South Carolina Living April 2012

Surf’s Up

& Sprinmger sum el Trav e Guid

Catching waves on Folly Beach

SC Sto r i e s

Hog heaven

Humor Me

April 2012

Plunging for premiums

E n e rgy Q& A

Light up your landscape

THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS Vol. 66 • No. 4 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 450,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033

& Sprinmger sum el Trav e Guid

FEATURE

22 Surf’s up!

Tel: (803) 926-3 1 75 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop EDITOR

Keith Phillips FIELD EDITOR

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

Susan Collins

Mic smith

Pam Martin

ART DIRECTOR

April 2012 • Volume 66, Number 4

If “Learn to surf” is on your bucket list, there’s no better place to put your plan into action than South Carolina’s own Folly Beach. See why this laid-back island community is one of the East Coast’s top surf destinations.

PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

Susan Scott Soyars Becky Billingsley, Mike Couick, Jim Dulley, Hastings Hensel, Carrie B. Hirsch, Jan A. Igoe, Charles Joyner, Megan McKoy-Noe, Mark Quinn, Brian Sloboda, S. Cory Tanner Publisher

Lou Green ADVERTISING MANAGERS

Tel: (800) 984-0887 Dan Covell Email: dan@scliving.coop Keegan Covell Email: keegan@scliving.coop National Representation

National Country Market Tel: (800) NCM-1181 Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.

If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send

to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above.

Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices. © COPYRIGHT 201 2. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

4 CO-OP CONNECTION Cooperative news

6 ON THE AGENDA

What do you get when you combine a fleet of classic automobiles with a night of music featuring 1960s teen idol Bobby Rydell? Answer: Blue Ridge Fest, the Upcountry’s most anticipated spring festival.

Plus: Expert advice on solar chargers for handheld devices.

POWER USER

SC LIFE STORIES

18 Hog heaven

According to pitmaster Rodney Scott, there are two key ingredients in great barbecue— love, and a lot of hard work.

SCENE

19 Friends in the garden

Companion planting techniques allow home gardens to thrive—naturally.

RECIPE

20 Spicy spring bonanza

Crock-Pot “double dip” sausage dip Spicy sassy pasta Zesty ranch chicken à la taters Catherine’s cheese nut bread

DIALOGUE

10 Honoring those who

honor veterans

A salute to the hard-working volunteers behind Honor Flight of South Carolina.

ENERGY Q&A

HUMOR ME

38 Plunging for premiums

Advice for small business owners: It’s time to start thinking like your insurance company.

12 DIY outdoor lighting

SMART CHOICE

14 Have gadgets, will travel

36 SC EVENTS

These clever devices will help your next out-of-town adventure go a whole lot smoother.

HOME RUN

TimberTech

A new breed of feature-rich home appliances offers plenty of convenience, but do they also save energy?

Surf’S up

& Spring Summer Travel guide

Catching waves on Folly Beach

SC Sto r i e S

Hog heaven

Humor me

April 2012

Plunging for premiums

Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 7 million homes and businesses

20

12

Low-voltage lighting kits make it easy and affordable to brighten up your home’s landscape.

34 MARKETPLACE

16 Appliance innovations

Printed on recycled paper

19

Karen Herm ann

Van O’Cain

e n e rgy Q& A

Light up your landscape

For the hard-core wave riders of Folly Beach, surfing is more than a summertime diversion—it’s a way of life. Photo by Mic Smith.

On the Agenda

Highlights

MAY 11

Blue Ridge Fest promises to be a “Wild One” What do you get when you combine a fleet of classic automobiles with a night of music featuring 1960s teen idol Bobby Rydell? Answer: Blue Ridge Fest, the Upcountry’s most anticipated spring festival.

Ste ve Spa da for e

For a listing p m co lete s, see of Event 6 page 3

Rydell, pictured at left, known for such hits as “Kissin’ Time,” “Volare” and “Wild One” is the headline musical act of the May 11 event in Pickens, which also features one of South Carolina’s largest classic car cruise-ins. Also appearing on stage will be Jimmy Clanton, popular for ’60s hits “Just a Dream” and “Venus in Blue Jeans.” Between dancing the night away and feasting on everything from homemade ice cream to fresh boiled peanuts, guests can admire as many as 600 vintage rides. They can also buy raffle tickets to win their very own set of hot wheels—the top prize in this year’s drawing is a new 2011 Chevrolet Camaro.

Now in its 15th year, Blue Ridge Fest is organized as a community fundraiser by the employees of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative and Blue Ridge Security, says Denise McCormick, customer service and marketing manager. The event raises about $150,000 annually and since 1998, has funded local charities to the tune of $1.25 million. “Most of the charities we choose, they’re really about human need,” she says. “We help thousands of people with things like rent, food, medications and utilities. The money stays in our community.”

The fun takes place from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative’s covered outdoor facility at 734 W. Main St. in Pickens. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the gate. Children ages 7–12 are admitted for $8 in advance or $10 at the gate, while those ages 6 or younger are admitted free. Raffle tickets are $10 each.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit blueridge.coop/blueridgefest or call (800) 240-3400.

