Colorado Country Life February 2019 Yampa Valley

FEBRUARY 2019

TO COMFORT

PROSTHETIC EMPOWERS AMPUTEES

PLUS

CAN RURAL AMERICA BE SAVED?

4

HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING

12

WHAT IS CREA AND HOW DOES IT HELP YOU?

18

Better together We work all hours of the night so she can have her happily ever after. Together, Tri-State and our family of electric cooperatives power all the moments your life has to offer.

We are brighter, stronger and better together. www.tristate.coop/together

Number 02

Volume 50

February 2019 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, CCC, Production Manager/Designer cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland, Ad Representative advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative, American MainStreet Publications 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504, Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181 Advertising Standards: Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association.

Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. ©Copyright 2019, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights.

EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-455-4111 coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | Instagram.com/cocountrylife Twitter.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/COCountryLife1 Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.

SUBSCRIBERS Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is $4.44 per year (37 cents per month), paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $9 per year in-state/$15 out-of-state.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216

FEBRUARY 2019

TO COMFORT

PROSTHETIC EMPOWERS AMPUTEES

PLUS

CAN RURAL AMERICA BE SAVED?

4

HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING

12

WHAT IS CREA AND HOW DOES IT HELP YOU?

18

“Wolf Creek Winter Wonderland” by John Farley, a La Plata Electric Association member.

4 VIEWPOINT

5 LETTERS

6 ASK THE ENERGY EXPERTS

7 YOUR CO-OP NEWS

12 RECIPES

14 NEWS CLIPS

16 COVER STORY

20 INDUSTRY 22 GARDENING

24 OUTDOORS 26 MARKETPLACE

28 COMMUNITY EVENTS

On the

29 YOUR STORIES

Cover

30 DISCOVERIES

FACEBOOK CHATTER Colorado Rural Electric Association posted: We are proud to again partner with Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives and the Oklahoma Energy Trails Foundation to bring power to rural Guatemala! We can’t wait to share this year’s project with you!

Monthly Contest Enter for your chance to win one of two copies of Sugar High: Sweet & Savory Baking in Your High-Altitude Kitchen by Nicole Hampton, Graphic Arts Books.

For official rules and how to enter, visit our contest page at coloradocountrylife.coop.

coloradocountrylife.coop

COCountryLife pinned: Want to serve something great for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day? Try this Strawberries and Cream Cake. Get the recipe on our Pinterest page.

CLICK TO COMFORT

Kolleen Conger rides her dirt bike with a RevoFit prosthetic. Photo by N. Wetzel for Click Medical.

PINTEREST SNEAK PEEK

INSTAGRAM PIC of the month colorado_electric_cooperatives posted: Colorado’s new governor, Gov. #jaredpolis, is no stranger to Colorado’s #electriccoops. We’ve met with him annually to talk federal issues. Now we bring the conversation to Colorado. #itstartswithpower COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

3

VIEWPOINT

A STATEWIDE PERSPECTIVE

RURAL AMERICA

Lack of understanding leads to dire predictions

BY KENT SINGER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“C

an rural America be saved?”

This was the provocative opening question posed in an article from the December 16, 2018, edition of The New York Times Sunday Review.

Titled “The Hard Truths of Trying to ‘Save’ the Rural Economy,” the article painted a bleak picture of rural America: poor job prospects, urban flight, an aging population, stagnant economic growth.

I was interested in this article, of course, because our members, Colorado’s electric cooperatives, provide electricity to vast swaths of rural Colorado. While some of our member co-ops serve areas with robust economic and population growth, many of them are experiencing the challenging circumstances outlined in The New York Times article.

The article is also timely given that newly-inaugurated Gov. Jared Polis (D) along with leaders of both the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate focused on rural Colorado in their comments opening the 2019 General Assembly. All of us associated with the electric co-op program are hopeful that our new leaders will recognize the challenges of working and living in co-op territory and support policies that help us do our job of providing affordable, reliable power.

In addition to explaining some of the problems facing rural America, The New York Times piece examined some of the solutions proposed by various academics and policy-makers. Among the possible

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

efforts to provide relief are tax credits for employers that hire workers in distressed communities, incentives for capital deployment and wider access to broadband and internet capacity.

While one or more of these strategies may have merit, the author of the article offered up another approach that only serves to highlight the disconnect between The New York Times and the people who actually live in rural America. The author suggests that one solution for what ails rural America would be to encourage cities, such as New York and San Francisco, to adopt zoning rules that would allow more affordable housing so folks from rural areas could move to the big cities. Yes, you read that right. The author is apparently under the impression that folks don’t actually want to live in rural America, and that they would jump at the chance to move to the city.

News flash: Tens of millions of people across the country, including in Colorado, love working, living and raising their families in rural America. They love the clean air, they love knowing their neighbors, they love growing up on the same farm where their parents and grandparents grew up, and they love being part of a community where people leave their doors unlocked and actually say hello when they see each other at the grocery store.

To make matters worse, the author of the article quotes a professor from the University of California Berkeley, who argues that tech companies “will be vastly

KENT SINGER

less productive” if they locate in rural America rather than in urban tech clusters. The Berkeley professor says that tech companies are more productive when they “agglomerate” and that locating in “small-town America would reduce overall innovation.”

I beg to differ. There are many, many small towns and rural communities in Colorado and across the country that would embrace new companies, tech or otherwise, and provide an exceptional quality of life for their employees. With ever-increasing access to broadband capacity, most communities can support the highest of high-tech companies. So, if you’re an executive with an innovative company looking for a place to land and you want your employees to enjoy a safe, healthy and productive environment, please come to rural Colorado.

We’ll keep the lights on for you.

Kent L. Singer, Executive Director

Kent Singer is the executive director of the Colorado Rural Electric Association and offers a statewide perspective on issues affecting electric cooperatives. CREA is the trade association for your electric co-op, the 21 other electric co-ops in Colorado and its power supply co-op.

LETTERS

FROM THE EDITOR Bringing home the bacon!

BY MONA NEELEY

T

EDITOR

he Colorado’s Electric Cooperatives Pedal the Plains bike team came home with a trophy a couple of weeks ago that has us looking ahead to this fall’s bike tour of the eastern plains of the Centennial State.

The electric co-op bike team, which rides under the Powering the Plains team name, has been a steady and dynamic presence at the September bike tour since it was founded in 2012. This January, the team was recognized for its support and received a trophy (topped with a shiny hog figurine) as the second largest team to participate in Pedal the Plains.

Pedal the Plains was designed to bring

urban bike riders MONA NEELEY and others who have never been on the plains to the beautiful, vast landscape on the eastern side of the state. And Colorado’s electric cooperatives love to help tell the stories of this often overlooked part of our state.

Electric co-ops do, in fact, power the plains and are an integral part of the communities that thrive east of Interstate 25.

Watch future issues of Colorado Country Life for more information on how to join the bike team, and pedal the plains with us.

Mona Neeley is the statewide editor of Colorado Country Life, which is published in coordination with your local electric cooperative. Its goal is to provide information from your local electric co-op you,PM its consumer-members.

Morton_CoCountryLife_2.19.qxp_Layout 1 1/2/19 to 3:57 Page 1

A ride preserved for generations.

IN THE BUILDING made for generations.

Your dream garage begins with limited-time savings when you commit during Building Value Days. Now through February 28.

TO THE EDITOR

Keep Christmas Sacred

The attempt to be politically correct with the Star Wars Christmas wishes from the staff at Colorado Country Life was in poor taste.

Relegating Christmas to a joke about an old sci-fi movie was really offensive. A Christian holy day should be shown respect. To trivialize it with a stupid joke was distasteful. I am super disappointed in CCL. Denise Olsen, Lyons Poudre Valley REA member

Bright Lights for Guatemala

Thank you for your article about the electrification project in Guatemala. I am a member of Mountain Parks Electric and am proud of my co-op for doing this important work for people who were displaced from their homes and relocated to areas with no infrastructure, including water and electricity. My church supports students in Guatemala with scholarships for school and I know how hard it is for them to study with unstable electric sources.

Lu Horner, Lakewood Mountain Parks Electric member Wonderful story (Guatemala, December ’18). I felt like I was there. Very vivid and emotionally moving. Reminds me of my only mission trip to Tecate, Mexico, to build a house.

Jim Hight, via email

Electric Vehicles Save Money

I enjoyed reading “All I want for Christmas is an EV” (December ’18). It touched on many good points. The most important omission surrounds Colorado’s outstanding solar resource and almost unparalleled opportunity to match an electric vehicle with a home photovoltaic system.

I live in the southwestern corner of the state and generate 1.8 kilowatt-hours of electricity a year per standard test condition watt from my ground mount panels. That means I have a fuel cost of about a half a cent per mile for my two EVs. If you contrast that to an average of about 10.5 cents a mile to fuel an internal combustion engine, I expect to save about $20,000 in fuel costs over the car’s lifetime at today’s fuel costs.

Eric Gold, via email, Empire Electric member

SEND US YOUR LETTERS 800-447-7436 | MORTONBUILDINGS.COM ©2019 Morton Buildings, Inc. A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses. Certain restrictions apply. Ref Code 604

Editor Mona Neeley at 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or at mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org.

Letters may be edited for length.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

5

ASK THE ENERGY EXPERTS

SEVEN LOW COST ENERGY TIPS FOR RENTERS

BY PAT KEEGAN AND BR AD THIESSEN

E Keep your furnace clean and replace its filter every month.

