What if taking control of your electricity bill was as easy as using an app? With SmartHub, it is! When you download the free SmartHub app on your phone or tablet, you can maximize your energy savings with just a few taps of the screen.
When you take the time to be mindful of your energy use, you want to see the results on your bill. With SmartHub, you can see how your energy habits relate to the amount you pay.
Using the built-in energy monitor tools, you can track your daily energy usage to help you see which energy-saving actions have the greatest impact on your bill. Simply navigate to the My Usage tab to view your daily and monthly usage, then see how things change when you implement energy-saving strategies.
You can also sign up for daily alerts in the Notifications tab, where you can opt to receive an email showing an overview of your energy use from the previous day. This can help you stay on top of your energy output so you don’t receive a surprise bill at the end of the month.
With so many other things on your plate, you don’t always have time to think about paying your monthly electricity bill. With the help of SmartHub, you can have peace of mind that you’re always up-to-date on your payment.
In the app, navigate to the Payments tab and turn on the Auto Pay Program option to make sure your bill is paid automatically. With flexible options like direct bank drafts or debit and credit card payments, your bill will be taken care of each month with no extra work on your part.
We have recently updated SmartHub’s layout to make it easier for members to find the information they want and need. Whether it is making a payment, finding your energy use or reporting an outage; you can find it all in SmartHub. Need help with SmartHub? Give us a call at 800.222.3107.
When the power goes out, you can report your outage through the SmartHub app in seconds! Just click “Report an Outage or Issue” and submit your outage seamlessly. You can also find links to our outage map, Facebook feed and Twitter account where you can find up-to-date information on your outage.
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3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616-2950
Scott Gates, CCC Editor
Warren Kessler
Creative Director
Renee C. Gannon, CCC
Senior Associate Editor
Rue Reynold
Editorial Assistant
Jessie Lang
Editorial Intern
Jessica Armstrong
Graphic Designer
Tara Verna
Creative Services Associate
Keith Alexander
Advertising Keith@carolinacountry.com
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Joseph P. Brannan
99 month3 low as required. July 2023
Executive Vice President & CEO
Nelle Hotchkiss
Senior Vice President & COO
Kristie Aldridge, CCC Vice President
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, notfor-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. Schools, libraries, $6.
Carolina Country is available on digital cartridge as a courtesy of volunteer services at the NC Department of Cultural Resources, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Raleigh, NC 888-388-2460.
Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, NC, and additional mailing offices. Editorial offices: 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616-2950. 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 27616-2950.
All content © Carolina Country unless otherwise indicated.
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We just watched Craig LeHoullier’s episode of “Growing a Greener World” and were mesmerized!
(“Lessons from the ‘NC Tomato Man,’” March 2020, page 18.) My husband and I are going to try straw bale gardening, for sure.
Char via carolinacountry.com
Editor’s note: Thank you for sharing that episode, Char! Craig was featured on the award-winning PBS television series hosted by Joe Lamp’l (who’s also been featured in Carolina Country).
In recent years you’ve likely come to know Wendy Perry as a mainstay for Carolina Country – you’ll frequently find her recipes in our Carolina Kitchen section (along with cookbook author Debbie Moose). Wendy has also brought readers along on a few “culinary adventures,” the latest of which she didn’t have to travel far for. Learn more about her experience starting a food business on page 8. Also, read about an exciting new way a produce company is using electricity on page 6.
—Scott Gates, editorCorrection to our June issue
“Honoring Culture through Art” (page 14) should have referenced historian Carter G. Woodson, not Wilson. Thank you to a reader for pointing that out via carolinacountry.com
THEME
Patriotic
A First Fourth
Tricia Steiger, Zebulon
A member of Wake Electric
B A Beach Fourth
Diane Madison, Shallotte
A member of Brunswick Electric
C Riding Proud
Karen Creed, Mount Airy
A member of Surry-Yadkin EMC
D I’m Home
Sarah Simmons, Morehead
A member of Carteret-Craven EC
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO!
September Theme: Farm Life
Send us your best shots based on the upcoming month’s theme by July 20 — we’ll pay $25 for those published. Submit high resolution digital photos and find full terms and conditions at carolinacountry.com/snapshots (no emails, please). We retain reprint and online rights for all submissions.
In May, two national power grid watchdogs issued stark warnings about the reliability of our nation’s power grid.
First, a commissioner with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which provides grid oversight, warned at a Congressional hearing: “I think the United States is heading for a very catastrophic situation in terms of reliability.”
Within weeks, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which coordinates with utilities to ensure reliability across the grid, issued warnings for U.S. electric utilities to prepare for extreme heat this summer — and an elevated risk of blackouts — as well as severely cold winter weather into 2024.
Balance these warnings with headlines about record amounts of renewable generation coming online, and many might be confused: With all these new generation resources becoming available, why is reliability now such an issue?
In recent years, many plants powered by fossil fuels have been retired. This type of generation is easily dispatchable, meaning it can be reliably switched on to provide a steady source of power when needed. Reliability becomes a concern as these sources of dispatchable generation are replaced with more intermittent sources, like wind and solar, which are not dispatchable as needed when demand is high.
What’s more, the existing network of transmission power lines cannot support widespread growth in renewable energy, which is typically located in areas that are productive for the renewable plants (like wind and solar), but far from where the electricity is used. Siting and building new transmission lines to support new renewable energy is a complex process with regulatory and stakeholder hurdles that have become a roadblock to deployment.
This pattern leads to the reliability warnings we’re seeing more of lately. While renewable energy can be effectively utilized, the scale and pace of change to how we generate and transmit power cannot come at the cost of reliable access to it.