APRIL 22

Living History

APRIL 20–21

APRIL 25–28

For two days this month, Westminster will turn into the beloved fictional town of Mayberry, N.C., as immortalized in The Andy Griffith Show. During the second annual Mayberry Days festival April 20–21, tribute artists representing Barney Fife, Goober, Ernest T. Bass and more will perform on stage and mingle with the crowd for photos and autographs. Other family-oriented fun includes a whistling contest, trivia competitions, a parade and a concert by Rodney Dillard and the Dillard Band. True fans of the TV series will recall that Rodney was one of the original “Darling Boys” who performed bluegrass music on several classic episodes.

Veteran bluesman Mac Arnold (at left in photo) and his band, Plate Full of Blues, are hitting the road this month in support of public school music programs. The Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival is a three-city tour visiting The Bowery in Myrtle Beach on April 25, The Grey Eagle in Asheville, N.C., on April 27 and The Handlebar in Greenville on April 28.

Admission to each of the three shows, which begin at 8 p.m., is $17 for ages 20 and younger or $15 for ages 21 and older. Proceeds go to benefit the I Can Do Anything Foundation.

Mayberry Days

For details, visit jneg.org or call (864) 638-7426.

6

Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival

For details, visit icandoanything-foundation.org or call (864) 517-9347.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

Historical re-enactor Nora Brooks will recount the dramatic events of the Civil War from the Union and Confederate perspectives during a one-woman performance April 22 at York’s Sylvia Theater. Brooks will take the stage at 7 p.m. and deliver two monologues—one as Julia Grant, the wife of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and one as Mildred Lee, the daughter of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The performance, sponsored by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, is free but donations will be accepted to fund scholarship and memorial projects.

For more information, call (803) 684-1409.

Email COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND Story suggestions TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

TOP PICK FOR KIDS

Electricity on the go

What do cell phones, tablets, laptops, handheld gaming systems and other mobile devices have in common? Aside from being an important part of our everyday lives, they are all dependent on rechargeable batteries.

While the batteries in our mobile devices can last several hours or even days without being recharged, users who roam far from outlets and vehicle charging ports may find themselves without power when they need it most. To solve this problem, several manufacturers now make solarpowered charging units MAY 1–5

York County produces spectacular strawberries, and to celebrate the spring crop the town of Fort Mill hosts the South Carolina Strawberry Festival with five days of sweet family fun. It starts with a pick-your-own-strawberries event at Springs Farm and includes a golf tournament, the formal Strawberry Fest Gala and a Strawberry Queen pageant. The main festival days are May 4–5 featuring the Strawberry Jam with live music on three stages, a strawberry shortcake eating contest and a popular pig race.

For details, visit scstrawberryfestival.com or call (803) 547-2116.

MAY 5–6

Shaw Air Expo

There will be no shortage of high-flying fun at Shaw Air Force Base on the weekend of May 5–6. The annual Air Expo will feature parachute teams, stunt flying, an eye-popping collection of vintage planes and, of course, a show by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerobatics team. Around 80,000 spectators are expected for this two-day event. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., with flying shows scheduled between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Bonus: Admission and parking are free.

For details, visit shaw.af.mil/airexpo or call (803) 895-2019.

A slim solar panel mounted on the lid of the Samsung NC215 allows users to supplement the computer’s battery charge.

Samsung

South Carolina Strawberry Festival

designed to keep mobile device batteries toppedoff in remote locations. Samsung takes the concept a step further, offering a netbook computer with built-in solar panels to extend battery life.

Solar chargers are ideal for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, and they come in many different shapes and styles. Prices typically range from $50 to $200. Before buying a unit, consider these factors: l Size and weight. Most solar chargers are designed to hang off a backpack. The larger the panel, the more energy the panels will create, but larger panels weigh more and take up more space. l Check the recharge time. Recharge times vary greatly and may take as long as 10 hours. Check the manufacturer’s specifications. l Check out the company. Many solar chargers are manufactured by new or emerging firms without a proven track record. Before purchasing a device, read reviews from actual users to find out how well the device performs in real-world conditions.

One final word of advice: Just because a product boasts a solar panel doesn’t mean that it will create enough electricity for you to permanently cut the power cord. Solar panels provide supplemental power only and aren’t a practical replacement for recharging through a wall outlet or vehicle power port. —brian sloboda scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

7

On the Agenda Letters

Web Extras

Exclusive bonus content this month at

SCLiving.coop

SC Stories: Hog heaven. Watch pitmaster Rodney Scott (see page 18) go about the hard work of cooking ­barbecue “low and slow” in Cut/Chop/Cook, a 13-minute documentary provided courtesy of the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Home Run: Appliance innovations.

Modern home appliances have more features than ever before (see page 16), but how you use these devices determines your energy savings. Visit SCLiving.coop for the web extra article “Energy-saving appliance tips,” a roster of 21 easy ways to conserve electricity.

Energy Q&A: Do-it-yourself outdoor lighting. Powered by LEDs, low-voltage outdoor lighting kits (see page 12) can brighten your landscape. In the web extra article “Solar Flair,” we’ll show you another DIY option—solar-­powered outdoor lighting.

Plus: Don’t miss our archives of Recipes, Humor Me and all the other stories you love from this and past issues of South Carolina Living.

Join us on Facebook

Do you love living in South Carolina? Then let the world know through the power of Facebook. When you “like” our page at Facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving, you’ll be able to post photos and share stories with more than 31,000 like-minded people who think nothing could be finer than life in South Carolina.

energy efficiency tip

The proof is in the pudding

Don’t get your electric bill caught in a spin cycle! When doing laundry, use cold water.