When debris gets in the way, your furnace has to work harder which can increase your energy consumption and electric bill.

DO YOU WRITE POETRY? Send us your best work; we’d love to read it.

Colorado Country Life magazine occasionally publishes poetry. We review poetry on a regular basis and are always looking for great pieces to showcase.

We don’t limit the style or the number of lines. There is also no limit to the number of poems per submission. We are interested in original, unpublished pieces of work. We prefer poems to be submitted in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF file attachment.

Submission: To submit your poetry via email to: mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org or by mail to: Colorado Country Life magazine 5400 Washington Street Denver, CO 80216

6

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

ven if your home is a rental there are ways to reduce your energy bills. Try some of these low-cost options, but be sure to check with your landlord first for any improvements to the property’s existing structure: 1. Mind the thermostat.

The U.S. Department of Energy suggests setting your thermostat to 68 degrees on winter days. You can save more energy by turning down the thermostat even lower at night or when no one is home.

2. Go programmable.

If you don’t always remember to adjust your thermostat manually, you could benefit from a programmable model.

In the right situation, set correctly, programmable thermostats can save $150 per year.

3. Try zone heating.

Electric baseboards make zone heating easy because they typically have thermostat settings on the units or in each room. Portable electric space heaters are also a good tool for zone heating if they are used safely and turned off when you are not in that room.

4. Stop air leaks.

Air leaks can be major sources of energy loss and can be alleviated with a little weather stripping and caulk. A $10 door draft stopper (also known as a “door snake”) is a simple way to block gaps underneath exterior doors.

Sealing air leaks around your home could shave up to one-fifth of your heating bills.

5. Manage your windows and window coverings.

On cold winter days, window coverings can keep warmth inside and improve comfort. Opening up window coverings when receiving direct sunlight is a “passive solar” technique that can help cut your heating costs.

6. Look for everyday energy wasters.

Water heaters should be kept at the warm setting: 120 degrees. Wash dishes and clothes on the most economical settings that will do the job, and always wash full loads. Use the microwave oven instead of the traditional oven when possible.

7. Landlords (and others) can help.

Many landlords will make investments to add appeal to their rental properties, which ultimately improve the value of the property. Contact your electric cooperative to see if it offers energy audits or if it can recommend someone local. An audit is a great way to start a conversation with your landlord about potential improvements.

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency.

LEARN MORE ONLINE Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more about energy-saving tips. Look under the Energy tab.

YAMPA VALLEY

ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION FEBRUARY 2019

MAILING ADDRESS 2211 Elk River Road Steamboat Springs, CO 80487 STEAMBOAT SPRINGS SERVICE CENTER 2211 Elk River Road Steamboat Springs, CO 80487

ph 970-879-1160 tf 888-873-9832 fax 970-879-7270 web www.yvea.com CRAIG SERVICE CENTER 3715 East US Highway 40 Craig, CO 81625

ph 970-824-6593

tf 888-873-9832

fax 970-824-7134 facebook.com/ YampaValleyElectricAssociation @YampaValleyElec instagram.com/ yampavalleyelectriccoop Yampa Valley Electric Association is a cooperative that provides value to its consumer-members by delivering safe and reliable electric service in an environmentally and financially responsible manner.

YAMPA VALLEY ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNIT Y PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER. COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .COOP

The Why of YVEA

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Part 2: Cost-of-service study

BY STEVE JOHNSON

GENER AL MANAGER

I

often get asked the questions, “How do we determine what our tariffs are?” and “How do we set a tariff for each rate class?” These are great questions and we have an answer that I feel each member should have a general understanding of.

Cost-of-Service Study (COSS) As with any business, Yampa Valley Electric Association does regular analyses of expenses and system service costs to determine our tariff structure. We completed our last COSS in 2016 and implemented the necessary changes over the past three years. As we move into this new year, 2019, it is necessary to complete another analysis of the costs of service.

Implementation of a COSS is necessary for many reasons, the main focus being that we generate enough revenue to cover our expenses. Remember, because we are a member-owned cooperative, any excess revenue margin that is collected is returned to our members through capital credit returns — hence the importance of completing these studies on a regular basis to ensure that our tariffs are set appropriately.

Another focus of these studies is to ensure that each member is paying his or her fair share of the service costs. Again, as a memberowned cooperative, we strive to treat each

STEVE JOHNSON

member fairly and as equally as possible for each tariff class. Generating a two-part rate helps ensure that system access costs and consumption costs are set appropriately for each member and tariff class. It is our goal to make sure that rate classes are not subsidizing other rate classes, i.e., everybody pays their fair share.

As we move through 2019 and future years, it is important to understand that costs are continuously rising for YVEA and for everything and everyone around us. It is now more important than ever that we look at the information we have and complete these COSS studies on a yearly basis. Historically, we looked at these every three to four years, but as we move forward it is vital that we annually utilize the information we have and analyze our COSS to avoid large fluctuations in rates.

As your member-owned cooperative, we want to make sure that consumer-members know how and why your co-op operates.

Future stories in this six-part series will continue this theme of understanding the why of YVEA. To learn more about your electric cooperative, you can also visit our website at YVEA.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Coming Soon: Co-op Connections Cards

Y

VEA is proud to announce that in the spring of 2019 it will roll out the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ Co-op Connections program to consumer-members.

The free program will provide you with a simple card you can present to participating businesses to help you save money and live healthier, while also promoting local and national business discounts and other discounts on prescriptions, dental, vision and other medical services, hotels as well as car rentals, cash back shopping, event tickets and more. Local businesses will have the opportunity to join the program for free to help consumer-members achieve significant savings year-round. For those businesses interested in participating in the program please email us at coopconnectionscard@yvea.com or call 970-879-1160.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

7

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Making a Difference

Join Operation RoundUp

YVEA FEBRUARY SPONSORSHIPS February 7 Cherish the Little Things — Connections 4 Kids Art Show in Craig February 9 Steamboat Winter Carnival — Steamboat Winter Sports Club LED Lighting

Y

ampa Valley Electric Association members have the unique opportunity to help nonprofits in your local communities by adding a few cents to top off your monthly electric bill. When you round the bill up to the nearest dollar, the added pennies go to the YVEA Operation RoundUp Foundation. Operation RoundUp has given over 100 local nonprofits funds totaling over $200,000. Your pennies, combined with those from other members, benefit your communities, and the average yearly cost to participating members is only $6.

Will you help YVEA help others? Call YVEA at 970-879-1160 or 970-824-6593 and ask a member service representative to help you get started. Members can also visit https://www.yvea.com/ content/sign-me-operation-round.

IT’S SAFE, SECURE & FREE!

Use your mobile device to: Pay your bill View usage details Report an outage, and more!

2018 OPERATION ROUND UP BENEFICIARIES BAGGS FIRE & RESCUE BOOK TRAILS CMC CULINARY PROGRAM COLORADO CRANE CONSERVATION COALITION COMMUNITY CLINICS AT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL CONNECTIONS 4 KIDS FREEDOM HOOVES THERAPEUTIC RIDING OF NW CO FRIENDS OF THE YAMPA GRAND FUTURES PREVENTION COALITION

BAGGS, WY. STEAMBOAT STEAMBOAT HAYDEN CRAIG CRAIG CRAIG

LIFT-UP OF ROUTT COUNTY LITTLE SNAKE RIVER VALLEY LIBRARY LITTLE SNAKE RIVER VILLAGE – ASSISTED CARE LOVE, INC MEMORIAL REGIONAL HEALTH FOUNDATION MOFFAT COUNTY UNITED WAY NORTHWEST COLORADO HEALTH PARTNERS OF ROUTT COUNTY ROUTT COUNTY COUNCIL ON AGING SOUTH ROUTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SSHS AFTER PROM

STEAMBOAT CRAIG STEAMBOAT & CRAIG STEAMBOAT BAGGS, WY. BAGGS, WY. CRAIG CRAIG CRAIG STEAMBOAT ROUTT COUNTY STEAMBOAT YAMPA STEAMBOAT

STEAMBOAT ADAPTIVE RECREATIONAL SPORTS – (STARS)

STEAMBOAT

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS ARTS COUNCIL STEAMBOAT ART MUSEUM THE HAVEN THE JOURNEY AHEAD TOWN OF BAGGS VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTER

STEAMBOAT STEAMBOAT CRAIG STEAMBOAT BAGGS, WY. BAGGS, WY.

YVSC RETREE PROJECT

ROUTT COUNTY

HORIZONS SPECIALIZED SERVICES

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

Live Comfortably, Save Money! • 970.879.1160 www.yvea.com • Like us on facebook

Precaution for Pipes During extreme cold snaps, prevent water pipes from freezing by keeping faucets turned on slightly so water drips from the tap. Know how to shut off water valves just in case a pipe bursts.

Bill Payment by Credit Card Limited to $5,000 Due to the increased financial impact of credit card fees, beginning with the January billing period, Yampa Valley Electric Association will limit payment by credit card to a maximum of $5,000.

Payments over that amount will need to be paid by check, bank draft, wire transfer or other payment options approved by YVEA.

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

New!

YVEA Standby Generator Program

This standby generator is available through YVEA’s new program. Call 970-871-2267 for more information.

A new residential and commercial standby generator program is being prepared to launch soon to qualifying consumers. Under the new program, consumers can purchase a Briggs & Stratton standby generator for 50 percent down, with the remaining 50 percent paid monthly as part of the member’s monthly power bill from YVEA.