Transitioning to an energy future that supports reliability, affordability and sustainability will take national coordination among federal regulators and electric utilities to:
■ Invest in new infrastructure, including transmission to move power generated from renewables to population centers;
■ Better manage the retirement of dispatchable sources, taking control of the pace to ensure new, reliable generation is at the ready when older dispatchable sources go away; and
■ Better coordinate resources across the grid as they become more diverse and decentralized. Electric co-ops are doing many of these things right here in North Carolina, using new and existing resources to uphold reliability while pursuing a goal of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. NC electric cooperatives utilize a diverse array of power sources, including nuclear power and peaking natural gas units, renewable sources of generation, and other distributed sources of generation coordinated through a central operator (see “A Brighter Future Through Grid Management,” August 2021, page 10).
But it will take a national effort to safeguard access to power across our country’s interconnected grid. The nation’s power grid has been described as the largest, most complicated machine built, and producing and moving electricity is consistently ranked as humanity’s greatest invention. Regulators, policymakers and utilities must band together to ensure care as we guide this marvelous resource into a new era.
Susan Flythe is executive vice president and general manager at Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative in Buxton. She currently serves as president of the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation.“The scale and pace of change to how we generate and transmit power cannot come at the cost of reliable access to it.”
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In May, Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation (SYEMC), North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives and a local family-owned produce company launched a collaborative project that will help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and provide a more energy efficient way to transport produce.
Through the project, Hollar & Greene Produce, a Watauga County-based cabbage producer and hauler, is switching from diesel to electricity to power refrigeration units used for cold-storage shipping — the first time this technology has been deployed by North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. The eTRU units (which stands for electric transport refrigeration) will help keep produce trucks cool during staging at a transportation facility in Mount Airy, saving the company an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 per year.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with this project,” said Travis Bode, SYEMC’s manager of economic development. “The results of the project are already delivering impressive results on fuel savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”
At a ribbon-wcutting ceremony, Hollar & Greene gave a demonstration of the eTRU technology on one of its trucks, switching over from diesel fuel to electricity,
showing how the process works and the noticeable reduction in noise — another benefit of eTRUs.
“This eTRU project is a perfect example of how cooperatives working with their members can develop solutions that bring benefits to members and communities,” said Jim Musilek, vice president of innovation and business development for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “With the success of this project, we are excited not only about this partnership but for the larger-scale deployment of this technology across our state and how it will help power a brighter future for generations to come.”
Forecasters at both NC State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a “near‑normal” hurricane season in the Atlantic basin, which includes the entire Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are prepping for potential storm response in the communities they serve, keeping member safety top of mind.
(Left to right) Travis Bode; Brandon Bettis and Tony Greene with Hollar and Greene Produce; and Jim Muselik at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
Tips shared from my own culinary adventure
By Wendy Perry | Photos by G.F. WheelerIs your garden bountiful? Do you make the best pickles, jams, baked goods or think your BBQ sauce is “it"? Have you heard, “you need to sell that!” And said to yourself, “why yes, I do,” but don’t know where to start? With a few exceptions, you can get your home kitchen certified here in North Carolina, so let’s head off on a culinary adventure to learn how!
As a food creator since making decidedly inedible mudpies garnished with Comet as a little girl, I’ve always dreamt of seeing a product on shelves with my name on it. A few years ago, this became a reality for me, a journey I’m happy to share so you, too, can see your dream come to fruition.
I was playing with seasoning concoctions for gift boxes and asking (i.e. making) everyone around me to give their input. Nephew Wyatt (who’s called me Dee Dee since he could utter sounds) said, “Dee Dee, this stuff is good on EVERYTHING!” Wow! If a teenage boy said that, I must be onto something. Thus my first product, “Everythang Dust” was born, and so was Aunt Dee Dee’s Kitchen, with a goal to make my products userfriendly for as many as possible.
A staunch proponent and frequent judge of NC-made food products, I was already familiar with the industry, eager to learn specifics to be legal and get out there. That’s when I turned to a few successful friends and our supportive NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), the entity that grants certifications for home kitchens.
So let’s begin this journey together. Here are some questions to ask (and answers) when considering a homebased food business.
Of course you do! As you start, don’t spread yourself too thin. Stick with one or a two to get up and running, fine tune things, then add others.
If you have a pet, even if it just comes in periodically, your home kitchen will not be permitted. (And don’t think you can fool the inspectors — they know things!) This is for the safety of the consumer and your liability.
Would you want to eat food from a kitchen where a cat may be slinking around on countertops? All is not lost if you do have a pet. Shared use/ incubator kitchens are popping up all around. Or you may find a restaurant that will rent to you during off hours where you can get permitted. Just know that inside pet = no permit! (Note that not all “nice kitchens,” like at a church, are permitted or permittable under state and federal criteria.)
HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR HOME’S ZONING, HOA OR LEASING OFFICE? Before proceeding, you need to make sure your desire to use your home kitchen is legal. You don’t want to get all your cupcakes in a row only to find out no-can-do.
DOES YOUR KITCHEN MEET CRITERIA?
There are specifics your kitchen must meet that fall under Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). North Carolina has specific codes as well — common sense things like management and water testing. If you have well water, a water test (by your county) must be attached to your application.
DOES YOUR PRODUCT(S) REQUIRE TESTING?
Not all foods can be created in and sold from a home kitchen. Some prohibited foods considered “high risk” include refrigerated items, dairy, some bakery products (cheesecakes and cream/ cream fillings), low-acid canned foods and a few others. “Low risk” foods (shelf stable and require no refrigeration) can be prepared in your permitted kitchen. Those are things like baked goods, seasonings/dried foods, jellies/ jams/preserves, some sauces, candies, acidified foods and a few others.
