Issuu

M ARCH 2016

Anza Electric Cooperative

Lots of Garden in a Little Space Page 12

Add splashes of color throughout your garden or porch with easy-tomaintain containers. ÂŠ ISTOCK

Simple Pleasures

The Best of Currents Country

ANZA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Katherine MacIver

ARIZONA’S GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION COOPERATIVES

Geoff Oldfather

DUNCAN VALLEY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Steven Lunt

ELECTRICAL DISTRICT NO. 2

Roselyn Bever

GRAHAM COUNTY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Diane Junion

CURRENTS EDITOR

Pam Blair, CCC

Currents (USPS 030-520) is published bimonthly for members for $2.03 a year, plus postage, by Ruralite Services Inc., 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—to serve the communication needs of 53 consumer-owned electric utilities in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona and Hawaii. Preferred periodical postage paid at Hillsboro, Oregon 97123 and additional mailing offices. © 2015 Ruralite Services Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Postmaster: Send address changes to Currents, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124. HOW TO CONTACT CURRENTS

Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $6 (U.S.) per year. Prepayment required. Allow eight weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify the local edition you want to receive. Have a problem receiving your edition of Currents? Utility members should contact the local utility office listed on the back cover. Nonmembers should call (503) 718-3717 or write to Subscriptions, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124. Back issues and extra copies: $2 each, pre-payment required. Supply is limited. Identify edition, month and year. Call to check availability. Reprint permission: Direct all requests to Reprints and Permissions. To contact Ruralite: 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124; (503) 357-2105; email info@ruralite.org. Manuscripts and photographs: Please do not send unsolicited materials. If you are interested in writing for Currents, query first. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for writer’s guidelines. Address requests and queries to Writers Guidelines to the address above. DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

National Country Market 611 S. Congress Ave. Suite 504 Austin, TX 78704 (800) 626-1181 or (512) 441-5200 www.nationalcountrymarket.com

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Last Call, Collectors

Hog Wild. Tina Allas’ pig collection began with a chalkware pig her father received in 1957. When contemplating how many she owns today, Tina notes, “Maybe hundreds. I’ve never counted them.” Most of the collection is not valuable, just cute. It occupies an entire room. “To me, it’s the happiest room in the house,” she says. Photo submitted by Tina Allas of Central Oregon.

Some people collect stamps or coins. Others collect comic books or Beanie Babies. Gas pumps, anyone? How about old tractors? We want to know what you collect. Ruralite is planning a story about collectors—and you could be a part of it. Send us a high-resolution photo (900KB or larger) of you with your caboodle. We know there is a good story, so tell us about your collection, what you have accumulated, your favorite treasures and why you collect. Holiday Favorites The holidays provide some of the best opportunities for capturing special moments. Send us your best shots. Please be sure to identify the people in the photo, as well as the story behind it. Green-Thumb Moments Do you have a tip for growing

the biggest or tastiest produce? Are your flowers the most beautiful in town? If so, send us your favorite gardening tip, along with a good photo. We will pay you $25 if we select your submission for publication. Identify everyone in the picture, including pets. Young

children in a picture will be identified by first name only. Email high-resolution digital photos to info@ruralite.org. Submissions also can be sent via regular mail. Send them to: Simple Pleasures Ruralite Magazine 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy. Hillsboro, OR 97124

Inside

March 2016 Vol. 51, No. 2

Lots of Garden in a Little Space 12 Also In This Issue Plugged In 6 Side Roads 10 In the Kitchen 16 At Home 18

Outdoor Pursuits 20 Great Picture Hunt 22 Marketplace 26 Parting Shot 30

Your local utility pages: 4-5, 8, 25, 28-29, 32

MARCH 2016

Anza Electric

Director Candidate Petitions Available Three board seats are up for election this year Anza Electric Cooperative is governed by seven directors representing its three service area districts. The only position up for election this July is the director-atlarge currently held by Paul Elmore. AEC’s democratically elected board of directors is responsible for setting policy for the only electric distribution cooperative in Southern California. Directors are committed to policies that result in a safe and reliable electric system, fair rates, financial responsibility and superior member service. Each year, eligible AEC members can seek nomination for director positions up for election through the petition process established by AEC’s bylaws. Each position on the board of directors is held by a cooperative member, with each term consisting of three years. The AEC board meets once a month. At times, directors are asked to represent the cooperative at additional meetings. Directors are expected to travel and attend educational seminars leading to board certification.

If you are interested in having your name on the ballot you can pick up a candidate packet containing a petition, declaration of eligibility and resume form at the cooperative office, or download the packet from the AEC website at www.anzaelectric.org. Thirty valid member signatures are required for each candidate petition. If two names are listed on a membership account, only one person is eligible to sign the petition. All AEC members in good standing and residing within the co-op’s service area may become a director, except for employees of the cooperative and those who are in any way employed or financially interested in a competing enterprise or business selling electrical energy or electric or plumbing appliances to the co-op. The deadline for returning petitions is May 18, 2016. The director position will be filled when the election results are announced at the annual membership meeting Saturday, July 16, 2016. n

Excerpt from Article IV, Section 4 – Nominations. a. Any qualified member from the required district may be nominated for director by official petition of not less than thirty (30) members of the cooperative. Official petition forms will be available at the cooperative headquarters ninety (90) days prior to the deadline for filing the petition for the calendar year in which directors’ terms expire. b. All candidates’ nomination petitions shall be submitted to the secretary of the cooperative by the candidate, together with such additional information as may be requested by the secretary, not less than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting at which directors will be elected. c. The secretary shall review all candidate nomination petitions to ensure that the requisite number of signature are contained in the petition. d. The secretary shall cause to be posted a list of all qualified nominations at the cooperative’s headquarters building and shall cause to be mailed with the notice of meeting or separately, but at least seven (7) days before the date of the meeting at which directors are to be elected, a statement of the number of directors being elected and the names and addresses of the candidates. e. In the event petitions are received for only the number of directors to be elected and the secretary determines the petitions in order and the candidate qualified, no further election process shall be held and those candidates nominated shall be declared elected as directors at the annual meeting. 4

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Director Responsibilities Mission and Purpose The board regularly evaluates whether decisions and policies help the cooperative successfully further its commitment to serving our communities by providing excellent member services, and safe and reliable energy services at a competitive price. Governance The cooperative’s board of directors approves and may amend business rules and rates, which govern the cooperative’s dealings with members. Legal and ethical accountability AEC board members adopt and enforce policies, resolutions and actions governing ethical conduct, accountability and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Financial Oversight The board of directors establishes financial targets and goals and approves the cooperative’s budget. Board members also review and approve significant investments, loans and acquisitions, and the rates and terms for providing electric service to cooperative members. The board is responsible for evaluating periodic financial statements, reports and information, and considering internal control procedures. Operational Oversight The board discharges its duty to manage the affairs of the cooperative by delegating day-today management responsibilities to the general manager. The general manager is hired by and answers to the board. Board members consider and approve AEC business initiatives.

No. 25998-001 If this is your account number, contact the AEC office and claim your $25 bill credit.

Anzaâ€‚ Electric

Youth Tour Contingent Increases to Four Students impress judges, who select another two juniors to make the trip to Washington, D.C.

Matthew Collins

Adeline Faleono

Madison Gervais

Sage Williams

Each year Anza Electric Cooperative Inc. holds a contest for two high school juniors to win an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. Each student must complete an essay on the provided topic and complete a personal interview with our board of directors. A record 25 interviews were held. The board of directors was so impressed with all the students that they approved travel for two additional students. Hamilton High School students Matthew Collins and Adeline Faleono were announced as the contest winners in January. Once it was determined that there was enough space on the tour bus, we let Madison Gervais and Sage Williams know they were going as well. Every June, the Washington Youth Tour program brings together a group of 1,500 highly talented, ambitious high school juniors from across the country to experience our nationâ€™s capital and further develop their leadership skills. The program allows these students to get involved in the political process by giving them an inside view of our government in action. Congratulations are in order to all four. n

MARCH 2016

Plugged In

Using Electricity Safely and Efficiently

Featuring 12 turbines at just fewer than 25 megawatts, Golden Valley Electric Association’s Eva Creek wind project is the largest in Alaska and the first by any Railbelt utility. Photo courtesy of GVEA

Through Peaks and Plateaus Wind energy remains a viable source for a sustainable future

M A R C H 2 0 16

By Lori Tobias

Every year, Kotzebue Electric Association’s wind farm—established in 1997 as the first in Alaska and still the northernmost wind farm in the U.S.—saves the small utility a quarter-million gallons of diesel fuel and, depending on the cost of that fuel, as much as $1 million. It is just one of the reasons, KEA General Manager Brad Reeve says, “Wind is a good value for us. In Alaska, wind makes a lot of sense.”

