Wilson’s Ice House
Help Us Save a Veteran’s Life
September 12th, 2020 LIve Auction
Live Music By:
Silent Auction
Rebel Roxie
$10 BBQ Plates
Ken Burson
Raffle
Jay Urbano
Scott Kaufmann 847-942-7543
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Publisher/Designer: Karyn Lyn Managing Editor: Greg Forest (RIP)
Design & Layout: Lonesome Dove Design Studio Columnists & Contributing Writers: Karyn Lyn, Greg Forest, Joe Herring, Jil Utterback, Mary Schenk, Dalis Allen, Homer Stevens, Colleen Brooks, Carlotta Schmittgen & Jack Armstrong. Proof Readers: Jil Utterback, Guy Barzetti, David Baroffio Layout & Web: Lonesome Dove Design Photographers: Karyn Lyn, Nancy Essary Sales: Karyn Lyn, Dee Russ, Guy Barzetti
Contact Heart Beat:
texasheartbeat.com | PO Box 1204 | Bandera,TX 78003 Karyn (210) 316-2986 karyn@texasheartbeat.com RIP GMF
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Cover Story--SPIRITS OF TEXAS: Our summer cover showcases one of Bandera's newest and most unique shops, Spirits of Texas, purveyors of bona fide Texas-made products, from food, wine, and spirits to clothing and furniture.
Mary Allyce--Wonderful Winter: "It was as if a universal mute button had been activated," Mary recalls with her typical wit in this article about how the Covid-19 lockdown affected life in the Hill Country.
The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country is published quarterly by Heart Beat Publishing PO Box 1204, Bandera, Texas 78003. Opinions expressed in articles may not be those of the publisher and editor of the The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country, its advertisers, writers or contributors. All content is copyrighted by The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the publisher. The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country is not liable for editorial content, typographical errors and any statements or claims by advertisers or columnists. Subscriptions are $25 per year payable to The Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country at the above address.
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Dalis Allen--Still Plenty of Music Despite months of social distancing, Dalis still finds the musical heart beat of hill country in online concerts. Plus, a visit to The Fairy Moon Emporium.
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Jil Utterback--Happy Summer Our resident ranch chef offers three delicious summer recipes: Amish Macaroni Salad, Easy Cole Slaw Dressing, and Key Lime Pie.
Joe Herring--The Guadalupe River: Joe explores the history, path, and the people who have made the banks of our river their home. After all, the "story of Kerr Country begins with the Guadalupe River."
Homer Stevens--A Conservation Notebook: As always, our local conservationist has been been experimenting with local plants on the Farm, this time with the State Grass of Texas, Side Oats grama.
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What's Brewing in the Hill Country
Celebrated breweries, distilleries, liquor stores, and wineries throughout the Hill Country, our craft libation hot spots for travellers and locals with a taste for qualilty hand crafted beers, wines, and spirits. Prost to another summer in Hill Country! texasheartbeat.com
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One of the Bandera’s most historic buildings is the new home of one of its most popular destination businesses. Hyo Silver Downtown opened its doors at 315 11th Street earlier this month following a nearly year-long renovation project. The store, known for its hand-crafted buckles and jewelry, especially custom class rings, attracts customers from neighboring states and across Texas. The two-story limestone building was built in 1860. In front is a Texas historical marker proclaiming the site the center of the town of Bandera back in the early years. “We believe that this move is going to be a win-win for our community and our business,” said Joanne Symons, Hyo Silver founder and president. Symons called the building restoration her passion project. “I have a love of older things, and I really appreciate the historical importance of the building,” she said. “We knew that restoring the building would take some time, but we saw it as an opportunity to give back to the community. It was in dire need of restoration, or the town could have risked losing the building.” The deep history of the building and the origins of Hyo Silver seemed to be a natural fit, said Josie Symons Krider, vice-president of the company and Joanne’s daughter. “It’s part of the local Western heritage and Bandera’s roots,” she said. “Hyo Silver also has strong roots in the Western cowboy heritage, so this is the perfect building to showcase our collection of old favorites and new designs.” 6 Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country
