October 2023 HomeWorks

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

Allendale

Allendale Htg & Clg (800)327-1937

allendaleheating.com

Bad Axe/Ubly

Cutting Edge Htg & Clg (989)551-0986

Berrien Springs

Waterfurnace Michiana (269)473-5667 gogreenmichgeo thermal.com

Big Rapids Stratz Htg & Clg, Inc. (231)796-3717 stratzgeocomfort.com

Clifford Orton Refrig & Htg (989)761-7691

sanduskygeothermal.com

Hart Adams Htg & Clg (231)873-2665 adamsheating cooling.com

Indian River

M&M Plmb & Htg (231)238-7201 mm-plumbing.com

Lansing Candor Mechanical (517)920-0890 candormechanical.com

Lowell Arctic Inc. Htg. & Clg. (616)897-4213 heatingcoolingonline.com

Mancelona Top Notch Htg, Clg, & Geothermal (231)350-8052 Topnotchheatandair.com

Michigan Center Comfort 1/Air Serv of Southern Michigan (517)764-1500 airserv.com/southernmichigan/

Mt Pleasant Walton Htg & Clg (989)772-4822 waltonheating.com

Muskegon Adams Htg & Clg (231)873-2665 adamsheatingcooling.co

Portland ESI Htg & Clg (517)647-6906 esiheating.com

Sunfield Mark Woodman Plmb & Htg (517)886-1138 mwphonline.com

Traverse City D&W Mechanical (231)941-1251 dwmechanical.com

Geofurnace Htg & Clg (231)943-1000 geofurnace.com

and it isn’t just corn.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS

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.

6 FROM TRAVERSE CITY TO TIME MAGAZINE Andrea Kritcher named among 100 most

10 MI COOP KITCHEN Pumpkin: seasonal goodies that go way beyond pie.

14 SMALL-TOWN INNOVATION YIELDS BIG RESULTS AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fish manure was the impetus for a partnership between a Glen Oaks grad and his instructor.

18 GUEST COLUMN Sunken Treasure: A Great Lakes Energy member recalls how he made a mysterious barge even more intriguing.

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!

Recipe Contest

Vegetarian due Nov. 1; Best Layer Cakes due Dec. 1; Soups & Stews due Jan. 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!

homeworks.org

/homeworks.org

tricoenergy@homeworks.org

Portland office/Mail payments to:

7973 E. Grand River Ave.

Portland, MI 48875

Open 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday–Friday

Blanchard office:

3681 Costabella Ave.

Blanchard, MI 49310

Open 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday–Friday

Night deposit box available at both locations.

Electric bill/account questions:

517-647-7554 or 1-800-562-8232

Pay by phone, anytime:

1-877-999-3395

Service questions/outages:

517-647-7554 or 1-800-848-9333

(24 hours for emergency calls)

Tri-County Propane:

1-877-574-2740

HomeWorks Connect

1-800-668-8413

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

District 1 — John Lord, Vice-Chairman

2276 Plains Rd., Leslie, MI 49251

517-974-2518 • jlord@homeworks.org

District 2 — Jim Stebbins

7139 Peddler Lake Rd., Clarksville, MI 48815

616-693-2449 • jstebbins@homeworks.org

District 3 — Luke Pohl, Chairman

15560 W. Hanses Rd., Westphalia, MI 48894

989-292-0427 • lpohl@homeworks.org

District 4 — Jake Borton

7543 E. Edgar Rd., Vestaburg, MI 48891

989-506-3404 • jborton@homeworks.org

District 5 — Theresa Sopocy

6996 E. Wilson Rd., Bannister, MI 48807

989-292-0295 • tsopocy@homeworks.org

District 6 — Ed Oplinger, Secretary-Treasurer

10890 W. Weidman Rd., Weidman, MI 48893

989-506-1639 • eoplinger@homeworks.org

District 7 — Shirley Sprague

15563 45th Ave., Barryton, MI 49305

989-382-7535 • ssprague@homeworks.org

Editor: Charly Markwart, CCC

HomeWorks’ Power Supplier, Wolverine Power Cooperative, Enters into Historic Agreement to Restart Palisades Nuclear Power Plant

By Chris O’Neill, President/CEO

Iam excited to share with you a groundbreaking development that will positively shape the future of energy in Michigan. With the support of HomeWorks, our power supplier Wolverine Power Cooperative has entered into a historic agreement with Holtec International that will pave the way for the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in southwest Michigan. This marks the first time in American history that a nuclear plant could reopen, and it’s a win for our members, the state of Michigan, and the environment.

