residential https://premierbuildings.com/co-op

Advertise in the Marketplace Call Tom Siebrasse for more information

1-800-662-8835, ext. 2420

Morton_CarolinaCntry_2.19.qxp_Morton_CarolinaCntry_1.17 12/21/18 9:42 AM Page 1

A ride preserved for generations.

IN THE BUILDING made for generations.

Steel Mobile Home Roofing Leaks? Roof rumble?

High energy bill?

Your dream garage begins with limited-time savings when you commit during Building Value Days. Now through February 28.

Contact us at 800.633.8969 or roofover.com Mobile Home Roofover Systems Since 1983

800-447-7436 | MORTONBUILDINGS.COM ©2019 Morton Buildings, Inc. A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses. Certain restrictions apply. Ref Code 082

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Marketplace

Arco Steel Buildings 1-800-241-8339 40 x 60 x 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL $ 13,410 50 x 75 x 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL $ 18,215 60 x 100 x 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CALL $ 26,965 100 x 75 x 12 w/column . . . . . . . . . . . CALL $ 32,350 20 x 100 x 8'6" Mini Warehouse . . . . . CALL $ 9,125

ALL SIZES AVAILABLE!

www.arcosteel.com 40

Years

Arco Building Systems, Inc. (FOB PLANT – LOCAL CODES MAY AFFECT PRICES – BUILDINGS NOT AS SHOWN ABOVE)

Business Opportunities

Miscellaneous

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FREE CBD STORE! I “Googled” My Symptoms! Turns Out All I Need Is PATENTED 10xPure CBD Oil! NO THC! www.FreeCBDStore.biz

PLAY GOSPEL SONGS BY EAR — $12.95. “Learn Gospel Music.” Chording, runs, fills — $12.95. Both $24.

Davidsons, 6727C Metcalf, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66204. 913-262-4982.

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FREE MATERIALS: SOON CHURCH/GOVERNMENT UNITING. Suppressing “Religious Liberty”, enforcing a “National Sunday Law”. Be informed! Need mailing address only. TBSM, Box 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 1-888-211-1715.

V

Vacation Rental ATLANTIC BEACH OCEANFRONT CONDO, breathtaking view. 1/BD, 1½ /BA, $75.00. 816-931-3366.

Gold Maps FUN, HOW TO PAN. Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, California. 1-407-282-3594. WWW.GOLDMAPS.COM.

For Sale TWO CEMETERY PLOTS, Gaston Memorial Park, Gastonia. Masonic area. 700.00 each. 704-813-6897.

A BOOK OF COLLECTED “YOU KNOW YOU’RE FROM CAROLINA COUNTRY IF…” submissions from Carolina Country magazine readers. You know you’re from Carolina country if you say “Laud ham mercy!” 96 pages, illustrated, 4 by 5½ inches. Only $7 per book (includes shipping and tax). Send payment to “You Know,” Carolina Country, PO Box 27306, Raleigh, NC 27611. Or buy with a credit card at our secure online site at www. carolinacountry.com.

NURSERY STOCK & SEED GROW HALF DOLLAR SIZE MUSCADINES & BLACKBERRIES, FREE CATALOG. 200 varieties fruit, nut trees, vines & berries.

1-800-733-0324. ISON’S NURSERY, Brooks, Georgia 30205 www.isons.com

“CAROLINA COUNTRY REFLECTIONS” More than 200 photographs showing life in rural North Carolina before 1970. Each picture has a story. Hardcover, coffee table book, 160 pages. Only $15 (includes tax and shipping).

Comes with free cookbook. Send payment to “Reflections,” Carolina Country, PO Box 27306, Raleigh, NC 27611. Or buy online at www.carolinacountry.com.

FARM FENCING Watterson Tree Farm installs any type field fencing, especially woven wire with wooden posts, and board fencing. Certified Redbrand installer and Kencove dealer. Website www.farmfencenc.com.

Wildlife Damage Control Agent, David 240-498-8054 email treefarmnc@yahoo.com.

GENTLE GOAT MILK SOAPS, lotions, gift baskets, NC handcrafted. beckiesbackporch@etsy.com. 704-882-2223.

SHEPARD’S CLEANING SERVICE LLC: For your residential and commercial cleaning needs. Call today 252-301-8677.

