2019-11-EU

November 2019

Fresh from the

Farm

Our Food Issue Starting on page 10

Published by

Who keeps your co-op’s fleet in top form? page 8

Curating recipes from around NC page 18

PERIODICAL

EnergyUnited provides propane to area school buses—pages 21–24 Nov covers.indd 9

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Volume 51, No. 11

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Favorites 4 Viewpoints 6 More Power 18 Carolina People 26 On the House 30 Tar Heel Tidbits 32 Carolina Gardens 34 Carolina Compass 38 Marketplace 39 Classifieds 40 Carolina Kitchen 42 Where is This?

42 Carolina Music

On the Cover Warren Brothers and Lillie Hardy provide unique fresh produce (and biscuits) in the Kinston area, including to celebrity chef Vivian Howard. Photo by Randy Berger Photography.

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Farmer & the Chef & the Biscuit Maker

Kinston’s celebrity chef has put a Lenoir County farm in the spotlight.

The Spice Merchant of Asheville Spicewalla is bringing fresh international spices to local kitchens.

Southern Culture Meets Italian Roots

Cheesemaking comes naturally to Austin and Samantha Genke.

Carrying on a Carolina Tradition Hog killin’ is a family tradition for some, though not for the faint of heart.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Carolina Country Scenes Last call for entries! Send in your best photos to be considered for our January issue. See page 39 for details.

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Viewpoints

No Community is an Island

By Kris Noble

Unlike most populated barrier islands in North Carolina, there are no bridges to Ocracoke. The shortest ferry route from the mainland is a two-and-a-half-hour journey. The other option is to fly.

While much of the coast breathed a sigh of relief as Hurricane Dorian passed in September, Ocracoke was not so fortunate. In a mere two-hour window, the island was inundated with a sound-side surge that set a new flooding benchmark, damaging 703 structures, 417 of which are primary residences.

There are certainly more moving parts to coordinate when disaster hits so far from mainland resources.

But as a Hyde County native, born and raised on the mainland, I know all too well that any community in North Carolina can instantly become an island. Whether it’s a mudslide in western Carolina or the 1989 floods of Hurricane Floyd that bisected much of the east along the I-95 corridor, none are immune from the immediate isolation disaster can bring that may last many critical hours or even days.

Hyde County has the distinction of being the only county in North Carolina to have all its electric needs met by a cooperative. Our provider is Tideland Electric Membership Corporation. Like the state’s 25 other electric co-ops, Tideland EMC remains committed to local service by having a visible, daily presence in our communities, including Ocracoke, and by taking a lead role in emergency preparedness and response.

There’s obviously an operational advantage inherent in proximity and prioritization, but there’s also a psychological benefit knowing your community, no matter how small or

remote, is just as important as any other served. Proof was on full display September 29. A community meeting was held at the Berkley Barn where nearly 300 island residents took a break from the long, hard work of recovery to enjoy a meal prepared by volunteers from neighboring Carteret County and to hear updates from federal, state and local officials. While electric service had long since been restored, the acknowledgement of Tideland EMC employees in attendance resulted in a spontaneous and robust round of applause. We’re proud of our hometown team.

So the question I pose to other North Carolina communities, townships, and neighborhoods: Are you prepared if you, too, become an island? How long can you go it alone before regional, state and national resources arrive en masse?

Like so many rural communities, Ocracoke’s volunteer fire department became the hub from which all early relief efforts emanated. Individual citizens stepped into disaster response roles they never imagined and for which they were certainly never trained. Many did so while coping with catastrophic losses of their own, including Tideland EMC’s five island employees who each suffered varying degrees of flood damage.

If you haven’t done so, enroll in a disaster response course.

Training is available through several organizations, including the United Methodist Church (umcmission.org/umcor), the Salvation Army (disaster.salvationarmyusa.org), and the American Red Cross (redcross.org). Invite your local emergency management team to a neighborhood meeting and ask

Visit obcf.org to support the Outer Banks’ recovery after Hurricane Dorian. about opportunities to be part of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Training is even available for teen and animal response CERT teams. Reach out to your volunteer fire department about opportunities to serve as well.

Start forging today the granular relationships required to sustain families and businesses through the initial impact of a disaster, as well as down the long road to recovery once the eventual influx of disaster responders leave.

At Ocracoke, a small patch of sacred ground is the final resting place of four British soldiers killed during World War II while patrolling the coast for German U-boats (see “Wartime on the Outer Banks,” June 2018, page 14). It seems only fitting to recall the perennial substance of English poet John Donne’s classic “No Man Is An Island,” which reminds us that we cannot reach our full potential in isolation. Donne wasn’t referring to mere geography. He was referring to the human spirit. His words of encouragement were for each of us to recognize the power of community in all its forms and to act on it.

As Donne drives home in the poem’s last lines: “And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.”

Kris Noble resides in Swan Quarter and is the manager of Hyde County.

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Viewpoints

THIS MONTH:

The Food Issue Food is a topic we enjoy writing about as much as you enjoy reading (and cooking, and eating). This month, we’re pleased to feature a few folks around the state working to make sure what we eat is as fresh and tasty as possible. As always, find more recipes at carolinacountry.com/recipes.

—Scott Gates, editor

A Worthy Cause I am so glad to see the article in your September issue, “EnergyUnited Funds Veteran Service Dog Training” (page 8).

Lexington is my hometown, and this makes me proud that Brigette Parsons saw this great need and has made it happen for our veterans. Thank you, Brigette; what an accomplishment! I know the people of Lexington are proud of you also.

And thank you, EnergyUnited, for your generous support of such a worthy cause. Our veterans deserve this!

Signal Corps Memories While reading the August 2019 issue, I was fascinated by the cover and subsequent article (“Building a Brighter World,” page 10). The cover photo brought back many memories from my military service in the U.S. Army Signal Corps nearly 50 years ago during the Korean War. I immediately noticed that the wiremen were wearing gaffs, the buckle-on stabilizing devices on their feet enabling them to “plug into” the wooden poles to stay aloft while working. Today’s wiremen have the luxury of elevating lifts that give the wireman a more secure (and safer) advantage while working. Thank you for the moment.

Helen Myers Benton, Lexington A member of EnergyUnited

Benjamin W. Sallard, Hillsborough A member of Piedmont Electric

Correction to our September issue Thank you to Tracey Broome, a member of Piedmont Electric, for pointing out an error in “New Laws, New Promise for Hemp” (page 14). A crop that fails a THC test does not automatically lead to a lost license. According to Paul Adams, NC Industrial Hemp program manager: “If the license holder’s [crop] tests above 0.3% THC, then they get a free confirmatory test and have the right to request a retest on that material. If the original, confirmatory and requested retest all fail, then as long as they destroy the material in accordance with the program rules they maintain their license. If they pass any one of those three tests, then that material is free to market.”

The average THC level of marijuana is around 10%, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, although it can spike upwards of 30%.

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

Raleigh, NC 27616

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

Change of Address: carolinacountry.com/address Experiencing a power outage? Please contact your electric co-op directly to ensure prompt service. Visit carolinacountry.com/co-ops to find yours online.

(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 Digital Media 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.

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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More Power

Local Teacher Gets Hands-On Experience at Union Power Pamela Johnson, a math teacher of academically or intellectually gifted students at Parkwood Middle School in the Union County Public Schools system, spent three weeks this past summer at Monroe-based Union Power Cooperative as a 2019–20 Kenan Fellow. Her fellowship was made possible through a partnership between the electric co-op Union Power, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, and the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at North Carolina State University.

“The sheer amount of information I’ve taken in is incredible. I feel like how my students must feel when learning a new subject area,” Johnson said. “I’ve asked lots of questions and have learned so much.”

For three weeks, Johnson worked alongside employees and was immersed in all aspects of the co-op — from marketing and energy services, engineering and staking, to customer service, right-of-way management, information technology and more.

“Seeing the entire process — from the inception of electricity to service has been enlightening!” she said. “The opportunity to talk to professionals in various roles and see how math specifically is used in their daily lives has given me much more ammunition to answer the age-old question we algebra teachers hear from our students so often: ‘When will I use this in real life?’”

Johnson will transfer this knowledge to her students by creating lessons that will help them understand how electricity is produced and delivered to cooperative members. Her lessons will also increase their awareness of various career pathways in the energy field and at electric cooperatives.

