Colorado Country Life December 2021 Grand Valley

GRAND VALLEY POWER

DECEMBER 2021

Christmas Rails on the

PLUS 11

FA-LA-LA-LA FUDGE DESSERTS

22

GIFTS FROM THE GARDEN

24

“TEAL” WE EAT AGAIN

Advanced Technology Allows Macular Degeneration Patients To See Again And Allows Many Low Vision Patients To Drive Again While there is currently no cure, promising research is being done on many fronts. everything and anything possible to keep a person functioning,” says Dr. Stamm, “Even if it’s driving.”

A scene as it might be viewed by a person with age-related macular degeneration

For many patients with macular degeneration and other visionrelated conditions, the loss of central visual detail also signals the end to one of the last bastions of independence driving. Colorado optometrist, Dr. Robert Stamm is using miniaturized telescopes which are mounted in glasses to help people who have lost vision from macular degeneration and other eye conditions.

“Some of my patients consider me their last chance for people who have vision loss,” said Dr. Stamm, one of only a few doctors in the world who specializes in fitting bioptic

Same scene of rancher as viewed by a person without macular degeneration

telescopes to help those who have lost vision due to macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases.

Imagine a pair of glasses that can improve your vision enough to change your life.

Bioptic telescopes may be the breakthrough in optical technology that will give you back your independence.

Patients with vision in the 20/200 range can many times be improved to 20/50.

Bioptic telescopes treat both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration as well as other vision limiting conditions.

bioptic telescope is that the lens automatically focuses on whatever you’re looking at,” said Dr. Stamm. “It’s like a self-focusing camera, but much more precise.”

For more information and to schedule an appointment today, call:

Robert Stamm, O.D. Low Vision Optometrist Member IALVS Offices Throughout South Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska

Toll Free:

(877) 393-0025

www.ColoradoLowVisionDoctor.com

Volume 52

Number 12

December 2021 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 advertising@coloradocountrylife.org 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 2021, 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

On the Cover DECEMBER 2021

Christmas Rails on the

Dave Naples sits in front of the Christmas train display at the Moffat Road Railroad Museum in Granby.

Photo by Dave Neligh.

coloradocountrylife.coop

“Father and Son Having Fun” by Craig Harbaugh, a consumer-member of Sangre de Cristo Electric Association. Craig entered the 2019 CCL Photo Contest. Deadline for the 2022 “Life’s Expressions” Photo Contest is December 17. To enter, visit coloradocountrylife.coop/2022-photo-contest.

4 VIEWPOINT

5 LETTERS

6 ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT

7 YOUR CO-OP NEWS

11 RECIPES

14 NEWS CLIPS

16 COVER STORY

PINTEREST SNEAK PEEK COCountryLife pinned: Make the holidays sweeter with this Dreamy Chocolate Mousse recipe. Get this and other great holiday recipes on our Pinterest page at pinterest.com/cocountrylife.

CHRISTMAS ON THE RAILS

20 ENERGY CONNECTIONS

22 GARDENING

24 OUTDOORS

26 MARKETPLACE

27 FOCUS ON

29 YOUR STORIES

30 DISCOVERIES

FACEBOOK CHATTER Colorado Rural Electric Association posted: Headed out into the woods to hunt your favorite game?

Whether you’re in a tree stand, hunched in a blind, or nestled up against a tree, stay safe using these safety tips: tinyurl.com/y58a3ea8.

Monthly Contest The perfect gift for the gardener in your life. Enter our December contest for a chance to win a Roo Apron. This cotton smock is great for collecting vegetables or weeds and features a rope tie that you can empty the apron from the bottom. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop and click on the Contests tab to find out how to enter.

FACEBOOK CHATTER Colorado Country Life posted: You deserve to celebrate #NationalCupcakeDay and CCL has you covered with a recipe that is sure to please even the most discerning cupcake lover in your life. Make some tonight! Get the recipe at coloradocountrylife. coop/recipe/white-cupcakes/ COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

3

VIEWPOINT

A SIMPLER CHRISTMAS

Don’t let the Supply Chain Grinch steal this season’s joy

BY KENT SINGER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

T

here have been many stories in the news recently describing how the U.S. supply chain for consumer goods is broken: ports jammed, ships parked at sea, trucks idled for lack of drivers.

The supply chain problems are not only interfering with everyday commerce, but they’re also causing folks to be concerned about how the Christmas holidays will be impacted. Some recent headlines tell the story:

“Christmas At Risk as Supply Chain Disaster Only Gets Worse” “How the Global Supply Chain Might Ruin Christmas” “Christmas Lights Need a Supply Chain Miracle” Now, I enjoy giving and receiving Christmas gifts as much as anyone, but perhaps we need to adjust our expectations this holiday season. Maybe we should embrace this supply chain hiccup as an opportunity, not a problem. Maybe, just maybe, we should rethink how we celebrate Christmas (or any other holiday you celebrate this time of year).

Guys You know you’re going to procrastinate this year just like every year and start looking for a present for your wife or significant other on December 24. Remember, there’s a supply chain problem and the pickings that have always been slim on December 24 will be nonexistent this year.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

Here’s a suggestion. Instead of a gift, tell your wife/SO that you’re taking care of Christmas dinner this year. Yes, that means the menu planning, the shopping, the cooking (including the figgy pudding), the serving, the cleanup — the whole enchilada.

Hopefully, you’ll be hosting 10 or fewer people, but you’re in no matter what: the only role your wife will play is to refill your wine glass and be your gravy consultant.

And before you even go there, reservations at The Olive Garden do not count. I guarantee this will be a better gift than that talking reindeer Christmas sweater you bought at Home Depot last year.

Gals If your husband/SO follows through on the gift described above well, first, it should restore your faith in Christmas miracles.

Second, your part of the bargain is this: He gets to spend the afternoon of Christmas Day in front of the TV watching not one but two NFL games.

The Broncos aren’t playing that day, but some actual playoff contenders will be featured (apologies, Broncos fans): the Cleveland Browns against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field and the Indianapolis Colts against the Arizona Cardinals. (I pray for a snowstorm at Lambeau; really, is there anything more entertaining than watching those cheddarhelmeted Packers fans root for their boys fighting it out on the frozen tundra while you enjoy a hot cocoa on the couch?)

Kudos to you if you are a little more ambitious on Christmas Day and plan to do a little ice climbing or skijoring (gotta love Colorado), but it’s just fine if you want to

KENT SINGER

limit your aerobic activity to yelling at Terry Bradshaw. Ladies, you might even interrupt his nap, er, the game, with a turkey sandwich around 3 p.m. Best. Christmas. Ever.

Kids Try to keep your wish list to a minimum this year. Honestly, you have enough stuff already. Your parents also don’t need much from you other than your promise to put away the screens for one 12-hour period.

There’s nothing on Instagram that won’t wait a day and there are no text messages from friends that are as important as talking to your siblings and parents.

You also might think about whether you have a neighbor who needs to have their walk shoveled or someone to take them to the grocery store. Or maybe you could spend a few hours serving meals at a local church or homeless shelter. Doing something for someone else will be the best gift you give yourself.