Symons, who is originally from Australia, opened Hyo Silver in 1999. Her father was a roper who would take her on the Australian rodeo circuit when she was young. She went on to become Miss Rodeo Australia in 1982. She and her father shared a passion for all things western, especially The Lone Ranger television show. When it was time for her to strike out on her own in a new world, the old slogan “Hi Yo, Silver, Away!” popped into her head and the name stuck. “One of the reasons that I love this building is that it goes back to the Cowboy Era,” Symons said, “back to when everything ran on horsepower. It was just the way of life. With my family and Hyo Silver’s roots in rodeo, it is a wonderful fit. Rodeo is a continuation of the cowboy way of life, and we are proud to be part of that tradition.” Tradition played a strong part in the restoration, Krider said, even though much work was needed. That included replacing the staircase, upper deck, all windows, and the mortar on the limestone. The foundation was secured, and a wheelchair-accessible entrance and bathroom were added. Fiber internet, new indoor and outdoor lighting, and gutters were installed. Historic doors were refinished and installed with brass fixtures and glass knobs. Every step was taken with consideration of the building’s history in mind. The Hyo Silver storefront was formerly located at 1107 12th Street. That location will continue to be used as company headquarters and offices.
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The story of Kerr County starts Here's the story of the Guadalupe, gathered from my files: with the Guadalupe River. The first settlers to our area were attracted to land beside the river; in fact, early maps of our county show tracts surveyed along the river, but land away from the river had no surveys. It was as if land away from the river had no boundaries, in part because it had less value. Prehistoric people camped along the river, often at the second ledge or rise above the water, knowing well how the Guadalupe often floods. I know of several archeological sites near the river which are in the downtown Kerrville area. Every now and then I find an arrowhead (or, rather, a part
The Guadalupe River begins here in Kerr County. Two forks of the river join in Hunt, with the north fork surging from the ground just upstream from Mo-Ranch above Hunt, and the south fork beginning about four miles shy of the Real-Kerr county line. In fact, at the headwaters of the north fork you can see water rushing from a limestone ledge on state land at a little access point which is part of the Kerr County Wildlife Management area, almost directly across from the entrance gate to the area. For many years I have taken friends and visitors to see these powerful springs.
From these small beginnings the river travels southeast from Hunt for about 230 miles, emptying into San Antonio bay. Its two major tributaries are the San Marcos and Comal rivers, and its drainage area is about 6,100 square miles. I have traveled in search of the mouth of the Guadalupe, down in the muggy flats of Refugio and Calhoun counties, and it’s quite a different river down there: slow moving of one) in the middle of downtown and filled with large creatures that Kerrville. We are not the first ones would scare this swimmer. We saw “slides” on the banks of the river who lived beside the river here. there where alligators slide on their bellies into the water. 8
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The air is heavy there, and my memories of our search include the drone of insects and the bright bleaching sun. According to the Handbook of Texas, the river got its name from Alonso De Leon in 1689, when he named it the Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. De Leon was familiar with the lower stretches of the river. It was called other names by the Spaniards, including the San Augustin and the San Ybon. The earliest reference to our part of the river, at least above the mouth of the Comal, was in 1727, when Pedro de Rivera y Villalon wrote about it. Our river makes me smile. We live in a good place here, and I’m thankful the river has been such an important part of our home. Joe Herring Jr. is a Kerrville native who learned to swim, long ago, in the Guadalupe River at Camp Stewart, near Hunt, Texas.
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SPIRITSOFTEX.COM 10 Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country
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Bandera Spirits of Texas
We are a proud member of Go Texan. What does that mean? That means for a business to be able to have the Go Texan stamp, that business has to either produce their products in Texas or deal in Texas made or distributed products. With these great summer months we are having, we have JUST what you need for your bar-b-que. Take a look at our line, Grill Your Ass Off. They specialize in bar-b-que salts, rubs, seasonings, and sauces!
