Colorado Country Life July 2022 Grand Valley

NEW FOODS OF THE OLD WEST PG 12 / SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES PG 20 / SAPPHIRE GEM OF THE ROCKIES PG 26

GRAND VALLEY POWER

JULY 2022

Building

rides to

thrill

Small Town Spin on BIG Fun

Empowering Lives with Hometown Service

ELECTRIFY AND SAVE

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VISIT US AT www.tristate.coop/BE

Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

Number 07

Volume 53

July 2022 THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, CCC, Production Manager cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 720-407-0711 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 2022, 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 22.5 cents per month, paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $10 per year in-state/$16 out-of-state.

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

“Grand Lake Fireworks” by Keith Lantz, a consumer-member of Mountain Parks Electric.

4 VIEWPOINT 5 LETTERS 6 ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT 7 YOUR CO-OP NEWS 12 RECIPES 14 NEWS CLIPS

16 COVER STORY

5TH GENERATION BUILDS RIDES TO THRILL 20 ENERGY CONNECTIONS 23 GARDENING 24 OUTDOORS 26 FOCUS ON

FACEBOOK CHATTER

28 POETRY On the JULY 2022

Building

rides to

thrill Small Town Spin on BIG Fun

Cover Widsom Rides employees from left to right: Gabriel Morales, Gama Soto, Carlos Reyna, Sean Duran, Jessy Sexton and Thomas Gerbitz.

coloradocountrylife.coop

LINKEDIN CONNECTIONS Colorado Rural Electric Assoc. posted: CREA directors got a peek into future energy solutions during a tour with Dr. Bryan Willson of the Powerhouse Energy Center at CSU in Fort Collins. There is lots of work being done on #hydrogen , #fuelcells , #bettercookstoves , #algae , #methaneemissions and more.

28 MARKETPLACE 29 YOUR STORIES

Colorado Country Life was in Westcliffe: A great shot from another SDCEA consumer-member.

This lovely photo is by Brooke Grohs: “A Westcliffe Summer.”

30 DISCOVERIES

Monthly Contest This month, enter for your chance to win a wind chime from Longmont-based company Fettle & Fire. Read more about them on page 30. For official rules and how to enter, visit our Monthly Contests page at coloradocountrylife.coop.

PINTEREST SNEAK PEEK COCountryLife pinned: Bring home flavors from Morrison’s The Fort! This month stir up some Green Chile Ice Cream. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to get the recipe.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

3

VIEWPOINT

MEETING THE CHALLENGE

Electric cooperatives ready for future reliability issues

BY KENT SINGER

C

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

olorado’s electric co-ops are part

regardless of whether they are based on

of a complex network of electric

renewable resources or fossil fuels. This

utilities that keep the power

was the lesson of winter storm Uri in Texas

flowing to communities across the United

last year: While there may be sufficient

not significantly reduced by the addition

States.

capacity on paper to provide heat and power,

of intermittent resources since all power-

Many of these electric utilities are

extreme weather can trump utility planning

generating resources are subject to

members, either individually or through

to devastating effect. And even though Uri

mechanical failure — think Colorado’s

affiliated companies, of the North American

happened in Texas, some Colorado utilities

Comanche III power-generating station

Electric Reliability Corporation, otherwise

were impacted by the storm when it resulted

with its history of breakdowns and outages.

known as NERC. NERC is a nonprofit

in higher natural gas prices throughout the

As all Colorado utilities move to close

organization that was created in the 1960s

region.

KENT SINGER

coal-fired generating stations by the end of

to ensure that utilities work together to

In Colorado, all electric utilities,

this decade, regulators will have to pay close

keep the grid running to provide power on

including electric co-ops, spend a great

a 24/7/365 basis to all Americans.

deal of time and money to have adequate

The first job for Colorado’s electric

In a recent report titled “2022 Summer

resources to serve electric customers under

co-ops is to keep power flowing to co-op

Reliability Assessment,” NERC found

all conditions. This concept of “resource

consumer-members day and night, in good

that significant parts of the United States

adequacy” has received a lot of attention

weather and bad. This has always been a

are at risk of not having sufficient power-

in Colorado recently as our regulators and

challenging undertaking given the terrain

generating resources to keep the lights on

policymakers consider what happened in

and often severe weather conditions that

this summer. According to the report, the

Texas and read reports such as NERC’s

can prevail in Colorado. It’s even more

risk is highest in the upper Midwest where,

recent assessment.

challenging in electric co-op service

attention to impacts on reliability.

even in normal weather conditions, there

In the 2022 session of the Colorado

territory given the thousands of miles of

may be insufficient operating reserves

General Assembly, a draft bill on

distribution lines that are needed to serve

to maintain reliable electric service. The

resource adequacy was circulated but

remote customers.

projected risk in the western United States is

never introduced. CREA, representing

The energy transition that’s happening

lower, where NERC concludes that operating

Colorado’s electric co-ops, engaged in

in Colorado adds yet another layer of

reserves should be adequate unless weather

many discussions regarding that proposal.

complexity to the task of providing reliable,

conditions are hotter than expected.

If a similar bill comes back in 2023, CREA

affordable electric service. Nevertheless,

The types of risks that NERC considers

will be at the table to protect co-op interests.

electric co-ops are confident that they can

in its assessment of the reliability of the

Concerns about resource adequacy have

meet this challenge like they have met every

power grid include lack of transmission line

also come up in recent discussions at the

availability; drought impacts on hydropower

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

capacity; power plant outages due to fuel

Some commissioners have questioned

shortages; the mechanical failure of inverter-

whether the transition to renewable

based solar power units; supply chain issues;

sources for power generation, primarily

and cybersecurity threats.

wind and solar, is moving too quickly and

Ultimately, the power grid is a complex

impacting the reliability of the grid. Other

web of machines that can break down

commissioners point out that reliability is

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

other challenge for the last 80 years.

Kent Singer is the executive director of CREA and offers a statewide perspective on issues affecting electric cooperatives. CREA is the trade association for all of Colorado’s 22 electric distribution co-ops and one power supply co-op.

LETTERS

FROM THE EDITOR Small Towns with Big Personality

BY MONA NEELEY

EDITOR

M

y Iowa hometown, with its population of about 1,000, MONA NEELEY was and still is a farm town. Things revolve around agriculture, especially since the local grain elevator was purchased by an international company a while back. The traditional elevator by the tracks has grown into the largest, most technically advanced oat mill in North America, and that affects everything in town.

My hometown has celebrated Oatmeal Days for years. And then there’s that special Saturday each year when the mill sells $1 boxes of oat cereal to locals. The mill just north of town employs multiple generations of families as it sponsors local events and contributes to the economy.

This month’s cover story is about a small Colorado town with an international business.

However, in Merino’s case, the international business is homegrown and centers on a theme not every community can boast of: carnival rides.

Merino is home to Wisdom Rides of America, which manufactures portable amusement rides in all their bright colors, shapes and configurations. Wisdom, which provides employment for artists, sculptors, metalworkers and others in northeastern Colorado, gives Merino its own uniqueness.

Read more on page 16.

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 to you, its consumer-members.

BEST OF

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In Favor of Nuclear Power

First, I care about the environment. I have been researching solar and wind turbine energy for many years. I have been against the expansion of these sources. I prefer coal, natural gas and oil and, above all, I prefer nuclear and hydro power. Nuclear is the safest and most efficient. The mainstream media has turned nuclear energy into a big bad wolf for the environment.

