2020-11-CCEC

November 2020

The magazine of

Carteret-Craven Electric Co-op Powered by our members for 80 years!

The Living History of

Moravian Cookies

page 10

Published by

Equality through land management page 6

How to turn food passions into profits page 22

PERIODICAL

Connect to save energy and money—pages 17–20 November covers.indd 7

10/12/20 3:05 PM

ADVERTISEMENT

familiar with the condition. As many as 25% of those over the age of 50 have some degree of macular degeneration.

The macula is only one small part of the retina, however it is the most sensitive and gives us sharp central vision. When it degenerates, macular degeneration leaves a blind spot right in the center of to recognize faces, read a book, or pass the driver’s vision test.

Nine out of 10 people who have macular degeneration have the dry form. or many patients with macular New research suggests vitamins can degeneration and other visionhelp.

The British medical journal BMC related conditions, the loss of Ophthalmology recently reported that central visual detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence - driving.

A Wilmington optometrist, Dr. Edward Paul, is using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration and other eye conditions.

“Some of my patients consider me the last stop for people who have vision loss” said Dr. Paul, one of only a few doctors in

F

telescopes to help those who have lost vision due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other debilitating eye diseases.

Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough to change your life. If you’re a low vision patient, you’ve probably not only imagined them, but have been searching for them. Bioptic telescopes may be the breakthrough in optical technology that will give you the independence you’ve been looking for. Patients with vision in the 20/200 range can many times be improved to 20/50.

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in people over 50. Despite this, most adults are not

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

56% of patients treated with a high-dose combination of vitamins experienced improved vision after six months.

TOZAL Comprehensive Eye Health Formula is now available by prescription from eye doctors. risk factor for developing the disease, heredity, smoking, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure have also degeneration accounts for 90% of new legal blindness in the US. While there is currently no cure, promising research is being done on many fronts. “My job

possible to keep a person functioning” says Dr. Paul. Even if it’s driving.

Doreen Jenkins, 72, of Pocahontas, friend. She wanted to keep her Iowa drivers license and was prescribed bioptic tele lights farther away. Dr. Paul also prescribed microscope glasses for reading newspapers and menus in restaurants.

As Doreen puts it, “my regular glasses didn’t help too much- it was like look ing through a fog. These new telescopic glasses not only allow me to read signs from a farther distance, but makes driving much easier. I’ve also used them to watch television so I don’t have to sit so close. I don’t know why I waited three years to do this; I should have come sooner.”

“Bioptic telescopes can cost over $2,000,” says Dr. Paul, “especially if we build them with an automatic sunglass.” scope is that the lens automatically focuses on whatever you’re looking at,” said Dr. Paul. “It’s like an self-focusing camera, but much more precise.”

To learn more about bioptic telescopes or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Paul, give us a call at 1-910-208-9011. You can also visit our website at:

www.DrEdwardPaul.com For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Paul, call us today: (910) 208-9011 and Charlotte

ADVERTISEMENT

CC11-all.indd 2

F

10/9/20 3:01 PM

O

Volume 52, No. 11

ys

26

rs

ed rs

es

10

Favorites

o

s

4 Viewpoints 6 More Power 21 On the House

-

28 Carolina Gardens 29 Adventures

ut

30 Marketplace

es l, n

32 Carolina Kitchen

:

34 Where is This?

34 Carolina Music

32

10 14 22 26

Cookie-Making Masters

For the Hanes family, Moravian baking traditions run deep.

Bringing Smiles to Others

Katie Haynes is remarkable in more ways than one.

Recipes for Success How NC entrepreneurs are making small food brands big business.

Orange Superfood

On the Cover Moravian cookie recipes have been passed down for generations. Read more about one well-known family’s baking heritage (and what that means for cookie lovers) starting on page 10.

Photo by Revival Creatives.

Sweet potatoes pack a punch in North Carolina.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Carolina Country Scenes It’s not too late to enter our annual photo contest! Send us your favorite photo of people or scenes from around the state by November 15 to be considered for our January issue.

See page 30 for details.

November 2020 | 3

CC11-all.indd 3

10/9/20 3:33 PM

Viewpoints

Are You a Co-op Voter?

By Curtis Wynn

Voting is in our DNA as co-op members. It’s how we maintain an electric utility, which is responsive to you, the member. Voting also plays a crucial part in how our government is run. Every election offers us an opportunity to exercise our civic responsibility and select the best leaders for our communities.

This year’s election is going to be a big one, with federal, state and local races on the ballot. Co-op members can ensure that elected officials in our communities understand the issues we face.

As co-op members, we can practice Concern for Community — one of our seven Cooperative Principles — by ensuring our political system continues to produce a government “of the people, by the people and for the people.”

When we take the time to vote, we tell our elected officials what matters to us and our communities.

Reliable electricity, rural infrastructure and access to rural broadband are just a few of the issues we all care about. Our elected officials will only recognize these priorities if we make our voices heard. Casting our vote, whether on Election Day, during early voting or by absentee ballot, is the most effective way to send this message.

Over the last several weeks, I have seen firsthand how co-op employees and members can effectively encourage our communities to vote. Here at Roanoke Electric, we held a voter drive to increase participation by our members. We have also joined other NC electric co-ops in sharing important voter deadlines on social media.

NC electric co-ops along with more than 900 other co-ops across the country participate in the Co-ops Vote campaign to help get out the vote, and to promote issues important to co-ops and our communities. This effort will ensure that our voices are heard loud and clear every day — and especially on Election Day.

We have the opportunity to continue this dialogue with a variety of candidates this year, and now is the perfect time to ask these candidates: “What will you do to ensure we continue to have affordable and reliable electricity in our community?”

With Election Day only a few days away on Tuesday, November 3, now is the perfect time to make sure you are ready to vote. You can visit ncsbe.gov to confirm your voter registration, find your polling place, and review your sample ballot.

Once you are ready to vote, check with your family, neighbors and friends, and encourage them to do the same. Each of our voices matters, but we’ll only be heard if we make the choice to speak up.

You can help us spread the word before November 3 by following NC Co-ops Vote on Facebook and Twitter and sharing important voter information with your friends and family. Add your voice to the 42 million co-op members across the nation to ensure that electric co-ops are a powerful voice on national issues that have a local impact.

In addition to following NC Co-ops Vote on social media, check with your local co-op office about other materials like Co-ops Vote buttons or bumper stickers that can help let your community know that you’re a Co-op Voter. I hope to see you at the polls!

“Each of our voices matters, but we’ll only be heard if we make the choice to speak up.”

Curtis Wynn is president and CEO for Roanoke Electric Cooperative in Aulander and serves as president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Board of Directors.

4 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-all.indd 4

10/12/20 12:02 PM

THIS MONTH:

The Food Issue If 2020 has been good for anything, for many of us it’s been more time in the kitchen. In our annual Food Issue, we’re celebrating some of the goodness unique to kitchens around the state. And don’t miss a bit of inspiration for your own kitchen —o ur recipe section starts on page 32, and you can find 1,000 more on carolinacountry.com/recipes.

—Scott Gates, editor

‘Mayberry’ Local I tremendously enjoyed reading the October 2020 Carolina Country article, “Greetings from The Real Mayberry” (page 10). The communities and businesses mentioned in the show and the article are very familiar and beloved to me, as I grew up in and still live in Mount Airy. In fact, I grew up in the neighborhood very close to Andy’s homeplace and within walking distance to “uptown” Mount Airy. My daddy went to school and church with Andy as a boy; the article provided some dear reminiscences of my childhood.

Y’all really do need to visit Mount Airy/ Mayberry, and enjoy some of life as it was, should be, and sometimes still is — at the time of the show’s airing — a real breath of fresh air!

From the Archives Back in April, Blue Ridge Energy member Teresa Miller reached out to see if we could find a back issue in the Carolina Country archives. Her uncle, John Nelson from Piney Flats, Tennessee, had drawn a picture from it and she had planned to frame it with the original. Our archives was inaccessible until recently, but sure enough, her Uncle John certainly did our April 1989 cover justice.

The original featured an oil painting, “Rural Memories,” prepared especially for Carolina Country magazine by artist Pamela C. Renfroe.

Helen Pate, Holden Beach A member of Brunswick Electric

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 Keith Alexander Advertising keith@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.

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.

Correction to our October issue Several photos from “Greetings from the Real Mayberry” (page 10) were taken by Marla Milling: shots of the Snappy Lunch sign and owner, as well as Wally’s truck. Thank you, Marla!

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 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616. 919-875-3091.

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

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

Raleigh, NC 27616

Published monthly by

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.

Debbie Benge, Mount Airy An employee of Surry-Yadkin EMC

Avid Reader October was a great issue ... I read it from cover to cover, as I do most issues. Thank you for interesting North Carolina articles.

(ISSN 0008-6746) (USPS 832800)

Read monthly in more than 700,000 homes

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.

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, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616.

All content © Carolina Country unless otherwise indicated.

November 2020 | 5

CC11-tv.indd 5

10/8/20 10:28 AM

More Power

L to R: Fourtee Acres Farms owners Tyrone and Edna Williams with Roanoke Electric’s Alton Perry

Alton Perry with Fourtee Acres Farms’ Tyrone Williams, a longtime participant in the project.

Equality Through Land Management Roanoke Electric program empowers Black members

By Victoria A. Rocha | Photos courtesy of the North Carolina Forestry Department

As the nation continues to reckon with issues of racial and social justice, a North Carolina electric cooperative’s sustainable forestry program has been quietly working to reverse decades of systemic discrimination against Black landowners.

Roanoke Electric Cooperative’s Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project is one of eight community-based organizations selected in 2013 to administer the national Sustainable Forestry and Black Land Retention program. The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities created the program after decades of declines in Black farm ownership.

In 1920, Blacks owned between 16 million and 19 million acres of rural land and accounted for about 14 percent of the nation’s farmers. Today, they comprise less than 2 percent of farmers and own less than 5 million acres, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture.

“In addition to discriminatory practices by agencies, African American landowners were denied access to resources because they weren’t informed of technical resources available to them or informational opportunities to learn the importance of estate planning to reduce the risk of heir property [land owned by two or more people in which there’s no will],” said Alton Perry, project manager at the Aulander-based co-op.

Perry and his staff help participants establish legal ownership of their properties to ensure that valuable land stays in their families. Landowners also learn forestry management techniques to transform unprofitable family farms and forests into economic assets.

Perry, who forged strong connections with public agencies and conservation advocacy groups during an

“Alton deserves a ton of credit for taking something from scratch and turning it into one of the best forest landowner programs in our area.”

early career in forestry, hosts informational webinars, conferences and workshops attended by about 200 nearby landowners. He’s helped dozens gain access to agencies and other resources for forest management and estate plans. Perry estimates that, through this program, local landowners are implementing sustainable forestry and conservation practices on about 13,000 acres of land.