Palisades closed in May 2022, and the plant was sold to Holtec. In September, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her support to restart the nuclear power plant to keep energy costs low, shore up domestic energy production, and increase Michigan’s competitiveness for future economic development.

As the energy industry undergoes a transformation towards clean energy and electrifying the modern economy, the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant will play a pivotal role in ensuring a reliable, carbon-free power supply for our state. Holtec will own and operate the plant, and Wolverine has made a long-term commitment to purchase a majority of the output of that plant on behalf of its members, including HomeWorks. Power from the plant will help us address three critical challenges:

Electric Reliability Keeping the Lights On for Our Communities

At HomeWorks, we prioritize electric reliability for our communities. While renewable energy sources are vital to our transition to clean energy, they are weather dependent. The sun doesn’t always shine, the wind doesn’t always blow, and battery technology can’t yet fill the gap. By incorporating more carbon-free, always-available energy

from a nuclear power plant into our portfolio, we enhance our ability to provide reliable electricity to our members, aiding in our efforts to keep the lights on even during peak demand or challenging weather conditions.

Decarbonization Tackling Greenhouse Gases Head-On

We are already a leader in Michigan, powering our members with over 60% carbon-free energy today. Nuclear energy is a well-established and dependable source of electricity that emits no greenhouse gases during the electricity generation process. As Michigan moves away from fossil-fuel generation and embraces renewable and advanced technologies, nuclear power serves as a critical foundation for maintaining electric reliability.

Cost Stability Providing Stable Rates in an Era of Volatility

In an era of increasing price volatility, this power purchase agreement allows Wolverine to lock in stable and predictable power supply pricing for the future. This contract is consistent with Wolverine’s strategy of making long-term commitments to balance price stability and competitiveness.

The restart of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant also brings significant economic benefits to our state. It will protect hundreds of high-paying jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual regional economic development.

Of course, safety is our top priority at HomeWorks, so it’s important to note that we believe the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant can and will be completed very safely. Nuclear power plants are subject to rigorous safety standards and

regulations enforced by national and international authorities. During its operation, Palisades ranked in the NRC’s highest safety category and was recognized as a top performing plant within the industry.

In conclusion, restarting the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant offers a unique strategic opportunity to position

HomeWorks at the forefront of a responsible clean energy transition. It enables us to provide a stable power supply to our members, reduce our carbon footprint, and maintain stable power supply costs in a volatile energy market, while we continue to invest in additional renewable energy sources. We are dedicated to fulfilling our cooperative’s mission of

providing safe, reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to our members, and restarting the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant is a crucial step towards achieving that goal.

Thank you for your continued support as we pave the way towards a brighter future for our communities.

How Much Energy Does Palisades Produce?

6,500,000 megawatt hours of carbon-free power or 6% of Michigan’s energy

Enough power for 800,000 homes

Equal to 9.8 million solar panels

and 618 wind turbines

Palisades

“Basically, you are creating fusion reactions as you smash hydrogen isotopes together. It’s the same process that powers the sun. So, we’re making mini suns in our lab. Actually, we reach conditions hotter than the sun.”

Lead designer Andrea Kritcher (right) and lead experimentalist Alex Zylstra standing in front of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) target chamber where the fusion experiments are performed, holding an encased target.

From Traverse City to Time Magazine Andrea Kritcher Named Among 100 Most Influential People

By Emily Haines Lloyd

When you think of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, you imagine seeing celebrities like Beyoncé, titans of industry like Elon Musk, and world leaders like Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska gracing the pages. But under the “Innovators” section of the 2023 issue, Traverse City residents might see a familiar face and name—Andrea Kritcher.

Kritcher, who grew up in Traverse City as a Cherryland Electric Cooperative member, is a nuclear engineer and physicist who works at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. She also just happens to be a worldclass scientist who was the principal designer in a breakthrough experiment that produced fusion ignition in a laboratory for the first time.