Think about the magnificent birds killed with wind turbines and the wildlife displaced with solar. And there is the danger and high cost associated with recycling and disposing of these alternate energy sources when they reach end of life.

I finally found an environmentalist speaker who makes a lot of sense. Visit https://bit.ly/3mSdtLi to watch him.

Craig Beal, Peyton Mountain View Electric consumer-member

Maintaining Visions of the Future

I am grateful every time I turn on my lights that PVREA has maintained visions of the future throughout its existence. It gives me hope that the decision makers choose to follow science when pursuing renewable energy. Thank you for thinking about my children’s grandchildren and the planet they will inherit as you continue to move toward a sustainable future.

Victoria Jordan, Bellvue Poudre Valley REA consumer-member I am pleased that YVEA is increasing its reliance on wind and solar, and I encourage this to expand. I am already feeling the impact of climate change, most directly in the increased wildfire danger in the mountains.

York Miller, Columbine Yampa Valley Electric consumer-member

HELP US FIND THE BEST OF COLORADO! WE’RE LOOKING FOR THE BEST: • • • •

Local beer State park Main street Disc golf course

• • • •

Hot springs Made-in-Colorado product Place for steak Local museum

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS BY SEPTEMBER 12, 2022

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF THREE $100 GIFT CARDS Share your favorites at coloradocountrylife.coop/bestof2022

SEND US YOUR LETTERS Send your letter to the editor to share your thoughts about CCL. To share, visit our Reader Engagement page at coloradocountrylife.coop/ reader-engagement. Mail your letter to Editor Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email mneeley@ coloradocountrylife.org. Include name and address. Letters may be edited for length.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

5

ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT

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9” x 12” Aluminum

Planning a Remodel?

Timing is Everything

BY MIR ANDA BOUTELLE

R

emodeling is a great opportunity to take care of energy-efficiency improvements by adding them to your scope of work. There may be cost savings and convenience in tackling it all at once.

Here are a few examples of energyefficiency upgrades for common remodeling projects:

Kitchen remodel For pricing, email ranchwatch@juno.com

If your kitchen remodel includes new appliances, buy EnergyStar®-rated models.

EnergyStar refrigerators are about 9% more efficient than standard models, and EnergyStar dishwashers save both energy and water.

As for kitchen faucets, there are options available with multiple flow rate settings. You can save water by using a lower flow rate on your faucet when washing dishes, vegetables or your hands, but you can easily change the setting to quickly fill a pot for cooking.

Bathroom remodel

Our June winners are: Anya Hockins of Grand Junction; Sheryl Ziegler of Fremont, Nebraska; Samantha Vigil of Pueblo West; Jennifer Ilarraza of Monument; Alex Chang of Berthoud; and Tyree Morrison of Beulah.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

For bathroom remodels, include a high-performance shower head. Look for the WaterSense logo for shower heads, faucets and toilets, which ensures the product meets performance and water use standards.

Check the fine print on your existing equipment to see how much you can save.

The gallons per minute (GPM) is usually printed on shower heads and faucet aerators and the gallons per flush (GPF) is usually printed on toilets.

High-performance shower heads and faucet aerators conserve water and save energy used to heat water. Using less water can lower your water bill or increase your septic system’s life span.

New siding or exterior paint The best time to make sure your wall insulation is adequate — or to see if you have wall insulation at all — is when you replace your siding or paint the exterior of your home.

Wall insulation saves on energy costs, makes your home more comfortable, and reduces outside noise.

Batt insulation, spray foam or foam board are good options if you are removing the siding. If you are painting, you can have a contractor blow insulation into the wall cavities through holes cut into the siding or from inside the house. The holes are then plugged and prepped for paint.

A little planning during a remodel can go a long way toward improving your home’s energy efficiency. Remember: It’s more difficult and more expensive to go back and tackle energy-efficiency projects after your space is finished.

Miranda Boutelle is the director of operations and customer engagement at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy-efficiency company. She also writes on energy-efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

LEARN MORE ONLINE For energy-efficiency tips for your basement, lighting and attic insulation, visit coloradocountrylife.coop.

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

MESA COUNTY’S RUGGED INDEPENDENCE

BY TOM WALCH

T

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

he opening lines from Hank Williams, Jr.’s hit song “A Country Boy Can Survive” strike an eerily familiar chord to the state of our world today. The song is over 40 years old, and I’m exposing my roots a little. But if you’re a country music fan, you know the song well and might agree with these thoughts from the opening stanza: Some people think it’s the end of the world.

Interest rates are near record highs. The stock market is struggling. And as drought conditions continue throughout the region, you could easily substitute the Colorado River for the Mississippi. But the song doesn’t stop there. As the song title states, despite these challenges, country folks have a way of rising up — and not only survive, but thrive.

I don’t reference this song’s lyrics to bring anyone down, but to convey a message of hope — a message that is appropriate to recognize as we celebrate Independence Day. To me, it’s an anthem for the kind of rugged independence that is deeply rooted here in Mesa County.

I have always marveled at the way country folks in the Grand Valley have survived — the way they have responded when the chips are down. This community has ridden an economic roller coaster for decades. The uranium bust, Holly Sugar’s withdrawal, Black Sunday, coal mine closures and repeated downturns in the local natural gas industry have painted Grand Junction as a boom-and-bust town.

The good news is that, so far, there has always been a boom to follow the latest bust.

It seems that the busts always result from outside sources and events — things that are typically outside of the control of people here. The booms, on the other hand, invariably spring up from within.

How has Mesa County survived?

Strong, independent people come together to create even stronger community institutions. Think Tim Foster and Colorado Mesa University; Christy Whitney and HopeWest; and Diane Schwenke and the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce.

There are dozens of other examples: banks, hospitals and organizations dedicated to economic development, such as the Grand Junction Economic Partnership and the Business Incubator. The common thread is the “can-do” approach of community leaders here. Instead of looking to Denver

or Washington, D.C., for assistance, folks here take responsibility and take on problems with innovative ideas, boots-onthe-ground volunteer support, and financial backing from individuals and businesses that recognize an obligation to give back to the community. This is not always easy, but as the saying goes, “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

I like to think that Grand Valley Power has a part to play in our community’s resiliency and independence. I don’t think it is a coincidence that we are the oldest rural electric cooperative in the state. Grand Valley Power sprang up in the middle of difficulty. Eighty-six years ago, when Lower Valley farmers couldn’t get electricity from profit-motivated utilities, they literally took matters into their own hands and started our cooperative. Being a local, homegrown, can-do business is part of our identity.

We know that businesses with owners, employees and consumers who live and work here make our community special.

The cooperative model fosters the blend of independence and collaboration that helps our business survive, even as we face unprecedented challenges.

These characteristics will be on full display at our annual meeting next month.

Cooperative members will have the opportunity to engage with our team members and leaders; hear up-to-the-minute reports on cooperative successes and challenges over the past year; and elect directors who will guide us as we go forward. As we come together during these difficult times, I am confident we can find opportunities to

Very professional meeting extremely well done!

The GVP staff did a fabulous job.

TOM WALCH

ensure our business and our consumers not only survive but thrive.

We invite you to join us for Grand Valley Power’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, August 4, at the Colorado Mesa University’s Meyer Ballroom. Registration details will arrive mid-July in your mailbox inside the Annual Report. Also, be on the lookout for your board of director’s election packet in the mail.

COMMENTS TO THE CEO You are a member of a cooperative and your opinion does count. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please let me know by writing to Ask the CEO, P.O. Box 190, Grand Junction, Colorado 81502, or send an email to me at twalch@gvp.org. Check our website at gvp.org.

