June Postcards Eastex

Eastex Edition

Serving the Greater Cleveland/Tarkington Area

POSTCARDS Magazine

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Scott Swigert • Blueberry Pickin’ • Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC

June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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FEATURES 8

June 2023

| Volume 1, Issue 1

Do You Know?

Scott Swigert

14 Local Treasures

Cover Photo by Cade Crippin

Blueberry Pickin’

Postcards 2022 Photo Contest 2nd place-Animals

18 Business Focus

Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC

FAVORITES Community Calendar -22 Dear Gabby -6 Glorious Grandkids -13 Mustard Seed Moments - 23 Pet Pals -7 Publisher’s Post -5

Puzzle Solutions -16 Sudoku Marketplace -21 The Garden Post -11 Things My Granddaddy Said -12 What’s Cookin’? -17

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Your Local Community Magazine! @PostcardsMag

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MAILED to select postal routes in the Greater Cleveland/Tarkington area.

If you would like to receive our magazine and are not currently on our mailing list, subscriptions are available.

FREE rack copies at advertisers and businesses in towns listed above.

Published Monthly by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc. Publisher Karen Altom Associate Publisher Kent Holder Editor Wes Altom

Karen Altom Hello, neighbor! I am Karen Altom, owner and publisher of Postcards Magazine, and we are excited to be here!

Postcards Magazine is a homegrown, family-owned publication group dedicated to promoting and connecting people in the communities we serve. You’ll see by the names of the team members listed here--when I say family-owned, I mean it!

We started in the Huntsville/Madisonville area twelve years ago with our Piney Woods edition, then added a Lake Conroe edition that is eleven years old. You are holding the very first copy of the Eastex Edition of Postcards Magazine.

Thank you for the way you have welcomed us. Every time I am around town, I am reminded how very much I love small towns and why we do these magazines.

Community is important! I grew up in a community of about 3,500 people. Everyone knew everyone, and loving your neighbor was a little easier, because we saw each other in person more often than on a social media screen.

The goal of Postcards is simple. Promote the positive! We want you to feel more connected to your neighbors and community. We want you to be more proud of your community. We want to be part of what makes your community so special.

Our slogan at Postcards is “Community. It’s what we do.”

I look forward to meeting you!

~

Karen

Advertising Team Nancy Jolly Jennifer Abbrat Kent Holder Marshall Altom Design Team Mary Partida April Key Social Media Management Abby Altom Boyd Online: www.PostcardsLive.com Address: PO Box 690 • Huntsville, TX 77342 Call our Office: 936.293.1188 We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited material. No material from Postcards Magazine™ can be copied, faxed, electronically, or otherwise used without express written permission. Publication of articles, advertisements or product information does not constitute endorsement or approval by Postcards Magazine™ and/or its publisher.

Business Focus stories printed in Postcards Magazine™ are drawn at random from contract advertisers. © 2023 by Altom Consulting & Marketing, Inc., All rights reserved.

Kent Holder Welcome to the first issue of Postcards Magazine for the greater Cleveland/ Tarkington area. It’s my pleasure to introduce myself as your associate publisher, and I am excited to be a part of the Postcards team.

The journey started when we met with the Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce in December of last year. Working with Victoria and Courtney was a dream, and their local contacts allowed us to connect with the community and ask for your support in bringing Postcards Magazine to you. With a positive response, we began collaborating with advertisers in mid-January to build the foundation for our first issue.

Although this edition is just getting started, we have big plans. Our features will grow as we add new sponsors. We will be sharing favorites from the community like your precious pets and grandkids, as well as delicious recipes. This fall, we will add our section highlighting exceptional students and teachers. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with you, and we look forward to growing with this community and having you join us on the journey!

~

Kent

June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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Dear Gabby Welcome back to the Dear Gabby advice column. I’m not talking to Siri anymore. I was in a playful mood this morning, so I asked my phone, “Siri, am I the fairest of them all?” and she activated the front camera. Very funny!

To all of the Dads: may your Father’s Day be better than your jokes. Speaking of jokes, life is just too short to be serious all the time. So, if you can’t laugh at yourself, drop me a line and I’ll laugh at you. Send your questions to me by going to www.PostcardsLive.com/share and clicking on Dear Gabby.