“Union Power has always been committed to enhancing our communities through the education of our youth.

Being able to implement the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership this year was a wonderful opportunity, not only for our Kenan Fellow, but for the company as well,” said Luanne Sherron, Union Power vice president of Key Accounts and Government Relations. “Ms. Johnson gained great insight into how we function as an electric cooperative and operate on a day-to-day basis to bring power to our members. We enjoyed having her here and are excited to see how she will incorporate her learning experience back into the classroom.”

The Kenan Fellows Program, established in 2000 as an initiative of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science at NC State University, addresses the critical need for high-quality professional development for educators. North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives have sponsored seven educators as Kenan Fellows since 2014.

Pamela Johnson

Plant Development Engineer Matt Baucom shows Johnson components of a fuse cutout.

Johnson tours Catawba Nuclear Station in York, SC.

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10/10/19 4:24 PM

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More Power

CFC headquarters in Sterling, Virginia

Mark Suggs

Pitt & Greene EMC Leader Elected to National Board Mark Suggs, executive vice president and general manager for Farmville-based Pitt & Greene EMC, was recently elected to serve on the board of directors for the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC).

Created by electric cooperatives 50 years ago, CFC provides credit and financial products to electric co-ops across the country. Its 23-member board of directors sets overall policy, establishes programs and develops strategies for CFC. Each of the board’s directors is elected for a three-year term and can serve two consecutive terms.

“Being elected as a CFC Director will allow North Carolina to have representation and make contributions toward further strengthening the financial cornerstone of the cooperative family,” Suggs said.

Suggs will make the second seat on the CFC board filled by a North Carolinian. Roanoke Electric Cooperative President and CEO Curtis Wynn also serves on the board, representing the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) as its current president. Learn more about CFC at nrucfc.coop.

Techs Train to Keep Co-op Fleets Cutting Edge Electric cooperatives are working around the clock to ensure power is delivered safely, affordably and reliably. This may be most evident when lineworkers are spotted in the field, maintaining the system or restoring outages after a storm. But behind every bucket truck or other piece of equipment, there’s an oftenunsung employee there to make sure everything works when it needs to: the fleet technician.

“The work of fleet technicians may often go unnoticed, but their jobs are critical to ensuring equipment is operating safely and in full compliance 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Jimmy Brown, EnergyUnited manager of Fleet Services.

Fleet technicians are responsible for everything from oil changes to equipping vehicles with the latest technology, providing fellow co-op employees with the best tools to do their jobs.

In September, fleet technicians from 10 electric cooperatives across the state met at EnergyUnited’s Mocksville office

for a 2019 Fleet Training Seminar.

“Fleet technicians undergo training throughout the year to stay on top of new technology and safety protocols, and we’re pleased to play a part in supporting the key role these individuals complete on a daily basis,” Brown said.

Sessions included technical information on engines and a discussion on fleet safety, specifically grounding and bonding fleet equipment in the field. Instructors represented

Freightliner Corporation, Cummins Corporation and the Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction.

Attendees represented Blue Ridge Energy, EnergyUnited, French Broad EMC, Pee Dee Electric, Piedmont Electric, Randolph EMC, Roanoke Electric Cooperative, Rutherford EMC, Union Power Cooperative and Wake Electric. Contractors from Utility Lines and Asplundh Tree Expert Company were also in attendance.

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Farmer & the Chef & the Biscuit Maker Leah Chester-Davis

Leah Chester-Davis

Kinston’s celebrity chef has put a Lenoir County farm in the spotlight

By Leah Chester-Davis | Photos by Randy Berger Photography unless otherwise indicated

W

arren Brothers’ farm in the Institute community outside of Kinston is enveloped in a thick layer of fog. A bunch of guineafowl emerges suddenly — otherworldly looking creatures running straight toward a visitor’s car. They are making such a ruckus with their high-pitched screeching and honking, it’s no wonder a group of guineafowl is known as a “confusion.” No need for a guard dog here; the

effect, especially to those unfamiliar with the birds, is to stay put in the car. Almost as quickly as their urgent approach, they disappear back into the fog. Maybe they were just the welcoming committee.

As the fog begins to lift, Warren drives up in his truck. The smiling, affable farmer lives just down the road from this part of his farm that has become one of the selected spots for photo and television shoots for his friend Vivian Howard, chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and TV personality on “A Chef’s Life,” which aired on PBS for several seasons. Warren made guest appearances on the show.

Brothers Farm was a “tobacco farm forever,” going back five generations.

“I could see the writing on the wall about tobacco, so I was looking for something else to do,” Warren says

as he reflects on the farm’s more recent endeavors. He raised chamomile for several years, which was shipped to Germany for shampoo and other products. He then started a cut flower business, which coincided with Vivian opening what would become the acclaimed Chef and the Farmer restaurant in Kinston. She now has two other restaurants.

“I just popped in there with a bucket of flowers before she even opened up,” explains Warren. He says Vivian indicated she’d “be tickled” to have the flowers for the restaurant tables, but what she really needed was someone to raise vegetables that weren’t readily available at farmers markets. That included parsnips, daikon radishes and exotic greens. It was the beginning of his organic vegetable farm and a friendship.

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Tara Verna Leah Chester-Davis

Since that first meeting in 2006, Warren has researched numerous vegetables to add to his repertoire that might be of interest to Vivian and other chefs. He grows more than 40 different vegetables and herbs and is always on the lookout for new varieties. He scans the Baker Creek seed catalog (rareseeds.com) for ideas from its list of seeds from all over the world.

Every year he asks Vivian what is new and exciting, and then tries to plant accordingly. He planted a lot of bronze fennel this year. Other popular items include broccolini, cucamelons, Hakurei turnips, Chantenay carrots, and greens that are half collard and half Komatsuna (an Asian green). He is also trying several varieties of okra, including red okra and Thai okra.

He sells produce at the farm, at the Kinston and Pitt County farmers markets, and to five restaurants. He continues to grow flowers — tulips, irises, lilies and gladiolas in the spring and zinnias and sunflowers in the summer up until frost.

Warren says he is one of several farmers in the area who is on “speed dial” to keep Vivian’s restaurants “in vegetables.” He appreciates the focus on and interest in locally grown foods, saying that anytime Vivian mentions a new variety on her show it helps people across the country discover new foods.

“You see vegetables that nobody knows about and now everybody knows about them. You play a part in something like that, that’s kinda fun.”

Leah Chester-Davis

t

The farmer

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The biscuit maker

“Ms. Lillie has a thriving biscuit business. She will open up her home and give biscuit lessons to groups or individuals on how to make a good ol’ Southern biscuit.”

Warren and one of his employees, Lillie Hardy, who washes fresh produce and bags it for customers, were frequent guests on Vivian’s television show and are mentioned throughout her cookbook, “Deep Run Roots.” In Vivian’s book, she acknowledges each of them as “teachers and friends.”

She writes, “the two of you, plus your mothers, Mary Vaughn and Annette Brothers, allowed me my first glimpse into Eastern North Carolina home kitchens beyond the one I grew up in.”

“A Chef’s Life” ended last fall after five seasons, but it continues to be aired on UNC-TV. Fans of the show continue to seek out Warren and Lillie.

“There’s not a week goes by that I don’t get a call that someone wants to come out here and see the farm because they’ve seen it on TV and they want to see it in real life,” Warren says. “And Ms. Lillie has a thriving biscuit business. She will open up her home and give biscuit lessons to groups or individuals on how to make a good ol’ Southern biscuit.”

Media darlings

Vivian acknowledges that her show makes a connection with folks across the region.

“It reminds people of how they grew up, the foods they grew up eating; the characters on our show like Lillie and Warren and my parents remind them of people in their lives,” she explains.

Warren’s low-key, easygoing style takes all the attention in stride. He is used to a rotation of newspapers, magazines and TV shows that visit his farm to interview Vivian, which often include him and Lillie.

“It’s pretty huge,” he says. We’ve done a ton of these. [Vivian] has been in every major publication in the country. It goes on and on.”

He shares about being part of a Better Homes & Gardens magazine photo shoot with Vivian for the previous Thanksgiving that was staged in his home, an 1853 farmhouse. A photographer flew in from New York and spent three days on the shoot.

“It was the darndest thing I’ve ever seen,” he says. “She is a popular girl.”