Continued on page 10
NC Food & Drug Protection Division Start here with basics from the NCDA&CS. ncagr.gov/fooddrug/food/homebiz.htm
NC State Extension – Food Business
Got To Be NC
As a producer, you can become a member! gottobenc.com
NC Specialty Foods Association
This volunteer organization is dedicated to assisting NC specialty foods companies. ncspecialtyfoods.org
If you plan to run with grandma’s pickles, salsa or your BBQ sauce, you need to contact NC State University’s testing department. Some acidified foods may require testing, and you may need to attend NC State’s Acidified Foods Manufacturing School, an FDA-recognized online course, to produce them.
All adventures need a map to get you where you want to go. Be sure to include a marketing plan. You could have the next best food thing there is, but if folks don’t know of it, success will be a struggle. Not allocating money for marketing is often a new business’s biggest mistake! Find particulars needed for your plan on the NCDA&CS site referenced in the sidebar. Also, be sure you have proper liability insurance before selling your first morsel!
You have several entity-specific requirements to consider when labeling your food. The FDA sits atop this list with specifics (from ingredients to weights) right on down to local regulators, retail outlets and farmers’ markets that allow you to sell.
Once your application is submitted and you’ve had a successful inspection, you’re on your way to sharing your best to the world. Be sure to join #GotToBeNC and consider joining the NC Specialty Foods Association (ncspecialtyfoods.org).
As the Association’s Marketing Coordinator Sherry Barefoot will tell you, “So many of our members since the Association’s creation in 1994 started their food businesses in homecertified kitchens, and now work with commercial kitchens and copackers to mass produce their tasty visions.”
Although it may sound daunting, don't be discouraged. With the right tools and knowledge, you can have your home kitchen up and running soon.
Carolina Country recipe contributor, Wendy Perry, is a culinary adventurist who wears many aprons, including coaching those through the process of getting a home kitchen certified. Learn more at WendyPerry.com and AuntDeeDeesKitchen.com
Are you planning a fun getaway this summer? Before you hit the road, sky or sea, there are a few things you can do around your home to help you save on electricity costs while you’re gone. Just think of the souvenirs you can buy with the money you’ll save!
• Set a schedule for your thermostat: If you have a smart thermostat, set it to vacation mode to override your normal cooling schedule. Then, set it to turn back to your normal schedule on the day you arrive home so it’s comfortable when you get back.
• Close the blinds and curtains: Keep the sunlight out of your home by lowering the blinds and drawing the curtains before you head out of town.
• Turn down the water heater: Make sure you aren’t paying to heat water you won’t use while you’re away. By turning down the temperature on your water heater you can reduce the amount of electricity used to heat water you won’t be there to use.
• Unplug devices and turn off power strips: Before you leave, turn off and unplug any devices that won’t be used while you’re gone to prevent phantom loads. This includes big devices like TVs, but don’t forget about smaller items like phone chargers, coffee makers and electric toothbrush chargers as well. If you have things plugged into power strips, turn those off too.
• Put lights on timers: If you have smart light switches, put them on a timer so they turn on and off while you’re gone to make it look like someone’s home. Otherwise, you’ll want to turn off any unnecessary lights before you go.
For more great tips visit pemc.coop/energy-saving-tips today!
IMPORTANT DATES
July A peak demand month
As temperatures rise, so does energy use. Be mindful to conserve energy where you can during hot weekday hours from 1-6 p.m.
July 4
Independence Day
Piedmont Electric offices will be closed and employees will be on call.
14
If you need help paying your electricity bill, there are assistance programs available to you like the Crisis Intervention Program (CIP). This federally funded program assists individuals and families who are having a heating or cooling-related crisis.
Applications for the program open on July 1, 2023, and run through June 30, 2024, or until the CIP allocation is exhausted. To learn more about this program and other energy assistance options, please visit pemc.coop/payment-assistance
Avoiding energy use during peak time periods is one of the most effective ways to save on your electricity bill.
You’ve heard that time is money and that’s especially true when it comes to electricity use. The time of day in which you use energy is a big factor in how much Piedmont Electric pays for energy and ultimately how much we have to charge our members.
Simply put, peak times are the hours of the day when our members are using the greatest amount of electricity. During the summer, this is often on weekday afternoons during the hottest parts of the day, when people are coming home from work, cooking dinner and generally using more energy.
When this demand for energy increases across our cooperative, our power supply costs also increase since this is the most expensive time of day to produce energy. This leads to higher bills for everyone.
For more great tips visit pemc.coop/energy-saving-tips today!
Luckily, the opposite is also true. By working collectively to avoid excess energy use during these peak times, we can decrease the demand and help lower the cost of energy for the co-op as a whole which means savings we can pass along to you.
When we talk about “beating the peak” we mean finding ways to reduce energy use during these peak times so we can all save money. This is as easy as shifting high-energy activities to other times of the day.
Wait to run the dishwasher at 8 p.m. instead of 5 p.m.
Grill your dinner instead of cooking it in the oven
Wash and dry your clothes later in the day instead of right when you get home
• Take showers in the morning instead of at night
• Raise your thermostat to 78°F in the summer
• Use ceiling fans to cool off while raising the thermostat to save energy.
Turn off unnecessary lights during the afternoon
During the summer, it’s normal to see higher levels of energy consumption across the cooperative. The kids are home for summer vacation, more of us are using our air conditioning and ceiling fans are usually on full blast.
As we mentioned, being mindful of peak times can go a long way in helping us all save money, but that’s just the beginning. Joining our energy-saving programs can make it easier to avoid excess energy use during peak periods, so you can see more of an impact on your bill.
With our time-of-day rate, you’ll pay a lower rate for the energy you use during off-peak hours. So, when you implement the tips listed on the previous page, you’ll help reduce our peak demand and pay lower energy costs in the process.
