June 2023 Cherryland

June 2023

MICHIGAN

COUNTRY LINES Cherryland Electric Cooperative

THE MICHIGAN DAIRY INDUSTRY'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY The Green Team – Taking “Going Green” To The Next Level

The Recipe For Cooking Up A Strong Cooperative

Get To Know Your New CEO

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Cloverland: up to $4,200 Great Lakes: up to $3,000 Homeworks/Tri-County: up to $3,000 Presque Isle: up to $2,700 Cherryland: up to $2,500 Thumb Electric: up to $2,000 Alger Delta: up to $2,000

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Contents countrylines.com

/michigancountrylines

June 2023 Vol. 43, No. 6 /michigancountrylines

Michigan’s Electric Cooperatives

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark EDITOR: Christine Dorr

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird

RECIPE EDITOR: Christin McKamey COPY EDITOR: Yvette Pecha CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Emily Haines Lloyd

PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association Michigan Country Lines, USPS-591-710, is published monthly, except August and December, with periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Mich., and additional offices. It is the official publication of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association, 201 Townsend St., Suite 900, Lansing, MI 48933.

Subscriptions are authorized for members of Alger Delta, Cherryland, Great Lakes, HomeWorks Tri-County, Midwest Energy & Communications, Ontonagon, Presque Isle, and Thumb electric cooperatives by their boards of directors.

Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS. Association Officers: Tom Sobeck, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op, chairman; Gabe Schneider, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, vice chairman; Chris O’Neill, HomeWorks TriCounty Cooperative, secretary-treasurer; Craig Borr, president and CEO.

CONTACT US/LETTERS TO EDITOR: Michigan Country Lines 201 Townsend St., Suite 900 Lansing, MI 48933 248-534-7358 editor@countrylines.com

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please

notify your electric cooperative.

See page 4 for contact information.

The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

#micoopcommunity Instagram contest winner

It's beginning to look like spring in Michigan! @sarah-smith.180 (Sarah Smith)

6 PLAN YOUR NEXT VACATION WITH THE GREAT LAKES FISHERMAN'S DIGEST This TV show/website/trade show exhibit is a one-stop shop for those who want to go where the fish are biting.

10 MY CO-OP KITCHEN

Polish: The flavors of Poland straight to your kitchen.

MI Co-op Community

To enter contests, submit reader content, & more, visit countrylines.com/community

Instagram Contest

Use #micoopcommunity for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram account.

Win $100 for photos published!

14 MORE MILK: THE

MICHIGAN DAIRY INDUSTRY'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY The unique relationship between Michigan farmers and their cows makes our state the sixth-highest milk producer in the country.

18 GUEST COLUMN Spring Gardening: The rich tradition of her family's garden preparation is one of this GLE member's fondest memories.

Recipe Contest

See details on page 10. Chocolate due July 1.

Win a $100 bill credit!

Guest Column

Share your fondest memories and stories.

Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/community to submit.

Win $200 for stories published!

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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CO-OP NEWS Cherryland’s 85th Annual Meeting Scheduled for June 15 cherrylandelectric.coop /cherrylandelectriccoop @cherrylandec BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David Schweitzer, President 231-883-5860 dschweitzer@cherrylandelectric.coop

Melinda Lautner, Senior Vice President 231-947-2509 mlautner@cherrylandelectric.coop Gabe Schneider, Secretary 517-449-6453 gschneider@cherrylandelectric.coop Tom Van Pelt, Treasurer 231-386-5234 tvanpelt@cherrylandelectric.coop Valarie Handy, Director 231-392-4705 vhandy@cherrylandelectric.coop

Terry Lautner, Director 231-946-4623 tlautner@cherrylandelectric.coop

Dean Adams, Director 231-642-0014 dadams@cherrylandelectric.coop General Manager: Tony Anderson Co-op Editors: Rachel Johnson Courtney Doyle: cdoyle@cherrylandelectric.coop

OFFICE HOURS Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m.

TELEPHONE NUMBERS 231-486-9200 or 1-800-442-8616 (Mich.)

ADDRESS P.O. Box 298, Grawn, MI 49637

Cherryland’s 85th Annual Meeting will take place Thursday, June 15, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Incredible Mo’s in Grawn. For more information about this year’s event, check out page 13 of this issue, head to our website, or find details on any of our social media platforms.

Cherryland Scholarships Awarded to Local High School Seniors and Adult Learners Three high school seniors and two adult learners were awarded 2023 Cherryland Electric Cooperative scholarships. The three high school scholarships are worth $4,000 each—$1,000 per year for four years. The adult scholarships are a one-time award of $1,000 each.