So, there’s no reason to let the Supply Chain Grinch steal your Christmas this year. After all, Christmas is not about the latest iPhone — it’s about getting together with friends and family and celebrating the simple joys of the season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at CREA and your local electric cooperative!

Kent Singer is the executive director of CREA 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

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Tracking Disappointment

Serendipitous discoveries beyond the tracks

BY MONA NEELEY

EDITOR

W

hat is it about model train displays? I’ve been MONA NEELEY fascinated by them since my brother got his first HO-sized train set; he and Dad spent hours setting up the tracks on a 4-by-8foot sheet of plywood in his bedroom.

There is something about those little trains moving around the tracks, but I’m also drawn to the miniature villages and landscapes that are built in and around model train tracks.

The Christmas train display featured in this month’s cover story is no exception.

It’s a huge layout with lots of tiny stories happening throughout. It’s fun to take the time to look at each of them; you never know what surprises you’ll find.

I remember another model train layout that I was slowly surveying when I saw it: a miniature BMW Isetta 300, the same car I learned to drive in. Kind of a predecessor to today’s smart car, this German import had one bench seat and the front of the car opened as the car’s only door.

I never see these cars anymore, so it was a surprise to find one tucked in along one of the miniature streets in the train display. It made me smile and brought back great memories.

And that’s what I wish for you: a holiday season filled with serendipitous surprises.

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.

*Custom Ponderosa Pictured

When I received my September issue on September 2 and saw a highlight about the Big Boy train in Colorado, it really got my attention, being a fan of the old steam engines. I was looking forward to seeing the world’s largest operational steam engine.

Then I read the story. Imagine my disappointment to find out that it was only going to be in Denver over Labor Day weekend and departing at 8 a.m. Tuesday, September 7. Maybe this is enough notice for Denver residents to make plans, but it is not enough time for the rest of the state to make travel plans.

I think somebody dropped the ball.

Thanks for the story to remind me of what I missed.

Gary King, Dolores Empire Electric consumer-member

Missing Trench Safety

I was looking over the latest edition (October ’21) and saw a disturbing sight on page 6 (Ask the Energy Expert). While it is hard to tell exactly how deep the trench is in the photo, it does appear that the person is crouched down below the surface.

While a trench box may not have been needed given the exact circumstances, it would probably be better to ensure that all photos show the highest levels of safety for workers. Digging a bit more and sloping the sides isn’t a lot of fun because of the extra work, but the potential consequences of a collapse can be dire.

Leif Bothun, Platteville EDITOR’S NOTE: It is always good to remind readers of safety procedures. When trenching, the sides of the trench should be cut back 1.5 times wider than the depth of the trench. This photo shows no slope at all.

SEND US YOUR LETTERS

BUILDING QUALITY CUSTOM MULTIFAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES SINCE 1978.

WWW.HHOFNE.COM | 402-375-4770

Editor Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or mneeley@ coloradocountrylife.org. Include name and address. Letters may be edited for length.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT

Where to Find the Most Home Energy Savings

BY PAT KEEGAN AND BR AD THIESSEN

T

Congrats to the November contest winners!

Danielle Pelton Karen Skipp Barbara Boltjes Beverly Shelden Tracy Morgan Jacob Pelton Julie Sauter Anthony Lochmandy Jennifer Birdsall Deb Mahlberg Sheryl Ziegler Mike O’Donnell Sandy Rinks Daniel Boone Judy Reeve Diane Dea Thomas Tracey Cheryl Sims Roger France Christy Kopp

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Joan Koman Sandie Biggs Penny Skinner Constadina Vasiliades Teresa Dower Tara Weller Julie Brockett Patti Clarke Marc Darby Vicki Vafeades-St.Croix Andrew Miller Timothy Wilhelm Linda Young Karen Bonney Ramona Olszewski Sue Keefer Julie Susemihl Christy Smith Kay Kenfield Karen Yokomizo-Burton

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

here are many products and services that claim to provide maximum energy efficiency, so it can be challenging to know where to start identifying areas of your home to save energy and money. Fortunately, our monthly bills can help identify these areas.

For the vast majority of homes, the months that require the most energy use are in the winter and summer when temperatures are most extreme. Total your average energy use for the months when you use the most energy, then subtract the average amount you use during “shoulder months,” when you’re barely using your heating or cooling system, typically during fall and spring.

The most likely reason for the difference in energy use is heating and cooling your home.

If someone says switching to a new heating or cooling system could save you 20%, they likely mean you can save 20% on heating or cooling costs, which are a portion of your overall energy costs.

Every home is different. For example, there’s a small percentage of homes that include uncommon energy uses like a well pump, swimming pool or a home business that requires more energy than heating or cooling. But typically, heating and cooling your home are by far the largest energy uses.

Sealing air leaks is often the least expensive energy-saving measure that delivers the most bang for your buck. The second most cost-effective way to cut heating and cooling costs depends on your situation.

If you have an older propane or oil furnace, replacing it with an energy-efficient heat pump might be your best investment. If you already have a relatively efficient furnace or air conditioning unit, insulating your attic could be the next most cost-effective measure, followed by insulating exterior walls or the crawl space or basement.

Replacing windows can be a costly project, making it difficult to justify solely based on potential energy savings. If your windows are old and leaky, it could be worth the investment.

Do your research up-front so you fully understand the costs of the project.

We hope this information will help you start to identify areas to save energy at home.

Consider enlisting the help of an energy LEARN auditor who can provide an overall assessMORE ONLINE ment of your home’s efficiency.

Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency about ways to save on home energy. Click on write on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Energy Tips under the Energy tab.

Electric Cooperative Association.

RECIPES

Fa-La-La-La Fudge!

Make the holidays sweeter with delightful desserts

BY AMY HIGGINS

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

| RECIPES@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

Beloved Holiday Treats

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n our May 2021 magazine, we featured tempting Taco Tuesday recipes from Highlands Ranch’s Lea Ann Brown, the brainchild behind the blog “Cooking on the Ranch.” This month, the chef shows off her dessert skills with delectable fudge, a favorite in her family for generations. In fact, her mother boxed the beloved treat for the holidays as a gift offering for all her loved ones, and Brown won a division sweepstakes with this recipe at the Kansas State Fair. But don’t take our word for it — give this recipe a go and perhaps your great-grandchildren will one day look back at the holidays with you in mind.

Award-Winning Old-Fashioned Fudge 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) 4 1/2 cups sugar 12 ounces evaporated milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 12 ounces milk chocolate chips 14 ounces marshmallow creme 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Mix butter, sugar and milk in saucepan. Turn heat on high. Continually stir and bring to rolling boil.

Continue stirring for about 5 minutes or until it gets to a “soft ball” stage (234 to 242 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat; stir in the vanilla, chocolate chips, and marshmallow creme. Mix until well-blended, then add nuts. Pour into a buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Cool and cut into squares.

Note: “Soft ball” stage means that when you drop a small amount of the candy liquid into a cold cup of water, it will form into soft ball.