When you allow Piedmont Electric to adjust the temperature on your Nest thermostat through your in-home Wi-Fi on very hot summer weekdays, you’ll save on energy costs and receive a bill credit from June through September. These adjustments are often made during peak times for maximum savings.
If you have an electric vehicle, you can save by charging your vehicle overnight with our electric vehicle time-of-day rate. This rate is similar to our time-of-day rate but has a super off-peak time from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night when electricity use is even cheaper!
To sign up or learn more about all of these programs and how they can help you avoid energy use during peak times, visit pemc.coop/smart-energy or call one of our helpful member service representatives at 800.222.3107.
Never miss an opportunity to save by signing up for Beat the Peak! Once you enroll, you’ll receive text or email alerts when a peak time period is expected so you know when to avoid excess energy use.
To get started, text BTPEAK (first and last name) to 800.222.3107 or email BeatThePeak@pemc.coop with your name and email address.
It’s that time of year again! We’re running another energy-saving challenge to help you lower your bill by making small changes each week for a month. You can mark off each item as you complete them and follow along on Facebook at facebook.com/PiedmontEMC or Twitter at twitter.com/PiedmontEMC as we post a reminder of what to do each week to help you save. Will you join in on the fun?
This week is all about your thermostat. Whether you have a smart thermostat or a traditional one, adjust the temperature up by a few degrees to help you save money. As a good rule of thumb, we recommend keeping your thermostat set at 78°F in the summer to help you stay comfortable while saving on energy costs.
Make sure your ceiling fans are set to turn counterclockwise. If they’re spinning the wrong way, flip the small switch on the side of the fan base to change the direction. This helps to push cool air down, creating a refreshing breeze in the room. Using a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort according to Energy.gov. Also, remember that fans cool people, but they don’t lower the temperature, so turn your fans off when leaving the room. Also, remember that fans cool people, but they don’t lower the temperature, so turn your fans off when leaving the room.
Did you know that about 20%* of your home’s energy use goes toward water heating? For this week’s challenge, adjust your water heater by a few degrees to help you save on your electricity bill. We recommend 120°F as a comfortable yet efficient water heater setting. As a bonus challenge, install a water heater insulation blanket to prevent heat loss in your tank.
For the final week of the challenge, take a look around your home and identify any devices that you keep plugged in all the time. It could be your TVs, video game consoles, air fryers, etc. These devices pull energy even when they’re off, so unplug them and only plug them in again when you need to use them.
Check you air filters once a month to make sure they are clean. Dirty air filters can prevent air from flowing freely and make your system less efficient. *According to Energy.gov.
Published monthly for the members of Piedmont Electric Cooperative. Piedmont Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Hillsborough and Roxboro Drive-Thru Hours: Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Caswell Drive-Thru Hours: Wednesday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Offices are closed except for scheduled appointments.
Available by phone Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Report outages, make payments and access account information by phone 24-hours-a-day by calling 800.222.3107.
You can also pay your bill online at pemc.smarthub.coop
2500 NC Highway 86 South PO Drawer 1179 Hillsborough, NC 27278
Stephen B. Hamlin President & General Manager DIRECTORSBill R. Barber, Chair
Randy Kinley, Vice Chair
David Poythress, Secretary
Richal Vanhook, Treasurer
Steven P. Bailey, Stephen C. Long, V. Kay Scurlock-Ferguson, Elizabeth Townsend & Cyrus Vernon
Opt in for text alerts by texting “pemc” to 800.222.3107. Once you’ve opted in, report an outage by texting “#out” to 800.222.3107 or "#status" for an update on your outage. Our automated outage reporting system uses your phone number to determine your service location. Update the phone number connected to your account online through SmartHub, by completing the form on your monthly bill or by calling 800.222.3107.
Use the SmartHub app to report an outage or online at pemc.smarthub.coop/#reportanissue: with your SmartHub login. Please note that it may take up to 24 hours for our system to recognize new cell phone numbers in the text outage alert program.
When combined with the
Q:With summer storm season here, I want to be as prepared as possible in case my power goes out. With new backup power options seeming to come to the marketplace every month, what are some technologies I should be aware of?
A:Losing power at home can range from being mildly inconvenient to life-threatening, so it’s smart to evaluate what resources are available and how to use them, particularly during this time of year.
In this article, we’ll provide a high-level overview of a few existing and emerging technologies. With all of them, we highly recommend first contacting your local electric co-op to speak with an energy expert, working with a certified electrical contractor, and seeking references from friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, there are bad actors trying to prey on unsuspecting customers by advertising false benefits.
You’re likely most familiar with portable generators. Portable generators typically run on an internal combustion engine fueled by gas. They can be extremely valuable for getting through outages, but have downsides such as needing to be used outdoors, their noise and exhaust emissions. Another class of generators, larger home standby generators, are wired directly to your home and turn on automatically when power goes down.
Solar arrays, such as one you might add on your roof, are sometimes touted as promoting energy independence. However, most residential arrays are connected to the electric grid and must stop producing power when a grid outage or interruption occurs to avoid back-feeding electricity, or pushing it onto the grid when the grid is down, which can be extremely dangerous. In certain safe configurations, solar arrays can be completely off-grid and used during power loss.
Battery energy storage systems are stationary units that hook up to your gate, fence or home and can store energy when the power is on and dispatch it later, such as during
an outage or when electricity prices are more expensive (for members on particular electricity rate structures). Some electric vehicles — which are basically mobile battery storage systems — like the Ford F-150 Lightning also now come with the ability to supply power from their batteries back to a home or to specific appliances.
Finally, solar arrays can be paired with battery storage. With this setup, the battery system can provide power when needed and then be replenished by the solar array.
