November/December 2023 Cooperative Living - CEC

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2023

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A STAR SHINES IN ROANOKE PAGE 2

MAKING A DIFFERENCE PAGE 4

CHECK OUT YOUR COMMUNITY NEWS

APPALACHIAN ATTITUDE & APTITUDE PAGE 6

PAGE 15

Cooperative Living COMMUNITY ELECTRIC

SANTA, SIRENS & SALUTATIONS PAGE 10

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CONTENTS

CL ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA

DEPARTMENTS

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VISIT CO-OPLIVING.COM

2 Our Communities 4 Powerful Careers 1 0 Cooperative Focus 23 Green Thumb 27 Brights 28 Cooperative Kitchen

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29 Farm Life 30 Happenings 32 Rural Living

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

34 Marketplace 35 Life Styles 36 Say Cheese

FEATURES 5 HAPPY & HEALTHY FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

How to effectively leave bad habits behind.

6 DELIGHTFUL DIVERSIONS Taking Appalachian cuisine into the big time.

33 DINING WITH PEGGY

24 HOLIDAY GUIDE Everything you might need for the holiday season.

Mouthwatering Maryland delights await at The CD Cafe.

COVER: MICHAEL WALKER AND DAVID MILAZZO OF FINE CREEK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT POSE WITH SANTA CLAUS. PHOTO BY LAURA EMERY. CORRECTION: ON PAGE 7 IN THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF COOPERATIVE LIVING, BRUCE VOGT'S LAST NAME WAS MISSPELLED AS ZOGT. COOPERATIVE LIVING REGRETS THE ERROR.

VIEWPOINT

Celebrating the Season

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It’s a way to engage with the people in the communities they serve. It has become a beloved tradition that also makes for a very touching and interesting read.

We also have articles throughout this issue of the magazine that celebrate the holiday season and focus on cooperative members in all parts of our service territory.

We have articles about a Powell Valley-area chef who has moved to Nashville and is beginning to make a name for himself, Virginia Christmas tree farmers, a Delaware woman who has written a book about raising chickens in Delmarva, and, of course, our annual Holiday Guide.

I appreciate the opportunity to share this Viewpoint with you in each issue and pray everyone has a great holiday season along with a safe and healthy 2024. 

t’s hard to believe we are winding down another year and this combined November-December Cooperative Living issue will be the last one of 2023. It has been an exciting year on many levels, but one of the highlights for me personally was to see the magazine exceed 600,000 issues and remain the top publication by circulation in Virginia and Maryland. I couldn’t be prouder of our folks who put so much into this magazine to ensure there is quality, family-friendly content that all our readers can enjoy. I want to take the time to thank them for all they do.

Our cover story combines the holiday season with the recognition of first responders. It is about volunteer firefighters from Southside Electric Cooperative-area fire departments Brian S. Mosier, President & CEO who escort Santa Claus through neighborhoods to visit kids.

Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives co-opliving.com

November-December 2023 ● Cooperative Living ● 1

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OUR COMMUNITIES

Cooperative Living Vol. 79, No. 1 ● ISSN 1529-4579

OUR MISSION To inform you about your cooperative and its efforts to serve your energy needs; how to use electricity safely and efficiently; and the people who define and enhance the quality of life in communities served by electric co-ops.

GREGG MACDONALD • Executive Editor JOHN GROTT • Creative Services Coordinator SONJA KINNEY • Advertising Account Representative JIM ROBERTSON • Manager of Member Services TOMMY CAMPBELL • Digital Producer NINA JACOBS • Production Coordinator

Published by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives C. MICHAEL SANDRIDGE • Chair GEORGE N. GOIN • Vice Chair FRANK W. BACON • Secretary/Treasurer BRIAN S. MOSIER • President & CEO Board of Directors: Christopher D. Bott, Belvin Williamson Jr., A&N; C. Michael Sandridge, Bill Buchanan, BARC; George N. Goin, Gary E. Wood, Central Virginia; Robert E. Arnold, Micheal E. Malandro, Choptank; Jeannette S. Everett, Steven A. Harmon, Community; James E. Huffman, Jeff M. Ahearn, Craig-Botetourt; Patricia S. Dorey, Rob A. Book, Delaware; Fletcher B. Jones, John C. Lee Jr., Mecklenburg; Russell G. Brown, Brad H. Hicks, Northern Neck; Wade C. House, David E. Schleicher, Northern Virginia; David T. Kindle, M. Brad Coppock, Powell Valley; Herbert R. Patrick, Sarat K. Yellepeddi, Prince George; Sanford Reaves Jr., John D. Hewa, Rappahannock; G. Todd Van Horn, Greg S. Rogers, Shenandoah Valley; Frank W. Bacon, Jason C. Loehr, Southside.

To advertise in Cooperative Living, contact: advertising@co-opliving.com (804) 297-3429 National Advertising Representative: AMP, 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504, Austin, Texas 78704 • 800-626-1181 Member of AMP network of publications, reaching more than 9 million homes and businesses.

To change your subscription, contact your electric cooperative.

For editorial inquiries, contact editor@co-opliving.com.

COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 473-300) is published 10 times a year, monthly except for combined JanuaryFebruary and November-December issues, by the VMD Association of Electric Cooperatives. POSTMASTER, address changes should be sent to: Cooperative Living, 4201 Dominion Boulevard, Suite 101, Glen Allen, VA 23060, (804) 346-3344. Periodicals Postage paid at Glen Allen, VA, and additional mailing offices. Subscription: $5.69 per year for members of subscribing co-ops; $10 per year for all others.

ADVERTISING published is accepted on the premise that the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and willingly sold to customers at the advertised price.

Neither this magazine nor the electric cooperatives in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware endorse any products or services advertised herein. If any readers encounter noncompliance with these standards, they are asked to inform the Association.

Please recycle.

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PHOTO BY DARYL WATKINS/CREATIVE DOG MEDIA

LAURA EMERY • Deputy Editor

The Brightest Star in the Sky Roanoke landmark lights up the holidays MANY PEOPLE — NATIVE VIRGINIANS ESPECIALLY — HAVE FOND MEMORIES TIED TO ROANOKE’S MILL MOUNTAIN STAR, but Glenda Booth’s ties to the Southwest Virginia landmark are special. Her father, William Booth, was the lead electrician when the iconic structure was constructed in 1949. “My father was born in 1911 in Franklin County, Va., and took electrical classes through the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. He then went to work for Jefferson Electric in Roanoke, which was contracted to work on the star,” she says. “He actually was the one who flipped the switch for the first time once it was completed.”

At the base of the Mill Mountain Star, which has come to also be known as the Roanoke Star, is a plaque commemorating Mr. William Booth, surrounded by boxwoods from his home in Vinton, Va. “Those boxwoods, planted at the Vinton home in 1955, were grown from grafts of the original ones on my father’s family farm,” says Glenda Booth.

Her son, Virginia Sen. Scott Surovell, also has special memories of his grandfather and the star. “I can remember him driving me around in his Volkswagen Bug, pointing it out,” Surovell says. “Both my grandparents were very proud of their connection to it.”

The star’s construction was initially commissioned by a local Roanoke merchants association in an effort to draw traffic and trade into the city. Today, the beloved structure is said to be the world’s largest freestanding illuminated man-made star and continues to draw visitors.

Resting nearly 850 feet above the city of Roanoke and visible for 60 miles from the air, it was originally intended to be illuminated only during the holiday season, but it eventually became so popular with Roanoke residents and visitors alike, that it is now illuminated every night, 365 nights a year. Its 2,000 feet of neon tubing can light up in three colors: red, white or blue. Standing nearly 90 feet tall and weighing in at 30 tons, it is responsible for Roanoke’s nickname as the “Star City of the South” and is visited by thousands each year.  co-opliving.com

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POWERFUL CAREERS

Committed to Service Fulfilling a lifelong desire to serve his community

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lifelong member of Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative, Dustin Francis fondly remembers attending co-op annual meetings with his grandparents.

Now serving his local electric cooperative as its community relations coordinator, Francis continues planting similar seeds and influencing the direction of today’s youth.

“I was interested in something that would allow me to stay in my home community and be involved,” he says.

“I’ve had a lifelong passion for agriculture and wanted to be involved in some way in agriculture and rural America.” That passion for agriculture and serving his rural community has only strengthened over time.

In his role with MEC, Francis serves as a liaison for the co-op and the communities it serves, seeking out new opportunities and developing programs to grow the co-op’s influence. Highly involved with the youth in Southside Virginia, Francis serves as the local coordinator and chaperone for the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, an annual leadership conference in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

His commitment to providing positive direction to youth continues with his servantship on the Virginia Cooperative Council board of directors.

Each spring, the Council hosts a weekend camp for high school students at Graves’ Mountain Lodge in Syria, Va., from across the commonwealth. The Virginia Institute for Cooperative Education — better known as VICE —

PHOTO BY JIM ROBERTSON

by Jim Robertson, Staff Writer

Dustin Francis with Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative students at Graves’ Mountain Lodge for the 2023 VICE conference.

challenges students to operate a cooperative in a game setting while also learning about the various types of co-ops. They compete for scholarships while having fun and making new friends.

“Since joining the Council, Dustin has been an active and valuable leader,” says Mary Howell, Virginia Cooperative Council executive secretary. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the guidance and mentorship he has provided to the kids at VICE each year. We count on him at each event for a moving and inspiring invocation.”

Francis attended Virginia Tech to study animal and poultry sciences before transferring to Liberty University, where he studied religion to be used in Christian ministry. His career includes serving his community as a deputy with the Halifax County Sheriff ’s Department — a role he continues to fulfill today as a reservist with the Crime Prevention program as time allows.

Past president of the Dan River Baptist Association, Francis currently serves as a member of the Halifax County Planning Commission, board member of the Halifax County Cattlemen’s Association, and committee member of the Southside Showdown livestock show. He also makes time to operate a cow-calf operation (F5 Farm), raising

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registered and commercial Angus and SimAngus cattle.

“I was provided with hands-on training and exposure to the more detailed responsibilities of the electric cooperative and how MEC provides its members with reliable electric service,” says Francis with gratitude. His responsibilities have evolved to include community-relations responsibilities for MEC’s subsidiary, EMPOWER Broadband. “I have also been involved in a larger capacity in seeking grant opportunities and working to obtain funding for the broadband expansion project.” He has recently become more involved in the demand-side response and energy-efficiency program, with a focus on educating members on how to use electricity more efficiently.

Francis encourages those in search of a career to consider how cooperatives strive to serve their members, and that all cooperatives were formed to fill an unmet need. “For me, being a part of the cooperative community means making a real difference for my neighbors, friends and children,” he says. “I feel like I can help shape the outlook of what tomorrow will look like for the next generation.”  For more, visit vmdaec.com/powerfulcareers. co-opliving.com

HAPPY & HEALTHY

Breaking Bad Strategies for stopping bad habits

by Vanessa LaFaso Stolarski, Contributing Columnist

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hether it’s biting our nails, overindulging in unhealthy foods, procrastinating or succumbing to negative self-talk, these habits can hold us back from leading fulfilling and productive lives. The good news is that with the right mindset and motivation, change is possible. Here are four proven strategies to help you stop unwanted behaviors in their tracks.

1. IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND THE TRIGGERS The first step in breaking any bad habit is to identify its triggers.

Habits are often a response to specific cues or stimuli in our environment.

By recognizing what prompts your bad habit, you can take proactive steps to avoid or mitigate those triggers. For instance, if you’re trying to quit smoking, you might discover that stress or social situations trigger your cravings. Once you know this, you can develop healthier coping mechanisms for stress or choose not to attend events where smoking is prevalent.

Understanding the psychological and emotional triggers behind your habits is equally important. Are you turning to a specific behavior as a way to deal with anxiety, boredom or low self-esteem? If so, addressing the co-opliving.com

underlying emotional needs is crucial.

Consider seeking support from a therapist or counselor who can help you develop healthier coping strategies or recruit a friend who knows you best.

2. REPLACE NEGATIVE HABITS WITH POSITIVE HABITS Breaking a bad habit often leaves a void in your daily routine. To successfully overcome this gap, replace the negative habit with a positive one.

Habits are easier to change when they are replaced rather than simply removed.

For example, if you are trying to cut down on sugary snacks, stock your pantry with healthier alternatives like fruits, nuts or yogurt.

This not only helps satisfy your cravings but also improves your overall nutrition.

Similarly, if you’re trying to break the habit of excessive screen time, consider replacing it with a daily exercise routine, reading or spending quality time with loved ones.

3. USE THE POWER OF ACCOUNTABILITY Share your goal with a friend, family member or coworker who can hold you responsible for your actions. Knowing that someone is aware of your intentions can motivate you to stay on track.

You can also take advantage of technology to boost your accountability.

Choose from a variety of habit-tracking apps that allow you to set goals, monitor your progress, and receive reminders.

Some even offer social features that let you share your achievements with a community of like-minded individuals.

4. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS AND SELF-REFLECTION Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment and aware of your thoughts and feelings. It can be a powerful tool for breaking bad habits because it helps you become more conscious of your actions and their consequences. By practicing mindfulness, you can observe your cravings, triggers and urges without immediately acting on them.

Kicking a habit to the curb is challenging but entirely achievable.

Remember that change takes time, and setbacks are a natural part of the process. Be patient with yourself.

Give yourself grace when you fall short. Stay committed to your goals, and with persistence and determination, you can successfully break free from those unwanted habits.

•

Vanessa LaFaso Stolarski is a certified nutrition counselor, weightlifting coach, life coach and stress-management specialist.

All health-related content and media provided by Cooperative Living or its website(s) is created and published for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.

November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 5

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DELIGHTFUL DIVERSIONS

Southern Charm

by Margaret Littman, Cardinal News

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hef Sean Brock has won multiple James Beard Awards (the Academy Awards of the restaurant business). His cookbooks have been on The New York Times bestseller list. He’s been lauded by major food publications including Food & Wine and Bon Appetit. But if you get a minute or three to talk to him, it is Wise County, Va., that is likely to come up in conversation first.

“I will talk to anyone who will talk to me about Appalachia before it is too late,” he says.

Brock, 45, is from Pound, Va., and lived there until he was a young teen.

His years there, cooking and foraging in Southwest Virginia, were among his most formative. In May, Brock was the keynote speaker at the eighth annual Southwest Virginia Economic Forum at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. He told the audience about the “night and day” experience of the food

he ate at his grandmother’s knee and those that were served in the first restaurants where he worked.

“I remember coming back and telling her, ‘You wouldn’t believe this lettuce they’re making people pay for at this restaurant.’ Because I grew up eating hers directly from the garden. And that flavor of the field, that feeling of being in the field and eating food while it’s still warm from the sun and the smell of the dirt is still in the air, inspired me very early,” he told attendees.

Brock drove to that Wise County event from Nashville, where he now lives and cooks and runs four different restaurants: Audrey, June, The Continental and Joyland.

On his drive back home, he watched the landscape change. By the time he reached Johnson City, Tenn., “It felt like an enormous blanket. I felt that comfort of the mountains. You read

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PHOTOS BY EMILY DORIO

Bringing Appalachian food to the masses

about it. People write songs about it.

I felt it,” he says.

Brock’s career has primarily been focused on the foods of the South (in fact, “South” is the title of his 2019 cookbook) and the repatriation of the Southern pantry. It was when he was in the kitchen at McCrady’s in Charleston that he won his first James Beard Award.

Now, in what he calls “the second half of my career,” Brock is dedicating himself to what he calls “untapped traditions and discoveries,” looking to places like Japan for inspiration.

For example, in the U.S. landowners struggle with how to eradicate kudzu. co-opliving.com

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PHOTO COURTESY CHEFSEANBROCK.COM

DELIGHTFUL DIVERSIONS

It was brought to the U.S. as erosion control — which worked — but it is invasive and a fire hazard and difficult to remove. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it can take 10 years of persistent herbicide applications to eradicate kudzu and two years with a combination of organic bioherbicides.

In contrast, in Japan, Brock says, kudzu root is dried and then a starch is extracted from it. Chefs pay $80 a pound for the starch, also called kuzu starch, which is packed with flavonoids and antioxidants and is used in broths and even desserts.

“My next big idea that I’m so excited to focus on for the next half of my life is the taming of kudzu. We’re gonna call it the ‘war on kudzu aggression,’ ” he told the UVA-Wise audience with a laugh.

The kudzu festivals in Japan remind him of the Virginia potlucks he attended as a kid. He’d like to leverage the climate of Appalachia and its traditions to make better use of the omnipresent crop. But that’s not his only focus when it comes to representing the region in the kitchen.

The relative youth of Appalachia — as compared with Japan — gives Brock hope that new discoveries are still ahead for the region. He gives the example of balsamic vinegar, discovered in Italy in a town that had existed for 1,500 years.

“I think we have some balsamic vinegar ahead for us in these forests.”

The menus at Audrey, the 2021 Nashville restaurant named after his grandmother, lean heavily on the foods and traditions of his upbringing in Virginia, and what comes from those forests.

Menus are seasonal and may include greasy beans, killed lettuces, sour corn and other dishes that would sound co-opliving.com

familiar to those who grew up in Wise County, although presented with an artistry that is uniquely “I will talk to Brock’s, such as the rosin potatoes served in a basket anyone who made from kudzu vine. will talk to me Brock estimates that 80% of the time at the about Appalachia restaurant is spent looking before it is for ingredients, including too late.” those that may be lost or — Sean Brock extinct. Brock is widely credited for helping to bring Jimmy Red Corn back from near oblivion. He encourages noting that chefs and specialty store owners would gladly stock fermented folks to continue to plant the brown corn on the cob, sauerkraut and other pole beans known as leather britches. local specialties. “I know that Whole Selecting ingredients for the restaurant Foods and other grocery stores would is “almost like a wine pairing,” he says, line up for apple butter from Wise “looking for different ways of weaving County.” He wants to help preserve that flavors together.” canning culture.

But Brock credits his grandmother, Brock is a professional chef who has with whom he lived for a few years, with spent his entire life focusing on the instilling in him an appreciation for foodways of the region, and in recent local, seasonal food and the ingredients of Appalachia. She also taught him to be years has become interested in respectful of food and to be resourceful, photography. He admires Southern photographer William Eggleston, who which meant never throwing anything is known for capturing everyday scenes, away, a value that he says could border “photographing the boring,” as Brock on hoarding tendencies if he is not calls it. Like Eggleston, Brock is using careful. “She did things the olddiscipline to only take one image and fashioned way. She had a crank-start taking one that doesn’t have to be edited.

1940s tractor like you would see in a That drive to do things thoughtfully cartoon.” is something he learned from his Exploring the forests around him, grandmother in Wise County. What he could identify ramps and morels he calls grit. “It’s a grit geared toward early on. “It was almost biological how doing the right thing and really trying we knew them,” he says. “That is how to focus on taking the best care of the I was wired.” person beside you that you can. It’s an He also remembers sitting on his extraordinary generosity that lives here grandmother’s screened-in back porch, that I try to carry on in my restaurants.”  listening to people tell stories or sitting at a kitchen table with just-picked blackberries or pawpaws. “I stayed in Scan this code to the middle of that tiny kitchen. That is learn more about Cardinal News. where all the action was, not her living room,” he says. “I saw that early on.

This article comes from Cardinal News, “If you look at Appalachian food, an online nonprofit news agency based in nothing’s like it in the world,” he says, Southwest Virginia.

November-December 2023 ● Cooperative Living ● 7

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U.S. POSTAL SERVICE – STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) Title of Publication – Cooperative Living Publication No. – 473-300 Date of Filing – Sept. 1, 2023 Frequency of Issue – 10 times a year No. of Issues Published Annually – 10 Annual Subscription Price – $5.69; $10 Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication – 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060 Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher – 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060 Full Name and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor – Publisher – Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060; Executive Editor – Gregg MacDonald, 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060; Managing Editor – Brian Mosier, 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060 Owner – Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, 4201 Dominion Blvd., Suite 101, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060 Known Bondholders, Mortgages, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1% or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities – none Tax Status: The Purpose, Function, and Nonprofit Status of This Organization and the Exempt Status for Federal Income Tax Purposes – Has not changed during preceding 12 months Publication Title – Cooperative Living Issue Date for Circulation Data Below – September 2023

Extent and Nature of Circulation – Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date • Total Number of Copies (Net press run) – 594,786; 600,281 • Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 – 592,218; 597,715 • Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 – None • Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS® – None • Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS® – None • Total Paid Distribution – 592,218; 597,715 • Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541 – 941; 974 • Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541 – None • Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS – None • Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail – None • Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution – 941; 974 • Total Distribution – 593,159; 598,689 • Copies Not Distributed – 1,627; 1,592 • Total – 594,786; 600,281 • Percent Paid – 99.9%; 99.8% This Statement of Ownership is required and is printed here, in the Nov.-Dec. 2023 issue of this publication.

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions and/or civil sanctions. Editor – /s/Gregg MacDonald, Sept. 1, 2023

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ANNUAL NOTICE This notice is required by Rule F 2.4, “Association, Organization and Society Subscriptions,” of the Alliance for Audited Media bylaws and covers the publication period Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2023.

Cooperative Living magazine is published 10 times annually by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives for 13 subscribing electric-distribution cooperatives.

This includes monthly issues except for combined JanuaryFebruary and November-December issues.

These subscribing cooperatives use the magazine to notify their members — who are also the owners of the cooperative utilities — about important co-op business news. Such news includes annual-meeting notices, board-of-director electioncandidate profiles, voting proxy forms, proposed bylaw changes and rate adjustments, member committee meetings, and articles on other topics important to each cooperative’s business operations.

The magazine also publishes energy-saving information, community-support stories, and other material in keeping with the fifth and seventh cooperative principles, “Education, Training and Information” and “Concern for Community.”

Subscribing cooperatives pay 56.9 cents per member per issue to send the magazine to each member, or a total of $5.69 per year per member. This price includes printing and mailing.