If your dryer has a moisture meter, use it to prevent over-drying clothes—50 minutes often works best for a full load. And remember to check your lint filter each time before you run a load to help your dryer run more efficiently.

Find more ways to save at TogetherWeSave.com.

We enjoyed the article about growing fruit trees (“How sweet it is,” March 2012). We grow blueberries and pawpaws, and we gather wild muscadines and persimmons and have this advice for your readers: Don’t underrate our native persimmons! We discovered this fall that their fruit makes a wonderful pudding.

Everyone who has tried it wants the recipe!

Source: Touchstone Energy

anything but healthy and you failed to mention the calorie count, grams of protein, carbohydrates and fat—all of which are vital for people trying to control weight, diabetes and cholesterol.

In addition, you made the situation worse by including an article on doughnuts in the same issue. What were you thinking?

—barbara taylor, batesburg

Healthy skepticism

I read “Are you at risk?”

(February 2012) and the health statistics for South Carolina.

Great article, and you included tips on how to improve one’s health. However, you lost all credibility when you followed it up with recipes that are

—cathy saporito, fort mill

GONE FISHIN’ The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour.

Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after.

S.C.RAMBLE!

By Charles Joyner, See Answer ON Page 35

Match Boxes N

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U

I

S

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Write SCL Letters to the editor

8

What’s in a name? Our feature on planting fruit trees (“How sweet it is,” March 2012) contained incorrect information regarding the species of butterflies attracted to pawpaw leaves.

It’s the zebra swallowtail butter­fly larvae that feed on the leaves.

Minor

R

We love hearing from our readers. Tell us what you think about this issue, send us story suggestions or just let us know what’s on your mind by writing to Letters, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033. You can also email us at letters@scliving.coop or send a note by fax to (803) 796-6064. All letters received are subject to editing before publication.

Correction

Each letter in this multiplication problem stands for a digit.

Use the code key below to insert the digits above each letter. Solve the problem and write your answer in the box tops, one digit to each box. Then match boxes to find the name of a South Carolina county in your answer.

Code Key

01 2 3 4 5 6789 I S A L N T E C R U

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

AM Major

April 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

4:01 10:16 4:16 10:46 4:46 11:16 5:01 11:46 12:01 5:16 12:16 5:46 12:46 6:01 1:16 6:16 1:46 6:46 2:31 7:16 3:46 7:46 9:01 12:31 11:46 1:16 8:31 2:01

May

1 9:52 2 3:52 3 4:22 4 4:52 5 — 6 12:52 7 1:37 8 2:22 9 3:22 10 4:22 11 6:07 12 7:52 13 8:52 14 2:52 15 3:22 16 3:52

3:22 10:37 11:07 11:52 5:22 6:07 6:37 7:22 7:52 8:37 9:52 1:22 2:07 9:37 10:07 10:37

Minor

PM Major

10:31 4:31 11:01 5:16 11:31 6:01 — 6:31 7:01 12:16 7:46 12:46 8:16 1:16 9:01 1:46 10:01 2:31 11:16 3:16 — 4:16 — 5:16 — 6:46 1:46 8:01 4:07 9:52 10:37 5:07 11:22 5:52 12:07 6:52 7:37 12:37 8:37 1:22 9:22 2:07 10:22 2:52 11:22 3:37 12:22 4:22 — 5:22 — 6:37 2:07 7:52 3:52 9:07 9:52 4:52 10:37 5:37

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Dialogue

Honoring those who honor our veterans to make the April 11 trip a reality, I was impressed by the efficiency of South Carolina went in search of a their operation and the dedication way to recognize World War II vetof their volunteers, starting with Ron erans on the 70th anniversary of our Saxton, the coordinator of the co-op nation’s involvement in the conflict, we quickly settled on Honor Flight of Dedicated sponsored flight. Others who had a in making this flight a success South Carolina as the ideal partner. volunteers hand include Grace Rentiers, Norma Curtis, The Columbia-based nonprofit make Julie and David Epting, Ray Henry, Jim works closely with a national network Honor Flight Kenerson, Amanda Mears, Christine (including chapters in Myrtle Beach, Price, Lisa Smarr, Dr. Ed Moore, Dr. Charleston and the Upcountry) to pay tributes Elaine Roque Nazario, Dr. Trip Jones, tribute to veterans of the “Greatest possible Dr. Hank Powell, Larry Shunkwiler Generation” by flying them on alland Gail Sharp-Schreck. expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C., to visit Let’s not forget the men and women who the National World War II Memorial. Launched keep Honor Flight of South Carolina ­operating by restaurateur Bill Dukes in 2008, Honor Flight between trips, including Bill Meyers, ­volunteer of South Carolina has since flown 11 charters coordinator; Donna Spigner, manager of applito Washington, D.C., and in the process, hosted cations; Terry Pound, Columbia operations more than 1,000 World War II veterans. manager; Tom Perkins, financial officer; Steve On April 11, the organization is scheduled Siegfried, vice chair; Jerry Neely, chairman of to make its 12th flight, thanks to the support fundraising; Bob Price, outreach speaker; Sandra of your local electric cooperative and 18 others Bryan, telephone coordinator; Giulia Dempsey, across the Palmetto State. It has been our priviColumbia airport coordinator; Perry McLeod, lege to partner with Honor Flight to recognize official photographer; Dr. Debra Mitchell-Reedy, our World War II veterans, and we’ll bring you full coverage of the trip in a future issue of South Honor Flight physician; Lynne Douglas, Columbia airport contact and Vicki Sweeten, webmaster.