Igniting Big Ideas

Scientists fired 192 lasers at a target the size of a pencil eraser in the experiment, achieving “energy breakeven,” which means it produced more energy than was imparted to the target. The first-of-its-kind breakthrough is considered a major step toward a net-zero carbon future.

“Basically, you are creating fusion reactions as you smash hydrogen isotopes together,” said Kritcher. “It’s the same process that powers the sun. So, we’re making mini suns in our lab. Actually, we reach conditions hotter than the sun.”

How Hot?

You read that right—hotter than the sun. The implications of this discovery are massive and will likely result in many applications. Kritcher says that pilot plants for fusion energy are approximately 10–20 years away. Zero-emission energy projects take time to develop, build, and meet rigorous standards, but the end goal is for zero-emission energy plants to not only help alleviate our dependence on carbon-based energy sources, but to take us closer to a carbon-free power grid. As someone who grew up in Traverse City and enjoyed

nature deeply, this is an important prospect for Kritcher.

“I loved growing up in Traverse City and I got a lot of support from my family along the way,” said Kritcher. “It was a really great place to grow up and enjoy being outside and on the lake. It’s pretty idyllic.”

Small Town to Big Time

This small-town math and science student likely couldn’t have imagined that a career in physics would have led to so much time talking to the press.

Of course, that all changed with her December 2022 fusion experiment. Kritcher was suddenly getting calls for all sorts of interviews. When someone from the lab’s public relations department asked if she could do an interview with Time Magazine, Kritcher wasn’t fazed.

“We were just talking when he asked me to hold for a second. He asked me if I knew they were considering me for the award,” Kritcher said. “Then he said, ‘We just got word—you’re one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.’ It was so surreal. Can you really be prepared to hear something like that?”

Influencing the Future

Kritcher understands that this success for her is really about the decades of passionate research from hundreds of scientists, engineers, and technicians that made the fusion breakthrough possible. Her hard work reflects that reverence, and she’s proud to be a woman in a field that is still dominated by men.

“Women are still underrepresented in physics, but I belong in this field as much as anyone,” said Kritcher. “Physics doesn’t have a gender. It just asks you to follow your curiosity and solve the problems most interesting to you.”

That sounds like a pretty good plug for future generations of scientists who will continue in her innovative footsteps.

Announcing Our New EV Charging Port Incentive For Business Owners

re you a business owner or landlord served by HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative? Our Energy Optimization program now offers a $2,000 cash incentive per electric vehicle (EV) charging port installed (minimum of two) at your business or property. Many different types of businesses and commercial properties can benefit from having a publicly available EV charger, including:

• Retail shops

• Restaurants

• Offices or workspaces

• Hotels

• Cinemas or theaters

• Event or concert venues

• Apartment buildings or residence halls

• And more!

Why install an EV charging station at your business?

Aside from the incentive offered by HomeWorks, there are many ways businesses can benefit from providing publicly available EV charging ports, including: attracting customers

to your business, drawing in tenants at your rental property, and increasing employee satisfaction at work.

How do I qualify?

To qualify, your charging stations must be located at a business or multi-family location and served by a HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Co-op electric account with a commercial rate code. Additionally, you must meet the following requirements:

• There must be a dedicated parking space for each charging port that is installed.

• You must install Level 2 (208/240 volt) or DC fast chargers.

• You must install a minimum of two charging ports at your location.

• The charger may be available to the public or used for private fleet vehicle charging.

Preapproval is recommended. For full incentive details, be sure to visit HomeWorks.org/eo, or give our team a call at 877-296-4319.

 $2,000 per charging port

 Minimum 2 charging ports per site location

 Location must be served by a HomeWorks electric account with a commercial rate code

 Charger may be available to the public or used for

Everything Fall

Enter to win a $100 energy bill credit!

Submit Your “Great Outdoors” Photos By Oct. 20!

Each month, members are able to submit photos on our website for our photo contest. The photo receiving the most votes is published here, along with some other selections from that month. Our October theme is the Great Outdoors. Photos can be submitted through Oct. 20 to be featured in our January issue. To enter the contest, visit HomeWorks.org/photocontest. Enter your picture, cast your vote, and encourage others to vote for you, too. If your photo is published in Country Lines during 2023, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of four $100 credits on your December 2023 HomeWorks bill!