That also has been true in many states, including Oregon and Washington, where in recent years wind farms sprung up like new subdivisions. Five years ago, consumers could not have a conversation about renewable energy without hearing of several new wind farms under development. Today, you would be lucky to find even one. The drop in the price of diesel fuel, decreased costs in solar energy development and changes in financial incentives have made wind power less

attractive than during its boom years. Wind energy development is not history, but at a temporary plateau, says Paul Morgan, plant manager for Golden Valley Electric Association’s Eva Creek wind project. The $93 million project came online in 2012 and is the largest in Alaska. “There are two factors: the cost of fuel for your conventional fleet and the cost of wind power,” Morgan says. “The cost of wind is not going to drop that much. “Right now, when you have low oil costs, wind becomes less attractive. If it stays low, it makes it improbable that people will add wind. When oil goes back up, then wind is very attractive.” Morgan estimates wind generation saves the Fairbanks-based utility about 5.5 million to 6.1 million gallons of diesel a year. Cost savings are the not the only benefit. Wasco Electric Cooperative serves 11 wind farms in Sherman County, Oregon. The last was built in 2009. The farms have helped the co-op grow and sustain that growth, says General Manager Jeff Davis of Wasco Electric, based in The Dalles. “Those wind farms are a significant user of energy when they are not generating,” Davis says. “During the 2002 to 2008 period—the boom years for wind development—our load growth was sustaining at a 5 to 7 percent increase annually. “When the farms are not generating, they are using energy to keep the mechanical portion lubricated so the pumps and heating are going anytime the wind is not blowing. Aggregated all together, they are by far the largest consumer of energy for my co-op.” Wind farms also are the biggest customers for Columbia Basic Electric Co-op, based in Heppner, Oregon, but General Manager Tom Wolff says wind development market in that area is stalled. “There is a glut of power in the Pacific Northwest,” Wolff says. “Here at Columbia Basin, we have three major wind projects

on the drawing board ready to go, but there are limited opportunities to sell the power. Market prices are currently well below production costs of new wind power. A big issue is that with Bonneville Power Administration’s renewable hydro system, consumer-owned utilities are serving 97 percent clean, renewable energy.” In Alaska, rural villages are still keen on the development and exploration of wind energy, says Meera Kohler, CEO and general manager of Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, based in Anchorage but serving 56 remote villages.

“Wind is intermittent. You must never forget that. That is one of the biggest challenges.” —Meera Kohler

AVEC first delved into wind energy in a joint project with Kotzebue Electric in 1998 when it installed two 65-kilowatt machines in the village of Wales. “The intent was to try and demonstrate that it was technically feasible to generate enough wind power to turn diesel off,” Kohler says. “Trying to install a wind system in an existing diesel situation is very difficult. Lots of things have to be reconfigured in order for it to work. It was an expensive effort. We learned a lot of lessons.” Perhaps first and foremost of those lessons is that wind cannot be regulated. “Wind is intermittent,” Kohler says. “You must never forget that. That is one of the biggest challenges. You can’t mesh the generator with the load. “We designed our own system. We use electrical boilers to absorb the wind load when we can’t use it in wind generation. That heat is sold at a very modest sum to a facility that needs it.” The goal is to use all wind-generated

energy for electricity—the best highest use—rather than heat, Kohler says. Another challenge in Alaska is the significant distance between villages and the relatively small need for energy. “Our grid system here would be called a distribution system anywhere else,” Morgan says. “There is low enough megawatts and voltage being transported. “The transmission in the lower 48 is like an oak tree, and ours is like a spider web. The amount of transmitted power is very small, so we have small loads and a great physical distance between them.” Morgan says the biggest issue is getting power from one place to another. “Eva Creek is about 80 miles from Fairbanks,” he says. “It has to jump into that spider web over those 80 miles. It’s a complication. “The deal is that any wind plant, of course, is not dispatchable. You can’t order a full load today and nothing tomorrow. We have no dibs on it. It goes as fast as it wants to. Some days it is fairly stable, and other days it looks like an earthquake chart—up and down and up and down. It can be so bad for us, some days we can just not take the wind. The plant can’t adjust that quickly.” While wind may be tricky to regulate, Alaska communities are moving forward to work out those difficulties. Since the first wind farm in Wales, AVEC has built wind systems in 11 of its villages, providing as much as 20 to 30 percent of their energy on an annual basis. There are plans for a 900-kilowatt machine that would tie in to St. Mary’s, Mountain Village and beyond. “When we connect villages, we combine loads,” Kohler says. “One machine could displace 20 percent to 30 percent of the diesel used to generate electricity in both villages. My vision is that if we can connect these villages to each other, it makes wind so much more attractive and feasible. “Wind is a tried-and-tested technology. There’s no question the technology works. By no means is it not going to continue.” n MARCH 2016

Anza Electric

Multiple Ways to Pay Your Bills

Want to Receive Outage Notifications? When power outages occur, you want to know what is happening, and fast. AEC has a messaging system in place for text messages and emails. You can sign up online at www.trumpia.com/ onlineSignup/anzaelectric/ signup or you can visit our website, www.anzaelectric. org and select “messaging” from the Member Services tab. Once your information is entered, you will receive an email and/or text message asking for your confirmation. Be sure to respond to get your name into the system. If you are interested in receiving only text messages, you may text “Anza” to short code 99000. This short code works like a cell phone number but is set up for Anza Electric Cooperative’s text messaging service. For further outage information, follow us on Facebook or check for updates at www. anzaelectric.org.

M A R C H 2 0 16

Pay Your Bill Online or Set up Automatic Draft Online bill pay is available through www.anzaelectric.org. Click the Pay Online button on the home page. You will be directed to the bill payment portal. Use your member number as both your username and password to gain access. For example, if the account number listed on your bill is 12345001 or 12345-002, you will need to enter 12345 as your member number. The number preceding the series of zeroes is the member number. Once you have gained access, you will be prompted to reset your username and password. This also can be done by selecting the “My Account” tab at the top of the page.

If you have a payment profile set up, the system will ask if you want to use the payment information on file. If a payment profile has not been set up, please follow the instructions above under Pay Your Bill Online.

Call Toll-Free 24/7 (844) 311-7201 The pay-by-phone system will recognize your phone number if it is listed on your account and link to it. If you are calling from another number, you simply need to enter your account number to pay.

Pay by Text To use the pay-by-text program, you must have a payment profile set up within the billing system. To do that, set up your payment profile online. See the first paragraph to learn how to access your account online.

Once the payment profile has been set up, use short code 352667. The short code is a like a cell phone number, except it is only 6 digits long. By sending one of the codes in the box below to the short code, you can get information about your account, pay your bill or get balance information. Pay With Cash or Check Cash or check payments can be made at the AEC office. Checks also can be mailed to PO Box 391909, Anza, CA 92539.

Command

What Command Does

BAL

Provides current account balance

HELP

Provides information about the service

JOIN

Starts the opt-in process

Returns a list of the commands

PAY

Makes a payment using a credit card or E-check profile

RESET

Resets the text session to start again

START

Confirms member’s opt-in to the service

STOP

Allows member to opt out of service

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Your satisfaction is guaranteed, but the time to act is now! Strong demand is expected for this masterfully crafted, limitededition sculptural clock, so don’t miss out. Order today to acquire your Timeless Legend John Wayne Masterpiece Clock at issue price, payable in four convenient installments of $39.99 for a total of $159.95*. Your purchase is risk-free, backed by our 365-day moneyback guarantee. Send no money now. Simply return the Reservation Application today! TM

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Side Roads

Discoveries Oﬀ the Beaten Path

Queen Bees of Kimberly By Jody Foss

There is a royal flush of queens in Kimberly. Soon, when the weather is warm, Liz Lovelock of Apricot Apiaries in Kimberly, Oregon, will be busy raising a round of queen bees every seven to 10 days. “Raising our own queens makes us more self-sufficient,” Liz says. “When we need a new queen, we need it now. It complicates the process to have to order queens and wait for them to arrive.” Many queens are raised in Hawaii, where the weather is warm year-round. “Bees are really fun,” Liz says. “Sometimes you can use their natural

Happenings Out West

Arizona Wild West Festival, March 11-13

Photo by Monika Cheang

Organizers boast the Arizona Wild West Festival in Cave Creek, Arizona, is the state’s newest and largest Western/ music festival. It oﬀers everything from tunes to food and rodeo to ironhorses. Featured events include lots of musical performances, staged gunfights, a fast-draw competition, an art show, period fashion show and a play zone for children. For more information, visit www.cavecreeklive.com. 10

M A R C H 2 016

Liz Lovelock of Kimberly, Oregon, with some of her bees. She and her husband have more than 100 hives. Photo courtesy of Liz Lovelock

responses to get them to do what you want. But of course, they don’t always.” Liz and her husband, Matt, started beekeeping as a small-scale hobby with a few hives in the backyard. “Matt and I were into it,” Liz says. “We’d be elbowing each other, ‘Let me look at it!’ We realized that to do some of the experimenting we wanted to do, we needed more hives. We increased from two hives to 10, then 30. Now we are up over 100 hives.” The couple also has an observation hive in their living room. Their hives are placed on private land throughout the area to give the bees a variety of flowers and plants to feed on. To make their business more selfsufficient—and after spending more than $1,000 in one year buying queens—the couple decided to raise their own. “There are lots of variables,” Liz says. “We do our best to control the ones we can.” Bees naturally raise queens in three situations. One is in the spring when the hive wants to reproduce and swarm. The second is in an emergency when they lose their queen. The third is when they deem their queen unfit and want to remove her from the throne.

“We take advantage of the swarm and emergency impulses,” Liz explains. “Swarming happens when a hive is big and healthy and wants to split into two hives. Usually, the old queen flies off with a third to half of the workforce and leaves behind daughter queen cells to take over the parent hive. This usually happens in the spring when there is abundant pollen and nectar, and the bees feel crowded.” Matt and Liz create the swarm impulse by crowding a lot of bees into a box without a queen. It is also an emergency. The bees desperately want to raise a new queen and they won’t raise just one. “It’s crucial that the queens are all the same age so one doesn’t emerge early and kill the other ones,” Liz explains. She uses a small, intricate tool to graft larva at 4 days old. She scoops up the tiny grubs that are smaller than a grain of rice and deposits them in a tiny cup. The grafted queen cups spend 10 days in the cell-builder box. “When the cells are about a day away from emerging, we transfer them into our mating nucs, which are queenless mini hives,” Liz explains. “They stay there for three weeks, during which time they hopefully get out on a successful mating flight.”