No matter which technology you end up pursuing, one of your first steps should be to assess your most critical appliances and devices. If an outage occurs, what needs to stay on? Do you have life-sustaining health/safety equipment, or equipment essential for your crops or livestock? Knowing how much electricity these use, both while running and starting up, will help you determine the appropriate sizing for your backup power. An electrical contractor can assist with the process, or learn more at the links in the Generator Safety box below.
Best of luck navigating this hurricane season and finding the solution that meets your needs.
Jonathan Susser is a content developer for Advanced Energy in Raleigh.
Backup generators can be valuable resources should power go out, but if used improperly they can kill you or the people who are restoring power to your home. Find generator safety information and other storm prep information at ncstormcenter.com.
Ford Motor CompanyFor this year’s Carolina’s Finest Awards, we opened up a nomination period in the spring — we’re pleased to announce the top three reader-selected finalists from each of 10 categories. These are the best of the best, but we want to know your top picks! Winners of the 2023 Carolina’s Finest Awards will be featured in our November 2023 issue.
BBQ
Apple City BBQ, Taylorsville
Chimney Rock Smokehouse, Chimney Rock
JD‘s Smokehouse, Rutherford College
Farm Attraction
Denton Farm Park, Denton
Mike‘s Farm, Beulaville
The Farm, Dobson
Festival
Autumn Leaves Festival, Mount Airy
Festival of Trees, Cashiers
NC Seafood Festival, Morehead City
Ice Cream Shop
Lumpy‘s, Wake Forest
Riley‘s Delights, Statesville
Scoops Ice Cream & Such, Mount Airy
Iconic NC Landmark
Chimney Rock, Chimney Rock
Pilot Mountain, Pinnacle
The Biltmore Estate, Asheville
Independent Book Store
Page 158 Book Store, Wake Forest
Pages Books & Coffee, Mount Airy
The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines
Made in NC Product
Cheerwine
House of Morgan Pewter, Kinston
Texas Pete
Main Street/Downtown
North Main Street, Mount Airy
White Street, Wake Forest
Downtown West Jefferson
Pizza Place
Pie on the Mountain, Lansing
Stagecoach at Broad River Inn, Chimney Rock
Village Inn Pizza, various locations
Waterfall
Hickory Nut Falls, Chimney Rock
Linville Falls, Marion
Looking Glass Falls, Brevard
The popularity of both moonshine and motorsports in the 1950s arose out of the daily life of many residents across the state, who made moonshine to support their families in rural areas. What once was a hobby between local bootleggers eventually evolved into the international sport of stock car racing. The Moonshine & Motorsports Trail, sponsored by the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources (DNCR), immerses travelers in the history and connection between the two industries.
“It’s important to provide a space for these often-unsung stories and a map of important racing and distilling locations so North Carolinians and visitors alike can access these spaces,” said DNCR Digital Engagement Manager Karl Galloway.
To understand racing’s connection to moonshine, The North Wilkesboro Speedway is a good place to start. Revenuers dubbed Wilkes County the “Moonshine Capital of the World.” Running moonshine involved fast driving, later resulting in car racing.
Enoch Staley built the speedway in 1946, launching the racing career of moonshiner Junior Johnson.
After closing in 1996, the speedway underwent renovations in 2021 and reopened to great fanfare in May 2023 for the NASCAR All-Star Race.
A unique spot on the trail was one of the first two NASCAR tracks to open in the 1949 inaugural season. The only dirt track remaining, Occoneechee Speedway closed in 1968 and was later added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Many NASCAR icons raced here, including Louise Smith, Fireball Roberts, Wendell Scott and Lee Petty.
Visiting the track feels like entering another time. The preservation of the ticketing station, flag stand and abandoned cars make visiting the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail awe-inspiring. The track served as inspiration for the Disney movie “Cars 3.”
The Charlotte Motor Speedway opened in 1960 and has an intriguing history. One of its founders, Curtis Turner, was an infamous bootlegger from the Appalachian Mountains who went on to become a racing legend, winning 17 races in NASCAR’s Cup Series. Fans still flock to this track today, considered the crown jewel of motorsports.
Charlotte’s significance to stock car racing made it no surprise when NASCAR opened their Hall of Fame here in 2010, as Charlotte was known as the “Stock Car Racing Capital of the World.” The museum is a walk through the history of motorsports and doesn’t shy away from its connection to moonshine — one exhibit includes a moonshine still built by Hall of Fame member Junior Johnson.
Due to the popularity of motorsports in the ’60s, many believed that rural communities would benefit from a speedway in Rockingham. Nicknamed “The Rock,” the track, built in 1964, was championed by businessman L.G. DeWitt.
Stone Mountain State Park
ROARING GAP, ALLEGHANY COUNTY
If you’re looking for a challenging hike across mountainous terrain and wish to learn about the significance of moonshine in Appalachia, Stone Mountain State Park spans 14,472 acres and features abandoned moonshine stills dating back to the 1950s. Hikers have found approximately 200 stills in the park, many of which weren’t discovered by revenuers.
Jessie Lang is the 2023 editorial intern for Carolina Country.
Two other stops on the trail are North Carolina’s Albemarle Peninsula and the North Carolina History Museum (above). Sure to enthrall both sports fans and history lovers, the sites on this trail are not to be missed. Visit ncmmtrail.com for more information on these and all the stops along the trail.
A short video at carolinacountry.com/ extras brings stops along the trail to life.
There’s no denying that people — mostly women — are on a mission to discover the best way to eliminate fine lines and wrinkles permanently. The $14 billion dollars spent on aesthetic procedures in 2021 alone is a clear indication of that fact.
But now science appears to be offering a simpler solution. It’s a special delivery technology adapted for skincare that gets superior results.
Known as advanced liposome technology, this powerful distribution system ensures that vital nutrients are delivered exactly where your skin needs them the most, providing your skin with maximum anti-aging benefits.