The cooperatives that subscribe to Cooperative Living are A&N Electric Cooperative (Tasley, Va.), BARC Electric Cooperative (Millboro, Va.), Choptank Electric Cooperative (Denton, Md.), Community Electric Cooperative (Windsor, Va.), Craig-Botetourt Electric Cooperative (New Castle, Va.), Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative (Chase City, Va.), Northern Neck Electric Cooperative (Warsaw, Va.), Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (Manassas Va.), Powell Valley Electric Cooperative (New Tazewell, Tenn.), Prince George Electric Cooperative (Waverly, Va.), Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (Fredericksburg, Va.), Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (Rockingham, Va.), and Southside Electric Cooperative (Crewe, Va.).

co-opliving.com

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COOPERATIVE FOCUS

Santa Claus is Coming to Town Volunteer fire departments connect with community through annual Santa Runs

by Laura Emery, Staff Writer

S

anta Claus knows how to make an entrance.

Forget magical reindeer endowed with the gift of flight; jolly old Saint Nick gets escorted by local volunteer firefighters through many neighborhoods in December, as a sort of precursor to Christmas.

Families wait at the end of their driveways in the crisp, cool air of an early winter evening. They often have flashlights, hot chocolate and, if Santa and his heroic helpers are lucky, warm

cookies in hand. The anticipation is palpable as fire truck sirens in the distance announce that Santa Claus is, indeed, on his way.

At the first sight of flashing and pulsing lights emerging through the darkness, young and old erupt into cheers of excitement. The rolling spectacle slowly makes its way through the neighborhood, bringing hope, happiness and holiday cheer.

Many volunteer fire stations, especially in rural communities, conduct

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these holiday community visits in their own unique way, and even have different names for it. For the districts in Powhatan, Va., served by Fine Creek Volunteer Fire Department and Huguenot Volunteer Fire Department, they’re called Santa Runs. And they’re an important, much-anticipated community-outreach event.

In fact, Michael Walker, president of Fine Creek Volunteer Fire Department, says they’ve become a holiday tradition for many local families. co-opliving.com

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“I became a volunteer so that I could give back to the community that gave so much to me. So to see that what we do impacts so many people, it’s an awesome feeling.”

– Daniel DeHart, Southside Electric Cooperative member

FOR A GOOD CLAUS The Santa Runs provide volunteer firefighters the opportunity to get out into the communities that are in their district and engage with the people that they serve.

“We get to meet them on a day that’s not the worst day of their life,” says Walker, who is a Southside Electric Cooperative member.

“It helps us show the families and children in the neighborhood that there’s nothing to be afraid of when we come to help them, and that they can always rely on us,” explains David Milazzo, assistant chief at Fine Creek.

For 10-year-old Tessa East, the Santa Runs have become synonymous with the holidays. It also helps foster a sense of familiarity with and trust in those who may one day need to come to her aid.

“It helps seeing fire trucks come to our street when nothing bad is happening.

So when an emergency happens, I don’t feel as scared,” she says.

Nora Hurt, the 7-year-old daughter of Southside Electric Cooperative members and residents in the district co-opliving.com

Volunteer firefighter Daniel DeHart and his wife, Jessie, and son, Luke, pose with Santa.

served by Huguenot, says, “It is fun to hear the sirens and see the red lights coming down the street and waving to Santa. I like that I get to see Santa before Christmas because it makes me happy and excited for the holidays.”

Daniel DeHart, a Southside Electric Cooperative member, has been volunteering for Huguenot for five years.

DeHart has fought fires and rescued kittens, but escorting Santa Claus through town is the highest honor for the father of two. “I became a volunteer so that I could give back to the community that gave so much to me. So to see that what we do impacts so many people, it’s an awesome feeling,” he says.

MAKING A LIST, CHECKING IT TWICE A lot of work goes into pulling off the much-anticipated event. At Fine

PHOTO BY LAURA EMERY

Laura East, a resident in the district served by Fine Creek and a member of Southside Electric Cooperative, says, “The Santa Run is such a fun community experience that my kids and I look forward to every year. It’s a tradition that my kids will remember forever as part of the holiday season.”

PHOTO COURTESY DANIEL DEHART

COOPERATIVE FOCUS

Tim Lawson, district chief of the Huguenot Volunteer Fire Department

Creek, it starts with a list. “Our Santa Runs go for six consecutive nights. Most of our members have full-time jobs and family commitments, so we use sign-up sheets to ensure we have an adequate number of volunteers each night,” Walker explains.

Next comes lining up a Santa Claus.

Bill Donati Sr. has been volunteering for Fine Creek since 1995. He enjoys donning a white beard, red suit and black boots for the star role during many of the department’s Santa Runs. Some years, his health has kept him from being able to do it. But, if he can, he will. It’s all for the kids, he says.

“I enjoy bringing smiles to everyone’s faces, especially the children.”

Unfortunately, Fine Creek and Huguenot — like many other volunteer departments across Virginia and Maryland — can’t hit every neighborhood in their districts. But they try to visit as many as they can.

While the fire departments make escorting Santa look easy, it’s truly a team effort. “The Santa Runs are an ‘allhands’ event for our members, meaning we need everybody to contribute for them to be successful,” Walker explains.

Huguenot’s Santa Runs take place for three consecutive nights. In addition to the Santa Runs, Huguenot holds an annual Santa Breakfast fundraiser in December where the community is (continued on page 12)

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COOPERATIVE FOCUS

Coming to Town

Did You Know?

(continued from page 11)

You Know the Drill …

STOP, DROP AND VOLUNTEER!

Volunteer fire departments need volunteers with various types of knowledge, skills and abilities. To learn how to become a volunteer and make a difference in your community, contact your local volunteer fire department for more information.

“We’re always looking for volunteers. No matter what your age is, there is always something you can contribute to help our community out,” explains Michael Walker, president of Fine Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

Benjamin Franklin founded the first volunteer fire company in North America in 1736 in Philadelphia, Pa.

REIN ON THE PARADE What happens if the department gets an emergency call while out escorting Santa?

According to Walker, it happened a couple of years ago for Fine Creek while Santa and his entourage were out in a local neighborhood visiting families.

There was a vehicle fire reported at the other end of the department’s district.

“If an emergency comes in, we automatically bail out and we’re en route. That’s why we carry a full crew on our apparatus when we go out [on the Santa Runs] … . We exit the neighborhood, and we answer the call.”

At Huguenot, the possibility of emergency calls is why it’s crucial to get the “game plan” established before leaving the station each night. “We have had calls come in during the Santa Runs. If that happens, the necessary equipment will peel off and answer the call,” Lawson explains.

In 2021, for example, answering the call made for a very long night for several area volunteer fire departments.

Huguenot had just completed a successful first night of Santa Runs when they got an emergency call. Volunteer firefighters from Huguenot, Fine Creek and Powhatan were all dispatched to numerous reports of brush fires and a vehicle accident in the northeastern part of Powhatan County.

“When those types of calls come in, we’ll often need to stay up all night. And the majority of us have daytime paying jobs and are back at work doing our

12 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

regular jobs the next day,” Lawson points out. “But that’s why we’re here.”

EXTINGUISHING MISCONCEPTIONS Firefighters don’t just enter burning buildings and rescue cats out of trees.

In fact, fire emergencies make up a small fraction of the calls to which most volunteer fire departments respond.

The majority of emergency calls include automatic fire alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, brush fires, medical incidents, animal rescue, motor-vehicle accidents, water problems and any situation deemed hazardous or dangerous.

According to DeHart, a common misconception about volunteer fire departments is that volunteers have less training than career firefighters. “We go through the exact same training as our career staff go through,” he explains.

PHOTO BY LAURA EMERY

PHOTO BY LAURA EMERY

invited to enjoy breakfast with Santa at the firehouse. It provides another opportunity for families to meet the department’s firefighters and EMTs. “We love community involvement, and we want to be out in our community as much as possible,” explains Tim Lawson, Huguenot Volunteer Fire Department’s district chief and volunteer of 10 years.

Bill Donati Sr., Fine Creek Volunteer Fire Department volunteer since 1995 co-opliving.com

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“We are blessed to live in a community where our fire departments go above and beyond their duty as firefighters,” she says. “The Santa Runs help connect our children to local firefighters in a festive and happy manner. We look forward to standing at the end of our driveway for a fourth year and welcoming Christmas with this year’s Santa Run.” 

“The Santa Runs help connect our children to local firefighters in a festive and happy manner.”

For sisters Nora and Hadley Hurt, the Santa Runs are an exciting start to the holidays.

— Shannon Hurt, Southside Electric Cooperative member

In addition to multiple levels of fire training, volunteer firefighters have access to training in other areas and emergency situations, such as technical rope rescues, hazardous training, bomb calls, water rescue, search-and-rescue, electrical emergencies, rail car accidents, electric vehicle extrication, and more.

arrived, and in their need to believe in something good. In the same way, firefighters’ life-saving work brings hope — and help — in times of dire need.

Shannon Hurt, a resident in Huguenot’s district and a Southside Electric Cooperative member, enjoys seeing her local fire department volunteers serve the community in such a positive way — by being purveyors of holiday cheer through the Santa Runs, and by giving selflessly of their time to be there when community members are in need.

HO, HO, HOPE Hope — it’s something Santa Claus brings to children all over the world each year. It can be seen in children’s wide eyes when they know Santa has

co-opliving.com

PHOTO COURTESY FINE CREEK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

PHOTO COURTESY SHANNON HURT

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co-opliving.com

COOPERATIVE NEWS Safety First for Standby Generators

N

ational Public Radio reported shortly after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that manufacturers and retailers were experiencing a “boom” in residential sales of standby power generators. Last May, The New York Times reported that — notwithstanding the surge in sales — leading manufacturer Generac estimated that fewer than 6% of U.S. households have standby generators.

The growing popularity of backup power generators in a market with lots of untapped potential makes it all the more important that purchasers adhere to strong safety practices in the installation and use of this machine. National Public Radio noted in its reporting that, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 70 people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning from portable generators. Carbon monoxide emitted from generators is an odorless, colorless, toxic gas, and exposure to it can be fatal.

“Backup generators offer a tremendous benefit to residences and small businesses in our modern age,” says Community Electric Cooperative Manager of Operations Glen Presson. “At the same time, we can’t emphasize enough that purchasers understand the responsibilities that come with standby power generation. Keep safety CONTACT US

52 W. Windsor Boulevard, P.O. Box 267 Windsor, VA 23487-0267 Phone 757-242-6181

Website comelec.coop

After-hours Outages 1-855-700-2667

Office Hours Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

President/CEO Steven A. Harmon Local Pages Editor Jessica Parr Community Electric Cooperative is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.

comelec.coop

novdec2023_CO_CL.indd 15

as your top priority, and backup generators can see you through all kinds of difficult situations if and when the power supply is interrupted.”

PERMANENT STANDBY GENERATORS Properly connecting the generator into the electrical system is a critical step for safe and effective use. A licensed professional should install a permanent, standby electric generator and can help with proper equipment for safely using a portable generator. All standby generators require a permanently (and professionally) installed transfer switch. (High-end generators permanently installed to power some or all rooms of the home typically have the switch built into the system. Other generators require you to manually throw the switch.)

The transfer switch has an important job, and that is to break the path of electricity between the power lines and your main electrical panel. This is the best way to protect you, your neighbors and electric utility repair crews from “backfeed,” which occurs when an improperly connected generator begins feeding electricity “back” through the power lines. This can seriously injure anyone near lines, especially crews working to restore power. For more information on permanent generators and to receive a free quote, please visit comelec. coop/standby-power or contact Glen Presson at 757-242-9259, option 1.