MOST VOTES

1. Taken from the bleachers of the Portland Raiders Football Stadium under the Friday Night Lights sky. Casie Bayless, Portland

2. One sign the fall harvest is underway...the building corn pile for storage. Debra Cook, Mt. Pleasant

3. Back roads in the fall. Emma Storey, Remus

4. Our favorite fall tunnel of trees. David Crouse, Vestaburg

5. Cornstalks & blue sky. Heather Balcom, Shepherd

6. Boyle Sky Bridge. Suzie Schafer, Boyne Falls

7. Backyard buck. Jennifer Lucas, Blanchard

8. Friday night. Tim Rasmussen, Lakeview

PUMPKIN

Seasonal goodies that go way beyond pie

WINNING RECIPE!

STREUSEL PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Connie Pietila, Ontonagon County REA

¼ cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

²⁄ ³ cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup buttermilk

2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ –1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping

¹⁄ ³ cup flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cold butter

Recipe Contest

Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Vegetarian due Nov. 1; Best Layer Cakes due Dec. 1; Soups & Stews due Jan. 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

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and orange zest until blended. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture just until blended. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. For topping, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This fall breakfast favorite is perfect with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea.

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

PUMPKIN CUSTARD

Janet Weber, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op

¼ cup brown sugar

1½ tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ (15-ounce) can pumpkin

¾ cup milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Pour into three or four custard cups or oven-safe bowls. Place in baking pan and pour very hot water around the custard cups to about 1 inch high. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream!

PUMPKIN DIP

Leslie Buerkle, Thumb Electric

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

2½ teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 (8-ounce) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger; beat until combined. Fold in the Cool Whip until thoroughly combined. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with ginger snaps.

CHARLIE BROWN GREAT PUMPKIN COOKIES

Leslie Brasure, Alger Delta

PUMPKIN CHIP MUFFINS

Joyce

4 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

12 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda,

cinnamon, and salt. In another large bowl, cream the butter. Then gradually add the brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin to the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough

¼ cup at a time onto lightly greased cookie sheet (using a large cookie scoop or two spoons). Bake 20–25 minutes, until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet; let cool on racks. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

4 eggs

1½ cups sugar

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

½ cup orange juice

3 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, and orange juice until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups threequarters full. Bake for 16–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes about 24 standard-size muffins.

Tamminga, Great Lakes Energy

It’s time to apply for our 2024 classroom grants and college scholarships!

For Teachers: We offer grants of up to $2,000 to help teachers in our service area provide S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education in their classrooms.

Applications due Dec. 15

For Students:

Current high school seniors living on our electric lines could be eligible for one of our one-time $2,000 scholarships to help with 2023-24 college expenses!

Applications due March 13

For more info or to apply, click the Community tab at: HomeWorks.org

Your Board In Action

Meeting in Portland on Aug. 28, your board of directors:

• Elected to maintain the current board committee assignments, which include directors John Lord and Ed Oplinger on the audit committee and directors Shirley Sprague and Jim Stebbins on the policy committee, for another year.

• Reviewed the Cooperative’s annual IRS Form 990 and Form 990-T and authorized management to file the forms as presented.

• Authorized management the discretion to order an additional bucket truck for the HomeWorks Connect business, to be received by the first quarter of 2025.

• Reviewed a presentation on the Co-op’s 2023 member engagement events, which included district meetings, park parties, and the Annual Meeting of Delegates.

• Approved the proposed 2024 board meeting dates, as revised.

• Discussed and accepted Cooperative bylaw sections 4.1-4.9, as revised.

People Fund Continues To Support Local Organizations And Families In Need

Meeting remotely on Aug. 9, our People Fund board made two grants totaling $1,379, including:

• $725 to Chippewa Lake Community Church, for mobile food truck supplies; and

• $654 to an Ingham County family, to help cover utility expenses.

• Learned there were 108 new members in July.

• Acknowledged the July safety report, listing employee training as well as minor employee and public incidents involving electric, propane, or fiber optic.

• Acknowledged the July physical & cybersecurity report, listing any Cooperative measures taken to bolster security along with any security incidents of note.