Al Sears, MD, of Palm Beach, Florida, recently released an anti-aging cream that adapts this breakthrough medical technology into the realm of skincare, and he’s struggling to keep up with consumer demand.
Dr. Sears is South Florida’s leading anti-aging pioneer. He has authored over 500 reports, scientific papers, and books on anti-aging. A frequent lecturer at global anti-aging conferences, Dr. Sears spoke at the WPBF 25 Health & Wellness Festival featuring Dr. Oz, along with special guest, Suzanne Somers. Thousands of people were in attendance as Dr. Sears discussed his latest anti-aging breakthroughs.
This powerful cream, known as Restore, keeps selling out faster than it’s produced — and people are raving about the effect it’s having on their skin.
“Within a few minutes of applying the cream, it visibly plumps out the under-eye area and my cheeks as well as those annoying lines that deepen as we age between the nose and lips. It also felt like it was tightening and smoothing my skin at the same time. I definitely
feel I look younger whenever I use it,” said Amy B., of Montville, New Jersey.
“The lines around my mouth and eyes are filled in and my skin is tightened. I love having younger-looking skin, so I will continue using Restore” raves Cathy C., of Florida.
The best part is that this cream has no adverse side effects, doesn’t require a doctor’s visit or prescription, and is 100% natural.
of your skin, and French studies have shown that avocado oil improves skin cell metabolism and enhances skin thickness.
The dermis is the underlying layer of skin that supplies nourishment and oxygen, and removes waste. In other words, it’s responsible for keeping your outer layer of skin healthy. Liposome technology is designed to support and nourish this deeper layer of skin by delivering nutrients directly to it.
“All of Restore’s powerful ingredients are encapsulated in a liposome shell — an organic container that carries the beautifying agents deep into the skin cells,” explained Dr. Sears.
“Restore’s liposome shell is composed of phosphatidylcholine or PC for short. While cell membranes repel water, they absorb PC because they’re actually made of it. As a result, Restore is delivered deep into the cell for maximum firming and volume.”
When you apply liposome cream to your face, the liposomes in the skin cream work their way inside your skin, fuse with the skin cell membranes and then release their contents directly to the cells. Regular skin creams don’t have this capability.
Once it’s penetrated the deeper layer of skin, Restore releases a unique blend of botanicals, vitamins and essential oils that reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, gives skin a more even tone, and moisturizes the interior layers of your dermal cells, firming and plumping your skin.
Restore’s first skin-enhancing agent is Madonna lily leaf stem cell extract. It helps produce an even-toned complexion. In a clinical study reported in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, participants treated with this extract for 28 days showed improvements in skin luminance and tone around the eyes.
Right now the only way to get this powerful age-defying delivery technology is through Dr. Sears.
To get life-changing results like Amy and Cathy, buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at 1-800-682-8358. “We simply don’t have enough supply to get Restore shipped directly to stores,” said Dr. Sears. “The hotline allows us to ship the product directly to the customer – the one who really wants it.”
Restore is also loaded with vitamin C, which British researchers have found reduces both wrinkles and dryness.
Restore we use magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, a more stable form of vitamin C that doesn’t break down in liquid as does ordinary C,” explains Dr. Sears. “That means the antioxidant molecules stay intact within your skin cells where they can prevent damage from dangerous free radicals.”
This powerful formula also features guarana seed extract, coenzyme Q10, and avocado oil. Japanese researchers have also found that coenzyme Q10 supports production of the thin membrane that separates layers
Dr. Sears feels so strongly about this product, that he offers a 100% money-back guarantee on every order. “Just send back the bottle and any unused product within 90 days, and I’ll send you your money back,” said Dr. Sears.
The hotline will be taking orders for the next 48 hours. After that, the phone number may be shut down to allow them to restock. Call 1-800-682-8358 to secure your limited supply of Restore. If you are not able to get through due to extremely high call volume, please try again! Call NOW to qualify for this limited time offer provided at a significant discount. To take advantage of this exclusive offer use Promo Code: CCRS623 when you call in.
“Advanced liposome technology ensures that vital nutrients are delivered exactly where your skin needs them the most.”
Although I don’t consider myself a fly angler, I own a fly rod. However, I do consider Scott Wood a subject expert on fly fishing. Scott, a buyer and product manager for Great Outdoor Provision Co., sat down with me to talk about getting into the sport, one he’s been doing since childhood.
“I grew up with a stream in the backyard … so naturally I gravitated to fishing,” Scott says. Eventually, Scott figured out he could catch more fish on fly rod poppers than on hardware.
If one is shopping for golf clubs, it helps to get fitted at a pro shop. The same goes for fly rods, as one size doesn’t fit all. A big-box retailer is likely not set up to allow customers to cast lines, a significant part of the selection process, Scott explains.
“With a fly rod, there’s personal preference in casting style,” he says. “A rod that casts better for me might not be the one that casts better for you.”
Fly rods were once made of split bamboo, then fiberglass. Most rods today are graphite, although Scott explains fiberglass is making a comeback.
“It’s what we call ‘slower,’ so it bends a little deeper into the rod and doesn’t rebound as quickly,” he says. “That can be good if you’re trying to cast in a jungle where you want to cast short and you want to cast slow in a delicate presentation.”
Scott explains that fly-fishing rods are measured in “weights.” A 3- or 4-weight rod is best for mountain trout, for example, whereas an 11- or 12-weight rod is suited for species like tarpon, amberjack or tuna. If you want to use a rod for bass and bream fishing, a 6-weight rod is best, Scott says. “It’s got enough oomph to cast heavy-bass flies, but it’s not so heavy that a bream isn’t going to be fun.”