The generators will be sold and installed by YVEA. Mike Beyer, member service advisor for YVEA’s residential programs, will work with consumers wanting to participate in the program, which will provide power during power outages. For more information, email mbeyer@yvea.com or call 970-871-2267.

GENERATOR SAFETY Keeping your family safe when the power goes out

H

aving a generator on hand, whether portable or permanent, is a great idea for times when the power goes out, but misusing one is dangerous. Although they can help light your home or cool your perishable food when the neighborhood is dark, if used incorrectly you could have a much bigger problem on your hands.

When using a portable version, there are two ways to connect it to a home. The first way is with a powered circuit panel that has a power transfer switch, which monitors incoming voltage from the utility line. The circuit panel and transfer switch should always be installed by a qualified electrician. The second option is to plug in a limited number of home appliances directly into a fuel-powered portable generator

with heavy-duty extension cords.

Never try to power your home by plugging a generator into a wall outlet. This is known as back feeding and could electrocute a neighbor or an electric lineman working to restore power. A permanent generator must also have a transfer switch installed by a qualified electrician to avoid back feeding. Because of the harm an incorrectly powered generator can cause, the transfer switch is required by the National Electrical Code.

The primary hazards of using a portable generator are not meager. They include carbon monoxide poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust, electric shock or electrocution, and fire, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). According

to FEMA, most of the deaths and injuries associated with portable generators are from carbon monoxide poisoning when generators are used indoors or in partially enclosed spaces. A permanent or standby generator also has significant risks if not installed by a qualified electrician. Installing one is extremely dangerous and definitely not a DIY project.

Portable versions are less expensive than permanent or standby models and power only select appliances. Permanent generators — standby versions that are permanently installed and power most of the appliances in your home — are convenient but pricey.

Learn more about generator safety visit yvea.com.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

9

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Rate Increase to the Small General Service Class — Improving Quality of Service With our aging infrastructure and increased exposure and vulnerability to outage events, it is time to invest more time and money into improving our system. Because of this needed increase in system improvements, it is necessary for a rate adjustment of 1 cent per kilowatt-hour to the small general service class of our membership and a $2 per month increase to the system access cost. Consumer-members will see the increase on their March 2019 billing statement.

We will continue to evaluate our costs of service and will complete another study in 2019, ensuring that we are doing our best to remain safe, reliable and affordable.

Average Prices for Residential Electricity in cents per kWh U.S. Average: 12.9¢ per kWh WA 9.7¢ OR 10.7¢

NV 12¢ CA 18.3¢

MT 11¢ ID 10¢

UT 11¢

AZ 12.4¢

ND 10.3¢

WY 11.4¢ YVEA 9.3¢ CO 12.2¢ NM 12.9¢

SD 11.8¢

MN 13¢

WI 14.4¢

IA 12.3¢

NE 11¢ KS 13.3¢ OK 10.6¢ TX 11¢

AK 21.3¢ HI 29.5¢

MI 15.4¢

VT: 17.7¢ NH: 19.2¢ MA: 20.1¢ RI: 18.3¢ NY CT: 20.3¢ 18¢

PA 14.2¢ IN OH IL 13¢ 12.3¢ 12.6¢ WV VA MO KY 11.6¢ 11.6¢ 11.6¢ 10.9¢ NC TN 10.9¢ 10.7¢ SC AR 13¢ 10.3¢ GA AL MS 12.6¢ 11.9¢ LA 11.1¢ 9.7¢ FL 11.6¢

ME 16¢

NJ: 15.7¢ DE: 13.4¢ MD: 14¢ DC: 12.9¢

Residential Average Price (cents per kilowatt-hour) Over 12.5¢ Under 10 ¢ 10¢ to 12.5¢ Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Numbers rounded to nearest tenth of a cent

ANNUAL CEN$IBLE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM OPEN

C

en$ible Energy, a community efficiency rebate program co-founded

by Yampa Valley Electric Association and the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council and funded by YVEA and other community partners, is open for 2019 residential and small business rebate applications. This program is open to consumer-members of Yampa Valley Electric Association.

Cen$ible Energy offers rebates on six types of efficiency measures as well as free or low-cost energy assessments for YVEA homes and small businesses. Rebates are available currently for LED lights, programmable thermostats for electric-heated buildings, air sealing completed by a homeowner or construction vendor following an energy assessment, hard-wired heat tape

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

timers, blower door testing to check construction for air tightness, and Energy Star-rated dishwashers, clothes washers, refrigerators or freezers. Information on current rebate amounts is available at www.CensibleEnergy. org, where receipts can be submitted online within 90 days of purchases.

Since it began in the spring of 2015, Cen$ible Energy has provided $121,390 in funding for 1,313 rebates throughout the YVEA territory and helped to stimulate the local economy with $463,322 in purchases made within the local community.

Cen$ible Energy also offers $200 small business assessment rebates for the first 10 commercial customers to sign up each year.

The energy review costs $300 after rebate for businesses up to 10,000 square feet. Larger

businesses would pay modest additional charges. To sign up for a business assessment, click on the For Your Business tab at www.

EnergySmartColorado.com.

Cen$ible Energy is made possible each year through donations from Yampa Valley Electric Association, the city of Steamboat Springs, Alpine Bank and Routt County. To become a community funding partner, visit the Sponsors page at www.CensibleEnergy.org.

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ntroducing a new safe shower that can usually be completed in as little as one day and looks amazing.

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This shower was designed by experts, with you in mind, focusing on safety and convenience when it matters most. It’s available with barrier free entry, making it wheel chair accessible. The nearby safety grab bars provide support and help give you the strength to safely step onto the extra thick commercial grade non-slip shower floor.

Then you can stand and shower with the fixed shower head, or help remove the stress or pain from standing and ease into the sturdy chair or built in bench, allowing you to relax and enjoy the refreshing benefits of a shower again.

In fact, the easy-to-reach handheld shower wand and grab bar are positioned perfectly for sitting while showering.

This affordable walk in shower fits easily in your existing tub space. Installation is included and can be completed in as little as one day making it a simple process for you to transform your bathroom into a safer place.

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remove some of the dangers and fears of falling. It’s time to take your first step towards safety and help you stay in the home that you love so dearly.

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Financing available with approved credit.

www.SafeStepShower.com COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

11

RECIPES

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH-ALTITUDE BAKING

New cookbook eliminates guesswork

BY AMY HIGGINS

DO YOU HAVE A GREAT RECIPE? If you have a recipe you want us to try, send it our way at recipes@coloradocountrylife.org.

| RECIPES@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

Surprise your sweetie with something sweet from the kitchen.

I

f you want to surprise your sweetie with something sweet from the kitchen without the fear of a collapsed cake or a batter spillover, give Sugar High: Sweet & Savory Baking in Your High-Altitude Kitchen a try. Author Nicole Hampton knows the hassle of baking in high altitude as she resides 5,000 feet above sea level in her Denver home. Hampton battled batters and combated cakes until she conquered and created her own high-altitude recipes. So, go ahead and follow this recipe verbatim and indulge your valentine this year with a special treat.

Peach-Cherry Pie Bars

Makes 15 to 18 bars

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/4 cups sugar, divided 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups cherries, pitted 2 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat, combine the cherries, peaches, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and water. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until thick.

Remove the partially baked crust from the oven. Spread the warm fruit mixture on top of the crust. Take the remaining dough and form small bits into flattened shapes. Place these bits evenly over the top, leaving some areas of fruit uncovered.

Place back in the oven and bake until the top dough bits are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan and cutting into bars to serve.

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons water

Looking for another delicious treat to share with your valentine? Try the

Strawberries & Cream Cake.

SET THE BAR “Bars are a pretty great choice when you need to feed a crowd and these are no exception,” Hampton says. “Fresh cherries and peaches meet between layers of sweet, soft sugar cookie, and the results are pretty awesome.”

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, cut to fit. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat 1 3/4 cups of the sugar and the butter together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Press about 2/3 of this dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until the dough is just barely turning golden on the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

Sugar High: Sweet & Savory Baking in Your High-Altitude Kitchen, © by Nicole Hampton, Graphic Arts Books®, reprinted with permission.

Get the recipe at coloradocountrylife.coop.

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13

NEWS CLIPS

One Co-op Banking on Batteries This electric co-op battery storage project north of Denver will enhance the performance and reliability of the local co-op’s system.

E

lectric co-ops are leading the way again, as United Power, one of the larger electric cooperatives in Colorado, unveiled its new, lithium-ion battery storage facility in late December.

This installation just off Interstate 25 north of Denver in Frederick includes 4 megawatts of Tesla lithium-ion battery packs. These can store and deliver up to 16 megawatt-hours of power support for United Power’s system. That is enough electricity to supply 600-700 homes or about 200,000 customers and their communities.

The community battery facility is touted as the largest lithium-ion battery storage project in Colorado. It is also one of the

Colorado Country Life Plants Thousands of Trees Colorado Country Life offsets the printing of your electric co-op magazine by reforesting land here in the United States through PrintReleaf.

Since February of 2018, CCL reforested 3,393 trees on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. About 330 trees were planted each month through CCL’s participation. The goal at Pine Ridge is to create a sustainable reforestation program, particularly in two zones within a 20,000 acre area where fires destroyed the habitat.

Your electric co-op magazine is proud to participate in this certified program.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

largest battery systems owned and operated by an electric co-op anywhere in the country.