DEAR GABBY It’s swimsuit season, and I am not looking forward to it! I am not young and skinny, but I do love to go to the pool and cool off. In my defense, I was

6 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | June 2023

quarantined with a kitchen full of food a while back. What’s a lady to do?

NOT SUITABLE DEAR SUITABLE I keep hoping I’ll become old enough to not care what other people think about the way I look, but that hasn’t happened, yet. So, in the summer, I try on my bathing suit first thing every morning. That way, nothing worse can happen the rest of the day! I can relate about the quarantine, but I just read the average human is 60% water. I’m not fat, I’m flooded!

While I am certainly not bikini ready, I am definitely poncho ready. A good cover-up makes a world of difference. At my age, the only thing I’m buying that’s two-piece are dentures!

GABBY

DEAR GABBY I work with the crabbiest, nasty person in the world. His desk is right by the front door, and everyone feels like they need to say something to this person when they come into the building.

Some people say “Good morning” or tell him to have a nice day, but they really don’t mean it.

What can I say to him that isn’t hypocritical or a downright lie?

BEST POLICY GUY DEAR GUY That’s an easy one. Just say “I hope your day is just as pleasant as you are.”

GABBY CONFIDENTIAL TO SPEED BUMPS: Stop blaming everyone else for the road you’re on.

That’s your own asphalt.

Pet Pals

SULLY

ASH

MUNCHIE

Allen Parker

Boaz McConnin

Holly Hunt

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June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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Do You Know?

Story and Photos by Wes & Karen Altom

8 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | June 2023

What’s been the best surprise in Cleveland so far?

Scott Swigert Cleveland’s new city manager shares on young citizens who “skate” the issues, his track to city management, and growing pains for the community.

When we had our first parks and recreation commission meeting, we had about 30 kids show up to share their desire for a skatepark in Cleveland. I have never seen a large group of kids with that kind of constructive involvement. That’s a blessing. John Busa with Cleveland ISD, who is a skater himself, is helping the kids. We are working with that group. We have designated an area of a park, just approved some rules for the skatepark, and approved that group to go out and raise funds on behalf of the city, as well as partnering with the school district on some aspects. That’s super exciting!

So, are you the “fun” city manager because you got your start in Parks and Rec? I like to think so. <chuckling> I had over 20 years experience in Parks and Recreation. I worked my way up to director and worked in Brenham, Midland, and Deer Park.

I was also heavily involved in the state association.

The great thing about being in Parks and Rec is you get to deal with every citizen. You’re doing programs from toddlers all the way to senior citizens, and you get to participate and be involved. Whether with sports leagues,

at the swimming pool, or in the gym, the community center, or classes— you have hands on experience with all your citizens.

Special events and tasks also lead to extensive interaction with other departments like public safety and public works—when building new facilities, you’re working with engineering and community development. The benefits gained from all these interactions helped grow me into wanting to move into a city manager’s role. I transitioned and worked as assistant city manager in Mont Belvieu before accepting the city manager position here in Cleveland six months ago.

How has working in Cleveland been different than working in Mont Belvieu?

Mont Belvieu had more funding due to more industry and higher property values. Cleveland is more like most cities, where you have tight budgets and you can’t fund every project—but, what you’ve got is a lot of great people.

People are community strong—they want to support the community, and they want to see the best. But they want to see maximum efficiency with their money because funds are limited.

Mont Belvieu had an explosion in 1985, which resulted in damage and decisions to relocate downtown— so they are getting a “do-over” in a sense, getting people, schools, businesses away from that industrial area. Cleveland is an older city with some revitalization needs, but it’s more of a challenge to accomplish that. However, growth is coming and we need to be in a position to attract the new business we want and need.

Expand on that growth.

Cleveland is the fastest growing school district in the state of Texas.

There’s huge growth, and it’s coming up the Highway 59/69 corridor.

With limited resources to plan for and adapt to growth, it’s imperative that entities like the cities, the county, the school districts, and the citizens work together to be on the same page and June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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maximize the resources we have.

We have a great airport and just completed over $1 million in updates and upgrades.

This can help attract more business here.

We always are seeking out cooperative efforts and available grant funding. Many grants are competitive, so it takes effort.