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SALOON & ARENA
3979 HWY 173 KERRVILLE TX 78028
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GRILL HOURS: MON-THURS 11AM-9PM FRI & SAT 11AM-10PM SUNDAY 12PM-9PM
SALOON & ARENA HOURS: SUN-FRI 11AM-12AM SATURDAY 11 AM-1AM VISIT US ON:
GRAVITYCHECKSALOONANDARENA.COM texasheartbeat.com
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In 1965 Rachel Carson wrote a book titled Silent Spring. It was about the way pesticides harm the environment. Another book could be written about the “silent spring” of 2020 due to the virtual shut down of America as the Covid-19 pandemic ratcheted up and sent us into isolation and lock down. It was as if a universal mute button had been activated. Traffic, factories, restaurants, shopping districts, schools – everything quieted. Here in the Texas Hill country, our music venues went silent along with parks and river crossings, and shops, roads and sidewalks emptied. It wasn’t all bad. Less traffic. More birdsong. But tourism is the lifeblood of the Hill Country and how our businesses strained to adapt. With typical Texas ingenuity and determination, businesses that were able to stay open even in a stripped down, altered mode found ways to survive. Curbside, drivethrough, and take-out services became available. We all encouraged each other to support our local businesses. “Essential” businesses that were able to stay open, did so. Some added the availability of produce and other food items. Eggs, tomatoes, bread, not to mention the scarcest of basics 18
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– toilet paper and paper towels – began showing up in unexpected places. Hand sanitizer slowly reappeared and became available and those who were handy with sewing machines began producing countless masks in pretty printed fabrics. In addition, if indications are correct, we should be overflowing with beautiful gardens this summer – vegetable and floral. On those limited excursions out to the grocery and hardware stores, I never saw so many people buying up plants, seeds, soil, fertilizer, and most interestingly of all, kiddie wading pools. Turns out the latter make pretty darn good “raised bed” planters. I have tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, herbs, squash, and cucumber currently flourishing in a variety of containers, including three kiddie pools. Who knew? I’ve harvested six eggplant, eight tomatoes, oregano, and basil haven’t killed any plants yet. A new record for me! We all found ways to make the time pass more easily and feel productive. People helped people. Where there was a need, food banks increased, community center pantries were filled by volunteer donations, musicians lifted our spirits with online concerts. We encouraged one another. Frankly, the world felt like a nicer place in many ways.
And then it got old. People got restless. Businesses were in trouble. Especially in places like the Hill Country where we rely on tourism, the situation was becoming dire. If the shutdown was unparalleled, the reopening, reawakening, resurgence of all of America was also going to be unprecedented. Gradually, as restrictions eased, people gathered again. Stores and restaurants reopened. The sounds of guitars, fiddles, and drums were heard once more. Memorial Day weekend felt almost normal. None of us can be certain exactly what “normal” will be going forward, but if it means being outdoors again in the gorgeous Hill Country, being able to go out to dinner, sit down at a venue, enjoy a cold beer, take a turn around the dance floor and listen to some of the best music you’ll find anywhere, it sounds like we're ready, willing and able to do it. Precautions and guidelines are in place for businesses, events, gatherings, and all that’s needed is a little patience and cooperation from all of us. The Texas Hill Country is open once more and ready to welcome you. So c’mon and spend some time with us this Summer. Spring might have been silent this year, but Summer is calling loud and clear and we can’t wait to see y’all again!
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Address: 615 Water St, Kerrville, TX 78028 Phone: (830) 257-7242 Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country
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In the last issue of Heart Beat I talked about all of the amazing music throughout the Hill Country that I had been going out to hear. Who knew then that it would be my last forays out and about? As much as not being gathered together to listen has been strange, I have found that the plethora of concerts from every style of artist from all over the world has filled me up. Some days I have travelled to five or six different places that I would not have been able to go to in person. Many are artists that I was already familiar with and knew that I loved, but the discoveries were abundant as well. The other fun thing was the sharing of the discoveries, to me and from me. Finally, a really great source of information on Facebook that I really wanted! Kerrville is slowly opening. Stores and places to gather have joined the essentials like grocery stores, pharmacies and doctor's offices. Many restaurants that were only curbside pickup are now allowing folks to be seated for meals. THE FAIRY MOON EMPORIUM has been welcoming folks since early May,still social distancing and offering masks for free. So much fun eclectic treasures in this multi-dealer shop. Furniture, art, jewelry, really great clothes, stained glass, hand-made items and antiques, books on Tarot, candles and incense and much much more. If shopping is back on your plate, this is a wonderful place to begin. They can be found at 227 Earl Garrett, directly across from the KACC. Open Tuesday through Saturday. (830) 955-5627. Thanks for reading Heartbeat of the Texas Hill Country!