The new facility will give United Power more flexibility to meet the demand for electricity when that requirement is at its highest without having to purchase additional electricity from its power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. The batteries discharge electricity when it is needed and then recharge with power from the grid during off-peak hours.

This move to energy storage is the next step for United Power as it works to incorporate more renewable generation into its

system. Storage capacity allows energy to be shifted from one period to another and allows a more efficient operation of the co-op’s distribution grid as more localized distributive generation, such as solar panels, become part of the system.

“As one of the fastest growing co-ops in Colorado, United Power wants to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to integrating new technology that can help boost reliability and keep costs down,” said CEO John Parker. “Energy storage will play an important role in the grid of the future and we’re excited to be starting now.”

Adding All of the Costs for Electricity

What’s the real price of electricity after all the direct and indirect costs are added? The Energy Institute of the University of Texas reports on this question in a new study called The Full Cost of Electricity (FCe-).

The goal was to identify and quantify every cost “from the power plant to the wall socket” so that public policy-makers have “comprehensive, rigorous and impartial analysis” to help them make decisions that affect utilities and their consumers.

One finding is that wind is the most competitive source of new generation for much of the central part of the country. Solar is the cheapest in much of the southwest, while natural gas prevailed in the eastern and northern regions of the country.

In a series of white papers, the study’s authors look beyond the expected capital, operation and fuel costs to include costs for labor, public health costs, transmission interconnections and state and federal support.

For more information or to read the study, visit https://energy.utexas.edu/policy/fce.

NEWS CLIPS

More Sun Power From Colorado’s Electric Cooperatives Colorado’s electric co-op power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, is adding another solar project.

The Spanish Peaks Solar Project, located in San Isabel Electric Association’s territory in southern Colorado, is a 100-megawatt utilityscale project on 660 acres north of Trinidad. Tri-State will buy the entire output of the project during the 15 years of the power purchase contract. The power supply co-op is ranked number one in solar power purchases among all U.S. cooperative G&Ts, according to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

A growing part of Tri-State’s energy portfolio comes directly from renewable resources as a result of technological improvements and domestic energy policies that contributed to lower costs. In 2018, nearly one-third of the energy consumed by Tri-State’s member systems’ retail customers came from renewable resources, making the membership an industry leader for its use of renewable power.

Spanish Peaks will be Tri-State’s largest, most cost-effective solar project to date. It is adjacent to the 30-megawatt San Isabel Solar Project in Las Animas County, which began producing power for Tri-State in 2016. The new project includes more than 300,000 photovoltaic solar panels on single-axis tracking arrays that will follow the sun. It has the potential to serve the energy needs of 28,000 rural homes.

Construction is expected to begin in 2022 and completed in 2023.

Tri-State, a co-op, is the power supplier for 18 of the 22 distribution electric co-ops in Colorado, as well as providing power to co-ops in Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Pictured with the donation check are (left to right) Ray Garcia, chair CEEI; Fire Capt. Darrell Adler; Fire Chief Joseph Pfander; Fire Board Chair Mike Cortes; firefighter Jim Fowler; and firefighter Tanner Martin.

Statewide Donations Help Small Fire Department

Funds from a statewide fundraising effort by Colorado Country Life and its readers for areas affected by Colorado’s summer fires are going to the Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District in Gardner. Colorado’s 2018 wildfire season was one of the worst on record, affecting communities all over the state.

“This small, all-volunteer fire department is very deserving of this donation,” said Colorado Electric Educational Institute board member Ray Garcia. “They should be very proud of their professional response to the Spring Fire. They did a wonderful job protecting our community and their own lives with the limited resources they have.”

Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District Board of Directors Chair Mike Cortes said the money will likely be used for several firefighter needs, such as new breathing apparatuses used during structure and vehicle fire calls or winter firefighter coats. Currently the department only has a few coats and in only two sizes.

“We never expected anyone to help out the fire department financially after the Spring Fire and are very grateful to those who thought of our fire department,” Cortes said.

Electric co-ops and readers of Colorado Country Life, the statewide electric co-op magazine, raised $3,185 in August and September of 2018. The money was sent to the Colorado Rural Electric Association’s nonprofit, CEEI. At its October meeting, the CEEI board voted to send the money raised to the Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District in Gardner.

“We would like to thank the readers of Colorado Country Life and the Colorado Rural Electric Association for the generous donation to the Upper Huerfano Fire Department,” said UHFPD Fire Chief Joseph Pfander. “This recognition of volunteer firefighters is special to us. We could never do this work without the support of the community and many other volunteers. Thanks to all.”

The Upper Huerfano Fire Protection District is served by San Isabel Electric Association, headquartered in Pueblo West. The Spring Fire started in the summer of 2018. The fire grew to become the third largest wildfire in Colorado history in just a matter of weeks. More than 108,045 acres were burned, 218 homes were destroyed and other homes and structures were damaged in Huerfano and Costilla counties.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

15

COVER STORY

Kolleen Conger, avid dirt biker, is a recipient of a Click Medical’s RevoFit adjustable prosthetic after a crash in 2008.

to comfort

BY SHARON SULLIVAN

O

n a blue sky, powder snow day in 2009, certified prosthetist Joe Mahon was sitting on a ski lift with his wife when he received a phone call from a patient. She was preparing to leave on a trip and needed her prosthetic device adjusted. Mahon, who owns Peak Prosthetic Designs in Salt Lake City, Utah, had noticed that patients were often frustrated by an inability to easily adjust their own artificial limbs.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

As Mahon waited for his wife to step off the ski lift he noticed that she tightened her snowboard boots via a small dial added to the boots for that purpose. Then, as she snowboarded away, she stooped to tighten her boots again. At that moment, Mahon says he experienced a “lightbulb moment” when he realized that a similar dial could be used for prosthetics that would allow patients to make their own adjustments — without the hassle of removing their clothing and prosthetic devices, or having to make a trip to a clinic for an adjustment.

COVER STORY Mahon knew about Boa Technology, a Denver-based business that was founded in Steamboat Springs that made components for snowboard boots, hockey boots and other sports shoes — small dials that allow for micro-adjustments of footwear.

Mahon approached Boa’s Jimmy Capra with his idea of applying the Boa technology for medical uses.

“We realized this was going to do a lot of good for a lot of people,” Capra says.

Surprised that no one had invented an adjustable prosthesis before, Mahon filed a patent.

In 2014, Capra left Boa Technology to help Mahon found Click Medical in Steamboat Springs where they are served

by Yampa Valley Electric Association. The company’s main product is RevoFit, a kit that includes various components that enable prosthetists to fabricate micro-adjustable prosthetic sockets. Once the parts are integrated, the socket fit can be

“We realized this was going to do a lot of good for a lot of people” — Jimmy Capra, Boa Technology customized with micro-adjustments of the Boa dial creating compression, suspension and closure around the limb.

Being able to adjust their own prosthesis with a simple twist of a dial empowers amputees. It beats having to stop and remove clothing and the limb, or make a trip to the clinic, which “is wildly inefficient and extremely frustrating,” says Capra, the company’s chief executive officer. “It is time consuming for the patient — imagine if you had to spend time removing clothes and devices, or visit your physician every time you needed to loosen your belt.” The system helps the provider, too, by saving time and money that is typically spent on refitting appointments, which often do not qualify for insurance reimbursement.

The human body changes in size throughout the day as more venous blood is pumped out of the limb — causing a decrease in volume. A person with an amputation below the knee will typically find his or her residual limb substantially smaller by the end of the day, which causes socket fit issues.

Fitting problems are exacerbated by a sedentary lifestyle, which is fairly common among amputees.

With a simple twist, the Boa dial allows micro-adjustments to the prosthetic socket, creating compression, suspension and closure around the limb.

Until five years ago there was no way for patients to deal effectively with this problem since prosthetics are static devices.

Typically, a person will put his residual limb into the prosthetic socket in the morning.

As the leg decreases in volume throughout the day, the socket becomes loose, kind of like a shoe that doesn’t fit and can fall off or cause blisters. Amputees adapt by adding sock layers to their residual limb — sometimes six or eight layers by nighttime. Skin irritations can also occur from improperly fitted devices. Click Medical’s RevoFit adjustable socket solves these problems.

Click Medical at Aspen’s X Games Kolleen Conger has been an avid dirt biker all her life. On October 30, 2008, the lean, wiry woman from Payson, Utah, crashed while attempting a 90-foot jump, breaking both legs and shattering her ankles. Over the next four-and-a-half years she underwent 10 surgeries while continuing to ride her dirt bike — despite the pain. However, she no longer raced as she did before the accident.

Six years ago, when the pain became too great, Conger says her physician recommended that she “retire to the couch.”

Instead, the mother of two opted for amputation of one of her legs to end the pain so she could continue riding. She became one of Mahon’s first patients to be fitted with a prosthesis with the RevoFit technology.

Conger chose Mahon from a list of prosthetists she was given — a decision she calls “fate.” With Conger being one of his first patients using the new RevoFit system, Mahon went to watch Conger ride so he could determine how best to help her with a new artificial leg. “Nothing but good has followed after meeting Joe,” Conger says.

“I’ve been able to do so much since he’s been in my life.”

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

17

COVER STORY

“I’ve been able to do so much since he’s been in my life.”

— Kolleen Conger

After a dirt bike accident in 2008 and amputation in 2013, Kolleen Conger chose her RevoFit prosthetic.

The technology of the prosthetic keeps her riding, jumping, climbing and competing on her bike.