There are new housing developments. We have Grand Oaks Reserve on the east side of town, and Pinewood Trails on the west side, which is in the city limits, but actually in Montgomery County.

BNSF Railway is constructing a logistics center in Cleveland, their fourth in the country, and their largest to date. This will be a large industrial and business park with immediate access to the rail line. It will accommodate up to 39 customer sites with sizes ranging from 6 to 60 acres. This will be a gamechanger for us, because it will bring more business, more jobs, and more value to our community.

Talk about bringing people and entities together. How do you do that?

Largely through building relationships. We have an economic development council

10 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | June 2023

that works to recruit new businesses, and we work with the chamber of commerce to maintain relationships and communicate with existing businesses and entities.

Share about your education.

I got my bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in the field of Parks and Recreation.

My interest in the field connected back to church. I was a youth minister and had a friend who had the same major because he wanted to direct a church camp. My calling evolved and expanded into the municipality side of things as I got into it.

When I was in Midland, I decided to pursue my master’s degree in public administration at University of Texas of the Permian Basin.

I did one class per semester year-round for three years. When I moved to take the Parks and Recreation director job at Deer Park, it went on hold for three years. By that time, they had online classes available, and I was

able to complete my last three courses. That was in 2015. It was a great year, because I received my master’s, my oldest son graduated high school, and my twin boys graduated from kindergarten!

Tell us more about your family.

My wife Jennifer is a homemaker and does part-time childcare. We have three boys, all adopted. My oldest, Kaleb, was adopted from Kazakhstan at age 9. He lives in Baytown and is employed as a security guard. The twins, Jayden and Kayden, have been with us since birth and will be freshmen in high school this fall. The family stayed in Mont Belvieu to finish up this last school year and will be moving over the summer. The timing is good for the transition, and my family is excited about coming to Cleveland!

The Garden Post

By Kim Bius

Looking to purchase your

Dream Home?

Blooming Vines for Your Summer Garden What makes a summer garden unique?

Blooming vines! Blooming vines are available in a wide range of categories: evergreen, perennial, annual, and tropical evergreen (will freeze at temps below 28 for several hours). Blooming vines are also available in a wide range of textures, bloom colors, fragrances, and sun and soil requirements.

Here are a few of the most requested vines and their requirements.

Confederate Jasmine is a Texas favorite. This prolific, evergreen vine is highly fragrant and blooms from midspring until fall with clusters of star-like white blooms. The vine displays fall colors of bright red/burgundy/ bronze and coppers, withstands heavy freezes (once established). Confederate Jasmine brings an intoxicating fragrance to the garden that few other plants have.

Considered deer proof, prefers 6-8 hours of sun for heavy blooming, but will grow in shady areas with few blooms.

Purple Passion Vine is a Texas native (as well as a few other passiflora varities).

Many are tropicals, but a few, like the red and native purple, will withstand temp into the lower 20s and return. These beautiful vines are also the preferred plant of several butterfly varieties, and exclusive to the gulf fritillary. If planted in an area that does not have hard winter dieback, Pasiflora Incarnata will produce an egg-shaped fruit that is delicious and makes fabulous daiquiris. Passion vines are lightly fragrant, have few disease or insect problems, and considered deer proof.

Bleeding Heart Vine is another true southern heirloom vine (that can be considered invasive, if planted in the wrong area and not given room to roam). Bleeding

heart is a very hardy, sun-loving perennial that blooms early summer through fall and displays clusters of white/red or purple hanging bloom clusters. A prolific climber, and fast growing--can grow up to 6” a day in season. Deer proof, easy, no known insects, and once you have one, all your friends can have one, too. Excellent on pergolas, fences, and open areas.

Coral Vine, a native of Mexico, is another lightly fragrant, southern favorite. The lacy blooms hang in pink clusters during the summer and are often “show-stoppers.”

The coral vine does not do well in colder temperatures, but can be grown as an annual--due to its fast growth, it can reach 6’ in one season. Coral vine is not immensely heavy and makes a great choice for a lighter fence or structure. Coral Vine prefer sunny locations, prolific growers, and will return each year from the bountiful seed produced-perfect bird habitat. Rarely has disease or insects.