Carolina Living, but today I think it is important Credit is also due to affiliated organizations to pause and note the service of another group that make each flight an event veterans won’t of South Carolinians—the volunteers who make forget, including the Fort Jackson Army Band, these flights possible. the Patriot Guard Riders, the United States The logistics of a single Honor Flight are Marine Corps League and the South Carolina astounding. Chartering the planes and busses Military History Club. is only the beginning. Volunteers must contact Honor Flight has at least two more trips and brief veterans, their families and guardians scheduled for this year, one in May and one in on the details of the flight. They must arrange November. Additional trips will be scheduled for for food and beverages to be served throughout 2013 as the organization races against time to the day. Then there is the issue of making sure the group can pass easily through security at not make sure every eligible World War II veteran one, but two, major airports. The surviving veter- has a chance to be honored for his or her service.

To find out how you can help—as a volunans of World War II are all in their 80s and 90s, so a team of doctors and nurses travels with the teer, by making a donation or by signing up as veterans to make sure everyone stays happy and a guardian to escort veterans on future flights— healthy through the course of a busy day. And contact Honor Flight of S.C. at (803) 582-8826 or countless people are involved in making sure the visit honorflightsc.com. veterans receive rousing send-offs and receptions at every stop along the way.

Working with Honor Flight of South Carolina When The Electric Cooperatives of

Mike Couick

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

10

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

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11

EnergyQ&A

BY jim Dulley

Do-it-yourself outdoor lighting

A

I am a fan of low-voltage residential lighting, and I use it in my own landscaping and gardens around my house.

As you mentioned, one big advantage of low-voltage lighting is that you can install it yourself and eliminate the professional installation expenses.

Another advantage is safety. The wires supplying electricity to the fixtures in most do-it-yourself outdoor lighting systems carry just 12 volts, so there’s little risk of shock should you or a family member accidently cut through the wire’s insulation while working in your garden.

Scan the aisles of any local hard­

GetMore Web extra Visit SCLiving.coop for the bonus article “Solar Flair,” which covers solar‑powered outdoor and decorative lighting kits.

The following companies offer low-voltage lights: Argee Corp., (800) 449-3030, argeecorp.com Idaho Wood, (800) 635-1100, idahowood.com Kichler Lighting, (866) 558-5706, kichlerlighting.com Malibu, (888) 295-7348, malibulights.com Nightscaping, (800) 544-4840; nightscaping.com TimberTech, (800) 307-7780; timbertech.com Troy Landscape Lighting, (800) 677-6811, troylandscapelighting.com

12

TimberTech

Q

My spring home improvement project is to upgrade my deck and backyard landscaping with some form of low-voltage lighting, but I’m on a tight budget and I need something that’s easy to install. What advice can you offer?

Kichler Lighting

Low-voltage lights are a safe and efficient option for decks and landscaping The contemporary low-voltage light fixture above uses the most efficient LEDs for the light source.

ware or home improvement store, and you’ll find a number of do-it-yourself lighting kits that include everything you need to wire your deck and landscape to achieve your goals and stay within budget. Many of these same manufacturers also sell individual components that allow you to mix and match fixtures to serve specific lighting tasks and design needs.

The newest low-voltage landscape lighting systems use super-efficient LEDs (light-emitting diodes) instead of standard incandescent bulbs. LEDs are still considerably more expensive than other lighting alternatives, but they use one-fifth as much electricity as equivalent incandescent bulbs and they last at least 10 times longer.

The important part of installing a low-voltage lighting system is making sure the total wattage of all the fixtures on a line does not exceed the rated output of the transformer. The maximum wattage will be listed on the transformer, and the instructions for fixtures should list their individual wattages.

If you buy a prepackaged lowvoltage lighting kit, it will include the proper transformer for the number and types of lights included. If you add more or assemble your own lighting kit, be careful not to exceed the transformer’s output maximum or ever go above 300 watts. If a lighting layout requires more than 300 watts,

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

The low-voltage light at left is attached between the balusters. Install as many as needed to provide adequate lighting, but don’t exceed the transformer maximum output.

you’ll need to set up separate wiring layouts to stay below 300 watts on each transformer.

When purchasing a low-voltage system or the components to put your own system together, select a transformer with a built-in mechanical or electronic timer or photo-eye control.

These are common in many kits and easy to find. Keep in mind, however, that with a standard mechanical timer, if the electric power goes off temporarily, the timer motor also stops so the on/off sequence will be incorrect and need to be reset.

You will probably select a variety of path, deck and floodlights to meet your landscape lighting needs. For more exposed areas, decorative metal and wood fixtures with stained and etched glass are an attractive, but costlier option. To edge a path, snaptogether lighted plastic bricks are effective. The electrical connectors are built into the bricks so you have to run wiring to only the first brick along the edge. To light a deck, several decking material manufacturers offer built-in post and baluster lights with hidden wiring.

Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce SC 29033, email energyqa@scliving.coop or fax (803) 739-3041.

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scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

13

SmartChoice

By Becky BILLINGSLEY

Have gadgets, will travel TRAVEL INSURANCE

MINI FORT KNOX With the Daysafe Travel Backpack 100 from Pacsafe, you’ll never have to worry about the security of valuable electronics. The rugged tote has a high-tensile stainless-steel eXomesh cage system to repel knife slashes, and built-in locks that allow you to attach the bag to an immovable object. $160. (360) 651-7999; pacsafe.com.