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TWO Locations to Serve you in Bandera County!
1002 MAIN ST. BANDERA, TX 78003 (830)-796-3861 8950 FM1283, LAKEHILLS, TX 78063 (830) 751-4040
Check out their monthly For Bargains!
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Mac and Earnie’s Roadside Eatery, Tarpley, Tx
Lunch on Fridays and Saturdays includes cheeseburgers and their famous Cabrito Burger. Dinners on Friday and Saturday night feature steaks, catfish, ancho chile honey basted quail and specials such as grilled pork tenderloin with a sweet-tart Vietnamese dipping sauce or grilled Tuna with roasted Jalapeno Mayonnaise. 830-562-3727 11804 FM 470 (junction of FM 470 and FM 462)
Gravity Check Saloon and Arena, Kerrville, TX
Gravity Check Saloon & Arena is a full service bar, grill, and event space for all ages to enjoy! They have live music and spacious dance floor for weekly entertainment. There is a large outdoor patio setting and outdoor arena to watch equine and cattle events while you enjoy your meal. 3979 Bandera Hwy (173) Kerrville, Texas. (830) 634-3075. Grill hours: Mon-Thurs 11am - 9pm Fri.&Sat. 11am-10pm Sun.12pm-9pm
1011 Bisso, Kerrville, Tx Voted the best restaurant in Kerrville, Texas! 1011 Bistro is a fine dining experience with the best outdoor seating with views of the Guadalupe river! Their elegant menu includes appetizers, steaks, seafood, pasta, and an extensive wine list. Please call for reservations: (830) 895-1169 - 1011 www.1011bistro.com Guadalupe St. Kerrville, TX 78028 HOURS: Tue-Sat 4:30–9:00 pm
Monroe’s East End Grill, Kerrville,Tx
Barista - Good Eats - Pastries. Classic diner offerings, sandwiches, specialty hot dogs and wraps, salads, great coffee and in house pastries. Watch the game on any one of their big screen TVs or enjoy some down time in our cozy coffee lounge. Drive-Thru! Award winning wings and Wine-A-Ritas! 1700 Water Street Kerrville, Texas (830) 955-5572. Visit their facebook for updates and specials!
Wilson’s Icehouse, Kerrville, Tx
Wilson’s offers some of the freshest gulf oysters and shrimp, as well as flat bread pizzas, sandwhiches, black bean nachos, desserts, and more. Full bar with indoor and outdoor patio seating available. Rotating Texas craft beers on tap and daily specailty drinks. (830) 955-9611. Open daily 10am-12am. 1621 Water Steet Kerrville, Texas.
Alamo Springs Cafe,
edericksburg, Tx
Alamo Springs Cafe was immortalized on the cover of Texas Monthly a while back with a shot of their monster burger. The Cafe, which is right next to the famous bat tunnel, is famous for its burgers and other Texas comfort food. It is outside Fredricksburg and a bit off the beaten path but well worth the drive. Seasonal live music on weekends. 107 Alamo Rd, Fredericksburg, TX (830) 990-8004 Visit them on Facebook!