Recipe provided by Lea Ann Brown, highlandsranchfoodie.com

Try this mouthwatering

A Family Tradition “The recipe has been passed down from my greatgreat-grandmother to my grandmother and to my aunts. Now it’s up to us kids to keep this recipe alive and well. It’s an old-fashioned fudge with evaporated milk and marshmallow creme. It’s easy to make and always a crowd pleaser.”

Peanut Butter Saltine Candy this

holiday season.

Get the recipe at coloradocountrylife.coop.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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YOUR CO-OP NEWS

COST-OF-SERVICE STUDY EXPLAINED

BY TOM WALCH

I

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

n our November issue, I discussed inflation and the rising costs that electric cooperatives, such as Grand Valley Power, are facing. All operations of an electric cooperative are funded through the rates paid by the members. As a not-forprofit, member-owned business serving Western Slope communities, GVP has two primary objectives.

The first is to provide safe, reliable and affordable service to the members. The second objective is to maintain sound financial operations that satisfy the requirements of our lenders.

This past summer, GVP commissioned a cost-of-service study conducted by a thirdparty provider, GDS Associates, Inc. The cost-of-service study is an independent analysis used to determine the actual cost to provide electric service to our members.

The study reviews the current rate design to see if costs are recovered as they are incurred. As with any organization or business, there are fixed costs and variable costs.

It is important that fixed costs are recovered through fixed charges (your basic monthly service charge) and variable costs (such as energy use) are recovered through the variable energy charges on the monthly bill.

GVP’s rate tariffs are designed to recover our costs to purchase power from Xcel Energy as well as the expenses we incur distributing that power to consumers. Our goal is to develop rates that recover costs as

fairly and equitably as possible. A cost-ofservice study considers all of GVP’s costs and allocates those costs to the various rate classes using established industry standards.

The recommended rates that flow out of a cost-of-service study are often called “costbased” rates.

The study seeks to balance cost recovery among customer classes, with a goal of minimizing one class subsidizing the others.

As noted last month, our last cost-of-service study was completed over eight years ago. The new study has indicated that, with projected future wholesale power costs increasing along with growing costs to build and maintain a resilient and sustainable power supply, we will have to undergo a rate restructure in 2022.

Future energy costs are still uncertain.

Laws and regulations seeking to advance a clean energy future, from both state and federal policymakers, continue to drive reduction in carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, integrating clean power sources and adopting beneficial electrification technologies — all at a cost. Xcel Energy has signaled an increase in our future power supply bills. Since purchased power accounts for approximately 54% of GVP’s annual costs, any adoptions made by Xcel Energy toward infrastructure and supply could substantially impact our rates.

TOM WALCH

Our board of directors will consider the cost-of-service study, as well as management recommendations, and decide this winter on the rate adjustment needed for 2022. As always, the objective will be delivering reliable and affordable power while providing exceptional customer service at the lowest possible cost.

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, CO 81502, or send an email to twalch@gvp.org. Visit our website at gvp.org.

BOARD MEETING NOTICE Grand Valley Power board meetings are open to members, consumers and the 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, CO. The monthly agenda is posted in the lobby of the headquarters building 10 days before each meeting and is also posted on the GVP website. If anyone desires to address the board of directors, please let us know in advance by calling 970-242-0040, and you will be placed on the agenda.

YOU GET THE CREDIT!

Check your mailbox this December! Our board of directors has approved to retire (pay) over $1.4 million in CashBack Credits this year.

gvp.org/CashBackCredits

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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YOUR CO-OP NEWS

DECK THE HALLS SAFELY

T

here’s nothing like putting up lights and decorations to get you in the holiday spirit. It’s something that many of us do each and every year without incident, yet the holidays are also one of the most hazardous times of the year when it comes to electrical fires and accidents.

We at Grand Valley Power and our friends at Safe Electricity offer several tips as you deck the halls this season: • When decorating outside, look up and around for power lines. Never throw lights or other decorations into trees near power lines.

• Keep ladders, equipment, and yourself at least 10 feet from power lines.

• Match plugs with outlets. Do not force a three-pronged plug into a two-pronged outlet or extension cord.

• Outside, use only lights, cords, animated displays and decorations rated for outdoor use. Follow manufacturers’ instructions on how to use them. Ensure outdoor outlets and extension cords are equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) • Never string more strands of lights together than recommended by the manufacturer.

• Do not staple or nail through light strings or electrical cords. Use plastic or insulated hooks to hang lights.

• Do not attach cords to utility poles.

The outside of your home is not the only place where you need to be cautious of electrical dangers. Use care when placing and decorating trees inside your home. Place freshly-cut and artificial trees away from heat sources such as registers, fireplaces and radiators and water a freshly-cut tree frequently. And don’t forget to turn the tree lights off before you go to sleep — using a timer can help.

Grand Valley Power wishes you and your family a safe and happy holiday season. For more information on holiday safety tips visit gvp.org/energy-efficiency.

TOYS FOR TOTS DROP OFF YOUR NEW, UNWRAPPED TOYS THROUGH DECEMBER 7

GRAND VALLEY POWER 845 22 ROAD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81505 MON-FRI FROM 8 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Consider LED lights when replacing old light strands.

LEDs use 80 to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs.

That's a savings of up to $3.00 per strand of bulbs*! *Estimated savings calculations are based on running lights five hours a day for 30 days and are based on GVP's cost of 10.58 cents per kilowatt-hour, as of December.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

YOUR CO-OP NEWS

5 MYTHS ABOUT APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

BY DANA POGAR

H

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

ere’s the fact: Applying for scholarships can be timeconsuming and overwhelming.

There’s a variety of information and myths surrounding scholarships and your next steps toward college. Grand Valley Power has a longstanding and robust scholarship program and we are here to help you navigate the application process. So, let’s bust the top five most common misconceptions when applying for scholarships.

Myth #1: You must be an “A” student to receive a scholarship.

Wrong. Of course, academic performance is considered in GVP’s scholarship selection process. However, grades and test scores don’t always give a full picture of a student.

Scholarship applications are graded based on a variety of qualities, such as financial need, school and community involvement, chosen career path and much more. Don’t allow one bad grade on your transcript discourage you from applying for this oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.

Myth #2: You must be a high school student to receive a scholarship.

False. Whether you are a traditional graduating high school senior or a parent looking to go back to school in order to change career fields, we have a

scholarship for you. To apply to GVP’s scholarship program, you must submit a completed application that includes an official transcript from the last high school or college attended, two letters of recommendation and a typed essay on why you should be awarded this opportunity.

The time it would take you to complete your essay is equivalent to watching three episodes of your favorite Netflix series.

Myth #3: Scholarship competition is too intense. I shouldn’t bother applying.

Not true. This is one of the many benefits of being a member of a rural electric cooperative. The competition for scholarships is much less in a hometown community when compared to a larger city or national programs. GVP’s scholarship program is reserved for cooperative members only, with the exception of the Western Colorado Community College Electric Lineworker scholarship — this scholarship is available to any Mesa County resident pursuing a career in the lineworker industry.

Myth #4: You must be a great essay writer to receive a scholarship.

Grand Valley Power requires all applicants to submit a 500-word essay describing current community and leadership

DANA POGAR

involvement, extracurricular activities and why the student should receive a scholarship. Although the scholarship selection committee looks for proficient writing skills, they often take a closer look at the “meat” of the essay. This means we want to get to know you. Tell us about your time as a student and what makes you stand out above all the rest.