Student scholarship recipients: Peyton Metz (Traverse City West Senior High School), Emma Nelson (Leland Public School), and Bethany Schutte (Traverse City West Senior High School).

Adult scholarship recipients: Mallory MacDonald of Lake Ann and Ava Plamondon of Lake Ann.

Cherryland Cares Supports Local Nonprofits Cherryland Cares distributes funds to local nonprofit organizations in need of financial support. The funds distributed by Cherryland Cares are a result of members electing to round up their monthly bills to the nearest dollar. Members can contribute to the Cherryland Cares fund by calling 231-486-9200, signing up through SmartHub, or emailing cec@cherrylandelectric.coop.

If you are an area nonprofit agency seeking financial help, visit cherrylandelectric.coop/ cherryland-cares for information on how to apply. For additional details, please call Dawn Garrock at 231-486-9234 or email dgarrock@cherrylandelectric.coop.

Co-op Office Closed Independence Day The Cherryland office will be closed Tuesday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. Normal business hours will resume Wednesday, July 5.

Line crews are on call to respond to any outages or emergencies. You can report an outage by texting OUT to 800-442-8616, logging into SmartHub, or calling us at 231-486-9200. Visit our website’s Outage Center for more details.

PAY STATION Cherryland Electric Cooperative office 5930 U.S. 31 South, Grawn MI, 49637 Cherryland Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Every spring, Cherryland employees volunteer with Adopt-a-Highway to clean up our community! This year, 10 employees collected 25 bags of trash along U.S.-31 South between the Cherryland office in Grawn and Interlochen.

4 JUNE 2023

recipe. Instead, it’s often an evolution of a dash of this, a pinch of that, and a little bit more to taste.

r Recipe Fo Success e v i t a r e p o Co

This will be especially true when it comes to grid management and power supply. Think of it as substituting ingredients in a familiar recipe. Often those new ingredients don’t work quite like the old ones and require more adjustments to get the dish right.

d n Enga ge •A ip h Me m be rs rd of trong Boa •S Dire c tors es d Em p loye • De dic a te a pt d A ibility to • Th e Flex s g n Ch a lle e for Fu tu re

As traditional fossil fuel-based generation is increasingly replaced with renewable energy sources like wind and solar, we need to adjust the portions of each in order to address the challenges that more intermittent energy sources create for maintaining grid stability.

It also may require some new ingredients. At the distribution system level, incorporating these “new ingredients” will require significant investments in technology, including more advanced metering systems, distributed energy resource management systems, and other smart grid technologies.

The Recipe for Cooking Up a Strong Cooperative

By Rachel Johnson, Incoming CEO

n preparation for our midmonth leadership transition at Cherryland, I dug Tony’s first column as the co-op’s manager out of the Country Lines archives. It was May 2003, and he had been on the job for just 30 days at the time.

I

Avid readers of Tony’s columns may know that he has long considered the recipe section in Country Lines his main competition for audience popularity. He’s not wrong—the recipes are very, very popular.

That’s why I was so surprised to find that his very first column was titled “Your Co-op Has a ‘Sweet’ Recipe for Success.” Apparently, his love/hate relationship with recipes developed later in his tenure.

In the column, Tony compared running a cooperative to baking a pie. The recipe for that pie is “a solid

membership, an open board, and hard-working employees.” He ended the column by saying that at the end of his first month, the cooperative pie was far from cooked, but the first taste was good.

It is still true today that the primary ingredients of a well-run cooperative are the engagement of our members, the strength of our board, and the dedication and talent of our employees.

While the recipe remains the same, our method must change. Baking is an effort in precision. It is also highly predictable and replicable. But today’s energy landscape is far from precise or predictable.

Cooking is a more apt metaphor. For our Country Lines recipe followers, you already know that cooking is more about adaptability and agility.

The best cooks can rarely tell you the

To manage those systems, we must continue to beef up the technological capabilities of our staff. Luckily, we have a strong technical team to build on in both engineering and informational technology. A dash of hiring additional staff and a pinch of investing in new tech are the final steps in preparing our co-op dish for the future.

In a few weeks, we will celebrate Tony’s 20 years of dedicated service to our cooperative. During that time, he has baked us a truly first-in-class pie. I hope you’ll join me at the Annual Meeting in wishing him well. If you stop by, please be sure to introduce yourself to me.

The foundational ingredients of our future haven’t changed; an informed and engaged membership has never been more important for the success of the cooperative.

I’m looking forward to seeing you on June 15.