Vivian is now working on a new PBS series, “South by Somewhere,” which will premiere in early 2020. Warren and Lillie have a Facebook page (simply named “Warren and Lillie”) that keeps folks apprised of happenings at the farm, including a new hemp crop. Warren and his wife, Jane, were interviewed for a segment on the public television show called “Family Pictures USA,” which premiered on PBS in August.

Warren acknowledges that many farmers just don’t have time for dealing with the media to that extent. But then he laughs, adding: “Oh shoot, I enjoy it, to be honest with you!”

Leah Chester-Davis is a Carolina Country contributing editor. Her business, ChesterDavis Communications (chester-davis.com), specializes in food, farm, gardening and lifestyle brands and organizations.

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e.

of Asheville

The Spice Merchant Spicewalla is bringing fresh international spices to local kitchens

By Tina Firesheets

The aroma hits you when you walk into Asheville’s Spicewalla spice shop on certain days. It’s a mixture of all of the spices — coriander, cumin, black sesame seeds, turmeric and garam masala — that have been roasted, ground and blended by hand all day long.

It’s fragrant and slightly intoxicating, with a warmth and a depth that makes you hungry for food that nourishes you down to your very soul.

Street food origins

Spicewalla’s origin story actually began 10 years ago with a small mom and pop restaurant that introduced Asheville to a new experience in Indian cuisine: street food. The kind of food that one might snack on while sipping tea in India. That downtown restaurant — Chai Pani, founded by self-taught chef Meherwan Irani — was the springboard to a restaurant group that will include six locations by year’s end. Locations include Asheville, Charlotte and the Atlanta area.

Meherwan was born in London and moved to India when he was 4. His family ran a bed and breakfast for westerners, which sparked Meherwan’s attraction to all things Western — books, novels, movies,

music and food. He came to the United States to earn an MBA at the University of South Carolina.

While there, he just couldn’t find the authentic Indian food that he loved and began cooking to satisfy his own cravings.

It remained a hobby through his years as a West Coast auto industry executive and luxury realtor. When the recession ended his real estate career in 2008, his wife, Molly, encouraged him to turn his hobby into a career.

The result was Asheville’s Chai Pani.

One of the things that distinguishes Chai Pani is that its chefs roast, grind and blend fresh spices right there in the kitchen. It’s a main part of the cooking process, says Chai Pani’s original chef de cuisine, James Grogan.

To help foster an understanding and appreciation of the food’s origins, Chai Pani Restaurant Group sends a team of its employees to India each year for a 10-day street

food and culture tour. James was one of the first employees to go on the tour, 10 years ago. A documentary, “Cutting Chai,” was made from the trip.

“We went to 10 cities in 12 days.

It was insane,” James recalls. “We were on planes. We were on trains.

We were in cars. We were in rickshaws … the goal was to go and contextualize what we were doing with Chai Pani.”

Spice connection

A few years ago, a food distributor approached the Chai Pani staff at a food festival and asked how they achieved such flavor in their food.

“It’s really simple. We’re roasting and grinding our own fresh spices,” James replied.

That distributor’s inquiry and interest in acquiring such high quality spices led to the launch of Spicewalla in 2017. And after leading Chai Pani’s kitchen operations for eight years, James now runs Spicewalla Brand.

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t

Meet the Man Behind the Spice At this point, Meherwan Irani’s story is fairly legendary in food and restaurant circles.

The self-taught chef, with zero prior restaurant experience, has earned accolades that include four James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef in the Southeast. It’s also been said that he’s revolutionizing Indian food in the United States.

Here are his thoughts on early culinary influences and what he has learned from quickly building a restaurant empire. carolinacountry.com/extras

Watch James, Meherwan and others from Chai Pani on their epic trip across India in “Cutting Chai.”

Spicewalla’s small facility near UNC-Asheville initially produced Indian spices, but now offers 150 products that include European spices like rosemary and specific blends for various chefs and brewers. The roasting, grinding and blending process is fairly minimal there, with just a few people and even less equipment. A convection oven. A couple of grinders.

Production associates blend by hand.

The company added retail options last year and now anyone can order online (spicewallabrand.com) or visit the Asheville shop. Spicewalla has even gotten national exposure in Garden & Gun, Food & Wine, GQ and Fast Company magazines.

“It really affirmed that what we were doing mattered to a lot of people,” James says.

Tina Firesheets is a freelance writer based in Jamestown, North Carolina.

CC: Who was your biggest culinary influence?

MI:

My mom, of course! What made her cooking unique was that she was comfortable in multiple styles: She knew the food from North India. She spent time in Europe and learned how to cook English and Italian (food). She married a Parsi, so learned that (Indo-Persian) cuisine, which is so distinctive. And she learned Maharashtra cuisine when we lived there.

CC: You turned your passion into a rapidly expanding business. What have you learned?

MI:

Pick a business you’ll enjoy being in, then make it your passion. Too many people think you start with passion. Start with dedication first, and passion will follow.

Secondly, you’ll hear all the time that the customer is king ...

I would argue that businesses need to be employee-centric.

Take care of your team and watch them pass it forward, blowing away your customers because they’re experiencing incredible hospitality, service and care themselves.

CC: What are some basic spice staples for Indian cuisine?

MI:

The answer depends on what region you’re cooking.

But there are certainly some ingredients that are common: turmeric, high-quality chili powder (not cayenne but something like Kashmiri chili powder), cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, coriander powder and garam masala.

To learn more

Visit chaipaniasheville.com for more information on the Chai Pani Restaurant Group.

November 2019 | 15

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Southern Culture Meets Italian Roots Cheesemaking comes naturally to Austin and Samantha Genke

By Bridgette A. Lacy | Photos courtesy of Boxcarr Handmade Cheese

On a bucolic farm in Cedar Grove, Austin and Samantha Genke are winning awards and impressing taste buds with their Italian and Mediterranean inspired cheeses. Since the siblings’ company, Boxcarr Handmade Cheese (boxcarrhandmadecheese.com), opened in April 2015, it has been making a most delicious mark on fromage lovers.

The 30-acre Boxcarr Farm houses chickens, goats and a rapidly expanding cheese-making facility. The company produces 11 to 13 cheeses yearly and about six are sold nationally, including in big city gourmet shops and restaurants from San Francisco to New York.

Several of its cheeses have won culinary awards. The creamy, decadent Robiola-style Cottonseed, made from both cow and goat milk, won best of show only months after the first batch was made at the NC State Fair. In 2016 and 2018, it placed third in the American Cheese Society awards in the category for soft-ripened cheeses from sheep’s, mixed or other milks. The cold-smoked Campo was awarded best of show at the 2018 NC State Fair.

Austin and Samantha are first-generation farmers, though they come from an agricultural background. Their father is a sales and marketing director for a citrus grower and moonlights to help them with Boxcarr. Initially, the

entrepreneurs sold vegetables and meats from the farm, but decided to distinguish themselves by making cheese.

Austin explains that Boxcarr’s cheese merges the flavor of Southern culture and his Italian roots.

“Cheese is pretty simple: good quality milk, cultures and salt,” he says.

The 35-year-old describes his role at Boxcarr as a-jackof-all trades. He juggles working with contractors on building a milking parlor for the goats and an expansion of the packing room as he prepares for a food trade show in Atlanta. Austin, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, worked in casinos and restaurants in Las Vegas before moving to Orange County to be closer to his sister.

Samantha, 37, became interested in cheese while working in the specialty department of Whole Foods; then she took a sabbatical to hone her skills caring for goats at Goat Lady Dairy in Climax (see our article “Farm Dining in the Piedmont,” April 2018, to learn more about that farm).

During her time there, she also assisted in cheese making. She then moved from apprentice to cheesemaker at Chapel Hill Creamery, where she worked nine and half years before starting Boxcarr.

What’s the secret of the curds? “The milk is always changing,” she says. “We use different cows’ milk. If you change one thing, there’s a chain reaction. We use Italian cultures; they are unpredictable, but we like their profile.”

The Genkes use the cows’ milk of two nearby dairies and their own cross-breed of Alpine and Nubian goats. This year, the Genkes, along with the small

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“Cheese is pretty simple: good quality milk, cultures and salt. staff of six full-time workers and four part-time workers, expect to produce 60,000 pounds of cheese.

