2024-03-CEMC

March 2024

The magazine of

Carolina Country

Gardens Starting on page 10

Published by

Women in the co-op workforce page 6

Put your smart speaker to work page 24

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March 2024

(ISSN 0008-6746) (USPS 832800) Volume 56, No. 3

Published monthly by 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 Jessica Armstrong Graphic Designer

10

Tara Verna Creative Services Associate Donna Natosi Digital Strategist Keith Alexander Advertising Keith@carolinacountry.com Joseph P. Brannan 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.

10 14 28

Insects Count

Create a pollinator garden this spring.

Saving Energy with Plants The right plants in the right spots can boost efficiency year-round.

Digging for Dollars How to save money in the garden.

Favorites 2 From Our Readers

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.

4 Viewpoints

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.

16 Carolina People

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.

6 More Power 24 On the House 26 Energy Sense 32 I Remember

All content © Carolina Country unless otherwise indicated.

34 Carolina Gardens

Contact us

38 Carolina Kitchen

Phone:

919-875-3091

40 Carolina Calendar

Mail:

3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616-2950

40 Where is This?

Web:

carolinacountry.com

Social: Email:

On the Cover “Every summer we go on vacation to our cabin on the outskirts of Brevard. While we are up there, we try to visit some family friends who have a yard full of beautiful flowers. While we were visiting them this past summer…I looked over and saw this little bee flying around the beautiful blooms.”

Photographed by Savannah Bizier of Grand Island, Florida, a member of Haywood EMC.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS editor@carolinacountry.com

Change of address: Please contact your electric co-op or go online to 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.

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Carolina Voices What do you love about Carolina beaches? We’d like to hear from you for our June issue, paying $50 for published submissions. Learn more on page 37.

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From Our Readers

THIS MONTH:

Brunswick Stew Batch Oh my goodness, Wendy’s “Tummy Tingling Brunswick Stew” looks delicious (a digital extra with “Brunswick Stew by the Gallon” on carolinacountry.com/extras). Can we have a recipe that cuts this down to a family of six?

Q:

Judy-Terry Gregg via Facebook

A:

Hi, Judy! When making things like stew, it’s sometimes hard to make small batches. (When growing up, teaching myself how to cook, Daddy would say “where is the Army that’s coming to eat all this food?”) I’m personally of the opinion that the effort to make and store extra for future meals isn’t a lot more than just making a small batch — like my spaghetti sauce, too (January 2019, page 40) — but I understand how some may want to make a smaller batch for various reasons.

You can cut all the ingredients in half, but that will also give you a couple gallons — plenty to have a few times for a family of six, plus some to share. Or you could cut everything to ¼.

The key to this unique flavor is in the sauce, or “stew dressing,” so do try to keep those ingredients in proportion if you scale down. You could also make the full amount of sauce and use some of it in a smaller batch of stew, freezing the rest for future stew. It would make soups (homemade or canned) extra delicious, too!

Putting Your Garden to Work This time of year, the occasional spring-like day has many of us planning this year’s plantings. In this issue we’re exploring a few ways your garden can do double-duty, providing opportunities for home energy efficiency, creating a haven for pollinators and other helpful bugs, and ways to do it all on a budget.

And although we’re likely not quite done with winter weather, on page 8 learn how your electric co-op has ensured reliable power throughout a winter season with its fair share of frigid days.

—Scott Gates, editor

READER POLL

Squirrels: friend or foe?

Some enjoy the company of the little critters, while others think they’re a backyard nuisance. Are squirrels welcome in your yard?

Scan the QR code to answer our current social media poll, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) to participate in future polls!

—Wendy Perry, Carolina Country recipe contributor and culinary adventurist

CarolinaSNAPSHOTS THEME

Garden Giants A Brian Among Giants

Sammy Deans, Washington A member of Tideland EMC B Angel Trumpets Tower Above

Bryan Van Hoy, Statesville A member of EnergyUnited

B

C One Plentiful Pear

Dorothy Steele, Lilesville A member of Pee Dee Electric SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO!

May Theme: A Mother’s Love

A

C

Send us your best shots based on the upcoming month’s theme by March 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.

2 | March 2024

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Viewpoints

Lessons From the Court

By Kellie Bradley

As Rutherford EMC members, our family has been blessed with two Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships—my son in 2016 and my daughter in 2023. I have seen firsthand how these camps are helping to change the lives of our NC students.

My son, Colton, was so proud to walk up the steps to the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, knowing he had earned the right to be there.

Those days at camp transformed my son — not only in relation to the game, but also in how he viewed himself. Before camp, Colton was not as confident in himself or his abilities as he was when he left camp. We were always yelling from These camps are the stands, “Take the shot!”

Working with the coaches about so much more and players at Chapel Hill helped boost his confidence. than just basketball.

He wasn’t as timid anymore These camps help when he played because he had been on the actual teach discipline, Tar Heels’ court playing responsibility basketball.

The opportunity that the and teamwork. sports camp scholarship gave Colton was so much more than basketball; it helped instill confidence, which trickles into all aspects of life. Even today, Colton holds on to those lessons and “takes his shots.”

The summer of 2023 provided our family with a new experience with Touchstone Energy Sports Camps — the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp. Preslie, my daughter, had applied as a rising 6th grader in the spring of 2023; not just because she loves basketball, but

because she saw her brother do it and the difference it made in his life.

Preslie wanted to try out for the middle school team as well and wanted the experience of working with college athletes and coaches.

Preslie bonded with the team that she was assigned to for the week and continues to text them today. She returned for the NC State camp reunion game in December and reconnected with her teammates and coaches. This bond is special because they all shared a unique experience together. Preslie enjoyed the “dorm life” and responsibilities given to her at camp. She now has a better understanding of what it takes to be organized and ready for action.

I am grateful to North Carolina’s electric cooperatives and the opportunities they are giving to our children across the state through the Touchstone Energy Sports Camp scholarship program. These camps are about so much more than just basketball. These camps help teach discipline, responsibility and teamwork.

Our youth need to be exposed to these types of experiences today. Being able to go to a college campus, spend the week, and interact with players and coaches is priceless. These camps may be the small seeds that grow into big dreams — and maybe realities — for these young people.

Kellie Bradley is a teacher at Sunny View Elementary in Polk County.

Students: Apply Now Rising sixth and seventh graders can now apply for a Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarship to attend basketball camp this June.

Visit NCElectricCooperatives.com/sports-camps to apply by March 31.

4 | March 2024

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More Power

Women Increasingly Powering America’s Electric Co-ops Women represent an increasing share of the electric cooperative workforce, and today you’ll find women in every imaginable role among North Carolina’s electric cooperatives: engineers, communicators, financial managers, executive leadership and more.

International Women’s Day is March 8. It’s a great occasion to celebrate the accomplishments of the many women who are transforming electric co-ops and how they serve their local communities. It’s hard to imagine a better career field for those with an interest in making their communities better places to live, work and play.

“The competition for talent and skill shortages has highlighted the need to expand recruitment strategies to get a more diverse range of candidates,” explains Desiree Dunham, Workforce Programs Manager for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “The diverse experiences and perspectives of women contribute to more creative and effective problem-solving, which can be especially beneficial in navigating complex challenges and finding innovative solutions that cater to a broad range of consumer needs.”

Co-ops across America are actively working to build awareness among young women about the opportunities available to them. Some even host day camps for teens in which they get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s involved with delivering electric power. Beyond the highly visible roles such as linework, participants learn about how people in areas as diverse as IT, finance and environmental compliance are vital to co-op operations. Without that exposure, those future co-op leaders probably wouldn’t know those jobs exist. As the familiar adage reminds us, women cannot be what they cannot see.

Students aren’t the only target of such efforts. Mentorship programs, conferences and other networking opportunities create platforms through which women can connect and share their experiences. The recently launched Women in Power Mentoring program for the electric co-op community provides mentorship and resources to support and guide women in their careers. Women Lead NC (bit.ly/lead-nc), sponsored in part by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, is an annual statewide event in Raleigh promoting women in leadership.

“These positive shifts need to be continuously reinforced with targeted outreach efforts, career awareness campaigns and support systems to enhance the entry points and career progression for women in co-ops,” Dunham notes.

As nearly 20% of the nation’s co-op workforce nears retirement age over the next five years and local cooperatives work within an ever-tighter job market, expanding the pool of potential workers is an effective solution.