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Do not forget to add a few annual vine varieties. Moonflower, morning glory, and cardinal vine are just a few of the hardy heirloom, fragrant, blooming vines that can be grown from seed and replanted annually (or collect the seed and replant each year).

Moonflower is a perennial favorite, and kids love watching the large blue/white blooms open at dusk. Super easy to grow, hardy, and only require a half day of sunlight.

Other favorites are black-eyed susan vine, clematis, and of course, climbing roses-which are an entire different category, but definitely worth mentioning.

The above listed blooming vines are sun lovers, require good drainage, and will return to grace your garden for years. Happy summer gardening!

June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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Things My Granddaddy Said Hindsight is the only exact science.

The shoemaker’s children are always the ones who are barefooted.

His hogs are so poor it takes six of them to make a shadow.

You shouldn’t go talking about ropes in the house of a hanged man.

He’d fight a rattlesnake and give it two bites to start.

A frog in a well has never seen a sunset.

Jim Nissen

Are you gonna fish or cut bait?

I hear you clucking, but I can’t find your nest.

He did it quicker than a minnow can swim a dipper.

Publisher Karen Altom and her Granddaddy J.C. Farris

2 0 0 S o u t h W a s h i n g t o n A v e n u e • C l e v e l a n d Te x a s 12 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | June 2023

As I grow older, more and more often I find myself saying, “Like my Granddaddy used to say…” In an effort to keep some of these old sayings alive, we are sharing them here.

Please feel free to share yours with us!

Glorious Grandkids

Brayden & Everly Grandchildren of John & Renee Spencer

Share Your Grandkid Photos with Us!

PostcardsLive.com

Liam Hayes Petersen Grandchild of Brenda Petersen

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Local Treasure Story by Ruth Fields Photos by Tom Miller

Blueberryat Pickin’

The Sanctuary Blueberry Farm

Local physician Dr. Tom Reed and his wife Evangeline operate an organic, pick-your-own blueberry farm oasis in Montgomery.

In the moments before sunrise, vast rows of blueberry bushes, heavy with fruit, are glazed with dew. Giant hardwood trees, which grow around the edges of the fields, envelop the farm in a peaceful cocoon. As the sun peeks over the treetops, birds sing. Crickets chirp.

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Frogs croak. The farm’s owners, Dr. Tom Reed and his wife Evangeline, observe this tranquility at The Sanctuary Blueberry Farm every day. “Our goal is for this to be a place that would help people have peace, to take a deep breath and relax,” Evangeline says.

Making it different In 2011, Tom (a double-board-certified foot and ankle surgeon) and Evangeline (a homeschooling mom) purchased 70 acres of gently rolling countryside south

of Montgomery. They envisioned a Christian retreat, and planned to call it The Sanctuary Retreat Center. At the time, however, Tom and Evangeline lived in The Woodlands, and they found it demanding and time-consuming to manage the retreat center remotely. So, they rethought their plan, walking through their acreage and thinking, “What else can we do with this?”

While walking through the fields, the Reeds reminisced about the days when they took their five young children to pickyour-own blueberry farms. “It was a very special time of the year for us to go out together as a family and pick buckets of delicious blueberries,” Evangeline says.

“So,” Tom says, “we decided to start a blueberry farm, but grow the plants differently by making it all organic.”

The name, The Sanctuary, seemed appropriate, so it stuck, and the acreage became The Sanctuary Blueberry Farm.

In 2013, the Reeds moved from The Woodlands to their Montgomery property; that fall, they planted 1,000 blueberry bushes, concentrating on heat-tolerant, hybrid varieties such as Premier, Tifblue and Climax. “Tom especially was a big gardener, but this was a much bigger and more complicated effort and took some long-range planning,” Evangeline says.

“We didn’t kill them the first year, so we thought, ‘hey, we’re good to go’ and the

next year we planted another 3,000.” More followed until finally, the farm had more than 7,000 blueberry bushes growing on approximately 11 acres. As they matured, the bushes began to produce more fresh, sweet, large berries— “unlike anything found at the grocery stores,” Evangeline says.