Boxcarr products are sold locally at Whole Foods Market; Weaver Street Market; the Durham Co-op Market and specialty cheese shops. And it’s no wonder that local merchants enjoy serving it. Chef Proprietor Aaron Vandemark of Hillsborough’s Panciuto, a farm-to-table Italian restaurant, uses several of Boxcarr’s products.

“We feature Rocket’s Robiola, Cottonbell and Redbud on our cheese board matched with jams and jellies,” explains Aaron, who was a semifinalist in the best chef category of the James Beard Foundation awards from 2011 to 2016.

“They all bring unique flavor profiles.”

“The Robiola, when ripe, is like softened butter with a touch of acidity and salt. There are a few nice bitter notes from the ashy rind, and we pair it with strawberry jam,” he continues. “The Cottonbell is soft and grassy with the slightest funk that comes from the tender billowy rind. We use an onion jelly on it. The Redbud, I find to be sharp with the slightest tang and some nutticarolinacountry.com/extras ness. It’s semi-soft and Does Susan’s grilled cheese the rind is rubbed with sandwich sound delectable? She shared her recipe! Find it on our paprika for a hint of website and keep it on hand for smoke, and we match it the coming cold months. with pepper jelly.”

On Saturday mornings, Austin and Samantha sell their products directly to consumers at the Durham Farmers’ Market.

According to Susan Sink, the market manager, Boxcarr has a faithful customer base.

“Personally, I adore their Freshen line,” she says referring to the spreadable cheese line that includes the flavors of Samantha and Austin Genke Pimento, Chive, Herb & Garlic and Peppercorn. Susan likes adding the soft cheeses to frittatas or a quiche. And with fall coming, Susan is already thinking about grilled cheese sandwiches made from Campo, a creamy, coldsmoked savory cheese.

“I add wilted turnip greens or baby kale and pair it with a heartier wheat bread and onion. It also adds a smoky flavor to French onion soup or a quiche, or even chili if you want to melt it on the top.”

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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Carolina People

Curating Our Tastes

Foy Allen Edelman has collected recipes from every county in NC

By Margaret Buranen | Photo by Rachel Kemble

F

or Foy Allen Edelman, food is so much more than what’s on your plate.

“Food brings people together in positive ways,” she says.

The Raleigh resident traces her interest in North Carolina regional food and recipes back to her father, a busy lawyer in her hometown of Kinston. During school vacations, Foy often accompanied her father on business trips to other NC towns.

Employees at various courthouses would advise Foy’s father on where to take her for lunch and the best menu items to order. Those trips, plus excursions with her parents to visit relatives and friends in other areas of North Carolina, gave Foy lots of chances to savor regional foods and to taste variations on favorite recipes.

Her childhood interest has lasted all of Foy’s life. It led her to create a project of collecting regional food recipes from residents of every county in the state. Armed with recording equipment, she captured not only recipes, but the history and stories behind them.

“I couldn’t have done it without my computer background.

I was a systems analyst and business consultant and a city planner before that,” Foy explains.

“I would go to a county where [earlier] I had talked to the agricultural agent to ask ‘Do you know somebody I could talk to there?’ Then I would show up, hoping somebody would be there and find a room full of people waiting for me.”

One woman waiting to share her family’s treasured recipe was 104 years old. Another woman gave Foy a recipe she had obtained by eavesdropping on a telephone party line years ago.

Foy said that each person who shared a recipe “had hoped that it would be preserved, and now it would be.

Once they entrusted me with a recipe, they told me stories about food, such as remembering that during the Depression nobody ate the shrimp they caught because they could make so much money selling it.”

Cookbook Archive Asked what collecting regional If you have older NC food stories and recipes taught cookbooks (produced by her about North Carolina, Foy organizations or individuals) that you would like to donate, replies: “The truth is, we’re contact the Special Collections more alike than we are different.

Department at UNC I stopped being in a political Greensboro’s Walter Jackson party when I came back from Library at scua@uncg.edu. the project.”

“The truth is, we’re more alike than we are different.”

Edelman’s project also gave her a new appreciation for the natural beauty and cultural diversity of her home state.

“I encourage people to go to every county in North Carolina — no matter how far out of the way — to explore it.

You’ll probably be amazed at the memories you’ll bring back.”

As for NC regional food, Foy admits: “I thought I had heard of everything, but I had never heard of apple stack cake. And I got to try pinto bean pie, a Native American dessert that is a staple in Cherokee cooking.”

In her many years of collecting cookbooks from all around NC she had accumulated more than 1,000 titles, which she donated to the University of NC Greensboro’s collection.

All of her notes, as well as the recordings she made of the stories people told her, will go to the NC Folklife Institute.

Later they will become part of the Southern Folklife Collection in the Wilson Library at UNC Chapel Hill.

The treasure trove of delicacies she discovered in crisscrossing the state are also available in her cookbooks, “Sweet Carolina” and “Carolina Cooks,” both published by UNC Press (uncpress.org).

“It’s nice to see where [this body of knowledge] is going and know that it will light up somebody’s interest,” Foy says.

Margaret Buranen writes from her home in Kentucky.

carolinacountry.com/extras

Just in time for the holidays, Foy shared her recipe for Jamie’s Magic Pumpkin Pie—a light version of this traditional dessert, minus the condensed milk. Go online to learn how to make it!

18 | carolinacountry.com

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NOVEMBER 2019

E N E R G Y U N I T E D ' S M O N T H LY M E M B E R N E W S L E T T E R

IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO OPERATION ROUND-UP SPOTLIGHT PROPANE-POWERED LEARNING

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

A SEASON OF GIVING EnergyUnited-1119.indd 7

10/10/19 2:16 PM

E-BILLING

TOUCHDOWN Tim Abernathy, from Stanley, N.C., scored tickets to the Panthers game just by signing up for e-billing! Not only is e-billing a great way to stay up to date with payments, it’s also a more eco-conscious choice that saves paper.

Ready to make the switch?

Sign up today through My Account on EnergyUnited.com by clicking “e-bill” on the EnergyUnited mobile app, or by contacting a Customer Care Representative at 800-522-3793.

OPERATION ROUND-UP This past June we awarded a grant of $10,000 to South Davidson Family Resource Center (SDFRC), a nonprofit agency that provides essential services and resources to the disadvantaged population and families in crisis in southern Davidson County. SDFRC was founded in 1998 to meet the critical needs of those living in the area who are struggling to From an unexpected job loss to chronic illnesses make ends meet. They offer food on a monthly or injuries, there are so many reasons why and emergency basis, utility bill payment someone may be feeling financially burdened. assistance and payment assistance for housing.

That’s where members of EnergyUnited come in. Thanks to our Operation Round-Up program Individually we’ve assisted several widows and and the generosity of our members, we’ve shown widowers who’ve been left in financial disrepair that simple actions can lead to profound results. due to the loss of their loved one; men and women who are struggling with dire illnesses; Operation Round-Up is a voluntary program families with special-needs children; and several that allows members to round up their electric other worthy recipients. We are truly humbled by bill to the next whole dollar. By doing this, our members’ generosity and feel honored to be members can put their nickels and dimes to work able to provide some solace to the people who to benefit our community. This year, over 72,000 need it most. Thank you to all who gave to this members donated to this worthy cause, which program—it really does prove that small change resulted in 69 households and five nonprofits can make a big impact. that were able to enjoy some much needed relief.

The holiday season is often a time for us to gather together, count our blessings and give thanks for the people, material comforts and financial security we have in our lives. While we hope everyone has the ability to enjoy the spirit of the season, we recognize that this time of year isn’t always easy on our wallets.

EnergyUnited-1119.indd 8

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FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO It's official: The lazy days of summer are far behind us and the season of giving has finally arrived. November marks one of my favorite times of the year—the leaves have begun their seasonal change, the air has a crisp bite to it and our communal mentality echoes the distinct tones of thankfulness and reflection.

For over 80 years, our cooperative has worked diligently to strengthen our expertise and further solidify our place as

the leading energy services provider of the Carolinas. Through it all, we’ve remained true to our rural roots, and it’s all thanks to you.

To each and every one of you who donated to the EnergyUnited Foundation, voted in our board of directors

elections, joined our Member Advisory Committee or helped us give back to our communities, thank you. The most successful cooperatives are those with the most informed and engaged members. In short, you are the reason we

serve and the reason we succeed. I think I can speak for all of us here at EnergyUnited when I say it truly is a privilege to serve you.