HEIRLOOM SEEDS FOR YOUR GARDEN. Free catalog call 828-389-2642; or write Seedworthy, 31 Wounded Knee Lane, Hayesville N.C. 28904; seedworthy@gmail.com or visit our website; seedworthy.org TIRED OF PAYING PROPERTY TAXES? Inherited land you don’t need? www.sellyourvacantlandfast.com Quick cash, 843-564-8438.

The N.C. Association of Electric Cooperatives and its member cooperatives do not endorse the services and products advertised. Readers are advised to understand fully any agreement or purchase they make. To place a classified ad: carolinacountry.com/classifieds

Win a $100 Gift Card from Carolina Country!

Make a connection with Carolina Country! Sign up for our email updates so you don’t miss out on your favorite content. New email subscribers will automatically be entered into a random drawing for a $100 gift card. Visit carolinacountry.com/signup by February 28.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. There are two ways to enter into the random drawing and become an eligible entrant: (1) PRIMARY ENTRY: An Entrant must sign up to receive emails from Carolina Country (typically two per month) and from select approved sponsors using the form at carolinacountry.com/signup for a chance to win;(2) ALTERNATIVE ENTRY: In order to be entered without completing the primary entry conditions, an Entrant must send a letter with the Entrant’s first and last name, mailing address and telephone number to Carolina Country, Email Sign-up Sweepstakes, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616 prior to conclusion of the applicable Sweepstakes Period. One entry per person, drawn by random; odds of receiving the one (1) gift card (retail value of $100) depend upon number of entries received.

Entries must be received by February 28, 2019. The drawing will be held March 1, 2019.

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Cherry Juice Goodness Wait! Don’t pour out that delicious drained cherry juice leftover from this recipe. Use in frostings, whipped cream or cake batter.

A splash makes your hot chocolate into “Chocolate Covered Cherry” hot chocolate and will turn your cola drinks into fun cherry ones. Use to make lemon or limeade cherry ice cubes, too. Tell us what you like to do with maraschino cherry juice in the comments section for this recipe on carolinacountry.com/recipes.

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I ‘Cherry’ish You Rice Krispies Treats® This twist on a tried-and-true recipe is just in time to share with those you love on Valentine’s Day. It’s an easy recipe for the next generation of aspiring little chefs, too!

Basic Cherry-Vanilla Treats 6 tablespoons butter 1 (16-ounce) bag mini-marshmallows 5 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 (16-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped 8 cups Rice Krispies® cereal 1 cup toasted almonds, crumbled Decorating icings and sprinkles Heart-shaped cookie cutters

Melt butter in a heavy pot over low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir until melted.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, cherries and cereal.

Using a buttered spatula, fold together until well combined. Pour out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread to about 1-inch thickness. Cool.

Cut, decorate and dust with toasted almonds.

Also try:

Very Cherry Vanilla Treats

Make basic recipe, stirring in 2 tablespoons of red cherry gelatin powder.

Black Forest Treats

Make basic recipe, substituting chocolate Rice Krispies cereal. Stir 1 cup of milk chocolate chips in with cereal.

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Carolina Kitchen

From Your Kitchen

Seafood Bisque Casserole

Apple Crumb Cake

A warm bowl of bisque surely is soothing … but in a casserole? Oh, yes! And it would make a splendid Valentine’s Day supper for loved ones.

3 medium size apples, peel and cube 1 cup light brown sugar 2 tablespoons cinnamon.

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup butter, softened 3 eggs 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 stick butter, melted 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 6 tablespoons butter 2–3 large shallots, peeled/sliced 1 pound large shrimp, peeled 1 pound bay scallops ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon white pepper ½ cup sherry, divided 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1¾ cups milk, half & half or combination (room temperature) ½ pound cooked crabmeat 2 cups grated Swiss cheese 1 cup Panko bread crumbs ½ cup minced parsley 6 cups cooked pasta* Preheat oven broiler.

Cook bacon in soup pot over medium high heat until crispy.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of drippings and add butter. Once butter is melted and sizzling, sauté shallots about 2 minutes. Add shrimp and scallops. Cook 3–4 minutes just until done, being careful not to overcook. Using slotted spoon, remove seafood from juices. Stir in salt, pepper and ¼ cup of sherry; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Whisk flour into remaining sherry to make a slurry.