“Alton deserves a ton of credit for taking something from scratch and turning it into one of the best forest landowner programs in our area,” said Chris Brown, community relations manager at Enviva, a wood pellet manufacturer that operates nine plants in the Southeast, including two in Roanoke Electric’s service area. “He has a great ability to bring people together, from the industry to conservation folks to landowners.”

Enviva is one of two industry partners supporting the Roanoke Electric program with grants and technical assistance for landowners. Since 2017, it has given $50,000 in financial assistance for forestry and legal services and provided on-staff foresters to consult with participants at workshops or on their properties.

As for the landowners seeking assistance from the project, many have turned into skilled foresters; one was appointed to an advisory panel at a national conservation group. Others, like the Kyler family, who own forestland in Enfield, are just beginning.

“It has been a positive experience working with Roanoke Electric [REC],” the family said. “We’re now going through the process of finding out how much we own, what’s tillable, what’s farmable and what’s open. REC is really educating us on forestry and conservation. It’s one thing to own property, but something totally different to own property and cultivate it for the next generation.”

Victoria A. Rocha is a senior writer-editor for RE Magazine & NRECA News at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

6 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-EB.indd 6

10/9/20 5:20 PM

Sparkle More. Stress Less.

Now this is how you decorate for the holidays!

C.

A.

To show exquisite details, earrings shown are not exact size.

B.

7 carats of worry-free elegance for just $49 each or

PRAISE FOR DIAMONDAURA®

“So much sparkle and the play of light on DiamondAura® beats any diamond!”

all 3 for only $99!

– D.D. from Columbus, OH

W

hen you’re having fun, why worry about losing or breaking expensive jewelry? You’re supposed to be de-stressing right? We have your solution right here. The Stress-Free Glamour Earrings sparkle with all the beauty of emeralds, rubies and sapphires but without the steep price.

The Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, DiamondAura® delivers a level of rich color that is more than on par with the world’s best emeralds, rubies and sapphires. In fact, because these sustainable stones are created in pristine conditions, you have the scientific advantage of achieving near perfection.

The other thing less stressful here is the price. You could easily drop $4,000 for mined emerald hoop earrings. The Stress-Free Glamour Earrings have a far more relaxed price.

Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. We’ve taken the stress out of purchasing too. Try the Stress-Free Glamour Earrings for 30 days. If you’re not completely happy, send

them back for a refund of the item price. No worries.

Limited Time Offer. Perhaps the only thing a bit stressful here is the fact we only have so many of these beauties available.

Don’t miss out, call us today!

Stress-Free Glamour Earring Collection A. Emerald Green Earrings (7 ctw) $295 † $49 + S&P Save $246 B. Ruby Red Earrings (7 ctw) $295 † $49 + S&P Save $246 C. Sapphire Blue Earrings (7 ctw) $295 † $49 + S&P Save $246

BEST BUY-Set of all 3 earrings $885

$99 + S&P Save $786

You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: SSE136-01

Rating of A+

Please use this code when you order to receive your discount.

• The Ultimate Diamond Alternative®, DiamondAura® • Rose gold-finished .925 sterling silver settings • Lever back closures • 1" drop † Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer CC11-all.indd 7

® 14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. SSE136-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337

www.stauer.com

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

10/9/20 3:01 PM

More Power

Shivalee Patel

Catawba Nuclear Station

Q:

What type of U.S. power plants were the most productive in 2019?

A:

Last year, nuclear plants were the most productive of the nation’s generation fleet: Nine of the 10 U.S. power plants that generated the most electricity in 2019 were nuclear plants, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. These top 10 plants accounted for 5.6 percent of all electricity generation in the country.

“Nuclear generation has been a reliable, safe and affordable energy resource for North Carolina’s electric cooperatives for 35 years,” said Scott Brame, manager of Compliance and Jointly Owned Resources for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “As an emissions-free resource accounting for more than half of the NC electric co-ops’ power, nuclear energy will also play a vital role in meeting co-ops’ net-zero carbon emissions goal as part of their shared Brighter Future vision.”

To learn more, visit: NCElectricCooperatives.com/Brighter

Alex Scruggs

NC Students Receive Youth Leadership Council Scholarships Students representing Randolph EMC and Union Power Cooperative recently awarded two 2020 Youth Leadership Council (YLC) Scholarships to NC students: Shivalee Patel, a student at Piedmont High School in Monroe, representing Union Power Cooperative; and Alex Scruggs, a student at Southwestern Randolph High School in Asheboro, representing Randolph EMC. “I’m thrilled that we were able to recognize these outstanding students for their achievements despite the challenges posed by COVID-19,” said Paul Mott, Youth Tour coordinator for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

Both Patel and Scruggs will receive a $2,000 college scholarship. They will also join the ranks of previous delegates selected to represent North Carolina on the Youth Leadership Council, a national electric cooperative program that seeks to develop strong leadership, presentation and advocacy skills in young leaders.

While this year’s council activities have been canceled at the national level, Patel and Scruggs will be invited to attend North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ annual meeting this spring, pending any COVID-19 cancellations or changes.

Earlier this year, both Patel and Scruggs were selected to represent their local electric cooperative on the 2020 NC Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., which was originally scheduled to be held this past June, but was later canceled due to the pandemic. The

annual tour, which brings together close to 1,800 high schoolers from more than 40 states, gives exceptional students the chance to spend a week in our nation’s capital learning about government, U.S. history and the cooperative business model, while building leadership skills and making new friends from across the state and nation.

Typically, North Carolina’s YLC representative is selected on the first day of Youth Tour by a peer vote based on a live speech competition; this year, however, the speech competition was held virtually. Patel and Scruggs were both named as representatives after tying for the most votes received from their fellow Youth Tourists, the first YLC tie in recent memory.

“Thank you to our Youth Tourists for making this year’s competition a success,” Mott said. “Our Youth Tour delegates have been incredibly supportive and resilient during this time, and we appreciate their flexibility as we’ve worked to transition our tour activities to a virtual environment.”

Virtual Youth Tour In lieu of an in-person trip to Washington, D.C., the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association launched “YTO: ShineOnLine” for 2020 Youth Tour participants. The weekly series brings the vast national network of Youth Tour delegates together with engaging speakers, co-op leaders and elected officials.

8 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-EB.indd 8

10/12/20 12:32 PM

All-New

Introducing the new Lively Flip from the makers of Jitterbug®.

TM

The new Lively Flip makes it easy to call, text, and helps you stay safe and healthy.

EASY TO USE A large screen, big buttons and Planslist-based as low as Plans as low as menu make the Lively Flip the easy way to stay connected to friends and family. With a long-lasting battery$and powerful $ month month speaker, conversations are loud and clear. An improved 8MP camera with flash, video and a new front-facing lens for * Plans asever. low asPlus, Plans low as selfies make taking and sharing photos easier than withasAmazon Alexa you can now use your voice to make calls, write texts, and much more.

Plans as low as

1499 1499 $1499 *

month2

2

2

Plans as low as2

1499 $1499 $1499

$

month EASY TO STAY SAFE Feel prepared and protected anytime, anywheremonth with our Urgent Response Service. In the event of an emergency or an uncertain Plans as low as Plans as low as** situation, you’ll be connected to a highly trained IAED-certified Response Agent who will confirm your location, evaluate your situation and $ get you $ the help you need. And with Urgent Care, you can month speak to a live nurse or board-certified doctor right from the comfort of your home. With the Lively Flip, help is available whenever you need it.

2

month 2

2

Plans as low as

1499 1499 $14 99 2

EASY TO ALERT LOVED ONES The GreatCall® Link app keeps all your loved ones informed about your well-being when they download the app to their smartphone. After you press the Urgent Response button for help, they will receive an alert that lets them know you’ve contacted Urgent Response. You can stay active and independent while they feel more connected and reassured.

To order or learn more, call

1-800-598-1280 Most dependable nationwide coverage

Amazon Alexa voice services

Available at:

No long-term contracts

vings Holiday Sa

50

% OFF

1

0 RT S 11/1/2 OFFER STA

No cancellation fees ever

100% U.S.-based customer service

greatcall.com/Flip

¹50% off of 9999 MSRP is only valid for new lines of service. Offer valid 11/1/20 through 11/28/20. ²Monthly fees do not include government taxes or fees and are subject to change. Plans and services may require purchase of GreatCall device and one-time setup fee of 35. Urgent Response or 911 calls can be made only when cellular service is available. Urgent Response tracks an approx. location of device when device is turned on and connected to the network. GreatCall does not guarantee an exact location. Urgent Response is only available with the purchase of a Lively Health & Safety Package.

GreatCall is not a healthcare provider. Urgent Care is provided by FONEMED® and is not a substitute for dialing 911. GreatCall is not liable for acts or omissions of any FONEMED employee or contractor.

Urgent Care and GreatCall Link are only available with a Preferred or Ultimate Health & Safety Package. Lively Voice integration with Amazon Alexa requires Alexa registration and is subject to Alexa’s Terms of Use. By enabling Lively Voice with Alexa, you acknowledge that GreatCall is not responsible for Amazon Alexa’s functionality or services. Amazon, Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. GREATCALL, LIVELY, and JITTERBUG are trademarks of Best Buy and its affiliated companies. © 2020 Best Buy. All rights reserved.

DLGRC_020029_R2_20201027_LIVELY_FLIP_CAROLINA_COUNTRY_NOV.indd 1 CC11-all.indd 9

9/21/20 2:54 PM 10/9/20 3:01 PM

month1

Masters

Cookie-Making For the Hanes family, Moravian baking traditions run deep

By Pamela A. Keene Photos by Revival Creatives

E

vva, a 7th generation Moravian, says “My mother allowed me to actually help take the cookies off the pans and stack them when I was 5 or 6, but I was much older before I was allowed to handle and roll the dough.”

Her ancestors immigrated to North Carolina in the early 1700s, from an area east of what is now the Czech Republic. “Even before I was born, my mother Bertha Crouch Foltz baked Moravian cookies to sell as a way to help support our family that included her, my father and seven children, so baking just comes naturally for me.”

It was a big day when Davidson EMC (now EnergyUnited) electric cooperative brought electricity to Clemmons when Evva was 4 years old.

“Until then we had a wood-burning stove, and Mother was very skilled at getting the temperature right so that the cookies wouldn’t burn,” she says.

“These days, things are a bit easier, but we still roll, cut and pack all our cookies by hand. Ours are the only Moravian cookies in the area that are still being made by hand.”

A GROWING FAMILY

Evva Hanes

the woman behind Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies, started baking almost before she could reach the kitchen table. Today, Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies are shipped around the globe, and they are still hand-rolled and hand-cut in a kitchen on the same farm property where she was born.