Scan here to check out Rachel’s CEO video update and subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to see her monthly updates.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Plan Your Next Vacation With

The Great Lakes Fisherman's Digest

By Yvette Pecha

or the many Michiganders who live and breathe for fishing, the Great Lakes Fisherman’s Digest could very well be the only resource you need. The Digest was started in 2015 by champion angler John Bergsma, who competed in tournaments for nearly 20 years. His goal for the digest was three-fold: to provide guidance to viewers/readers on where and when to fish, give instruction on how to catch the fish, and introduce people who love the outdoors to potential new vacation destinations. “I ultimately want to help people have a better experience on the water,” John said.

F

The Great Lakes Fisherman’s Digest is comprised of a television program of the same name, a website, and a portable display that John or his cohorts transport between several sporting trade shows. The TV show broadcasts on a weekly basis, rotating between Midwest regions on major market channels. John himself is in

many of the shows, but his partners also serve as hosts. Each show features a fishing segment and a spotlight on the town. “Our idea is simple: Identify the best locations for fishing the Great Lakes and then highlight not only the fishing, but the host community as well,” he said.

The website, in addition to airing the TV show, features fishing reports and more detailed tourist information such as lodging, dining, recreation, shopping, and maps. The 60x10-foot travel center takes brochures, travel guides, and photos from each partner locale to the trade shows so that people can collect information from all destinations in one place.

The Digest also has an active Facebook page, with posts that are updated daily. “People visit our website or Facebook page to determine where they want to fish that same weekend—wherever the fish are biting drives people to destinations,”

John said. “They rely on our advice because of my tournament experience and because I only work with people I know and trust.” His Digest partners include bait store employees, fishing guides, and charter captains—all local to the corresponding area.

John, who said he fishes about 120 to 140 times a year, tapes his excursions on most occasions, but some trips are just for pleasure. He is the rare man whose job also happens to be his passion. “The stress of life and anything that’s wrong just goes away on the water. You get an ever-changing canvas—from sunrise to sunset, clouds moving through, wind or no wind, birds on the water—you can just forget about everything,” he said.

John chose the Great Lakes region as the backdrop for his passion for a simple reason—“It’s the greatest single fishing destination in the world,” he said. “There are so many different species and types of fish

“Our idea is simple: Identify the best locations for fishing the Great Lakes and then highlight not only the fishing, but the host community as well.”

6

JUNE 2023

you can catch here, and because of ice fishing, you can fish every single day of the year. And in my opinion, it offers the three most desirable fish to eat: salmon, walleye, and perch.”

The areas he advertises are generally chosen for two reasons—they have an abundance of fish and they’re some of his favorite spots. John says some of the best places for fishing are the most underutilized, so you won’t necessarily see hot vacation havens on the Digest. “I recommend that people pick a destination you haven’t gone to and spend three or four days there," he said. "Try new lakes and new adventure. Instead of saying ‘let’s just

drive an hour and go to the tourist trap we always go to,’ try somewhere you haven’t been. You’ll have a great time exploring.” John also recommends that people go on a charter fishing trip.

“It’s a great deal for five or six hours on the water. You get to have a fun family excursion, and often, they’ll cook for you at the end whatever you catch. I think people who try it once will get hooked,” he said (no pun intended).

As for John, he’ll continue exploring as long as he’s healthy. “I can’t imagine a day that going out and exposing great destinations and fishing will not be fun,” he said.

Watch the “Fisherman’s Digest” TV show.

Available locally and nationally on these networks and times (EST).

CBS Sports Network (Sat., 7:30 a.m., Jan.–June) Pursuit Outdoor Channel (Sat., 4:30 p.m., Jan.–June & Wed., 6:30 p.m., Oct.–Dec.) WILD TV Canada (3 weekly airings. Prime/Fringe Prime/Off Peak, Jan.–June ) AT&T Sportsnet Southwest (Weekends between 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Jan.–June) Comcast Sportsnet Chicago Plus (Mon., 12:30 p.m., Jan.–Dec.) WKBD-50 Detroit & All Suburbs (Sat., 7:30 a.m.)

WBSF-46 Midland/Saginaw/ Bay City (Sun., 6 a.m.)

WOTV-4 Grand Rapids/ Kalamazoo (Sat., 11 a.m.)

Fox-32 Traverse City Northern Lower (Sun., 7:30 a.m.)

WBKB-11 NE Lower Alpena (CBS 11, Sat., 12 a.m.)

(NBC-11, Sun., 5:30 a.m.)

(Fox-11, Sat., 6 a.m.)

Fox-6 Marquette & U.P. (Sun., 8:30 a.m.)