At the same time, there are many reasons women who are entering (or reentering) the workforce should consider finding a place in the electric co-op world.

“Cooperatives are often recognized as ‘best place to work’ employers in their communities, offering competitive benefits, caring cultures and support for families,” said Dana Davis, vice president of human resources for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “Co-ops also have a solid commitment to strengthening inclusion and diversity, and women are often strong advocates for fostering a culture where all individuals are valued for their skills and expertise.”

—Scott Flood, for NRECA

Three North Carolina co-op employees were named “Co-op Rising Stars” by the national industry publication RE Magazine (top to bottom): Abby Anderson, member services representative with Piedmont Electric Cooperative; Deidra Grantham, manager of marketing and communications with Tri-County EMC; and Carol Ward, field operations and dispatch administrator with Fybe, the broadband subsidiary of Roanoke Cooperative.

6 | March 2024

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More Power

Jones, O’Dell Join Cooperative Council Board of Directors Electric co-op employees will advocate for co-ops across NC Two representatives of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives recently joined the Cooperative Council of North Carolina’s (CCNC) Board of Directors. Catherine O’Dell, vice president of member services & public relations for South River EMC, and Angie Jones, manager of human resources for Piedmont Electric Cooperative, have terms beginning in January and March, respectively.

CCNC is an association of cooperatives in North Carolina that fosters co-op education, awareness and networking across the state. Its board members represent various cooperative sectors, each dedicated to empowering cooperatives.

“As a seasoned veteran of the cooperative community, I am honored to be able to support the efforts of the Cooperative Council to educate, connect and promote cooperatives,” O’Dell said.

“Being new to the cooperative, I learned about the Cooperative Council at a Cooperative 101 workshop,” Jones said, who will also chair the Council’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) committee. “When I think about DE&I, what comes to mind is having a diverse work environment where employees are free to be themselves — a place where they can unleash creativity and have a sense of belonging.”

O’Dell and Jones join Autumn Solomon, with Carolinas Telco Federal Credit Union, as the Council’s newest directors.

Catherine O’Dell

Angie Jones

“Our newest three board members bring a wealth of knowledge, ideas and experience to the Board of Directors,” said CCNC Executive Director Sara Coats. “Together, we all share the passion of raising advocacy and visibility of the cooperative business model to our communities.”

CCNC’s Board of Directors is asked to actively participate in quarterly meetings and is typically made up of 15 members.

Terms are not limited. Visit ccnc.coop to learn more.

Voices for Cooperative Power

United for Stronger Communities SCAN ME TO LEARN MORE AND JOIN!

Co-op members: We need your help!

Voices for Cooperative Power (VCP) is a network of electric co-op members interested in influencing the future of energy in their community. The ways people in our nation, including co-ops and their members, produce and use energy are changing, and conversations about energy policies are intensifying.

Our voices are stronger when we raise them together. Join VCP to make a difference in your community and for your local electric cooperative.

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carolinacountry.com | 7

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2/9/24 3:30 PM

More Power

Powering Through Cold Weather Months A coordinated system helps keep power reliable and affordable North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are working together and investing in resources to ensure power is there when you need it. Throughout this winter, cold snaps have made all these components critical in providing reliable power at the lowest possible cost. Here’s how it works.

When temperatures drop across North Carolina…

…your home’s heating system works harder to do its job and keep you comfortable.

When that happens across hundreds of thousands of homes, demand for power goes up—fast!

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68

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That’s when a diverse, reliable grid makes all the difference.

Your local electric cooperative is part of a network of 26 electric co-ops across the state, as well as the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation (NCEMC), which provides power to 25 of the co-ops. Improved forecasting tools help predict when demand will be high, and when NCEMC will need to coordinate resources to ensure power is available for everyone.

In the rare event primary fuel supply (natural gas) does become strained, electric co-op combustion turbine power plants can also maintain operations with fuel oil, stored onsite.

Co-ops coordinate with other utilities, including Duke Energy, to ensure demand is met across the entire power grid.

In some cases, co-op members can participate in demand response programs, which enable cooperatives to manage the energy use of connected devices such as water heaters and smart thermostats, reducing energy use when it’s most needed across the grid.

Electric co-ops and other utilities winterize their systems, ensuring grid components work as they should and fuel lines can operate at full capacity.

Other resources, like microgrids and solar + energy storage projects, can be called upon to contribute to the main power grid if needed.

8 | March 2024

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DIAMOND SPONSORS ($12,500 and up)

CoBank | Lee Electrical Construction, Inc North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives | Pike Electric, Inc.

To those who support the

North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center

THANK YOU! North Carolina’s electric cooperatives hosted their 23rd annual golf tournament and fundraiser in September 2023, raising more than $170,000 for the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Hospitals.

Electric cooperatives, in partnership with more than 80 organizations and individuals, have donated $2.8 million to the Burn Center over the years.

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

North Carolina’s electric cooperatives are grateful to all of the organizations and individuals who contributed to the success of this fundraiser and the Burn Center.

With the help of generous donors like these, the Burn Center can continue its groundbreaking work in helping burn patients become burn survivors.

PLATINUM SPONSORS ($10,000–$12,499)

Duke Energy GOLD SPONSORS ($5,000–$9,999)

C-Phase Services | Carolina Dielectric Co. Carolina Power & Signalization | CFC Fallen Linemen Foundation | Four County EMC Meridian Cooperative | River City Construction South River EMC | Southern Power Company Utility Lines Construction Services, LLC SILVER SPONSORS ($2,000–$4,999)

ACES | Albemarle EMC | Altec | Blue Ridge Energy Booth & Associates, Inc. | Brunswick Electric | Central EMC Chapman Company | ECE | Edgecombe-Martin County EMC EnergyUnited | ERMCO | French Broad EMC | Halifax EMC Haywood EMC | Jones-Onslow EMC | Lewis Tree Service NTS | Piedmont Electric | Randolph EMC | RGrid Power PLLC Roanoke Cooperative | Sandhills Utility Services, LLC Sumter Utilities, Inc. | Surry-Yadkin EMC | Tideland EMC Tri-County EMC | Union Power Cooperative | Wake Electric Williams Electric Co. BRONZE SPONSORS ($1,000–$1,999)

Advanced Energy | Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative | Enervision, Inc. | EV Revolution Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange | Hubbell Utility Solutions Lumbee River EMC | McCall-Thomas Engineering Company Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc | NISC | Pee Dee Electric Pitt and Greene EMC | Rutherford EMC | SE ENERGY | Stella-Jones, Inc. Sub Eng & Design | UtilityEngineering, LLC | Xylem Tree Experts INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS & DONATIONS ($50–$999) Bellwether Management Solutions | Ditch Witch Sales of North Carolina, Inc. Jansen Energy LLC | Lekson Associates | MBM Consulting LLC Morgan Stanley | The Okonite Company | W. R. Daniel & Associates, Inc.

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Insects

count

Photo by Karen Johnson of Youngsville, a member of Wake Electric

I l a b f V n p m

Create a pollinator garden this spring

By Pamela A. Keene

10 | March 2024

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Dwarf Tickseed Purple Coneflower

If not for pollinators Butterfly Milkweed like insects, birds and bees, there would be very little food for humans to eat.

Raydon’s Favorite Fall Aster Vegetables, fruits, nuts and flowers rely on pollinators to help them Catmint mature and to reproduce.

Blue Giant Hyssop

Black-Eyed Susan

Courtesy of Andie Culbertson

“M

any pollinators, such as bees, are in decline because their habitats are disappearing,” says Becky Griffin, University of Georgia Extension pollinator health associate and coordinator of the Great Southeast Pollinator Census. “By creating pollinator gardens in our own landscapes, they’ll have more food sources, shelter and places to nest.”

As a way to collect data about pollinators, North Carolina residents will join citizen-scientists to count pollinators in their states through the Great Southeast Pollinator Census in August.

“People are now starting to prepare for the August Census by enhancing their landscapes to attract pollinators,” says Amanda Wilkins, horticultural agent with NC Cooperative Extension, Lee County Center. “Whether you’re creating a pollinator garden from scratch or simply adding a few more native plants, you will be helping provide food, shelter and nesting sites for butterflies, moths, honey bees, bumble bees, flies, wasps and other insects.”

How to attract pollinators

Native flowering shrubs, perennials and annuals encourage pollinator visits throughout the growing season.