During the picking seasons of 2016 and 2017, Tom and Evangeline invited friends to help them harvest blueberries, but soon there were more berries than friends and family could pick. In 2018, the couple opened their gates to the public, and local residents began flocking to the farm. With dozens of rows of blueberries spanning 11 acres, visitors can spread out and pick berries while enjoying the rural quiet of the farm. “You are by yourself,” Evangeline says, “even if the parking area is full.”

In harmony with nature Evangeline is quick to point out that the farm never uses synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. “We don’t always follow traditional farming advice,” she says.

Instead, they use organic fertilizers, such as molasses and fish emulsion, and apply essential oils as needed for pest control.

The couple has plans to start a worm farm, which will create richly-fertilized soil for the blueberry plants, and Hive Bee Farm keeps hives on the property to encourage bees to pollinate the many blueberry bushes. “It is financially unfeasible for small farms to

go to the expense of becoming certified as organic farms, but The Sanctuary does adhere to organic, bio-dynamic standards. That means ‘in harmony with nature,’” Evangeline explains.

It’s not surprising that Tom and Evangeline are so passionate about organic farming methods. In his medical practice, Tom advocates natural solutions to health problems rather than resorting to medications. In 2019, he published Your Health has been Hijacked, a book that “challenges everything that is out there on health-related topics,” he says. It became a number one best seller in Amazon’s toxicology division just three weeks after its release. “People are searching for the truth,” Tom says, but because it’s hard for readers to know what to believe, his book cites more than 500 references to give credibility to his challenging ideas.

Evangeline believes Tom makes things easy to digest. “He can take a complicated subject and make it something you can understand,” she says.

Tom and Evangeline often advocate the power of nature’s own essential plant oils, and are affiliated with Young Living Essential Oils, a 30-year-old company that produces high-quality essential oils and other essential oil-infused nutritional, personal care and household products.

“These are not oils that you will find in most stores,” Evangeline says. “They’re pure and highly researched.” The Reeds also host health-related home gatherings to mentor others on how to use essential oils, as well as other healthy lifestyle options for families, pets, gardening, and even pest control.

In addition, the couple is in demand nationwide at seminars, both in person and via Zoom, to teach about natural health, homesteading, healthy lifestyle choices and other pertinent topics. The Reeds’ passion for healthy living is now in its second generation: their son Joshua Reed is the owner of Montgomery Farmers Market, which brings naturallyoriented farmers, ranchers and food manufacturers to Montgomery every Saturday morning. (For more information, visit montgomeryfarmersmarket.com.)

With dozens of rows of blueberries spanning 11 acres, visitors can spread out and pick berries while enjoying the rural quiet of the farm.

June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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for five to six weeks. The Sanctuary Blueberry Farm is usually open two or three days during the week for picking, depending on weather, plus Saturdays and Sundays with limited hours. Picking hours during the week are typically 7 a.m. until noon, or 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.; there are additional evening hours on Saturday and often Sunday. Evangeline encourages pickers to check The Sanctuary’s website or Facebook page frequently, as picking days and hours sometimes change. (Google Maps doesn’t always reflect accurate hours.)

Families can park right by the blueberry fields or, during the week, by the barn, which is just a short walk to the fields.

Pickers can purchase buckets from the farm—or bring their own—and get right to picking. While children are welcome, Evangeline suggests bringing strollers or wagons for children who may tire of picking before their parents do.

Picking season Depending on several variables, blueberries at the farm begin ripening at the end of May or early June, and picking season lasts

During the 2022 picking season, local residents picked thousands of pounds of blueberries, enough to create countless pies, muffins, pancakes, shakes and dessert

1 9 8 2 6 9 5 3 8 4 7 1 8 1 4 9 7 2 3 5 6 5 7 3 4 6 1 8 2 9 7

4 5 6 2

3

Sudoku #3 8 4 2 5 9 3 6 7 1 toppings; however, Tom and Evangeline 1 6that3the4organically-raised 7 2 5 8 berries 9 promise are temptingly 8 all 6 by1themselves.

4 2 3 7 9 5 sweet It brings Tom and Evangeline 5 1 8 7 4 6 3 great 9 joy 2 to observe the pickers’ excitement each year.

9 2 4 3 1 8 7 5 6 “You see the smiles on people’s faces,” Tom 8 to 7 6 5 1are 4going says.3 “They know9 the2 berries be better 7 anything 9 can 1 at4 the 2 3than 6 5 they 8 buy store.” Pickers also tell the Reeds that they 4 8 1 2 3 7 9 6 5 enjoy visiting the farm because it brings calm 6 otherwise 5 9 1busy 8 lives.