If the weather is at least 70 degrees and not too windy, each bee will go on a mating flight and mate with 10 to 15 drones. When the queens are ready, they are picked from the mating nucs and caged to be sold or transferred into other hives. “It’s kind of crazy that this one insect is sold for $25 to $40 each,” Liz says. One of her favorite aspects of the process is picking the queens. “I have to be very careful not to squish them,” she says. She marks the queen with a non-toxic paint dot in the middle of her back on her thorax. A different color is used each year to keep track of how old a queen is. Marking also tells Liz if she raised a particular queen. Liz is responsible for the detailed chore of keeping all records on queen production, hive vitality and honey sales. “I have to really follow closely to make sure things happen on the right day, and also to record which hive I want to propagate and what hives have been doing in the past,” she says. Raising queens is only one aspect of a beekeeper’s job. Liz and Matt have been in business as Apricot Apiaries for two and a half years. In addition to selling bees and queens, they rent their hives for pollination and produce honey for sale. Matt, a talented woodworker, creates honey spoons and wooden tops for the honey jars. The two attend the Oregon State Beekeepers Association annual meeting to trade information with other beekeepers. At a meeting three years ago, they connected with a couple who operate a 2,000-hive operation in Hermiston, Oregon. The couple needed help during the almond pollination season in Central California. Liz and Matt joined them to work as apprentices. “Almonds need the pollination to produce more pounds of nuts per tree,” Liz says. “We were able to rent 48 of our hives down there this year. Our bees made more money than we did.” n

From Educator to Avian Caretaker By Cris Ellingson

Joe Brown does not let age or retirement slow him down. He celebrated his 80th birthday last December, and already plans to invite family and friends to join him at Safeco Field for his 100th birthday. “When you retire, don’t forget there are things still to do,” he says. Joe’s current hobby—and one he has honed through many years of practice—is crafting birdhouses. These are not just any birdhouses. They are art. “Figuring out just the right color scheme to paint the houses can be the hardest part, with somewhere around 90 different colors of paint,” Joe says. Debbie, his wife of 25 years, often suggests a finishing touch or two when Joe needs a fresh set of eyes. “The last house was almost completed, and I felt it needed something, but wasn’t quite sure of what,” he says. “Debbie is a great finish person, suggesting, ‘How about some freckles,’ and she was right. It finished the house.” Thirty-five birdhouses stand along Joe’s fence. After the birds fly away at year’s end, he removes the old nests. Many of the birds come back for two or three years. Sometimes their offspring return to nest. “We have bluebirds, a variety of sparrows, goldfinch and other birds in the houses,” he says. “We have learned there is a certain pecking order to

Top, Joe Brown of Ellensburg Washington, retired from teaching industrial arts before taking up his current hobby. Above, another one of Joe’s birdhouse creations.

the. Top of the order is the Harris hawk pair, which are rather owl-face looking. They are followed by ravens, partridges, a few dozen magpies, swallows, gold finch and sparrows.” Joe plans to continue building the birdhouses in his own style. He does it for the birds, himself and anyone needing a bright spot in their day. “I enjoy building the houses and hope they will bring a smile or laugh to people as they go by,” he says. n

MARCH 2016

Lots of Garden in a Little Space Young gardeners in Glide reap more than food from prolific Paw Patch Stories by Dianna Troyer

Cody is proud of the potatoes grown in the Paw Patch. 12

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Numerous small hands lighten the workload at Glide Elementary School’s prolific Paw Patch Garden in rural southwestern Oregon. During recess at lunch three days a week, volunteer garden director Mary Brown supervises dozens of young gardeners, listing their tasks in colorful chalk on a small board. In the spring, they transplant seedlings started in the high school greenhouse. Raspberry shoots are dug up and sent home for kids to start their own fruit patch. Kiwi vines are trimmed to encourage lateral growth. Students grin as they happily toil in the soil. “I like getting my hands in the dirt and eating food that comes out of the real Earth,” says fifth-grader Havannah. “It makes me feel good about creating things,” adds sixth-grader Gage. “I also love the treats.” The garden—named in honor of the school’s bobcat mascot—has about two dozen raised beds. Every Wednesday, students harvest four kinds of lettuce, kale, spinach and collard greens to supplement salads served in the cafeteria on Thursday. “We happened to put the garden on the south side of the school so the afternoon sun radiates heat off the building and helps keep plants from freezing in winter,” Mary says, noting the beds are insulated with bags of leaves students raked in the fall. “Considering its size, we’ve been surprised and proud of how productive our Paw

Patch is,” says Mary. In addition to the weekly harvest of greens, students plucked about 20 pounds of snap peas for a local food pantry last year. Reaping More Than Food Four years ago, when Mary and volunteers started the garden for the school’s 375 students, they set a few goals. “We wanted to cultivate a sense of wonder toward nature, promote good stewardship of our piece of the planet, encourage healthy eating habits and connect with our community,” says Mary. “We’ve reached all those goals and then some.” Students are reaping more than fresh food when they sow, weed and harvest. “After they’ve worked in the garden, they seem refreshed and attentive,” says Mary’s husband, John, a sixth-grade teacher. “They have a personal, hands-on appreciation of where their food comes from.” Sixth-grader Ava says, “Gardening is my yoga.” Brady, a fifth-grader, says, “The garden is time to let off stress and learn about what’s healthy.” Kelden, another fifth-grader, says, “I like everything about the garden. Learning about plants helps us to survive.” Many of their plant lessons are edible. Students savor crunchy peas in spring, and graze on plump raspberries and blueberries in the fall. The fifth-graders designated two beds for a Three Sisters garden of squash, corn and beans. After picking the Hopi blue corn, they ground

about a gallon of blue cornmeal to bake cornbread. “Students have told me freshly picked vegetables taste better than store-bought,” says Mary. “They’ve also said they’re more likely to try new food because they’ve grown it.” Some students tasted fennel and turnips for the first time. “They love fennel,” Mary says. “They even liked turnips when we stir-fried them with carrots, ginger, butter and sugar.” Starting Small The Paw Patch took about two years to establish. After getting advice from the local county extension service, volunteers started with a minimal budget. They relied on donations, small grants from area foundations and a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant. “You don’t need a huge grant to start a school garden,” Mary says, noting local businesses and residents have donated lumber and plants. “Cultivate friendships with people who want to see you succeed and are willing to provide the needed resources.” To start the Paw Patch, students in the high school’s wood shop built 23 raised beds. “Each bed is 8 feet long and 2½ feet wide, so kids can easily reach in to work,” says Mary. “Since then, we’ve added a couple of triangular raised beds, too.” Local residents provide seedless grape vines for students to propagate. “We keep them in the ground for a year, then students can take them home to

School Gardening Movement Flourishes

Mary Brown, volunteer garden director of Glide Elementary School’s Paw Patch, pulls a turnip out of a raised bed under the watchful eyes of students. Photos by Jody Brown

plant,” says Mary. Encouraged by the success of their vegetables, herbs and berries, Mary and her crew started an orchard two years ago, planting 39 apple, Asian pear and plum trees. “We’re always open to trying new plants,” she says. “We received a grant to grow a variety of roses that are known for producing large, edible hips. This spring, we’ll plant them in whiskey barrel containers.” They hope to harvest kiwis for the first time this year. Vines have to grow two years

before producing fruit. The Paw Patch has become so cherished in the school that students started a garden club and take care of the Paw Patch with their parents Monday nights during the summer. “We hope they’ll always remember what they’ve learned in the garden,” says Mary. “One boy was so happy because he said he had learned how to use a shovel. “I think we’ve all come to understand the saying, ‘I cultivate my garden, and my garden cultivates me.’ ” n

A school gardening movement is taking root and flourishing nationwide, with Oregon at the forefront. “I get calls every day from people around the nation asking for advice about starting a school garden,” says Rick Sherman, coordinator of the Oregon Department of Education Farm to School and School Garden program. “I’ve become known as the guy who gets crazy excited about locally grown food in cafeterias.” Rick—a master gardener who worked 32 years in food service—tends his own garden in Jefferson, Oregon. “We have more than 600 school gardens in the state,” says Rick. “Teachers are using gardens as outdoor classrooms for lessons in science, health, nutrition, math and reading. For many of us in the state, gardening has long been a way of life.” In 2011, Oregon launched its program after the state Rick Sherman’s chicken, Ginger, helps control insects in his garden. legislature approved $200,000 to provide grants to start school gardens and to reimburse school districts for buying locally grown food for their cafeterias. “In the current biennium, $4.5 million has been allocated to the program,” says Rick. “Eighty percent of the current funding is designated for reimbursement of Oregon-grown or processed food, with the other 20 percent allocated for competitive grants for garden-based educational opportunities.” A few years ago, when the state’s first school garden summit was organized, 40 people registered. At the last one, more than 350 people participated. “More than a century ago, it was common for schools to grow their own produce because there was no national school lunch program,” says Rick. “During the world wars, gardens were popular, too. As society became more automated, gardening became less important. It’s definitely making a comeback.” Recognizing the value of locally grown nutritional foods in schools, the U.S. Department of Agriculture started a Farm to School program in 2013, awarding $19.9 million in grants to schools nationwide to help students and staff start gardens, buy locally grown food and take field trips to local farms. More than 42,000 schools are involved in Farm to School activities, according to an agency survey. “The gardening movement is exploding,” says Rick. “I don’t foresee it slowing down.”