Also available on YouTube, Facebook, Sling-Live, Hulu-Live, Pluto, Pursuit UP, and fishermansdigest.com

For more information greatlakesfishermansdigest.com /fishermansdigest /glfishermansdigest /glfishermansdigest

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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The Green Team

Taking “Going Green” To The Next Level

By Courtney Doyle

oing green” is a phrase we hear a lot these days.

There’s a whole laundry list of actions you could file under going green, and it’s become sort of a vague phrase for being environmentally conscious. While a priority for many, the idea of going green can be daunting due to all the different avenues and opportunities you can pursue. That’s why an important community resource organization, and Cherryland member, decided to form a whole team dedicated to the cause.

“G

Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan formed the Green Team in the fall of 2021. “We were at a board retreat, and people were talking about our core values. They were talking about the sustainability value and whether it was referring to financial sustainability or sustainability in the environmental sense,” explained Child and Family Services Development and Compliance Specialist Tara Ward.

By the end of that retreat, Ward and Nicola Philpott, secretary of the organization’s board of directors, were tasked with creating the Green Team. They started by adding a new core value, specifically dedicated to environmental responsibility. Philpott said, “Many of our clients are children and youth, and that population will be

8 JUNE 2023

impacted by climate change more than any other. So it makes sense that an organization that worries about and supports the well-being of children and their families would want to do our part to minimize our contribution to climate change. That’s why we set up the Green Team.”

“So then, we thought about what small things we could do.

Eating a plant-rich diet is one of the things you can do to minimize your carbon footprint, so we organized a plantbased picnic. Another thing you can do is to reduce your waste, so we supplied all staff with reusable water bottles,” Philpott explained.

Many of the initiatives in this young program are aimed at helping Child and Family Services staff and volunteers take steps to do their part in protecting the environment.

They’ve even partnered with local groups like Norte, Green Spire Middle School, and the National Cherry Festival to create fun opportunities to live their mission through fuel-free transportation, learning a little gardening, and cleaning up the community.

While the little things certainly add up, the Green Team also has bigger goals that require a little more time and money. Child and Family Services conducted an energy

“ It makes sense that an organization that worries about and supports the well-being of children and their families would want to do our part to minimize our contribution to climate change. That’s why we set up the Green Team.” audit through Keen Technical Solutions to learn more about how they could make their Veterans Drive location more energy efficient. With a list of ways to upgrade their building, they needed to secure some funding to make this next, larger step. “There was a grant available through the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), and we applied for it. We got funding for $25,000 worth of energy improvements,” explained Ward. She continued, “It was not just for lighting, heating and cooling, thermostats, and things, it also helped us create an energy action plan with a consultant.”

The Green Team now tracks their carbon emissions and how much they spend on energy needs. After upgrading to energy-efficient lighting and a more efficient furnace, they saw a noticeable difference in energy use and cost savings.

The Child and Family Services Board of Directors recently approved the Green Team’s Energy and Emissions Action Plan, complete with short-term, medium-term, and longterm goals. “We’ve met our short-term goals, growing our Green Team, tracking our energy use, and making recycling better around the office. Our medium-term goals include a lot of energy-saving goals. We just got a grant for energyefficient, climate-resilient landscaping. We continue to make lighting improvements, and we’re adding more smart vents,” explained Ward. Philpott added, “A longer-term goal would be to buy electric tools instead of gas-powered tools, leasing electric vehicles, and maybe even getting a solar array.”

The Green Team’s intentional approach to making environmentally conscious changes and decisions takes that sometimes ambiguous idea of going green to the next level, turning it into something much easier to wrap your arms around. They demonstrate how anyone can take steps to make the world a better place, even if your business, nonprofit, or club isn’t one you’d traditionally associate with these types of goals and priorities.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Green Team or starting your own, email Tara Ward at TWard@cfs3l.org or Nicola Philpott at njphilpott@hotmail.com.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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MI CO-OP Recipes

Photos by Robert Bruce Photography || Recipes submitted by MCL readers and tested by recipe editor Christin McKamey

POLISH

The flavors of Poland straight to your kitchen.