Myth #5: Scholarship applications are too much work for the results.

Some scholarship applications can be very daunting. And when competing with thousands of students, it can seem pointless.

However, GVP makes applying for scholarships easy to help applicants avoid the anxiety of having a big competition — that’s a benefit of being a hometown student.

We just busted the top five misconceptions and it’s time to start your future NOW. Grand Valley Power is accepting scholarship applications through March 1, 2022.

For more information and to apply, visit gvp.org/scholarship-program.

Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) - CLOSED

December 7 -Toys For Tots Drop-Off Closes

Christmas Day Observed (Dec. 27) - CLOSED

December 11 - Fruita Winter Wonderland Parade of Lights & Tree Lighting

New Years Day Observed (Dec. 31) - CLOSED

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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YOUR CO-OP NEWS

Sandeen-Hall Achieves Board Credential

BY CHRISTMAS WHARTON, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Carolyn Sandeen-Hall, Board President of Grand Valley Power, recently received the Board Leadership Certificate (BLC) from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) which recognizes individuals who continue their electric cooperative professional development. The BLC is the next step in advancing the knowledge and experience directors need to govern the cooperative effectively.

LINE CREW

POV

Preston Dillingham, GVP Lineman, recently shared his point of view (POV) from up top on the Grand Mesa after a recent snowfall in October - the first snow of the year! His POV was submitted by his father, Clint, and family friend, George.

@PrestonDillingham

Carolyn Sandeen-Hall has been on the board since 2016. Carolyn serves as the current board president. Her completion of this Credential program demonstrates her strong commitment and ongoing preparation to serve our members.

An ever-changing business environment has imposed new demands on electric cooperative directors, requiring knowledge of changes in the electric utility business, new governance skills and a solid knowledge of the cooperative principles and business model.

The NRECA BLC is part of the continuing Director Education Certificate Program and recognizes individuals who further their professional governance development beyond the basic requirements of a Credentialed Cooperative Director (CCD).

Directors who have attained the BLC have completed ten advanced credits in issues-oriented courses.

Submit your POV photos to cwharton@gvp.org

NOTICE TO MEMBERS: LATE FEES TO RESUME JANUARY 1 Beginning on January 1, 2022, Grand Valley Power is returning to standard billing procedures and assessing penalties for late fees, trip charges and reconnect fees which were temporarily waived during the height of the COVID shutdowns. For additional information please visit gvp.org/news-center.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

UPGRADE TO ELECTRICITY AND SAVE IN YOUR HOME At Tri-State, we’re doing our part so that electricity benefits you.

By 2030, 70% of the electricity our members consume will come from low-cost renewable energy, and you can take advantage by switching from fuel-powered technologies in your home. Switching to electricity can save you money with these home electrification ideas.

LEARN MORE 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.

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

+ BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION

SAVING MONEY THROUGH EFFICIENCY

YOUR HOME, ELECTRIFIED HEATING & COOLING WITH HEAT PUMPS According to the U.S. Department of Energy, when paired with proper insulation, an electric heat pump can save over 30 percent on your heating and cooling bills compared to conventional HVAC systems.

Here are some advantages of a heat pump: • One system to heat your home (even in sub-zero temperatures) and cool during warmer months • Eliminate potential carbon monoxide exposure from combustion byproducts • Costs substantially less to heat your home than propane or electric baseboard heat

POWER UP YOUR GARDENING TOOLS Electric garden tools can last longer and are emissions-free, meaning you’ll smell the scents of summer, not the smell of exhaust. Plus, with modern technology, they are just as effective as gas-powered alternatives. Just charge the battery and go!

• Low maintenance – no oil changes or need to treat fuel, change spark plugs or filters.

• No need to purchase and store gasoline • Electric models are lightweight and easy to handle

SAVE WITH AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) Sales of light-duty electric vehicles rose by 43% in 2020. On average, EVs have a lower cost of operation over their lifespan, and buyers are taking notice.

• Less maintenance • Increased savings compared to gasoline • Fun to drive because of torque

REBATES FOR YOUR HOME Contact your local electric co-op or public power district to find out more on available rebates and incentives

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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NEWS CLIPS

Electric Co-ops Add More Wind Project achieved commercial operation in late October, adding 200 megawatts of clean, renewable energy resources

A

total of 200 megawatts of new wind resources were added to electric cooperatives’ power supply in October. The addition of these renewable resources was celebrated November 4 with a dedication ceremony at the Niyol Wind Energy Center near Fleming.

The 74 wind turbines are owned by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, and the electricity generated is being purchased by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., and distributed to Tri-State’s 43 member cooperatives throughout Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming and New Mexico.

“It is particularly gratifying for Tri-State and its members to see our Responsible Energy Plan projects come to fruition.

Wind catches the blades of some of the 74 new wind turbines now powering electric co-op consumermembers from the eastern plains of Colorado.

Completion of Niyol Wind is another significant step in our energy transformation,” said Duane Highley, Tri-State CEO. “NextEra Energy Resources brought a wealth of renewable energy development knowledge and experience to Colorado to help us make this effort a reality.”

“This is a great day for our state as we work toward a more sustainable future that provides Coloradans with access to low-cost, clean, renewable energy, generated by our own wind resources,” Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera said. “I am pleased that

Co-op Debuts Hybrid Bucket Truck A Colorado electric cooperative, United Power in Brighton, debuted a hybrid bucket truck earlier this year.

The truck, which uses battery power to raise and lower the bucket, is the first model nationwide to use battery power for both the bucket and the bucket jib (the small crane attached to the bucket that allows line crews to lift heavy materials to the height of the bucket).

Operating an electric boom and jib rather than using a traditional diesel-powered boom provides cleaner, quieter idle time for crews, improves safety conditions, reduces idle time on the truck engine and saves diesel fuel.

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this project also includes Colorado state lands and, along with the clean energy, will generate additional revenue to support our schools and children.”

One-third of the Niyol Wind Energy Center’s turbines are located on trust land governed by the Colorado State Land Board.

The new wind project represents the second of eight new wind and solar projects to be constructed by Tri-State by 2024 under its Responsible Energy Plan.

CO-OP BOARD DIRECTORS CONTINUE TO LEARN Board members from co-ops across the state were recognized at an October regional co-op meeting for recently completing educational courses; nine board members earned their Credentialed Cooperative Director certificates and seven received their Board Leadership certificates.

As of November, Colorado co-ops have 132 board members serving co-ops who have earned their CCDs and 85 who have earned their BLs. Another 61 have taken their education another step and earned Director Gold.

NEWS CLIPS

Monitoring the Line for Reliability

Electric co-ops use a variety of monitoring and automation technologies that improve power reliability, shorten outage times and reduce labor time for crews. Here are four technologies we use to improve reliability.

Drones

Drones may be used to inspect the power lines we maintain. Drones can provide infrared evaluation to locate hot spots on power lines and vegetation assessment to locate trees and other vegetation that can cause outages.