BOARD MEETING NOTICE Grand Valley Power board meetings are open to the members, consumers and public. Regularly scheduled board meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the headquarters building located at 845 22 Road, Grand Junction, Colorado.

The monthly agenda is posted in the lobby of the headquarters building 10 days before each meeting and posted on the GVP website. If anyone desires to address the Board of Directors, please let us know in advance and you will be placed on the agenda.

What to Expect FREE Dinner Giveaways Live Entertainment Business Update $2,000 in door prizes and more!

Annual Meeting Survey Feedback Look for this year's annual report and election ballot mid-July in your mailbox!

Annual Meeting

of the Members Thursday, August 4 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Colorado Mesa University 1100 North Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

7

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

DRONES IMPROVE RELIABILITY ALONG OUR LINES

BY CHRISTMAS WHARTON

G

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

rand Valley Power is continually working to maintain a safe and reliable system for our members.

As part of that effort, inspection of our lines is a key task that our operations and engineering team performs.

There are many ways that GVP inspects the integrity of the lines and substations that feed 18,000 members with reliable electricity.

The normal operating model for inspections has teams of our lineman or technicians in trucks and on foot. Depending on the terrain difficulty, crews are sometimes in helicopters. They often find problems, like wood poles splitting, trees overgrowing and circuits worn out by years of use. After identifying problems like these, GVP crews in the field report their findings and remediate the problem, document necessary upgrades, or note future construction recommendations.

As with many businesses today, efficiencies have improved over the course of years, especially with technology. With today’s leading-edge technology, unmanned aerial systems — drones — allow GVP to conduct line and substation inspections more efficiently, covering larger areas and maximizing the reliability and integrity of its distribution system. Since October, the operations team began piloting drones to get a bird’s eye view of the system.

“You get a perspective from the drone you just can’t get from the ground,” says Bill Barlow, GVP’s operations manager. “Using infrared imaging, you might see deterioration and cracked insulators. High resolution photos from above show what you wouldn’t see from the ground. Using drone technology

helps increase the co-op’s efficiency and reliability, allowing our crews to focus on providing our members with quality service.”

GVP contracted with drone service provider, UAV Recon, to assist in the inspection process of the distribution lines and substations. Using an unmanned drone allows crews to gather clearer, closer photos of the electrical infrastructure while having a considerably smaller impact on the environment. This saves time, frees crews and is especially helpful when ground access is blocked by debris or heavily-wooded areas.

The goal is to harden the electrical grid and improve resiliency by identifying problems proactively, minimizing system downtime and even avoiding power outages completely.

But inspecting power lines involves more than flying a drone and taking pictures.

Pilots of these drones need to know what they are looking for and how to operate in a hazardous environment. These operators take photographs that illustrate system conditions while simultaneously navigating around obstacles and managing turbulence.

Similarly, experienced lineworkers need to be available to analyze and understand the same images captured by the unmanned aerial systems in the field. The collected data is used by GVP to engineer, maintain and upgrade existing power lines on and around members’ properties.

As for repairing any of the problems identified from drone footage, this will still require skilled lineworkers. “You still need humans to do the actual work, no matter how cool the technology,” Barlow says.

CHRISTMAS WHARTON

UAV Recon captures thermal images that allow us to identify components that are failing and invisible to the human eye. Replacing these components before failure helps prevent unwanted outages for members. The transformer above typically shows warmer components and professionally trained journeyman lineman identify and diagnose defects.

When introducing new technology to the electrical workplace, GVP has to think about the benefits that those services bring to our members. The goal is to harden the electrical grid and improve resiliency by identifying problems proactively, minimizing system down time and even avoiding power outages completely.

Recently, UAV Recon helped to inspect the distribution system with safety and efficiency in mind.

CO-OP HOLIDAY OFFICE SCHEDULE

July 11 - Beers for the Brave

Independence Day (Jul. 4) - CLOSED July 11 -Operation Interdependence Care Package Supply Drive - GVP Drop-Off Opens

Scan for Event Info

July 20 - Donuts for Dog Tags July 29- Glade Park Movies Under the Stars

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

THE POWER OF ONE PERSON

BY DANA POGAR

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

I

t often takes one friend, one family member or even one stranger to change your life forever, and that was the case for two local students. Here are their stories.

CHEYENNE HOWATT Meet Cheyenne. She was born in Willow River, Canada, a community shaped by infinite dirt roads, a single paved road and one general store. “To say that I grew up in a rural community is an understatement.

I lived in a town with a population of 300 people and attended grade school with most of the town’s children,” Howatt said.

GVP Operations Manager Bill Barlow (left) and WCCC graduate Cheyenne Howatt celebrate at Colorado Mesa University’s 2022 graduation ceremony at Stocker Stadium.

At age 12, Cheyenne left home and moved to Prince George, where she attended high school. After graduating, Cheyenne went back to Whitehorse, another small town in Canada, where she started working at a mechanics shop. This is where her interest in the trade industry began.

One summer day, Cheyenne found herself on a road trip from Las Vegas to Denver, where she stumbled across Grand Junction. “I remember driving to Denver and being surrounded by nothing but dirt and cacti. Then, suddenly, everything turned green, with mountains, trees and rivers everywhere! Shortly after that trip, the Western Slope became home,” Cheyenne said. From mechanical work in Canada to cosmetology in Grand Junction, Cheyenne has been there, done that, but always felt like

her story wasn’t complete.

In the spring of 2014, Cheyenne was enjoying a beverage at the local Chili’s Bar and Grill when she began a casual conversation with the gentleman next to her. “I asked him if he was in town for business or pleasure, and he said that he was teaching a course at the Hotline School. I became curious and asked questions about his career as a lineman,” Cheyenne remembered.

After an hour-long conversation with the stranger, Cheyenne left Chili’s feeling optimistic. “For eight years, I drove past the Western Colorado Community College campus and came up with every excuse in the book as to why I shouldn’t do it. Until one day, I put all my fears aside and applied to the program.”

Cheyenne started school at WCCC in August 2021, where she studied electric line work. “It wasn’t easy. I worked the night shift at my job until 7 a.m., then went to class directly from work. By the time I got home from school, I had three hours to sleep until I had to be at work again,” Cheyenne explained. Even though it was difficult and stressful, she was dedicated to her education. Despite her busy schedule and constant lack of sleep, she was always excited to learn.

This is when she met the second stranger who changed her life forever. GVP Operations Manager Bill Barlow was at WCCC assessing students in the lineworker program. While mentoring and evaluating a class of over 60 students, one person stood out to him: Cheyenne Howatt. “She is a firecracker, and I knew she’d fit right into the trade,” Barlow stated. Soon after meeting her, Barlow offered her the opportunity to ride along with GVP crews.

While on the job, Cheyenne helped replace and set a pole, and even assisted in mounting a new transformer. “Matt, Zeb and Caleb are a great crew. They taught me so much in the short time that I was with them,” Cheyenne said. After the ridealong, Barlow and the crew agreed that Cheyenne had a bright future. This is when

DANA POGAR

Bill reached out to a local contractor and encouraged them to hire Cheyenne upon her lineworker program completion.

Cheyenne graduated from the WCCC Electric Lineworker program and plans to begin her career as an apprentice lineworker with a local contractor. “On day three of school, I knew that I was in the right place.

However, after riding along with GVP crews, it all hit me and I knew I had found the career of my dreams. I can’t thank Bill and Grand Valley Power enough for the opportunities they gave me, including my career,” Cheyenne shared.