In 1952, she married Travis Hanes. In the early days of their marriage, Travis attended college while Evva worked at Hanes Hosiery Mill (no relation) and continued to help her mother bake cookies.

“As she got older, Mother couldn’t roll the cookies, so I took on more of the responsibility, helping every day after work and on Saturdays. We were also raising our two children, Mona and Mike, so it was a very busy time.”

10 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-EB.indd 10

10/12/20 12:27 PM

“Ours are the only Moravian cookies in the area that are still being made

by hand.

Ten years later at the birth of her third child, Jonathan, Evva left Hanes Hosiery and turned to cookie making fulltime, shifted her baking kitchen to the family’s remodeled basement.

They installed air conditioning and two ovens, making it possible to increase the capacity to bake thousands of Moravian sugar cookies to sell each day.

“At that time, I was only making sugar cookies, but I also developed a serious allergy to flour dust, so I had to ask two neighbors to help me,” she says. “Still, I kept baking and soon added molasses cookies to our choices. By the time Caroline, our fourth child, came along in 1968, we decided to hire two fulltime employees to do the work and get me out of the flour dust. Caroline literally saved my life.”

BUILDING A BRAND

It was time for a business decision.

In 1970, she and Travis constructed a dedicated building on the family farm.

After several additions, it has become the official home of Mrs. Hanes. By 1985, they incorporated and formally named the company Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies/Moravian Sugar Crisp Co. Inc. The recipe is the exact same one that her great- great-grandmother brought to America more than 200 years ago, when they settled near Winston-Salem with others who founded the Friedberg Moravian Church and one of the two largest Moravian communities in the United States. Baking these special cookies continued on page 12

125,000 pounds of cookies baked annually

1

pound of dough

when rolled properly, makes 100 cookies

9,000 people tour the Mrs. Hanes’ Kitchens each year*

*prior to the pandemic

November 2020 | 11

CC11-EB.indd 11

10/12/20 12:27 PM

“I’m so proud of our Moravian traditions we can share with others through our

family.

Travis and Evva Hanes

30

fulltime employees

many of whom are family members, plus an additional 18 seasonal employees

100,000 cookie fans on the company’s mailing list

is part of the tradition still honored today in Moravian communities.

Over the years, she expanded the flavors to include Sugar Crisps, Ginger Crisps, Butterscotch Crisps, Black Walnut Crisps, Lemon Crisps and Chocolate Crisps.

“Today, my children and grandchildren are running the business,” says Evva, who will celebrate her 88th birthday this November. “But Travis and I are very much involved in many ways. I’m so proud of our Moravian traditions we can share with others through our family.”

Their daughter, Mona Hanes Templin, who is president of the company, and her son, Jedidiah Templin, are the most actively involved, but others including cousins, nieces and nephews also work there.

Looking back over her memories of growing up on the farm where she and Travis live and where her family’s cookies are still baked, she smiles.

“Never in my wildest dreams as a young girl, did I imagine that I would be baking Moravian cookies and have such a wonderful husband, children and grandchildren,” she says. “I have been blessed beyond measure.”

Pamela A. Keene is a freelance journalist who writes for magazines and newspapers across the Southeast and nationally.

12 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-EB.indd 12

10/12/20 12:27 PM

SAVE 86%

O UP ORW CO

N

WUPE

Shop When You Need To Online & In-Store

SUPER COUPON

3-Ply Disposable Face Masks Pack of 10

SUPER COUPON Less Than 30¢ per Mask

2

Rapid Pump 1.5 Ton Lightweight Aluminum Floor Jack ®

$

4

$ 99

$

Save

40%

5999

7999

In-Store Only

Compare to K Tool KTI63094 $163.09

LIMIT 4 - Exp. 12/15/20*

ITEM 64552/64832 64980/64545 shown

*58867768* 58867768

$

Use Online & In-Store

58869364

SUPER COUPON

$

54

$ Pancake

$ 5"

Save

ITEM 60637/61615 shown

$

ITEM 69269/97080 shown

Use Online & In-Store

*58876130* 58876130

LIMIT 2 - Exp. 12/15/20*

SUPER COUPON

0.30 cal. Ammo Box

Save

65%

Save $

Compare to Ryobi P261 $139 ITEM 63135/61451 shown

Use Online & In-Store

(1630)

2000W Super Quiet Inverter Generator

449

99

39

Battery and charger sold separately.

$

Use Online & In-Store

Compare to Honda EU2200iTA $1,049

Use Online & In-Store

58883967

ITEM 62523

LIMIT 1 - Exp. 12/15/20*

ITEM 64723/64189 63922 shown

SUPER COUPON

$

1499

2699

Save $

85

Compare to RocketfishTM RF-TVMLPT03V2/V3 $99.99 ITEM 64355/64356 shown

Use Online & In-Store

*58889890* 58889890

LIMIT 3 - Exp. 12/15/20*

Use Online & In-Store

*58885489* 58885489

LIMIT 4 - Exp. 12/15/20*

(5160)

54

$

6499

2999

Save

50%

ITEM 62898/62897/62899 shown

Use Online & In-Store

Compare to Quik Shade 167501DS $79.99

9

$ 99

199

$

Save

*58886633* 58886633

LIMIT 2 - Exp. 12/15/20*

Use Online & In-Store

*58890350* LIMIT 1 - Exp. 12/15/20*

*Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 12/15/20.

ITEM 64550 63518 shown

*58887544* 58887544

ITEM 62515/66911 shown

LIMIT 3 - Exp. 12/15/20*

SUPER COUPON (2397)

2500 lb. Electric Winch with Wireless Remote Control

$

Case contents and locks not included.

$

1299

Compare to Pelican 1150-000-180 $50.50

Use Online & In-Store

Compare to Neocraft 60635 $39.99

(1442)

Save

10

58890350

1999

$

Ultra-Light, Crush-Proof Weather-Resistant Lockable Case

99

ITEM 63585

SUPER COUPON 18" Working Platform Step Stool

Model 1800

PER WATT

18999 RENEWABLE ENERGY, ANYWHERE

58883054

SUPER COUPON $1.89

1,000+ Stores Nationwide • HarborFreight.com

hft_carolinacountry_1120_M-REG168835.indd 1 CC11-all.indd 13

58882726

(927)

$

Use Online & In-Store

*58882726 * *58883054 * LIMIT 3 - Exp. 12/15/20* LIMIT 4 - Exp. 12/15/20*

31%

$

HOLDS FLAT SC UP TO 70 INREEN TVS CHES

4

$ 99 $ 49 Save 5 53%

99

SUPER COUPON

$

LIMIT 3 - Exp. 12/15/20*

AVAIL. IN SM, MED, LG, XL, XXL

Save

100W Solar Panel Kit

$

58878923

Mechanics Gloves

10 ft. x 10 ft. Slant Leg Pop-Up Canopy

(958)

Tilting Flat Panel TV Mount

*58878923*

(1940)

$

ITEM 56719

(350)

SUPER COUPON

60%

*58883967*

Compare to Coleman 635394 $56.49

Use Online & In-Store

SUPER COUPON

(6116)

Blue

Use Online & In-Store

ITEM 62434, 62426, 62433, 62432, 62429, 64179, 62428, 64178 shown

ITEM 64263/68998 63248/64080/63091 shown

200 Lumen LED Super Bright Flip Light

Compare to Promier SW-SWITCH-12/24 $4.99

ITEM 63066/62314 shown

Compare to Valeo 25521 $10.64

Compare to Anvil A137HOS $75.88

Save

599

Green

SUPER COUPON

60%

ITEM 56176/63629 shown

1

Save

LIMIT 1 - Exp. 12/15/20*

Save

Tool Only.

$ 99 $ 99 3

49999

58878053

29

58880884

SUPER COUPON

*58878053*

ITEM 64721, 64722, 64030, 64031, 64061, 64720, 56429

$ 99 $ 3999

*58879683 * *58880884 * LIMIT 1 - Exp. 12/15/20* LIMIT 4 - Exp. 12/15/20* 58879683

64%

Use Online & In-Store

(4080)

99

Compare to RangeMaxx 1312-92 $9.99

Save

130 Piece Tool Kit with Case

$ 99 $ 11999

5

19

$ 99 $ 2999

SUPER COUPON

20V Lithium-Ion 1/2" Impact Wrench

$ 99

$

LIMIT 4 - Exp. 12/15/20*

YOUR CHOICE OF COLOR

630

(538)

(7542)

3

$

*58877197* 58877197

(5406)

Side tray sold separately.

YOUR CHOICE OF 7 COLORS

Compare to Snap-on Blue-Point KRBC10TBPES $830

SUPER COUPON

$ 49

$

Use Online & In-Store

Compare to Streamlight ProTac 1L ITEM 64799 $59.99 63934 shown

SUPER COUPON

Heavy Duty Foldable Aluminum Sports Chairs

Save

Hot Dog

Compare to Porter-Cable PCFP02003 $98.62

99

23999

83%

Save

59%

13

199

$

99

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, power stations, safes, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Atlas, Avanti, Bauer, Central Machinery, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Drummond, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 12/15/20.

58870513

30", 5 Drawer Mechanic's Cart

9

*58863662 * 58863662

*58870513 * Exp. 12/15/20*

(1757)

$ 99

99

99

97

Use Online & In-Store

¢

SUPER COUPON

588 Lumen Tactical Flashlight

YOUR CHOICE

39

WOW!

(5488)

3 Gallon, 100 PSI Oil-Free Air Compressors

ANY SINGLE ITEM*

Use Online & In-Store

ITEM 953/69128/69136 69248/63110 69210 shown

*58869364 * LIMIT 2 - Exp. 12/15/20*

(4172)

$

Compare to Blue Hawk CH6X8-L $6.98

103

SUPER COUPON

2

$ 99

Save

WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

ITEM 57593

20% OFF

(7419)

5 ft. 6" x 7 ft. 6" All Purpose/Weather Resistant Tarp

LIMIT 3

(1924)

(2768)

$ 99

Non-medical.

S

SUPER COUPON

5999

6999

Save

80%

29%

Use Online & In-Store

*58890486* 58890486

LIMIT 4 - Exp. 12/15/20*

Compare to Ironton 54123 $84.99

ITEM 61258/61297/63476/61840 shown

Use Online & In-Store

*58897633* 58897633

LIMIT 1 - Exp. 12/15/20*

Pricing, promotions, and availability may vary by location and at www.harborfreight.com and are subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to limit quantities.

“Compare to” advertised price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. Although we make every effort to assure that our prices and products are advertised as accurately as possible, we are only human and in the event an error is made, we reserve the right to correct it.

9/22/20 11:50 AM 10/9/20 3:01 PM

Carolina People

h

g a

s

s

Bringing Smiles to Others

p Picking up toys from owner Sue Lucey at a drive drop-off point at Page 158 Books in Wake Forest.