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Biker Destinations Continued... Flying L Ranch Resort, Bandera, Tx
Toucan Jims, Centerpoint, TX
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Summer in the Texas Hill Country brings a few of my favorite things to mind: Lazy days in the water and good Texas BBQ. Here’s the inside scoop to finding just that:
Dive into summer in Wimberley by making a reservation at Jacobs Well or Blue Hole Park. You’re guaranteed to find relief from the sizzling temps as you lounge, dive, or float in the cool, pristine water. After, satisfy your hunger at Creekside Cookers BBQ or Ino’z - both offer great food with outdoor and indoor dining. Finally, end your day at the Emily Ann Theatre and Gardens with a live outdoor performance, or at the Corral Theater - the nation’s only walk-in movie theater. Just a short drive from Wimberley is Driftwood, home to The Salt Lick BBQ, which has been featured on numerous shows on the Food Network. Be sure to make a stop at the Driftwood Estate Winery and grab a bottle of wine or “Starry Nights” and enjoy their view of the hill country. The Driftwood Bistro offers incredible fare - including my favorite, their ribeye quesadillas. This, my friends, is a great Texas day. New Braunfels offers plenty of ways to cool down. Natural Bridge Caverns offers underground exploration at a 32
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comfortable 70-degrees. For the water enthusiast, check out the Texas Ski Ranch, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, the city tube chute at Hinman Island Park, or the Comal or Guadalupe Rivers. One of my favorite places to spend a summer day is at Landa Park’s spring-fed pool. Guests here can enjoy a rope swing, a giant slide, an Olympic-sized pool, a children’s splash pad and train, paddle boats, and a picnic area. Afterward, head on over to Rudy’s or Cooper’s BBQ for a meal you will not soon forget. The Gruene Historic District is charming year-round. There are several river outfitters just over the bridge with everything you need to tube down the Guadalupe. After splashing to your heart’s content, consider Inferno’s Pizza, the Gruene River Grill, or the Gristmill - all offer great fare, fun drinks, and indoor and outdoor dining. Finally, if you still have energy left, dance the night away in Texas’ oldest dance hall, Gruene Hall. Be sure to check out their incredible collection of memorabilia. Ahhh! Idyllic, sweet summer days when the sun doesn’t set until 9:00 PM and your head hits your pillow after an incredibly fulfilling day. It’s been a long few months and we’re all a bit shy on adventures. These destinations will leave you feeling satisfied!
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1281 Gruene Rd.
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No one saw it coming. Wednesday, March 11th, 2020. Fans at Chesapeake Arena were excitedly waiting for their Oklahoma City Thunder to tipoff against the Utah Jazz. It was an important game with playoffs just weeks away; especially for the Thunder who were on a three-game winning streak, nipping at the heels of fourth place Utah. Twenty-thousand fans in the stands watched the warmups, then the gathering of the head coaches with the referees as the pump-the-team-up music blared throughout the arena. Thunder fans had a reason to be excited. The Jazz’s weapon, center Rudy Gobert, was not in the line-up due to illness. Suddenly it became evident that the nationally televised matchup was on delay. Coaches were still conferring with the referees while the players shrugged at each other and TV broadcasters tried to figure out what the holdup was. Finally, the head coaches returned to their benches and herded the players off the court and back to the locker room. Fans started to boo as the head referee donned headphones at the scoring table. Finally, the announcer leaned over the microphone. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the game tonight has been postponed” followed by “You are all safe” twice. Within minutes, breaking news came over TVs across the nation – Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19. The NBA had already decided to start games minus fans the following night because of this strange virus which had recently surfaced in Washington state in a nursing home and was showing up in other states. But now an NBA player had tested positive and it just happened to be Gobert, who just two days before had joked around with reporters touching every microphone and recorder in sight! By the end of the next day, every sport began shutting down. Major League Baseball advised players to leave spring training facilities and return to their homes. The National Hockey League “paused” their season which was just a few weeks from the playoffs. Major League Soccer and the World Cup qualifying cancelled. The Players Championship golf tournament in Florida was stopped at the end of the first round. While college basketball’s “March Madness” was days away from their conference tournaments to be followed by the selection process, some conferences considered playing to an empty house; others cancelled theirs. The conference tourneys and selection process never happened. The Summer Olympics was postponed until 2021. Even NASCAR shut down when it was evident that support teams would be too close to each other while servicing the cars. Sports went on hiatus for sixty-six days! Never had sports experienced such a disruption since World War II. On Sunday May 17th, NASCAR paved the way for other sports to resume. They ran nine races in sixteen days at just two tracks in two states. Masked support crew numbers were cut in half, drivers wore masks when not in their cars, practices cancelled and the stands were empty of fans. Other sports began processing plans acceptable to states and health experts while fans crossed fingers and toes that all sports would be back soon! 40 Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country
Come see the World's largest Longhorn Skull!