Co-op Hosts Successful 2023 Annual Meeting Of Delegates

Time Set Aside for Members to Comment Before Cooperative Board Meetings

The first 15 minutes of every board meeting are available for members who wish to address the board of directors on any subject. The next meetings are scheduled for 9 a.m. on Oct. 23 at Blanchard and 9 a.m. on Nov. 27 at Portland. Members who wish to have items considered on the board agenda should call 517-647-7554 at least a week in advance of the meeting.

More than 135 HomeWorks delegates, along with their guests, attended the Co-op’s 86th Annual Meeting of Delegates on Aug. 19 at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mt. Pleasant. The meeting was held in person for the first time since 2019 and included a business meeting, a Co-op operations update, entertainment by the Lansing Concert Band’s Jazz Big Band, and a buffet lunch.

The purpose of the Annual Meeting of Delegates is for the delegates elected to represent each HomeWorks district to come together to collectively review the financial report of the Co-op, vote on any matters of importance to the membership, and present to the board any matters brought forth for further discussion at the district meetings in May.

How to Apply for a Tri-County Electric People Fund Grant

The Tri-County Electric People Fund provides grants to individuals and organizations in the Co-op’s service area for food, shelter, clothing, health, and other humane needs, or for programs or services that benefit a significant segment of a community.

Write to 7973 E. Grand River Ave., Portland, MI 48875, for an application form and grant guidelines, or visit the People Fund page at HomeWorks.org.

Note: Applications must be received by Oct. 24 for the November meeting or by Dec.5 for the December meeting.

At a brief reorganizational board meeting held at the conclusion of this year’s Annual Meeting, 2023 director electees Jim Stebbins (District 2), Jake Borton (District 4), and Theresa Sopocy (District 5) were officially seated, and the board elected to maintain the current slate of district officers: Chairman Luke Pohl, Vice Chair John Lord, and Secretary/Treasurer Ed Oplinger.

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATION AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By Grant Zamora

FISH POOP: Crops love it. Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville is at the heart of an agricultural innovation that prepares students for a lifetime of employment while also experimenting with what could be a game changer for crop yields: Fish Sh!t, an unusual, beneficial bacteria created by Fish Head Farms.

A SMALL COLLEGE AHEAD OF THE CURVE

The Agricultural Equipment Technology program at Glen Oaks Community College, taught by Reid Leaverton, is the only agricultural equipment repair program offered at a community college in Michigan. Classes take place at Burnips Equipment in Three Rivers, where students get real-world experience working on equipment that gets brought into the shop. In exchange, if Burnips decides to hire a student, Glen Oaks will pay for the student’s tuition as long as they’re employed by Burnips for the duration of the program.

The program got its start in 2017, when Glen Oaks President David Devier saw the need for trained repair

technicians in the largely agricultural St. Joseph County. Rather than wait for other colleges to train new employees, Glen Oaks led the charge in creating a program that could bring new talent to the area. Upon completion of the program, students are placed into equipment dealers or large farms through relationships Glen Oaks has with industry partners like Burnips, New Holland Agriculture, and local John Deere and Bobcat dealers. As of this year, 24 students have accepted jobs at local dealerships upon completing the program.

Students can take two routes through the program. One is a traditional degree route that grants an Associate of Applied Science in agricultural equipment technology. The other is a certificate route, which eliminates the need for general education classes and a high school diploma.

“[If] they have an interest in agricultural equipment, they can come to Glen Oaks and learn how to work on it,” Leaverton says.

Collin Dussel is a program graduate whose family owns Dussel’s Farm Market & Greenhouses in Cassopolis.

Collin Dussel prepares Fish Sh!t to use on crops.

Dussel, who originally brought Fish Sh!t to Leaverton’s attention, says the hands-on nature of the program was key to the learning process.

“We were in a real-world shop learning what other mechanics do,” Dussel says. “It wasn’t something we just tore apart that someone else tore apart before you. We were diagnosing real farmers’ equipment and trying to figure out the problem.”

LOCAL MARKET, CUTTING-EDGE TECH

The program goes beyond teaching students to repair equipment. It gives them problem-solving skills and the ability to innovate. Dussel took these skills and applied them to growing and improving his family’s farm using new and innovative products like Fish Sh!t.