Power Sensors

Power sensors typically clamp on or connect to the power line and provide near real-time reporting on power, voltage, current and more – all of which helps to provide more reliable energy to consumer-members.

AMI

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) provides real-time data to the co-op. In addition to meter reading, this data helps us detect faults and other potential problems on the electrical system, resulting in increased power reliability for consumer-members.

Reclosers

(Antenna)

A recloser acts like a circuit breaker for power lines. When a problem occurs, the recloser temporarily shuts off power. If the problem is temporary, the recloser restores power. (This is why you sometimes see the power blink.) If the problem persists, the recloser will shut off power until a crew can make repairs. The recloser’s antenna provides wireless, real-time data back to the co-op.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

15

Christmas Rails on the

BY SUZIE ROMIG

“Model trains in general, especially at Christmas, are a very magical thing. Kids just go crazy over it, and so do parents. It’s not just about toys, it’s about Christmas, and it’s about the magic of the holiday season.”

— Dave Naples

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A

love of railroads started more than six decades ago when Dave Naples was only 8 years old and his dad gave him a Lionel model train set for Christmas.

In his 40s, Naples began collecting everything model trains. Through the years, the Grand County resident amassed two storage units stuffed full of model trains and memorabilia. For a decade, Naples and members of the Grand Country Model Railroad Club set up a Christmas train display each holiday season for the delight of the community in the small town of Granby in Mountain Parks Electric’s service territory.

Jump forward to today, where a 1,100-square-foot, O-gauge Christmas train display is the calling card of the nonprofit Moffat Road Railroad Museum

DAVE NAPLES

that sits on the site of a former railroad stockyard just south of downtown Granby.

Naples, ever decked out in his denim overalls and railroad ball cap, is the enthusiastic, multi-talented executive director.

“Model trains in general, especially at Christmas, are a very magical thing. Kids just go crazy over them, and so do parents.

It’s not just about toys; it’s about Christmas, and it’s about the magic of the holiday season,” Naples said.

The museum’s model train showroom features a display of 450 pieces that originally took Naples and volunteers four months to build. The entrancing display

COVER STORY includes five to six working trains and other moving miniatures such as carnival rides, a ski lift and ski gondola, planes and a hot air balloon. The colorful O scale display, which is 1/48th of real size, has plenty of action, sound effects, train tunnels, a four-level helix, and even buttons to push for children of all ages to bring pieces, such as miniature wind turbines, to life.

On a high shelf, a G scale model train at 1/22nd of real size comes to life and buzzes around the showroom, which is filled with other memorabilia such as train stamps and photographs. Adjacent to the showroom is a well-organized model train repair workshop where Naples fixes pieces in delicate detail, perhaps having inherited skills from his businessman father whose side business was watch and jewelry repair.

Naples will spend two months turning the summer season model train layout into a Christmas scene for the museum’s holiday season from Thanksgiving to January 9, 2022. Even Santa, with two live reindeer and sometimes Mrs. Claus, visits the museum during a weekend before Christmas.

The burgeoning nonprofit museum sits just 100 feet from an active railroad line where at least 10 freight, coal and passenger trains pass by daily. A short walk away across the tracks is the current Granby train depot where Amtrak service stops regularly and passengers can walk over to view the displays. The railroad museum has been steadily growing in exhibits and in visitors since its official opening in June 2020.

Naples estimates he has dedicated at least 20,000 hours since 2006 helping to dream, build and grow the museum. Museum board members and friends credit Naples’ persistence, commitment, determination and enthusiasm for keeping the project moving forward.

“It’s his dream come true. You have to hand it to him for sticking with it all these years,” said Marv Dewey, one of the museum’s carpenters, who has bonded with

Naples over their shared love for the restoration of old cars.

“We try to save old things for the future of kids so that they can look back and see how old things worked,” said Dewey, who once designed wooden bridges for the Illinois Central Railroad.

On a sunny autumn day when the museum was closed to the public but staff was working on renovations, Naples couldn’t turn down a visiting family with a 4-year-old girl who loves trains. He showed the family

around anyway, just as he had shown visitors around for years by appointment.

In December 2019, a fellow Colorado train lover stopped by, and that day became “the key” to the future of the museum, Naples said. The unassuming man told Naples he was impressed and wanted to know, “What can I do to help?”

“Well, I need resources,” Naples said.

“I’ll see what I can do. I’ve been following you for a while. I really like what you are doing,” the man said. It turns out, the

Dave Naples spends two months turning the summer season model train layout into a Christmas scene for the museum’s holiday season. The Christmas scene is on display from Thanksgiving to January 9, 2022.

The entrance display is made up of five to six working trains and other moving miniatures such as carnival rides, a ski lift and ski gondola, planes and a hot air balloon.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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This rendering by Dave Naples and Terry Barnhart represents their vision of what the completed museum complex will look like by the summer of 2023.

man is a noted philanthropist and soon became a significant patron of the museum, allowing the site to blossom with a master plan for construction and renovations through 2023. The museum now employs 10 individuals, including five carpenters working on restorations.

The museum’s marketing director, Diane Ehlert, a Winter Park consultant who specializes in helping nonprofits, noted the anonymous benefactor “is very passionate about the project.”

Museum board members Wally and Susie Baird explained that the mission of the project is to “provide Grand County residents and visitors significant opportunities to learn about the history of railroading in the area.” They said visitors have come from across Colorado; from 45 states of the U.S.; and from countries such as Great Britain, Switzerland and France. Wally Baird said visitors often ask questions such as: How far did the railroad go? How did they get over the mountain? When and how did they build the tunnel? What happened to the Moffat Railroad after David Moffat died?

“It is about preserving what the Moffat Road Railroad meant to Grand County,”

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“There is a broad interest in what we are doing here. It’s not just a model train display; it is preserving the history of the railroad.”

— Wally Baird said Wally Baird, a retired town manager for Granby who remembers playing with a Lionel model train with his two brothers during elementary school . “There is a broad interest in what we are doing here. It’s not just a model train display; it is preserving the history of the railroad.”

Naples explained that the museum collection focuses on four railroad companies — Denver, Northwestern & Pacific; Denver & Salt Lake; Denver & Rio Grande; and Union Pacific — that traveled the Moffat Road Railroad, which eventually reached the mainline from Denver to Salt Lake City.

Naples took a visitor to lunch at a grill in downtown Granby, zipping speedily around town in a bright red Ranger UTV. Over meatloaf and mashed potatoes and gravy, Naples talked more about his broad

background with past jobs ranging from Christian camp counselor (he earned a Master of Divinity degree) to ski area chef to landscape company owner. His current side gigs include piano tuner and member of an Irish band where he plays piano, guitar, and Irish Bodhran drums and sings.

“I’m a Moffat man,” Naples said, which means he’s a railroad enthusiast who loves the interesting engineering feat and history of the Moffat Road Railroad that follows a geographically difficult path. The museum name comes from the route called Moffat Road, also known as the Denver, Northwestern & Pacific Railway Hill Route, that was constructed beginning in 1904.