CLOUD CONTROL Keep an eye on your home while vacationing with the new D-Link DCS-5222L Cloud Camera set to debut in April. Using your iPad, iPhone or Android mobile device, you can remotely control digital cameras trained on your residence. Motion sensors will automatically record any activity and email you to review the footage. About $150.

(800) 326-1688; dlinkshop.com.

POCKET PROTECTION Kayaking, amusement park water rides and even the beach are no threat to smartphones or tablets if they’re sheathed in Bubbleshields from The Joy Factory. The transparent plastic sleeves offer dual-zip enclosures that meet IPX5 waterproof standards so sand and moisture stay out of your gadgets’ guts. Even better, protection comes at an affordable price. $20.

(877) 569-3228; thejoyfactory.com.

14

Whether it’s for work or pleasure, your next away-from-hom e adventure will go a whole lot smoother with these clever gadgets.

SNAPPED OFF

INSTANT SHARING Why wait until you get back home to share your vacation photos with friends when you can make them envious right this minute? The slim PowerShot ELPH 530 HS and ELPH 320 HS (shown) cameras from Canon are Wi-Fi enabled and allow you to upload images directly to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and email via a clever app. The 530 has a 12x optical zoom lens and a 10-megapixel sensor.

The 320 shoots at 16.1 megapixels to produce higher quality images in low light and comes with a 5x optical zoom.

Both will record 1080p high-definition video.

The 530 is $350; the 320 is $280. (800) 652-2666; usa.canon.com.

RUGGED SHOOTING If you need a digital camera that’s waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and crunchproof, try the Olympus TG-820. Inside the rugged case is a 12-megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom and smart electronics that recognize the scene you’re shooting and automatically adjust for the best focus and lighting. There’s even a Beauty Mode to smooth wrinkles, erase blemishes or whiten teeth. $300.

(800) 201-7766; us.buyolympus.com.

PLAYCATION

GREATER GOLF Anyone interested in bettering his or her golf game will love the handy features in Garmin’s Approach G6—a GPS device designed as the ultimate golf companion. It contains more than 26,500 preloaded course layouts with continuous free updates and scorekeeping abilities for up to a foursome. The waterproof devices can also provide statistics for each round and even track your success with different clubs. $300.

(800) 800-1020; garmin.com.

COMMUNITY GAMING Sony’s new handheld PlayStation Vita is a portable gaming system with 3G and Wi-Fi options allowing players to easily find and play with friends and other PS Vita owners. Games may be stored in “the cloud” so interrupted sessions can be finished later. The device has a 5-inch touch screen, dual cameras and a six-axis motionsensing system. Starts at $250. (800) 345-7669; us.playstation.com.

HEAD CASE Turn your iPhone 4 or iPod Touch into a high-definition action camera with the waterproof Optrix case. Attach the case to your helmet and—voila!—you’re the star of your very own X Games. $90. Optrixhd.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

PORTABLE LIBRARY Amazon’s Kindle Fire may be a traveler’s best friend. With Wi-Fi capability, a 7.5-inch screen, 8GB internal storage and up to 8 hours of battery life, this inexpensive tablet computer lets you check emails and log on to social media sites.

Off the grid, you can play games, listen to music, watch movies and television shows and, yes, read books and magazines. $200.

(800) 201-7575; amazon.com.

scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

15

HomeRun

BY MEGAN McKOY-NOE

Appliance innovations Rebates and standards transform kitchens and laundry rooms, but are consumers really saving energy? or a door with a view? Select dishwashers self-dispense detergent and clean based on the number of dishes. And you might be surprised to hear some ovens double as refrigerators. Leave dinner in the oven in the morning, then send a text message for the oven to switch from cooling to cooking mode.

“When it comes to appliances in the kitchen, things are getting smarter,” says Kevin Dexter, senior vice president of home appliance sales and marketing, at Samsung Electronics America. “We’re listening closely to consumers and adding improvements that busy moms want.”

During the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung unveiled several appliance twists, including an LCD refrigerator featuring Wi-Fi with a grocery app and a Flex Duo Oven using a Smart Divider to cut wasted cooking space.

Does your refrigerator have Wi-Fi

Samsung isn’t alone. Other manufacturers are also looking for twists to make appliances smarter and keep consumers happy.

“At GE Appliances, we’re rapidly expanding our Energy Star offerings because it’s what consumers demand, and it’s the right thing to do,” says Rod Barry, director of efficiency and environmental relations. He claims a kitchen equipped with GE’s ecomagination appliances reduces electricity 16

use by 20 percent compared to standard models.

But with so many cooks in the kitchen, not all innovations make energy sense. Appliances use 13 percent of a home’s energy—a hefty chunk. Electric co-ops are ­evaluating emerging technologies to find the recipe for innovative appliance success.

Setting the standard

Manufacturers are constantly enhancing appliances to comply with consumer requests and to meet everevolving federal efficiency standards.

These standards, first enacted in 1987, drive efficiency innovations and are credited with saving more than $300 billion in electric bills over the past quarter-century, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

Current standards set the bar for furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators and freezers, washers, dryers, motors, lamps and other products. In 2011, a U.S. Senate committee

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

Samsung

with cold water can save the average household with an electric water heater more than $40 annually.