MARCH 2016

Maximize Return Landscape architecture professor shares tips for growing lots in a little area

Get Creative With Pots Here are a few ideas for ways to use upcycled materials in the garden. XX Old dresser. Open drawers at different intervals and fill with soil. XX Pallet. Staple landscape fabric to a pallet, lean it against a wall and fill with soil, or attach terra cotta pots to a pallet with zip ties or large hose clamps. XX Pop bottles. Place horizontally and cut out half of one side. Drill two holes next to the opening at the top and bottom and thread a string through the holes, knotting the bottom string so it will not slip through. Suspend from a deck. XX Crates. Stack wooden boxes at intervals to create a garden wall. XX Step ladder or bookshelf. Place pots on rungs of a ladder or shelves. XX Shoe organizer. Put soil in a hanging fabric shoe organizer. XX Rain gutters. Drill holes through either end of a gutter, thread twine or string through it, and hang it. XX Raised beds and pots. Fill unused kiddie pools, sleds, horse troughs, tool boxes, galvanized tubs, old boots, cans and bottles with soil.

M A R C H 2 0 16

No room for a traditional garden plot? No problem, says Harper Keeler, a landscape architecture professor at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Harper knows even a little space can yield a lot of fresh, flavorful vegetables as long as the soil is enriched with compost. “The principles we use here to maximize gardening space can apply anywhere,” he says. Harper provides gardening tips and expertise as director of the university’s Urban Farm, president of the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition and adviser to the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden program. He and his students tend to a 2-acre garden on campus and a 1-acre plot nearby. In March, students transplant onions, broccoli, cabbage, green peppers, tomatoes, onions and shallot seedlings from the greenhouse into various spaces. Harper dislikes planting vegetables in straight lines. He says honeycomb or cross-hatching patterns maximize space. To navigate the gardens, he prefers 1-foot-square stepping stones with 4-foot-wide raised beds so plants can be reached easily from either side. Some gardeners prefer building a keyhole garden—a round raised bed of compost and enriched soil with a slot from the edge to the center—so plants are nourished and easily accessible. “Mixed varietal crops can be planted together, too,” says Harper. “With this method, you don’t have to wait until a plant is done producing to replant. Companion planting allows you to always have something in production.” The classic trio—the Three Sisters— involves growing corn, squash and pole beans together in a mound. The corn provides a trellis for the beans. The beans produce nitrogen the corn needs. The squash leaves shade the soil, helping to inhibit weed growth and retain moisture. Other examples of companion plants include carrots under tomatoes, beets or radishes beneath cucumbers and pole

Harper Keeler at a small garden near campus. Photo courtesy of the University of Oregon

beans with potatoes. High-yield vegetables such as radishes, greens, carrots or onions also are ideal to plant in a small space. Instead of spreading out, Harper advocates employing vertical gardening tactics. An inexpensive trellis can be made with posts and a cattle panel, which can be erected like a fence to provide support for beans, melons and tomatoes as they climb. As melons mature and get heavier, they can be cradled in pantyhose slings attached like hammocks to the panel. “Tomatoes are basically a bush that needs to be aggressively pruned,” he says. “Leave one or two leaders and have them grow up a vertical string or twine attached to a trellis. Even a single stem can be productive, with tomatoes ripening sooner than if they were under leaves. With no leaves to send their energy to, the plant sends its energy to the fruit instead.” A variety of containers can be used to grow a vertical garden (see article at left). “The only drawback with placing containers vertically is that you have to somehow provide a healthy bacterial community that you would naturally find in soil,” says Harper. “You have to import that fertility.”

Minimize Efforts, With Great Results

Even a yard can be considered a garden with certain landscaping choices. Plant a few dwarf fruit trees. Instead of growing non-producing ornamentals, plant berry bushes or colorful leafy plants such as rhubarb, Swiss chard, lettuce or strawberries for a groundcover. Vegetables can be interspersed with flowers, too. Gardens do not have to be restricted to the outdoors, either. Many herbs thrive indoors in pots, including parsley, cilantro, basil, dill, fennel, rosemary, anise and chives. Certain varieties of tomatoes— Pixie, Patio, Toy Boy, Small Fry or Tiny Tim—were developed as windowsill vegetables and grow well in 6-inch pots. Harper believes the food the 300 students in his program and gardeners everywhere grow does more than nourish people and tantalize their taste buds. “Growing and sharing food is a social glue that holds us together,” says Harper, who grew up on the outskirts of New York City. “As a kid, I was exposed to a terrific array of ethnic traditions and learned early the value of sharing and celebrating these traditions, especially as they related to food. “What still resonates with me all these years later is the deep sense of joy food brings to those who produce, prepare and share it together—from farmers and grocers to teachers, chefs and consumers.” n

You can grow a productive garden with minimal work, Mara Grey promises in her book “The Lazy Gardener” and on her blog, www.plantingjoy.com. “I love plants, but I have other interests, too, like playing Celtic harp and giving harp lessons,” says Mara, who grows vegetables and flowers on Whidbey Island, Washington. “Why put more effort into gardening than you have to? Sometimes, patience works better as a gardening tool than a shovel. “To pare down chores, choose plants that fit their environment and growing conditions and design a manageable-sized garden. Don’t worry about failures. The good gardeners are the ones who don’t quit and keep experimenting.” Wherever gardeners live and whatever the Author Mara Grey suggests consulting local experts for region-specific tips. climate, improving soil is a priority. Photo courtesy of Mara Grey “The texture you’re aiming for is similar to that of a really good bag of potting soil,” says Mara. “It should be loose, crumbly and rich in nutrients, with space for air and water to pass through.” Soil can be tested through university extension service offices or garden centers to see if additives are needed. In early spring, enrich soil with compost, either homemade or store-bought. She advises gardeners to consult a local expert—a master gardener, nursery manager, organic gardener or friendly neighbor—for tips and problem-solving techniques that are specific to a region’s soil type and climate. “A local human resource beats an online article any time,” says Mara. Master gardener Linda Granger—who toils in arid LaGrande, Oregon—knows the importance of tapping into local knowledge. “Even here we have microclimates,” says Linda, who compares gardening to a chocolate chip cookie recipe. “What works for someone won’t work for another person. There are some kinds of fruit and vegetable varieties that don’t do well here, while others thrive. We have the same basic recipe, then we tweak it.” To control weeds and garden pests, Linda prefers easy, natural solutions to herbicides and pesticides. Cover crops, such as buckwheat or ground covers, can reduce weeds and be tilled back into the soil to enrich it. Mulching with grass clippings, leaves, straw or other organic material also helps prevent weeds and retain soil moisture. “It can be 100 degrees in the summer here, so mulching makes a big difference,” Linda says. “Mulch must be composed of untreated, seedless, and disease-free and pest-free plant material because eventually all mulch will become part of your garden soil.” You can spot spray weeds with concentrated 20 percent vinegar, Linda says, noting some gardeners pour boiling water on them. She shuns pesticides because they can kill beneficial insects along with harmful ones, and be absorbed by plants. “If your garden is pesticide free and has a variety of plants, good bugs will come to you—especially honey bees,” Linda says. Ladybugs and praying mantises can be bought or lured to gardens to devour unwanted pests. Ladybugs are often attracted to buckwheat, chives, cilantro, cosmos, dill and fennel. Praying mantises prefer plants they can hide in. Marigold, nasturtium and chrysanthemum naturally repel pests. Bug-repellant herbs include rosemary, mint, lemon thyme, lavender and basil. Water deeply a couple of times a week instead of using a drip irrigation system or automatic sprinklers, and reduce the need for fertilization with good soil. “Any garden is a work in progress,” says Mara. “Whatever you plan, you’ll have successes, failures and surprises. There’s a saying: ‘The more you garden, the more you grow.’ ” MARCH 2016

In the Kitchen

Recipes That Satisfy

Celebrate Easter and the arrival of spring with a decadent cheesecake.

Exceptional Easter Desserts Brighten your feast with desserts so delicious your guests will hop up for more Blueberry Streusel Cheesecake 1½ cups plus 3 tablespoons flour, divided 11/3 cups sugar, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces 32 ounces cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup sour cream 4 eggs 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Heat oven to 325 F. 16

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Mix 1½ cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve ½ cup of the mixture and press the remaining on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Beat the cream cheese, remaining flour, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add the sour cream and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed after each until blended. Pour over the crust. Top with the berries and the reserved crumb mixture. Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until the center is almost set. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing

the rim. Refrigerate for at least four hours. Garnish with additional berries or cinnamon just before serving. Serves 16

Courtesy of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Mini Cheesecakes 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided 3 tablespoons butter, melted 24 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted 54 speckled malted milk eggs

Heat oven to 325 F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs,

2 tablespoons sugar and butter. Press the mixture on the bottoms of 18 paper-lined muffin cups to make a crust. Beat the cream cheese, vanilla and remaining sugar with a mixer until blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until blended. Spoon the mixture over the crusts. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until the centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate for two hours. Top each cheesecake with 1 tablespoon coconut; shape to resemble a bird’s nest. Fill the nest with malted milk eggs. Serves 18

Courtesy of Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Lemon Daisy Cupcakes 1 box (2-layer size) white cake mix 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract, divided 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 tablespoons sour cream 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar 10 drops yellow food color 18 large marshmallows Decorating sugar Jelly beans Green sprinkles

Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package, adding 1 tablespoon of lemon extract. Spoon the batter into 18 paperlined muffin cups, filling each cup twothirds full. Bake as directed for cupcakes. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, sour cream and remaining lemon extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Stir in the food color until evenly tinted. Frost cooled cupcakes. To decorate the cupcakes, cut each marshmallow crosswise into five slices. Sprinkle one side of each marshmallow slice with decorating sugar. Arrange five marshmallow petals on top of each

Lemon cupcakes are in bloom with decorations made of marshmallows and jelly beans.

cupcake to resemble a daisy, pressing the marshmallows into the frosting. Place the jelly beans in the center of the petals and garnish with sprinkles. Serves 18

Courtesy of McCormick & Company, Inc.