Susie Baird explained that the Moffat Road Railroad is famous as the highest standard gauge railroad ever built in the U.S., running through many tunnels and crossing the Continental Divide, cresting at Rollins Pass at 11,660 feet east of Winter Park. The high-elevation, 23-mile section of railroad served for 24 years before the Moffat Tunnel was completed in 1928. The 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel, built for rail and water lines, is three times longer than the current Eisenhower Tunnel on Interstate 70.

COVER STORY The railway was instrumental in the development of Grand County and in Granby’s becoming a shipping hub for cattle, sheep, produce and lumber, Wally Baird said.

Famous railroad financier David Halliday Moffat, who lived from 1839 to 1911, was one of Denver’s key industrialists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Moffat moved to Denver in 1860 and was president of the First National Bank of Denver, the Denver Tramway, and the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. At one time he owned about 100 gold and silver mines, built multiple railroads and owned banks in mining towns. Moffat Tunnel and Moffat County are named after him.

Pieces of the Moffat Road Railroad Museum collection are donated, purchased, traded, bartered, found online, acquired

by Naples at model train shows or found through connections in the railroad lover community. The museum has acquired three cabooses originally manufactured from 1905 to 1936; a 1905 passenger coach; and a rare 120-ton, two-hook, 1913 steam derrick which was used to handle train wrecks for the Denver & Salt Lake Railway. The museum team is renovating the steam derrick in hopes of demonstrating the machine in action several times a year.

Susie Baird said part of the charm of the small-town museum is that huge train pieces that are often sitting in junk piles at railroad yards slated for destruction can be moved to Granby to be transformed from wrecks into educational showpieces. The museum team completed restoration in May 2021 of a 1923 wooden CA-1 class caboose that had been in very poor shape. The meticulously restored caboose now includes some 100 curated items to transport visitors to the 1923 life of a brakeman or conductor. Naples believes the wooden caboose is one of only five restored in the U.S. Naples is proud that the interactive caboose display allows young guests to touch and to climb up in the Crow’s Nest. Some of those young train enthusiasts include his two grandsons, ages 3 and 4.

“They are nuts about trains, and they blame me for that,” Naples said with a big grin.

Last year, the museum added a large restoration workshop. Work also is underway to double the size of the model train showroom space. The additional space will be dedicated to smaller S scale model trains that are 1/64th of actual size. The museum staff invites the participation of others in the region in helping build the new S gauge display, including modelers, artists, carpenters and electricians.

LEARN MORE ONLINE

“It will take a small army to get that done,” Naples said.

Next up for the museum’s collection is a 1922 steam locomotive, or a WestSide Lumber #8 Shay, scheduled for a move from the Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Cañon City.

The addition will help highlight the timber industry history in Grand County.

The intensive process of bringing each huge railroad piece to Granby can cost more than $40,000, Naples said. Some of the pieces arrive via truck or railroad on a 90-foot flatbed rail car and are then moved by crane from the close-by railroad line to a new piece of perpendicular track built at the museum.

The museum team is anxiously awaiting the arrival of a circa 1910 steam train replica, or as Naples detailed, a reproduction of a #300 Moffat Railroad 4-6-0 that will become a kid’s ride on the museum grounds next summer.

Susie Baird, who has worked in economic development, believes the museum is valuable for preserving pieces from the Moffat Road Railroad history that would otherwise be lost and as an economic development asset for the small town.

“I could see this was going to be a really good thing for not only the town but for the county. Once you hear about Dave’s vision, it’s hard not to be a part of it,” she said.

Suzie Romig, a seasoned and degreed journalist living in Steamboat Springs, has been exploring Colorado for 30 years.

More information about the museum, including both its Christmas season and its June 1 through Labor Day summer season, can be found at MoffatRoadRailroadMuseum.org or facebook.com/MoffatRoadRailroadMuseum.

The museum team completed the restoration of a 1923 wooden CA-1 class Union Pacific caboose in May.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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Enabling the Future Grid New devices change one-way grid to multi-directional network

BY REED KAR AIM AND MONA NEELEY

I

t wasn’t long ago that the U.S. power grid resembled a relatively simple one-way street, with power flowing from central generating plants through transmission lines to distribution systems and, finally, to the customer.

But this is no longer the case.

Central-station power continues to play a vital role, but it’s increasingly complemented by distributed energy resources (DER).

DER refers to often-smaller generation units that are located on the consumer’s side of the meter. Some examples of DER are: rooftop solar photovoltaic units, wind-generating units and home battery banks. It is these types of DERs that are turning the grid into not just a two-way street, but more of a neighborhood of two-way streets, with electricity moving in and out from locations big and small throughout the day. And let’s not stop there. Microgrids, capable of operating independently, are also part of the mix too.

“It’s all leading to a grid that’s a mesh rather than a single hierarchal entity,” says Craig Miller, former National Rural Electric Cooperative Association chief scientist.

The unstoppable evolution of the U.S. power grid is compelling electric cooperatives to examine which technologies and strategies will help ensure that their systems keep pace.

Most experts agree that central-station generation—fueled by coal, natural gas, hydro, nuclear or utility-scale solar and wind—will remain the core of the system for the foreseeable future. However, DER is expanding rapidly.

Whether it’s behind-the-meter or utility-scale solar and wind, renewable energy is the fastest growing segment of the United

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States’ electric portfolio. The Energy Information Administration foresees it trailing only natural gas in total electricity output by 2026.

Demand response and energy storage technologies are expected to play a significant role. Energy storage deployments in the U.S. grew by 232% from 2018 to 2019 alone, according to an analysis by Wood Mackenzie, with nearly half coming from the energy user’s side of the meter, including business and home battery systems and electric vehicles.

“As the grid has evolved, our generation is moving to small chunks, and so the grid itself isn’t as inherently stable,” Miller says.

“It has to be increasingly actively managed.”

Managing the grid, both at the transmission and the distribution level, in the midst of this change requires rapid two-way communication, a massive increase in data analytical capability, and sophisticated solid-state control technology.

“The challenge is now to pull all of the information together: what the state of the grid is, what controls we can implement, what decisions are optimum,” Miller says. “It’s about deriving value from the new control technology. It’s the synchronization, utilization and coordination of everything that’s happening to get the best of this new agile grid.”

There are several new technologies that will enable this future grid. Here are seven of them available now that will be important in expanding a multi-directional grid and in helping electric co-ops meet shifting consumer expectations in this future energy landscape.

ENERGY CONNECTIONS

“As the grid has evolved, our generation is moving to small chunks, and so the grid itself isn’t as inherently stable.

It has to be increasingly actively managed.”

— Craig Miller, former National Rural Electric Cooperative Association chief scientist 1. Advanced Inverters

5. Power Electronics

If any DER is to feed electricity to a home, business or the grid, that power must first be converted from DC to AC. This is the task of standard inverters, which are relatively simple devices that for decades have been used to integrate solar arrays and batteries.

“Advanced” inverters, which are included on most new DER installations, go even further by providing benefits such as communication capabilities, sophisticated monitoring and control functions, and autonomous operation.

Power electronics, which can include silicon-chip microprocessors with advanced control capabilities, are already improving the reliability and stability of transmission and distribution systems.

“I like to say that silicon is the new copper,” Miller says. “It’s becoming that important. There’s a lot of silicon out there making decisions on the grid.”