Samsung

$$$ SAVER Washing your laundry

Samsung’s Flex Duo Oven using a Smart Divider to cut wasted cooking space. The divider also allows you to cook two things simultaneously at different temperatures.

During the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung unveiled an LCD refrigerator featuring Wi-Fi with a grocery “app.”

$$$ SAVER Use the right-sized pot

on stove burners. A 6-inch pot on an 8-inch burner wastes more than 40 percent of the burner’s heat.

considered tightening appliance standards even more, but the bill has not moved forward for a vote.

Most manufacturers also strive to meet a higher bar of excellence—the Energy Star certification. Launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992, Energy Star is a voluntary, international standard for rating energy-efficient consumer products. Not only do qualifying appliances carrying the Energy Star logo meet federal standards, they exceed it. Energy Starrated appliances use 10 percent to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models.

$$$ SAVER One of the easiest

Rebate revolution

After an influx of appliance rebate funds—almost $300 million—from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, many consumers bought efficient appliances in 2010 and 2011. Although rebates were also offered for HVAC systems and water heaters, kitchen and laundry workhorses were the clear favorites, garnering 88 percent of all redeemed rebates. About 586,000 consumers added refrigerators, 551,000 added clothes washers, and 297,600 dishwashers were updated.

ways to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load. a national electric cooperative survey shows that isn’t always the case.

“A lot of folks buy these great new Energy Star refrigerators, then put the old ‘energy hog’ model in the basement as a soda fridge for the kids,” says Brian Sloboda, a program manager for the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), a division of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. “As a result, a lot of potential savings are lost. Sure, it’s convenient to have the extra space, but these folks are paying significantly more just to have cold drinks handy.”

CRN partnered with E-Source, a Colorado-based efficiency group, to conduct a national survey of appliances. The study found 19 percent of American homes plug in two refrigerators, and 40 percent of households run a stand-alone freezer, adding expensive cold storage to electric bills.

$$$ SAVER If not washing dishes

right away, use the dishwasher’s rinse feature. It uses a fraction of the water needed to hand rinse.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates this influx of efficient appliances will save $48 million in energy costs annually. But these savings are only realized when consumers follow the adage, “Out with the old, in with the new.” Unfortunately,

Older models drain energy dollars.

A refrigerator from the 1970s costs $200 more to operate every year than a current model; a 1980s fridge isn’t much better, wasting $100 in energy dollars annually.

Shop for savings

GE

Consumers should look beyond bells and whistles and research appliances to guarantee energy savings, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The agency enforces mandatory EnergyGuide labels to help consumers compare brands and shop effectively.

“Most of the differences are on the inside—in the motors, compressors, pumps, valves, gaskets and seals, or in electronic sensors that make appliances ‘smarter,’ ” warns the FTC. “Even if two models look the same from the outside, less-obvious inside features can mean a big difference in monthly utility bills.”

EnergyGuide labels offer energy use and efficiency results from independent laboratory tests; the labels are required for refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers, televisions, water heaters and select HVAC systems.

To learn more about the impact efficient appliances can have on electric bills, visit TogetherWeSave.com.

Several GE dishwashers feature SmartDispense technology. Homeowners can fill the appliance with up to 47 fluid ounces of detergent, and the dishwasher releases it as needed.

GE

Why waste energy by searching for something in the fridge with the door open? GE’s Monogram refrigerator features a glass door, allowing you to see where the item you want is located.

Web extra Visit SCLiving.coop for the web extra article “Energysaving appliance tips,” a roster of 21 easy ways to conserve electricity.

scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

17

SC Life Hog heaven

Scott’s B.B.Q. in Hemingway is only open for business Thursday to Saturday, but for pitmaster Rodney Scott, slow-cooked pork is a seven-day-a-week obsession.

“It starts with the wood,” says Scott, who works Monday through Wednesday cutting the oak, hickory and pecan trees he’ll use to cook his hogs “low and slow.” On Wednesday afternoon, Scott stacks the wood in a homemade burn barrel and begins making coals for the pit—the first of many laborious steps in the 10- to 12-hour process that turns whole hogs into what many consider the world’s best barbecue.

The ramshackle store on Highway 261 has been in the family for nearly 40 years and using recipes and techniques handed down from his father and great-uncle, Scott cooked his first hog at the age of 11. His skills around the pit were well-known to barbecue enthusiasts in Williamsburg

Rodney Scott AGE: 40 HOMETOWN: Hemingway OCCUPATION: Pitmaster, Scott’s B.B.Q. CLAIM TO FAME: His slow-cooked

Milton Morris

barbecue—described by a prominent blogger as “the Holy Grail of hog”—has been featured in national magazines and on The Food Network.

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: He’s the subject of a 13-minute documentary by Joe York and the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Cut/Chop/Cook follows Scott through the overnight process of cooking barbecue.

Watch it at SCLiving.coop.

18

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

SCStories

County, but Scott’s B.B.Q. became an international sensation after being featured in The New York Times in 2009.

“After that article, I’ve had people in from Australia, England, Canada; you name it,” Scott says, as he swings a mop drenched in vinegar and pepper sauce to keep his cooking hogs moist. “I’ve even had a plane full of guys fly in from Texas just to have lunch. Is it crazy? Yeah! But I love it.”

All great chefs have their secrets, and Scott is no different. Ask him to share what makes his barbecue so tasty, and he flashes a huge, friendly smile.