Pineapple Coconut Cake 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, divided 1 box (2-layer) yellow cake mix 1 tablespoon coconut extract 1 package (4 serving size) instant vanilla pudding 1 cup lowfat milk 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 cups sweetened flake coconut Additional pineapple for garnish

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Drain the pineapple and reserve the juice. Divide the pineapple in half and set aside. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, replacing water with the reserved juice and coconut extract. Beat for two minutes. Fold half of the pineapple into the cake batter. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until

a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool completely. Stir together the pudding and milk until smooth, about two minutes. Fold in the whipped topping. Combine the remaining pineapple with the pudding mixture. Place one cake layer on a plate and spread some of the pineapple-pudding frosting over the top. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the top and sides with the remaining pineapplepudding frosting. Garnish with the coconut. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Serves 12 to 16 Courtesy of Dole

Egg-Ceptional Easter Nests Wax paper 12/3 to 2 cups butterscotch or semisweet chocolate morsels 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 10 ounces chow mein noodles 30 to 60 candy eggs

Line trays with wax paper. Microwave the morsels in a large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on medium-high (70 percent) power for 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave for additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring until the morsels are melted. Stir in the peanut butter until well blended. Add the chow mein noodles to the morsel mixture and toss until coated. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop about 2 rounded tablespoon-size piles onto the prepared trays. Immediately shape into nests. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, place one or two candy eggs in each nest. Store the prepared nests in a covered container for up to one day. Serves 30

Courtesy of Nestle

MARCH 2016

At Home

Books, Hobbies, Crafts and More

Crafts Cleaning out your craft room? I make loom-knitted hats for infants and babies, donating them to hospitals and charities in honor of my friend who passed away last year. I am looking for yarn to continue this project. Remnant skeins you may have work well. Thank you. Erin Borla P.O. Box 1784 Sisters, OR 97759

I am making about 30 scrapbooks for low-income and homeless mothers living in our local shelters. If anyone has extra scrapbooking supplies (blender pens, ric rac, buttons, paper punches, decorative scissors, scrapbook paper, etc.) it would be a really big help, and very much appreciated. I can reimburse or pay for shipping costs. Thank you very much. Natalie Boothe 35760 Highway 22 Hebo, OR 97122 natalie.boothe@yahoo.com

I would like to learn how to make greeting cards. Thank you in advance. Betty Radtke 2636 6th Ave. Clarkston, WA 99403

Need legs from used jeans, no stains or holes, at least 8-inches wide, any color for making potholders. Thank you. Sheri Huffsteter P.O. Box 466 Healy, AK 99743

Odds Looking for an old-style oval picture frame with convex glass. No less than 12”x20”. Will pay reasonable price. Thanks.

Wayne Simmons 3287 Orchard Heights Road NW Salem, OR 97304-1729 orchardcrestfarms@msn.com

This country woman is dreaming about her summer garden. I would be thrilled to receive seeds from your own treasured garden bed. Flowers and vegetables alike. Many thanks in advance from Dipping Bird Hollow. Harriet Courts 6060 Teal Creek Road Dallas, OR 97338

Schools/Labels If you have any unused pencils, erasers, crayons, rulers, etc. I would love to have them. All items

will be donated to our local schools to help kids. Thank you most kindly. Nancy Moffitt 10315 400th Street E. Eatonville, WA 98328

I am a grandmother in search of Box Tops for Education for my granddaughter. I have been collecting before she even started school and would like to continue with the help of others. I will reimburse postage if requested. Thank you. Kathy Tolbert 5717 288th Street E. Graham, WA 98338

La Pine Elementary is collecting Box Tops for Education and Labels for Education. Thank you. La Pine Elementary P.O. Box 1560 La Pine, OR 97739

Mapleton Elementary School would appreciate Box Tops for Education donations. We are a small rural school and the money helps with incentives and other needs for the students. We thank you all. Kristina Hill-Riggs Mapleton Elementary School 18070 East Mapleton Road Mapleton, OR 97453-9603

Campbell’s, Swanson’s and other Labels for Education needed for preschool on San Carlos Apache Reservation. Thank you. Melinda Weisser-Lee 3864 W. Kimball St. Thatcher, AZ 85552 kenmindy@aol.com

Thanks I’ve received boxes of yarns of all types, all colors, all wonderful. I now have enough to keep me making chemo caps for literally years! They’ve come from all over Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Alaska, many of them including notes telling me a little about themselves and their yarn stashes. Surprisingly many are from women who are sorting through their deceased mothers’ things and are donating the unused yarn they find. Almost to a person, they say some version of “I know it would make her happy to see her yarn put to such good use.” Your readers are some of the kindest, most thoughtful people anywhere. Thank you for your help. Raven OKeefe Scio, Oregon

Submitting a Request For At Home Please send request to At Home, 5605 NE Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124, or email it (no attachments) to athome@ ruralite.org. Please fill in the subject line. Acceptance, scheduling and editing are at the editor’s discretion. Single requests only, please. No duplicates. Submissions are handled on a first-come basis. Phone numbers will not be published. Email addresses will be published if part of the ad, but the request must include a postal address. Request must include name, address and name of the electric utility that provides your magazine.

Raven OKeefe received yarn from four states to make chemo caps. Photo by Raven OKeefe

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Outdoor Pursuits

Enjoying the Natural World Around Us

Practice Makes Perfect While growing up, the closest fishing hole was the creek out back. Yet it was less than ideal. Awash with underwater snags and structure, and lined with trees and heavy brush, most of my siblings and I shunned it. But not Dave. Dave loved fishing. He also loved the fact the creek was so close and full of fish. So he decided he was going to practice casting until he could pitch and flip over or around any obstacle to get at the fish hiding there. Practice is important when learning or improving any outdoor skill. Whether you want to cast farther, shoot better, perfect your J-stroke or feel more comfortable navigating with a map and compass, practice is the key to achieving that end. • Commit your goal to paper. Include the “why” behind it. Pull out your goal statement and review it periodically, especially if you need a motivational boost or you start to question the time you spend on the activity. • Make it a priority. Whatever activity or skill you are trying to improve, block out time on your schedule to

The best way to practice anything is to actually do it. In other words, if you want to cast better, spend more time fishing. However, sometimes that may not be possible, so you are challenged to be creative and adapt to where you are and work with what you have on hand. For example, if you can’t go fishing, you can always buy a practice lure and hone your casting technique in the house, garage or backyard. The same is true for other outdoor skills. Photo by Steve Krull

practice it. • Realize getting better takes time and effort. Start small, have realisitic expectations and set manageable goals. • Avoid overdoing it. There comes a point when any activity becomes work. Keep it fun. Don’t be afraid to take a break if it starts to become a chore. Always leave yourself wanting more. • Reward yourself when you hit your goal. Buy yourself something new or plan a special outing to flaunt your hard-earned skill. With a lot of practice, Dave got really good by using some of these strategies. His reward was a stringer full of fish almost every time he fished that knarly old creek.

Many of Curtis Condon’s fondest memories involve outdoor adventures with friends and family, whether fishing with old school buddies, backpacking in the mountains of the Northwest with his sons, or bird watching along the coast with his wife. He feels fortunate having the opportunity to write about the outdoors and other subjects for more than 30 years.

M A R C H 2 016

Outdoor 101: Keeping a Knife Sharp Start with a quality knife. The best knifemakers use premium blade steel because they understand not all metals hold an edge equally. Gerber, Kershaw and Benchmade are three brands that come to mind. Use the knife only as intended. Don’t use it as a pry tool. Avoid blade contact with rocks, metal, glass, ceramic or other materials that can dull or knick a blade. Learn the proper sharpening method, and use it regularly to keep your knives razor sharp. Enjoy the Outdoors From Your Recliner When it’s cold and nasty outside, sometimes there’s nothing better than an outdoor adventure enjoyed vicariously through a good book. Here are two to check out: “A Walk in The Woods,” by Bill Bryson, is a humorous account of Bryson and a friend attempting to through-hike the

Appalachian Trail. The book was made into a movie last year starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. “A River Runs Through It,” by Norman Maclean. is a classic outdoor story that also made it to the big screen. The true story is about two brothers and their love for flyfishing Montana’s Blackfoot River, and how it influences their lives as they grow to manhood. What Day is It? March 4: National Walk to Work Day March 20: International Earth Day March 30: Take a Walk in the Park Day Got a Tip or a Whopper? Send us your favorite outdoor tip, photo or story. If selected for publication, we will send you $25 for one-time use of the item. When sending a photo, identify people and pets, and tell us the story behind the picture. Email your submission to info@ ruralite.org. 

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The Jacuzzi® Hydrotherapy Shower provides a lifetime of comfort and relief… safely and affordably. As we age, the occasional aches and pains of everyday life become less and less occasional. Most of us are bothered by sore muscles, creaky joints and general fatigue as we go through the day– and it’s made worse by everything from exertion and stress to arthritis and a number of other ailments. Sure, there are pills and creams that claim to provide comfort, but there is only one 100% natural way to feel better… hydrotherapy. Now, the world leader in hydrotherapy has invented the only shower that features Jacuzzi® Jets. It’s called the Jacuzzi® Hydrotherapy Shower, and it can truly change your life. For over 50 years, the Jacuzzi® Design Engineers have worked to bring the powerful benefits of soothing hydrotherapy into millions of homes. Now, they’ve created a system that can fit in the space of your existing bathtub or shower and give you a lifetime of enjoyment, comfort and pain-relief. They’ve thought of everything. From the high-gloss acrylic surface, slip-resistant flooring, a hand-held shower wand, a comfortable and adjustable seat, to strategically-placed grab bars and lots of storage, this shower has it all. SPECIAL REPORT Why wait to experience the Jacuzzi® Hydrotherapy Shower? Call now… it’s the first step in getting relief from those FREE aches and pains.