In the year after she was fitted with her new prosthesis, she spent 170 hours riding her dirt bike compared with 100 hours of riding in the four-and-a-half years between the time of her accident and the amputation. She’s back to doing jumps, climbing hills and other technical riding. As the only participant with an artificial limb, Conger, 37, competes in Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California races. She won first place in 2017 and 2018 in the Utah Sportsman Riders Association series.

In January 2018, Conger participated in the televised winter X Games held in Aspen.

She rode a snowbike (a dirt bike outfitted with a ski in front and a snowmobile track in back). It was Conger’s first time competing in the X Games and with other disabled athletes. She competed at the X Games again last month.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

RevoFit patients grateful for technology and comfort Another early patient of Mahon’s is U.S. Army paratrooper Dave Gardner, who served in Iraq in 2007. Gardner and his team were responding to a Humvee explosion that killed four servicemen when another soldier, who was driving a Bobcat utility vehicle, accidentally ran over Gardner. Both of Gardner’s legs were shattered. He ended up in a medically-induced coma for 16 days and they had to amputate his leg below his right knee.

Back home in Springville, Utah, where he lives with his wife and children, Gardner, 40, learned how Mahon was still in the process of developing the RevoFit system for his prosthetic devices. In 2010, Gardner was fitted with his artificial limb — he calls it his “good leg” — using the new technology.

“I wouldn’t have a prosthetic without the RevoFit system,” he says.

“I’ve always been a hunter and fisherman,” Gardner says. “With Boa it’s a lot easier. I’m not carrying all these extra socks.

It enables me to do the things I want to do.

I’m able to get out.”

Click Medical also helped 34-year-old Erin Maughan, whose leg was amputated below the knee in 2008. Maughan endured a childhood of reconstructive surgeries after a medical accident destroyed the nerves in her leg and foot. Finally, when she was in her 20s, the Logan, Utah, woman could no longer walk due to the pain. She was told that her options were a wheelchair and more salvage surgeries. “I said, ‘Just take it off; I don’t want any more surgeries,’” she recalls.

Maughan’s first prosthesis gave her blisters, which her provider told her she should expect. Then another amputee recommended she see Mahon at Peak Prosthetic.

Mahon was still experimenting with the new design. Mahon fitted her with a new prosthesis, which she says is “100 times better.”

She says she was happy to be his “guinea pig.”

As the mother of a 3-year-old boy, Maughan says she’s grateful for the mobility and comfort she has experienced with the RevoFit adjustable limb. “I don’t have to stop with my toddler and change my clothes to take off a sock. I can adjust a knob,” she says.

COVER STORY

Iraq veteran Dave Gardner easily enjoys his outdoor hobbies using the RevoFit prosthetic.

Being able to adjust their own prosthesis with a simple twist of a dial empowers amputees.

Erin Maughan’s toddler doesn’t stop, and now neither does she. With her RevoFit adjustable limb, Erin doesn’t have to change clothes or add or remove socks from around her limb to get comfortable throughout the day.

Providers like Click Medical, too As the company’s chief technical officer, Mahon travels around the world educating providers about the RevoFit system and how to incorporate kit components into a custom prosthesis. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade recently awarded an Advanced Industries grant to Click Medical, which sells RevoFit kits in 28 countries. “It’s exciting that the state recognizes that we’re doing something important here,” Capra says.

Patients who are outfitted with a RevoFit adjustable limb end up wearing their prosthesis more, and are also more active, says Mike Muratore, a certified prosthetist and orthotist at Hanger Clinic in Bethesda, Maryland. “What we’ve always done up to this point, we’ve taken the soft fluid limb and forced it into a rigid vessel,” Muratore explains. “This (RevoFit system) allows the socket to be flexible. The fluid limb and the flexible socket work together, expanding and contracting with each other. Patients like that the socket can be adjusted. It can adapt to their body in real time by turning a dial.

It’s simple and easy for the patient to use.”

Steven Keeton, chief of the prosthetic lab at the Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, has been fitting patients with the RevoFit adjustable socket for about a year after learning about it at a trade show.

He calls it a “phenomenal tool” for adding or decreasing pressure in specific areas where needed. His patients love it. “Say there’s a guy on the airplane for four hours; he can, with the RevoFit system, loosen the socket up for comfort,” Keeton explains.

After 17 years of war in the Middle East and Afghanistan, there are 1,500 American servicemen and women in need of a prosthetic device. Armed conflict, however, is not the main cause for amputations. Of all the amputees he sees, Keeton says 75 percent are a result of diabetes and poor circulation.

In the general population, nearly 300 people per day in America lose a leg due to diabetes, Capra says. “Diabetes is growing faster than the American Diabetes Association ever thought possible. These health problems are real and incredibly widespread,” Keeton adds. “When we started we sold 1,500 kits a year. This year we’ll sell 12,000. We’ve outfitted about 40,000

Chief technology officer Joe Mahon fits a patient with a RevoFit prosthetic during a training session in Brazil.

amputees. Click Medical is addressing the way prosthetic sockets fit. We empower users to adjust that fit anytime, with a simple twist of the dial.”

And a little adjustment can make all the difference in the lives of these amputees.

Sharon Sullivan is a freelance writer from Grand Junction who loves telling the stories of the people on Colorado’s Western Slope.

Read about the difference an adjustable prosthetic made for Niki Rellon when she hiked the Appalachian Trail back in 2015 at www.coloradocountrylife.coop.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

19

INDUSTRY

Colorado Rural Electric Association Backing Your Local Co-op to Serve Members Better

BY DERRILL HOLLY AND AMY HIGGINS

T

he true power of locally-owned electric cooperatives is the consumer-members living and working in the communities they serve, and when those co-ops are connected, their collective energy gives them statewide reach.

That’s the role that the Colorado Rural Electric Association and other electric cooperative statewide associations play in supporting the goal of ensuring that co-op consumer-members always have safe, affordable, reliable energy.

“Our main objective is to complement what Colorado’s electric co-ops do at the local level,” said CREA Executive Director Kent Singer. “We aggregate all of their great work so we can talk about it collectively to all of the interested parties in the state who potentially have an impact on co-op consumers through laws, regulations or public policy.”

At the direction of its affiliated electric cooperatives, CREA is regularly involved in education and training, legislative affairs, tax and regulatory matters and regional planning. It also provides a framework for coordination of many activities that provide more meaningful results when addressed through collective action.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

Capitol Concerns It’s not unusual for Colorado’s lawmakers to deal with hundreds of bills with thousands of amendments during a legislative session — many never advance beyond committees or face numerous revisions during hearing and review processes. Keeping track of even major changes is no small feat.

Besides members of state legislatures or general assemblies, there are also regulatory commissions, typically made up of appointees who may be more familiar with major investor-owned utilities than they are with member-owned electric cooperatives.

“It’s all about making policy-makers aware of who we are, what we do and why we do it,” said CREA Director of Government Relations Geoff Hier. “We

“It’s all about making policymakers aware of who we are, what we do and why we do it.”

— Geoff Hier, CREA director of government relations

need to do whatever we can to help them understand who we are and, most importantly, that we’re all reaching for the same goal: providing safe, reliable, environmentally-friendly electric service at the lowest possible cost.”

Leveraged Learning When it comes to safety, operating efficiency and governance, skills and training can help an electric cooperative run more successfully and serve its members better.

But when co-op employees are spread across several locations and committed to maintaining 24/7 operations, getting true value for training dollars can be challenging.

CREA offers training in multiple locations across the state, so participants don’t always have to travel to Denver. In 2018, CREA’s education department had 272 people in the eight director courses it offered. For employees, 28 classes were offered ranging from courses on leadership skills to work orders, line design and staking, as well as training for different work groups such as the mechanics and human resource managers. More than 500 employees participated in these classes.

Education opportunities abound for those who participate in CREA’s

INDUSTRY

“As cooperatives, we understand that our student leaders of today are our community leaders of tomorrow.”

— Liz Fiddes, CREA director of member services and education annual meeting, the Energy Innovations Summit and the Fall Meeting. The Energy Innovations Summit is open to guests outside the co-op program and is an opportunity to mix with other industry leaders, adding additional value to the program.

CREA provides safety training for all 22 distribution cooperatives in Colorado.

With three job training and safety instructors, each cooperative receives five weeks of training per year. The safety training is generated around Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.

The department also offers mutual aid assistance to members and to other states requesting assistance during times of need.

The cooperatives participate in a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and Federated Insurance program called the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program, or RESAP, which is managed by CREA’s safety and loss control department.

Once every three years, each cooperative is extensively examined by volunteers from other cooperatives.

Engaging Future Co-op Members Electric cooperative statewide associations also take a leadership role in many of the youth outreach programs supported by local electric cooperatives. CREA and other statewide associations coordinate the

Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, sending about 1,900 high school students from 46 states to Washington, D.C., every June.

“As cooperatives, we understand that our student leaders of today are our community leaders of tomorrow,” said CREA Director of Member Services and Education Liz Fiddes. “What better time to teach these students about the cooperative business model and co-op careers than through our youth programs?

“Colorado has taken students to Washington, D.C., for 25 years and to the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp for 42 years,” Fiddes added.

For many Youth Tour participants, the co-op sponsored trips are the farthest they have ever ventured from their home communities without their families. They also provide exposure to state and federal government operations, and opportunities to learn and practice skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

“We promote the life skills that today’s generation value, like building relationships, developing leadership skills and enhancing their resumes,” Fiddes said.