2. Broadband Electric cooperatives recognize that two-way communications are fundamental to making use of smart grid technologies. Faster and higher-capacity backbone networks will be needed more than ever in the future.

Higher-bandwidth, lower-latency communications systems allow broader and deeper use of existing smart-grid components, enabling both the movement of large amounts of data and more precise control over downline devices. New grid functions will also be increasingly dependent on the highest-quality communication platforms.

3. Data Analytics Electric co-ops have used analytical tools for years, but those tools are growing in capability and are spreading, notes David Pinney, NRECA analytics program manager. Data analytics can help utilities manage DER, forecast and curb peak load, improve power flow planning and reduce line loss, among other functions.

4. Sensors A new generation of sensors is also transforming the ability of electric cooperatives to detect what is happening on their systems.

Intelligent line sensors that can pinpoint faults and provide information on circuit performance can present a more granular view of the distribution grid. Combined with substation sensors and advanced metering infrastructure systems, these ubiquitous devices are adding to the data revolution that’s transforming utility operations.

6. Interoperability The diversity of DER — from solar arrays and gas-fired peaking plants to aggregated water heaters and home battery banks — means an increasing number of resources need to be integrated with utility operations, which cannot happen without seamless communication.

“Having diverse generation sources is a desirable thing, but without the ability to communicate and manage those resources, their value to the grid will be minimal,” says Venkat Banunarayanan, NRECA’s senior director for the integrated grid. “Interoperability is the key that unlocks all the potential of these DER technologies.”

For electric cooperatives, data about an energy resource, which could be located beyond the meter inside a home, and its operation must be readable and actionable by a supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA) at the distribution co-op. For behindthe-meter resources, interoperability details will be specified by the electric co-op in an interconnection agreement.

7. Interconnection Standards Revised standards that the power industry is adopting to help deal with the growth of distributed energy resources on the grid marks a change in outlook and approach to integrating DER into the nation’s grid.

The changes will impact the interconnection of solar, wind and other distributed generation. Some of the most significant changes come in the “minimum trip” settings for DER, which have been loosened to allow a much greater variance in voltage and frequency.

Reed Karaim writes for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Mona Neeley is the editor of Colorado Country Life magazine.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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GARDENING

Holiday Gifts from the Garden This year, take a close look at the endless gifting possibilities

BY VICKI SPENCER

MASTER GARDENER | GARDENING@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG

I

’ve been downsizing for almost a year and it’s taking much longer than anticipated.

Occasionally sorting through boxes that have been packed away for decades is full of surprises — like a scavenger hunt. But the thrill is fading during the holidays when I’d rather be decorating than deciding what to do with memorabilia.

For years our family enjoyed annual outings to the mountains to harvest our Christmas trees, but now we are spread across the country from Hawaii to Colorado and Arkansas. However, I found a substitute for the scent of a freshly cut pine tree: I collect fresh boughs from tree lots to make wreaths, centerpieces and door hangers. Another way I bring holiday fragrances into my home is with potpourris. I make my own with an orange slice, cup of cranberries, sprig of rosemary, a few cinnamon sticks, and a tablespoon of cloves and nutmeg. I place the mixture in a pan on the stove, and the aroma fills the room. (If you try this idea, just watch that the water doesn’t boil away. Otherwise, the delightful fragrance will turn to an unpleasant burnt odor.)

After creating the right mood, I like to make gifts from the garden for friends and family. You may not have had the holidays in mind when you were scrambling to

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

preserve your fall harvest before the first freeze. Maybe you canned jars of tomatoes, soups and jellies. These canned goods make delightful gifts alone or assembled into holiday baskets.

If you have empty canning jars, it’s easy to turn them into festive gifts too. Pick a theme and let your imagination run wild.

Fill the jars with candy, cocoa or other dry goods. Place holiday stickers on the sides and tops, wrap with ribbon, and attach a bow. If you have colored cloth, wrap the lid before tying with the ribbon. Place in baskets with candy, nuts, baked goods or cheese, crackers and wine. Add pinecones, pine sprigs and ornaments for a holiday flair.

I was reminded of another gift idea while downsizing. I found a photo of my grandmother with the smock apron she always wore over her dress. It was filled with pockets for garden tools and could be pulled up to make a handy pouch for harvesting vegetables. Roo Apron offers a cotton smock with an interesting twist. It’s designed for putting vegetables or weeds in a pouch like my grandmother did, but has a rope that you can untie to release everything out the bottom.

There are many apron designs to sew or buy. Serious gardeners might like Grommet’s easy-to-clean waxed canvas

apron. It features padded shoulder straps, loops for tools, and more than a dozen pockets, including a zippered pocket to keep your phone safe and handy. This is something I could use since I’ve dropped my phone countless times while gardening.

Gifts from your garden or gift ideas for gardeners are unlimited. Since I’m learning how to be a minimalist living in a small space, I’m drawn to simple ideas like these for the holidays.

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

WIN A ROO APRON

The perfect gift for the gardener in your life. Enter our December contest for a chance to win a Roo Apron. This cotton smock is great for collecting vegetables or weeds and features a rope tie that you can release to empty your collection from the bottom. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop and click on the Contests tab to find out how to enter.

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

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Millions of Americans take the supplement CoQ10. It’s the “jet fuel” that supercharges your cells’ power generators, known as mitochondria.

age. In fact, the Mitochondria Research Society reports 50 million U.S. adults are suffering from health problems because of mitochondrial dysfunction.

As powerful as CoQ10 is, there is a critical thing it fails to do. It can’t create new mitochondria in your cells.

Birth of new mitochondria

As you age, your mitochondria begin to die. In fact, by age 67, you lose 80% of the mitochondria you had at age 25. But if you’re taking CoQ10, there’s something important you should know.

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OUTDOORS

“Teal” We Eat Again Substitute your turkey (or goose) with “the king of wild fowl”

BY DENNIS SMITH

OUTDOORS@COLOR ADOCOUNTRYLIFE .ORG

F

olks used to talk about cooking “the Christmas goose” back in the day, but I never met anyone who actually did that. Everyone I knew cooked a turkey for Christmas — maybe a ham, or sometimes a big rib roast, but never a goose.

So, just to be contrary, this year the boys and I thought we’d roast a duck for Christmas. But not just any duck. No sir, this has to be a wild duck, and not just any wild duck; this has to be a teal.

And because they’re small, we’ll have to have more than one. Probably eight or 10.

We want teal, specifically for its highly sapid, full-flavored meat. Many aficionados rank teal as the ultimate in waterfowl, but having said that, I should also point out that wild duck is an acquired taste — like fine wine or good scotch. It’s not something everyone comes to readily, but a person exposed to it often enough is likely to think it one of the most delicious of all wild birds. Ernest Hemingway, for example,

considered teal the king of wild fowl when it came to taste. My sons and I agree.

Before you pop your duckies in the oven, there are a few things to keep in mind. It should go without saying that how you care for a duck in the field will dictate how it tastes on your plate. A freshly shot duck should be drawn and cleaned immediately and put on ice as soon as the hunt is over. You should dry pluck and serve teal whole, but do not — repeat, do not — overcook them. Wild duck should be served as rare as you can stand it, or as one of my old, wild-game cookbooks puts it: “When carving wild duck, blood should follow the knife.” You can, of course, cook them more; just don’t mummify the thing.