Of course, this feeling of gratitude is widely shared by many this month as we observe two important holidays. While the Thanksgiving holiday grants us the opportunity to reflect on the many things we have to be grateful for, Veterans

Day gives us the chance to celebrate the men and women who have served to make so many of those things possible.

The truth of it is, we live in the home of the free because of those who have put their lives on the line to protect our values. And for that, we are truly thankful.

There is so much to be grateful for, but for now let’s start with appreciating one another, recognizing our freedoms and appreciating the power of community .

H. Wayne Wilkins

VETERANS DAY SPECIAL We’re offering a 10% discount on propane appliances and 10 cents off each gallon to the brave men and women who have served in the military. This is a year-round deal, and is available to active and former members of the military.

It's just a small way to show our gratitude.

Call us at 800‑522‑3793 for more information.

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HERE’S TO ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR!

Each year, EnergyUnited seeks out two high school students to join the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, which takes students on a historic journey of electric cooperatives, American history and the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. Applicants must reside in a home or attend a high school serviced by EU. The program is open to current sophomores and juniors and the deadline to apply is December 31, 2019.

Visit EnergyUnited.com/youth-tour to apply!

On Thursday, September 19, EnergyUnited hosted its 21st Annual Meeting of Members. During the meeting, CEO Wayne Wilkins spoke about the status of our co-op, while Board President Dr. Max Walser focused on member satisfaction and what changes the coming year will bring, and congratulated our three board winners on their respective reelections.

We look forward to our bright future!

Congrats! These winners were selected randomly from our list of all our 2019 BOD Election voters to receive a $100 gift card: MARY LOTHERY

LOIS J. PENCE DONALD H. SHUMAKER

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These school buses promise a quieter ride and are 94% lower in harmful emissions.

Less noise inside the bus helps drivers focus on traffic and student behavior, and the drastic decrease in harmful pollutants means we’re working toward a cleaner future for tomorrow’s bright minds.

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This bus has only missed two days of service during the four years it’s been with DCS and has logged over 117,000 miles so far.

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9/23/19 2:19 PM 10/10/19 12:45 PM

On the House

The Hidden Cost of Little Luxuries Energy savings can add up

By Hannah McKenzie

Q:

I noticed a Himalayan salt lamp at my friend’s house that, for the first time, made me wonder what other electric luxuries are sucking energy around our homes.

There are so many gadgets that my grandparents never would have imagined. Is a salt lamp a big deal for energy use?

A:

It is interesting to note the funny places we find energy savings once we start looking for them. Most salt lamps use 15 watts, and assuming your friend keeps hers on all the time, the energy cost is about $15 per year. As you said, when we begin to notice all the little extras around our homes, it’s not a huge leap to then consider how much they contribute to our energy use.

Household extras are often decor or something that enhances the ambiance of our homes, like Peepaw’s countertop water fountains, Grandma’s oil diffusers, Susie’s miniature bathroom lamps or Mike’s noise machines. A number of households also enjoy a minifridge, wine cooler, ice machine, beer keg dispenser or even a second full-size refrigerator.

Luxuries are fine, but it can be sobering to stare into your second refrigerator and consider that nearly 900,000 children in North Carolina do not have enough food to eat, according to the NC Department of Public Instruction.

What if you gave up your second refrigerator and donated the annual energy savings — about $125 — to a local food bank? (Find more information at nokidhungrync.org.)

Oddly enough, pets also manage to consume electricity.

Between dogs watching Animal Planet while their human is at work or my sister’s horse listening to 24/7 countrywestern music, the costs add up like taking a kid to a candy shop. Even reptiles, which need heat to stay alive, require a surprising amount of energy. If pet-inspired savings are possible, what about donating those savings to a local animal shelter, your favorite wildlife rehabilitation organization or your faith community?

We often use energy without even thinking — $15 or $50 over a year may not matter for households who can easily afford it. But many in North Carolina still struggle to pay their energy bills, so passing along our savings in meaningful and impactful ways will go a long way to making everyone’s lives better, right here in our own backyards.

Appliance and Home Electronics Energy Use Device

Average Wattage* Hours per day annual cost**

Countertop water fountain

5

24

$5

Oil diffuser

12

4

$2

Miniature incandescent lamps

40

10

$18

Outdoor string lights (LED)

24

10

$11

Outdoor string lights (incandescent)

132

10

$58

Noise machine

18

10

$8

Dogs watching TV

150

10 (weekdays)

$45

Horse’s country music habit

8

24

$8

Bearded dragon heat lamps

100

12

$52

Aquarium

63

24

$66

Source: U.S. Department of Energy; find an online calculator at bit.ly/doe-energyuse * Estimated; always confirm wattage because it varies from product to product **Assuming $0.12 per kWh

Contact your electric cooperative for information on other ways you can assist those in need in your community.

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

26 | carolinacountry.com

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10/10/19 12:46 PM

Carrying on a

Carolina Tradition

O

n a cool January morn, as the sun is peeping over the horizon, a posse of community folk, mostly fellows, gathers at Jackson Farms in the rural crossroads community of Hopkins. Pickup trucks are lined up by the fence posts. Smoke is rising from over here and over there — underneath the scalding tub, and the other for warming hands, to be tended until time to render lard later in the day.

The gathering is to help the Jackson family with their annual hog killin’, a nearly bygone ritual of this and most rural communities, which will fill their freezer with pork to feed the family throughout the year.

Terry Jackson, the middleman of the three living generations, is orchestrating the event. Although his son, Caleb, has participated in the past, today he is in his early 20s and “in training” to learn the particulars to carry the tradition into his generation, the sixth, and perhaps beyond. Friends of this country farm boy are there to lend a hand and learn too, wanting to be the torchbearers of this long-standing part of their heritage. For a few in the country, this is still considered a rite of passage. And daddy Terry and granddaddy Donald are happy to share their over 100 years of combined experience with these young men.

Terry’s first memories of this tradition were when he was about 8 years old. He would hang around as the older gents each went about their particular task.

“Mr. Neuman Brannon was the token man to do the ‘gut job.’ When I was about 15, Mr. Neuman cut the end of his finger off with a table saw. When that happened, that became my job from then on,” Terry says. “Back in those days, there would be 50 to 60 hogs killed and processed each

Hog killin’ is a family tradition for some, though not for the faint of heart Story and photos by Wendy Perry

winter. They were community events. Families gathered for days of slaughtering and processing to help one another prepare the meat to eat year-round until it was time to do again the next winter.”

Caleb’s sister, Rebekah, has actively participated over the years, too, and — according to her mother, Wanda, embraced it all long before Caleb. As a nostalgic gal, it all warmed my heart to observe.

Getting started

Typically, feeder pigs — pigs weaned from their mothers — are started on this journey to become food and nourishment to a family in the spring of the year. Caleb fed these pigs for about 10 months. They are usually fed corn, but other things like vegetable scraps are added, too (not to mention the occasional treats of stale cookies and moon pies). By wintertime, when cold air sets in and it is time for killing the hogs, they can weigh as much as 400 pounds.

Things get started once the scalding vat reaches the proper temperature. The hogs are put down, a task on this day taken on by Caleb. (I had mixed emotions about this part, but more on that later.) Once that deed is done, each is hoisted up on a heavy chain by tractor and carried to the vat. Water temperature is monitored to make sure it is just right before the hog is lowered in. Before processing proceeds, the hair must be removed by scalding. Several folks line the vat to rapidly scrape the hair. I was fascinated to see they were using vintage canning jar lids that have scraped many a hog over the years.

Next, I watched as the local tub expert taught Caleb and his friends the art of how to properly “bleed out” and gut

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10/10/19 4:13 PM

Packing the sausage

Three generations of Jacksons (left to right): Caleb, Terry and Donald

Preparing for the day

the hogs, being careful not to cut too deeply so that the intestines (that become chitterlings) aren’t disturbed.

Knives are sharpened for butchering, and as the day has turned into one a bit warmer than usual for January, speed becomes an important factor to get the hogs processed while the air is still cool.

Perfect, simple sausage Inside the weathered barn, matriarch Janet Jackson sets a pot of homemade soup on the wood stove for a quick lunch break for all, just before she and her lady friends start trimming the “scrap” meat from butchering to add to the fat.

The balance must be “just right” for making sausage.

The grinder is assembled and sausage making commences.