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LIVE MUSIC IN THE HILL COUNTRY KERRVILLE
11th Street Cowboy Bar 307 11th St, Bandera, TX (830) 796-4849
Kerrville Festivals 3876 Medina Highway, Kerrville, TX (830) 257-3600
4 Way Bar & Grill 9742 FM 1283 Lakehills, TX (830) 751-3400
Texas Heritage Music Foundation 2100 Memorial Blvd, Kerrville, Texas (830) 792-1945
Flying L Ranch 675 Flying L Dr. Bandera, TX 78003 830-796-7745
The Ridge Marketplace 13439 S Ranch Road 783, Kerrville, TX (830) 896-0420
Jake’s @ Polly's Peak 3810 Hwy 16, Bandera, TX (830) 535-6699
Pier 27 1521 Junction Hwy, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830) 896-7437
Bandera Ale Project 3540 Hwy 16, Bandera, TX (830) 522-4226
Azul 202 Earl Garrett St, Kerrville, TX (830) 896-9338
BOERNE/BLANCO
Callioux Theater 910 Main Street, Kerrville, TX (830) 896-9393 Ol Watering Hole 1109 Broadway, Kerrville, TX (830) 257-4653 Gravity Check Saloon & Arena 3979 Hwy 173, Kerrville, TX gravitychecksaloonandarena.com
Cave Without A Name Frequent Concerts in the Cave 325 Kreutzberg Rd, Boerne, TX (830) 537-4212 Blanco Riverside Bar 18 Main Street, Blanco, TX 78606, USA (830) 833-0208
COMFORT/CENTERPOINT Cocky Rooster 7 US Hwy 87, Comfort, TX (830) 996-5501
Wilson's Icehouse 1621 Water St, Kerrville, TX 78028 (830) 955-9611
BANDERA Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar 308 Main Street, Bandera, TX (830) 796-8826 42
Toucan Jim’s 5814 Texas 27, Center Point, TX (830) 634-2640
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The Hunt Store 1634 Highway 39, Hunt, TX (830) 238-4410
FREDERICKSBURG Luckenbach 412 Luckenbach Town Loop Fredericksburg, TX (830) 997-3224
NEW BRAUNFELS GRUENE
Crossroads Saloon and Steakhouse 305 W Main St, Fredericksberg, TX (830) 992-3288
Billy’s Ice House 1193 Loop 337 New Braunfels, TX
Hondo’s on Main 312 W. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX (830)-997-1633
Freiheit Country Store 2157 FM1101 New Braunfels, TX
The Rockbox 109 N Llano St, Fredericksburg, TX (830) 997-7625 Silver Creek 310 East Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX (830) 990-4949 El Milagro Twenty Twelve 249 East Main Street, Fredericksburg, TX Phone:(830) 307-3051 Auslander Restaurant 323 E Main St, Fredericksburg, TX (830) 997-7714
INGRAM / HUNT Roddy Tree Ranch 820 Texas 39 Ingram, TX 830-367-2871 Crider’s Dancehall 2310 hwy 39 Hunt TX (830) 238-4441
Gruene Hall 1281 Gruene Rd, New Braunfels, TX (830) 606-1281
Gruene’s Grove 1263 Gruene Road New Braunfels, TX Tavern in the Gruene 830 Gruene Rd New Braunfels, TX The Brauntex 290 West Seguin New Braunfels, TX Watering Hole Saloon 1390 McQueeney Rd New Braunfels, TX
CONCAN/UVALDE House Pasture Cattle Co 2 River Rd, Concan, TX (830) 232-6580 Joe Jimmy's Cantina 20970 TX-127, Concan, TX
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Cantina
Grii Live Music Special Events
Serving Your Favorite
Island Cocktails
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE 5814 TX-27, 44
Center Point, TX
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GUN SH W Texas Gun & Knife Association Show Hours: Sat 9am-5pm * Sun. 10am-4pm
Thank you for your continued support.