Cheyenne hopes that with her skills as a lineworker she can make a difference in our community by delivering a service we all depend on: electricity.

COY SEARS Meet Coy, a Colorado native and resident of the Loma community. “I’ve lived here on the Western Slope my whole life and was raised on a farm. I grew up wearing cowboy boots and was surrounded by many heads of cattle,” Sears explained. Growing up on a

Western Colorado Community College graduate and GVP scholarship recipient Coy Sears is excited for his road ahead after graduating from WCCC’s electric lineworker program.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

9

YOUR CO-OP NEWS ranch, Coy was raised with a hard-working attitude and knew he wanted a career that physically and mentally pushed him.

In December 2021, Coy graduated from Fruita Monument High School but was still unsure of his future. However, one conversation with a close friend pushed him in the “bright” direction.

One day, Coy was practicing his roping skills with a few of his buddies — one of those people was GVP apprentice Hunter Henderson. After an evening of fun, Coy and Hunter began discussing the essential things in life, such as future goals, career endeavors and academic plans. Like many of us, deciding on what we want to do for the rest of our lives at 18 years old can be overwhelming. Coy was open to suggestions from his friends and family. “Hunter and I have known each other since we were little, and I’ve always looked up to him as a big brother, friend and mentor,” Coy shared.

That evening, the two men spent hours conversing about the electric lineworker industry. “Hunter had nothing but great things to say about WCCC’s program, the trade and apprenticeship at Grand Valley Power. Before I knew it, I was applying to WCCC and GVP’s scholarship program,” Coy said. Soon after, Coy was awarded GVP’s Electric Lineworker Scholarship, an

award that helps support the cost of tools and safety equipment.

In August 2021, Coy started school at WCCC, where he studied electric line work.

He juggled several responsibilities during his studies, including work, school, rodeo and ranch duties. “Even though I was constantly on the run, I was always excited for school.

So, when Monday morning came around, I was the first to arrive in class,” he said.

It wasn’t long after school started that his fascination with the lineworker trade sparked. Coy was seeking every opportunity to get on-the-job experience. This is when he reached out to his local electric cooperative, GVP, and met Operations Manager Bill Barlow.

Coy’s silent leadership and passion for the trade did not go unnoticed by co-op team members. After a bit of safety training, Coy was welcomed by crews to learn the many tricks of the trade. “I remember while working on Trevor’s crew, I learned how to put elbows on a 750-wire conductor,” Coy recalled. A few weeks later, Coy learned this same skill in class but was already ahead of the game because of his hands-on experiences at the co-op.

After his ride-along, Barlow saw Coy’s potential as a lineman and reached out to his co-op connections. “Coy is a very respectful

GLADE PARK MOVIES UNDER THE STARS PRESENTS:

OVER THE

HEDGE

FREE admission Children's games and hay rides Food and beverage available for purchase Wildfire safety swag provided by GVP

GVP.ORG/HOMETOWN-PARTNERSHIPS

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

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young man with a bright future. After watching him work, I put the bug about him in others’ ears in hopes of getting him an apprenticeship position,” Barlow said.

Coy graduated from the WCCC Electric Lineworker program and plans to begin his career as an apprentice lineman at a neighboring electric cooperative. He encourages those wanting to enter the field to stay motivated and open-minded. “In the lineworker industry, there are just as many ways to do one task as knots to tie. Whether you’re a newbie or have been in the field for over 40 years, you’re always a student,” he said.

You just read two incredible stories about two different people from very different walks of life. However, they both share one thing in common: It took one person with leadership and mentoring to encourage them in the direction they needed to go.

Please join us in congratulating both Cheyenne Howatt and Coy Sears on graduating from WCCC’s electric lineworker program. We wish you all the best in your career endeavors!

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RECIPES

Classic Cuisine, Modern Menu A Red Rocks restaurant’s unique flavors featured in new cookbook

BY AMY HIGGINS

| RECIPES@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

19th century food trends meet diverse 21st century palates

N

estled alongside a rousing red rock formation in Morrison, The Fort Restaurant serves fare that is reminiscent of foods served at Bent’s Old Fort where fur traders would congregate and nosh on buffalo, elk and quail — the restaurant is literally a full-scale replica of the Colorado landmark. The restaurant opened in 1963 and continues its long-standing motto of “New Foods of the Old West,” catering to 19th century food trends and combining them with diverse 21st century palates in mind. You can bring flavors from The Fort home with the cookbook The Fort Restaurant Cookbook: New Foods of the Old West from the Landmark Colorado Restaurant by Holly Arnold Kinney, daughter of the restaurant’s founders. Start with this ice cream recipe to serve your family and friends a piece of the iconic restaurant’s menu.

Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream Mud Pie 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 3/4 cup Oreo cookie crumbs 1 cup tart dried cherries 2 cups cherry liqueur 1/4 cup coffee liqueur 1/2 gallon Mexican chocolate ice cream 1/3 gallon coffee ice cream 2 cups toffee pieces Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix melted butter and Oreo crumbs in a bowl until fully incorporated. In a 9-inch spring-form pan, spread mixture evenly and press into the bottom. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes to set the crust. Set aside to cool.

Soak cherries in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain the water. Marinate cherries in cherry liqueur for another 30 minutes, then drain the liqueur.

Holly’s Advice “To make the best mud pie, you need the BEST ice cream! Magill’s Creamery in Colorado is the best, and they make this special Mexican chocolate ice cream for The Fort. Each summer, we hold a culinary competition for our cooks, and this recipe was awarded first place and put on the menu in 2013. It has become one of our most popular desserts!”

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

Drizzle the cooled crust with coffee liqueur and add the drained cherries evenly over the bottom.

Take ice cream out of the freezer and let soften at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the softened Mexican chocolate ice cream and coffee ice cream in a medium bowl in a stand mixer using the bread paddle. Mix on medium speed until both ice creams are well blended (about 5 minutes). Immediately spread the ice cream mixture over the cherries and top with toffee chunks. Wrap pie with plastic film and freeze for up to 3 hours. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving and let stand, at room temperature to allow the “pie” to soften before cutting.

Recipe excerpted from The Fort Restaurant Cookbook.

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NEWS CLIPS

JOIN THE JOURNEY TO BRING LIGHT A small village in central Guatemala will gain electricity in mid-August, thanks to a team of 16 lineworkers from Colorado and Oklahoma electric co-ops.

Electric co-op consumer-members, employees, directors and others are invited to join these lineworkers in bringing not only electricity, but also clean water and student supplies to the village of La Montanita de la Virgen, Guatemala. (Learn at the end of this article how you can help.)

CREA, the trade association for Colorado’s electric cooperatives, is partnering with NRECA International, the philanthropic arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the Oklahoma Association of Electric

Cooperatives to bring electricity to another remote area of a developing country. This is CREA’s third time sponsoring an international team, having sponsored teams in 2018 and 2019 before COVID-19 shut down the projects.

Representing Colorado are: Chet Stickler of Holy Cross Energy in Glenwood Springs, who will lead the Colorado team; Zeb Birch, Grand Valley Power in Grand Junction; Chris Kling, United Power in Brighton; and Clayton Shonk, White River Electric in Meeker.

Serving as an alternate to complete the team if one of the others can’t make the trip is Nathaniel Pennell of Mountain View Electric in Limon and Falcon.

The team, which leaves the United States

July 31, will bring electricity to 72 homes, a school, a church and a health center. You can help the team also give the gift of clean water to each family and school supplies to each child. For only $35, you can provide a water filter and a pack filled with school supplies and kid-friendly items for those in this small village.