“Select a variety of different plants with distinct characteristics, such as flower shape, color, morphology and bloom times,” Becky says. “Group similar plants together to make it easier for the insects to find them — think bunches of three to five plants of one type. This will attract a nice diversity of insects.”

Adding colorful blooms to vegetable gardens can ensure higher production.

Intersperse bright marigolds, tall zinnias and even sunflowers to attract more pollinators to food gardens because the pollinators are attracted to the bright flowers then visit vegetable flowers next. The bees, butterflies and other insects will help pollinate blossoms that will become the tomatoes, squash, beans and peppers to harvest.

Summer perennials, such as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum ×

superbum), bee balm (Monarda didyma), catmint (Nepeta racemose), liatris (Liatris spicata) and various herbs like thyme, oregano and lavender add color to the garden.

Blooming shrubs like chaste trees (Vitex agnus-castus), panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) and summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) nearby will encourage winged visitors. In the fall, goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), asters (Aster amellus) and bee balm provide color and plenty of nectar and pollen for insects.

Some pollinators rely on specific plants. For instance, milkweed species are the only group of host plants for Monarch butterflies. The butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed, and the eggs then develop into green, white, black and yellow caterpillars that feed on the leaves. A caterpillar will spin its chrysalis into a protective shell that allows the adult butterfly to metamorphosize.

In 2020, The Georgia Pollinator Plants of the Year program began as a partnership with the State Botanical Continued on page 12

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Amanda Wilkins

Amanda Wilkins

Photo by Doris Fisher of Burgaw, a member of Four County EMC

Photo by Janice Watkins of Rockingham, a member of Pee Dee Electric

Becoming a citizen-scientist

Through the Great Southeast Pollinator Census this year, people can become citizen scientists for two days in August, collecting information that will be used to spot trends for taking action that may help reduce the decline in habitats.

Pamela A. Keene is a freelance writer and photographer based in Atlanta.

Amanda Wilkins

Amanda Wilkins

Garden of Georgia, the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and horticultural specialists across the state.

“Although this program originates in Georgia, the plants chosen are suitable to most of North Carolina and South Carolina because our ecosystems are similar,” Becky says.

“Gardeners across the state submit nominations and the four plants are selected by a committee of plant and pollinator experts.”

The 2024 plants are Robin’s Fleabane (Erigeron pulchellus ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’) that blooms in the spring; Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata), a summer bloomer; fall’s White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricate); and the Georgia native American Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana). These and selections from previous years should be found at local plant nurseries.

Photo by Joshua Williams of Stonesville, a member of EnergyUnited

“The project has three goals: to increase the number of sustainable habitats for pollinators, to broaden the entomological literacy of our citizens and to generate data about our pollinator populations,” Becky says. “It’s geared toward home gardeners, garden groups and schools.

Really, anyone can participate.”

Begun in 2019 after a two-year pilot program through the University of Georgia, the initiative now encompasses four states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia.

“The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is truly the perfect Extension project,” Amanda says. “It combines gardening, education and conservation and participation is very simple.

Reporting is easy and you don’t have to download any apps.”

North Carolina joined the regional project in 2023; approximately 1,500 people from more than 60 counties participated last year. Several Master Gardener groups and private organizations sponsored Census events in communities across the state. More than 12,000 counters participated across Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina in 2023.

Join the count!

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census takes place this year August 23–24. Visit gsepc.org for pollinator plant lists and more information about the program.

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The classic Southern magnolia can be an energy-saving windbreak for the home.

Saving Energy

Plants with

The right plants in the right spots can boost efficiency year-round

By L.A. Jackson

Springtime is when gardeners blithely go about starting their season, choosing plants for ornamental and edible purposes. But some sharp backyard growers also keep a third category in the back of their minds: energy-savings.

Yes, plants can help cut down on the cost of heating and cooling your home. The key is the right plants in the right places to reduce the chilling effects of winter and moderate the scorch of the summer sun.

Windbreaks for winter

In the winter, cold winds can be responsible for up to one-third of the heat lost in a home, so deflecting such br-br-br-breezes with plants is one way to save on energy bills. Since the worst winter winds generally come from the north and northwest in North Carolina, situating evergreen windbreaks on these sides of your home can help deflect such gusts, and thus reduce the heat drain associated with the Arctic Express.

Large evergreens such as Southern magnolia, Virginia pine, American arborvitae or Eastern red cedar (actually a juniper) will work well in mass plantings to deflect northerly winds. However, don’t start spending any heating

cost savings just yet. Since most of these trees are usually bought at nurseries as 5- or 6-footers, it will be years before any of them reach substantial enough size to form a fully effective breeze barrier.

A faster approach is to concentrate windbreak plantings of smaller evergreens such as aucuba, Japanese holly or camellia closer to the house. Medium-height native hollies, with inkberry and yaupon being prime candidates, will also do the trick.

Now, when the word “windbreak” is mentioned, the lining up of one kind of tree or shrub in rows like green soldiers often comes to mind. This works visually until diseases, insects or acts of nature reduce the ranks and transform such an orderly look into the landscape equivalent of an old-school hockey player’s smile. A better approach is to mix various evergreen trees and shrubs to create a layered effect that not only looks more natural, but is easier to repair if a plant or two bites the dust.

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n

Shading summer sun

While you want to reduce northerly winds in the winter, for natural, free warmth on the southern flanks of your home, let the sun shine, shine, shine. The obvious way to achieve maximum exposure is to have no plants at all on the south side, but this wide open approach will leave the house sizzling in summer sunshine. So, how do you spell relief? D-e-c-i-d-u-o-u-s.

Large native trees such as poplar, oak, maple, hickory or pecan that lose their leaves in the fall are good for allowing winter sun exposure while also creating summer shade, but just to be safe, these big boys should not be much closer to the house than their average mature height. This safe-spacing does leave your home exposed to the midday summer sun, of course, but concentrations of such trees to the southwest/west side of your property can still provide shade during the worst of the day’s heat, which is generally in the afternoon.

Again, big trees take a long time to mature, but there are smaller, faster alternatives, too. Medium height deciduous trees like crape myrtle, dogwood or Eastern redbud located closer to the house can help keep walls and windows cooler with summer shading.

When properly placed in southwestern to western locations, such natural shading could have the same effect of increasing wall insulation by up to one-third!

An even faster way to shade southern and western walls is to grow vines on arbors, lattices or trellises a foot or two from the house. Quick-growing annual and perennial climbers such as clematis, moonvine, coral honeysuckle, Malabar spinach, crossvine, hyacinth bean or Carolina jessamine are good options to help shade walls from the scorch of the summer sun.

A south-facing cinderblock or brick house foundation can readily absorb (as well as hold) solar sizzle in the summer, so planting classic low-growing, home-hugging ornamentals like boxwood, azalea, gardenia or abelia to provide some shady relief is another energy-saving trick to consider. For accessibility as well as to prevent future problems with roots, plant at least three feet from the foundation. Also, before you plant any permanent pretties, check to make sure irrigation water will run away from the house and not towards it.

Don’t want to commit to such long-living woody ornamentals hugging your house? Since the ground close to a house is typically as hard as it is rocky, line up planter boxes or large containers (five gallons or more in size) for the summer, and grow any of the many tall-growing annual ornamental or edible delights that will suit your fancy while providing shady relief for your foundation!

L.A. Jackson is the former editor of Carolina Gardener Magazine.

Crape Myrtle can help keep walls and windows cooler with summer shading.

Coral honeysuckle provides both shady relief and a sensational summer flower show. carolinacountry.com | 15

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Carolina People

A Herd for Healing

Melanie Sue Bowles is helping horses in need

By Bridgette A. Lacy

Melanie Sue Bowles, author and founder of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary in Wilkesboro, believes we all have a superpower.

“I discovered mine was helping horses who are hurting,” she says.

The former Sarasota, Florida, medic firefighter fell in love with horses when she was looking for one to buy in the late 1980s.

“We moved out to a little property, and everyone around us had a horse to ride. I became intrigued,” she says. “I didn’t know anything about horses in the beginning.”

In looking for that first horse, she saw a lot of neglected horses in need of care. That’s when Melanie and her husband, Jim, opened up Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary (horsesofproudspirit.org). They quit firefighting to help horses.