Katie Haynes is remarkable in more ways than one

By Donna Campbell Smith | Photos courtesy of Tara and Jody Haynes

I

n addition to having Asperger syndrome, 20-year-old Katie Haynes has a long list of medical conditions, some very rare and serious — but that isn’t what is remarkable about Katie.

A talented, award-winning photographer, Katie also helps with the family business of rabbitry, raising and showing both pedigreed and pet rabbit varieties. Still not the most remarkable thing about Katie Haynes.

What may be most remarkable about Katie, a Wake Electric member in Wake Forest, is her attitude and her desire to lessen the physical and emotional pain of others like her.

“I was blessed to be given a condition called Asperger syndrome, which is like a mild form of autism,” she writes on her Facebook page. “It means I don’t interact properly in certain social situations. I may have been bullied a lot, but I see beauty in my Asperger’s.”

Five years ago, Katie launched an organization named Smiling While Sending Hope (facebook. com/SmilingWhileSendingHope).

Her mission is to bring smiles to others who have Asperger’s or other big health challenges in their lives.

Through the program, Katie organizes toy drives, distributes care packages for hospitalized children, and plans holiday parties and back-toschool bashes for them. Katie wants

to provide hope and happiness to those she encounters and share her story, to show these children they are not alone.

Katie also uses social media to share articles and stories about scientific breakthroughs, businesses that make accommodations for those with autism and other cognitive disorders, and even articles about dealing with bullying, something Katie has experienced. In addition, she brings awareness to Asperger’s and other chronic children’s illnesses through workshops and presentations.

Katie shares her own medical story on her Facebook page, “Katie’s Brave Medical Journey.” She posts about going for tests and treatments for her many chronic illnesses that include postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The long list is mind-boggling to read. With an upbeat voice, she writes about her experiences as she deals with her medical conditions, shares her triumphs, and frankly educates her readers about her challenges.

Katie, through her programs, gives away hundreds of care packets including Vogmasks®, reusable face masks that come in fashionable colors and patterns. She has organized a prom dress donation drive for Joy Prom (a full-scale prom night for

special needs individuals). In addition, Katie visits young patients in hospitals and in their homes to let them know, “there is someone else out there who cares.”

A patient ambassador for Duke Children’s Hospital, Katie is featured in its fundraising campaigns. You may have even seen the life-sized cardboard cutouts of Katie in your local Walmart store. There are 15 of the cutouts across the state used in Walmart’s campaign to help raise money for Duke Children’s Hospital.

In 2019, Katie was named a “Hero for Life” by the Me Fine Foundation in recognition of her volunteer work.

This organization helps families with medical finances whose children are patients at Duke Children’s Medical Center, UNC Children’s Hospital, and WakeMed Children’s Hospital.

What does Katie see for her future? She hopes to make Smiling While Sending Hope a nonprofit and continue to grow that organization. While attending college, Katie is studying photography and after graduation, hopes to fulfill a dream of becoming a photographer for Disney or NASCAR. Donna Campbell Smith is a Carolina Country contributing writer who lives in Franklin County.

14 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-tv.indd 14

10/9/20 3:07 PM

5 carats of London Blue Topaz in precious sterling silver

ONLY $49

Save $350!

PRAISE FOR STAUER BLUE TOPAZ

êêêêê

“Love at first sight!

Without a doubt one of my favorite pieces from Stauer!”

– N. B., Mattapoisett, MA

Blue Topaz Goes Black Tie Blue topaz in its most luxurious shade... London blue for only $49

T

opaz is a dazzling stone, but the majority is colored either white or yellow. When blue topaz is discovered, it’s a rare find. And when that blue topaz is colored the deepest, most beautiful shade of blue possible, that’s when you have the famous London blue topaz.

As in the case of other blue gems, the more saturated blues tend to have a higher value— London blue is usually regarded as the most sought after and has become one of the top selling gems in jewelry. In fact, this majestic and luxurious shade of blue is often mistaken for sapphire and even rare blue diamonds. It’s simply that beautiful.

We’re happy to share this decadent blue sensation with you.

The elegant 3-Stone London Blue Topaz Ring features A. three 1 2/3 carats of London blue topaz stones in an oval cut.

A sprinkling of white rounds on the ring’s shoulders add an extra dose of radiance. And, while the look is truly decadent, the price is not... so you can spoil her and your wallet.

“If you’re on the hunt for an elegant and unique piece of jewelry, look no further than the gemstone topaz.”

— Jewelry Shopping Guide, 2018

You could spend over $2,800 for a 3-stone London blue topaz ring or you could save your money and your love life all at the same time.

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Indulge in the London Blue Topaz Ring for 30 days. If you aren’t perfectly happy, send it back for a full refund of the item price.

Limited Reserves, so don’t let this gorgeous ring slip through your fingers. Call today!

London Blue Topaz Ring (5 ³⁄5 ctw) $399† $49 +S&P Save $350 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: LBR131-01

Rating of A+

Please use this code when you order to receive your special discount. † Special price only for customers using the offer code versus the price on Stauer.com without your offer code.

Stauer

®

14101 Southcross Drive W., Ste 155, Dept. LBR131-01, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com

• 5 ctw London Blue topaz • White topaz accents • Rhodium-finished .925 sterling silver setting • Whole sizes 5-10

Stauer… Afford the Extraordinary.®

CC11-all.indd 15

10/9/20 3:02 PM

BUILDING A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Energizing student learning is one of the many ways North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are enriching the lives of members and supporting local communities, now and for generations to come. Congratulations to the hundreds of North Carolina teachers receiving Bright Ideas education grants from local electric co-ops this fall to fund exceptional projects!

NCBrightIdeas.com

NCECAd-11-2020.indd CC11-all.indd 16 1

10/12/20 10:11 12:24 AM PM

MEMBER News C A R T E R E T- C R A V E N E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E

Powered by our members!

Teresa Mason Payment Support Specialist I

During this season of giving, we are reminded how thankful we are for our members’ financial support of

Operation RoundUP® and the work of the Carteret-Craven Electric Foundation

board members who decide how the funds should be spent.

CCEC members have been "rounding up" since 1999, and the more than $3.75 million raised has been spread across multiple charities for the benefit of individuals in our area.

Through RoundUP, CCEC members agree to have their electric bills rounded up to the nearest dollar each month (an average of $6 a year or 50¢ a month).

The foundation is run by co-op members who volunteer to serve on the board and review grant requests. Their mission is simple: "To assist and empower individuals with resources provided through the generosity of CCEC members."

To see a examples of the worthy causes supported by our members through Operation RoundUP, visit ccemc.com/RoundUP. Operation RoundUP is completely voluntary, with the vast majority of our members participating.

Check your bill and see if you have “opted in.” If not, and you want to participate, please complete the form included with your November bill. Those who return the form by Dec. 31 will be entered in a drawing for a 32-inch LED TV!

Season brings lower rate, time change & more Changing season, changing clocks... a lot of changes come about this time of year, including our rates.

The lower “non-summer” energy charge goes into effect this month, putting a little extra money in your pocket just in time for the holidays. The rate for residential customers is 9.01 cents per kilowatt-hour, down from the summer rate of 9.98 cents.

The rate change more accurately Our offices will be reflects the prices closed Nov. 26 & 27 the co-op pays for Thanksgiving. You for wholesale can always find us online at: power. In ccemc.com this area, electricity costs more in the summer when demand for power is high and less in the winter when demand is typically lower.

on the web

Energy Savings & Safety When you set your clocks back an hour at the end of Daylight Saving Time (Sunday, Nov. 1), let the time change also serve as a reminder to check and replace your HVAC system filters, too! A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm — wasting energy.

Changing filters is simple and inexpensive, and can mean the difference between optimum comfort and avoidable repairs. When changing your filters, write the date on the new filter and make a note on your calendar to change it in 2-3 months.

While you're at it, check the batteries in your smoke and carbon dioxide detectors. Take the time to test each one to make sure they are working properly; it could save your life.

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

Giving thanks & giving back

November 2020 17

Carteret-Craven-1120.indd 17

10/9/20 11:40 AM

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

A Cut Above Bob Dobler crafts meals from cutting boards Most days you can find Bob Dobler in his workshop handcrafting cutting boards or at the Backpack Friends headquarters helping organize, pack and distribute backpacks of food and toiletries. Each week, more than 600 backpacks are delivered to 18 schools in our area for distribution to students.

What do cutting boards have to do with feeding hungry kids? A lot!

Dobler has crafted and sold more than 3,500 cutting boards in the past seven years, with all of the proceeds — more than $54,000 — going to Backpack Friends. The funds help purchase nutritious, easy to prepare food that is sent home on Fridays with children who might otherwise go hungry over the weekend.

Each backpack costs roughly $8.

Dobler’s donation has provided more than 6,750 backpacks to children throughout Carteret, Craven and Onslow counties.

Dobler first heard about Backpack Friends seven years ago at a Rotary meeting. At that time, the group was packing around 200 backpacks each week. Dobler started volunteering regularly and simply wanted to do something that would help fund the program’s mission.

A skilled woodworker, Dobler used a pattern that he had seen many years ago to create the first cutting board, and the idea grew from there.

“Each board is its own work of art,” said Dobler. “Three different types of wood are used to create its unique pattern — ash, cherry and sapele,” he continued. “I’ve made a few different designs, but the checkerboard pattern is what I am known for.”

“Bob is an enthusiastic, shining light for Backpack Friends. He has become someone I trust and admire,” said Danielle Abraham, Backpack Friends director. “I would not be able to do what I do without him. He is a treasure to our program and the community.”

Dobler crafts around 200 boards each month. They come in four different sizes, from mini to large.

The large board has 50 individual pieces that must be cut precisely to

1.5 inches, glued, sanded and finished with oil before it is ready to be sold.

“It’s impossible to say how much time goes into each board,” said Dobler. “I spend about six hours a day in my shop to keep up with the demand.”

Luckily for Backpack Friends and the children it serves, Dobler doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

If you would like to purchase a cutting board, you can visit Ellie’s Gifts in Emerald Isle. For more information about Backpack Friends, visit BackpackFriends.org.

Above, Dobler inspects his work before moving to the next step. At left, Dobler holds a finished board on a stack of boards waiting to be oiled. Below, Dobler edges a large cutting board.

18 ccemc.com

Carteret-Craven-1120.indd 18

10/9/20 11:40 AM

CCEC is offering to its members discounted smart thermostats, such as Ecobee and Nest, and smart water heater controls. As a member of Carteret-Craven, you can have a smart thermostat installed by a qualified, certified installer for as little as $25 when you sign up to participate in Connect to Save.

“We are excited about this program because it will not only save energy and costs for the individual member, but the devices in aggregate also will help the cooperative make its electrical system more efficient and provide cost savings for all our members,” said CEO Jake Joplin.