PORTABLE GENERATORS Many homeowners choose smaller, portable generators to power essential electrical equipment during outages.

Safe Electricity (safeelectricity.org) offers these tips for the safe operation and use of portable generators: • Read and follow all manufacturer operating instructions to properly ground the generator. Be sure you understand them before hooking up the generator.

• Maintain adequate ventilation.

Generators emit carbon monoxide.

NEVER operate a generator in your home, garage or other enclosed building. Place it in a dry, outside location.

• Never plug a portable electric generator into a wall outlet or connect directly to a home’s wiring. This can energize utility power lines and injure you or others working nearby. Electrical backfeed also can damage the generator and home electrical equipment.

• Turn off the generator and allow cooling before refueling. Gasoline and its vapors may ignite if they come in contact with hot components or an electrical spark.

Store fuel in a properly designed container in a secure location.

• Protect your appliances. Turn off or disconnect all appliances and lights before you begin operating the portable generator.

Once the generator is running, turn your appliances and lights on one at a time to avoid overloading the unit.

• Use proper extension cords. Use only safety-tested, shop-type electrical cords designed and rated for heavier, outdoor use to connect appliances.

• Shut down the generator properly.

Before shutting down a generator, turn off and unplug all appliances and equipment being powered by the generator.

• Remember maintenance between uses.

It is important to drain the gasoline from the generator before storing it away. It’s also a good idea to inspect the fuel and oil filters, spark plug, oil level and fuel quality, and start the generator on a regular basis before an emergency situation happens.

Community Electric suggests that these safety guidelines and basic operating instructions be posted in the home and with the generator.

November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 15

10/17/23 12:05 PM

CEC’s Three Military Veterans: Great Ambassadors for Both Walks of Life

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hat does nuclear reactor water chemistry have in common with half-track hauling and aircraft carrier flight decks?

Each one played a major part in the career of a military veteran who is employed by Community Electric Cooperative. As Veterans Day approaches, Flynn Gladden, Glen Presson and Mitch Simmons agree that not only did their years in the military help them grow as men while serving their country, it positioned them even today to help the Cooperative achieve success.

“My service in the Marine Corps validated the value of hard work,” says Presson, CEC Manager of Operations.

Presson joined CEC in 1989 after a fouryear tour of duty that took him to countries as far away as Norway and South Korea.

“I was not a good student in high school, but I always had a good work ethic,” Presson says. “I learned that if you worked hard, you could get recognized, and that stuck with me.”

Gladden is a Navy veteran who joined CEC two years ago. He is an engineering technician on track to graduate later this year from Old Dominion University with a degree in electrical engineering. He feels the work ethic that permeates the Cooperative’s ranks is uncommon among job settings.

“Veterans are some of the hardest workers, but here at Community, actually everybody works hard. That helps us [veterans] fit in,” Gladden says. “I’ve never worked anywhere that had as high a percentage of people who wanted to be there and to do a good job. That’s quite a unique experience in the workforce these days, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Simmons was also in the Navy, where he served aboard two aircraft carriers in the 1980s as a plane captain, ensuring the safety of pilots and their planes upon launch and recovery. He joined the Cooperative five years ago as Manager

Mitch Simmons, Manager of Information Technology

of Information Technology after a career with high-tech companies in Arkansas and other states.

His time in the military instilled in him an appreciation for discipline and teamwork.

All three men identify teamwork as an invaluable learning experience from their military service.

“A lot of the job is responsibility and teamwork, and that’s the part I really enjoyed,” Simmons says, “The teamwork, the safety, standing left to right, in front and behind, knowing we have each other’s back.”

Despite the differences in the three men’s ages and backgrounds — Simmons grew up in Oklahoma, Gladden in South Carolina and Presson in Suffolk — there’s a bit of a common strand to their decisions to enlist in the military: a desire to chart a more purposeful course in life and to make some money while doing so.

“The military was pretty much where I grew up from childhood to adulthood,” Simmons says. While he originally sought to be an aviation electronics technician, no slots were available, but he had a rating that enabled him to be the carrier’s plane

16 • Cooperative Living • November-December 2023

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captain. Eventually he landed in the electronics shop but missed being a plane captain. He ended his career in the Navy as the supervisor of the line shack (plane captains). He earned his E5 rating as an Aviation Electronic Technician Second Class Petty Officer, his love for the Navy and his brothers and sisters have lasted over 40 years.

“You worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and you constantly had your head on a swivel. You had 60 aircraft and six types of propellers, some with 7-foot air intakes and some with 20-foot intakes,” Simmons says. “If there was a problem, you fixed it, because you had to ask yourself, ‘Is my aircraft and my pilot coming back safely?’ It made me more aware of what I was doing and my surroundings, and that’s one of the things you learn about here at the Cooperative is safety and situational awareness.”

Gladden, the youngest of the three, still marvels at the responsibility he had maintaining his carrier’s nuclear reactor as a 19-year-old. He was a machinist’s mate nuclear and an engineering lab technician responsible for radiation control and the reactor’s water chemistry.

Community Electric Cooperative

10/17/23 12:05 PM

Flynn Gladden, Engineering Technician

“One of the big things I learned is not to be afraid of new stuff. I learned about being able to adapt to whatever circumstances you’re put in and how to make the best of it. I was a significantly more mature person when I got out than when I went in — and I was significantly farther ahead financially than my buddies who were taking out loans to go to college and going into debt.”

The men agree that people often fail to recognize that there are opportunities available to them in the military no matter who they are and what their skill sets may be. Given his mechanical aptitude, Presson was a vehicle recovery specialist who, no matter what or where the deployment, was always on call to haul light amphibious and motor pool vehicles.

“That whole experience put me on the right path in life,” he says. “I was a wild and crazy teenager, and I don’t know where I’d have been if I hadn’t made the decision to enlist. You come to realize that you’re serving your country and then, too, you’re getting fed, getting shelter. At least for a time while you’re trying to figure things out, you’re given something to do and getting paid for it. It’s a good experience.”

Community Electric President and CEO Steven Harmon says the Cooperative is honored to have Gladden, Presson and Simmons — as well as veterans who preceded them — among its team members. comelec.coop

novdec2023_CO_CL.indd 17

Glen Presson, Manager of Operations

“Each of these men is a tremendous ambassador for Community Electric and, by the examples they set, for the value and benefits of military service. I wish each and every one of our members could have the chance to meet and speak with them,” Harmon says. “They bring a great perspective to the mission we pursue and to the responsibilities we have as members of the community at large. They are highly dedicated and hardworking professionals whom we are proud to have as friends and colleagues.”

Holiday Office Closings • Thursday and Friday, Nov. 23-24, for Thanksgiving; • Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 25-26, for Christmas; and • Monday, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day. Community Electric Cooperative directors and employees wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 17

10/17/23 12:05 PM

CLOSER LOOK

Energy-Saving Gadgets and Gifts

by Paul Wesslund, Contributing Columnist

W

ith the holidays approaching, shoppers will soon be eyeing an abundance of devices and gadgets to gift friends and loved ones — or to buy for themselves.

When it comes to cool new technology, many consumers are turning to smart home devices that offer convenience as well as other benefits, including one often-overlooked perk: energy savings. With so many options available, choosing the best technology for your needs can be overwhelming.

Here are four tips to help you determine the right smart home technologies for your home: ASK YOURSELF HOW SMART YOU WANT YOUR HOME TO BE Smart plugs, energy-use apps and home monitors are cool devices that can help you save energy. But to make the most of them, it helps to understand how they work. Before you invest your time and money, ask yourself, how much technology do you want? What are your habits when it comes to setting up and using the latest developments? If you like to tinker, an energy app on your phone could be fun and help you save money.

But as electronics get smarter, even When it comes to cool new technology, many consumers are turning to smart home devices that offer convenience as well as other benefits, including energy savings.

non-tech-savvy people are finding them easier to use.

Smart home devices offer convenience as well as energy savings.

GET THE MOST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK The most frequently purchased energy-saving device is a smart thermostat. And that makes sense because the thermostat controls your heating and cooling, which account for the most energy consumption in your home. Smart thermostats can do things like program an energy schedule to adjust the heating or cooling when you’re sleeping or out of the house during the day. Additional smart thermostat features include detecting movement in a room to adjust energy use, learning your daily habits, responding to voice commands, and tracking the weather.

Renters might even be able to convince a landlord to pay for an energy-saving smart thermostat.

If you have a heat pump, you could benefit by contacting your electric co-op before using a smart thermostat.

Lowering the temperature too much when you’re not home could result in switching to more expensive auxiliary heat to bring the house back to room temperature.

Other devices that can produce energy savings for minimal cost and effort include smart lightbulbs, outlets and charging stations.

DETERMINE YOUR ENERGY-SAVING GOALS A home energy monitor is one way

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PHOTO COURTESY ECOBEE

Four tips for getting the best smart technologies for your home

to save on electricity, and the range of choices means you’ll need to ask how much you’re willing to pay and if it’s worthwhile. One study found that spending about $1,800 on a full-home commercially installed energy monitor could save about 16% on electric bills and pay for itself in 10 to 15 years.

Much less ambitious approaches involve downloading an app on your phone so you can keep track of your electricity use, and even turn smart appliances on and off when you’re away.

PERFORM AN ENERGY CHECK Take a walk through your home to identify everything that uses electricity.

You’ll likely notice a lot of functions that could be managed with smart devices.

If your phone sits plugged in long after it’s charged, smart power strips and smart outlets can stop the electricity use when the battery is at 100%. Smart lightbulbs can be controlled with an app on your phone, saving energy and giving your home that lived-in look when you’re away.

Ceiling fans can now adjust themselves for the best airflow depending on the temperature. Motion detectors can turn indoor lights on and off when you enter or leave a room, and even solar-powered outdoor lights can detect when you’re approaching and light the way.

With just a little planning, you can make sure this gift-giving season is merry, bright — and smart.

•

Paul Wesslund writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. co-opliving.com

CUTTING EDGE

Mini-split systems are hot right now

by Leslie Tate, Contributing Writer

A

PHOTO COURTESY GARY CZIKO

ductless air conditioner, also referred to as a mini-split system or air source heat pump, offers a variety of options for heating and cooling, particularly for older homes and buildings. Several years ago, mini-split models were thought to be inefficient for colder climates, but these systems have made great strides, making them a more viable option for most U.S. regions.

Mini-splits are a viable alternative to duct systems for home additions or for homes where a duct system may not be practical.

Installing a mini-split system can provide several benefits, but the capability to regulate temperatures in specific rooms or areas of the home is the most attractive feature.

An indoor air-handling unit (evaporator) and an outdoor compressor/condenser make up the two major components of a mini-split system. In many ways, mini-split air conditioners operate like conventional air-conditioning systems. In cooling mode, the system transfers heat from inside the home to the outside. With a central air system, cold air is blasted throughout all the ducts in the home from a single air handler, such as a large co-opliving.com

Installing a mini-split system can provide several benefits. The capability to regulate temperatures in specific rooms or areas of the home is an especially attractive feature.

fan in an attic or basement. Because a mini-split can blow air from up to six independent air handlers, it can regulate temperatures for different rooms or areas inside the home.