WINNING RECIPE! SMITTY’S KIELBASA & WHITE BEAN SOUP Dave Smith, Presque Isle

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + 2 teaspoons if needed 1 pound smoked kielbasa, diced 2 cups chopped onions 1½ tablespoons minced garlic 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 1 cup diced potatoes 1 pound white navy beans (soaked overnight in brine, then rinsed, or use precooked for faster cooking) 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ tablespoon dried 5–8 cups chicken or vegetable stock (depending on desired thickness of the soup) 3 cups water 2 teaspoons salt 1½ teaspoons fresh ground black pepper ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less depending on desired “hotness”) 1 squirt yellow mustard • pinch ground cinnamon • Additional ingredients depending on individual tastes: red wine, Worcestershire sauce, steak sauce, cilantro, rosemary, allspice, balsamic vinegar Add oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add sausage, stirring occasionally. Remove when browned. Add onion and additional 2 teaspoons oil (if needed) and cook until soft. Add the garlic, green/red pepper, celery, and potatoes, and continue to cook until soft. Add the sausage back into the pan. Stir in the beans. Add the mushrooms, bay leaves, thyme, stock, water, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper (if using), yellow mustard, and cinnamon. Add any remaining spices, wine, and sauces. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Cooking times will vary from 1½ to 3 hours, depending on what type of beans are used. Cook until beans are soft. Serve with hard, crusty bread or cornbread.

Watch a video of this month’s winning recipe at micoopkitchen.com/videos

10 JUNE 2023

Recipe Contest Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Chocolate Desserts due July 1: Submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a $100 bill credit and have your recipe featured in Country Lines with a photo and a video. Submit your recipe at micoopkitchen.com, or send it via email (include your full name and co-op) to recipes@countrylines.com.

SAUERKRAUT CASSEROLE Jennie Lewandowski, Presque Isle

1 (16-ounce) box shell noodles, cooked according to package directions 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix 2 cans mushroom soup 1 stick butter 1 pound bacon, cut & fried (or sub with Polish sausage or kielbasa)

1 (32-ounce) bag/jar sauerkraut, drained 3 tablespoons milk In a large pot, mix everything together and heat through. Or add to a crockpot until heated through (on high for 4 hours). Can also add sautéed onion and fresh mushrooms to add more flavor.

PIEROGI

Judy Dembny, Great Lakes Energy Pierogi: 2 cups flour 2 eggs ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup water Mound flour on flat surface. Make a hole in the center, volcano-like. Drop eggs into hole and cut into flour with a knife.

Add salt and water; knead until firm. Let rest 10 minutes, covered with a towel in a warm bowl. Divide dough into halves and roll thin. Cut circles with a large biscuit cutter. Place a small spoonful of filling (choice of cheese or meat, as listed to the right) a little to one side on each round of dough. Moisten edge with water, fold over, and press edges together firmly. Be sure they are sealed.

Drop into boiling, salted water. Cook gently, 3–5 minutes. Lift out carefully with slotted spoon.

Cheese Filling: 1 cup cottage cheese 1 teaspoon melted butter 3 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons currants 1 egg, beaten ¼ teaspoon cinnamon Cream together cottage cheese and butter; add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Meat Filling: 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter ½ cup mushrooms, chopped ½ cup cooked beef • salt & pepper 2 tablespoons sour cream

POLISH SPLIT PEA SOUP Jennifer Sylvester, Great Lakes Energy

4 slices bacon, cut into pieces 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 large onion, chopped 3 celery stalks, chopped 3 carrots, peeled and chopped 8 cups water 1 pound yellow or green split peas 1 meaty ham bone 1 bay leaf 1 cup cooked ham, chopped 1 large rutabaga, peeled and cut into ½ -inch pieces • salt & pepper, to taste

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat. Once cooked, add the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until veggies soften, about 2–4 minutes. Add water, peas, ham bone, and bay leaf to vegetables. Bring to boil; skim foam from top of pot. Add chopped ham and rutabaga. Return to boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Let simmer for 1 hour.

Remove ham bone and let cool about 5 minutes or until able to handle.

Remove bay leaf. Pull any remaining meat from bone and add back to pot.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

GOLABKI (POLISH CABBAGE ROLLS) Deanne Quain, Great Lakes Energy

2 large heads cabbage 8 ounces long grain rice, cooked according to package directions, drained 1 medium onion, chopped 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork or veal 1 egg ½ cup melted butter, divided 1 (10½ -ounce) can beef broth 1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes, undrained, cut up 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (10¾-ounce) can condensed tomato soup, if desired • salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste

Preheat oven to 325 F. Parboil cabbage and drain. In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, onion, ground beef, ground pork/veal, and egg. Pour ¼ cup butter over mixture. Mix well with your hands.

Core cabbages, separate leaves, and cut thick ribs out of each leaf. Put a large tablespoonful of meat mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold in sides, roll up, and place seam-side down in large roasting pan. In large bowl, combine beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup, and remaining ¼ cup butter. Pour over rolls. Bake for 1½ hours. Baste with tomato mixture occasionally during baking.

Fry onion in butter until transparent; add mushrooms and meat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in sour cream; cool before filling.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Q: What’s on your bucket list?