Once the 150 pounds or so of meat is ground, it is spread out on a clean sheet of plywood, where former community elder Booger Hopkins’ sausage recipe is prepared. Simply. Just the meat, salt, ground red pepper and sage. In just the right amounts. Terry and community elder Rudolph Bunn gently massage the seasonings into the meat, readying it for piping into casings for link sausage and bulk ground packaging. A cast iron skillet of patties is cooked over the wood fire for sampling to ensure the seasonings are perfect. (And oh were they!)

While this is going on inside by the old wood stove, work is winding down outside. Ribs and loins have been carved and sliced into chops. Middle and side meat (aka bacon) is cut while hams and shoulders are trimmed and readied for the “salt room,” where they will cure for months to enjoy later in the year. The feet are set aside for a special request, bones for making broth are bagged, and everybody knows the brains are Mr. Rudolph’s, which are set aside for his supper.

Mixing the sausage with the seasonings

Day is done

The hand-warming fire now holds a big old iron wash pot, where the remaining fat is being cooked down to render the lard. The pot will soon produce the day’s “candy” reward — crispy cracklings scooped into a cardboard box to drain and salted for nibbling.

Meat is wrapped, cleanup is happening, and feet and backs are tired. But a day of communal spirit fills the air with the satisfaction of accomplishment. Until next time, the Jackson family freezers and salt house are full again, as is my heart. And my personal worries are gone. Because you see, I grew up in the country and had been around hog killings before, but not the “grown up” part. I confess I was not sure how I would handle the “putting down,” yet wanted to experience the day in its entirety.

As the day drew to an end and I stood amidst those rugged country men, I took a deep breath and silently said a prayer for those hogs; for their lives, and for the nourishment they would provide to many for months to come. Seeing how nary a bit of them was wasted, I was at personal peace.

Back in my pickup truck, barefoot after kicking off my boots, I was especially grateful for the opportunity to be part of this day with my friends and neighbors, as well as for the sausage beside me.

Then I said another prayer that I hope such dying arts just don’t.

Wendy Perry, a culinary adventurist and blogger, chats about goodness around NC on her blog at WendysHomeEconomics.com.

November 2019 | 29

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10/11/19 2:46 PM

th t kn

Tar Heel Tidbits For the young (and young at heart)

A GOOD READ

Learn About Legendary Feats through History November 11 is Veterans Day. You can honor those who have served our country with a visit to the Airborne & Special Operations Museum (ASOMF.org) in downtown Fayetteville, where visitors learn the story about the U.S. Army airborne and special operations units from 1940 to the present.

Near the museum’s “Iron Mike” statue, four-legged heroes are also honored with the memorial to Special Operations Forces (SOF) K9 soldiers killed in action. A life-sized, bronze statue of a Belgian Malinois dressed in full combat gear is surrounded by stones listing dogs killed in action.

These SOF dogs are selected, trained and equipped to serve in roles not expected of the traditional Military Working Dog. This museum is just one of the many stops along the Patriots, Past & Present Trail (fayettevillenctrails.com) that winds through Fayetteville and Cumberland County. The trail features spots from the Revolutionary War up to today’s modern military. Other stops include the North Carolina Veterans Park (across from the museum), the Revolutionary Liberty Point, Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, JFK Special Warfare Museum, and Cross Creek Cemetery, which contains graves of soldiers from the Revolutionary War through the Spanish-American War.

The World Ends in April In this novel recommended for grade levels 3–7, Eleanor Dross knows a thing or two about the end of the world, thanks to her survivalist grandfather. So when she reads about a Harvard scientist’s prediction that an asteroid will strike Earth in April, Eleanor knows her family will be prepared. Her classmates? Not so much. The only friend Eleanor wants to keep safe is Mack, her best friend since kindergarten. But how can they survive the end of the world together if Mack decides to go to a special school for the blind?

One way or another, Eleanor’s world is about to change.

“Iron Mike”

Author Stacy McAnulty, a former mechanical engineer, is the author of several books for young readers that often involve STEM themes.

She lives in Kernersville with her three kids, three dogs, and one husband. To learn more about the author or to order the book (368 pages, hardcover, $15.29), visit stacymcanulty.com

Ha ve a lau gh!

Q: What do Memorial for SOF dogs

carolinacountry.com/extras

Learn more about the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in a short video.

you call a chicken who counts her eggs?

A: A mathemachicken!

30 | carolinacountry.com

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Carolina Gardens

Dependable Beauty Aucuba attracts attention year-round Story and photos by L.A. Jackson

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I enjoy dependable garden beauty from workhorse plants that, through the four seasons, consistently present their particular splash of visual elegance. One big favorite of mine is aucuba (Aucuba japonica), a pretty broadleaf evergreen shrub that never fails to attract attention.

This is especially true with the popular variegated forms of aucuba, which are often called “gold dust” to reflect the many patterns of bright yellow flecks or streaks on their rich green foliage. These glittering showoffs perform best in areas most in need of interest: full to partially shady spots.

Non-variegated aucubas predictably fade into the simmering verdant summer landscape, but come early winter, they serve up a pleasant surprise.

Aucubas are diodecious, meaning there are male and female plants. If both are located close together, the females usually produce clusters of merry crimson berries, which, contrasted with the deep emerald foliage, makes them as seasonally appealing as hollies and nandinas.

Aucubas are also confidencebuilders for gardeners who think they are cursed with brown thumbs. These tough plants are drought tolerant, and, like hostas, they will do just fine in areas of dry shade typically found

under stands of tall trees. Aucubas are also ideal plants for city gardeners because these evergreens aren’t bothered by most urban pollutants.

There is, however, one important requirement for a happy aucuba: drainage. This plant can suffer from root rot in a watery environment. So, locate it in an area of well-worked soil not prone to turning into a bog when the rains come.

Typical aucubas stretch upwards from 5 to 10 feet high. They are slow growers though, and besides, pruning in the early spring can hold these bushes to a desirable size.

And keep your snippers handy in the summer, which is a good time to propagate aucubas from cuttings. Just stick individual end clippings (about 5 to 6 inches long) into pots filled with average garden soil, move them to a shady location, water occasionally and see what happens. Aucuba is an import from the Orient, but it won’t be hard to find in our state. Having been a southern favorite for over 200 years, this beauty can easily be spotted in local garden shops and, of course, bought online.

L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact L.A. at lajackson1@gmail.com.

nto

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or e sh

ge

Garden To-Do’s for November With the growing season winding down, now is a good time to take a thoughtful, studious walk through your landscape and look for areas where permanent features can be brought in to improve visual interest year-round. Need examples? Consider easy-to-add pretties like vases, statuary, benches, birdhouses, sundials or bird baths.

FF

Planting tulips this fall? Plant them deep — at least 6 to 8 inches down. This will provide a more consistent cold (especially during mild winters) to help stimulate spring flower production. As a bonus, such a bulb burial will make it much tougher on squirrels to find and dig up the sleeping beauties.

FF

With insects and seed-producing plants becoming less available for birds now, begin a winter routine of refilling their feeders with fresh seed and suet once a week. And while putting out food for your gardenfriendly flyers, also change the water in the bird bath.

32 | carolinacountry.com

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Clogged, Backed—up Septic System…Can anything Restore It? Dear Darryl DEAR DARRYL: My home is about 10 years old, and so is my septic system.

I have always taken pride in keeping my home and property in top shape. In fact, my neighbors and I are always kidding each other about who keeps their home and yard nicest. Lately, however, I have had a horrible smell in my yard, and also in one of my bathrooms, coming from the shower drain. My grass is muddy and all the drains in my home are very slow.

My wife is on my back to make the bathroom stop smelling and as you can imagine, my neighbors are having a field day, kidding me about the mud pit and sewage stench in my yard. It’s humiliating. I called a plumber buddy of mine, who recommended pumping (and maybe even replacing) my septic system. But at the potential cost of thousands of dollars, I hate to explore that option.

I tried the store bought, so called, Septic treatments out there, and they did Nothing to clear up my problem. Is there anything on the market I can pour or flush into my system that will restore it to normal, and keep it maintained?

Clogged and Smelly – Greensboro , NC

CC11-wk.indd 33

DEAR CLOGGED AND SMELLY: As a reader of my column, I am sure you are aware that I have a great deal of experience in this particular field. You will be glad to know that there IS a septic solution that will solve your back-up and effectively restore your entire system from interior piping throughout the septic system and even unclog the drain field as well.