So how does a smart thermostat make the electrical system more efficient and save cost for everyone?

During the month there are specific times, within threeto four-hour periods when electricity use is the highest.

Because these periods of high use are not occurring consistently every day, but happen intermittently throughout the month, CCEC must purchase peak generation beyond its baseline generation to cover these periods. When peak generation is brought online to serve a peak period, the cost of the generation is at a premium since it is being sold when demand is high.

The good news is that we can forecast and identify these periods of high electricity consumption using weather forecasts and historical data. For instance, historical data has shown us that in the winter months, most members have a similar load shape in the mornings, when outside temperatures are low

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

Connect to save energy and money and families are preparing for work and school. When this load shape is combined with a forecasted period of very cold weather, it defines for us the period when we need to leverage the capabilities of the Connect to Save program. In summer, the highest usage occurs when people arrive home from school, work or outdoor play and use more electricity when cooking and preparing for the next day.

A member enrolling in the Connect to Save program allows CCEC to adjust the thermostat’s temperature setpoint by no more than three degrees during the forecasted period.

That action in aggregate across the electrical system will displace the need for peak generation and save the cost of premium electricity.

“The program’s most promising benefit is that by working together we can help lower everyone’s cost of electricity,” Joplin said.

Other benefits of the program include:

è Smart capabilities. Save energy year-round by setting a schedule and taking advantage of vacation and away modes.

è Remote control. View and manage your thermostat remotely from your smart devices.

è Maintenance alerts. Set alerts to notify you when HVAC filters need to be changed or when auxiliary heat strips are exceeding normal runtimes.

To enroll in Connect to Save, go to call 844.577.SAVE or visit connecttosavenc.com.

CCEC to award $20,000 in scholarships CCEC and the Carteret-Craven Electric Foundation want to make college finances a little easier for five high school seniors heading to school in the fall of 2021 by providing scholarships valued at $4,000 for four years of study.

One student each from East Carteret, West Carteret, Croatan and Havelock high schools will be selected, with the fifth recipient being the next highest scoring applicant among all the applications and may include applicants from other schools, such as Jones Senior High School, early college and Gramercy.

The scholarship program is open

to students whose primary residence is on the co-op’s lines. To qualify, the student must be a high school senior in the current graduating class and must be accepted at a two-year community/technical college or four-year college or university. All applicants will be considered on the stated criteria, regardless of race, age, color, religion, sex, handicap or national origin.

Deadline for applications is March 1, 2021, but

it’s never too early to apply.

The application is available at ccemc.com/Scholarships, as well as from the counselors' offices at each school, and at our offices in Newport and Havelock.

November 2020 19

Carteret-Craven-1120.indd 19

10/9/20 11:40 AM

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

Holiday meals: A recipe for energy savings

H

oliday meals are an important part of the celebrations you share with family and friends. All of that extra cooking and baking, however, can lead to a real post-season letdown after you see the added cost on your energy bill. These cost-saving tips will help you enjoy the festivities while trimming your energy budget.

Cooking in the oven è Preheat the oven to the exact temperature required; preheating is not necessary for foods that cook for several hours.

è If you've got an oven window, take advantage of it!

Opening the oven door wastes energy and lowers the temperature as much as 25°F.

è Glass and ceramic baking dishes retain heat better

than metal. If you cook with glass or ceramic dishes, you can reduce the oven temperature by 25°F.

è Conserve energy by baking several batches of cookies, or more than one pie, at a time.

Stove top cooking è Match the size of the pan to the size of the burner; using a small pan on a large burner wastes energy.

è Keep pots and pans covered to prevent heat loss and reduce cooking time.

è Copper bottom pans use 25 percent less energy while providing the same results.

è Clean burners after every use. A clean burner heats more efficiently, using less energy.

è A warped pan could waste 50 percent of the heat used on a stove top. However, a flat pan will utilize almost all of the energy.

DIY: Making your home more energy efficient Looking to save money and improve the comfort of your home?

There are a number of energy-saving projects you can do yourself. With a little time and effort, you can realize big savings on your energy bills.

Next, install WaterSense-labeled low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators. These typically cost less than $20 to purchase and they can stop the drain on both water and energy costs.

è Weatherize doors and

Energy-Saving Projects

è Seal and insulate ducts. HVAC

Looking to take on a little more?

Here are some easy, low-cost projects you can tackle yourself.

windows. Gaps and cracks in exterior doors and windows waste energy and reduce comfort. Sealing them can significantly improve heating and cooling system efficiency.

è Install a programmable

Start Simple Where do you begin your personal quest for lower energy bills?

How about changing a light bulb?

ENERGY STAR®-certified LEDs use at least 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer.

Carteret-Craven-1120.indd 20

thermostat. These units save energy by automatically adjusting temperatures while you are asleep or when you are away from home. Through our Connect to Save program you can purchase a smart thermostat for a little as $25.

Visit connecttosavenc.com for more information.

ducts can waste a substantial amount of energy. Sealing and insulating ducts can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent or more, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

è Install advanced power strips.

These strips shut down devices that are in standby mode. They can also make homes safer by turning off fire hazards, like irons and space heaters in case they are forgotten.

Offices

Contact

1300 Highway 24 Newport, NC

252.247.3107 1.800.682.2217

450 McCotter Blvd.

Havelock, NC

ccemc.com customerservice@ccemc.com

10/9/20 11:40 AM

On the House

More Cooking, More Convenience (and Savings) Finding efficiencies in the kitchen

By Jonathan Susser

Q:

Like many others, I got caught in a bit of a baking binge during the Safer at Home order.

And now with the holidays coming up, how can I avoid higher energy bills if I’m using my oven so much?

A:

Cooking and baking have certainly had their moments in the spotlight this year, and that should only continue as the weather gets colder and holidays approach.

Fortunately, there is a menu of options to help you save time and money while in the kitchen.

Do you have a convection setting on your oven? Unlike a conventional oven, convection ovens/settings use a fan and an exhaust system to move hot air around the interior of the appliance. This feature helps heat food more evenly and evaporate moisture more quickly. Not all foods benefit from convection, but it can be useful for roasting, toasting or dehydrating, baking pies or pastries and making trays of your family’s favorite cookies (yum).

Convection ovens are less energy intensive than conventional ovens and can produce energy savings for two reasons: 1) your food will cook faster (about 25 percent faster) and 2) you’ll be able to set the oven to a lower temperature (typically, you’ll want to subtract 25 degrees Fahrenheit from a recipe that calls for a conventional oven; your oven may even do this for you).

If you don’t have a convection setting and aren’t in the market for a

new oven, do not fear. There are other steps you can take. One is to cook multiple meals/items in your oven at the same time, which will reduce how much it runs overall. While it may take 10 to 15 percent longer to bake several dishes at once, it will be far less time and hassle than baking them separately.

If using this technique with a convection oven, make sure there is enough space for the hot air to circulate and that the fan isn’t blocked.

Trays and pans with lower sides are a safer bet for those browned and crispy finishes.

Smaller cooking appliances, such as toaster ovens, can also be swapped in to lend support where feasible.

Nowadays these can do much more than just make toast; they can roast vegetables or meat, cook pizza, reheat leftovers and more. They also use less energy and may be easier on your

back than your standard oven, and some have convection capabilities.

That reminds me: As tempting as it may be to open the oven door to heat your home or kitchen, let your wholehouse heating system do that job and minimize injuries, hazards and possible poor air quality.

And here’s one final thing to keep in mind, particularly for the holidays: food waste. We waste a lot of food over Thanksgiving — as a country, on the order of 170 million pounds of turkey, 30 million pounds of stuffing and 40 million pounds of mashed potatoes. All this waste hurts our wallets and the environment.

This year, aim to stay on top of your portions by gauging how much food you’ll need based on your guest count.

And compost, share or freeze any extras when you can!

Jonathan Susser is a writer and editor for Advanced Energy in Raleigh.

November 2020 | 21

CC11-tv.indd 21

10/8/20 9:38 AM

Success Recipes for

Having the entrepreneur gene is both a blessing and a curse.

I hear my sweet Mama’s voice in my head often, when she looked at me once years ago, during the middle of a crazy catered event, elbow deep in soap suds washing chafing pans. She said: “Just what makes you want to do this right here!?”

Bless her sweet soul. “Mama,” I said, “I just don’t know, and can’t help myself! I got it from Daddy.”

There are scores of food artisans around North Carolina who “just can’t help themselves,” bringing the best of the best into the marketplace. Here’s the story of four, and their recipes for success.

22 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-tv.indd 22

Little Black Dressing Company High Point littleblackdressing.com

Strolling through your grocery store produce section, if you’ve not found it yet, take a closer look and see if you find some Little Black Dressing Co. salad dressings. Winning both NC and national awards and accolades, LBD is one of North Carolina’s best-kept secrets. These delicious dressings are tucked on the chilled produce shelf since they are made fresh, refrigerated and shipped that way right into the store. You won’t find a lot of “stuff” in them either (no preservatives, additives, and they’re gluten-free).

How NC entrepreneurs are making small food brands big business Story and photos

by Wendy Perry

Creator and “head salad dressing maker” Kissie Stroup knows a thing or two about taking a family recipe from home to market from her days growing up with her Grandma Nana’s delicious vinaigrette on fresh-fromthe-garden salads. Nana made her dressing for school and church gatherings, and Kissie wanted to share it with others. She started making the dressing and selling in small batches in 2008. In 2013, her husband said: “Instead of selling dressing to friends from our porch, let’s do this thing.”

“I was fortunate my husband was supportive, and I had this opportunity to make dressing, contribute to my family and give back to my community,” Kissie adds.

Her first dressing was a tweak of Nana’s, Dreamy Creamy Vinaigrette.

From there, she added others and her company was born. Little Black Dressing Co. has grown, is sold across America, and offers private

10/12/20 12:18 PM

labeling too. And the name? “Well, like a good little black dress, it goes with everything!”

Kissie’s recipe for

Success

“Tenacity. And willingness to work hard. My business model was slow, calculated and paid as I went along to avoid debt. It has proven to work for me and that’s my best advice!”

Mimi’s Mountain Mixes Hendersonville mimismountainmixes.com

As soon as you meet Lin JohnsonCarlson, you just need to know more about this spunky grandmother of 12!

Years ago, her grandkids started calling her Mimi, so it was only fitting she name her company Mimi’s Mountain Mixes. Here’s how her recipes work: Just open a box, stir in a beer or other carbonated beverage, and after a few short minutes of baking you are enjoying any one of her simply prepared products. Along with her Old Tavern Beer Bread Mix, there are biscuits, soft pretzels, cakes, pancakes and more, including some gluten-free goodies, too.