Stir milk into simmering liquid. Once warm, whisk in slurry and continue heating several minutes, whisking until thickened.

Return seafood to bisque and heat 1 minute.

Spoon over pasta in a large baking dish. Scatter with crabmeat, cheese and crumbs. Place in oven on middle rack and broil 4–5 minutes to melt cheese and brown crumbs. Garnish with bacon and parsley. Serve immediately. * If preferred, the bisque can be prepared as noted without the pasta to be spooned over grits, rice, mashed potatoes or into phyllo pastry cups.

Yield: 6–8 servings

Spiced Apple Cider Dressing A warm mug of apple cider in the cold winter months is so soothing and comforting. It is also tasty in this dressing … so simple to make with pantry ingredients you’re likely to have on hand. Drizzle over a pan of simple roasted vegetables with slices of apple, or over a spinach salad topped with boiled eggs and crumbled bacon. It’s even tasty over baked sweet potatoes. ½ cup spiced apple cider (from produce dept.) ¾ cup preferred salad oil 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons maple syrup 3 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1½ teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon thyme Several turns freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt Put all ingredients in a quart jar with lid and shake to blend. *This dressing is best if made at least one hour ahead. Will keep in refrigerator a few weeks, but serve warm or at room temperature.

carolinacountry.com/recipes

Search more than 800 recipes, with a new recipe featured every week!

Unless otherwise noted, recipes on this page are from Wendy Perry, a culinary adventurist and blogger, who chats about goodness around NC on her blog at WendysHomeEconomics.com.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray. Mix apple pieces, brown sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, softened butter and 1 egg. Pat crust down tight in the pan and set aside.

Whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and melted butter. Beat until well blended. Add the confectioners’ sugar about a cup at the time, until blended.

Gently fold in the apple mixture.

Pour this mixture over the crust. Bake until the center is soft and a little jiggly in center. Don’t overcook or it will be dry. Hard to put exact time as all ovens are different.

Optional: Add a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Cheryl Dement of Mebane

Send Us Your Recipes

Contributors whose recipes are published will receive $25. We retain reprint rights for all submissions.

Recipes submitted are not necessarily entirely original. Include your name, address, phone number (for questions), and the name of your electric cooperative. Mail to: Carolina Country Kitchen, P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, NC, 27611. Or submit your recipe online at: carolinacountry.com/myrecipe.

— Jenny Lloyd, recipes editor

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Looking for

Recipes?

Find them on page 40.

where

in Carolina Country is this ?

Send your answer by Wednesday, Feb. 6, with your name, address and the name of your electric cooperative.

Online:

carolinacountry.com/where

By mail: Where in Carolina Country?

P.O. Box 27306

Raleigh, NC 27611 Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified.

The winner, chosen at random and announced in our March issue, will receive $25.

January winner

The January “Where Is This” photo by Kasandra Granger features a colorful bluebird mosaic mural along the sidewall of the old Beggars and Choosers store, which is located across the street from the historic Chatham County Courthouse in downtown Pittsboro.

The building is now home to the Screaming for Vintage store. Reader Kasey Taylor reported that Beth Goldston and LaNelle Davis created the artwork. Mimi Gannaway said the mural consists of mirror, broken dishes, pottery shards and stained glass. The winning entry chosen at random from all correct submissions came from David Nyce of Apex, a Brunswick Electric member.

Have a roadside gem you’d like to share? Submit a photo, plus a brief description and general location information, at carolinacountry.com/where.

scenes

CAROLINA COUNTRY

featured photo

Light Up the Night I was at the Oak Island Lighthouse to take a few sunrise photos, and while waiting, I tried a few nighttime shots.

I love the way the camera caught the pattern of lights of the lighthouse.

Nick Noble, Southport, A member of Brunswick Electric The Featured Photo comes from those who scored an honorable mention from the judges in our 2019 photo contest (“Carolina Country Scenes,” January 2019). See even more Photos of the Week on our website carolinacountry.com.

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Touchston

Manage winter’s chill with tools from your electric cooperative While cold weather almost always means higher home energy use, the good news is your electric cooperative has tools to help you keep your home energy use — and budget — under control.

Connect with your co-op at ncelectriccooperatives.com.

Powering and empowering the people and communities we serve.

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