3 people 7 4 2 to their “Many have told us that this property does that for them,” Evangeline says. “They just feel more Sudoku #5 peaceful.”

1 2information, 3 6 9 5 4 8 7 For more visit sanctuaryblueberryfarm.com 7 5 or9facebook.com/TheSanctuary2 4 8 1 3 6 BlueberryFarm.

8 6 1 3 7 9 8 7 2 5 6 9 3 5 3 1 7 2 4 6 9 6 4 8 1 3 5 2 4 7 9 5 6 8 Puzzle Solutions 6 9 8 3 7 1 2 3 1 5 4 8 2 7 4

from page 21

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Sudoku #7 5 7 9 4 8 2 4 7 3 1 6 8 6 9 7 3 4 5 2 1 1 8 3 2 7 4 5 9 9 6 8 5 2 3 1 6

5 4 1 9 8 7 2 1 3 5 4 6 9 2

3 6 2 5 9 7 1 4 8

1 6 9

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8 5 3 7 9 8 1 2

7 3 6 6 5 9 4 3 8 6 2 2 3 1 7 7 9 4 5 8

What’s Cookin’ Strawberry Rhubarb Drop Biscuits Ingredients Fruit Mixture: 1 1/4 cups cubed rhubarb 1 1/4 cups cubed strawberries 2 Tbs white sugar Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp fine salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) frozen unsalted butter 1/4 cup white sugar 2 Tbs reserved fruit syrup 3/4 cup cold buttermilk Egg Wash (optional): 1 large egg 2 tsp water Lemon Icing Drizzle (optional): 1/3 cup packed powdered sugar 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 2 tsp lemon juice, more as needed

Directions Step 1: Cut ribs of rhubarb in half lengthwise and slice into 1/4-inch pieces; place into a bowl. Add cubed strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. Toss to combine, cover, and let fruit macerate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 2: Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl; whisk to combine.

Step 3: Drain fruit in a strainer set over a bowl. Reserve the syrupy juices that pass through.

Step 4: Grate frozen butter into the flour mixture, while stirring with a fork several times to coat butter pieces with flour. Add 1/4 cup sugar, and drained fruit, mixing with a fork until fruit is coated with flour.

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat.

Step 7: Scoop or spoon equal portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl. Brush biscuits with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.

Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Step 9: Mix powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in a small bowl for the lemon icing. Fill icing into a piping bag or a plastic bag with the tip cut off and drizzle icing over cooled biscuits.

Step 5: Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved fruit juices and pour in buttermilk. Mix with a fork just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the dough. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add a little more buttermilk. If it seems too wet and sticky, add a little more flour.

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Conroe • 936.494.1292 • 1020 Riverwood Ct., Suite 120 June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

17

Business Focus Story and Photos by Wes & Karen Altom

Martin Chevrolet sold their first vehicle in Cleveland, Texas before Pearl Harbor…

18 Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition | June 2023

Process that for a moment. For a familyowned-and-operated car dealership to maintain that status since 1941--over 80 years—they must be doing something right. General Manager Tom Broadway and Owner-Dealer Janet Martin-Clark have assembled a leadership and support team that believes in the secret formula for success—family.

Above: Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC full lot of automobiles

When we sat down with Sales Manager Efrain Salazar to talk about Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC, one of his very first statements was telling. “I have been with the family for eight years,” stated Salazar. We soon learned that comment was broad, not only referring to the Martin family, but to his dealership staff team and customers as well. Parts Manager Buddy Smith, who has worked at Martin for 35 years, expanded on this idea. “Other dealerships have a different mindset”, said Smith. “The Martins have always had a family atmosphere, and a ‘treat your customer like family’ attitude.

That’s why I’ve stayed so long.”

Assembling a quality team in the workplace is one thing, but keeping them together in an industry known for significant employee turnover is another. Asked about the key to maintaining the team, Salazar credited flexibility. “You have to be flexible—not only with the work schedule, but with work style and methods, because everyone has different needs and wants. We have to meet team member needs as well as customer needs.”