Mimi’s was launched in 2008, when Lin found herself divorced, in big debt and facing foreclosure like so many others during the recession. Bouncing from friends’ homes to homes, and even time in a shelter, Lin didn’t let her spirit and desire to move forward keep her down, finding the blessings in her time of despair.

Taking inspiration from her Grandma Ruth, she was able to borrow church kitchens in Florida and Ohio, where she got busy creating her mixes. With her recipe laced with optimism, she worked tirelessly out and about at flea and farmers’ markets, turning things around, while developing a following of loyal customers — all the while, giving back to help other women who found themselves in similar situations. continued on page 24

Lin’s recipe for

Success

“Keep that chin UP! Take every blessing and multiply it. Mimi’s Mountain Mixes continues to offer a step up for women who are in shoes Lin has worn, and with each purchase of her products, customers are helping her and this mission.“

NEVER SEAL YOUR WOOD OR CONCRETE AGAIN

PERMANENT ONE-TIME SOLUTION

BEFORE

25% OFF WITH THIS AD

AFTER

BEFORE

• We clean, restore & permanently preserve your product.

• Prevents wood from rotting, decaying and further damage from moisture.

• Repels mold, mildew & fungus growth.

• Prevents concrete from pitting, flaking, dusting and scaling.

• Prevents salt & alkali damage.

• Backed by technology.

AFTER

Free Estimates

844.481.6862 PermaSealUSA.com

November 2020 | 23

CC11-tv.indd 23

10/12/20 12:18 PM

10oz Pecan Brittle-F.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

Tips from the Pros 5 take-aways and ingredients of a recipe for success

1. What you think the consumer wants and will buy and what they actually want and will buy are not always the same.

2. Be willing to make changes and adapt product(s) to meet consumer needs, not just yours.

3. This is not easy. This is hard. Do not get discouraged. Stick-to-itiveness required!

4. Favorite thing to do? New product development! Least favorite? Paperwork! Be prepared for lots of necessary paperwork and paper trails to keep track of.

5. Love what you do and give back — to staff in allowing time for family life balance, and to community. Share your success and blessings with others in need or less fortunate.

Wendy’s bonus tip: “Having created and managed many of my own companies over the years, a certain amount of sheer craziness is required.”

carolinacountry.com/extras Here’s a pizza with a healthy boost thanks to chicken & four vegetables. White Tango Pizza substitutes a boring red sauce for a dressing from Little Black Dressing Co., “It Takes Three to Tango,” containing ranch, 1000 island and blue cheese. Find it online.

1

11/22/19

4:43 PM

1 in 6 Snacks

Elizabeth’s Pecans Turkey elizabethspecans.com

Pe c a n P r o d u c t s

You read that right — Alan Bundy’s pecan shop is in the town of Turkey, in Sampson County. It’s worth your while to get off onto the backroads and see what you come across there.

Alan’s little gem of a shop awaits you, just a bit off Interstate 40 on Highway 24.

Alan’s father, Navy Captain Bobby F. Bundy, established a pecan grove in 1981 and later started B&B Pecan Processors of NC. Alan has taken the farm and the processor to new places.

The pecans, grown there in Turkey, are processed locally and shipped around the world. They can be found in more than 140 major grocery store chains, smaller boutiques and are available for fundraising events.

After B&B Pecans launched back in the ’90s, their now famous “Elizabeth’s Exceptional Pecan Brittle” (named after Alan’s daughter) came along in 1998. Different from most, this buttery brittle is a soft-crunchy, making it easy to eat and their biggest seller. Since then, Alan has added more tasty pecan products, for a total of 14 roasty toasty pecan treats for Elizabeth’s fans.

Elizabeth’s has a quaint little shop by the railroad tracks in Turkey, where folks from all over the country (and world) drop by to sample most all of their pecan treats. Storekeeper Anita will graciously offer them to you, and wow, does that lady love her job! She can tell you all sorts of things about their pecans, the company and all the many other local products there in the store, including many from veteran owned companies.

Alan’s recipe for

Success

Alan focuses on maximizing ideas and resources that continue to produce the best handmade products his customers love and enjoy.

Raleigh 1in6snacks.com

When you’re raised in a home where your family is in the snack business, what do you do when you grow up?

Why, you jump right in with the family. The snack family.

While still a fulltime agri-business management student at NC State University, Josh Monahan started working on his first product in 2015, potato chips. It was then he realized 1 in 6 people in the United States don’t even know where their next meal is coming from. He knew right away that would be the flagship name of his product and his brand: 1 in 6 Snacks.

Launched in 2016, his first product line (and perhaps most familiar) was Carolina Kettle. These flavorful “outrageously crunchy” chips start with the best potatoes, kettle fried in small batches with sunflower oil, and uniquely seasoned with Carolina herbs and spices. Oh, and they’re preservative- and gluten-free too.

With a dozen tasty chip varieties now being made, Carolina Kettle’s most popular are Sea Salt and Down East Carolina BBQ (Josh’s favorite is “Southern Twang” salt and balsamic vinegar). Newcomers to the 1 in 6 Snacks family include: Pine State Popcorn, Rustic Roots tortilla chips and salsas, and Memaw’s Country Kitchen cookies and cheese tiddies.

Josh’s recipe for

Success

Giving back. “Our customers appreciate our philosophy and that we set aside donations from every bag of chips we sell towards entities that help feed those 1 in 6 looking for their next meal. When seeing that on our bags, that helps customers make a purchase decision while [the bags] are in their hands.”

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

24 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-tv.indd 24

10/12/20 12:18 PM

CLOG-FREE GUT TERS

OR YOUR MONEY BACK

GUARANTEED!

15% OFF YOUR ENTIRE LEAFFILTER PURCHASE*

10% OFF SENIOR &

’S

MILITARY DISCOUNTS

D

GU

TT

1

ADDITIONALLY

R

E

N

TH

Exclusive Offer – Redeem By Phone Today!

NATIO

ER GUA

PLUS!

CALL US TODAY FOR

A FREE ESTIMATE

THE FIRST 50 CALLERS WILL

1-844-440-9814

RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL

5% OFF

www.LeafFilter.com/15off

LIFETIME WARRANTY

Promo Code: 73

The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.”

2

A

D

V

YOUR ENTIRE INSTALL! **Offer valid at estimate only

FINANCING THAT FITS 1 YOUR BUDGET! Subject to credit approval.

Call for details.

1

*For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year.

E

R

T

I

S

E

M

E

N

T

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-all.indd 25

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. SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs deliver your system the fast active bacteria and enzymes needed to liquefy solid waste and free the clogs causing your back-up.

This fast-acting bacteria multiplies within minutes of application and is specifically designed to withstand many of today’s anti-bacterial cleaners, soaps and detergents. It comes in dissolvable plastic packs, that you just flush down your toilets. It’s so cool. Plus, they actually Guarantee that it restores ANY system, no matter how bad the problem is.

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 at personally seen SeptiCleanse unclog and restore these systems in a matter weeks. I highly recommend that you try it before spending any money on repairs.

SeptiCleanse products are available online www.septicleanse.com or you can order or learn more bycalling toll free at 1-888-899-8345. If you use the promo code “NCS11”,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.

10/9/20 3:02 PM

e g n a r O

d o o f r e Sup

Sweet potatoes pack a punch in North Carolina

By Margaret Buranen | Photos courtesy of the NC SweetPotato Commission

N

orth Carolina grows more sweet potatoes than any other state.

Let that sink in. Our state’s total annual crop amounts to half of all of the sweet potatoes grown in the United States.

They sweeten the state’s economy, too. The 94,000 North Carolina acres where they are grown yielded a crop worth $324 million in 2019. Some of the largest NC sweet potato growers have offices in the United Kingdom for exports there and Europe.

This is a hot time of year for sweet potatoes, our state vegetable, but uses for the flavorful root vegetables are not limited to holiday table side dishes.

“Sweet potatoes stand up to all kinds of cuisines and food types, from smoothies to vegetable tacos,” says Michelle Grainger, the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission’s executive director.

Working on behalf of the commission’s more than 400 sweet potato growers, Michelle keeps up with national food trends. While she grew up in NC enjoying “my grandma’s sweet potato soufflé,” Michelle has started branching out, eating sweet potatoes in dishes that aren’t desserts.

“I love the flavoring sweet potatoes give to ethnic foods — Indian, Mexican, Spanish dishes,” she says.

Her current favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes are tater tots and a savory dish that features sweet potatoes and crabmeat with melted cheese on top.

“On a fall or winter day, that dish is phenomenal,” she says.

Several varieties of sweet potatoes are grown in NC. They vary in color and taste. The most popular variety

by far is Covington, developed at NC State University.

Covington is the only sweet potato variety grown at Tull Hill Farms in Kinston in Lenoir County.

Co-owners Rob Hill and his dad Kendall Hill are members of Pitt and Greene Electric Cooperative. Rob’s cousin, Michael Hill, is also a partner in the farming operation.

For Rob Hill, growing sweet potatoes is a legacy.

“My great grandfather grew sweet potatoes. Then my grandfather started growing more of them,” he explains.

Sweet potato plants, aka slips, are transplanted into the soil from late May until about July 1. Some slips come from a greenhouse grower, who buys his stock from NC State.

These plants are known as G1 (Generation One).

Small sweet potatoes saved from last fall’s harvest (then G1) are planted whole, around March 15. The slips they produce (called G2, for Second Generation) are also transplanted into growing fields starting in late May. Harvesting comes about 100 days after the slips were planted. Around Labor Day, the farm workers first verify that the crop is ready to be harvested. They dig up sweet potatoes by hand in two or three separate sections, 10 or 12 feet into the field.

The plants, now grown to about two feet high, are shredded. Then a chain digger machine is used to go under each row of plants. It lays the potatoes on the ground. Workers pick them up by hand and load them on trucks for transport to the farm’s warehouse where they will be sorted.

The just-harvested sweet potatoes spend several days in the heated warehouse. This curing process heightens their sweetness. Then they are cooled (by air conditioning or ambient air, if the temperature is low enough). They can be stored in the warehouse for months without losing their flavor.

Rob says the biggest changes in sweet potato growing in the last 10 years are the export market and sweet potatoes for French fries. “[For a typical acre’s yield], 45 percent of the sweet potatoes will be sold to supermarkets. Twenty-five percent will go to food processing companies for French fries,” he explains. “Ten percent will [be saved to] make seed potatoes for next year’s crop. The remaining 20 percent we try to get value for somehow or donate to food pantries.”

The sweet potato is surprisingly versatile. It’s big business for farmers across the state. But Michelle has learned that, just as people often don’t realize these sweet potato facts, they also aren’t aware of what a healthy food they are.

“The level of nutritional value out of sweet potatoes is huge,” she notes. “They are one of the top ‘superfoods.’”

Margaret Buranen writes from her home in Kentucky.

Get great sweet potato recipes at ncsweetpotatoes.com/ recipes.