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SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs are designed to work on any septic system regardless of design or age. From modern day systems to sand mounds, and systems installed generations ago, I have personally seen SeptiCleanse unclog and restore these systems in a matter of weeks. I highly recommend that you try it before spending any money on repairs. SeptiCleanse products are available online at www.septicleanse.com or you can order or learn more by calling toll free at 1-888-899-8345. If you use the promo code “NCS8", you can get a free shock treatment, added to your order, which normally costs $169. Make sure to use that code when you call or buy online.

10/10/19 12:46 PM

Carolina Compass

Christmas in the Park & Parade Nov. 29–30, Blowing Rock

November Events Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue

MOUNTAINS

Dance production Nov. 8, Boone 800-841-2787 theschaefercenter.org/events/id/13

Art in the Hall Moni Hill Paintings Through Nov. 22, Morganton 828-438-5362 bit.ly/art-in-the-hall

Holiday Arts & Crafts Market Food, raffle Nov. 9, Taylorsville 828-320-9406 meb612mb@gmail.com

Dia de Muertos Festival Vendors, mariachi music Nov. 2, Marion 984-364-7413 silmdcv@gmail.com

Old Crow Medicine Show

Christmas in the Park & Parade

Nov. 17, Boone 800-841-2787 theschaefercenter.org/events/id/17

Nov. 29–30, Blowing Rock 828-295-5222 blowingrock.com/christmas-park

Winter Carnival

Fab Crawl

Tree lighting, bean bag toss Nov. 23, Morganton 828-438-5252 downtownmorganton.com

Food, art, brews Nov. 30, Morganton 828-438-5252 downtownmorganton.com

Season Finale Concert Nov. 10, Waynesville 828-452-3522 haywoodcommunityband.org

WNC Pottery Festival Arts & crafts, food Nov. 2, Sylva 404-237-3761 wncpotteryfestival.com

Vessels of Merriment Pottery exhibition Nov. 16, Asheville 828-253-7651 grovewood.com/event/ vessels-of-merriment

Vienna Boys Choir Nov. 2, Lenoir 828-726-2407 broyhillcenter.com

carolinacountry.com/calendar

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

MOUNTAINS

77

PIEDMONT

Listing Deadlines: Submit Listings Online: For Jan.: Nov. 25 For Feb.: Dec. 25

95

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

COAST

Gallery Art Show Work by artists featured in the Orange County Studio Tour Through Nov. 10, Hillsborough

34 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-wk.indd 34

10/10/19 12:46 PM

Carolina Compass

PIEDMONT Arts & Craft Fair Nov 2, Littleton 252-586-6938 lakegastonbaptist.com

Persimmon Festival Music, farm demos Nov. 2, Colfax 336-682-5328 colfaxpersimmonfest.com

Gallery Art Show Work by artists in Orange County tour Through Nov. 10, Hillsborough 919-732-5001 hillsboroughgallery.com

Orange County Studio Tour Meet guild artists Nov. 2–3, 9–10, Orange County ocagnc.org

Bikes & BBQ Corn hole tournament, music Nov. 2, Fayetteville 910-483-8133 faybiz.com/bikes-bbq

Holiday Art & Gift Show Nov. 7–9, Raleigh 919-847-4868 visionsofsugarplumsraleigh.com

Holly Day Fair

Celebration of Potters

Fall Open House

Holiday shopping show Nov. 7–10, Fayetteville 910-438-4100 hollydayfair.com

Includes gala Nov. 22–24, Seagrove 336-707-9124 discoverseagrove.com/celebration

Refreshments, door prizes Nov. 23–24, Asheboro 336-873-7303 lathamspottery.com

Plaids & Squares Quilt Show

Craft Show

Country Christmas Train

Raffle, bistro Nov. 8–9, Asheboro 336-857-2135 facebook.com/randolphquiltersguild

Biscuits, tree ornaments Nov. 23, Asheboro 336-964-2927 dwise1@triad.rr.com

Demos, Ferris wheel Nov. 29–Dec. 27, Denton 336-859-2755 dentonfarmpark.com

Community Day

Seagrove Pottery Festival

Craft fair, door prizes Nov. 9, Asheboro 336-625-1976 bit.ly/randolph-y-day

Demos, food Nov. 23–24, Seagrove 336-873-7887 seagrovepotterymuseum.net

The Art of Giving Nov. 11–Dec. 31, Hillsborough 919-732-5001 hillsboroughgallery.com

COAST Freeboot Friday Art, Kids pirate ship Nov. 1, Greenville 252-561-8400 uptowngreenville.com

Noises Off Comedic play Nov. 14–15, Pembroke 910-521-6361 uncp.edu/gpac

Davie Craft Corner Nov. 14–16, Mocksville 336-998-2276 facebook.com/DavieCraftAssociation

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

THE CITY OF AIKEN IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO BEGIN A

Holiday Tradition Christmas in Aiken means exciting holiday packages, magical events, festive shopping + dining experiences, caroling on the street corners and so much more...

VISIT

AikenIsMagical.com F O R

2019’S CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Photograph by Mark Hudson

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Carolina Compass

Holiday Show

Christmas Bazaar

Food, gifts Oct. 31, Nov. 1–3, Greenville 252-493-7287 downeastholidayshow.com

Fair trade crafts Nov. 9, Oak Island 910-278-9741 oipres.org

Bridge Run 5K

Holiday Gift Show

Includes 1 Mile Dog Strut Nov 2, Beaufort bit.ly/bbrun2019

Food, Santa Nov. 9, Morehead City carteretcountync.gov/Calendar

Veterans Day Celebration & Parade

Sierra Hull

Food, craft vendors Nov. 2, Warsaw 1–910-293-7804 warsawchamber.com

Fall Bazaar

Bluegrass singer-songwriter Nov. 9, Oriental 252-617-2125 pamlicomusic.org

Destination Downtown

Boutiques, raffle Nov. 2, Bridgeton 252-638-4638

Festivities at shops Nov. 15–16, Edenton 252-333-0655 nancy.nicholls@chowan.nc.gov

African American Music Series

Yu & I Duo

Carroll Dashiell, guest musicians Nov. 8, Greenville 252-551-6947 pittcountyarts.org

Classical crossover Nov. 17, Oriental 252-617-2125 pamlicomusic.org

Harvest Bazaar

A Carolina Christmas

Raffle, baked goods Nov. 9, Beaufort 252-728-3324 church@stpaulsbeaufort.org

Musical performances Nov. 19–Dec. 17, Edenton 252-482-4621 rockyhockplayhouse.com

Veterans Day Celebration & Parade Food, craft vendors Nov. 2, Warsaw Scroogefest

Youth Business Fair

Crafts, silent auction Nov. 22–23, Havelock 252-447-3137 annunciationcatholicnc.org

Young people market, sell Nov. 23, Southport 910-457-6964 youthbusinessfair.com

Holiday Market

Christmas Show

Music, kids crafts Nov. 23, Shallotte 910-754-4032 townofshallotte.org

Classic holiday songs Nov. 29–30, Edenton 252-333-8567 visitedenton.com

Know Before You Go

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

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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

Statement of Ownership and Circulation Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 Title of Publication: Carolina Country Publication Number: ISSN 0008-6746 Filing Date: September 26, 2019 Issued monthly, 12 times annually. Subscription price is $5.00 for members, $12.00 for non-members. Mailing address of office is P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, N.C. 27611-7306 or 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616, Wake County. Publisher is North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, N.C. 27611-7306. Editor is Warren Kessler, P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, N.C. 27611-7306. Owner is North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., P.O. Box 27306, Raleigh, N.C. 27611-7306. There are no other owners or bondholders. The purpose, function and non-profit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months. Circulation: Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months, also actual number of copies of single issue published nearest to filing date. (September 2018). Total copies: Average 719,689 (September 724,862). Paid Circulation: Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales: None. Mail subscription: Average 710,124 (September 716,106). Total Paid Circulation: Average 710,124 (September 716,106).

Free Distribution by mail carrier, or other means, samples complimentary and other free copies: Average 9,565 (September 8,756). Total Distribution: Average: 719,689 (September 724,862). Copies Not Distributed: Office use, leftover, unaccounted, spoiled after printing; Average: 0 (September: 0). Returns from news agents: None.

Total: Average number of copies each issue during preceding 12 months: 719,689 (September 724,862).