Above: Efrain Salazar, sales manager Below: Spacious customer waiting area

Part of the leadership philosophy leading to the success at Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC centers on being open and transparent with the customer. “Everything we have, we do online,” said Salazar. “There is one price.

When you walk in here as a customer, you don’t get that annoying ‘car dealer vibe.’ We are friendly. Being a small-town dealer, our focus is on repeat customers and referrals. Some customers want to do deals completely online or completely by phone.

We work with them. Also, we’re flexible-we’re not going to miss a deal over a couple of hundred dollars. We’re not going to use tricks or high-pressure tactics. We want to make sure the customer gets the vehicle they want. To be successful in the long run, we have to take care of every single customer.”

The Covid era presented a variety of June 2023 | Postcards Magazine: Eastex Edition

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“We make it easy” Service Manager Henry Shirley has been with Martin for nearly 20 years. He started working on the line in the Quick Lube area, then was foreman, before moving up to department manager. The goal in Martin’s service department is to make maintenance and repairs fast, clean, and easy. Skilled service advisors are ready to assist, and customers can walk-in or schedule appointments online.

Martin Chevrolet Buck GMC also has a collision center at the dealership--one of only a few dealers in the area to have a collision center attached to the dealership at the same location. Salazar commented, “Body Shop Manager Phil Hahn has probably one of the best painters in the state of Texas. He does a really great job. He also has plenty of great technicians. They do walk-ins as well as insurance claims. We do all of it here, and we can fix any unit—any year, make, and model—any color.”

Parts Department Employees Left to Right: Steve Loftin, manager Buddy Smith, Kylan Lee, & Starla Meadows

challenges for the Martin dealership, with low inventory and limited part availability, as well as customer reluctance to trade or buy. The team set out to meet the challenges head on, creating a variety of tools to maximize efficiency. Salazar credited General Sales Manager Chris Gottselig and Inventory and Customer Experience Manager JC Phillips with creating and refining a spreadsheet that translated over to the dealer’s website to keep everyone up-to-date on vehicle status and availability. Martin also implemented a

free delivery within 500-miles policy. During this period, many auto dealers began adding “market adjustment” upcharges, but Martin continued to sell their vehicles at or below MSRP. Salazar said, “We believe customers will remember this and come shop with us again. All of these changes are still in place and benefitting the customer.” Salazar notes that production and on-site inventory has increased, but inventory still remains a concern and many vehicles have to be ordered.

Below: Quick Lube & Certified Service Departments

With additional departments for fleet sales, pre-owned vehicles, and financing, Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC is a true one-stopshop for automotive needs.

Concluded Salazar, “Buying a car sometimes can be frustrating. Part of my job is to coordinate with the sales team, the office, the finance department, and any other involved departments to make sure the customer is taken care of and that we meet all their needs and requirements. We try to make it as easy and as simple as possible.

The customer is our priority.”

420 W Southline St Cleveland, TX 77327 martingm.com Main/Sales:(281) 592-2644 Service:(281) 592-4383 Fleet:(281) 593-1195 Body Shop:(281) 659-2436 Parts:(281) 592-5697 Text:(510) 491-9655

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Mustard Seed Moments

by Wes Altom

Don’t Trim the Hedge Recently, a friend offered a prayer in which he asked for “a hedge of protection” around me. While that was not the first time I heard this phrase, I don’t hear it frequently, as it is not commonly used in the church where I attend. So, I set out to learn of the origin and significance.

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. --Job 1:8-10

In the time of the Old Testament, wild animals were prevalent.

Although stone walls could keep predators away from living areas and livestock, the walls would have to be very tall and would take a long time to make. Wood was not plentiful enough to waste on a fence.

Instead, a hedge of thorn bushes was often grown around a living compound. Thorn bushes would be too dense to crawl through, too sharp to chew through, and too deep for almost any animal to jump over. A hedge would also be a deterrent to sheep and goats seeking to escape their pen.

As Satan is compared to a “roaring lion” in scripture, the hedge comparison seems appropriate. And I personally find it comforting (and amusing) that Satan himself is the one who points out the effectiveness associated with such a hedge placed around a follower of God. Seems we all need a deeper appreciation for thorns. May your hedges be tall and thick.

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