Want to learn more?

Find K–12 lesson pla ncsweetpotatoes.com/ ns at curriculum.

26 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-tv.indd 26

10/9/20 1:56 PM

Relieve Back & Pelvis Pain And

STOP SUFFERING TODAY! $

2999

SAVE $10.00

Now Only

off original price

$1999

Source Code. 79264 © Dream Products. (Prices valid for 1yr.)

Was

FREE SHIPPING! Helps Eliminate: · Lumbar Instability · Hip/Back/Pelvis Pain · Arthritis & Hip Bursitis Pain · Sacroiliac Joint Inflammation

Perfect For Men & Women

WITH

WITHOUT

Undetectable Under Clothing

Helps Pain While Flattening Muffin Top & Lifting Hips

WITH

WITHOUT

Pain Reducer Also Helps Flatten “Muffin Top”!

If you suffer from lumbar pain, a misaligned pelvis or pelvis tilt, you need to try our Spine Align Back Brace! Lightweight material of nylon, poly/spandex, import with an adjustable one touch closure, provides the perfect fit to bring stability and relief to your back and pelvis area. When you are properly aligned, it also helps to reduce pain and inflammation in your hips and legs. Crisscross dual tension straps provide stable support and even compression to your spine, keeping you in proper alignment, while the comfortably snug band helps to flatten that muffin area we all fight.

Order Now Toll-Free

1-800-530-2689 M-F 6am-1am CST S-S 6am-9pm CST Connect With

DreamProducts.com website offers may vary *We may be required to collect sales tax.

Please visit DreamProducts.com FAQ page if you need more information.

Satisfaction Guaranteed or Return For Your Money Back

CC11-all.indd 27

Item #370213 - Spine Align Back Brace Size Fits Waist

Small (212) 32"-38"

Medium (213) 39"-45"

Large (214) 46"-52"

❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard

❑ American Express ❑ Discover®/NOVUSSMCards

Exp. Date

Card#

Indicate Qty ____ Spine Align Back Brace @ $19.99 ea. $ *Add applicable State & Local SALES TAX on the Subtotal

FREE SHIPPING Add $2.00 Handling (each)

Please Print Clearly

$ $ FREE $

Total $

Send order to Dream Products, 412 Dream Lane, P.O. Box 3690, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3690

Name __________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________ City ______________________________ST ________Zip ______________ Daytime Phone # ________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________________________

Source Code

79264

To receive this offer on the web, you MUST input the source code when ordering

10/9/20 3:02 PM

Carolina Gardens

Crape Myrtles of Winter Some varieties sport flashy winter bark Story and photos by L.A. Jackson

L

ate autumn is a good time to add trees and shrubs to the landscape, and one perennial favorite for North Carolina gardeners is the crape myrtle. Once established, it becomes a dependable beauty that blooms like crazy through the long, hot summer months. Crape myrtle’s fall foliage show can be flashy as well, but, after that, it dulls visually through the winter months.

But this doesn’t have to be the case.

The crape myrtles that originally came to America’s colonies from China and Korea in the mid-1750s were Lagerstroemia indica — flowering floosies, for sure, but, come winter, their bare gray branches blended in with the rest of the bland landscape.

However, in the 1950s, selections of crape myrtles such as Lagerstroemia faurei from Japan were introduced that proved more resistant to a common crape problem: powdery mildew. As a bonus, many of these new crape myrtles sported sassy, colorful trunks and limbs that sizzled in intense shades of burnt orange, warm brown or rust red as the bark exfoliated.

Based on this, breeders at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., began crossing crape myrtle

species to bring out the best features, and they succeeded in a big way by introducing their popular Indian Tribe Series, with several cultivars (of which many are widely available) showing off stunning bark colors during the shortest days of the year.

“Natchez,” considered one of the best in the series for strong winter bark color, simmers in an intense rust red.

This white-flowering crape also makes a statuesque statement, growing up to 30 feet in height. “Choctaw” will stretch just as tall and has comparable bark color but flaunts vivid pink blooms.

Other crapes similar in size and appealing bark are “Biloxi” (pale pink flowers) and “Muskogee” (light purple).

There are cultivars in the series that restrain their heights to around 15 feet tall, such as “Apalachee” with pleasing lavender flowers and handsome chestnut-colored winter bark.

The trunk and branches of “Osage” have similar coloration, but this beauty sports warm pink blooms.

Need even smaller? Try the 10-foot-tall “Pecos” with its mid-pink flowers and mottled, reddish-brown bark, or “Cheyenne” that shows off light reddish-brown bark and vivid, solid red blooms.

The colorful bark of the Natchez Crape Myrtle

There are more pretties in the Indian Tribe Series — as well as other, similar crape introductions not from this group — capable of bringing botanical fire to the wintry times with their eye-catching bark, so why not warm up to the idea and include one or more in your landscape?

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

Garden To-Do’s for November

Amaryllis F

If you receive an unsprouted amaryllis bulb for a Christmas present this holiday season, to encourage a show of flowers indoors this winter, the key is to crowd it. The space between the bulb and the edges of its pot should be no more than an inch. Also, the heavier the pot, the less likely this tall beauty will tip over easily when it reaches its full height and begins to bloom. Finally, to help the blossoms last longer, keep the plant away from dry air drafts that come from heating vents during the cold winter months.

The nastiness that is black spot on roses is a soil‑borne fungus, so to help break up its life cycle in the ground—and its impact on your plants—rake up all spent flowers and leaves as well as any leftover summer mulch and toss the whole mess away. Do not compost. Then, add a fresh, clean covering of mulch to protect rose roots through the winter months.

F

To keep a standard crape myrtle in bounds, prune it back every few years in February. Depending on whether you want a multi-stemmed large shrub or a single-trunk tree look, pruning can be complicated.

But to prevent the dreaded “crape murder” look, check out online tips from the Florida-based Crape Myrtle Company at bit.ly/prune-crape-myrtle.

28 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-EB.indd 28

10/9/20 2:55 PM

CAROLINA COUNTRY

adventures

Black Mountain Ciderworks

Honeygirl Meadery

Noble Taproom and Cidery

Good Road Ciderworks

Wehrloom Honey’s hives

Discovering Ancient Libations Sample the drink of Vikings on the NC Mead Trail

By Jodi Helmer

B

eekeeper Aron Wehr gives credit to the busy bees that transform nectar into the thick, sweet honey he uses to make mead at Wehrloom Honey.

“We couldn’t do what we do without the bees,” he says.

Mead is believed to be the oldest alcoholic libation, the drink of Vikings and medieval knights. It’s often referred to as honey wine, and it does share similarities to grape wine, including multiple sweetness levels from sweet to dry, but it can also be fermented with ingredients like hops and grains that are commonly associated with beer. Regardless of the brewing style, honey is always the base ingredient.

There are more than 450 mead producers in the United States, up from just 30 in 2003, according to the American Mead Makers Association. The number of mead makers in North Carolina is increasing, too.

The North Carolina Mead Alliance created the NC Mead Trail (www.ncmead.org/mead-trail), a self-guided tour of local meaderies across the state. Visiting the taprooms offers a chance to learn about mead — it can take up to three pounds of honey to produce a single gallon of mead — and sample the ancient beverage.

“There is a misconception that mead is thick, syrupy and sweet,” Aron says. “The mead we make is much more like beer or cider.”

There are 11 stops on the NC Mead Trail: ■ In Asheville, Wehrloom Honey

uses honey from its 150 beehives (plus honey from local beekeepers) to make mead that ranges from dry to fruity. The Dry County Dry, a traditional mead made with water, yeast, oak cubes and honey, is among the most popular. Order a mead flight to taste multiple varieties.

■ Orange blossom, clover and wildflower are among the

most popular honey varieties used in the meads made

by Good Road Ciderworks in Charlotte. The mead makers even import honey from Zambia to make their T’Ej mead — a blend of honey, hops, Earl Grey tea and black pepper.

■ The bourbon barrel-aged wildflower mead at Honeygirl

Meadery in Durham is an off-dry, small batch beverage that is aged in bourbon barrels for months. The meadery also makes Maplewood mead with local wildflower honey and maple syrup aged in oak barrels.

■ The mountain region boasts the biggest concentration

of meaderies on the NC Mead Trail. Spend the day tasting mead at Noble Taproom and Cidery in Asheville, Point Lookout Vineyards in Hendersonville, and Black Mountain Ciderworks in Black Mountain.

Keeper’s Cut Meadery in Marion has a Mead hall for hosting special events. And at Fox Hill Meadery in Marshall, mead maker Jason Russ’ spiced mead combines allspice, cinnamon, orange zest, cloves and, of course, honey. The award-winning beverage is meant to be warmed up and sipped like hot cider.

Even North Carolina wineries are making mead. Point Lookout Vineyards in Hendersonville produces traditional meads and cyser, mead made from a blend of honey and apples.

Jodi Helmer writes about food and farming in North Carolina and beyond.

■ Honeysuckle Meadery in Carrboro incorporates local

ingredients such as honey, roasted peanuts, raspberries and paw paws to create its farm-to-bottle meads while the herb-infused meads at Starrlight Mead in Pittsboro incorporate fresh lemon balm, lavender and chamomile.

carolinacountry.com/extras

Check out the online version of this article for links to more information about these meaderies

November 2020 | 29

CC11-tv.indd 29

10/9/20 1:56 PM

Marketplace

Business Opportunities

Gold Maps

$20 BUSINESS IS EXPLODING Want to hear and see something that will blow your mind? It is a NO BRAINER!!!! wmw.my1dollarbusiness.com Call: 910-289-1613

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

PROSPERITY HOME NETWORK! Earn Unlimited Direct/ Residual Commissions! HOT/PROVEN! Call 858-9014066 www.ProsperityHomeNet.work

Vacation Rental ATLANTIC BEACH OCEANFRONT CONDO, breathtaking view. 1/BD, 1½ /BA, $100.00. 816-931-3366.

Real Estate

TRIANGLE DETECTORS. Large selection of metal detectors and gold prospecting equipment, SALES & RENTALS. Durham 919-949-4007

Free FREE MATERIALS: SOON CHURCH/GOVERNMENT UNITING. Suppressing “Religious Liberty”, enforcing a “National Sunday Law”. Be informed! Need mailing address only. TBSM, Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 1-888-211-1715.

DEVELOPER NEEDS TO PURCHASE TRACTS OF LAND for development in areas close to major cities in NC/SC. 704-625-0146

Miscellaneous

WE BUY NORTH CAROLINA LAND. WE ARE LONG TERM OWNERS AND PAY MORE THAN ANYBODY. Local NC family. Cash paid quickly. Hunting Land, Farmland, Timberland. FREE CASH OFFER at www.nclandbuyers.com 910-239-8929 NO OBLIGATION. WE PAY ALL COSTS.