What started with one horse in need on five acres of land in Florida has since moved several times, with its current location on 50 acres in Western North Carolina served by EnergyUnited. Over its history, the Bowles have intervened on behalf of more than 300 horses. The herd is currently down to 13 horses, and the sanctuary has stepped away from active rescuing.

“The herd has become more manageable. We are in our early 60s. We need to think about the future,” Melanie says, explaining that she and Jim do all the work to maintain the herd. “We rise around 8 a.m., and after having some tea we get up and go outside and check on the horses, filling water troughs, and cleaning the barns.”

“They are no longer in service to men,” she explains.

“They are never stalled … Most of the horses here were failed by humans; horses who have been horribly abused — but being with the herd heals them … They stand in the great big open barn or graze on grass under trees.

There is plenty of clean, fresh water, and in the winter, we supplement them with hay.”

Melanie is also the author of four books, three of which are about the sanctuary: “The Horses of Proud Spirit;” “Hoof Prints: More Stories from Proud Spirit;” and “The Dogs of Proud Spirit.’’ Her newest book, “Liberty Biscuit,” is a middle-grade novel published by Trafalgar Square Books. “‘Liberty Biscuit’ is her first coming of age fictional story,” says fellow North Carolina author Donna Everhart (featured in our May 2022 issue). “Melanie’s animal rescue background adds authenticity to her work.”

The Bowles have taken in a lot of other animals over the years — including dogs and cats, goats, and llamas — and Melanie hopes to leave the sanctuary as part of their legacy.

“We’ve always wanted this unique facility to carry on after we’re gone.”

Bridgette A. Lacy is a Raleigh-based author and freelance writer.

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NEWS

Central

MARCH 2024

Monthly newsletter from Central Electric Membership Corp.

Spring “energy-efficiency” cleaning The ground is beginning to thaw, the birds are chirping Monthly newsletter from Central Electric Membership Corp. and the sun is setting a little later each day; spring is just around the corner! Spring is typically the time of year when you start to think about ways you can tidy up your home. Here are a few things you can add to your list to help save energy (and money).

Service your air conditioner Easy maintenance such as routinely replacing or cleaning air filters can lower your cooling system’s energy consumption.

Also, the first day of spring could serve as a reminder to check your air conditioner’s evaporator coil, which should be cleaned annually to ensure the system is performing at optimal levels.

Install a programmable thermostat You can save money on your heating and cooling bills by simply controlling the temperature of your home when you are asleep or away. You can do this automatically by installing a programmable thermostat, which will allow you to adjust your thermostat on a pre-set schedule. By installing a programmable thermostat, you can save on heating and cooling costs by automatically turning your thermostat back for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.

Caulk air leaks Using low-cost caulk to seal cracks and openings in your home keeps warm air out -- and cash in your wallet.

To learn more about our energy-efficiency tools available to our members, or to find additional ways to save, visit the “Savings Tools” section at CEMCPower.com or scan the QR code.

MARCH 10 is daylight savings, so don’t forget to “spring” your clocks forward one hour on Saturday night before you go to bed!

MAY 1 is the deadline for applications for Central Carolina or Sandhills Community College scholarships. Visit CEMCPower.com for more details.

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POINT OF VIEW ROW is key to reliability

From the desk of CEO & General Manager Eddie Oldham

While we can’t prevent every tree or limb from falling on our lines (a storm will always find that 50-foot tree on the other side of the road, well outside the ROW clearance, and blow it down into the line), we can however all work together to do our best to help maintain and keep trees a safe distance from power lines.

The spring and summer months are right around the corner, and while maintaining reliable service to our members is a top priority year-round, the warmer months bring more daylight and opportunity to complete important work projects.

This includes our very important right-of-way (ROW) maintenance program. Our members depend on us to deliver reliable power to your home and business and there are many ways the co-op provides its members with safe and reliable service. One of the most important and highly visible ways is ROW clearing. ROW refers to a strip of land underneath or around power lines that the co-op has the right and responsibility to maintain and clear.

Keeping power lines clear of overgrown vegetation helps improve our service reliability. While many factors can impact power disruptions, a large percentage of outages can be attributed to fallen trees and branches. This is why you will see our crews or contractors out in the community trimming trees near power lines.

Tree branches are also extremely dangerous when they come in contact with power lines as they can become energized just like the power line. Our ROW program not only helps keep you connected, but it also helps keep you and other members of our community safe by ensuring tree branches do not become energized due to contact with power lines.

In order to maintain an effective ROW clearing program, the co-op invests a portion of its operating budget to cutting back trees and shrubs that grow too close to the power lines. We

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accomplish this with bucket trucks, chainsaws, chippers and mowers to ensure that trees grow at a distance far enough from our lines where they will not cause harm to individuals or disruption to electrical service. Specifications can vary, but the general guideline the co-op follows in maintaining a safe ROW is 20 feet of clearance on either side of primary conductors and 10 feet of clearance below the neutral line. This ensures a safe distance between trees on your property and the dangerous lines carrying electricity to your home.

When it comes to vegetation management, there are ways you can help too. When planting new trees, make sure they’re planted a safe distance from overhead power lines. Medium-height trees (40 feet or smaller) should be planted at least 25 feet from power lines. Taller trees (over 40 feet) should be planted at least 50 feet from power lines.

Additionally, if you spot an overgrown tree or branch that’s dangerously close to overhead lines, please let us know by contacting us at 919-774-4900.

While we can’t prevent every tree or limb from falling on our lines (a storm will always find that 50-foot tree on the other side of the road, well outside the ROW clearance, and blow it down into the line), we can however all work together to do our best to help maintain and keep trees a safe distance from power lines. Thanks for all you do to help us maintain our ROW, we appreciate you!

Until next time,

NEWS CENTRAL

2/8/24 10:49 AM

Proactive right-of-way maintenance takes a great deal of planning and hardwork to keep trees from growing close and into our powerlines. Crews work year-round to maintain these ROW areas. Even despite our best efforts, trees from outside of the ROW clearance area that we maintain fall into lines and cause power outages. You are a big help in making sure trees are not planted in close proximity to lines!

Pictured is a ROW area cut, cleared and maintained near Lambeth Mill Rd. in Siler City.

Reliable power depends on maintenance Trimming trees and overgrown vegetation around power lines is essential to providing you with safe and reliable service 24/7/365.

In the coming months, you may see ROW crews working in the following service area locations:

In addition to reducing outages due to vegetation, maintenance also:

• Moncure/Pittsboro area

• Speeds up outage restoration because crews can more easily access problem areas • Keeps crews and members safer from downed trees, especially in right-of-way (ROW) areas along roads

• Charlie Brooks Rd area • Log Barn Acres area • HWY 15-501 area • HWY 42 area • Plank Rd. area

• Reduces unexpected costs for repairs related to accessibility issues.

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ROW maintenance. One more way Central Electric keeps you connected.

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NEWS CENTRAL

2/8/24 10:49 AM

TESC Basketball Scholarship Program Central EMC annually awards two Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships to local students in Chatham, Harnett, Lee, Moore or Randolph counties. Usually a young man is selected to attend the Carolina Basketball School at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and one young lady wins a scholarship to attend the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp at N.C. State University in Raleigh.

At camp, students work directly with the staff to learn basketball skills, leadership and teamwork.

To be eligible to apply, students must be in the sixth or seventh grade during the upcoming school year, have permission from a parent or guardian to attend the overnight camp and must provide their own transportation if selected to attend. Scan the QR code or visit CEMCPower.com for more information or to apply by March 31.

Statement of Non-Discrimination Central Electric Membership Corporation is an equal opportunity provider and employer. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

The person responsible for coordinating this organization’s non-discrimination compliance effort is the General Manager. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.ascr.usda.gov/ complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter ad-dressed to USDA and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: : (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) Fax: (202) 690-7442 or (3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

Eddie Oldham CEO & General Manager 128 Wilson Road P.O. Box 1107 Sanford, NC 27331 OFFICE HOURS Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CONTACT Phone: (919) 774-4900 Bill Payment: (866) 488-5011

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DIRECTORS Rebecca G. Cogan, President Tommy Dalrymple, Vice President James B. Brooks, Secretary-Treasurer W. Phillip Thompson, Asst. Secretary Charles E. Cameron, Sr., Frank Comer III, Dr. Nancy G. Holmes, Henry Outz, Tim Priest and Henry Randolph.