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The Great Picture Hunt

Photo Tips from David LaBelle

Specialist or Generalist? A manager of an exclusive golf course once admitted he had paid handsomely to fly in a celebrated golf course photographer from out of state. “He’s an expert, a specialist,” he said, justifying the expense. I nodded and smiled. I could have saved the golf pro a lot of money and likely done as good of a job, but I am not an “expert” golf course photographer or even a golfer. I am a photojournalist. Today, there are specialists in every field: law, medicine, sports, even photography. Brain or heart surgeons are specialists. So are undersea photographers. This does not mean the surgeon would be unable to set a broken arm or the underwater photographer would do a poor job shooting a wedding. What it means is somebody has chosen to focus on a narrow piece of a larger profession, study or game. Look at baseball. There was a time pitchers threw nine, 10, 15 innings—whatever it took to finish the game. Now, if a guy pitches seven innings, we hail him as a an iron horse. Today, many specialists—starters, middle relievers, set up guys and closers—are paid

millions to get one or two outs. Specialists in any profession—photography included— usually are paid more because they are considered the best at what they do. Often people who can do it all possess the same skills, but lack a degree, title or reputation. They are not as valued, and unlikely to summon the same pay. Photographers are generalists. Wedding, lamdscape, street, underwater, portrait or architectural photographers are specialists. Photojournalists fall under both headings. Just as there was a time the handyman fixed everything, newspaper photographers of my era were expected to do it all. With a solid understanding of cameras, lighting and photography, most could make quality pictures from any assignment—breaking news to fashion. One of the things I enjoyed most about news photography was the variety of assignments, and the technical and psychological challenge each brought. While some news photographers made a comfortable living, few earned the day rates of those who specialized in narrow pursuits such as food,

David LaBelle is an internationally known photographer, teacher, author and lecturer. He has worked for newspapers and magazines across the United States and taught at three universities. He grew up on a frog farm in rural California, roaming the creeks and hills with his coon dogs. Many of the lessons he learned during those magical boyhood years have been applied to photography and teaching the essence of this art form. For more information, visit www.greatpicturehunt.com.

M A R C H 2 0 16

While I can do many types of photography—portraiture, landscape, news and sports—the small, quiet, storytelling moments from everyday life like this brother and sister discovering a tree frog in their backyard best define me. Photo by David LaBelle

fashion or aerial photography. Don’t get me wrong; I like specialists, especially when it comes to medical issues. Unfortunately, with photography, everybody thinks they are experts—and I don’t want those assigned to judge pickles and canned goods at the county fair to judge the photography exhibit, too. For me, an expert is someone who knows the turf and can be counted on to consistently make good, relevant pictures from a particular genre. Consistency is the key. I might get lucky and shoot a great race car picture or prizewinning football or fashion picture, but I am not a specialist in either area. I cannot be counted on to produce at a high level under pressure, nor do I understand the turf.

Just as I don’t want someone who might get lucky and do well in surgery, I don’t want a novice any more than I want Uncle Bob shooting something as important as my wedding. Trust and comfort come with knowing we are dealing with a specialist. I enjoy portraiture, nature, animals and street photography, but am most known for teaching and capturing human emotion—humor and grief. The psychology of photography is what stirs my heart. Learn about all types of photography, but if you want to be noticed in a world with a billion cameras, focus on photographing what you love and are curious about. Find your niche, strive to be the best in that field and develop a specialty—a brand. n

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Do you suffer from burning, tingling, or stabbing foot pain? You should know help is available. 20 million Americans suffer from these symptoms and put up with the pain, because they are not aware of this proven treatment. MagniLife® Pain Relieving Foot Cream contains Gnaphalium to relieve pain, while natural moisturizers restore cracked, damaged, and itchy skin. “It’s the ONLY product that helps relieve the burning, and tingling feeling in my feet!” - Mable NY. MagniLife® Pain Relieving Foot Cream is sold at Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid and Walmart, in the footcare and diabetes sections. Order risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 4 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($9.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife PC-CP2, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071 or call 1-800-5942185. Satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.PRFootCream.com

If you experience difficulty breathing due to cough, congestion, mucus buildup, or the common cold, you should know that help is available. Many people are putting up with wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing because they are not aware of this new, effective treatment. MagniLife® Breathe Easy Chest Cream contains active ingredients to control cough and phlegm buildup, thin mucus, and open airways to restore normal breathing, with no unpleasant menthol scent. “This is the best, fast-acting [cream] I’ve ever used.” - Iva A., FL. MagniLife® Breathe Easy Chest Cream can be ordered risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 4 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($9.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife, BC-CP2, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071, or call 1-800594-2185. Satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.BreatheCream.com

Are you having trouble sleeping due to unpleasant sensations in your legs, which make it difficult to stay still? You should know about a proven treatment that calms and relaxes the legs so you can rest comfortably. MagniLife® Restless Legs Cream contains vitamins and minerals that quickly absorb to relieve those aggravating symptoms. “You can imagine my surprise and delight when my legs kept still that very first night, and now every night since!.” – Dawn, VT. MagniLife® Restless Legs Cream is sold at Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy and Rite Aid. Order risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 4 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($9.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife RC-CP2, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071, or call 1-800-594-2185. Satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.RLScream.com

Do you suffer from painful rashes and experience tingling, burning, or a blistering skin rash that can result in lingering pain? Many people are putting up with the discomfort and itching because they are not aware of this new advancement in skin care. MagniLife® Painful Rash Relief Cream contains 16 powerful ingredients such as arnica and tea tree oil to restore the skin and relieve the pain and itch. “I am really getting a lot of relief for my pain for my rash. It is such an amazing product.” - Eda S. MagniLife® Painful Rash Relief Cream is available at CVS/pharmacy and Rite Aid Pharmacy. Order risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 1.8 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($9.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife SH-CP2, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071 or call 1-800-5942185. Satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.PainfulRashRelief.com

common condition, known as Athlete’s Foot, can become serious if germs enter through the cracks in the skin and cause an infection. MagniLife® Antifungal Foot Cream with miconazole nitrate cures most athlete’s foot and effectively relieves itchy, scaly skin. Natural moisturizers and essential oils help repair damaged skin and promote healing of cracks and fissures to help prevent further infection. “This foot cream worked wonders for my feet. I’m no longer embarrassed to wear sandals!” - Heidi, CA. MagniLife® Antifungal Foot Cream is sold at Walgreens and Rite Aid Pharmacy, in the diabetes section. Order risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 4 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when ordering two for $39.98 ($9.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife FC-CP2, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071, or call 1-800-5942185. Satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.FungalFootCream.com

fect the cosmetic surface of the skin and can add years to your appearance. Millions of people live with the dark spots and try to cover them with makeup, or bleach them with harsh chemicals because they are not aware of this new topical treatment that gently and effectively lightens the shade of the skin. MagniLife® Age Spot Cream uses botanicals, such as licorice root extract to naturally fade age spots, freckles, and age-associated discolorations, while protecting skin from harmful external factors. “It is fading my liver spots. This product actually works!!!” - Patricia C, NJ. MagniLife® Age Spot Cream can be ordered risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 2 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($9.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife AC-CP2, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071, or call 1-800-594-2185. Complete satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.AgeSpotSolution.com

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Anza Electric

Turn Up the Heat on Your Electricity Bill

Attend AEC’s 65th Annual Membership Meeting Join us July 15, 2016. It is going to be BIG! XX Touchstone Energy hot air balloon rides available, weather permitting. XX Barbecue. XX Music by the Barnyard Boyz. Look for more information in the July issue of Currents.

Winter is here with all of its cold and blustery weather. Time to break out the trusty old electric space heaters. But wait! Have you considered the effect on your electricity bill? A typical electric radiant space heater is rated at 1,500 watts. Used for one hour, it will cost about 25 cents. Use it for 8 hours and it costs $2. If used for 24 hours a day for a month, this little energy guzzler adds $180 to your bill. Radiant heaters can be dangerous to use around curtains, beds and clothing. Units manufactured after 1991 have a tip-over switch that turns the heater off if knocked over. Consider some weather stripping, caulking and extra insulation to help hold in the heat and keep winter outside. Heaters can keep you warm, but you may get steamed over your bill. n

We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby An AEC 65th anniversary flashback Meter Reading: Now and Then In the past 65 years, technology advances have revolutionized the way AEC does business. While some advances have come with a learning curve, AEC has always been mindful of the costs to keep up with industry changes. As a small cooperative, AEC cannot always jump onto the latest technology wave. Costs have to be considered, among other things. The change to AEC’s meter reading program, however, was embraced wholeheartedly. For years, meter readers wrote down the meter reading in a book. The reading was subtracted (by hand) from the previous month’s reading and the difference (i.e., monthly kilowatthour) was manually entered into the billing system. A new program was created eight years ago. New meters were installed to every service in AEC territory. With the new meters came new technology. The meter readings were collected through a radio frequency. Instead of having two meter readers reading almost every day of the week, one meter reader

was needed for four partial days each month. Expenses were reduced, which ultimately provided more capital credits to be returned to our members. Change is coming again, soon. Meters will be installed that enable AEC to remotely connect and disconnect services. The new meters will have other features as well. The biggest one is near real-time communications. We will be able to get voltage reads, current flows and power factor. This will help with troubleshooting, load analysis, and sectionalizing. This also can determine the most likely spot for an outage by looking at an interactive map to see which services are not reporting in. Demand response programs will be able to remotely and automatically control relays through the meter, such as air conditioning disconnects, thermostat controls and water heaters. As always, it remains our goal to provide reliable, safe electricity and quality customer service. We strive to do this by embracing technology while staying true to our standard of personalized, hometown consumer care. n MARCH 2016