CASH PAID FOR OLD FISHING LURES–Call Rick Hutton 704-695-4917

SELL YOUR LAND FAST I No agents. No Fees. No Commissions. www.sellyourvacantlandfast.com 843-564-8438.

For Sale LUXURY LINENS A+ Rating BBB, 1800tc Sheets.

Deep pockets, do not fade,shrink,wrinkle. Brand New, Complete Sets. All Sizes available. 65% Discount. www.theluxurylinens.com.

Connect with Carolina Country Don’t miss out on your favorite content, including Carolina Music — sign up for email updates on our website!

I BUY OLD JUKEBOXES–704-847-6472.

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.

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.

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

Photo Contest Send us your best photo (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 2021 issue. Judges will select more for our “Photo of the Month” feature throughout 2021, and we’ll pay $50 for each of those.

Rules Deadline: November 15, 2020 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

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.

We retain reprint and online rights. Visit carolinacountry.com/photocontest for full terms and conditions.

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

Send to Online: carolinacountry.com/photocontest No emails, please.

Mail: Carolina Country Photo Contest 3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616

30 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-all.indd 30

10/9/20 3:02 PM

Marketplace

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

$11,495 - 30x40x10

EASTERN

DIVISION

Steel Mobile Home Roofing Leaks? Roof rumble?

High energy bill?

Painted Enclosed Built Price (Not Shown)*

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

Call for pricing.

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

Contact us at 800.633.8969 or roofover.com

www.nationalbarn.com

1-888-427-BARN (2276)

Mobile Home Roofover Systems Since 1983

Arco Steel Buildings 1-800-241-8339

BBB A+ rating for 40 years!

Highest Quality Low Prices!

Protective Sleeves: 100% Guaranteed

40 x 60 x 10 • 50 x 75 x 12 60 x 100 x 12 • 100 x 150 x 20 20 x 100 x 8’6” Mini Storage

All sizes available!

40

Years

Arco Building Systems

(Buildings not as shown above) (FOB plant-local codes may affect prices)

• Prevents Cuts & Scratches • Durable Soft Leather • Adjustable Air-Flow

armchaps.com • 651-492-4830

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 14, 2020 Issued monthly, 12 times annually. Subscription price is $5.00 for members, $12.00 for non-members. Mailing address of office is 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616, Wake County. Publisher is North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. Editor is Warren Kessler, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. Owner is North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, N.C. 27616. 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 2020). Total copies: Average 727,200 (September 797,670). Paid Circulation: Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales: None.

Mail subscription: Average 719,162 (September 790,898). Total Paid Circulation: Average 719,162 (September 790,898) Free Distribution by mail carrier, or other means, samples complimentary and other free copies: Average 8,038 (September 6,772). Total Distribution: Average: 727,200 (September 797,670). 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: 727,200 (September 797,670).

November 2020 | 31

CC11-all.indd 31

10/9/20 3:02 PM

Carolina Kitchen

Bacon-Stuffed Pork Loin

With garlicky apple cider gravy

Ahhh, fall. Time for roasting and slow cooking flavors of the season. Low and slow is just right for lean pork loin … surrounded by bacon and salami for the moist fat needed to make it tender and juicy.

8 4

1 30 1½ ²/₃ 16

¹/₃ 2 2

slices maple bacon pound pork loin Salt and cracked black pepper Poultry seasoning Oil for searing large sweet onion, peeled and cut in ½-inch rounds cloves garlic cups spiced apple cider cup apple cider vinegar thin slices salami Bacon drippings cup stone ground mustard tablespoons brown sugar tablespoons cornstarch Fresh sage to garnish, optional

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees. Fold bacon in half and bake until almost done.

Season loin on all sides with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Coat bottom of heavy skillet with oil. Sear on all sides at medium-high, about 5 minutes each, until browned “crust” forms. Place on cutting board and cut 8 slices, making sure not to cut all the way through. Place sliced onion and half the garlic in bottom of slow cooker with cider and vinegar.

Tuck each piece of bacon into 2 slices of salami (“taco style”), then tuck these into loin pockets with remaining garlic cloves. Place on top of onions, pour the bacon drippings over, cover and cook on high for 2 hours.* Combine mustard with sugar and spoon over loin after about one hour.

Remove, cover and let stand while making gravy.

To make gravy, blend cornstarch into a cup of slightly cooled sauce.

Whisk this slurry into remaining sauce in slow cooker and let thicken, about 15 minutes. Purée with blender. Serve with roast garnished with sage. *Use a meat thermometer for best results.

Remove at 140 degrees in center. Times will vary with slow cooker.

Yield: Serves 6–8

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

Buttered Wilted Cabbage With pepper and caraway seed

Blanching tender cabbage preserves nutrients and provides a vivid pop of color. Let’s hear it for a super quick, farm-fresh side dish!

8 cups chicken broth 1 large head Savoy cabbage 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 teaspoons caraway seed Crushed black pepper 6 tablespoons butter Bring broth to a boil in a large pot, and cut cabbage into wedges. Set aside core.

Tear by hand into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

Add to boiling broth. Stir and blanch for 1½–2 minutes; drain and reserve broth for a future soup. Put cabbage back into pot. Toss with seasonings and butter.

Add salt as needed. Serve warm.

Yield: Serves 6–8

Savor the flavor Save veggie scraps for making stellar soup, sauces and gravies! Goodies to save include broth (like this cabbage broth) along with extra leaves, cores, ends and peels from cabbage, carrots, potatoes and herbs. Store in the freezer until you’re ready to make stock. Freeze the resulting stock in ice cube trays to add flavor to all sorts of dishes!

32 | carolinacountry.com

CC11-tv.indd 32

10/9/20 1:55 PM

Carolina Kitchen

Rustic Herbed Dressing

From Your Kitchen

With apples and cheddar

You know it’s fall when the aroma of baked apples and fresh herbs fills the air! Roasted pork, chicken — this stuffing makes just the right side dish. Or crisp up leftover dressing in the toaster oven for a banner breakfast with bacon, sausage and a drizzle o’ maple syrup!

Tara Verna

carolinacountry.com/extras

Check out one reader’s “No-Fail Pie Crust” recipe if you have the time to go the homemade route.

5 tablespoons butter 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin 1 large sweet onion, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 6 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted and torn in pieces 6 ounces herb-seasoned stuffing 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 cups broth 8 ounces cubed, sharp cheddar cheese 4 ounces grated cheddar, your preference Fresh rosemary and thyme for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter over medium heat. Add apples, onion and celery.

Sauté until tender, about 5–6 minutes. Fold in toast, stuffing and seasonings. Stir in broth and cubed cheese until mixture is well combined.

Pour into a 2-quart, sprayed baking dish. Scatter with grated cheese. Tent with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with rosemary and thyme. Best if served immediately.

Yield: Serves 6–8

Almond Tarts

½ cup almond paste ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon almond extract

1 egg, beaten 1 package Pillsbury pie crusts Slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the almond paste, sugar, extract and egg well. Use a small food processor if you own one. Otherwise use a dough blender or mash with a spoon.

Place a mini tart pan on the rolled-out dough and use a sharp knife to cut a slightly larger circle around it. Press the dough into the tart pans. Fill the pans about ²/₃ full with the almond mixture and top with sliced almonds.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: Makes 8, 4-inch tarts

Recipe courtesy of Judy Morton of Wake Forest, a member of Wake Electric

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, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC, 27616. Or submit your recipe online at: carolinacountry.com/myrecipe.

carolinacountry.com/recipes We take food seriously. Search more than 1,000 recipes by name or ingredient, with a new recipe featured every week!

November 2020 | 33

CC11-tv.indd 33

10/8/20 9:41 AM

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?

3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616 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 Creative Director, Tara Verna, features an antique Chevy truckbed full of flowers outside the C.E. Barnes Country Store in Archer Lodge, located on the corner of Covered Bridge and Buffalo Roads in Johnston County. Founded by the Barnes brothers Ottis and Weldon, the general store has been serving the community since 1927. Readers call this place a gem, where you can shop for local goods and children enjoy the tire swing behind the store. The winning entry chosen at random from all correct submissions came from Jerome Church of Trinity, an EnergyUnited 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

November’S FEATURED TRACK

MUSIC

“Daddy Daughter Day”

By Pierce Freelon Pierce raps about a banana float, roller skating and smelling the daisies in this playful, upbeat tune.

It’s one of 15 songs on “D.A.D.,” his newfamily album. Inspired by his journey through fatherwood, Pierce blends hip hop, electronic jazz, Afro-Caribbean and soul into an energetic musical quilt about family life. Pierce, who lives in Durham, is joined on the album by other talented NC-based musicians, including vocalist Rissi Palmer and rappers J. Gunn and KronoZ Time. ???

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

CC11-all.indd 34

Shoot With Bliss

Pierce co-founded Beat Making Lab, an Emmy Award-winning PBS web series; founded Blackspace, a digital makerspace for youth of African descent; and taught music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

10/9/20 3:02 PM

Make your home more comfortable than ever

“To you, it’s the perfect lift chair.

To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.”

— J. Fitzgerald, VA

NOW

also available in Genuine Italian Leather (and new Chestnut color)

Three Chairs in One Sleep/Recline/Lift

ACCREDITED BUSINESS A+

Pictured: Italian Leather chair chestnut color. Chestnut color also available in DuraluxTM fabric

You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep.

Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – and dozens of other ailments and worries. Those are the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want them, supports your head and shoulders properly, and operates at the touch of a button.

Our Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. More than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide total comfort. Choose your preferred heat and massage settings, for hours of soothing relaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerful lift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, making it easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal alignment and promotes back REMOTE-CONTROLLED EASILY SHIFTS FROM FLAT TO A STAND-ASSIST POSITION

pressure relief, to prevent back and muscle pain.

The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort.

Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage.

White glove delivery included in shipping charge. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of Genuine Italian leather, stain and water repellent custom-manufactured DuraLux™ with the classic leather look or plush MicroLux™ microfiber in a variety of colors to fit any decor.

New Chestnut color only available in Genuine Italian Leather and long lasting DuraLux™. Call now!

The Perfect Sleep Chair®

1-888-730-2123

Please mention code 113618 when ordering.

Genuine Italian Leather

Chestnut

classic beauty & durability

Long Lasting DuraLux™

Chestnut

Burgundy

Tan

Chocolate

Blue

stain & water repellent

MicroLux™ Microfiber

Burgundy Cashmere Chocolate

Indigo

Shoot With Bliss

breathable & amazingly soft

Because each Perfect Sleep Chair is a custom-made bedding product, we can only accept returns on chairs that are damaged or defective. © 2020 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

CC11-all.indd 35

46552

Footrest may vary by model

10/9/20 3:02 PM

CC11-all.indd 36

10/9/20 3:02 PM