After graduating from the program, Dussel took over his grandfather’s farm and began looking into alternative fertilizers, all the while keeping in touch with Leaverton, who would help him with larger projects on a friendly basis. In addition to running the farm, Dussel and his brother Nick founded Soil Production Solutions,

a company that helps farmers with their soil treatment plans. During their search for clean, efficient fertilizers, the brothers’ father Mark (who runs the store in Cassopolis) connected them with a promising lead: Fish Sh!t.

Fish Sh!t is an organic, living beneficial bacteria. It was created by Dave Barr, a high school biology teacher, and Tommy Fox, a medical caregiver, who founded Fish Head Farms. Fish Sh!t is derived from fi sh manure treated in an aquaponic system, which separates the beneficial bacteria from the waste. It has fewer synthetic chemicals than other fertilizers, which lends itself to creating a beneficial biosphere for plant growth, according to Leaverton. If a plant has to break down fewer synthetic chemicals and more organic material, the plant doesn’t have to work as hard to take in nutrients, allowing better growth and a higher crop yield.

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATORS JOIN FORCES

The Dussels first tested Fish Sh!t on their mom’s houseplants, with encouraging results. They then partnered with Leaverton to test it at

Glen Oaks, starting with soil samples and expanding to larger areas. When testing the product on corn, they found about a 26% increase in root mass and a yield increase of about a bushel per harvest.

Leaverton and the Dussels have used Fish Sh!t to revitalize a previously barren plot of land at Glen Oaks, now a field with healthy soil. Students in Leaverton’s program use the field to grow crops, which they then test the agricultural equipment on.

“What we’re doing is basically just making our plants and our soil happier from year to year to year,” Leaverton says.

The Dussels have also started selling smaller quantities of the product for home use at their store in Cassopolis.

Glen Oaks and the Dussels are living proof that you don’t always have to look to large, expensive universities to find promising new products and one-of-a-kind educational programs. Sometimes, small-town innovation can yield big results.

The Agricultural Equipment Technology program gives students state-of-the-art, hands-on training over the course of two years. Space is limited—each class can accommodate 20 students. To learn more and sign up, visit GlenOaks.edu and go to Academics > Programs of Study > Agriculture > Agricultural Equipment Technology.

To learn more about Dussel’s Farm Market, visit DusselsFarmMarketAndGreenhouses.com.

Weathering The Storm Together: MUTUAL AID CREWS HELP TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON

Ahistoric storm that resulted in seven confirmed tornadoes across lower Michigan ripped through HomeWorks’ service territory the evening of Aug. 24, leaving hundreds of downed trees and thousands of power outages in its wake. Thankfully, mutual aid line crews from other Michigan co-ops and municipalities, along with our contracted tree crews, answered the call and helped our crews restore power to over 5,000 member locations in less than four days.

“This was one of the top-two most severe storms to hit our service area in my 30 years with the Co-op,” says Engineering Services Manager Chris Jensen. “The damage was very widespread and there were many large trees knocked down, causing severe damage to our system, including over 55 broken power poles that had to be replaced. That type of damage takes a lot of time and resources to repair. Over 20% of our members were out of power, and the fact that the majority of them had power restored within a couple of days is a testament to the extremely hard work and dedication of our employees and our mutual aid crews.”

The violent storm produced winds of up to 90 mph in our service area. The seven tornadoes were the most to ever hit the state in a single day in August. In total, the event left over 500,000 Michigan electric customers out of power.

As usual, safety was the immediate focus at HomeWorks once the storm struck. Our line crews spent most of the night of Aug. 24 assessing damage and addressing downed power lines across roads in order to help first responders make areas safe and passable. In the meantime, our dispatch team back in the office took outage reports and worked to come up with a restoration plan, while our management team hit the phones to call in assistance from mutual aid crews from utilities in areas not heavily affected by the storm.

By the next morning, eight crews from Bay City Electric Light & Power, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, Great Lakes Energy, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Cooperative, Thumb Electric Cooperative, and Wolverine Power Cooperative had come in to help. Additionally, tree removal crews from Chop and Wright Tree Service came in and worked 16-hour days right alongside our crews until power had been restored to every single member home.