Marketplace Books, Magazines, Videos “Gilchrist, Oregon: The Model Company Town,” the nation’s most successful company town, $27.95. Agincourt Research Services, 62142 Cody Jr. Road, Bend, OR 97701. (541) 815-1371; www.gilchristcompanytown.com. 0616 Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work; we give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. (775) 537-7066; salacanstudio@ gmail.com. 0316 “Life & Death of Oregon ‘Cattle King’ Peter French, 1849-1897.” $15.95, includes shpg. New copies. www.edwardgraybooks.com; Amazon; Agincourt Research Services, 62142 Cody Jr. Road, Bend, OR 97701. 0616 You wrote your book, now what? I will get your book online for Apple, Android & Kindle stores or an app. (503) 815-8433; apps503.com. 1116 Edward Gray’s “An Illustrated History of Early Northern Klamath County Oregon,” $38.95. Available on Amazon; www.edwardgraybooks. com. ARS, 62142 Cody Jr. Road, Bend, OR 97701. johncdriscoll1068@gmail.com. 0616

Charter/Guides Let’s go fishing. Experience Oregon’s Umpqua with “Hannah Fishing Trips.” Since 1968. (541) 459-7922; oregonangler@aol.com; www. theoregonangler.com. 0516

Equipment/Tools Retired framer. All necessary equipment except venue, custom-made table, mat cutter, shrinkwrap machine plus hotgun, foamcore backing, glass, etc. Redmond, Oregon. (541) 504-7038; emurphy333@gmail.com. 0316

Free Items Books/DVDs. In light of the coming economic collapse, prepare yourself/family now. TBS, P.O. Box 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. (888) 211-1715; thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com. 0416

Help Wanted Eastern Oregon ranch seeking person for yard work & light handyman work in exchange for home & utilities. (541) 672-8445; ronatkinsonconstruction@gmail.com. 0416

Miscellaneous Woodworker’s dream warehouse sale. March 12, 9-5. Turning demos, deals, burl, slabs, fun. 56752 SW Sain Creek Road, Gaston, Oregon. (503) 3579953; www.nwfiguredwoods.com. 0316 We buy burl. Big leaf maple, green, no cracks, within 50mi of Gaston, Oregon. Send photos & dimensions to service@nwfiguredwoods.com. (800) 556-3106. 0316 Cemetery markers, both granite & bronze. Also offering bronze plaques, signage. All at affordable prices. Shipping available. Call Joe Plass for more info, (541) 815-8906; www. highdesertmemorials.com. 0316

M A R C H 2 0 16

Pets, Supplies AKC-registered Airedales. Fort Sage Kennels, Patricia Sharp, P.O. Box 246, Doyle, CA 96109; (530) 827-2271. 0315 Australian Labradoodles. Non-shedding. No allergy. Registered ALAA, ALCA. All colors. Mini/ mediums 15-40lbs. Service/therapy candidates. Genetic disease tested. Warranty. 8mi from Veneta, Oregon. www.fernridgelabradoodles. com. 1216

Real Estate Sale or lease to buy. Alaska, 4bdr lakeside home, remote, scenic mountains on lg. lake. Boats, snowmobiles, vehicles. Package deal. (907) 4795704. 0316 North Idaho elk country. Usable 110ac adjoining timber company land. Timber, hay, class I stream. 25gpm well, great water. Marlette home, 2 garages/shops. $600K. (208) 245-1780. Redmond Oregon. Beautiful 3+bdr/2ba, 2,600sqft home on treed ½ac. 3-bay garage/ shop, 3 Trex decks & RV space w/utilities. $350K. (541) 480-3581. 0316 6ac alpaca ranch, ranch home + 2 rentals, barn, shop, sheds. 3 businesses: rentals, breeding, alpaca products store. Roy, Washington, area. Turnkey operation. $1,195,000. (253) 208-2107. 1ac riverfront w/cabin on Umpqua River. On Hwy. 38 20mi up from Reedsport. Wells Creek area. Net $190,000. jbuchko@charter.net. 0316 Farm 6ac perfect for raising cattle & horses. 15,000sqft barns & building under cover. 11ac of pasture, river frontage. Call for details, Wes (503) 429-0564. 0316 Anderson Island, Washington. Puget Sound, on golf course. 1,808sqft, 2bdr, 2ba, bonus room, garage, new roof, lakes, low HMO. $185,000. Text or call, (206) 913-9433; smaly049@gmail. com. 0416 Great home site or hunting, fishing camp. Dworshak Reservoir near Orofino, Idaho. 12+ac, 2.5mi to boat launch. 40x48 shop, power, well, septic, RV hookup. $179,900. (208) 245-1780.

Recreational Rentals Maui, Kaanapali Beach. 2bdr, 2ba, full-kitchen condo. Go to website www.vrbo.com/469306 for details. Great condo. Great location. Great value. (509) 948-0987. 0416 Edgewater, Netarts, Oregon. Oceanfront, bay rentals, kitchens, frplcs, Jacuzzis, fish, crab, clamcleaning station, crab cooker, cottages, pet friendly + well-behaved owners welcome. (503) 842-1300; www.OregonCoastMotels.com. 0416 Kauai vacation rental, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. (808) 245-6500; mokihana@hawaiian.net; kauaiweddings.com. Bend country cabin. Very clean & fully furnished cabin on private ranch. Close to recreation areas. Very nice. $75/night. (541) 382-3050; bendcountrycabins@gmail.com. 0316 Bandon Historic River House on the Coquille River in old town Bandon by the Sea. Lg. house slps 15. Go to VRBO.com/752946. 0516

Placing Ads in Marketplace

Reache s up to 340 ,000 househ olds

n Ads must be direct

and first person, and are subject to editor’s approval and editing. n Ads are limited to 25 words and must be submitted in writing. Include how you wish to be contacted. Email addresses are counted as three words and web addresses as three words if using www, otherwise two words. n Closing deadlines (in our office): May issue—March 31, 2016. n O ne ad per issue, one per member. Subscribers and nonmembers are not eligible. n Download an ad submission form from our website, www.ruralite.org. Click advertising, then the order form link at the top. n If submitting ad by mail, send payment of $35 (per month) with your name, address, telephone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite. n We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send to info@ruralite. org. Call (503) 718-3717 to pay by credit card. Oceanside, Oregon. Romantic 3bdr retreat for special occasions. Newly remodeled. 5min walk to beach, 2 lg decks facing ocean. (503) 6499463; www.dreamvacationspots.com. 0816 Maui vacation rental, 1bdr, full kitchen, across from beach, quiet location. Check web for further details, ourhawaiiancondo.com. 10% discount when booked through owner. (541) 974-4427. 0616 Awesome view, storm watch, long beach walks, peace, quiet. Your home away from home. Vista House Vacation Rental. Oceanside, Oregon. No smoking/pets. (503) 730-7149; vistahouseoceanside.com. 0716 Bandon, Oregon. Pacific View vacation rental, 3bdr, 2ba, slps 8. Clean, bright. Big ocean views, frplc, Internet. Steps to beach. Pet friendly. (800) 527-5445. 0616 Sunriver 4+bdr, 3.5ba, slps 11, hot tub, A/C, 3 TVs, aquatic center/tennis passes, bikes. No smoking/pets. Specials. (503) 362-4381. 0416

Resorts, Camps, Tours, Lodges Advertise your summer camp or tour with us. Call (503) 718-3717 to find out how your ad can appear in Ruralite and Currents magazines.

Marketplace Services Katrina @ Jackson Hewitt tax office, inside Fairbanks, Alaska, Walmart store, offers friendly, professional 100% accurate tax preparation. Walk-in or contact (800) 234-1040; jacksonhewitt.com. 0316

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Collecting old American Indian baskets, blankets, beadwork, silver, old cowboy items. Great old American paintings of the West & East. Classic cars, trucks. (760) 409-3117; amer. ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0316

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Rock saws, lapidary equipment & supplies. Buying, selling & repairing. Free repair info. Call Tim, (541) 280-5574; cbr@bendnet.com. Bend, Oregon. 0316

Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. (503) 659-0009. 0316

Rural Mailbox R-01 D/C/M ISO S/B/F 55-60. Quiet, reserved homebody. Main interests: music, reading, hiking, videos. Many hobbies. Light drink OK. No drugs. Oregon. R-02 S/C/M, Mid-70s. Still active, ISO active female. Live on small ranch in mid-Idaho. R-03 C/M, 63, 6'3", 230lbs. Enjoy others company. Friends first and see where it goes. Honest, financially secure, retired, enjoy doing simple things. Give me a chance? E. Oregon.

CALL OR SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.

Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 32yrs in retail store. Baker City, Oregon. (800) 556-2133; bgands@ eoni.com. Will travel. 0316

Motorcycles, pre-1980 unrestored street bikes only. Any condition. No Harleys, scooters, Trail 90. Clean out the barn. (503) 274-2107; ten1pdx@yahoo.com. 0316

I need license plates. All states welcome. Must be in good shape for craft projects. Contact Janet Allen, dick.jannie@gmail.com. 0316 Art enthusiast seeks oil paintings for collection. Cash waiting. Phone Ron, (253) 538-7914. 0516

To Respond to Rural Mailbox

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National Parks of the Golden West 14 days from $1,599*

America’s National Parks system is the envy of the world, and on our 14-day tour you will get to visit 9 different national parks for one low price. Most Americans only get to see one or two of these parks in their lifetime, so seeing nine of them in one trip is truly amazing! Departs May - September, 2016

To submit an item, follow all directions for Marketplace line ads listed on page 26. No telephone numbers or email addresses will be printed for Rural Mailbox. This service is exclusively for member-readers 18 and older, and the ad MUST be from the person it is representing. To respond to an ad, address a “mailing” envelope to Rural Mailbox, including a return address on the outside. Include $1 per response letter in this envelope to ensure delivery (please, no coins). Place each response letter in its own “secrecy” envelope. Label each secrecy envelope with the appropriate Rural Mailbox response number found at the beginning of the ad. Response letters should include your name and contact information. Do not place money in this envelope. Place the secrecy envelope(s) in the mailing envelope. Failure to follow instructions will require us to open secrecy envelope, and may result in no delivery. Checks payable to Ruralite. Mail to Marketplace, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy, Hillsboro, OR 97124. ABBREVIATIONS are permitted for the following words: F = Female A = Asian M = Male B = Black LTR = long-term C = Caucasian relationship H = Hispanic ISO = in search of NA = Native American No D/D/S = no D = Divorced drinking, drugs S = Single or smoking W = Widowed

*Prices are per person, double occupancy and do not include taxes & government fees of $159 per person. Add-on airfare is available. $100 per couple savings on select tour departures, offer expires 3/31/16. Seasonal surcharges and single supplements may apply. Ask your Travel Consultant for details.

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Down the Line

News From Arizona G&T Cooperatives

State Rep. Celeste Plumlee (D-LD26), right, meets with Harold Burdick, left, representing Anza Electric Cooperative, and Emery Silvester, from Arizona G&T Cooperatives, during the GCSECA Annual Meeting and Legislative Summit.

Speaking Up for Co-op Members Lawmakers hear about rural issues such as the Clean Power Plan, net metering and property taxes on solar panels

M A R C H 2 0 16

By Geoff Oldfather

Rural Arizona co-op members are raising their voices, and for good reason. In the hallways and hearing rooms and on the floors of the state House and Senate where bills are debated and critical issues decided, few legislators are from districts served by electric cooperatives. That means few legislators know about issues rural Arizonans face, especially when it comes to stagnant rural economies, higher than state averages unemployment rates—and the electric power rural Arizonans rely on. That is why face time is critical,

and why board members and staff and management from Arizona G&T Cooperatives and its six member cooperatives were in Phoenix January 25-27 for the Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association’s 2016 Annual Meeting and Legislative Conference. The legislative visits were Wednesday, January 27, but preparations began weeks in advance. Several weeks before the conference began, a list of more than 50 co-op representatives was divided into teams. Each team was assigned a roster of state representatives and senators to visit, as well as members of the Arizona

1,800

EPA Final Rule and Suggested Compliance Timeline 1,600

CO2 Emission Rate (lb/MWh)

Corporation Commission. Arizona G&T Cooperatives and its sixmember distribution cooperatives fielded 16 teams. By day’s end, many of the state’s metro and urban legislators with little or no knowledge of rural electric co-op issues had been seen by one of the teams and had learned who rural electric co-ops are, what we do and why we do it. The issues raised with state lawmakers included the Clean Power Plan and the State Implementation Plan process, net metering, the use of AMI/AMR or “smart” meters, and the issue of equity over property taxes associated with leased solar panels. To understand why educating state lawmakers about Arizona’s electric cooperatives is important, we need to do the math. There are 30 legislative districts with two state representatives and one state senator from each district—90 total legislators. Only nine districts and the 27 legislators from those districts—nine state senators and 18 state representatives—have electric co-op service territory in their districts. The bottom line is, less than a third of state lawmakers have a direct connection to Arizona’s electric cooperatives and the members, businesses and communities that rely on an electric cooperative to deliver safe, reliable and affordable power. Not long ago, Arizona was much more rural, and closer to half the lawmakers at the state Capitol had a connection to rural districts that included co-op service territory. Those days are gone, and most of the state’s representation at the Capitol is from Tucson and Phoenix. In the discussion with state lawmakers, the basic message was simple: “Think about the rural areas and rural residents, many of whom are struggling with this economy, before passing legislation that may have a disproportionate and often unfair impact on the people who use our power.” Being able to meet with lawmakers is

1,400

1,200

Current (2012) Emissions 1,453 lb/MWh EPA Interim Step 1 (2022-2024 Average) 1,263 lb/MWh

EPA FINAL GOAL (2030 & Beyond) 1,031 lb/MWh

EPA Interim Step 2 (2025-2027 Average) 1,149 lb/MWh

1,000

EPA Interim Step 3 (2028-2029 Average) 1,074lb/MWh

800

600 2012

CPP Obligation Begins

August 2015 Final Rule (in Red)

June 2014 Proposed Rule (in Purple) 2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

2026

2028

2030

Clean Power Plan Rule Disproportionately Impacts Arizona This graphic illustrates the difference between the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan rule made in June 2014 (in purple), and the final rule announced in August 2015 (in red), as it applies to Arizona utilities. The final rule differs substantially from the EPA’s original proposal, both with the interim, and the final carbon emissions goals, and provides an additional two years to move toward compliance of the interim goal. However, it will still be difficult to achieve, especially for Arizona’s rural electric cooperatives. The CPP final rule requires Arizona’s coal plants to reduce CO2 emissions to an average of 1,173 lbs/MWh between 2022 and 2030 – the interim goal. The previous interim goal of 735 lbs/MWh would have been required starting in 2020. The CPP also requires a final limit of 1,031 lbs/MWh by 2030, a still-substantial reduction of 29 percent. The previous final goal of 702 lbs/MWh was a 52 percent reduction, and Arizona’s electric utilities were unanimous in saying it couldn’t be met. Arizona G&T Cooperatives has already made substantial investments in reducing emissions and will be investing more than $32 million to meet the EPA’s regional haze requirements by converting one of the two coal units to natural gas – a major step that in itself shows the commitment Arizona’s electric cooperatives have to reduce reliance on coal generation. The extension of the timeline for compliance with the interim goal from 2020 to 2022 not only provides utilities with more time to achieve compliance, it gives the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality more flexibility in how it implements reductions in the interim period before 2030. But the final rule also establishes prescriptive requirements that ADEQ must meet in its part of the process, called the State Implementation Plan.

a vital part of the process to make them aware of the issues rural residents and members of electric utility co-ops face. n MARCH 2016

Parting Shot

Readers Share Their Special Photos

Slow Moo-ving Traffic Seasonal cattle drives create the rural equivalent of traffic gridlock. For some, it’s a cause of frustration. For others, it’s a welcome reminder of the past and simpler times. Wayne Kittredge says it gives the cattle “control of our pace of life” and forces people to slow it down. He believes that’s a good thing. Photo submitted

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General Manager Kevin Short EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES

March and April Congratulations! XXJennifer Miller......................2 years XXTami Slusher...................... 25 years IMPORTANT DATES

Daylight saving time begins March 13. XXDirector candidate petitions due May 18. XXAnnual Membership meeting July 16. XX

No. 25998-001 If this is your account number, contact the AEC office and claim your $25 bill credit.

Need Help With Your Utility Bills? CAP Riverside/HEAP Program Anza Community Hall Wednesday, March 16 10 a.m. to noon. BRING COPIES OF: XX Proof of household income XX Current electric and propane bills XX Proof of U.S. citizenship XX Picture ID for applicant XX Any disconnect/urgent notices (if applicable) XX Food stamps notice of action (current) For application information, visit www.capriverside.org or www. anzaelectric.org.

AZ-56 Postmaster: Send address changes to Currents, 5605 NE Elam Young Pkwy., Hillsboro, OR 97124

A Message from the Manager

Demand Much Recent growth in our small rural community has resulted in a dramatic upturn in demand on our electric distribution system. Indeed, we came within 5 percent of our total system capacity due to large air-conditioning and water-pumping loads last summer. This leaves us with limited Kevin Short space to accommodate further load growth. Additionally, extra electric heating loads during the winter are pushing higher and higher, adding to the stress on our overburdened infrastructure during cold months. This situation requires us to consider how we use our electric energy. While increased demand is to be expected when weather extremes of heat and cold happen each season, and as much as we take our creature comforts for granted—this demand comes at a cost. Our No. 1 priority is keeping this cost under control—safely, reliably and efficiently. However, it’s important to understand that buying energy at these peak demand times is a question of going to market when every other utility is doing the same thing. This makes

the price we pay significantly higher than off-peak times. Our residential rate structure is based on total energy used over a period of time measured in kilowatt-hours. Demand, on the other hand, is a measure of how much energy we want right now. It’s important to understand the difference between the two. Currently, we do not charge for demand for our normal residential services. Circumstances are forcing us to reexamine this practice. During the next several months, we will bring a variety of programs and procedures to our membership designed to help us continue to do what we do best: provide us all with the lowest cost electric energy available. We will focus on moving load away from our peak times to offpeak times of day, and helping everyone with efficiency and energy-saving ideas. As always, we will be counting on the trust and support of our members to help us achieve these goals. Stay tuned as we develop and grow our resources to better serve our member needs.

ANZA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. P.O. Box 391909 • Anza, CA 92539 Phone: (951) 763-4333 • Fax: (951) 763-5297 • aec@anzaelectric.org • www.anzaelectric.org Our crew is on standby 24 hours a day. To report an outage or other service problem, please call (951) 763-4333.

M A R C H 2 0 16