“Simple. It’s love. I know how it sounds, but trust me, you can’t do this for a living without love,” he says. “It’s way too hard unless you love it.” —mark quinn

SCGardener

BY S. CORY TANNER

Friends in the garden Companion planting techniques allow home gardens to thrive—naturally

Beneficial insects like this syrphid fly are attracted to yarrow flowers.

Most people think of plants as passive

organisms and assume that, because they can’t move, plants are defenseless against pests. Nothing could be further from the truth. Science is beginning to understand what observant gardeners have realized for centuries—many plants have complex chemicals in their leaves and roots to ward off invaders and, sometimes, they even work together for their common defense.

This is the notion behind companion planting, a gardening technique that calls for the grouping of plants that are mutually beneficial to one another. Today there is renewed interest in this strategy, particularly when it comes to vegetable gardens.

Insect pests often use smell to find their preferred food plant. You can confuse those pests by planting strongscented plants. Herbs like catnip, basil, cilantro and mint and members of the onion family such as onions, garlic, chives and leeks, all produce aromatic compounds that may either repel insects directly or simply mask the scent of the pest’s preferred food. For example, basil planted near tomatoes is said to repel tomato hornworms, and nasturtiums surrounding squash may fend off squash bugs.

You may also use companion plants to attract beneficial insects to your garden. To do so, plant flowers—lots and lots of flowers. Many beneficial insects, predators and parasites of pest insects, feed on nectar and pollen from flowers. The best flowers for this purpose are small and produce lots of nectar or pollen. Plants in the carrot family are excellent for

A diverse mix of vegetable and flowering plants will lead to fewer pest problems.

Not only will flowers attract beneficial insects, they will also make your vegetable garden more colorful and interesting. beneficial insects. These include dill, fennel, cilantro and Queen Anne’s lace. Asters, daisies, black-eyed Susans, goldenrod and yarrow, all members of the sunflower family, make excellent food sources as well. The mint family with plants like rosemary, lavender and salvia are also very good. Don’t be afraid to intersperse these plants within your vegetable garden. Not only will they attract beneficial insects, they will also make your garden more colorful and interesting.

A third way to manage insect pests is by using trap crops. A trap crop is a sacrificial planting that a pest prefers over the main crop. The idea is that the pest will be attracted to the trap crop first. By regularly monitoring the trap you will detect a pest infestation before it becomes widespread.

Research has shown that diamondback

moths will often lay their eggs on collards before cabbage. Thus, collards could be used as a trap crop for diamondback moth caterpillars, protecting the cabbage from damage.

Buckwheat is another good trap because it attracts stink bugs, which ordinarily feed on many different ­vegetables and fruits.

Companion plants benefit each other in ways beyond just protection from pests. Sometimes they create a more favorable environment.

Legumes, for example, extract nitrogen from the air and with a little help from beneficial bacteria, naturally fertilize the soil. That’s why gardeners have long planted pole beans alongside corn. The beans provide nitrogen to the corn while the corn provides structure for the beans to climb.

There are many other possible plant combinations. Just remember that companion planting is all about diversity. Experiment in your garden, take notes, and share what works with your neighbors. That’s how gardeners have done it for centuries. is an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Greenville County. Contact him at shannt@clemson.edu.

S. Cory Tanner

scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

19

SCRecipe

Edited by Carrie Hirsch

Spicy spring bonanza Karen Hermann / iStockphoto

CROCK-POT “DOUBLE DIP” SAUSAGE DIP SERVES 8

1 16-ounce ground pork sausage (regular or hot) 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained Tortilla chips Valerie Strevell / iStock

In a medium skillet, brown sausage, then drain. Place sausage, cream cheese and tomatoes with green chilies in Crock-Pot. Cook on high for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Serve with corn tortilla chips or scoops.

SPICY SASSY PASTA SERVES 4

1 16-ounce box rigatoni, mostaccioli or cellentani pasta 2 12-ounce cans diced tomatoes 1 12-ounce package pre-sliced pepperoni 1 tablespoon dried red pepper spice, or according to taste 12 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package instructions and drain well. Drain tomatoes well. Gently stir the tomatoes, pepperoni and red pepper spice into the pasta, using more or less according to taste. Spoon onto plates and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.

Crystal torok, columbia

addie schweigert, simpsonville

ZESTY RANCH CHICKEN à LA TATERS SERVES 4

Cathy mcalister, pickens

Send us recipes! We welcome recipes for all seasons: appetizers, salads, main courses, side dishes, desserts and beverages. Selected original recipes win a $10 BI-LO gift card.

About submitting recipes Entries must include your name, mailing address and

phone number. When writing recipes, please specify ingredient measurements. Instead of “one can” or “two packages,” specify “one 12-ounce can” or “two 8-ounce packages.” Note the number of servings or yield. Recipes are not tested.

Send recipes to South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, by email to recipe@scliving.coop or by fax to (803) 739‑3041.

20

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

CATHERINE’S CHEESE NUT BREAD YIELDS 1 LOAF Gary Martin / iStock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Skin chicken legs and place in 3-quart casserole dish. Peel and cube potatoes, then add to casserole dish. Pour zesty Italian dressing over chicken and potatoes, then top with ranch dressing. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve while hot.