Selecting the right line is another consideration — Scott sees the rod and fly line as equally important. A weight-forward floating line is standard. One misconception is you must fish floating flies with floating line, but you can also use a sinking fly and it will simply hinge down on the leader, he explains. Scott uses a monofilament leader, which is a length of line between the main fly line and the tippet, or what the fly is tied to.
In the fly-fishing world you have “poppers,” or topwater flies; “floating flies,” or dry flies; and “wet flies,” also known as streamers and sub-surface flies. A decent combo, or outfit — consisting of a rod, reel, line and leader — costs from around $200 to $250 or more. Pro shops can also design an outfit for specialty fishing.
“A lot of people will benefit from a lesson, whether in a class or individually. It can be hard to learn to cast on your own — even just one lesson can help,” Scott offers as final advice. “Also, buy decent equipment. You get what you pay for. There’s a tendency in the fly-fishing world to make it seem way more complicated than it is. It’s just fishing.”
“The renown of Italy’s jewelry, with its sensual beauty and extraordinary craftsmanship, is founded on the goldsmithing skills passed down through generations.” – The New York Times
Iguess I was a little bored. For the past hour, I’d been on the phone with Daniele, the head of my office in Italy, reviewing our latest purchases of Italian gold, Murano glass and Italian-made shoes and handbags.
“Daniele,” I said, “What is the hottest jewelry in Italy right now?” His reply? Woven gold bracelets studded with gems. He texted me some photos and I knew immediately that this was jewelry that Raffinato just had to have.
The best part about these bracelets? The price. Because of our longstanding connections in Arezzo, the mecca of Italian goldsmithing, we can offer both bracelets together for just $99, a fraction of the price you’ll pay anywhere else for similar jewelry. Order today. These bracelets are one of our hottest sellers this year, and with disruptions in the supply chain, we can only guarantee that we have 1,273 861 of these bracelets on hand for this ad.
Make the next gift you give your loved one a trip to Italy with the Italiano Fantasia Bracelets, stunning accessories that are sure to turn heads.
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What is DiamondAura®? Why, it’s a sparkling marvel that rivals even the finest diamonds (D Flawless) with its transparent color and clarity: Both are so hard they can cut glass. Don’t believe me? The book “Jewelry and Gems: The Buying Guide,” praised the technique used in our diamond alternative: “The best diamond simulation to date, and even some jewelers have mistaken these stones for mined diamonds,” it raved.
• Made in Arezzo, Italy. 18k gold finish
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Italiano Fantasia Bracelet Collection
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With Krispy Kreme crullers
Growing up, I can never remember a time my Grandma didn’t have a dish of this in her refrigerator. She loved cruller doughnuts and hated waste, breaking up the stale ones into her Jell-O salad. This dish would shine at a summer picnic — don’t forget the Cool Whip!
2 cups cranberry juice
2 boxes (3-ounce) red Jell-O (we used cherry and strawberry)
1½ cups cold water
1 can (20-ounce) crushed pineapple in juice
2 cans (14-ounce) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped (pecans work, too)
6 mini Krispy Kreme cruller doughnuts Cool Whip
Despite how offended some folks are by that little bit of green in a sweet bread, they honestly won’t even know that little bit of extra nutrition is in this delicious bread! The bread also benefits from the added moisture. Be aware that this recipe makes 2 loaves.
3 eggs
1 cup oil (such as vegetable)
2½ cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Submit
Heat the juice to boiling in a large microwave safe bowl. (We used an 8-cup glass measuring cup.) Whisk gelatin into hot juice to dissolve. Add cold water and mix well.
In another bowl, combine pineapple (including juice) with cranberry sauce. Stir into gelatin mixture.
Pour into a 9-by-13-inch dish. Scatter with the nuts. Break four doughnuts into pieces and distribute evenly into mixture. Crumble the other two and dust the top of the salad. Chill overnight.
Serve with Cool Whip.
Note: This isn’t a firm gelled salad — it’s more ‘spoonable’ than sliceable. If you prefer a denser consistency, omit the pineapple juice.
Yield: 12–16 servings
What’s a Southern picnic without fried chicken? or chicken salad? We’ve combined the two in these stuffed rolls! The salad can be a bit messy, so we stuffed it into top-split hot dog rolls so the goodness doesn’t fall out.
6 cups fried chicken*
¾ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
¾ cup roughly chopped sweet pickle chips (we used Mt. Olive Sweet Heat Bread & Butter)
4 cups iceberg lettuce, roughly chopped
2–3 stalks celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
2–3 green onions, dark and green parts, finely chopped
½ teaspoon black pepper
Hot sauce, a few shakes (optional)
2 packages (8-count) top split rolls Chives, snipped as a garnish (optional)
Chop up chicken into small pieces. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients except rolls. Fold chicken into mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When ready to serve or pack your picnic, stuff salad into rolls and keep safely cooled.
Recipe courtesy of Michelle London of Matthews, a member of Union Power Cooperative
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans.
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Add to egg mixture and stir until just blended. Add in nuts.
Pour into pans and bake for one hour.