Mini-splits are a viable alternative to duct systems for home additions or for homes where a duct system may not be practical. When a duct system is too expensive to install, a mini-split system can efficiently heat and cool a space while keeping installation costs down.

A mini-split can also settle thermostat disagreements in a home or business for those with different comfort preferences.

For example, to give teachers control over the temperature in their spaces, mini-split systems are frequently installed in classrooms.

Compared to conventional HVAC systems, mini-splits can significantly reduce energy consumption and have the potential to save up to 30% on cooling costs and 50% on heating costs.

Additionally, inverter technology, which enables variable-speed operation, is frequently included with mini-split systems. This results in increased energy efficiency and a cheaper cost of operation as the system adjusts its output based on the actual heating or cooling demand.

PHOTO COURTESY DENNIS SCHROEDER, NREL

Let’s Hear It for the Little Guy

In addition to greater control over heating and cooling, mini-splits can also be managed with a mobile app, smart thermostat or remote control.

They provide better air quality, and homeowners can easily replace the filters themselves, saving money on the pricey duct cleanings needed for conventional air conditioners. Reheat dehumidification is a common feature of mini-split systems to maintain a steady room temperature while lowering humidity.

A few factors should be considered before installing a mini-split system.

Determining the right size and quantity of units is a key first step. The location of the system is another important factor to consider. A mini-split should be installed where it will help maximize air distribution throughout the home.

A qualified contractor can offer advice on these factors. Additionally, your home should be properly sealed in order for the mini-split system to operate efficiently.

For many homeowners, a mini-split ductless heating and cooling system can be a fantastic alternative for heating and cooling. Contact your local electric cooperative if you have questions about mini-split systems.

•

Leslie Tate writes for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 19

HEALTHY TAKE

CONSIDER THESE FOUR TIPS TO GET KIDS MORE INVOLVED IN MEALTIMES: 1. Choose mealtimes when the family is typically together and make preparation a team effort. Allow children to pick out vegetables or other items at the grocery store (or from the fridge, freezer or pantry) to prepare. Alternatively, if you have a few meal options planned for the week, children can help decide what to make on which days. The key is to empower children to make choices, thus helping develop a sense of responsibility and encouraging variety in food choices.

2. Allow children to help wash produce, stir food in mixing bowls, get tools like cutting boards from the cupboard and more. Children can help peel or chop foods or stir pots or pans with adult guidance. Even younger children can assist by using child-safe utensils to peel or chop food, sprinkle toppings, pour dressings or combine pre-measured meal components.

3. Children can help place food on the table and serve themselves at young ages. Young children may find it easier to serve themselves by using measuring cups instead of serving utensils.

Encourage children to try some of each food on the table but try not to push them to eat anything in particular. Instead, give them time and multiple opportunities to try different foods. If they are able, teach children how to pass food to others at the table and engage in conversation.

Sharing at the table can help foster social development and family connections.

4. After mealtime, children can help clean up and put things away. Even if they can’t reach the sink, children can help clear items from the table. They can also assist with putting dishes in the dishwasher or ferrying clean dishes to an adult to put back in cupboards and drawers.

Additionally, they can help wipe up spills and crumbs, and push in chairs, too.

Not Enough Chefs in the Kitchen Four tips to encourage kids to help with meal preparation Story courtesy of Family Features

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lanning, preparing, serving and cleaning up after mealtimes are skills that can be beneficial to everyone. Yet when it comes to meal prep, many families find it easier to tell children to go play rather than bringing them into the kitchen to help create meals.

“One of the best ways to encourage children to try new foods or simply eat their vegetables is to allow them the opportunity to plan and prepare a meal,” says Emily Hicks, a registered dietitian nutritionist for KinderCare Learning Centers. “Involving “ Involving your children children in meal planning, preparation and serving in your mealtime in age-appropriate ways helps give them some autonomy in a world in which they often feel they routines can bring do not have many choices. This can help reduce food and fun to the stress and food fights at mealtime, creating a more table, creating a sense peaceful and enjoyable experience for everyone.” of belonging that Meal preparation can also bring certain classroom lessons such as counting and fractions will boost the whole to life as children measure ingredients. It can family’s well-being. also be an opportunity for an impromptu science — Emily Hicks lesson about the parts of plants and animals people eat and the nutritional benefits of healthy foods.

“The benefits of family mealtime go beyond health,” Hicks says. “Involving your children in your mealtime routines can bring food and fun to the table, creating a sense of belonging that will boost the whole family’s well-being.

Remember, you don’t have to stick to a routine 100 percent of the time to be beneficial. Just do your best to keep routines when possible and practice balance.”

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20 • Cooperative Living • November-December 2023

co-opliving.com

FIXER UPPER

Keeping Your Home Cozy Four tips for maximum winter comfort

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Story courtesy of Statepoint Content

hen the temperatures drop and the precipitation turns cold, efficiently keeping your home cozy and warm is likely a top priority.

As you make home upgrades this fall, be sure to use materials designed to withstand extreme weather events, which help manage indoor climate control. Doing so will mean greater comfort and more affordable energy bills, not only when it’s cold, but all year long.

ROOFING As your first defense against all kinds of weather, your roof sustains a lot of wear and tear. Consider prioritizing durability, strength and weather resistance in a new roof by opting for metal. The good news? You can get a classic appearance with this material, thanks to updates in roofing technology.

For example, the energy-saving metal roofing offered by ProVia has the textured appearance of natural slate or shake shingles, but is constructed of highly durable 26-gauge steel for added strength and lifetime protection from wind, rain, hail and corrosion.

SIDING Is your home drafty or chilly when the temperatures drop and the wind kicks up? The culprit may be insufficient insulation. Keep in mind that most wall insulation is placed only between the studs, and wall studs make up to 25% of the wall surface of an average home. You can fill in these insulation gaps with insulated vinyl siding that’s been tested and proven to increase the R-value (a measure of a material’s resistance to co-opliving.com

heat flow) of an exterior wall. One of the most energy-efficient exterior claddings on the market, CedarMAX insulated vinyl siding is one such choice that can help reduce your energy bills. Plus, its strong, rigid-foam backing offers greater impact resistance against rain, hail, sleet and snow, making a siding upgrade a good project to consider before the first winter storm.

WINDOWS Windows are a common point of heat transfer, and as such, they play a huge role in the comfort of your home. It’s not often that you have to purchase windows for your home, but when you do, you’ll want to ensure that they deliver the best in energy efficiency and comfort. ProVia’s vinyl windows, for example, are Energy-Star-certified, to help keep your home warm in winter.

INTERIOR DECOR You may not think about your interior decorating choices as something that could potentially improve your home’s energy efficiency, but many such updates will not only make your home look cozier, but they’ll also actually help keep it warm. Thick area rugs are a good place to start, as they provide insulation underfoot. Likewise, cellular shades or Roman shades can help stop heat transfer around windows, and wall tapestries or fabric-like wallpaper can provide a touch more insulation on walls.

By selecting the right products, you can prepare your home for greater comfort and energy savings in cool weather.

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November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 21

ENERGY SENSE Electric stovetops are a tried-and-true option for many homes, with 74% of the energy from an electric range transferred to the food.

No matter the type of stove, matching pot and pan sizes to the burner is important to avoid wasting energy.

Induction stovetops use electromagnetic energy to heat the pan, reducing energy waste.

A Consumer Guide to Stovetops Now you’re cooking with gas ... or not

by Miranda Boutelle, Contributing Columnist

Q:

A

A:

I’m considering a new stovetop.

Can you explain the different options available?

ccording to a study completed by the Electric Power Research Institute, 74% of the energy from an electric range is transferred to food, versus 40% on a gas range. Induction cooktops are the most-efficient option at 90% energy transferred to food. Regardless of your stovetop choice, correctly sizing pots and pans to the burner is important to avoid wasting energy.

Electric cooktops are a tried-andtrue option for many homes, and they are typically the most affordable option. Glass-top models offer a cleaner look than the traditional coil elements and are easier to clean, but tend to be a bit more expensive. The most common complaint about electric cooking is that the heating controls are not as fast or precise.

Many home chefs prefer gas stovetops because you can easily see the size of the flame, a visual clue that helps you control the cooking temperature. Temperature adjustments are also faster and more precise than on electric stovetops. However, there are some concerns with safety and indoor air quality associated with gas stoves because gas emissions can be harmful

I have found that most people who enjoy cooking have pretty strong opinions about their preferred fuel choice: gas or electric. Induction is a newer option for home stovetops, which is growing in popularity.

to your health. To help reduce indoor air pollution, always use your exhaust fan when using your gas stovetop.

Ideally, your exhaust fan should be vented to the exterior of the home.

Access is also a consideration.

Natural gas is typically available in more populated areas, while rural customers may need a propane storage tank installed outside their homes to use a gas stove.

An induction stovetop can offer a higher-end cooking experience than a standard electric stovetop, and some people prefer it to cooking on gas.

Induction stovetops use electromagnetic energy to heat the pan, reducing energy waste. Instead of heating the stove’s surface, they heat the pans themselves. Because the pans heat directly, you don’t have to wait for the heat to transfer like you do with gas and electric stovetops, resulting in faster cooking times. They also allow for more precise temperature control, which can deliver better results.

Cool burners offer additional safety benefits. You don’t have the indoor airquality issues associated with gas, and they won’t ignite items like dishrags or paper left on the stovetop.

22 • Cooperative Living • November-December 2023

Induction cooktops are typically more expensive than similar gas or electric models. They also require you to use specific cookware. Stainless steel and cast-iron cookware are both compatible with induction cooktops.

If you want to test your pots and pans to see if they are induction-compatible, do the magnet test. If a magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan, it will work on an induction stove.

Cooking on an induction stovetop takes a little time to get used to, but many people have made the switch and enjoy the experience.

If you are remodeling and have a gas range, consider running electrical to support an induction cooktop if you change your mind in the future. Setting up the power supply during a remodel can offer significant savings.

If you are considering making the switch, be sure to keep an eye on any incentives for your state or region.

A rebate for replacing your gas stove with an electric one may be available under the Inflation Reduction Act.

•

Miranda Boutelle writes on energyefficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. co-opliving.com

GREEN THUMB

From left, Robert O’Keefe, Lori Grove and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr

A Growing Christmas Tradition

by Jane W. Graham, The Delmarva Farmer

T

Virginia ranks seventh in the nation in Christmas tree production and generates $10 million in sales for the state’s economy.

he future of the Virginia Christmas tree looks bright, Matt Lohr, Virginia’s secretary of agriculture and forestry, recently told growers attending the Virginia Christmas Tree Growers annual meeting in Winchester, Va. Lohr shared his personal memories of buying Christmas trees with his young family, including going to a Christmas tree farm every year, getting the tree, and digging out ornaments and memories from the attic to decorate the tree. He says this is likely the same experience many families share each year.

Christmas tree farms are an important part of the state’s agritourism movement, Lohr contends. He says they are not just selling trees, but memories. He pointed out that Virginia ranks seventh in the nation in Christmas tree production and generates $10 million in sales for the state’s economy.

“And I think it will continue to grow,” he says, “Coming out of COVID, people want more locally grown food and trees.

They want to support local farmers.”

Lohr added he was excited to speak to the group and show his support to a segment of Virginia’s farming community that has been so important to his family and to the state.