HEART BEAT ADVERTISERS We've grown like a weed over the past seven years and have our awesome advertisers to thank. Recognizing the value and doing their part to support Texas Music and Hill Country tourism, some of them have been with us since the 1st issue and for this we are grateful. Please do your part to support our mission and theirs by supporting our advertisers. Tell them you saw them in Heart Beat! 1011 Bistro 11th Street Cowboy Bar Altstadt Brewery Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar Arthur Nagel Community Clinic Authentic Indian Jewelry Back in the Saddle Bandera Ale Project Bandera Bank Bandera Business Association Bandera General Store Bandera Meat Market Bandera Wine and Spirits Biker Rallies of Texas Branding Iron Western Gifts Buddy's Water Well & Septic Buffalo Nickel Bar & Grill Cartridge World Cocky Rooster Country Accents Antiques Dancing Bear Cantina Deep Eddy Vodka Double U Barr Ranch B&B Frogs for Freedom 48
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Frontier Times Museum Gravity Check Saloon and Arena Gruene Hall Hilltop Cafe Hill Country Distillers HYO Silver Jake's Bar Joe Jimmy's Luckenbach Texas Monroe's East End Grill McKenna Children's Museum Navaho Grill Pier 27 Ranch Dressin Co River's Edge Gallery Real Ale Brewing Schreiner University Spirit of Texas Texas Gun and Knife Show The Apple Store and Patio Cafe The Cottages of Silver Sage The Ranch House The Resort at Schlitterbahn The Ridge Marketplace Toucan Jim's True Value Hardware Twin Liquors Fine Wine & Spirits Western Trail Antiques Wildseed Farms Wilson's Ice House
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It is difficult to know if these epistles are worth the paper where they are written, but since there have been a couple of positive comments and Karyn is willing to keep allowing space in her very helpful guide to the HeartBeat of the Hill Country, they will continue. Encouraging plant growth and proper management of animal populations still seems to be just as likely to be a positive influence on climate as trying to eliminate physiological gaseous emissions of mammals and burning fossil fuels. That seems to be the advocacy of one branch of our political system. In the Spring edition of these notes mention was made of eight of the most desirable plant species that once formed a significant part of the native prairies. The grasses were Yellow Indiangrass, Switchgrass, Big Bluestem, and Eastern gamagrass. The forbes were Engleman daisy, Bush sunflower, Maximillian sunflower, and Illinois bundle flower. Two more grasses that could easily have been added to this list are Little Bluestem and Side Oats grama. The specific topic of this edition is Side Oats grama. The "Ecological Solutions" magazine catalogue has this to say about Side oats. "The official "STATE GRASS OF TEXAS," this mid-sized plant is often found as an ornamental accent in residential and commercial landscapes, thanks to the pretty, oat-like seeds that appear along one side of its stems. Spreads by seeds and roots, and thrives alongside little Bluestem in natural grassland, well-drained uplands, and the shallow soils of ridges and rocky areas. Found from Kentucky to the Gulf of Mexico. Turkeys use this grass for food & cover, and it is a good larval food source for butterflies." Linex "Range Plants of North Central Texas" says, "Side Oats grama provides palatable and nutritious forage readily eaten by all classes of livestock. While it produces less weight in forage than many of the tall grasses, what it does produce is desirable." Linex's message on management echoes most of what Conservation Notes is all about: "Because of its palatability, Side Oats grama is easily overused unless good grazing management is practiced, including rotational grazing, proper grazing use, and proper stocking rates. Seed is commercially available and is frequently used in range seeding of old cropland fields and following brush management on rangeland areas. It grows on all soil types but does best on calcareous and moderately alkaline soils." 50
Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country
Here on the Farm, having broken up the caliche subsoil by trenching along the fence on the left approaching the RV park, we took advantage of the situation by covering the surface with about 4" of rockless dark top soil and planting Side Oats grama. This was March 3, 2020. Ten pounds of grass seed was mixed with one 50# sack of 21-0-0. This far exceeds the recommended 3# per acre recommended planting rate, and generally speaking fertilization is not needed for native species. However, the idea here was that a small monoculture of the native grass of Texas would serve to prevent erosion, be attractive without mowing, and serve as an educational factor that would be of interest to some. It was hoped that for this article that the new planting would be several inches high and could be reported as displaying the distinctive attractive characteristics that gained it the state designation. The rains did come appropriately and there was the desired thick stand. BUT! It must be pointed out that most if not all of our native species start out as very tiny thread-like sprouts and the roots must grow first. The upper part of the plant grows very slowly. In addition, by nature these species of native grasses are more palatable to deer, and the addition of fertilizer elevates the protein content. Therefore, many of the original plants have been picked out. It still appears that there will be enough survivors to obtain the desired effect. Reporting this planting as a complete success will have to wait.