OUTAGE REPORTING (877) 766-6769 24-hours a day (800) 446-7752 Text ‘PWR’ to opt-in and ‘OUT’ to report an outage FOLLOW US

James Taylor, Editor

CEMCPower.com

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

@cemcpower NEWS CENTRAL

2/8/24 10:49 AM

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On the House

Smart Speaker Connections Exploring the benefits of the ‘Internet of Things’

By Alexis Giannattasio

Q:

I received a smart speaker as a gift, but I’m not familiar with the technology.

How can I use it to make my home smarter, and can it help with energy savings?

A:

Smart devices are becoming more common in the marketplace, promoting more convenience and personal freedom than ever before. Your smart speaker has the ability to learn your daily routine and connect with other smart appliances in your house, freeing up your time to focus on other tasks. Over time, you might find yourself asking your device by voice command to turn on the lights, rather than reaching for the switch.

The era of smart technology is now, and it looks like it is here to stay. As these emerging technologies continue to benefit parts of our lives, they are reshaping the way we interact with the world around us. If you’re interested in making the most of your device, it’ll be helpful to explore the key functions of smart technologies and their broader savings potential.

Alexa, let’s dig in.

Smart technology refers to devices with advanced learning skills that require minimal human involvement.

The spectrum of smart devices ranges by manufacturer but is generally the next option above the basic model, like a general thermostat. These “upgrades” usually include models with remote capabilities to those with built-in learning functions. A smart thermostat might be wi-fi enabled, allowing the user to adjust the temperature via a smart phone wherever there is an internet connection,

or it might go beyond that, where the thermostat learns your schedule over time and operates accordingly, heating or cooling your home based on your routine without the need for your input. Many household items now have smart capabilities including refrigerators, ovens, washing machines, lawnmowers, vacuums, security systems and more.

If your mind is spinning a web between each technology, you are on the right track. This concept is called the Internet of Things, and a prime example is the geolocation feature on smart phones, which when integrated with smart homes, can adjust lighting, temperature and other settings based on the user’s proximity, resulting in the potential to improve the efficiency of day-to-day activities.

In your case, if you received an Amazon Echo or another smart speaker, it can be integrated with a number of appliances — lights, thermostat, security system and more — creating an interconnected ecosystem of “things.”

The overall value of these innovations might span from increased comfort, safety and productivity to a more efficient use of time. If your goal is to enhance your home’s security, you might create a setting on your device to detect noise while you are away or integrate it with a smart plug to turn the lights on when you arrive in the driveway. Maybe you choose to purchase a robotic lawnmower and connect it to your account so that you can turn it on through a simple voice command. The possibilities are endless.

Energy savings for smart technology may vary based on individual use. In some circumstances, say if you only vacuumed once a week but now run the Roomba daily while you work, potential savings may be offset by increased usage.

When it comes down to your personal savings, the overall impact will ultimately be determined by how you incorporate the technology into your life. Whether you’re listening to music, setting a reminder or turning on the lights, you will surely be amazed by the capabilities of your smart speaker.

Alexis Giannattasio works for Advanced Energy, the Raleigh-based nonprofit energy consulting firm.

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Energy Sense

Spring Cleaning Tips to Maximize Efficiency

By Miranda Boutelle

S

pring is a great time to refresh, clean and enhance energy efficiency at home. And by adopting simple yet effective energy-saving strategies during our spring-cleaning routines, we can create an efficient living environment that may also lower our utility bills and extend the life of our heavily used appliances.

Be sure to include these spring cleaning tips to add some energy savings to the job.

Even though it’s out of sight, don’t leave it out of mind.

Check the filter in your HVAC system. Your furnace worked hard during the winter. Ensuring your system has a clean filter is a low-cost and easy way to protect your equipment and maximize efficiency. A dirty furnace filter can cause your system to work harder than necessary, decreasing efficiency and shortening the system’s life.

While the filter is easy to replace yourself, you should have your air conditioning serviced and professionally cleaned. Both the indoor and outdoor units should be cleaned. Dirty refrigerant coils reduce efficiency. This also applies to heat pumps and ductless heat pumps, also known as mini-split systems. The technician can check refrigerant levels and refill or repair if necessary.

HVAC contractors get busy responding to calls for repairs during the summer heat. Scheduling cleaning services for your air conditioning in the spring — before the heat of the summer — can ensure the work gets done before the rush and even save you money. Some HVAC contractors offer special discounts for cleaning services in the milder months, which helps fill their schedules and keep their technicians working.

Mark Gilliland

Schedule cleaning services for your air conditioner in the spring before the heat of summer.

While cleaning light fixtures and fixture covers, check your bulbs and replace any incandescents or compact fluorescents with energy-saving LEDs.

Window AC units can get dirty, too. They can be cleaned with the proper tools, cleaning agents and know-how.

Always unplug before cleaning, and wait until completely dry to plug it back in again. Take the time to clean it properly in the spring before you need it in the summer.

Cleaning light fixtures and fixture covers can brighten your space by removing dust and grime collected during the winter. While you are at it, be sure to check your bulbs and replace any incandescents or compact fluorescents, (CFL) with energy-saving LEDs. Although they tend to cost a little more, LEDs last longer and use less energy.

Good-quality LED light bulbs are expected to last 30,000 to 50,000 hours, according to the Department of Energy.

A typical incandescent lamp lasts about 1,000 hours, and a comparable CFL lasts 8,000 to 10,000 hours. To put this into everyday use, if you have an LED light on for 10 hours per day, it can last 13 years compared to only about three months for incandescent bulbs and about two-and-a-half years for CFLs. Don’t forget the oven. A clean oven heats more evenly and quickly, providing better results and lower energy use. A clean oven window allows you to see the food and how it’s cooking without opening the oven door, which wastes energy.

If cleaning windows is on the list, check the seals and sash locks to ensure they close tightly. Check for any areas that need caulking or sealing to reduce drafts. Sealing around windows contributes to year-round comfort in your home. Clean windows also allow more light into the home, reducing the need to turn on lamps and overhead fixtures.

Spring is the ideal time to declutter, deep clean and implement practices that not only tidy our homes but also reduce energy consumption, contributing positively to our homes’ energy efficiency and saving money on energy use.

This column was written by Miranda Boutelle of the Efficiency Services Group. Visit carolinacountry.com/your-energy for more ideas on energy efficiency.

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Fortunately, this is one pastime that lends itself well to lots of belt-tightening strategies.

Save on plant purchases

You could pay full price at prime planting time like the majority of gardening consumers, or you could pay half or less with some bargain-sniffing strategies. Start by looking for markdowns on overstocked, out-of-bloom or pastprime plants. These are often perfectly healthy (just not attractive enough to fetch top dollar).

Four top savers are: perennials relegated to a bargain rack after they’ve

How to save money in the garden By George Weigel

finish blooming for the season; annuals and vegetables that are still viable but unsold after the spring rush; trees and shrubs that are misshapen markdowns but fixable via pruning and patience; and tulips, daffodils, and other spring-blooming bulbs that are often 50% off when unsold but still plantable by the end of October.

If you shop local, get on your favorite garden center’s loyalty program. These offer discounts, coupons, rewards and special sales to regular customers.

While you’re at it, let local gardencenter managers know you’re interested in plants they want to clear out. You might get a call before plants go on the clearance rack — and maybe even yearend freebies.

Bargains are sometimes possible through mail-order and online vendors, but expect the plants to be small and “bare root” — i.e. shipped with weight-saving packing material around the roots instead of soil. Coddle them

in a pot for a year to maximize success.

Plant bargains also can be found from unconventional sources, including plant societies, Master Gardeners, libraries, public gardens, farmer’s markets, schools and garden clubs, all of which often hold plant-sale fundraisers using divisions from members’ yards, locally started seedlings, and discounted greenhouse transplants.

You might also encounter plants at yard sales. These sometimes can be bargain-priced, dig-your-own gold mines. Just be careful you’re not buying someone else’s overly aggressive varieties.

Landscape companies are another overlooked plant resource. Landscapers routinely dig up healthy plants during renovations, simply because they’ve outgrown the space or a new homeowner doesn’t like them.

They may let you salvage their dig-outs before they go to a dump.

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Trim the plant budget

Wherever you buy plants, opt for less-expensive smaller sizes. Given patience and good growing conditions, a quart-sized perennial will end up at the same mature size as a gallon-sized one but at a significantly lower starting price.