Lohr presented Lori Grove her Grand Champion award in the group’s wreath contest during the meeting. Grove’s family operates Caritas Tree Farm at Mt. Solon, Va.

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A highlight of the meeting, the annual auction to raise money for the group’s scholarship, was an unexpected success, retiring board member Robert O’Keefe says. He says it raised nearly double the money from last year.

Grove is taking over organizing the group’s Christmas tree and wreathmaking contests, filling the vacancy left

by O’Keefe’s retirement. O’Keefe was presented with a plaque for his 16 years on the board and for his service to the organization.

This is a year of transition for the association that is led again by President Ryan Clouse.

This year, Clouse and the association welcomed a new vice president, Ben Snyder. Snyder and his wife, Angel, are part of a new generation of Christmas tree growers. They are starting a farm in Caroline County, Va. Ben Snyder brings a lifetime of experience in the industry, having grown up on a Pennsylvania Christmas tree farm.

“It was a good meeting,” John Carroll, outgoing vice president, says.

The group recognized Carroll with a plaque for his leadership over the years.

Carroll gave the credit for much of his work to his wife, Virginia, and pointed to her work in organizing a new effort for VCTGA, Christmas Tree Day at the Capital.

PHOTO COURTESY JOHN CARROLL

Virginia Christmas tree sales are on the rise

Meeting attendees learned that a group from both VCTGA and the Mount Rogers Christmas Tree Growers Association promoted the industry in Richmond with visits to the General Assembly and its individual members, the governor and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

A tour of one of the newest farm members, Haven Wood Farm in Berryville, marked the opening of the three-day gathering. This will be the first year for farm owner Eric Biebighauser to sell trees on his farm.

The event ended at Mountain View Tree Farm in Woodstock, a 43-acre property that includes over 20 acres of mature hardwood forest with running streams, a 1-acre pond, and three separate fields of wildflowers, grasses and Christmas trees. The first Christmas trees were planted there in the spring of 2019 and will be ready for harvest in about five to seven years.

•

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This article comes from The Delmarva Farmer, an agricultural newspaper for the mid-Atlantic region.

November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 23

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2023

HOLIDAY

GUIDE V

The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to start thinking about gift-giving and making memories with the ones we love.

irginia peanuts are large, crunchy, flavorful and nutritious — and they’re one of the most popular peanuts in the world, according to the Virginia Peanut Growers Association.

You can enjoy them raw, roasted, toasted, blanched, boiled, salted, seasoned, unsalted or drenched in chocolate. Or you can add them to your favorite holiday recipes for everything from peanut clusters to peanut pie. People with a penchant for peanuts can shop for all different types of Virginia peanuts from various retailers and have them shipped in time for holiday snacking enjoyment. For more information, visit aboutpeanuts.com.

If you or someone you know loves jewelry and/or Virginia gemstones, Elk Run Mining Company is the place to go.

Located in Harrisonburg, Va., along the sidewalk at the lower edge of the Water Street parking deck, Elk Run Mining Company specializes in Virginia gemstone jewelry and can make custom pieces that are sure to become family heirlooms. The company and its owner, Stuart Mercer, were featured in the July 2023 issue of Cooperative Living. Mercer mines, cuts and polishes Virginia gems, and then creates settings of silver or gold. These make the perfect holiday gifts for family and friends of all ages. For more information, visit elkrungems.com.

The holidays are also a time for making memories with the ones we love.

Belle Grove Plantation will be hosting its fourth annual holiday market — Kris Kringle Market —

on Saturday, Nov. 18, and Sunday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. It will feature dozens of local artisans and vendors and is free to the public. There will be warm beverages and food for sale, plus Storytime with Santa, and more! There is a charge to tour the Manor House.

Festive Fridays on Nov. 24, Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22 are the perfect way to usher in weekends during the holiday season. Come enjoy the old-fashioned holiday charm in historic Cape Charles’ Winter Wonderland each Friday from Nov. 24 through Dec. 22. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to greet the young (and young at heart!), and there will be free horse-drawn carriage rides available for children. Visitors will get to watch the Northampton High School marching band perform on parade each week. Shops and restaurants will be open and there is a FREE holiday movie featured each week.

For more information, visit capecharlesmainstreet.com.

24 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

Come enjoy winter traditions — and make memories while doing so — in the picturesque mountain community of Highland County during Wintertide on Dec. 2. You’re invited to slow your pace while you enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of this very special time.

There will be a craft market, a visit from Santa, and tastes of the season.

Then come back on Feb. 17, 2024, for Big Fish Cider’s Wassail.

Celebrate Virginia maple syrup with the 64th Highland County Maple Festival March 9-10 and March 16-17, 2024. Visitors have been drawn to Highland County since 1959 for its tours of real maple sugar camps that offer a cultural and culinary adventure!

For more information, visit highlandcounty.org.  CL

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HOLIDAY GUIDE

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November-December 2023 ● Cooperative Living ● 25

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BRIGHTS

Get the LEDs Out Brightening your holidays for less

LEDs emit little to no heat and perform best in colder temperatures.

by Tom Tate, Contributing Writer

A

s you read this, the clock is rapidly ticking down to the holidays. I know many people are already contemplating how to decorate their homes to celebrate. Naturally, you will want to be as economical as possible in your energy use, won’t you? So, let me help you express your holiday cheer with a minimal impact on your electric bill.

As a youngster growing up in the second half of the last century, we had but one Christmas lighting option … those big incandescent lights. They were glorious, and I fondly remember them on the tree and outlining various parts of the house. Wow, were they beautiful!

However, times changed, and the desire to conserve energy drove lighting companies to develop mini-incandescent light strings. They made up for what they lacked in size with numbers. Instead of 10 to 25 bulbs per string, you had at least 50 and often 100. Some included special bulbs that made the string twinkle for a dazzling and festive effect. And the good news? Mini-incandescents provided a serious reduction in electric consumption.

While mini-incandescent lamps used significantly less energy than their larger ancestors, people wanted to save even more on their holiday lighting extravaganzas. Fortunately, lighting technology advances in the form of LEDs (lightemitting diode) lamps provided the perfect solution. Talk about energy misers; LEDs practically sip electricity, even compared to their mini-incandescent cousins. True, the first generations had horrible and garish colors, but that has been resolved, and LEDs are now a beautiful option.

In addition to being certified energy misers, what else do LEDs bring to the holiday lighting scene? For one, you can buy light strands that operate even with one or more inoperable LEDs, a feature hard to find with mini incandescents. Here’s another advantage: They emit little to no heat and perform best in colder temperatures, making them the safest interior lighting option and well-suited for co-opliving.com

outdoor use (make sure your strands have an outdoor rating).

The latest LED light strands offer twinkle, sequential, flashing and other modes to add a special oomph to your display!

And finally, LEDs can last as much as 40 times longer than incandescent lamps.

Drum roll, please. How much does using each type of light for your decorating masterpieces cost? The following table provides the answer.

Type of Lamp

Wattage per Lamp

Wattage per 100 Lamps

Season Operating Cost*

C9 Incandescent Mini Incandescent LED

7 0.425 0.069

700 42.5 6.9

$36.09 $2.19 $0.36

*Costs calculated based on 40 days, 8 hours per day of operation, $.1611/kWh (EIA data as of 06/2023)

Imagine how many strings of LEDs you can afford to operate when 100 lamps cost a measly 36 cents over 40 days.

You could put up enough lights to be visible from low Earth orbit impact on your wallet.

Type ofwith Lamp little Wattage per Lamp Wattage per 100 Lamps Season Operating Cost* C9 Incandescent 7 700 $36.09 CELEBRATE SAVING ENERGY Light Output Wattage per Bulb ALL YEAR Reduction Mini Incandescent 0.425 $2.19 Lumens Incandescent Equivalent LED42.5 Equivalent Percentage Okay, you’ve cut the cost of Christmas lighting to the LED 0.069 6.9 $0.36 75-110 7-9 bone.730-800 Carry the savings60momentum forward with the87easiest 7-9 $.1611/kWh (EIA data as87 *Costs calculated based on 40 days,608 hours per day of operation, of 06/2023) New1380-1600 Year’s resolution ever: Dramatically reduce your87regular 100 12-14 2000-2500 150 83 lighting costs by switching to LEDs.23-28 While an expensive option a decade ago, LEDs are now affordable, plus you can buy dimmable and three-way bulbs. And like their holiday lighting relatives, they are very energy efficient.

Light Output Lumens

Wattage per Bulb Incandescent Equivalent LED Equivalent

Reduction Percentage

75-110 730-800 1380-1600

60 60 100

7-9 7-9 12-14

87 87 87

2000-2500

150

23-28

83

There’s no reason you should put off joining the LED revolution any longer. Enjoy incandescent light quality, exceptional longevity and crazy energy savings.

•

November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 27

CL NovDec 2023_Coop Kitchen.qxp_028_CL NovDec 2023 10/11/23 9:03 PM Page 1

COOPERATIVE KITCHEN

Got a tasty treat to share?

Email your favorite slow-cooker recipes to cooperativekitchen@co-opliving.com, or mail to Cooperative Kitchen, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340 and include your email address.

You also can submit them online at co-opliving.com/cooperativekitchen. Selected recipes will be published in future issues of Cooperative Living or at co-opliving.com. Because of volume we cannot guarantee publication of all recipes. Reader recipes are submitted in good faith. Cooperative Living cannot warrant results.

Looking for an alternative to traditional turkey recipes?

Gobble up these creative ways to indulge this Thanksgiving.

Turkey and Bean Tostadas Recipe courtesy of Family Features/American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good initiative

Ingredients: Salsa: 2 cups tomatoes (about 2 medium tomatoes), chopped 1 medium avocado, halved, pitted and diced 1 large ear of corn, husks and silk discarded, kernels removed 1-2 medium fresh jalapeños, seeds and ribs discarded, finely chopped 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Tostadas: nonstick cooking spray 5 corn tortillas (6-inch size) 8 oz. ground skinless turkey breast 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 can (15 ½ oz.) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons water

Directions: To make salsa: In small bowl, stir tomatoes, avocado, corn, jalapeños, onion and lime juice. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make tostadas: Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place tortillas on baking sheet. Lightly spray tortillas with nonstick cooking spray. Using fork, pierce tortillas several times to prevent from filling with air. Bake tortillas 5-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. In medium nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat, cook turkey, chili powder, cumin and coriander 5-6 minutes, or until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally to turn and break up turkey. Add beans and water. Cook 5 minutes, or until beans are heated through. Using potato masher, coarsely mash beans. Remove from heat. To assemble tostadas, spread turkey mixture over each tortilla. Top with salsa. Serves 4.

Mini Turkey Sloppy Joes Recipe courtesy of Family Features/RAGÚ

Ingredients: 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup diced onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. ground turkey 1 cup finely diced carrots 1 medium green pepper, diced 1 medium red pepper, diced

1 jar RAGÚ Simply Chunky Marinara Sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon ground mustard ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 4 mini buns

Directions: In large skillet over medium heat, heat extra-virgin olive oil.

When hot, add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is translucent. Add ground turkey. Break up meat and stir frequently until browned. Add carrots, green pepper and red pepper. Cook 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.