Participants develop strong relationships with their sponsoring electric co-op that often include speaking or volunteering at annual meetings and other co-op events.

The results are meaningful community service hours and experiences that often inspire college application essays or can lead to technical or member services career opportunities after graduation.

These are just a few ways that statewide associations like CREA support electric cooperatives. Everything they do is aimed at one goal: bettering the communities they serve.

Derrill Holly writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Amy Higgins is a contract writer covering Colorado’s electric co-ops.

COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION Headquarters: Denver Year Organized: 1945 Members We Serve: 22 electric distribution cooperatives 1 generation and transmission cooperative Services We Provide: Legislative Representation Educational Seminars Risk Management Youth Programs Communications Support

Lighting a Colorado way of life through technology and innovation Over 1.25 million Coloradans depend on a cooperative for their electricity.

Five of the state’s six poorest counties rely heavily on co-op power.

Electric co-ops serve 70 percent of the land in Colorado. Cooperatives reach every county but Denver.

85 percent of co-op customers are residential.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

21

GARDENING

Sowing the Seeds You’ll Love History, care and variety of seeds could influence selection

BY VICKI SPENCER

MASTER GARDENER | GARDENING@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG

F

ebruary is an ideal time to begin planning your garden. If you have been reading my column for a while, you know that I often refer readers to Colorado State University Extension Service — a valuable horticultural resource for farmers, gardeners and landscape businesses. However, you may not be aware of another valuable resource at our land grant university: the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation.

More than 20 years ago, Cary Fowler spearheaded a project to protect agricultural materials in the event of natural disaster, disease or war by building the Svalbard seed vault. The vault was completed in 2015 with design assistance from Greeley civil engineer William George. More than 500 million original seeds from 900,000 crop varieties are stored deep within the mountainside vault located 810 miles from the North Pole where temperatures are kept at minus 18 degrees Celsius. The seeds are organized on movable shelves with bar code identifiers so they will be readily available in case of an emergency.

It’s reassuring to know that experts are working to protect the future of agriculture, but, as spring approaches, most of us are more focused on planting gardens to enjoy this year. If you decide to grow your plants from seed, you will notice that

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

sellers often identify their seeds as hybrid, open-pollinated and/or heirloom varieties.

Hybrids, which came to our markets after World War II, were bred for useful qualities, such as disease resistance, higher yields and uniformity. They can only be produced commercially so you have to purchase new seeds every year. On the other hand, open-pollinated and heirloom seeds have been passed down within families and communities from one generation to the next. Since they are not patented, they can be grown and shared freely and their seeds will produce plants with similar characteristics from year to year.

Seeds from a local garden shop.

You can find open-pollinated and heirloom seeds at local garden shops and even in some stores, but for greater variety, you could join a seed exchange.

Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, started as a small, local exchange. Now it is a large, nonprofit organization with 13,000

members sharing more than 25,000 varieties of seed. Whether you choose to plant heirloom or hybrid is a personal choice.

Some people want to grow heirlooms to preserve diversity while others prefer hybrids for their predictability.

If you want to plant seeds native to Colorado, Western Native Seed in Coaldale has collected and sold native seeds adapted to our terrain and climate since 1990. Its seeds come from a variety of sources. The current owners do their own harvesting in the wild, but also accept seeds from commercial vendors and independent collectors. Their seed mixes include wildflowers, grasses and “meadow mixes” packaged for landscapes ranging from wet meadows to Xeriscape gardens, and high-alpine elevations to lower prairies. You won’t have to wait for a future disaster for access to these seeds. Just go to westernnativeseed.com to see the different options available this gardening season.

Gardener Vicki Spencer has an eclectic background in conservation, water, natural resources and more.

LEARN MORE ONLINE Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening under Living in Colorado.

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Chicago Doctor Shakes Up Hearing Aid Industry

ADVANCED HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY... For Less Than $200!

Chicago – A local board-certified physician has done it once again with his newest invention of a medical-grade, affordable hearing aid.

This new hearing aid is packed with all the features of traditional hearing aids found at clinics for a mere fraction of the cost. Now most people with hearing loss are able to enjoy crystal clear, natural sound — in a crowd, on the phone, in the wind — without suffering through “whistling” and annoying background noise.

The doctor evaluated the high priced hearing aids on the market, broke them down to their base components, and then created his own affordable version, called the MDHearingAid, for less than $200.

Nearly Invisible!

SAME FEATURES AS EXPENSIVE COMPETITORS

FDA-Registered MDHearingAid® Outperforms Expensive Competitors This sleek, fully programmed, light-weight, hearing aid is the outgrowth of the technology revolution that is changing our world. While demand for new technology caused most prices to plunge (consider DVD players and computers, which originally sold for thousands of dollars and today can be purchased for less), the cost of a medical-grade hearing aid remains out of reach.

The doctor knew that many of his patients would benefit but couldn’t afford the expense for these new hearing aids. Generally they are not covered by Medicare and most private health insurance plans.

Behind-the-ear for a nearly invisible profile Accommodates Mild, Moderate, and Moderately-Severe hearing loss Amplifies the critical frequencies of the human voice, without amplifying background sounds Multiple sized ear domes allow for the perfect size 2-Programs for customized hearing.

Decrease background noise and choose the best program for your hearing loss.

Compare MDHearingAid to High-Priced Store-Front Clinics

FEATURES

Hearing Aid Clinic

FDA-Registered Hearing Aid

Yes

Yes

Feedback Cancellation

Yes

Yes

Speech Enhancement Noise Reduction

Yes

Yes

None

3-4

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Yes

NO

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Yes

Rarely

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Yes

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Yes

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Just 1-5 DAYS

3-5 WEEKS

Under $200

$2,250+

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Time to Receive Your Hearing Aids Hearing Aid Price

Buyers Agree, “MDHearingAid is the Best Digital Value!”

“I am hearing things I didn’t know I was missing.

Really amazing. I’m wearing them all the time.”

— Linda I., Indiana “Almost work too well. I am a teacher and hearing much better now.” — Lillian B., California “I would definitely recommend them to my patients with hearing loss.”

— Amy S., Audiologist, Indiana

Affordable Hearing Aid Technology Using advanced technology, the MDHearingAid adjusts to your listening environment — prioritizing speech and de-emphasizing background noise.

Experience all of the sounds you’ve been missing at a price you can afford. This doctor designed and approved hearing aid comes with a full year’s supply of longlife batteries. It delivers crisp, clear sound all day long and the soft flexible ear domes are so comfortable you won’t realize you’re wearing them.

Can a Hearing Aid Delay or Prevent Alzheimer’s & Dementia?

A study by the National Institute on Aging suggests older individuals with hearing loss are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s and dementia over time than those who retain their hearing. They suggest that an intervention — such as a hearing aid — could delay or prevent this by improving hearing!

Try It Yourself at Home 45-Day Risk-Free Trial Of course, hearing is believing and we invite you to try it for yourself with our RISK-FREE 45-day home trial. If you are not completely satisfied, simply return it within that time period for a full refund of your purchase price.

For the Lowest Price Plus FREE Shipping Call Today!

45-DAY RISK-FREE TRIAL

Proudly assembled in America!

Call: 1-800-488-5140 or Visit: www.GetMDHearingAid200.com

Use Offer Code JF35 to Get FREE Shipping and FREE Batteries for a Full Year!

OUTDOORS

Migration on a Multicolored Morning Sunsets, sunrises and gaggles of geese get this writer giddy

BY DENNIS SMITH

| OUTDOORS@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

H

owever stunning they may be, it has always seemed to me that sunsets, probably because they signal the end of another day, carry with them a sense of sadness and finality. After all, the day is done. Over. Kaput. A sunset is to the day what a period is to the end of a sentence.

But a sunrise marks the beginning of a new day aglow with promise, mystery and intrigue. Plus, it means I lived through the night — a feeling I can’t help but find refreshing in the morning. Now, every sunrise is cause for celebration, but among my favorites are those spent hunkered down on an eastern Colorado grain field bristling with a thousand snow goose decoys snapping in the wind, my kids and a couple of retrievers shiver-dancing with excitement.

Our snow goose sunrises usually begin in mid-February. The predawn sky is usually a black, star-riddled curtain in the east; the air is chill, damp and heavy with an oddly-intoxicating perfume of golden wheat stubble, clammy-black earth and Hoppe’s No. 9 gun oil. The annual spring migration of midcontinent lesser snow

geese has been following the receding snow line north from wintering grounds on the Texas gulf coast, arriving in daily waves numbering in the tens of thousands along the South Platte River bottoms, feeding in the great, sweeping grain fields of central Nebraska and eastern Colorado But there are literally more of them than the land can sustain, and they are eating themselves out of house and home.

Surveys show the breeding population of midcontinent light geese exceeds 5 million birds, and they continue to increase at a rate greater than 5 percent per year. Their massive numbers present a problem not only for themselves, but also for other wildlife and plants that share their habitats.

The fragile tundra where light geese traditionally nest is being seriously degraded or destroyed, and they’re causing extensive damage to crops in farm fields on their wintering grounds.

They need to be controlled, but light geese aren’t effectively controlled by natural predators. While some are taken by coyotes and foxes on their migration and wintering grounds, the numbers are insignificant. In 1980, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service increased the length of the migratory bird hunting season to 107 days — the maximum allowed by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Daily bag limits on snows were increased to levels beyond those allowed for any other waterfowl species, possession limits have been completely removed and the use of electronic calls allowed. The season offers hunters a unique opportunity to participate in the management of these marvelous creatures during one of the most dramatic wildlife migrations on the continent.