Visit crea.coop/community-outreach/ current-causes/ to donate to the project via PayPal. Or send a check made out to CEEI (CREA’s nonprofit entity) to 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216. Mention Guatemala on the memo line of the check.

We can all work together to bring light to a Guatemalan village.

Electricity Passes Gas! In 2020, more American households used electricity to heat their homes than used natural gas, according to a survey of residential energy use done by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

With 69 million households using electricity and only 58 million households using gas, this was the first time electricity exceeded natural gas for heating in the 40 years EIA has been doing the survey.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

crea.coop/sustainable-future

NEWS CLIPS

RANCH WATCH DESIGNED TO SAFEGUARD RURAL AREAS

P United States President Fast Tracks Transformers, Grid Components Domestic production of transformers and other electric grid components have been in short supply. In June, President Joe Biden granted emergency authority to the Department of Energy to suspend its efficiency rules on transformer manufacturers to allow increased production of these important products.

Biden signed orders allowing DOE to use the Defense Production Act to help manufacturers increase their output of transformers.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which has been bringing concerns about the supply chain to lawmakers’ attention, praised the president for this move.

“The Biden administration’s use of the Defense Production Act to shorten lead times for supplies of electric transformers is a much-needed step to support reliability and resilience,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson in a statement.

reventing criminal activities in rural counties is the focus of the Ranch Watch program. Designed by retired Rio Blanco County Sheriff Phil Stubblefield in 1994, the program protects land and livestock owners, small businesses and rural residents.

Signage warning criminals that the Ranch Watch program is in place are a big part of the program. The trademarked Ranch Watch “handcuffs with eyes” logo sends a visual message that the area is under the watchful eye of neighbors, community members and the local sheriff ’s department. Reminding would-be trespassers that others are watching has proven to be a deterrent to criminal activity.

Beyond the signage, the program includes: • An identification program for tack and equipment • Ranch GPS coordinates for emergency medical fly-in • A sheriff ’s webpage with information on fence, trespassing and livestock laws • Training for sheriff ’s deputies in livestock/equipment theft investigation and prevention Anyone interested in the Ranch Watch program should contact your local sheriff ’s department to start the program or receive permission for your organization to start the program in your county. For information, contact Ranch Watch at ranchwatch@juno.com.

POWER USE TO RISE AS ECONOMY GROWS New records in power use in the United States were forecast in 2022 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration in its June Short-term Energy Outlook.

Power demand is projected to rise to 4,010 billion kilowatt-hours during this year and then climb to 4,019 billion kWh in 2023. Those numbers are up significantly from 3,930 billion kWh just last year in 2021.

Previously, the all-time high recorded was 4,003 billion kWh in 2018.

The largest growth is projected in the industry sector. Residential power use is expected to hold steady.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

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COVER STORY

5th Generation Builds

rides to thrill Small Town Spin on BIG Fun

BY SUZIE ROMIG

Summer carnivals in Colorado wouldn’t be complete without a Wisdom Ride.

COVER STORY s the fifth-generation owner of a family-run business that helps people have fun, Jared Davis is one of those fortunate people who wakes up in the mornings loving his job.

did not generate the same passion for him, Davis began working full time at the family business at age 20.

Davis acquired the company in 2018 from his uncle, Victor Wisdom, who retired from overseeing the operations with his wife, Mai, and his sister Carol Wisdom-Silvey.

“I wake up every morning loving what I’m doing because I’m working with our customers who are the best in the world.

They are all family-oriented,” said Davis, 35, whose wife, Rachele, serves as vice president at Wisdom Rides.

Jared Davis, president of Wisdom Rides.

“This is my childhood. I grew up with my grandfather introducing me to the business, and that’s where my passion comes from,” said Davis, president of Wisdom Rides of America, located in the small town of Merino.

Wisdom Rides has manufactured kiddie, family and thrill rides in northeastern Colorado since 1969 and remains one of the leaders in the industry for rides for amusement parks, carnivals and family entertainment centers.

Starting in fourth grade as a helper for his grandfather, Jerry Wisdom, the first task for young Davis was changing lightbulbs in rides. Davis grew up working after school at Wisdom Rides. He’s worked many positions in the company through the years. After leaving for a few years to try other jobs that

This is my childhood. I grew up with my grandfather introducing me to the business, and that’s where my passion comes from.” ­— Jared Davis, president of Wisdom Rides of America

Rachele Davis, vice president of Wisdom Rides.

A FAMILY BUSINESS The origins of the amusement ride company date back more than a century to circa 1908 when previous generations of the family operated a traveling carnival business.

Through the decades, the family improved on the time and labor needed to take down and set up rides, and Jerry Wisdom later turned those innovations for moving trailer-mounted carnival rides into the successful company in Logan County.

Now, at the 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Merino — population 281 and located 12 miles southeast of Sterling — employees manufacture 45 rides made of steel, aluminum and fiberglass. Wisdom Rides also partners with other engineering and design firms and is expanding its product line to 158 unique items, Davis said.

The oldest ride still in production at the Merino facility is the long-time thriller

Gravitron, which has been upgraded and re-themed but still uses centrifugal force to float passengers off the floor for a feeling of weightlessness. The bestseller is the family ride, the Tornado, where passengers can spin the cars themselves while the ride cars lift and tilt.

The company’s newest ride, introduced to the market in February, is a 65-foot-tall Ferris wheel with a price tag of $550,000, Davis said. The mid-sized Ferris wheel can be disassembled and racked in 90 minutes by two employees, compared to comparable products that takes four people five hours to rack and be ready for travel.

“It’s the first thing in the industry that people have been excited about in probably 20 years. It’s new and innovative. It’s addressing every key concern our customers have for labor shortages,” Davis said.

Wisdom Rides also builds smaller 35-foot Ferris wheels that are popular for purchase by party rental companies. Two workers can set up the ride in 45 minutes.

The company designs and builds portable and permanent rides, repairs and refurbishes older rides, and has branched out to build agricultural equipment such as a new haystacker.

“Through COVID, we did a massive diversification. It was based off of survival,” Davis said. “Basically, when everybody else says no, we say yes, typically, and get the job done. What we do is very customized.”

Just as the company ownership has stayed within the family, employees at Wisdom enjoy the family atmosphere, and some stay with the company for decades. One employee recently retired after 46 years, and Mark Tonsing, accounts receivable manager, has worked there 42 years.

“I came out here for a summertime job,” Tonsing said. “They needed somebody to do some costing on some rides. I had just completed my associates degree in accounting and administration, and I never left.”

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

17

COVER STORY “It’s always been a fun job. I’ve always enjoyed it,” Tonsing said. “I’ve grown up here.

I don’t know if I could ever work for anybody else because I don’t know how to work for anybody except for family. They’ve been a family to me forever. We’ve all attended each other’s weddings and funerals. If somebody needed help, we’ve always pitched in.”

Calling himself a jack of all trades on the office side of duties at Wisdom Rides, Tonsing started working for the current owner’s grandparents, Jerry and Elaine Wisdom, whom he called “two of the nicest people you could ever meet.”

Jerry Wisdom, who died in 2003, was a former college football player who was

Mark Tonsing, accounts receivable manager, has worked at Wisdom Rides for 42 years.

“It’s always been a fun job. I’ve always enjoyed it. I’ve grown up here. I don’t know if could ever work for anybody else because I don’t know how to work for anybody except for family.

They’ve been a family to me forever. We’ve all attended each other’s weddings and funerals. If somebody needed help, we’ve always pitched in.”