28 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

Add marinara sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and partially cover pan. Cook 10 minutes. Serve on mini buns. Serves 4.

co-opliving.com

FARM LIFE

Writing a Book from Scratch

J

oanne Guilfoil of Selbyville, Del., couldn’t find a book about raising chickens in Delmarva, so she wrote one herself — and debuted it in Ocean View, Del., the Sussex County town where the modern American poultry industry began.

The 180-page, coffee-table book highlights the major changes that have occurred in the Delmarva poultry industry and some of the people who made them come about. Along the way, she details interesting side stories like the 1930s bootleggers that used chicken houses to hide their stashes and how chicken from Delmarva eventually reached soldiers’ plates overseas.

Along with the industry’s rich history, the book digs into what it takes to start and operate a modern poultry farm and a backyard flock.

Guilfoil says she was insistent on combining the how-it-happened part of the industry and the how-to aspect of being a poultry farmer into the book.

“I wanted the two things together,” she says. “If someone is interested, there’s information on how to do this.”

She says her work on the book started by interviewing John and Linda Brown in Harrington, Del., who had recently been recognized by the state for their environmental stewardship.

“I just called to ask them questions,” she says.

Guilfoil went on to interview 35 growers, some who have had poultry growing in their family for generations

co-opliving.com

–Joanne Guilfoil

and others who found a second career in poultry farming.

“This was a lot of work, but I met some wonderful, wonderful people,” she says.

For four years, Guilfoil gathered information and approximately 400 photos. She then conducted interviews and finished “Chickens on Delmarva” in 2020. Guilfoil wanted to time its publishing to the 100th anniversary of Perdue Farms, which plays a large role in the book.

After a few hiccups in locking down a publisher, Guilfoil linked up with a high school classmate who happened to be one. But then came the pandemic, hip surgery and the publisher’s (successful) bout with cancer.

“Between the two of us, we had a rough year-and-a-half,” she says with a reflective laugh.

The book eventually debuted in 2023. This happened to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Cecile Steele turning chicken farming into an integrated industry in 1923.

Guilfoil says she hopes “people have as much fun reading it and learning

Joanne Guilfoil says she hopes people have as much fun reading her book as she had writing it.

PHOTO COURTESY MICHELLE BAER

by Sean Clougherty, The Delmarva Farmer

“This was a lot of work, but I met some wonderful, wonderful people.”

PHOTO COURTESY JOANNE GUILFOIL

Delaware author tells the story of raising chickens in Delmarva

as I did putting it together.”

When it was finally published, her first interview subjects, the Browns, came to purchase several books to send around to friends living all over the world.

The gesture was overwhelming.

She says, “It just made me think, maybe it was all worth it.”

The book is for sale through Guilfoil’s website, shorebooksllc.com, and at several book retailers in Sussex County and on the lower Eastern Shore.

•

Scan this code to learn more about The Delmarva Farmer

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November-December 2023 • Cooperative Living • 29

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HAPPENINGS

Events Around the Area Editor’s note: All information is believed to be accurate as of press time.

Before you attend, please use the contact information to verify the status of an event. Listing an event does not constitute an endorsement.

BLUE RIDGE WEST NOVEMBER 18 CLIFTON FORGE. Annual Town Tree Lighting.

547 Main St. 6 p.m. (540) 862-2000.

Cliftonforgemainstreet.org.

18-19 MIDDLETOWN. Belle Grove’s 4th Annual Kris Kringle Market. 336 Belle Grove Rd. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Bellegrove.org.

18 HOPEWELL. 12th Annual Hopewell Wine-Tasting Festival. Beacon Theater. 12-5 p.m.

Hopewellwinefestival.com.

25 BOWLING GREEN. Tinsel Town Market.

116 Chase St. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (540) 446-9532.

DECEMBER 2, 9 STANARDSVILLE. Holiday Fest in December.

636 Madison Rd. 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Craftsbysebi@gmail.com.

24 MIDDLETOWN. Christmas Tree Lighting 9 MADISON. Perfectly Piedmont Food, Arts and Ceremony. 4:45 p.m. (540) 869-2226. Middletownva.gov.

Craft Market. Waverly Yowell Elementary School.

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Info@madisonliteracy.org.

25 FORT VALLEY. Fort Valley Two-Mile Turkey Trot Run/Walk. Fort Valley Firehouse. 9 a.m. Fortvalley.com.

9 BOWLING GREEN. Candy Cane Lane Christmas Market. 116 Chase St. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (540) 446-9532.

27 STAUNTON. Staunton Christmas Parade.

Downtown Staunton. 7 p.m. (540) 332-3867.

10 MANASSAS. GFWC Woman’s Club of Manassas Stauntondowntown.org.

Annual House Tour. 1-4 p.m. (703) 795-4553.

DECEMBER 1 CLIFTON FORGE. Christmas Parade.

Downtown Clifton Forge. 6 p.m. (540) 862-2000.

Cliftonforgemainstreet.org.

2 HIGHLAND CO. Wintertide. Highlandcounty.org.

3 MIDDLETOWN. Christmas Parade. Historic Main St. 2 p.m. (540) 869-2226. Middletownva.gov.

3 WINCHESTER. Blue Ridge Singers; Christmas Concert Series: “On Christmas Day.” First Baptist Church. 3 p.m. (540) 635-6947.

8 FRONT ROYAL. Blue Ridge Singers; Christmas Concert Series: “On Christmas Day.” Front Royal Presbyterian Church. 7:30 p.m. (540) 635-6947.

10 UPPERVILLE. Blue Ridge Singers; Christmas Concert Series: “On Christmas Day.” Trinity Episcopal Church. 3 p.m. (540) 635-6947.

PIEDMONT NOVEMBER 17-18 HAYMARKET. Haymarket T&C Garden Club Holiday Shoppe. 3510 James Madison Hwy. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Htcgardenclub.com.

TIDEWATER NOVEMBER

9 CAPE CHARLES. Holiday Cookie Trail.

235 Mason Ave. 2-5 p.m. Albutta2@gmail.com.

16 ONLEY. Greens, Gifts and Goodies Sale.

25405 Richmond Ave. 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (757) 787-3349.

MARYLAND NOVEMBER 18 CHESTERTOWN. Emmanuel Church Annual Christmas Bazaar. Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (410) 778-3477.

18 ST. MICHAELS. Eastern Shore Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Cbmm.org.

19 EASTON. Cars and Coffee. 355 Glebe Rd. (410) 463-0542. Djtrans100@outlook.com.

24 CHESTERTOWN. Santa’s Arrival & Parade.

Fountain Park. 6-8 p.m. Mainstreetchestertown.org.

DECEMBER

18 ONLEY. Annual Kiwanis Craft Show.

Nandua High School. 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (757) 442-4427.

1-2 CHESTERTOWN. A Dickens of a Christmas.

Main St. Chestertown. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mainstreetchestertown.org.

24 CAPE CHARLES. Festive Fridays.

Cape Charles Historic District. 5-8 p.m.

Capecharlesmainstreet.com.

8-10 ST. MICHAELS. Christmas in St. Michaels.

Info@christmasinstmichaels.org.

Christmasinstmichaels.org.

24-25 EASTERN SHORE. The Artisans Guild of the Eastern Shore’s 21st Annual Holiday Tour.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Esvaartisansguild.org.

9 GALENA. Deck the Hall, Town Hall. Main Street Galena, Galena Town Hall. 6 p.m. (410) 648-5050.

25 CAPE CHARLES. Oyster Roast. Cape Charles Museum. 4-8 p.m. Capecharlesmuseum.org.

DECEMBER 1, 8, 15, 22 CAPE CHARLES. Festive Fridays.

Cape Charles Historic District. 5-8 p.m.

Capecharlesmainstreet.com.

8 PRINCE GEORGE. 10th Annual “Nick of Time” Bazaar. Newville United Methodist Church.

9 a.m.-1 p.m. (804) 458-2200.

30 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

PRINT Dec. 1 for Jan. 15-Mar. 15 DEADLINES: Feb. 1 for Mar. 15-April 15 (Note: We do not publish in December or February.)

Email: happenings@co-opliving.com Send to: Happenings, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340 Online: co-opliving.com/happenings

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CL NovDec 2023_Rural Living.qxp_032_CL NovDec 2023 10/11/23 8:57 PM Page 1

RURAL LIVING

The Holiday Hustle

And the cards! My sister is great at sending out Love, Christmas cards. She buys them Margo It’s the most bittersweet time of the year early, gets out her address book, and shoots off a personal card to

by Margo Oxendine, Contributing Columnist everyone listed in it. I am very sorry her forehead. (This became sort of a t’s the most I can’t say the same. I always mean well, tradition, and we all always laughed.) wonderful time but somehow, I don’t manage to get My sister and I do the best we can, of the year. It can around to it — until it’s too late. but still, it pales in comparison. also be the most I’ll get cards from far-off and longThere’s the “empty chair syndrome,” exhausting. unseen relatives, and I think, “Gee; I need Yes, it is time for the and it hurts. But we keep smiling. to send them a card.” But, I am ashamed annual holiday hustle. Daddy has been gone since 1990, so we to say, that doesn’t always happen. have had plenty of time to adjust to his At this point — early November — This year, I’ve made a promise to — empty chair. There’s no more model there seems to be plenty of time. Time by golly — buy and write and send those train chugging around the tree. That to shop for and plan the Thanksgiving cards. The trouble is, they can’t simply be train was a “gift” for my sister and me meal, or simply to make reservations. signed, “Love, Margo.” There needs to be when we were kids. But we weren’t really Time to make out your Christmas gift a synopsis of my current life. The synopsis list. Time to shop early — although early allowed to get close to it. In reality, it of my life right now is, “retired but still really would have been October or even was actually Daddy’s gift to Daddy. working,” “walking every day in the There are also no more rubber dart September. woods,” and “reading every thriller I get competitions or oddball games with Maybe you’re like my mother. She my hands on.” Sounds exciting, eh? Not marbles. often had her gifts for us wrapped and really, but I love those things. So, that’s But, even if you’re facing the holidays tucked in a closet by the end of August. what I’ll have to tell them.

In 2005, the year our dear mother passed without beloved members of your Come to think of it, there’s not much away, my sister and I were quite surprised family, there’s still lots to do for the “hustle” in my holiday hustle anymore. holiday hustle. There are friends who to find a pile of Christmas gifts stowed Still, I plan to embrace the holiday spirit in the back of a closet. It was a wonderful need the perfect gift. There are and make the best of it.

— but sort of bittersweet — Christmas. neighbors who need “little somethings,” I hope your holidays are happy. usually something homemade — to There would be no more special Embrace them, and your loved ones!  holiday meals as only Mom could make thank them for the help they have doled out during the year. There are uplifting them. There would be no more photos To order a copy of Margo’s “A Party of One,” carols and hymns at church, where we of her sweet, happy smile, sitting near call (540) 468-2147 Mon.-Wed., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or email therecorderoffice@gmail.com. will probably shed a tear or two. a pile of gifts with a red bow stuck on

I

PHOTO COURTESY A&N ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

CL WHEREZ IT?

32 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

Look for the CL logo, like the one above, in the pages of this issue of Cooperative Living.