A: I love traveling to historical places.

Visiting and memorializing our shared histories changes us and keeps us from repeating the mistakes of the past. I’m hoping to make it to Poland to visit Auschwitz soon. Normandy is also on my bucket list. Here in the U.S., I would like to spend more time in the southeast. I’m thinking about making Savannah or Charleston my next trip.

If anyone has any recommendations, send them my way!

Q: What’s your favorite part about working for an electric cooperative?

Get To Know Your New CEO! Rachel Johnson After June 15, Rachel Johnson will take over as CEO of Cherryland Electric Cooperative. While she’s been an important part of the leadership team at Cherryland, and you may have seen her at events or heard her host the Co-op Energy Talk Podcast, you may not have had the chance to get to know Rachel on a deeper level.

Let’s get to know your new CEO!

A: The people, definitely the people.

I’ve worked for Cherryland for over 10 years; there is nowhere else I would rather be. I love our industry because we provide a vital service to a modern economy and do it so well that most people take us for granted.

While our job is keeping the lights on, our business model is what makes us unique. We keep power, decisionmaking, and profits local, and every single person at the cooperative is deeply committed to serving our members. I am constantly inspired by the talent, passion, and dedication to our members exhibited by every single one of our employees.

Q: What is something most people don’t know about you?

Q: What energizes you?

A: I am innately curious and energized by ideas for the future and what could be. It’s one of the things I love about the electric utility industry. There are so many exciting innovations, driven largely by new technologies, that will change how we do business and engage with our members to meet their energy needs. My excitement for new possibilities is a good match for an industry undergoing transformative change.

This energy transformation won’t be easy but that’s what makes it fun.

We have an awesome team here at Cherryland, and I am very excited to work with them as we prepare our cooperative to succeed in the coming years and decades.

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Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have any pets?

A: My husband and I don’t have kids, so our pets play an important role in our family. We have had five boxer dogs over the last 15 years and are currently lucky to have Hank in our family. He was found as a stray in Saginaw a few years ago, and he’s a dream of a dog. He’s loyal and funny and provides such simple, unconditional love. We could all learn so much about how to love well from dogs.

Right now, Hank and I are working on teaching him to stand-up paddleboard with me. I haven’t managed to stand up without him tipping me into the lake, but maybe summer 2023 will be the summer we finally make it happen.

A: I love to read—fiction, nonfiction, all types of topics. I don’t really keep track, but I would estimate that I read close to 100 books per year. I generally average a few books a week.

Here are a few books that I’ve really enjoyed reading so far this year: • “How Data Happened: A History from the Age of Reason to the Age of Algorithms” by Chris Wiggins and Matthew Jones • “Iron Curtain: A Love Story” by Vesna Goldworthy • “I Have Some Questions for You”

by Rebecca Makkai • “The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas” by Jerry Dennis

The board of directors chose Rachel Johnson to become your next CEO because they felt her in-depth knowledge and experience, both at Cherryland and at the national level, make her the perfect person to lead the cooperative into this next chapter. Here’s a look at some of those impressive accomplishments:

DEGREES: • • •

B.A. in Business and Communications – Augustana University M.A. in Communications Studies – Pepperdine University M.B.A. – Davenport University

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: •

• • •

•

Co-creator of the Member Loyalty Index, which is now used by electric cooperatives across the country to measure membership engagement and loyalty. The Index identifies ways to develop and deliver an experience that builds a positive emotional attachment to the cooperative.

Organized and implemented Cherryland’s outage texting system.

Creator and host of the country’s first electric cooperative podcast, Co-op Energy Talk.

Developed Cherryland’s energy use and electric vehicle programs with a focus on decarbonization through beneficial electrification and emerging technology.

Designed and oversaw Cherryland’s first-of-its-kind, lowincome solar program.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: • • • •

Traverse Connect – Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Government Affairs Committee Northwestern Michigan College – Board of Trustees Manistee Community Foundation – Investment & Finance Committee IMPACT 100 TC – Founding Member

Want to learn more about Rachel? Drop her an email at rjohnson@cherrylandelectric.coop or scan here to listen to the Get To Know Your New CEO episode on the Co-op Energy Talk Podcast!

85th Annual Meeting Incredible Mo's Thursday, June 15 Registration opens at 4 p.m.

Business Meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.

Entertainment continues until 8 p.m.

“One of the reasons Michigan ranks number six in milk production is our cows actually give more milk than the industry average,” said Jolene Griffin, vice president of industry relations at United Dairy Industry of Michigan.

“That’s due to the passion for the work and the commitment to improvement by our farmers.”