Yield: 2 loaves
*You can fry your own chicken, but save time by getting it from a local restaurant. (We used Bojangles’ 4-piece dark meat fried chicken and 6 tenders, including skin.) You can also use prepared frozen cooked tenders. Yield: About 16 rolls (2 per person)
Recipes by Wendy Perry, a member of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative, unless otherwise noted. Learn more at WendysHomeEconomics.com
Visit
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JULY 15
Art in the Park Park Avenue, Blowing Rock 828-295-4636
Anniversary Celebration
Eck McCanless Pottery, Seagrove 336-873-7412
JULY 16
Concert in the Park Memorial Park, Blowing Rock 828-295-4636
Outdoor theater play
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo
MAY 27–AUG. 19
Unto These Hills
Outdoor theater play Cherokee Historical Association, Cherokee 828-497-2111
JUNE 2–AUG. 26
The Lost Colony
Outdoor theater play Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo 252-473-2127
JUNE 30–JULY 1
Christmas in July Festival Street fair West Jefferson 336-846-1987
JUNE 30–JULY 4
NC 4th of July Festival
Music, games, fireworks Waterfront Park, Southport 919-457-5578
JULY 1
Blowing Rock 4th of July Festival Main Street, Blowing Rock 828-295-5222
Music on Main —
Dedicated Men of Zion Music, gallery, food, activities Main Street, Sparta 336-467-4688
JULY 1–2
Art on the Greene Art gallery
Historic Banner Elk School, Banner Elk 828-898-5398
JULY 1–AUG. 1
Horn in the West Outdoor theater play
Horn in the West Amphitheater, Boone 828-264-2120
JUNE 3–AUG. 26
Pleasure Island Pirate Cruise
Family-friendly pirate voyage Wednesdays and Saturdays
Island Cruises, Carolina Beach 919-232-3272
JULY 8
Daniel Boone Native Gardens Fairy Day
Daniel Boone Native Gardens, Boone 828-264-1299
JULY 14–AUG. 12
From This Day Forward
Outdoor theater play
Fred B. Cranford Amphitheatre, Valdese 828-522-1150
JULY 21
Symphony by the Lake at Chetola Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock 828-295-4636
JULY 25–30
Blowing Rock
Charity Horse Show
Broyhill Equestrian Preserve, Blowing Rock 828-295-4700
JULY 25–AUG. 20
Little Treasures
Art gallery and mixed media Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, Hillsborough 919-732-5001
JULY 29
Saturdays in the Park — Phatt City Concert in the park Crouse Park, Sparta 336-467-4688
Send
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 September issue, will receive $25. Have a roadside gem you’d like to share? Submit a photo, plus a brief description and general location information, at carolinacountry.com/where
The May “Where Is This” photo by South River EMC member Jo Nance features “the Blues Brothers in a Cage.” While one reader mentioned the official Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood, were spending time in Joliet Prison in Chicago, Illinois, these Blues Brothers statues are enjoying the great outdoors in front of Jonathan’s Pizza on East First Street in downtown Stedman, Cumberland County. Many readers noted that former Stedman Mayor and Blues Brothers fan Billy Horne erected the statues almost 20 years ago, in honor of the bros as well the local Gainey brothers, who often dressed and performed concerts as Jake and Elwood for community events. Vandalism over the years forced the duo behind the chain link fence for protection. The winning entry chosen at random from all correct submissions came from Johnny Walker of LaGrange, a Tri-County EMC member.
The Lost Colony
Connect with your local energy experts.
Get answers to questions like “What’s the impact to my energy bill? How do I get started?” From home solar to energy efficiency, your electric cooperative is here to help you reach your home energy goals.
When you swap out your regular shower head with a low-flow model, you can cut back on the amount of water you use and save on water heating costs. Most low-flow options these days have smaller holes so you won’t notice a difference in water pressure, but you will notice the savings.
If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, what are you waiting for? These Wi-Fi-enabled devices make it easier for you to save on heating and cooling costs by automatically adjusting the temperature for optimal performance. If you purchase a Nest smart thermostat, you can extend your savings even more by joining our smart thermostat savings program. Learn more by visiting pemc.coop/thermostats.
When the sun shines through your windows, it can quickly heat up your home, causing your air conditioner to run longer. You can add reflective window film to your windows to help block UV rays, keeping your home at a more comfortable temperature, even during the hot summer months.
Consider replacing your traditional light switches with ones that have a dimmer. There are even Wi-Fi-enabled switches that allow you to control your lights remotely so if you forget to turn them off when you leave, you can take care of it virtually and save money. Pair your new switches with LED light bulbs for maximum savings.
It’s not uncommon for older homes to have gaps and cracks around the doors and windows. This allows drafts into your home which can put a strain on your heating and cooling system. Use caulk to seal these gaps and instantly boost your home’s energy efficiency.
Sometimes making small changes can lead to the biggest impact on your bill. Here are a few of our favorite low-cost changes you can make to your home to increase energy efficiency and help you save on your monthly bill.
If you’ve already made smaller updates around your home to improve energy efficiency, but want to save even more, consider making a bigger change. To help with the cost of major energy efficiency improvements, we offer loan programs and rebates that make it easier to save money.
The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Loan Program is an option for Piedmont Electric Cooperative members that want to finance the following projects:
• The purchase and installation of an energy-efficient electric heat pump (15 SEER or greater)
• The replacement of poorly insulated doors and windows
• Additional home insulation
• Solar water heaters
• Solar panels
• Central A/C systems
• Whole house or stand-by generation
• Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations or 240 V outlets for EV charging
• Electric water heaters
• Well pumps
• Ductless mini-split systems
• Crawl space sealing
If approved, members can borrow up to $15,000 for seven years at 5% interest. Call us at 800.222.3107 to talk to one of our energy specialists.
Looking for additional ways to save? You can also take advantage of the following rebates to help you make the most of your energy efficiency upgrades.
• Members who install an electric heat pump with a SEER of 15 or higher can qualify for a rebate of $50 per ton, up to $200 per system.
• Members who own electric vehicles can qualify for a $50 credit on their power bill and receive an additional $50 bill credit by signing up for our electric vehicle time-of-day rate.
If you’ve made smart energy updates around your home and you still don’t feel like your system is running efficiently, we’re here to help. We have North Carolina-licensed HVAC technicians who can offer free advice and technical assistance about your heating and cooling system. They can even help you choose a new, energy-efficient system that will meet your family’s needs.