Leaning small especially saves on trees, which can double in price for just two or three feet of additional height. Research has found that smaller transplant sizes usually establish faster and catch up to their bigger brethren within a few years.

Starting new plants from seed yields way more plants to the dollar than transplants. Vegetables and annual flowers are fairly easy to start from seed inside in winter. Basic workshop lights with fluorescent tubes are sufficient for growing seedlings, which usually need only about six weeks of inside growth before being ready to plant outdoors.

Even less expensive is planting seeds directly in the ground outside, bypassing the need for lights, pots, potting mix and such.

A third plant budget-stretcher is mining your own plants for expansion. Most perennial flowers can be dug and divided into fist-sized pieces after several years of growth, giving you free plants to use elsewhere.

Clumps of spring bulbs also can be dug and divided after their foliage browns in spring, and some shrubs will yield newbies if their “suckers” (roots that send up shoots) are dug and transplanted.

Virginia sweetspire, summersweet, hydrangea, diervilla, kerria, lilac, bayberry, sweetshrub, sweetbox and forsythia are good suckertransplant candidates.

Check with friends and neighbors to see if they’d like to trade divisions, which can yield free new varieties for your yard. New shrubs, trees, roses,

and evergreens can be created by snipping four- to six-inch pieces off the tips of “mother plants” and sticking them into moist potting mix. That induces roots to grow from the buried cut ends, giving you a new “baby” copy of the plant.

This works for many annual flowers and tropicals, too.

If you’re spending too much on annual flowers (the ones planted anew each spring), save money by converting space to perennials (plants that come back year after year). Limit those $6 annuals to pots, hanging baskets and window boxes.

Perennials cost more up front and don’t bloom as long as annuals, but the payback is usually three years or less. Some annuals, such as ageratum, celosia and cosmos, are good at “self-seeding,” meaning they come up on their own each spring from seed dropped by last year’s flowers.

Continued on page 30

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Bulbs that are still unsold by late October are often marked down 50 percent or more.

This is a way to fill beds without any new expense and only limited work (i.e. removing seedlings you don’t want or transplanting self-sprouted seedlings where you do want them).

Save on your potted-plant budget by starting with fewer plants each season. With patience, pots of fewer premium-priced potted annuals will fill in eventually and cost less than tightly packed ones.

Another pot option is scavenging the yard for perennial flowers that you can dig and divide to use in pots. The best are ones with colorful foliage that add interest beyond the few weeks they’re in flower, such as coralbells, hosta, golden sedge, variegated liriope and ferns. Return the perennials to the ground in fall to overwinter and mine again next year.

A third pot money-saver is using “double-duty” plants. Most so-called “houseplants” (crotons, palms, snake plants, peace lilies, rubber plants, etc.) are tropical or sub-tropical species that do perfectly fine outside in summer and inside over winter.

Consider using plants you’ve bought as houseplants in summer pots, dressed up with coordinated annuals.

Conversely, instead of discarding tropicals bought for summer pots at the end of the season, convert them into houseplants over winter.

Save on gardening products

The fastest way to save on gardening products is to cut out things that you

— and your plants — really don’t need.

Some possibilities: wound dressings for pruned trees (not necessary and sometimes counter-productive); leaf shine (a soft, damp cloth with dilute soap cleans dusty houseplant leaves); compost activator (a few shovelfuls of finished compost or soil adds decomposition microbes); moisture-holding gels for potted plants (research shows little to no water-saving benefit); landscape fabric (inhibits soil oxygen and traps moisture in poorly drained beds, plus weeds grow on top if you mulch over it), and tree fertilizer spikes (trees usually get the nutrients they need from soil, decomposing mulch, and/or fertilizer on the surrounding lawn).

Next is reducing the amounts you use, such as fertilizer in general.

Plants take up only the nutrients they need. Adding more doesn’t make them grow bigger or better and is a waste of money, plus is potentially polluting.

If plants are growing well, there’s usually no need to add anything. If they’re not, a soil test will tell if lack of nutrition is a culprit — along with exactly what nutrients are needed and in what amounts.

Extension offices and many garden centers offer inexpensive DIY soiltest kits to help you spend fertilizer dollars wisely.

Bug and disease sprays are another potential cost-saver. Some gardeners routinely use pesticides “just in case,”

both wasting money and potentially killing beneficial insects that would’ve controlled pest bugs naturally, and at no charge (see “A Win for the Good Guys” on page 34).

Most bugs and diseases target only specific plants, and much of the damage is temporary or cosmetic anyway. Consider products only when particular plants are under threat from intolerable or potentially fatal damage — and when there are no better alternatives.

Sometimes, free or less expensive alternatives are available for other garden products. For example, an index finger stuck a few inches into the soil can give an accurate read on soil moisture versus investing in a soil-moisture meter.

Expensive potting mix can be stretched by mixing your own from bulk ingredients or by “refreshing” last year’s saved mix with half new mix (assuming last year’s mix wasn’t bugor disease-ridden).

Many municipalities now collect leaves in fall and offer the resulting free or low-cost compost to residents the following year, saving on bagged or bulk purchases. Ditto for tree companies, which often are willing to drop loads of chipped tree branches in home driveways, saving themselves hauling/ dumping fees.

Even costly hardscaping materials such as bricks, stone, patio furniture, garden ornaments, and fencing are sometimes available free or heavily discounted from neighbors advertising them through local socialmedia channels.

Lots of household-waste items are fair game for repurposing in the garden, including storage tubs that morph into flower containers, cut-off soda bottles that serve as plant protectors, and butter tubs that become seedling pots.

The opportunities for saving in the garden are vast, so this year get out and get growing — without breaking the bank.

George Weigel is author of five gardening books and is a retired Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist who specialized in garden design for homeowners.

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I Remember

Memories and photos from our readers

ay Jolley is and Eula M

s: Lew Rosita's parent

Rainy Days on the Farm The best memories of childhood were the rainy days on the farm. I grew up in Cleveland County in the 1930s and ’40s. When it rained and we couldn’t work the fields, my dad would play games with my sister and me.

Our favorite game was hide-and-seek. We were noisy running and squealing throughout the house, but I can never remember our mom calling us down.

I was three years older and chubby, but my sister was very skinny. One day I unknowingly went by Joyce many times, but finally had to give up — never thinking to look up on the mantle.

Daddy always had as much fun as us girls. He rode us piggyback so much over the years, that he later gave me the greatest, most cherished memory I have of him: On my wedding day, he came upstairs, woke me and carried me downstairs piggyback to close our childhood fun times.

Nothing can ever come close to those precious memories of fun. Thank you, Daddy, even though you’ve been gone 28 years, for every single one of them.

Rosita J. Jones, Dallas A member of Rutherford EMC

Working Man, Family Man John "Pap" Leiter on his farm with his great grandson, Working construction all day and farming Jayden Davidson, and his son-in-law, Andy Davidson. every night, John put food on the table by his sweat and the mention of his name.

Work, family and a quiet reverence for God kept him going. Still into his 80s, he drove his car up to his backhoe, and with his cane, managed to pull his slender six-foot frame up into its seat to dig a ditch or grade a drive.

Not knowing if he’d get paid for his work, he had the faith of a farmer to put seeds in the ground and send his crops to market. He worked to live but he lived for his family.

Pap’s passion for life dimmed when his wife died a few years back. Now his flame was just a flicker. But life always came back in his eyes when he lifted his grandbabies with his leathered hands, fat with calluses and stiff from arthritis. He lowered them to Send Us Your Memories We love sharing his face as their pudgy fingers reached out to touch his wrinkled skin photos and memories dear to our readers. Submit your photo, plus roughly 200 words that describe it, online or by mail with and wiry grey hair. Then he’d softly kissed them to bless their new a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want it returned life. And for a moment his world made sense. This tough old farmer (only one entry per household, per month). Include your name, melted, his pain no longer mattered. mailing address, phone number or email address, and the name

Andrew Davidson, Emerald Isle A member of Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative

of your electric co-op. We retain reprint rights, and we’ll pay $50 for those we publish. Online: carolinacountry.com/contact U.S. Mail: I Remember, Carolina Country, 3400 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC 27616

32 | March 2024

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2/8/24 2:12 PM

Carolina Gardens

A Win for the Good Guys Skip insecticides and keep good bugs around Story and photos by L.A. Jackson

O

ptimism is a gardener’s guiding star when springtime planting season arrives — yes, the garden’s gonna look great this year. However, such positive vibes are often wrecked by bad bugs just waiting to munch on leaves and flowers.