Medium rare is a good compromise.

Teal weigh only about 6 or 8 ounces, so they cook very quickly. We typically salt and pepper the birds inside and out, stuff each with half an apple and wrap them with a couple strips of bacon secured with

toothpicks. We arrange them in a roasting pan and start them in a 450-degree oven.

Heat half a cup of port wine and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a small skillet, then add a cup of plum jelly and blend.

Ladle this over the teal and roast them for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on how rare you like them. When they’re done to your liking, remove them to a warm platter. Skim the bacon fat from the pan drippings and then thicken with about a half tablespoon of flour dissolved in a bit of water. Simmer this until thickened, pour it over the ducks and serve. But first, get some ducks. Preferably teal.

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

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FOCUS ON HISTORY

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WHERE IS GARDEN OF THE GODS? Garden of the Gods 1805 N. 30th Street Colorado Springs, CO 80904

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Garden of the Gods The name “Garden of the Gods” dates back to the mid-19th century when two Denver surveyors proclaimed that the area was a place “…fit for the Gods to assemble.” Twenty years later, in 1879, Charles Elliott Perkins bought the land to establish a summer home. However, Perkins instead opted to leave the land in its natural state and allow the public to witness the sensational sandstone formations just as nature had built them. He hoped the land would become an official public park but died in 1907 before his hopes came to fruition. Knowing their father’s love of the land, Perkins’ children gifted the 480 acres to the city of Colorado Springs on Christmas Day 1909, and it has since become a fascinating tourist destination for folks near and far.

Photo from the 2021 CCL photo contest by Michelle Thompson, a Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member from Colorado Springs. Enter this year’s photo contest at coloradocountrylife.coop/2022-photo-contest/ before December 17.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

YOUR STORIES

READERS’ PHOTOS

FUNNY STORIES I was reading a text I received from my husband.

My 4-year-old grandson was listening to me read it. The text said, “Don’t forget our Christmas party on December 10. In addition, don’t forget to bring your white elephant gift.” My grandson’s eyes grew wide with concern. He touched my arm and said, “But Grandma, you don’t own a white elephant.”

Linda K. Roskap, Kersey Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association consumer-member

WINNER: On their first trip together with CCL, sisters Dena and Francine travel to Oaxaca, Mexico. They are both consumer-members of San Isabel Electric Association.

Colorado Country Life travels with Tanner to the marina in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Tanner is the son of Empire Electric Association consumer-members Kyle and Kari Wilson.

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, address and your local co-op to info@coloradocountrylife.org. We’ll draw one photo to win $25 each month. The next deadline is Wednesday, December 15. Name, address and co-op must accompany photo.

See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at facebook.com/COCountryLife.

READER POETRY Wearing Pants

Leaving with my teen heading out to a movie it’s December in Colorado 31 degrees snow on the ground she’s wearing shorts do I need anything she asks how about pants I respond do I NEED to wear them she implores I spin a grownup worry what if the car breaks down and we have to walk she doesn’t hesitate her response… someone will stop and help us faster if they see I’m wearing shorts parental speechlessness.

Winter

Snow falling gently, softly White, pure Flakes, no two alike beautifully shaped Bountifully covering the ground.

Trees brushed white, ivory Fields overtaken by alabaster The wind hearkens the cold beckoning the clouds for moisture.

Dark, gray, dreary sky Silencing sound Inside, warm, glowing fireplace Beverages steaming Eyes gazing out windows Watching Nature’s wonderment.

Shadowing our lives with newness, brightness and elegance of fresh fallen snow.

Hildy J Marzan, Colorado Springs Mountain View Electric Association consumer-member

Kiki Chanders, Lafayette Yampa Valley Electric Association consumer-member

DO YOU WRITE POETRY?

Submit your best works via email to: info@coloradocountrylife.org

One Christmas I opened a present from my sister that confused me. I made southwest fringed collars for gifts for my husband’s five daughters the Christmas before. My sister went to one of my husband’s daughter’s garage sales and as she picked up a collar she said, “Oh, this looks like something my sister would like.” She bought it and the following Christmas gave it to me as a present. When I opened the box with the collar in it, I was confused and said, “I made this.” My sister retorted back, “No, you didn’t.

I bought it.” We looked over at my husband who was laughing hysterically because he knew what happened. He received a phone call from his daughter the day of the sale explaining that my sister bought the collar for me, the one who made it.

Margaret Butler, Cotopaxi Sangre de Cristo Electric Association consumer-member Our 5-year-old grandson travels through Nebraska to visit us in Colorado. He passes several feed lots and has been told they smell so bad because of all the cows tooting. While in Colorado, he saw some cows and asked, “Grandma, how come your black cows’ toots don’t smell?”

Susan Cassel, Kremmling Mountain Parks Electric consumer-member Winner: This year’s $200 winner is Linda Allen of Kiowa, a consumer-member of Mountain View Electric Association.

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 2022 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address and the name of your electric co-op, so we can send you a check.

COLOR ADO COUNTRY LIFE DECEMBER 2021

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DISCOVERIES

Give to Great Causes Colorado-based organizations to add to your holiday gift list photo credit: Abby Jensen

Safeguarding Sandhills

Every year flocks of Greater Sandhill Cranes descend on Colorado to rest and feed along their migration route — a sight for visitors to behold. The Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition in Hayden was created in 2012 in response to concerns of decline of the species and has since partnered with communities to ensure the cranes can rely on Colorado to provide the provisions they need to build strength and continue their migration. Learn about and donate to this cause at coloradocranes.org.

Mission resident wolf Ydun (pronounced Eden)

Part of the Pack A 3-acre sustainably run rescue is nestled in Westcliffe where the public can learn why wolves and wolf-dog crosses do not make good pets but are essential for a healthy ecosystem. Mission: Wolf provides a sanctuary for rescued wolves — and horses — and teaches the community about these compelling creatures, from their behavior to body language and more. The organization also provides face-to-face interactions with the animals, if circumstances allow. To learn more and to donate to this critical cause, visit missionwolf.org.

Humane Horse Resource

Rush-based Colorado Horse Rescue Network takes in and rehabilitates horses in danger, regardless of background, and adopts them to interested persons deemed capable of safe ownership. The rescue also helps horses by ending their suffering through euthanasia if the animal’s quality of life is irrecoverable. Folks can adopt or surrender — no horse is turned away — at CHRN and help a horse receive needed care and affection. Donations are always needed and appreciated. For more information, visit coloradohorserescuenetwork.com.

Pooches in Public Safety

Dolores-based K-9 Search and Rescue Team Inc. meticulously trains canines to locate missing persons in Colorado and several surrounding states. Guided by their trusty handlers, these furry heroes’ zealous sniffers and intensive training provide resolution for local, state and federal agencies as well as for the loved ones of the missing. Whether the weather is wintry or sweltering, the K-9 SAR Team comes to the rescue when called upon. Donate to and read more about this organization at k9team.org.

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