“I am so proud to lead an electric cooperative, because part of our very foundation is that we all work together,” says HomeWorks CEO Chris O’Neill. “In your hour of need, the mutual aid crews come in to help, and we’ve sent crews to help these other co-ops in the same way. I can’t say enough about the way our employees, our mutual aid crews, and our contractors worked so well together in the wake of this storm to get the job done for our members.”

Many HomeWorks members agree with O’Neill’s sentiment. Throughout the restoration efforts, the Co-op’s Facebook page was flooded with comments thanking employees for their hard work and efficiency in turning the lights back on.

“You came to my neighborhood hours before I expected you,” commented member Beverly Sherman. “Thank you for exceeding our expectations. Your team rocks!”

When it comes to our members, that feeling is mutual.

“We sincerely appreciate the patience shown by our members as we worked our way through this severe storm,” says O’Neill. “This was a rare instance where some of our members were unfortunately out of power for multiple days, but they stuck with us through the restoration efforts, and we were able to get the lights back on safely and as quickly as possible. We were all in it together, and that’s what being part of a Co-op is all about.”

Safety always comes first at HomeWorks. That’s why HomeWorks Connect is offering a 911-only landline phone option for our internet subscribers: Talk-911. Talk-911’s location feature ensures that your phone line comes preprogrammed with your address so that any calls made to 911 will be automatically traced to your location. Because it’s a landline phone option, you also won’t have to worry about spotty connections or dropped calls.

Talk-911 provides a line that allows you to make calls only to 911. This is a perfect option for homes that need a reilable way to contact help in the case of an emergency. The location feature gives you peace of mind knowing that your young children or aging family members will be able to be located during an emergency that they’ve called in, even if they can’t give an address over the phone.

Interested in this service? If you’re already a HomeWorks Connect internet subscriber, give our office a call at 800-668-8413, and we’ll be happy to add this to your package selection. If you don’t have our internet service yet, sign up today at Join.HomeWorksConnect.org by inputting your address. You’ll be able to select the Talk-911 package and any of our other internet or phone packages.

Have questions? Please call! 800-668-8413.

“To this day, as my children are now grown adults, we still go over that barge and fondly recall those memories of sunken treasure on Lake Charlevoix.”

Sunken Treasure

By Bob Wilson, a Great Lakes Energy Cooperative member

My family has owned a summer cottage on Lake Charlevoix since 1941, and just down the beach from where our cottage is located, there is an old barge on the lake bottom that wrecked in a storm in the early 1920s.

That barge has been visible for many years and was a source of mystery for my children as they were growing up. I used to take our small rowboat over the barge and we would talk about the chance that there might be sunken treasure down below.

Thinking about how I might add to their fascination with the barge, I found a few trinkets in the old shed next to our cottage and shined them up a bit, and then went out in my kayak and dove down on the barge and placed these trinkets along different parts of the wrecked hull.

Several days later, I took my kids out over the barge in our rowboat, and of course had my fins and snorkel and diving mask with me, and I told them that I was going to dive down and see if I could find any sunken treasure.

I went down on the wreck and, lo and behold, I pulled up the trinkets that I had placed there earlier. I was able to hand

them each their own trinket of sunken treasure from the wreck. They each were so excited to see real treasure from the same wreck that they had watched over the years.

To this day, as my children are now grown adults, we still go over that barge and fondly recall those memories of sunken treasure on Lake Charlevoix.

Bob Wilson spent 28 years working as senior counsel in the Michigan Senate Natural Resources Committee and has taught environmental law and policy at Michigan State University since 1999. His family has owned a summer cottage on Lake Charlevoix since 1941. Bob’s wife Cathy is head of governmental affairs for Consumers Energy, and his four children are Sarah, Aaron, Daniel, and Bobby.

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IS YOU! THE CO-OP DIFFERENCE

THANK YOU FOR BEING A HOMEWORKS MEMBER.

October Is National Co-op Month.

October Is National Co-op Month.

Did you know electric co-ops power more than 20 million homes, farms, businesses, and schools across America? Here in rural mid-Michigan, HomeWorks is proud to have served generations of families like yours since 1937.

Did you know electric co-ops power more than 20 million homes, farms, businesses, and schools across America? Here in rural mid-Michigan, HomeWorks is proud to have served generations of families like yours since 1937.