The relationship between dairy farmers and their cows isn’t one that simply sees the animals as a commodity.

Many of these farms are owned and run by third- or fourthgeneration farmers who deeply connect to the land and the animals that feed and produce on it.

THE MICHIGAN DAIRY INDUSTRY'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

By Emily Haines Lloyd

M

ichigan is certainly known for its agriculture, with varying growing seasons and products. But one of our state’s farming industries loves all four of our unpredictable seasons and is quick to tell you moo about it.

Bad puns aside, the Michigan dairy industry is the sixth largest in the country, which is nothing to laugh at. With over 11.6 billion pounds of milk produced annually by over 900 family farms, it takes more than luck to create this level of success.

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“To me, being a dairy farmer is a privilege. Being responsible for the care of the land, animals, and people, and then to use those resources to produce dairy products is simply indescribable,” said Brian DeMann of Clearview Dairy Farm in Martin. “For half my life, I have had the opportunity to wake up and call myself a dairy farmer. Each day is as exciting as the next, and I am blessed not to consider this a job.”

Aubrey Lettinga-Van Laan, third-generation owner and operator of Walnutdale Family Farms in Wayland, echoes that sentiment.

“It’s my way of life, and I don’t know a world without cows and manure. It means that every day the cows and what they need come first—that I don’t get a day off because the care of our cows and their needs come before other

“To me, being a dairy farmer is a privilege. Being responsible for the care of the land, animals, and people, and then to use those resources to produce dairy products is simply indescribable.”

Brian DeMann, Clearview Dairy Farm

things,” said Lettinga-Van Laan. “I am blessed because the work I do feeds the world.”

Lettinga-Van Laan is right about feeding so many people. The surplus that isn’t bought and sold right here in Michigan is exported to states with high demand.

Michigan's dairy industry provides a livelihood for more than just the farmers. It generates jobs employing local veterinarians and nutritionists, equipment dealers, electricians, plumbers, contractors, and additional farm staff. One dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy.

Additionally, the United Dairy Industry of Michigan is invested in helping to educate citizens, particularly students, about the industry. Whether it’s about the cows themselves, habitats, food chains, nutrition, or how to be good stewards of the land, the farmers know that they are a part of something much bigger and are eager to share that their cows are front and center of their daily decisions and lives.

MILK IS LOCAL How can I tell if the gallon of milk I purchased was processed in Michigan?

Each container of milk is identified by a 5-digit code.

The code includes a 2-digit state code followed by a 3-digit processing plant code.

Milk packaged in Michigan is identified by the state code 26.

“What drew me to dairy farming is that the job is a perfect mix of keeping me both physically and mentally active. I get to work outside while still having the challenge of solving the problems that come with owning a business and caring for animals,” said Katelyn Packard of Horning Farms in Manchester. “I am proud to be part of a business where I can work with my family each day to provide healthy and nutritious food for my community.”

Community seems to be at the very heart of our dairy industry. So, maybe look for Michigan-made dairy products next time you’re in the store. Grab the extra half-gallon of ice cream or pint of sour cream. And when you’re ordering your next pizza, you can thank a dairy farmer by splurging and going for the extra cheese.

SEL L BY NOV 19

OO:55 DP #26-784

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Your Board In Action April Board Meeting • The board approved the list of members to serve on the 2023 Election & Credentials Committee. Overseen by the cooperative’s general counsel, this committee of volunteer members is responsible for the collection and tallying of board election ballots submitted in person on the day of the Annual Meeting.

• Cherryland’s 2022 net margins were reviewed. The total amount of last year’s margins to be assigned and allocated to members is $3,372,545.51: $2,528,158.27 from Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative and $844,387.24 from Cherryland. As a reminder, this is notification of an allocation that will appear on your June bill. The allocation is not a bill credit—it is a notice of your share of the previous year’s revenues. Your board of directors reviews the co-op’s financials, and if the co-op is in good financial shape, they vote to retire a portion of the capital credits that were allocated in previous years, which is what you see on your December bill.

For a more in-depth look at our April board meeting, listen to the Co-op Energy Talk: Board Meeting Brief podcast at cherrylandelectric.coop/podcast

16 JUNE 2023

In The Know:

Energy Industry Updates

I

n April, Cherryland General Manager Tony Anderson, incoming CEO Rachel Johnson, and Board Director Gabe Schneider attended the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., along with more than 2,000 others representing electric cooperatives across the country. They discussed key legislative topics impacting electric cooperatives and met with local lawmakers to share priorities regarding reliability, affordability, and the future of the electric grid. Here are some of the key topics they discussed: • The Farm Bill, last reauthorized in 2018, is essential to electric cooperatives because it provides the means that help co-ops perform three important functions: securing financing for basic electrification in rural America, facilitating innovation in energy and broadband technology and deployment, and supporting co-ops’ role as important economic development partners in the communities we serve.