We’ve been in the field since 3 a.m. planting decoys, the trucks are hidden a half mile away and the dogs are settled in their camouflaged kennels. Night has drained from the land and the sky is a kaleidoscope of swirling colors impossible to describe. We hear the telltale squawking of geese in the distance. It’s a snow goose sunrise and the beginning of a new day.

Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally.

He lives in Loveland.

MISS AN ISSUE? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop.

Click on Outdoors.

24

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

MARKETPLACE

I want to purchase mineral and other oil/gas interests.

Send details to: PO Box CarrieYounger01_2019.qxp_Layout 1 12/1/18 6:46 PM 13557, Denver, CO 80201 CHICKS FOR SALE

Want to buy cast-iron cookware (Wagner & Griswold). Pyrex. Old toys in good condition.

Vintage signs. Anything cowboy and Indian — hats, boots, spurs, rugs, etc. Antiques, collectibles, furniture, glassware, etc. We come to you!

970-759-3455 or 970-565-1256

Oxygen concentrators $400 with warranty

Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies. Repair and service of equipment.

Aspen Concentrator Repair Service

719-471-9895

Wanted: Old Colorado cattle brand books

Want to work from home?

Tired of the scams?

We are a legitimate work from home company Call Carrie 303-579-4207

Prefer prior to 1925 Call Wes 303-757-8553

www.WorkAtHomeUnited.com/OurAbundance

Stop feeding prairie dogs.

We’ll rent hunting rights from you.

Want to buy old gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc.

Pieces, parts, etc. considered.

Also 1932-34 Ford cars & trucks, parts & pieces. Any condition.

Brandon, 719-250-5721

Seriously looking for duck & goose habitat.

Encourage young sportsmen by providing safe, private access. You make the rules.

303-460-0273

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and oil/gas interests, producing and non-producing.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

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IT’S HERE & JUST 99¢

AVAILABLE ON IOS OR ANDROID • SEARCH FOR CREA CO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORY

Carrier

1:22 PM

Home

2019 COLORADO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORY

Dual roles Nature gives; Each upon the other lives.

Summit, vale; old and new; Me and you... Me and you....

Silence, sound; wet and dry; Hate and love; earth and sky; Both distinct, ever two; Except us; me and you....

Guy Graybill Guy Graybill previously lived in San Isabel Electric’s territory in southern Colorado. He has since retired to his home state of Pennsylvania.

GOVERNOR

COLORADO LEGISLATURE

U.S. CONGRESS

SEARCH

CREA COLORADO LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORY APP COLORADO’S ELECTRIC CO-OPS

Colorado’s General Assembly Convened January 4 Printed copies of the directory are available for only $1.

To get your copy, email crea@coloradocountrylife.org or call 303-455-4111.

COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION 5400 WASHINGTON ST. • DENVER, CO 80216 • CREA.COOP COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

27

COMMUNITY EVENTS February 16 Loveland

February 23 Silverton

February 16-17 Silverton

February 24 Pagosa Springs

February 17 Fraser

February 25 Fort Collins

February 17 Glenwood Springs

February 26 Loveland

Antique and Collectible Toy Show and Sale The Ranch 9 am-3 pm • 702-371-6776

Silverton Skijoring Races Notorious Blair Street 970-744-9446 • silvertonskijoring.com

February 10 Fat Bike Fun Race 9 am at U.S. Forest Service Road 725 (Old Wolf Creek Road), Pagosa Springs Get on a fat bike and test your endurance through the snowy San Juan Mountains. Take the shorter 4.5-mile race or double up the distance on the 10-mile race. Be sure to wear bright, visible clothing. For more information, visit dustx2.com.

February 2019 February 8-17 Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek Ice Festival Bennett Avenue visitcripplecreek.com

February 8-9 Loveland

Sweetheart Festival Downtown Loveland visitlovelandco.org

February 9 Estes Park

Wine & Chocolate Festival Estes Park Event Center 12-5 pm estesparkeventscomplex.com

February 9 Frisco

Gold Rush Nordic Event Frisco Adventure Park 9 am • townoffrisco.com

February 9 Longmont

Heart Throb Run Sandstone Ranch Community Park 10 am • heartthrobrun.com

February 9-10 Nederland

Weston Snowboards Demo Eldora Mountain 9 am-4 pm • eldora.com

February 14-17 Golden

“Lost in Yonkers” Theater Performance Miners Alley Playhouse 303-935-3044 • minersalley.com

28

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

February 14 Grand Lake

Valentine’s Day Two-for-One Trail Pass Grand Lake Nordic Center grandlakerecreation.com

February 14-17 Johnstown

“Nunsense” Theater Performance Candlelight Dinner Playhouse 970-744-3747 coloradocandlelight.com

February 15 Colorado Springs

Kids’ Night Out Bear Creek Nature Center 5:30-9 pm • 719-520-6388

February 15 Durango

Lifeguard Banquet and Auction Fort Lewis College Ballroom 5:30 pm • 970-385-8451

February 15-18 Durango

Winter Photography Train Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad & Museum durangotrain.com

Pregnancy Resource Connection Fundraising Banquet Young Life Crooked Creek Ranch 5 pm • 970-887-3617

Snowshoe Shuffle Sunlight Mountain Resort 10 am • coloradoanimalrescue.org

February 20 Carbondale

“The Deep History of Pueblo People” Presentation Third Street Center 6 pm • aspennature.org

February 22-24 Mesa

Winter Sports Festival Powderhorn Mountain Resort madracingcolorado.com

February 22-24 Steamboat Springs

WinterWonderGrass Festival Steamboat Ski and Resort steamboat.com

February 23 Buena Vista

Wedding Expo Surf Hotel 11 am-4 pm • 719-395-6612

February 23-24 Parker

“Cupid’s Playground” Theater Performance PACE Center wonderbound.com

Fun Race Wolf Creek Ski Area wolfcreekski.com

Dance Express 30th Anniversary Celebration Lincoln Center 970-221-6730 • danceexpressfc.com

Longest Line of Toothbrushes Record Attempt and Charity Event The Ranch donatetoothbrushes.org

March 2019 March 1-15 Durango

Stallion Service Auction Four Corners Cutting and Reining Association fccrahorse.com

March 2-3 Centennial

Rocky Mountain African Violet Show and Sale Tagawa Gardens 303-452-9015

March 2 and 5 Gunnison

Gunni Gras Pub Crawl and Parade Various Gunnison Locations gunnisonchamber.com

March 5 Littleton

Free Admission Day Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield botanicgardens.org

March 9 Fort Collins

Fort Collins Ducks Unlimited Spring Banquet Hilton Fort Collins 5:30-10 pm • 970-889-3287

February 16 Colorado Springs

Wine Tasting and Winter Hobby Wine Competition Awards Reception Bear Creek Nature Center 7-9 pm • 719-520-6977

Ice Disco Skating Party Kendall Mountain Ice Rink 5-8 pm tinyurl.com/KM-Ice-Skate-Party

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS 2 MONTHS IN ADVANCE

Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303-455-2807; or email calendar@coloradocountrylife.org.

Please send name of event, date, time, venue, brief description, phone number, a photo, if you have one, and email and/or website for more information.

YOUR STORIES

READERS’ PHOTOS

FUNNY STORIES Our car battery died, so my dad

asked me put the charger on it. When I plugged in the charger, I noticed the cord wasn’t quite long enough to reach the car. My solution was to get the key and move the car closer to the house. It wasn’t until I tried starting the car that I realized my idea was flawed.

Nehemiah Hein, Cotopaxi

The math teacher asked 9-year-old Grand Valley Power members Alicia and Rachel Riley visit the Colosseum in Rome with CCL.

Roy and Patty Lackey of Cortez visit Hawaii with CCL. The Lackeys are members of Empire Electric Association.

William, “If you have $20 and I ask you if I can borrow $10, how much will you have left?”

William quickly answered, “I’d have $20.”

The teacher said, “But I asked you for $10.”

William calmly replied, “You can ask me but that does not mean I am going to give it to you!”

(Out of the mouths of children.)

Penny Hamilton, Granby

My 8-year-old granddaughter

CCL goes to Lech, Austria, with Brad Briner of Grand Junction. Brad is a member of Grand Valley Power.

Sue and Jim Davis of Colorado Springs bring CCL to the rim of Mount Vesuvius. Jim and Sue are members of Mountain View Electric Association.

Amelia hears her veterinarian parents talk about animal care so her vocabulary surprises me at times, but not quite like the time we were talking about her 3-year-old cousin Linnae. We were chatting about teeth when I told Amelia that the dentist found a cavity in Linnae’s teeth that would have to be treated. She thought about this for a second and then asked if Linnae would need euthanasia. She laughed when I reminded her that she meant anesthesia.

Robert P. Gocke, Jr., Boulder

About three years ago I was telling

my son about something I had done. He inquired about my actions and I told him, “I was an angel.”

Ever the quick thinker, he responded, “Lucifer was an angel once, too!”

Cheryl, Dove Creek

WINNER: Pat Norton and Dana Landreth of Cortez take CCL to visit the Gullfoss waterfall on the river Hvitá in Iceland. Pat and Dana are Empire Electric Association members.