C A R O L I N A C O U N T RY S C E N E S

PHOTO CONTEST Send us your favorite photo (North Carolina people or scenes) and the story that goes with it. We will pay $50 for each one published in the Carolina Country Scenes section of our January 2020 issue. Judges will select more for our “Photo of the Month” feature throughout 2020, and we’ll pay $50 for each of those.

Rules Deadline: November 15, 2019 One entry per household Digital photos should be a minimum of 1200 by 1800 pixels Prints a minimum of 4 x 6 inches

If you did not take the photo you are submitting, please tell us who did and, to the best of your ability, when it was taken so that we can appropriately recognize the person/organization.

Include your name, electric co-op, We retain reprint and mailing address and email address online rights. Visit carolinacountry.com/photocontest or phone number for full terms and conditions.

If you want your print returned, Payment will be limited to those include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. (We will not return others.) entries appearing in print only, not entries featured solely on carolinacountry.com.

Send to Mail: carolinacountry.com/photocontest Carolina Country Photo Contest 3400 Sumner Blvd.

No emails, please.

Raleigh, NC 27616

Online:

November 2019 | 39

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Carolina Kitchen

Turkey-Vegetable Brunch Casserole Turn leftover Thanksgiving turkey into a brunch casserole to feed holiday houseguests. You can use cooked chicken instead of turkey, or omit the meat for a vegetarian version. No leftover asparagus and peas? Cook frozen ones.

8 slices potato bread, cut into 1-inch cubes ¾ cup butter, melted 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup chopped, cooked asparagus ₂⁄₃ cup cooked peas ½ cup chopped red bell pepper 2 cups chopped, cooked turkey 4 large eggs 2 cups whole or 2-percent milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper Toss the cubed bread with the melted butter. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread half of the bread on the bottom. Layer on half each of the cheese, asparagus, peas and bell pepper, then all of the turkey. Follow with the remaining cheese, asparagus, peas and bell pepper; then top with the remaining bread cubes.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the casserole. Cover tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to bake, let the casserole come to room temperature (it will cook faster). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake the casserole, covered, for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 30–40 more minutes, or until the top is brown and the center is set. Loosely replace the foil if the top begins to overbrown before the casserole is done.

Yield: 10–12 servings

Unless otherwise noted, recipes on this page are from Debbie Moose (debbiemoose.com), who has authored seven cookbooks and is a former food editor for The News & Observer in Raleigh.

Cheesy Corn Pudding With green chilies and chili powder

Shake up tradition with this corn pudding, which includes green chilies and chili powder.

Give it more of a kick by using hot chilies.

3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (if frozen, no need to thaw) ½ cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, or a combination 1 (4-ounce) can chopped mild green chilies, drained ¼ cup chopped yellow onion

½ ½ ¼ ¼ 3 ½ ¼

teaspoon salt teaspoon chili powder teaspoon garlic powder cup yellow or white cornmeal eggs, lightly beaten cup sour cream cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the corn, cheese, chilies, onion, salt, chili powder, garlic powder and cornmeal.

Stir in the eggs, sour cream and milk.

Pour the corn mixture into the baking dish and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is lightly browned. (Baking time will be longer if the corn was frozen.) Let cool 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the pudding to set.

Yield: 6 servings

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Carolina Kitchen

Moravian Sugar Cake

Roasted Root Vegetables With sweet ‘n’ sour sauce

Roasting makes vegetables sweeter, and the sweet-sour sauce is a perfect match. Even beet haters will love it! For a variation, use sorghum syrup instead of honey.

4 cups beets, carrots, small turnips or a combination, cut into similarlysized chunks 6 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt Sweet ‘n’ sour sauce 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon honey Black pepper Salt Sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish (optional) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the vegetables into similarly-sized pieces to be sure they cook at the same time — about 2-inch chunks. Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking pan that’s large enough so that the chunks aren’t crowded. Pour on the oil and toss, then sprinkle on the dried thyme, garlic powder and salt, and toss once more. Roast for 30 minutes or until a sharp knife easily penetrates the vegetables.

For sauce: Put the balsamic vinegar, orange juice and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in a pinch each of black pepper and salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture reduces by half, 3–4 minutes.

Put the still-warm roasted vegetables in a serving bowl, then toss with the warm sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

carolinacountry.com/recipes Search more than 800 recipes with a new recipe featured every week!

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has a Moravian community that goes back to the 1700s, when members of the church founded Old Salem.

Moravian breads, which come from the German baking tradition, are wonderful, and this sweet yeasted coffee cake was a holiday favorite of mine growing up. Today, I follow the lead of my neighbor, Cathy Hedburg, who bakes and freezes sugar cakes in disposable foil pans for Christmas gifts. They’re great for breakfast on Christmas Day. 2

(¼-ounce) packages active dry yeast ₂⁄₃ cup plain, unseasoned mashed potatoes (See note.)

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature ¼ cup vegetable shortening 1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 3 ½–4 cups flour For the topping ¾ cup brown sugar 3 teaspoons cinnamon 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in ½ cup warm water. Set aside until it foams, about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the mashed potatoes, 1 cup hot tap water, and the butter, shortening, sugar, and salt. Mix on low until the ingredients look like watery scrambled eggs. Stir in the eggs and dissolved yeast. Gradually stir in the flour until the dough resembles a heavy but not too dry muffin batter. Cover the bowl with a lint-free tea towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

Punch down the dough, then divide it evenly among the 3 prepared cake pans.

Cover the pans with your trusty tea towel and let the dough in each pan rise in a warm place until it reaches the top of the pan, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare the topping by stirring together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter until combined.

Use your thumb to make indentations all over the top of the dough in each pan, about 1 inch apart. Push all the way to the bottom of each pan. Drizzle the topping evenly over the 3 cakes.

Bake for 15–20 minutes or until light brown. Serve warm or cool completely, place in airtight plastic freezer bags, and freeze.

Send

Note: If using leftover mashed potatoes, be sure they contain no butter, milk, or salt.

You can use instant mashed potatoes, but be sure to buy the unseasoned variety.

Yield: Makes 3 sugar cakes

Win This Book This recipe comes from “Southern Holidays” by Carolina Country recipe contributor Debbie Moose, published by UNC Press. Send us your best holiday recipe by Nov. 4 . The contributor whose recipe is published in our December 2019 issue will receive $25 and the cookbook. 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. We retain reprint rights for all submissions.

November 2019 | 41

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Contrib in subs retain r Recipe origina numbe your el Countr NC, 27 carolin

where

in Carolina Country is this ?

Send your answer by November 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 December issue, will receive $25.

October winner

The October “Where Is This” photo by Carolina Country’s Publications Director Warren Kessler features a large metal shrimp, one of several scrap metal marine life sculptures on the grounds of the Full Circle Crab Company & Seafood Market on U.S. Highway 64 East in Columbia. Many readers noted that they pass this colossal crustacean on the way to and from Nags Head and the Outer Banks. And most stop to grab a pound or two of seafood, and even a Zero bar, as reader Angela Armstrong added. Marsha Rumley noted that Jonathan Bowling sculpted the shrimp, fish and turtles found at the market.

The winning entry chosen at random from all correct submissions came from Jonathan Young of Weddington, a Union Power 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.

Carolina

MUSIC

NOVEMBER’S FEATURED TRACK

“Pieces”

By The Hamiltones Full of emotion (along with vintage begging), this heartache R&B ballad is about trying to keep a relationship together. It’s one of six soulful recordings on The Hamiltones’ new EP, “Watch the Ton3s.” The trio’s long-awaited debut album shines with oldschool love songs meant to be felt as well as heard, such as the mellow track “Alone,” the bluesy “Best Friend,” and the upbeat “Gotta Be Loving Me.” Guest recording artist Ricco Barrino lends his talent to the song “MCBYL” (standing for “Money Can’t Buy You Love”) and is joined by fellow guest Phonte on the accompanying remix.

carolinacountry.com/music Learn more about The Hamiltones and listen to this featured track, as well as others from NC musicians.

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Touchston

Supporting North Carolina’s future.

For 25 years, electric cooperatives in North Carolina have energized classroom learning through Bright Ideas grants. Join us in celebrating more than 600 teachers set to receive Bright Ideas grants this fall, as well as the impact their grants will have on students!

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Powering and empowering the people and communities we serve.

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