­ Mark Tonsing, — accounts receivable manager of Wisdom Rides of America

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

known as a big man with a big heart. A city park in Sterling was named for him, and he was also posthumously honored with an Outdoor Amusement Business Association “Industry Pioneer Award” in 2011.

“I will never forget that man, how he stood by us and helped us through some difficult times. He was a true gentleman in every aspect of business,” Fred McDaniel of McDaniel Brothers Shows in New Jersey said of Jerry Wisdom.

McDaniel has worked in the amusement business for 37 years, owns six rides made

by Wisdom and has a 65-foot Ferris wheel currently on order. McDaniel said it has been a pleasure to work with three generations of Wisdom Rides owners, including Jerry Wisdom, Victor Wisdom and Jared Davis, calling them “down-to-earth and goodhearted people.”

“They are a top-notch family and great people to work with,” McDaniel said. “Jared is coming up with a lot of great ideas. He is continuing in the family tradition of being easy to work with and standing behind their work.”

Through the years, Wisdom Rides has built a wide variety of other original products for various companies such as displays for trade shows, custom advertising displays for major brands, and interactive street signs, Davis said.

“Anything that’s challenging; I’m not keen on run-of-the-mill jobs,” Davis said. “I want something that’s challenging and interesting for our staff and our production.”

MULTI-TALENTED STAFF The staff at Wisdom Rides is filled with multi-talented employees including artists.

To create a new design for an amusement ride’s display, an original mold is carved by hand out of wood or foam, and then a fiberglass mold is made. Then sheets of plastic are heated and laid on top of the three-dimensional fiberglass mold and placed in

a vacuum tank that sucks the air out from between the fiberglass and plastic.

The busy, well-equipped and well-organized manufacturing floor usually has up to eight rides in production. Customers normally order a year in advance, and the rides require six to eight months to manufacture. The crunch times for Wisdom Rides are winter and spring when employees are working toward completing and shipping orders before June 1, when carnival season goes into full swing.

On a Friday afternoon tour around the large manufacturing facility, the workplace is much quieter than normal because most of the employees usually take Friday afternoons off after working a long week. A team from Wisdom is getting ready to fly to Nigeria the next day for an installation. A Silverstreak Ride with a Music Express theme is almost ready to be shipped to St. Thomas. However, most of the company’s customers are in the U.S. and Europe.

The company, located on a 15-acre campus, makes most of the ride mechanisms but orders in tires, axles, electronic components, motors and gear boxes. Supply chain issues during the COVID-19 pandemic have been Davis’ biggest headaches. Items with electronic sensors or that require computer chips have been a struggle to get. Prices for steel, aluminum and hydraulic components have also increased dramatically.

Davis walks through the building wearing a white ball cap with a big red M on the front representing the town of Merino, for which he has served as mayor and a volunteer firefighter. The manufacturing space reminds guests of a series of interconnected airplane hangars, including some with ceilings up to 35 feet to accommodate the large rides. Davis points out specialized manufacturing equipment ranging from a plasma cutter that can slice through 3-inch steel to an 80,000-pound press break machine that can bend metal.

COVER STORY Even though it is Friday afternoon and supposed to be slower at the office, Davis excuses himself from the conversation to get back to work. He has a short line of people standing outside his office door waiting for his amusement expertise.

Employee shortages are plaguing Wisdom Rides, like they are for much of Colorado. Currently at 40 to 50 employees, Davis said he would love to double its workforce, including more workers in fabrication, assembly, electrical, administration, purchasing and warehousing. The company trains employees for jobs, and employees who work there usually live in Merino, Sterling, Fort Morgan and Brush.

Tonsing, who stays away from the spinning rides now that he is in his 60s, said most of the employees have a love of carnival rides. Testing the products is one fun perk of the job.

Employees on their travels often seek out carnivals in the field to watch their work in

action and see the smiling faces of people on the rides. As Tonsing noted, “Everybody likes to watch people enjoy themselves.”

Suzie Romig is a freelance writer from Steamboat Springs with 30 years of experience exploring the state of Colorado and elsewhere.

DEDICATED TO FUN Currently, the company’s business is about 70% portable amusement rides, 10% park or non-portable rides and 20% ride refurbishments. Even though Davis is decidedly and openly non-corporate, his business plan for next year is ambitious and could double and diversify production, depending on supply chain issues.

The fifth-generation business owner said the best part of his job is seeing the completed rides being appreciated by the public: “Seeing the end of the process, the product being enjoyed, that’s the best part for me.”

The names of the rides made by Wisdom sound like pure fun, with thrills and maybe a little queasiness added in the mix. Some of the rides include Spinning Coaster, Frog Hopper, Sizzler, Dive Bomber, Dragstrip, Raiders, Renegade, Squadron, Viper, Whirlwind, Windsurfer and Y Factor.

The company owner won’t divulge his personal favorite amusement ride.

“I love them all. I do not have a favorite; I really don’t. I appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into each product,” Davis said.

Work on a new ride continues inside a warehouse in the small town of Merino in northeastern Colorado.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

19

ENERGY CONNECTIONS

Supply Chain Challenges Electric Supply Co-ops Provide Solutions

BY DERRILL HOLLY

AND

KYLEE COLEMAN

K

eeping essential parts flowing is getting more challenging and expensive for Colorado’s distribution cooperatives pursuing their seasonal workplans or rebuilding their systems after major outages. But logistics and supply co-ops in Colorado and across the United States are finding creative solutions to help control costs and meet demand, even as they warn that stability in the supply chain could be many months away.

“The supply chain supporting the electric utility industry has been put to the test over the past 24 months due to an array of events,” Brighton-based Western United Electric Supply CEO Greg Mordini said. WUE, owned by electric cooperatives, serves co-ops in the states of Colorado, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

WUE is one of nine members of the Electric Utility Distribution Association. EUDA members are noting shortages of key items such as transformers, conductors, sectionalized three-phase cabinets used on distribution systems and meter sockets required to install new service.

Fort Morgan-based electric cooperative Morgan County Rural Electric Association has been feeling the increasing impacts of supply chain issues.

“Two of the most challenging products to get are currently meter sockets and transformers, many of which are over a year

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

The supply chain supporting the electric utility industry has been put to the test over the past 24 months due to an array of events.”

— Western United Electric Supply CEO Greg Mordini out on delivery,” MCREA Manager of Member Services Rob Baranowski said. “Also, some of the materials used to connect lines and equipment, and also secure lines to poles have become completely unavailable.”

The current transformer shortage is perpetuated by inadequate global manufacturing capacity and stalled delivery of raw materials. Mordini noted that steel used in transformer cores has limited annual production. Overhead and underground conductor producers initially had product available but were unable to ship due to shortages in wood and the reels they use to transport the supplies. “Furthermore, the February 2021 freeze and power grid failure in Texas paralyzed the plastics market and triggered a global shortage,” Mordini said.

ENERGY CONNECTIONS

Two of the most challenging products to get are currently meter sockets and transformers, many of which are over a year out on delivery.”

— MCREA Manager of Member Services Rob Baranowski However, proactive measures by WUE have helped provide its member cooperatives with good equipment and supply levels during these challenging times. Beginning in early 2020, WUE made a conscious effort to increase inventory and, even with the supply chain disruptions, has grown inventory by 55% as of this past February.

Distribution co-ops planned ahead, too. MCREA’s pole yard is currently fully stocked. “Just as WUE has increased inventory over the last year and a half, MCREA has been ordering ahead and increasing inventory ever since shortages were first noticed,” Baranowski reported. “This keeps the co-op’s material inventory up and the co-op remains ready to meet any rebuilding demands.”