This year, Congress will authorize a new farm bill. The rural development funding in the Farm Bill accounts for less than half of one percent of the total farm bill, but is vital to electric cooperatives and the communities they serve.

Our national trade organization, NRECA, is urging Congress to maintain and enhance those critical tools.

• Reliability remains a priority for the energy industry. There are five main issues impacting reliability and affordability that cooperative representatives worked to make lawmakers aware of: 1. Electrifying the Economy: The country is trending toward an increasingly electrified future. The Electric Power Research Institute says achieving netzero emissions by 2050, economy-wide, would require electric generation capacity to increase by as much as 480%.

2. Early Retirement of Existing Generation: As reliable, 24/7 generation assets are retired earlier than expected, new sources of generation are more intermittent and not being built fast enough to replace what’s been taken offline.

3. Permitting Challenges: The current permitting process to build new generation and transmission assets can take up to 10 years due to regulatory hurdles. This compounds the problem we’re seeing with replacing prematurely retired generation assets and increasing electric generation capacity.

4. Supply Chain: The energy industry is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of basic grid components to maintain a reliable electric grid.

5. Natural Gas Availability: As the grid becomes increasingly reliant on intermittent generation sources like wind and solar, the U.S. is also increasingly reliant on natural gas generation to fill the gaps. Extreme weather events, like the extreme cold in December 2022, resulted in severe natural gas shortages and rolling blackouts for parts of the east coast.

Backyard Farming

PHOTO CONTEST

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Enter to win a $200 energy bill credit!

Submit Your “Porches” Photos By June 20!

Submit your best photo and encourage your friends to vote! The photo receiving the most votes in our Facebook contest will be printed in an issue of Country Lines, along with some of our other favorites. Our June theme is Porches! Photos can be submitted through June 20 to be featured in our September issue.

Enter Your Photos And Win A Bill Credit!

To enter the contest, visit cherrylandelectric.coop/photo-contest or visit facebook.com/cherrylandelectriccoop for a link to the current photo contest.

Enter your picture, cast your vote, and encourage others to vote for you as well.

If your photo is printed in Country Lines during 2023, you will be entered to win a credit of up to $200 on your December 2023 bill.

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MOST VOTES 1. “Kisses with ‘Pick’” Stacey Hyde 2. “Oh, how I miss my sunflower field!” Kendra Mac 3. “Prize carrot” Charles Stairs 4. “Big helper” Jessica Johnson 5. “Chicken tender” Susan Schopieray 6. “Quality family time during harvest season” Lauren Dreves

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 17

MI CO-OP Guest Column

Spring Gardening

By Kris Rigling, a Great Lakes Energy Cooperative member

O

ne of my fondest memories growing up was coming home from school in the spring on the day my parents would be planting the garden. Usually, sometime during the third week of May, we would come home from school, step off the bus, run into the house, and find no one there! We found them outside, starting the garden. Our dad would have the ground worked up, and my parents would be beginning to stake things out and be ready to go when we got home. My two older brothers usually stake the lines for the sweet corn by running a piece of twine between two metal stakes. Then they would fill the little corn planter and roll it down the row! I always wanted to plant the corn, but they enjoyed it and kept the job. I usually got to help my dad plant the potatoes—starter potatoes cut in half (with six kids, you had to economize!).

My dad would push the pointed end of the potato planter into the ground with his foot. I would toss in the potato—he would open the planter by pressing the handle to one side and lift it out. The potato remained in the hole (usually), and he would swipe his foot full of dirt over the hole and stomp it down. Then we would all work at planting the rest—lots of green beans, yellow beans, onion sets, carrots, radishes, and summer squash, among other veggies. Then we would set out tomato and cabbage starts.

Mom always liked to have the first row saved for some flowers. She always allowed us girls to plant “our” zinnias.

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She planted dahlias, gladiolas, and canna lilies from the rootstock she had saved from the previous year. My mother always had beautiful flower beds, but she liked a little pop of color in her garden to look at out the patio window. It was a great learning experience about faith, waiting for all those seeds to sprout and grow, with the rain coming when it needed to (hopefully), and using the sprinkler when it didn’t. We learned to anticipate the future when we could eat all the delicious vegetables we harvested from the garden. Happy planting!

Kris works in human resources and enjoys camping, reading, gardening, and cooking.

Guest Column

Win $200 for stories published!

Share your fondest memories and stories. Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/ community to submit.

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