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200 ACRES
Gifts-Gardens-Nursery Pottery-Wine-Biergarten www.wildseedfarms.com 100 Legacy Dr, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
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What’s Brewin’
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Texas Hill Countryy
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realalebrewing.com
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Saturday July 25th 2020
A Bandera Business Association Event texasheartbeat.com
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THE COCKY ROOSTER BAR, COMFORT, TEXAS
Established in 2009, Wendy and Daniel Jimenez have settled in and have had fun renovating the new Cocky Rooster Bar location. Well, new to them, but was originally built as a gas station in the early 1930s. Upon entering you get that retro garage vibe, with a Texas rustic industrial twist! This full bar has more to offer than just the atmosphere; they have something going on every day of the week!
Mondays: Golden Tee Golf tournaments 7PM Tuesdays: Poker 6:30pm Wednesdays: Trivia 7pm Thursdays: Poker 6:30pm Fridays: Karaoke 3rd Friday of the month 8pm Live Music 2nd and 4th Fridays. Saturdays: are open for events such as benefits/ birthday parties, etc. Sundays: Pot luck (5pm) and darts (6pm) Bike Nights and Hot Rod Nights coming soon!! Daily drink specials and ice cold beer pair perfectly with the selection of bar snacks available, such as nachos, wings, Jack’s Pizzas, eggrolls, edamame, and more! Grab a friend or two, ruffle them feathers, and toast to being, as they say, “Just a Tad Cocky” at the Rooster!
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texashea
NEW LOCATION! 1014 Front Street COMFORT, TX
HALLOWEEN PARTY WILL BE OCTOBER 27TH
830.995.5109 texasheartbeat.com
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Newly expanded riverside deck
17 screens of sports Monday Night Football Karaoke Wednesdays Open Mic w/Mark Piper Thursdays Live Bands on Weekends Family operated & owned Two large decks overlooking the Guadalupe River Gift cards available
1521 Junction Hwy, Kerrville, TX 78028 - (830) 896-7437
mckennakids.org New Braunfels, TX
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DANCING BEAR CANTINA A MUSIC
DESTINATION SPOT AND DAILY GETAWAY TO RELAX!
Overlooking Beautiful Medina Lake 7794 County Road 271, Mico, Texas 78056 830.751.2160 * www.dancingbearcantina.com texasheartbeat.com
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Help Us Save a Veteran’s Life
September 12th, 2020 LIve Auction
Live Music By:
Silent Auction
Rebel Roxie
$10 BBQ Plates
Ken Burson
Raffle
Jay Urbano
Scott Kaufmann 847-942-7543
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Heart Beat of the Texas Hill Country
Help Us Save a Veteran’s Life
September 12th, 2020 LIve Auction
Live Music By:
Silent Auction
Rebel Roxie
$10 BBQ Plates
Ken Burson
Raffle
Jay Urbano
Scott Kaufmann 847-942-7543
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Wilson’s Ice House