Across the country, other EUDA members responded similarly to the way WUE did to supply challenges by broadening their vendor bases, turning to more manufacturers and encouraging others to expand their product lines. “We are getting letters

from manufacturers and their representatives about lead time extensions, price increases, shipping delays and production curtailments,” said Bret Curry, manager of sales for Little Rockbased Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. AECI is another member of EUDA noting spot shortages of key items such as transformers, fiberglass cross arms and threephase cabinets and meter sockets.

“You wouldn't think that something so simple as a piece of bent metal with a socket to hold a meter would be that difficult [to locate], but there is definitely a shortage of those,” Curry said.

“Challenges to this industry right now certainly give opportunities for those that are creative to get in the game.”

WUE chose to curtail sales to new customers and reserve material for its historical customer base. “Many of our manufacturing partners have followed suit, working only with established clients,” Mordini said. “This has led to a normalization in our market, not due to production increases or decreased demand, but rather manufacturers and distributors being focused on their core business partners.”

Current supply chain problems across the electric industry as a whole are the worst many industry veterans have seen in their careers. They compare them to temporary disruptions from previous major weather events that produced widespread damage across multiple regions.

Despite these challenges, creative solutions and product substitutions can help electric distribution co-ops maintain, build

Despite challenges, the yard at WUE in Brighton is filled with inventory for its member electric co-ops.

A WUE employee unloads recently delivered products in the co-op’s warehouse.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

21

ENERGY CONNECTIONS

A WUE truck picks up a trailer filled with spools of conductor bound for a co-op.

and expand their systems, Baranowski said, “For projects where meter socket orders would create delays, crews now often install underground wire to a ground-mounted meter pedestal.” He explained that’s not the only thing the co-op has recently modified.

“We have also received requests for design changes allowing co-op consumer-members to buy their own transformer.”

While EUDA members don’t think supply and delivery challenges will last forever, most agree that is for the foreseeable future, continued planning may help co-op’s limit disruptions to their members. “MCREA consumer-members have remained understanding during these supply-chain challenges,” Baranowski

said. “Our engineering department communicates directly with members requesting new services about expected project time frames, current delays and potential material substitutions.”

“Western United’s strong partnership with manufacturers throughout the industry and our commitment to placing the highest priority on our membership ensures we are in the best position to support our cooperative members throughout this challenging period,” Mordini concluded.

Derrill Holly writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association. Kylee Coleman is the editorial assistant for Colorado Country Life magazine and writes about Colorado electric co-op news for CREA.

JOIN THE JOURNEY Give the gift of clean water + a backpack to Guatemalan families and children!

Adults and children in the isolated mountainous village of La Montanita de la Virgen in Guatemala are currently in the dark. The village has never had access to electricity before, but its story will soon change. The ColoradoOklahoma Energy Trails team returns this August to Guatemala to bring power to this village. Show your support and help the local families by making a donation today.

To give online: Visit crea.coop/communityoutreach/current-causes.

To send a check: Make it payable to Colorado Electric Educational Institute with School Supplies on the memo line and mail it to CREA/Guatemala 5400 Washington St. Denver, CO 80216

Colorado’s electric cooperatives established the 501(c)3 not-for-profit, CEEI, to support causes like this. All contributions are tax-deductible. Visit crea.coop/community-outreach/current-causes to learn more.

This project was made possible by NRECA International, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, whose mission is to increase individual and community access to electricity in all parts of the world.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

GARDENING

Take the Sting Out of Gardening Keep bugs from bugging you this summer

BY VICKI SPENCER

MASTER GARDENER | GARDENING@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG

I

n all my years gardening, I never had an insect bite until last summer. Actually, I was walking around admiring the roses when I decided to scoop up some leaves that collected at the base of one bush. Suddenly, I felt a sharp sting. Assuming I had been pricked by a thorn, I didn’t think much of it, other than I should have known better than to tend roses with my bare hands.

Within a short time, my hand was throbbing with pain; it started to swell; and the redness around the wound was spreading toward my wrist. Home remedies didn’t help. It was time to call the doctor.

Apparently, it was an insect bite. The symptoms subsided after a week of antibiotics, but the pain lasted much longer and I had difficulty bending my knuckles for months. This taught me a valuable lesson.

Insects and spiders can be beneficial to gardens, but they also pose risks to us, so it is better to take precautions than to try to eliminate them altogether. Begin by learning what you might encounter and then making a habit of surveying the yard for potential dangers before gardening.

Look high and low. Ants help aerate the soil, pollinate flowers, distribute seeds and get rid of caterpillars, but they might sting if you disturb their nests. Bees, a favorite pollinator, may nest in the soil while hornets and wasps build nests on a wide variety of structures. Like ants, they don’t tend to bother you unless they feel threatened. If you have a known allergy, keep your epinephrine injection kit handy. If you aren’t aware of an allergy but have an unexpected reaction, seek immediate medical attention.

Spiders benefit the garden by eliminating moths, thrips and cucumber beetles, but they might bite if threatened. Garden spiders, as their name suggests, are found in gardens. They are not aggressive and their bites are harmless. By contrast, the bite of hobo spiders, which are typically found under rocks or in other dark places, might cause headaches, lesions or blisters. Yellow sac spiders are poisonous. Their bites can cause lesions and require immediate medical attention. These distinctions are why it’s important to become familiar with the spiders commonly found in Colorado.

Ticks are an insect not considered beneficial to gardens. Their habitat is in higher elevation woody and grassy areas where they can feed on mammals and rodents. We don’t normally encounter ticks in large cities, but they can be found under leaves and around stone walls and woodpiles. Like the common mosquito, they carry diseases that can kill, paralyze or seriously infect people and animals.

One of your best defenses is to wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Wear a hat and gardening gloves and then spray insect repellent on your clothing and exposed skin. While DEET used to be popular, many people now prefer natural repellents.

You can find different options at the store or make your own from crushed parsley and apple cider vinegar or a combination of lemon and eucalyptus oil. These tips should help keep bugs from bugging you during 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.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

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othing says summer to me like fireworks, hot dogs and sittin’ by the crick dangling a bobber and a worm under an old cane pole. Of course, that was back in the day when cane poles were about all a 10-year-old could afford, and crick-sittin’ was highly regarded summertime fun. That also took place back East where we had more than our fair share of “cricks.”

There was a whole lot more to crick-sittin’ than just lying in the grass waiting for a bluegill to make your bobber bounce, though. There were snakes and frogs to catch, trees to climb, tin cans to shoot with our BB guns, and a hundred other things guaranteed to keep a bunch of boys busy ’til sundown, after which we’d switch to chasing fireflies or choosing up sides for a game of Ringolevio (Ringolevio is much more fun when played in the dark). Some nights we’d light a kerosene lantern or build a small, stick fire and pull an all-nighter on the crick for bullheads, carp or catfish. But mostly, it was the bluegills, perch and crappies that defined our summer fishing adventures.

Cane poles have all but disappeared from modern tackle shops, and we don’t have many warm-water creeks in Colorado, so crick-sittin’ isn’t very popular here, but bluegills are as much fun today as they ever were and can be found in just about every farm pond, irrigation reservoir or abandoned gravel pit in the state. They may be stunted, though; sunfish are prolific spawners and their numbers need to be kept in check.