Insecticides are the quick solution to six-legged varmint problems, but are they necessarily the best solution?

Better gardening through chemistry can have a downside, especially when it comes to causing collateral damage to pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees, as well as helpful bug predators like lacewings, ladybugs, fireflies and parasitic wasps.

For example, many broad-spectrum insecticides are as advertised: concoctions that can solve almost any bug problem in the garden. However, when sprayed indiscriminately, just about all insect activity — both bad and good — ceases.

Systemic insecticides are another way to deal with damaging bugs, but by essentially making an entire plant poisonous to insects, many are quite capable of harming leafmunching butterfly caterpillars and

pollen-harvesting bees as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I have used broad-spectrum and systemic insecticides when faced with creepy crawly problems of biblical proportions, but it has been a while since I pulled the pins on such bug bombs because, over the years, I have found that there are ways to lessen the need for such options.

One of the easiest ways to reduce dependence on kill-all insecticides is to pay attention to your garden. Every day, or at least every other day, take a break and wander into your private green world. Enjoy the sights, but also be on the lookout for trouble.

I have stopped many problems early by finding six-legged nuisances such as thrips, spider mites, mealy bugs, whiteflies, aphids and leaf hoppers just in the beginning stages of mischief, and closed down their parties with well-aimed sprays of a contact bug-bopper such as

A black swallowtail enjoying butterfly weed blossoms.

insecticidal soap, which leaves no harmful residue once it has dried.

For bigger beasties such as Japanese beetles and hornworms, I just pluck the offenders off plants and toss them in a bucket of soapy water.

Another way to prevent bad bugs from getting a firm grip in a garden without harming beneficial ones is make plants more insect resistant.

How do you do that? Simple: Keep ‘em healthy. Plants in prime condition are less attractive to many hungry insects, and even if they are attacked, most can usually weather damage better than plants that are weak, diseased or stressed.

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

.A.’s website of the month: L The Shop at Monticello (monticelloshop.org). Thomas Jefferson’s famous home is also a good e-source for many rare, unusual and historic perennial, biennial and annual seeds.

Garden To-Do’s for March

Purple coneflowers are bedazzling to bees and gardeners.

Your garden can be even more appealing to beneficial pollinating insects if you make them feel at home. In other words, bring plants into your landscape they would usually enjoy in the wild. Many native plants that are insect faves also have loads of botanical bling to brighten any cultivated garden. Need examples? New England aster, mountain mint, Indian pink, butterfly weed, blue lobelia, milkweed, liatris, bee balm, yarrow, baptisia, oakleaf hydrangea, goldenrod, turtlehead, ironweed, cardinal flower, black-eyed Susan, climbing aster, purple coneflower and Joe Pye weed are at the top of my long list of indigenous insect-friendly plants that excel in flower power, too. (Learn about more on page 10.)

□ Row, row, rowing your veggie garden again this year?

For more efficient use of growing space, consider converting from rows to rectangular beds and just use the suggested recommendation for space between plants as your guide. Also, to make them easier to reach into, don’t construct the beds more than four feet wide.

□ Planning to put up new birdhouses this spring?

Remember to buy or build wooden birdhouses.

Compared to metal or plastic, wood is a better insulator, which helps prevent the feathered occupants from overheating during the sizzle of the summer.

34 | March 2024

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MONTHLY RATES $100,000

$250,000

$500,000*

$1,000,000*

Male Female

Issue Age

Male

11

18

16

58

28.33

15

13

22

18

59

9.81

15

13

22

20

10.16

16

14

24

21

10.56

17

15

25

11.01

18

16

13.66

11.61

20

14.21

12.46

22

9.39

14.72

13.25

9.73

15.68

45 12.25 10.15 46 12.84 10.65

Issue Age

Male

30

8.94

7.73

9.77

8.61

14

36

9.12

8.12

10.32

9.44

37

9.21

8.37

10.52

38

9.21

8.48

11.69

39

9.46

8.61

12.35

40

9.63

8.83

12.94

41 10.05

9.05

42 10.47

9.26

43 10.98 44 11.58

Female

Male

Female

Male Female

$100,000

Female

Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

MONTHLY RATES $250,000

Male

Female

21.98

50.43

36.04

31.07

23.51

55.50

38.76

60

34.14

24.28

61

37.41

25.65

22

62

41.07

27

24

63

17

30

26

19

33

29

24

20

38

14.10

26

22

16.86

15.16

28

17.85

15.87

30

47 13.43 11.16

19.14

16.84

48 13.48 11.89

20.45

49 13.71 12.33 50 14.37 12.99

$500,000*

$1,000,000*

Male Female

Male

Female

89

62

169

117

98

68

188

129

59.98

41.71 109

73

207

140

66.43

47.11 122

84

236

156

27.91

73.90

51.33 136

93

265

171

44.58

34.39

85.55

59.61 152

102

287

187

64

48.23

38.53

93.16

64.39 169

112

323

206

65

53.18

41.15 100.34

70.37 188

125

356

229

31

66

59.15

44.62 115.74

75.41 209

135

392

248

41

34

67

65.66

49.09 130.13

83.65 231

148

436

272

24

46

38

68

74.33

59.65 145.11 112.92 262

174

491

322

25

49

41

69

82.98

65.91 161.68 129.33 293

188

548

352

33

27

54

44

70

93.20

73.30 181.25 148.72 330

204

615

387

17.77

35

29

58

48

71 102.45

82.71 204.38 159.34 374

235

702

443

21.77

18.77

38

31

63

52

72 113.68

94.13 232.46 172.23 427

272

807

512

23.41

20.00

40

34

69

57

73 127.55 108.24 267.15 188.15 493

319

937

596

51 15.38 13.75

25.38

21.18

45

35

78

62

74 142.08 123.01 303.50 204.84 562

367 1074

685

52 16.37 14.88

28.02

22.76

49

38

87

67

75 159.25 140.48 346.45 224.56 644

424 1235

789

53 17.46 15.88

30.96

24.81

55

44

101

77

76 200.03 174.92 418.29 276.67 785

530 1489

982

54 18.69 16.72

34.00

26.21

60

46

112

83

77 249.54 216.74 505.52 339.94 956

658 1797 1215

55 20.64 17.51

37.14

27.86

67

50

122

90

78 310.70 268.40 613.27 418.11 1167

817 2179 1504

56 22.69 19.48

41.67

31.07

74

53

140

97

79 374.78 322.52 726.16 500.00 1389

983 2578 1807

57 24.69 20.63

45.59

33.43

81

58

154 107

80 450.51 386.48 859.57 596.78 1651 1180 3050 2164

* $500,000 and $1,000,000 monthly rates are rounded up to the nearest dollar. Therefore, actual monthly rates at $500,000 and $1,000,000 may be slightly less.

Call Wiley Maddox Today to Request an Application:

(203) 637-1544 or (800) 645-1544 Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm EST

Premiums illustrated represent 10 year level term insurance with guaranteed level premiums for 10 years. $100,000 - $1,000,000 rates are Select-A-Term [policy form no.

07007] Preferred Plus Non-tobacco. This coverage features a level death benefit with fully guaranteed level premiums for the first 10 years with coverage to expire at age 95. The policy may be continued on Annual Renewable Term at the end of the level premium period without evidence of insurability until the anniversary nearest the insured’s 95th birthday. The underwriting risks, financial and contractual obligations and support functions associated with products issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL) Houston, TX are its responsibility. AGL does not solicit business in the state of New York. All terms, conditions and limitations of any policy issued shall govern. American General Life Companies is the marketing name for a group of domestic life insurers including American General Life Insurance Company and The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York. Policies and riders not available in all states. Premium rates current as of January 2024; rates may vary by state.

Premiums available for other rate classes, ages and payment plans. Premium charges depend on evidence of insurability. Premiums increase at the end of the guaranteed term if policy is renewed. Death benefit remains level. The policy may be contested for two years from the date of issue for material misstatements or omissions on the application. Death benefit is limited to return of premium paid in the event of suicide within first two years. Rates subject to change. Standard Marketing Services represents AGL and other fine insurance companies.

All companies identified above are wholly owned subsidiaries of Corebridge Financial, Inc. Corebridge Financial and Corebridge are marketing names used by subsidiaries of Corebridge Financial, Inc.