Submit the page number where you found it along with your name, email and phone number to WherezIt, c/o Cooperative Living, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340 or go online at co-opliving.com under “Contests.” Deadline is Nov. 20. The winner will receive a $25 Amazon email gift card.

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CL NovDec 2023_Dining Peggy.qxp_033_CL NovDec 2023 10/11/23 8:52 PM Page 1

DINING WITH PEGGY

Worth the Trip

by Peggy Hyland, Contributing Columnist

Got a restaurant for Peggy to review?

Let us know at editor@co-opliving.com.

Maryland’s CD Cafe does not disappoint

T

he CD Cafe on Solomon’s Island, Md., is situated just blocks from a beautiful boardwalk. The cozy restaurant has large windows looking out toward the water. It is a small space that serves up big flavors.

My sister-in-law and I went together, and as we perused the menu and made our choices, she asked if we really wanted crab dishes for both appetizers and our main courses.

I laughed and said, “Welcome to Maryland!”

We started with the lump crab and corn hushpuppies, which Savory walnut crust were a treat to the senses cheesecake with from the moment we roasted red pepper cracked them open. The honey glaze stereotypical dense, overly breaded hushpuppies were nowhere to be found. These hushpuppies were pillowy delights, served atop a creamy, tangy coleslaw with caraway and mustard.

The accompanying savory Crab cake sandwich walnut-crust cheesecake with green goddess was also divine, with a dressing and creole heavenly roasted red potato salad pepper honey glaze and warm herbed focaccia.

The balance of the goat and cream cheeses with the glaze was exceptional.

Growing up with Maryland crab cakes, I was spoiled for life early on. Nothing else ever comes close for me, so it was a rare treat to find some that not only met my standards but exceeded them. There was just enough filler to hold them together, and the house-made green goddess dressing gave it a stellar touch. They were quite possibly the best crab cakes I’ve ever had.

We asked for a suggestion on the side dish and our server recommended the creole potato salad. It has a seasoning blend that is not too spicy but builds over time, making it a great companion to the crab cake sandwich.

The beef tips saltado came with tender chunks of beef and a co-opliving.com

hearty mix of peppers and red onions over jasmine rice with a sauce that hits all the high notes: earthy, smoky and rich. It was served with the cafe’s sidewinder fries, a thick-cut curly fry that happily swam in the sauce from the beef tips.

The dessert choices vary, but I picked the always-available chocolate ganache key lime semifreddo. I was intrigued by this combination of flavors, but one bite showed me why it is the cafe’s most popular offering. It was the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess, creamy and firm, with the slight bitterness Beef tips saltado of the chocolate with jasmine rice harmonizing as each bite and sidewinder fries warmed on the tongue.

Not to be outdone, the vanilla crème brûlée was an absolute star. The silky consistency was a delicate delight, with the perfect amount of crackly crust on top. The crème brûlée is always on the menu, with a variety of flavors, but the simplicity Chocolate ganache of the vanilla version key lime semifreddo let the simply flawless texture shine.

The service was friendly and attentive. The food came out quickly without feeling rushed. We were lucky to have gotten there early because it filled up quickly, although the wait was never long, and they offered call-ahead seating.

It had been almost 20 years since I visited Solomon’s Island, but The CD Cafe is already calling me back.  The CD Cafe 14350 Solomon’s Island Road South Solomons, MD 20688 Phone: (410) 326-3877 Hours: Dinner every night, 4-9 p.m.; Lunch Monday/Friday/Saturday 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Website: thecdcafe.com November-December 2023 ● Cooperative Living ● 33

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MARKET PLACE

BUSINESS MARKETPLACE FIREARM-RIGHTS RESTORATION. Call for free consultation: Attorney John Janson, 434-953-8794 (Virginia Bar #91236).

“MEA NICO” by Donna Lee Davis, a novel about the life and legends of St. Nicholas of Myra, available now on Amazon — a great Christmas gift! Donnaleedavis.com.

REAL ESTATE ARE YOU PART OWNER OF A FARM OR INVESTMENT PROPERTY? With family members, partners or unknown parties? Do you want to separate or cash out your interest? Call today for a free consultation.

(VSB #91236) Attorney John Janson at 434-953-8794.

Johnmjanson@gmail.com.

HUNTING LAND FOR LEASE. 275 acres of prime hunting land in Java, Va. Plenty of deer and turkey.

Lodging may be available for hunters in November.

Call 434-432-8178.

FOR SALE TWO CEMETERY PLOTS AT STONEWALL MEMORY GARDENS IN MANASSAS. Plots w/crypts and one opening and closing located in Garden of Gospel. $9,000 for both or best offer. 703-303-0602.

11-FOOT FENCE RAILS, used for 3 to 5 years, good condition. Also, three-hole posts, good condition. Wooden rails and posts $7.50 each. Minimum sale of 12 rails with or without posts. 434-542-5176 or 434-736-9439.

AMERICAN WHISKEY AND BOURBON. Entire collections or single items, bottles or decanters.

Sealed and unopened. The older, the better. Cash.

Call 540-845-6107 or email at: majiddk@comcast.net.

VINTAGE SPORTS CARDS. Pre-1990. Baseball, football, basketball and hockey. Game-worn sports memorabilia/autographed hats, helmets, jerseys and commemorative items, etc. The older, the better.

Fair cash offers. Call or text Loni, 434-760-5060.

COMIC BOOKS. Pre-2000, all types. Email a brief description to prmay60@gmail.com. Cash payment if we make a deal.

10!

$

FREE STAY INFORMED ON CHURCH/STATE ISSUES – like religious liberty, a National Sunday Law coming soon. Send mailing address to tbsmads@yahoo.com, TBSM, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. 888-211-1715.

EVENTS FREDERICKSBURG, RMR 26TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TRAIN SHOW. Dec. 9-10.

Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Displays, vendors and activities for the young. More info at www.rmrailroaders.com.

AUCTIONS CARWILE AUCTIONS INC. www.carwileauctions.com. Facebook & Auction Zip. VAAR392. 434-547-9100.

WANTED ARROWHEADS. Buying all types of Indian artifacts.

Any size collection. 757-373-3502.

SUBMIT: We accept classifieds by email (classifieds @co-opliving.com), telephone (804-297-3429) or mail to: Classifieds, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340. Please type or print your ad as you would like it to appear and how many months it should run. Include your name, street and email address. Ads with incomplete information will be returned to the sender.

JUST

RATES: Non-business: $70 per 25-word block plus $2.50 per word over 25; OR “Mini” ad – $5 per word (max. 10 words). Business, agent and broker ads: $130 per 25-word block, plus $5 per word over 25.

Display Real Estate: $299 per block.

DEADLINE: Dec. 5 for January-February issue; Publisher reserves the right to designate classification or reject any ad. No personals, please.

And never miss an issue.

A one-year subscription is available for $10 per year. Please send name, mailing address and a check made payable to Cooperative Living magazine.

Cooperative Living Magazine P.O. Box 2340 Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340 OR ONLINE AT: co-opliving.com/magazine/ subscribe

Statement of Nondiscrimination 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.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.qov/complaint filing cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of 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.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

34 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

CL ADVERTISING INDEX Elk Run Mining Company Heartsgood Farms Lifetime Metal Roofing ODEC ODEC Omaha Steaks Perdue Farms PermaSeal Stauer Stihl Virginia Peanut Growers WaterFurnace

25 25 14 14 Inside Back Cover 9 Inside Front Cover 8 31 Back Cover 26 3 co-opliving.com

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LIFE STYLES

A New Take on Rice Pudding Story courtesy of Family Features

Sweeten the holiday season with a unique creamy dessert

O

nce the table is cleared and gifts are put away, it’s often time for one of the favorite moments of holiday gatherings. The taste (and aroma) of those divine desserts you may only make once a year is enough to keep guests hungry, even after the main course.

Put a new staple on holiday menus for years to come with this cran-raspberry quinoa pudding truffle that combines fresh raspberries, vibrant cranberry sauce, orange juice and orange zest for a unique dessert. Ready in 30 minutes, it can be easy to impress everyone at the table with a unique

creamy pudding base inspired by favorite winter flavors.

As a tasty treat that’s ideal for just about any occasion, this unique take on rice pudding is made using quinoa instead of rice. Its light, nutty flavor and versatility create a perfect pudding for a wide range of pairings. According to medicinenet.com, quinoa is rich in both fiber and protein and has a similar fluffy texture to white rice. A cup of quinoa contains twice as much protein and about 5 grams more fiber than white rice, while containing fewer calories and carbohydrates.

Cran-Raspberry Quinoa Pudding Truffle Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Servings: 6

Cran-Raspberry Layer: ½ cup cranberry sauce ¼ cup orange juice 1 teaspoon orange zest 2 cups fresh raspberries ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted 2 cups gluten-free vanilla cookies, chopped ½ cup fresh raspberries

Quinoa Pudding: 2 bags Success Tri-Color Quinoa 4 cups almond milk 3 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Creamy Yogurt Layer: 2 cups plain Greek yogurt 3 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup heavy cream

To make quinoa pudding: Prepare quinoa according to package directions, substituting almond milk for water. Drain, reserving almond milk.

Remove quinoa from bags and stir into almond milk in a saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in honey, vanilla and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-8 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Refrigerate for 45-60 minutes, or until well chilled.

To make a creamy yogurt layer: In a large bowl, stir yogurt, honey and vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks begin to form. Stir whipped cream into the yogurt mixture until blended. Refrigerate until ready to use. co-opliving.com

To make a cran-raspberry layer: In a medium bowl, stir cranberry sauce, orange juice and orange zest. Gently fold in raspberries.

To assemble: In a 10-cup truffle dish, layer 1/3 quinoa mixture, 2 tablespoons almonds, 1/3 cran-raspberry mixture, 1/3 vanilla cookies and 1/3 yogurt mixture. Repeat layers twice. Garnish with remaining raspberries and almonds.

November-December 2023 ● Cooperative Living ● 35

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SAY CHEESE WE WANT TO SEE YOUR PHOTOS! If your photo is published in this column, we will Submit a photo send you a $15 Amazon gift card credit via email. for a chance You can send your high-resolution .jpg files to to win a $15 saycheese@co-opliving.com with caption info.

SANTA’S

Amazon gift card!

You may also mail your photo(s) to: Say Cheese, P.O. Box 2340, Glen Allen, VA 23058-2340.

Do not send originals; photos cannot be returned.

by Laura Emery, Staff Writer

REINDEER GAMES Zoe lost at the game of Truth or Deer, but she’s still sleighing it.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY LESLIE MOODY

,

TIS THE SEA-SUN

Let it snow … somewhere else. Livvy’s days are merry and bright. PHOTO SUBMITTED

BY CAROLYN BISHOP

FLEECE NAVIDAD Schatzi brings tidings of comfort and joy.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY KATIE SECINO

BAH! HUM-PUG! Luna and Spock are bundled up, because being cold hurts like the Dickens!

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY EILEEN MICHEL

DEAR SANTA PAWS  Colby’s been a very good boy this year. PHOTO SUBMITTED

BY KIM MCCALLISTER

BUT WAIT,

THERE’S MYRRH Grant takes time to paws and reflect on the reason for the season. PHOTO SUBMITTED

BY ALETA SHELTON

36 ● Cooperative Living ● November-December 2023

co-opliving.com

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