They’ll lay eggs all summer long if the water temperature stays in the 67-to-80-degree range. Bigger fish will eat bluegill fry (newborn bluegill) and thin them out, so look for a lake or pond with bass, crappies or catfish in it, and you’ll likely find some big bluegills in there, too. An average bluegill is about 6 to 8 inches long and a “nice” one will tape 8 or 9 inches.

Anything over 10 inches is considered big. I’ve heard there are some nice ones in Boyd Lake in Loveland and Horsetooth Reservoir near Fort Collins. I’m also told Pueblo Reservoir and the Sawhill Ponds near Boulder hold some big ones.

Bluegills usually colonize in shallow water near weed beds or docks where they are easily seen (and caught), but the big ones will almost always be found in deep water. You can catch them using use small jigs or spoons on ultra-light spinning gear or a fly rod rigged with a sink tip line and weighted flies to get down deep. You could also dangle a worm beneath a bobber and a cane pole — if you can find one.

Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally. He lives in Loveland.

Learn more at crea.coop/sustainable-future

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

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FOCUS ON FUN

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Grand Lake Selected as a preferred destination for weekend visitors or for people searching for their next waterside residence, Grand Lake was ranked No. 4 on Boatline’s list of the best lake towns in the United States. Grand Lake, a picturesque waterfront haven in the mountains, features just as much to do on land as it does in the water.

Much-to-do downtown If you’re visiting Grand Lake in the heat of the summer but you’re hesitant to play in the 65-degree water, there is no shortage of other activities. Stay outdoors and have fun with go-karts, mini golf, horseback riding and ATV tours. Are indoor activities more your speed? Enjoy strolling along the charming downtown boardwalk.

There, you’ll find locally-owned gift shops, clothing boutiques, jewelers, lots of dining options and several shops where you can cool off with an ice cream cone.

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PLAN YOUR VISIT

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

The main attraction Located just one block from the muchto-see, much-to-do downtown, the public beach at the lake is a main attraction. This time of year, visitors swim, boat, paddle, fish, sunbathe and picnic along its shores. You’ll see pontoon boats, sailboats, fishing boats, pedal boats and sport boats all cutting through the blue waters of the lake, surrounded by stunning views of the sky-reaching hills of lush green forest. It’s also the perfect place for kayaking and canoeing, and there’s ample opportunity for stand-up paddleboarding either on your own or by way of a tour.

Grand Lake is a glorious and can’t-miss summer destination for Coloradans and out-ofstate visitors alike. For more information about Grand Lake and to plan your next trip, visit gograndlake.com.

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READER POETRY Out of Control I have a horse Cody is her name She taught me much To her I’ll blame She likes to do her own thing Out in the pasture we rode Headed to the barn we did go I did not give her the lead Cody merely took it from me

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Like a flash of lighting We did fly Never touching the ground What a high!

My heart beating fast Exhilaration I did feel So out of control it was surreal!

Tried so hard to pull back on the reins Only to feel the grounds’ rocks Once again What a thrill at the time I could have been killed That wasn’t God’s time or plan For I lived to tell the story once again A valuable lesson Of which Cody gets the blame A mare out of control is a VERY DANGEROUS thing!

Horses and people are much the same.

Renee Budde, Lakewood COLORADO!

Western Rain Trumpeting droplets Across the mesa.

The plowing storm rambles Toward tomorrow.

Golden crowned clouds gliding Over the summit.

Seeds sown in the wetted green.

A mare dances Across the windswept meadow.

Suddenly, the heavens open To a deeper blue.

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DO YOU WRITE POETRY? Submit your best works to our Reader Engagement page at coloradocountrylife.coop or send via email to info@coloradocountrylife.org.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

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Genevieve Babyak takes her copy of CCL on a cruise in Cozumel, Mexico. Babyak is a Poudre Valley REA consumer-member.

WINNER: A 3-year-old boy’s dream come true!

Brooks Hunter meets “Railroad Dave” while he visits the Moffat Railroad Museum in Granby. Hunter is from Wellington, a Poudre Valley REA consumermember.

family barbecue where our niece had just gotten a new trampoline and the kids were jumping on it. We overheard them talking to each other as they were bouncing up and down. Our nephew was getting frustrated from being shocked repeatedly and so he sat down to remove his socks. While doing so, he said, “I wish God didn’t invent static electricity.” Then our niece replied, “He didn’t. Benjamin Franklin did.”

S.R., Pueblo San Isabel Electric consumer-member

My 7–year-old plays an online

William and Chris Power visit Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely, Nevada. The Powers are consumer-members of Sangre de Cristo Electric Association.

game with her aunt for a couple hours every Sunday. On the last Sunday of June, they were logging off and her aunt told her she’d play with her again next weekend. My daughter started crying and I asked her, “What’s wrong?” She said, “There are no more weekends!” I hadn’t switched the calendar to July yet, so she thought that was the last weekend there was.

Lauren Rains, Ramah Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member

My daughter was having a visit

Laura Lucero, a Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member, stands with her copy of CCL at the Brownwood Paddock Square at the Villages in Florida.

Cathy Jones visits Paniau Cove on the Big Island of Hawaii. Jones is a consumer-member of Gunnison County Electric Association.

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 submit it on our Reader Engagement page at coloradocountrylife. coop. We’ll draw one photo to win $25 each month. The next deadline is Friday, July 15. Name, address and co-op must accompany photo. See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at facebook.com/COCountryLife.

with her 3-year-old twin grandsons. She was using Skype on her phone. The grandkids’ phone accidentally fell on the floor and the boys ran to pick it up. They were very concerned looking at the phone, asking, “Grammy, are you ok?” thinking she had literally fallen down. There’s still compassion in this world.

Genevieve Haponenko, Pueblo West San Isabel Electric consumer-member

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. Go to our Reader Engagement page at coloradocountrylife.coop to submit your funny story.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

29

DISCOVERIES

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Settle into your backyard and get lost in the pages of a gripping novel. When you order your book through Sweet Reads Box, you get the added bonus of a tasty treat and re f re s h m e n t alongside fun, theme-based souvenirs to help you escape the world around you. Previous themes include “Black Cake Book Box,” “The Maid Book Box” and “The Music of Bees Book Box.” Try it for one month, three months, six months or a year. Information at us.sweetreadsbox.com.

Absorb the beauty of your backyard while soaking up the delicate jangle of Fettle & Fire’s hanging chimes. The Longmont-based company is run by Lindsey Bricker, who took her love of pottery to open a full-time business at her studio on Kimbark Street in 2019.

Today, her colorful clay trinkets create an inviting environment for spaces of all sorts. Bricker recommends at least two strands to get the most out of your chimes. More information at fettleandfire.com.

Photo provided by Sweet Reads Box.

Flock Around the Fire If you want a backyard gathering around a tranquil fire but don’t want the burning bouquet on your clothing, try a gel fuel option. Based in Colorado Springs, Baby Fire Pits offers smokeless, odorless and non-toxic fire pits that are not only warming but also make attractive centerpieces with their intricate copper and steel design elements. Colorado-centric designs include “Spruce Forest” and “Rocky Mountain Black Bear” so you can further express your Centennial State pride.

More information at babyfirepits.com.

Putt Your Skills to the Test Have a friendly competition with your comrades with a round of Shuffle Golf — a fun, interactive game that combines shuffleboard and miniature golf for nonstop entertainment. Challenging, yet simple to learn, the Centennial-based company has received a variety of accolades, including by ABC News Tonight and Denver 7 News. What’s more, the company’s founder, Jeff Storey, donated 100 games to the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic and plans to donate many more by year’s end. Information at i-playllc.com.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE JULY 2022

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