Take Your Photo With Your Magazine and Win! It’s easy to win with Colorado Country Life. Simply take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and email the photo and your name and address to info@ coloradocountrylife.org. We’ll draw one photo to win $25 each month. The next deadline is Friday, February 15. Name, address and co-op must accompany photo. This month’s winners are Pat Norton and Dana Landreth of Cortez. They took their copy of Colorado Country Life to Iceland. See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at facebook.com/COCountryLife.

We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine.

At the end of the year we will draw one name from those submitting funny stories and that person will receive $200. Send your 2019 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

29

DISCOVERIES

Winter Sports Favorites Discover local gear to add to your outdoor fun

Attention-Getting Gear Meier makes skis to boast about. When you purchase from Meier, you can rest assured that your skis or snowboard was made using eco-friendly and environmentally-conscious materials throughout the entire process.

Implementing best practices provided by the forest service, Meier uses Colorado trees, such as aspen and pine beetle kill, to construct high-performing, eye-catching equipment. While it originated in Glenwood Springs, Meier now calls Denver home where customers can get their skis and snowboards custom made or choose from their many collections.

What’s more, you can watch firsthand how the process is done while sipping on a brew at the company’s showroom bar, the Craft Skiery™. For more information, call 844-966-3754 or visit meierskis.com.

Gear Up!

Roll Over Remedy

Outdoor sports lovers commonly stumble upon a challenge: how to transport all the gear. Since 1996, Avonbased Sportube® has provided outdoor sports enthusiasts with durable, hardsided travel cases. The wheels of the Sportube® make it easy to maneuver through the airport while the tough shell keeps equipment safe through airport baggage transportation as well as atop the roof of your vehicle. Although the company’s beginnings focused on ski travel cases, it has since expanded to include snowboard, fishing, water ski and bike cases. However, these cases are versatile enough to carry a whole slew of other types of equipment, such as swords, spear guns and even architectural plans. For more information, call 970-9494014 or visit sportube.com.

In 2015, Denver-native Matt Hyder introduced his brainchild, Recoup Cold Roller, to the world and has since turned it into a multimillion-dollar company. After a basketball injury, Hyder dreamed up the device and soon turned his $8 prototype into a product that can be spotted being used by sports stars from teams such as the Broncos and the Rockies.

After two hours in the freezer, the Cold Roller can be used for up to six hours to roll over sore or strained muscles to release toxins and relax muscles. Roll over sore spots by hand or remove from the holder and maneuver the Cold Roller much like you would a foam roller. Cost is $39.99. For more information, visit recoupfitness.com.

Personalized Ski Pants When David Urban’s custom-made ski pants with smiley faces on the knees became a topic of conversation, he thought, “Maybe there’s a business opportunity here.” Urban took that concept and started Powder Point Sports in Denver where customers can dream up designs — the choices are endless — to be appended to soft-shell ski pants using sublimation. Or they can purchase prefabricated pants with designs such as the Colorado flag or, you guessed it, smiley faces. Custom-made knee panels start at $250.

For more information, visit powderpointsports.com.

30

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE FEBRUARY 2019

1 Sportube

Where to find these winter sports companies 1

3

2 4

Avon | Info@sportube.com sportube.com

2 Cold Roller

Denver | recoupfitness.com

3 Powder Point Sports

Denver | 508-930-9320 powderpointsports.com

4 Meier Skis

Denver | 844-966-3754 meierskis.com

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SUPER COUPON

$1 999

SAVE $ 69% 2699 COMPARE TO

DURALAST

$

6499

MODEL: TR6201C

ITEM 61160/61896/63456/46319 shown

*75428091 * 75428091

*75428178 * 75428178

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 6/1/19*

LIMIT 6 - Coupon valid through 6/1/19*

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

THE ONE TIME, LIFETIME LAWN SOLUTION!

Plant Faster, Easier With NEW SUPER PLUGS!

SAVE

Pre-cut plugs are 10x bigger!

OVER

50%

OR… Plant Your Way With FREESTYLE PLUGS!

NEW PRE-CUT SUPER PLUGS now available!

Cut any size plugs from sheets!

Stays lush and green in summer

Mow your Zoysia lawn once a month – or less! It rewards you with weed-free beauty all summer long.

7 Ways Our Amazoy Zoysia Lawn ™

1

Saves You Time, Work and Money!

CUTS WATER BILLS AND MOWING BY AS MUCH AS 2/3 Would you believe a lawn could look perfect when watered just once? In Iowa, the state’s biggest Men’s Garden club picked a Zoysia lawn as “top lawn – nearly perfect.” Yet, this lawn had been watered only once all summer to August!

In PA, Mrs. M.R. Mitter wrote, “I’ve never watered it, only when I put the plugs in...Last summer we had it mowed 2 times...When everybody’s lawns here are brown from drought, ours stays as green as ever.” That’s how Amazoy Zoysia lawns cut water bills and mowing! Now read on!

5

IT STAYS GREEN IN SPITE OF HEAT AND DROUGHT “The hotter it gets, the better it grows!” Plug-in Zoysia thrives in blistering heat, yet it won’t winter-kill to 30° below zero. It just goes off its green color after killing frosts, and begins regaining its green color as temperatures in the spring are consistently warm.

2

NO NEED TO DIG UP OLD GRASS Plant Amazoy your way in an old lawn or new ground. Set plugs into holes in the soil checkerboard style. Plugs spread to create a lush, thick lawn, driving out weeds and unwanted growth.

Easy instructions included with every order.

3

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY No weeding means no costly chemicals. Since Amazoy Zoysia lawns naturally resist insects, you’ll save money, while helping to protect the environment.

You’ll never have to expose your family and pets to the risk of weed killers and pesticide poisons.

4

FOR SLOPES, PLAY AREAS, BARE SPOTS AND PARTIAL SHADE You can’t beat Amazoy Zoysia as the low-cost answer for hard-to-cover spots, play-worn areas, places that have partial shade and erosion on slopes.

Meyer Zoysia Grass was perfected by the U.S. Gov’t, released in cooperation with the U.S. Golf Association as a superior grass.

Thrives from partial shade to full sun.

Your Assurance of Lawn SUCCESS

Each Order for Amazoy Zoysia is

GUARANTEED

Guaranteed to grow new green shoots within 45-60 days or we’ll replace it FREE – for up to 1 year – just call us. We ONLY ship you living genuine Amazoy Zoysia grass harvested direct from our farms. Easy planting and watering instructions are included with each order. Every Reorder assumes success of previous orders (plantings), voiding any previous guarantees, but initiating a new one-year guarantee. ©2019 Zoysia Farm Nurseries, 3617 Old Taneytown Rd, Taneytown, MD 21787

Freestyle Plugs You decide how big to cut the plugs. Each grass Your PRICE

CHOKES OUT CRABGRASS AND WEEDS ALL SUMMER

7

NOW 3 WAYS TO START YOUR AMAZOY ZOYSIA LAWN!

Your established Amazoy Zoysia lawn grows so thick, it simply stops crabgrass and most summer weeds from germinating!

1) Freestyle plugs come in uncut sheets containing a maximum of 150 - 1” plugs that can be planted up to 1 ft. apart.

Freestyle plugs allow you to make each plug bigger and plant further apart – less cutting and planting – you decide.

2) New Super Plugs come precut into individual 3”x3” plugs ready-to-plant (minimum 1 per 4 sq. ft.). They arrive in easy to handle trays of 15 Super Plugs. Save more time and get your new lawn even faster!

3) Amazoy Approved Seed-As The Zoysia Specialists for 60+years, we finally have a Zoysia seed available that meets our standards and homeowners expectations.

Learn why at zoysiafarms.com/mag or by phone at 410-756-2311.

ORDER TODAY - GET UP TO

1000 FREESTYLE PLUGS – Dept. 5234

Plugs only shipped to Continental USA & not to WA or OR.

Super Plugs Precut plugs 3 inches by 3 inches. READY TO PLANT Packed in trays of 15 Super Plugs. Plant minimum 1 plug per 4 sq. ft.

sheet can produce up to 150-1 in. plugs. Plant minimum 1 plug per sq. ft. + Shipping

SAVINGS

Super Plugs

Free Plugs

Trays

$29.95

$14.50

–

15

–

1

$24.95

$8.50

$50.00

$16.00

60

+15

5

$90.00

$20.00

6

$66.00

$19.50

95

+25

8

$110.00

$30.00

+400

10

$95.00

$30.00

120

+30

10

$125.00

$35.00

+1000

20

$165.00

$45.00

25% 36% 43% 52%

180

+45

15

$180.00

$50.00

Free Plugs

Grass Sheets*

300

–

2

500

+100

4

750

+150

1100 2000

Max Plugs*

Plant it from plugs.

6

Your PRICE + Shipping

SAVINGS –

34% 47% 50% 54%

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO START AND MAINTAIN A CAREFREE BEAUTIFUL ZOYSIA LAWN

PLANTING TOOLS * PLANT FOOD * WEED AND PEST CONTROLS * ORGANIC PRODUCTS * SOIL TESTS * GARDEN GLOVES * EDGING AND MORE

All Available Exclusively at www.ZoysiaFarms.com/mag or 410-756-2311 ZOYSIA FARM NURSERIES, 3617 OLD TANEYTOWN ROAD TANEYTOWN MD 21787

AMAZOY IS THE TRADEMARK REGISTERED U.S. PATENT OFFICE for our Meyer Zoysia grass.

We ship all orders the same day the plugs are packed and at the earliest planting time in your state.