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Marketplace

36 | March 2024

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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Carolina Voices JUNE’S QUESTION:

What do you love about Carolina beaches?

Submit your answer (roughly 200 words) and any related photos for a chance to be in an upcoming issue.

We retain reprint rights, and we’ll pay $50 for those we publish in the print version of the magazine.

You may not realize it, but your home is sitting on a free and renewable supply of energy. A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort system taps into the stored solar energy in your own backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. That’s money in the bank and a smart investment in your family’s comfort. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how to tap into your buried treasure.

Deadline: March 31 Online: carolinacountry.com/voices No emails, please.

Mail: Carolina Country—Carolina Voices 3400 Sumner Blvd.

Raleigh, NC 27616 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. All ads must adhere to Carolina Country’s advertising policy, which can be found in our media kit at carolinacountry.com/advertise/MediaKit. 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.

Scan to learn more!

visit waterfurnace.com/MainStreet ©2023 WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.

carolinacountry.com | 37

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an

Carolina Kitchen

Irish Boxty With horseradish sauce

This simple dish is found all over Ireland — in fact, there’s an old saying that a woman who can’t make quality Boxty will never catch a husband. Serve it with corned beef or just about anything on your St. Patty’s menu. Combining mashed and grated potatoes offers a satisfying texture.

2 large russet potatoes, peeled, divided Vegetable oil for frying ¼ cup sour cream 1 egg 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish 2 tablespoons milk Chopped parsley for garnish 1 tablespoon flour (optional) ½ teaspoon salt Dash of black pepper Chop 1 potato into 1-inch chunks, put in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the potato is very tender, 10–12 minutes. Drain, put into a large bowl and mash. You should have about 2 cups of mashed potatoes. Or, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, use those instead.

Using a food processor or box grater, grate the other potato. You should have 2 cups of grated potato. Add it to the mashed potato.

In a small bowl, mix together the egg and milk, and stir into the potatoes. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Pour about 1 inch of oil into a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot (test with a bit of the potato mixture; it should begin sizzling), scoop the potato mixture by tablespoonfuls into the oil. Press down gently to flatten. Cook until brown, then turn over and cook the other side, 2–3 minutes per side, depending on size. When done, remove patties to a rack set over a paper towel-lined plate to drain while you continue frying; then move cooked patties to a paper towel-lined platter and keep warm.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and horseradish. Garnish with parsley.

Serve the Boxty warm with the sauce. Or wrap and refrigerate for a few days.

Yield: 15–20 patties, depending on size

From Your Kitchen Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookies Thick and hearty, these solid cookies liberally studded with chocolate bits will not only satisfy a craving, but you’ll only need to expend a minimal amount of effort to get there!

1 stick butter 2 eggs 1 box yellow cake mix 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9-by-13 pan. Melt the butter, allow it to cool a bit and then whisk it with the eggs until combined. Add in the cake mix and stir well. Pour in the chocolate chips and mix all together.

Recipe courtesy of Alma P. Cobb of Princeville, a member of EdgecombeMartin Electric Cooperative The batter will be thick so put some muscle into it! Scoop into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Smaller pan? Bake a little longer, maybe 25–28 minutes.

Yield: 12–15 servings

Submit your recipe online at: carolinacountry.com/myrecipe.

Contributors whose recipes are published will receive $25.

Cabbage with Bacon and Apples Corned beef and cabbage is a St. Patrick’s Day tradition, even if it’s more Irish-American than Irish. This sweet-sour twist works well with a variety of meals. Vegetarian? Omit the bacon and substitute olive oil.

3 slices bacon 1 large red apple, coarsely chopped 1 cup carrots, coarsely chopped 8 cups green cabbage, sliced (about half of a large head) 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ½ teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste Dash of black pepper In a large, deep pan, fry the bacon until crispy. Set bacon aside to drain and remove all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the pan. If you don’t have a tablespoon’s worth, add some olive oil.

Put the pan over medium heat and add the apple and carrots. Cook, stirring until the apple and carrots begin to soften, 3–4 minutes. Add the cabbage. The pan will be very full, but the cabbage will cook down.

Stir in the apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is soft, 4–5 minutes. If the cabbage begins to dry out before it’s soft, add a bit more water.

Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle it over the dish to serve.

Yield: 4–6 servings

Recipes by Debbie Moose unless otherwise noted. Learn more about Debbie at debbiemoose.com.

Digital Extra Visit carolinacountry.com/recipes to search more than 1,000 recipes by name or ingredient.

38 | March 2024

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March Events MARCH 22–24

Feast Wilmington Riverfront Park, Wilmington MARCH 23

Easter Egg Hunt Clayton High School, Clayton 919-553-1550

Sampson County Ag Day Exhibits, food, activities for all ages Sampson County Agri-Expo Center, Clinton 910-592-7161

MARCH 23

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail Runs 5K & 10-mile fundraiser runs Kings Mountain

Kings Mountain Gateway Trail Runs 5K & 10-mile fundraiser runs Kings Mountain 704-739-9663

FEB. 20–MARCH 24

MARCH 2

MARCH 16

It’s All About the Story, Vol. X: Mary Rocap

V-Point Ruritan Breakfast

Emerald Isle St. Patrick’s Festival

V-Point Community Center, Statesville 704-450-7031

8700 Emerald Dr., Emerald Isle 252-354-6350

MARCH 3

Iron Mike Conference Center, Fort Liberty 910-551-4708

Art exhibition, concert Hillsborough Gallery of Arts 919-732-5001 FEB. 28–MARCH 2

North Carolina Rice Festival

Israeli Chamber Project

Big Hat Brunch

Various locations, Brunswick 202-355-3695

Sights and sounds by Chamber music North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh 919-821-2030

MARCH 1

MARCH 5

Missiles & More Museum Opens 2024 Season

Davidson Horticultural Symposium

Historic Assembly Building, Topsail Beach 910-328-8663

Davidson College, Davidson dgcsymposium@gmail.com

MARCH 22

MARCH 9

MARCH 1–3

Tea with Seagrove Potters

Hickory Metro Convention Center, Hickory 828-465-0383

Rumble Outdoor rope and bouldering competition Town Hall, Lake Lure

10th anniversary Participating Seagrove pottery shops, Seagrove 336-873-7412

MARCH 21–23

Hallowed Ground Lantern Tour New Bern Battlefield Park, New Bern 252-638-8558

27th Annual Catawba Valley Pottery & Antiques Festival

MARCH 23–24

Croatan Buck Fifty 501 White Fork Rd, Swansboro 252-725-1438

Heafner Williams Vocal Competition Lincoln Cultural Center, Lincolnton 704-240-4989 MARCH 26–APRIL 21

Earth Elements Art Gallery Hillsborough Gallery of Arts 919-732-5001 MARCH 30

Easter Hat Parade 468 Haywood Road, Dillsboro 1-800-962-1911

Visit carolinacountry.com/calendar for more information about each event, including links to the most current information, or to submit your own event.

where in Carolina Country is this?

Send your answer by March 15, 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 May 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.

January’s winner The January “Where Is This” photo by Carolina Country’s Renee Gannon features the Carolina Diner, one of the many murals found along the Marcia H. Cloninger Rail-Trail section of the Carolina Thread Trail (carolinathreadtrail.org). This 1.5-mile paved path goes from a city park trailhead off North Aspen Street through downtown Lincolnton to Motz Avenue. The mural resides near an underpass beneath East Main Street at North Poplar Street. The train dining car mural art, by the late Clive Haynes, faces a steam locomotive mural. The locomotive mural pays tribute to Lincolnton’s rail, textiles and local arts history. If you look closely at the diners in the car, you will see familiar faces. Other murals nearby also pay tribute to this former Norfolk Southern railroad corridor, as well as the local arts scene. The winning entry chosen at random from all correct submissions came from Randy Cash of Lincolnton, a Rutherford EMC member.

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NCEC-Se

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Save energy for what matters most.

NCElectricCooperatives.com

This time of year comes with temperature swings, and as North Carolinians, we’re used to that. But did you know, the greater the difference between the outdoor temperature and your indoor thermostat setting, the harder your heating and cooling systems have to work to close the gap? This causes energy use to go up.

Discover cost-saving tips and tools from your local electric cooperative.

We’re here to help you and your family manage your energy use and save, this season and all year long.

NCEC-SeasonalEnergySavings-March2024.indd CC03_wk.indd 3 1

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