Donna Moulton / iStock

–10 chicken legs, raw 8 7 medium potatoes ¾ cup zesty Italian dressing 1 cup + 2 tablespoons ranch dressing

2 cups self-rising flour 2 teaspoons dry mustard ½ tablespoon granulated sugar 1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

¼ cup pecans, chopped 1 egg, beaten ¾ cup milk 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix flour, mustard and sugar; add cheese and pecans, mixing ­thoroughly. In another bowl, combine egg, milk and butter; pour into dry ingredients. Stir quickly until dry ingredients are dampened (batter will not be smooth). Pour into greased 8-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. Bake for 50–60 minutes. Turn loaf onto wire rack. Allow bread to cool before slicing.

Catherine williams, marietta

Sur f ’s

T

South Carolina’s very own Folly Beach is riding a wave of popularity as a top East Coast surfing destination

BY HASTINGS HENSEL

up !

Photos

by Mic Smith

he ideal South Carolina surfing wave begins, like most good surfing waves do, in storm swell far out in the Atlantic. It travels hundreds of miles until it reaches the shallows off Charleston’s Folly Beach, where it rises to chesthigh heights, gets cleaned up by an offshore wind, and then breaks glassy and smooth on the sand.

It takes about six seconds for the wall of water to pass through the surf zone—just long enough for thrill-seeking riders to carve the face of the wave, hit the lip, spin a 360 or catch a barrel in a frenzied, coreshredding, bliss-inducing burst of athleticism.

Six addictive seconds that have made the sleepy village of Folly Beach one of the east coast’s top surfing communities.

scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

23

C a tc h i n g t h e w a v e Surf culture pervades the town of Folly Beach, where the conversation in shops, bars and restaurants often revolves around ocean conditions and the possibility of good waves.

24

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

Learn to surf.

Of all the items on my “bucket list,” I never thought I’d cross this one off right here in South Carolina. But in February of this year, I found myself standing on the shore of Folly Beach, long board tucked under my arm, about to make my first attempt at riding a wave.

I was inspired to give surfing a try after watching the Icebox Open, a pre-season surfing competition organized by Ocean Surf Shop.

It was cold and overcast the day of the event, with air and water temperatures just above 50 degrees, but the competition drew some of the state’s top riders, including local stars Kyle Busey and Grace Muckenfuss, who dazzled the spectators and judges with jaw-dropping, gravitydefying maneuvers. They made surfing look so effortless and fun that I signed up for a lesson the following weekend.

The morning of my lesson, I ate a large breakfast of shrimp and grits at the Folly Beach Shrimp Company, and walked a block over to the shop, where General Manager Bates Hagood set me up with a long board, a wet suit and a patient and knowledgeable instructor named J. Demeranville.

Demeranville took me to a beginner-friendly section of the beach known as Six Block, aka 6th Street East, where we shimmied into our wetsuits and began the morning by analyzing the surf. The waves were waist-high and choppy—a swell coming in from the northeast. The current and wind were strong, but the surf was rideable.

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scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

25

Demeranville instructed me on some of the finer points of the sport while I waxed the board in counter clockwise circles.

Despite the laissez-faire image, there is a strict etiquette in surfing. If you are a beginner, don’t try to surf with those who are experienced, especially when the waves are big. No one wants to be called a “kook”—the derogatory name for a newbie who gets in the way.

He sketched a wave in the sand with a seashell and explained that the surfer nearest the

It is especially important to stay hydrated and loose, for surfing really works your core muscles— something I would comprehend fully the following day.

L ocal legend

| Kyle Busey

Age: 25 Occupation: Semi-pro surfer, construction worker Years surfing: 15 Best advice for beginners: “Be patient. Definitely give it a chance. Don’t get

discouraged. Stick with it.”

Whenever there’s a surf competition on Folly Beach, Kyle Busey is usually the man to beat.

In February’s Icebox Open, his mind-bending, contortionist moves helped him win both the overall men’s contest and the Hottest Wave contest.

When the spoils were handed out, he walked away holding an oversized $1,000 check—another victory for the surfer many consider to be the best in Charleston.

Like many Folly Beach surfers, Busey also works odd jobs in construction part-time to make ends meet, but unlike most he also competes on the semi-professional East Coast Tour Circuit. This summer he’ll be traveling from Florida to New Jersey in pursuit of even more winnings. He is sponsored by O’Neill Clothing and Arnett Sunglasses, but the South Carolina native says he still prefers the solitary rewards of free surfing at Folly Beach over competitions.

“I like that you’re on your own schedule, that it’s a solo sport,” he says. “It’s just a cool outlet. It’s nice to relieve some stress.

It’s meant to be a personal thing.”

Busey also teaches private surf lessons.

For details, call (843) 452-4833.

26

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

peak of the wave has priority. It was also important to be aware of riptides, which you should let take you out, rather than swimming against them. And it is especially important to stay hydrated and loose, for surfing really works your core muscles—something I would comprehend fully the following day.

Only then did we work on technique. On the beach he had me lie down on the sand, bellyfirst, and practice popping up and getting into the stance, with my left leg out in front, balancing most of the weight. It seemed easy enough on solid ground.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you rule one,” Demeranville said. “Have fun.”

W

hile surfers can find rideable waves along all 6 miles of the island’s Atlantic shoreline, the site that made Folly Beach famous with East Coast surfers is The Washout—its bigger, stronger waves allow experienced surfers to really strut their stuff.

The Washout, considered the best East Coast break between Jacksonville, Fla., and Wilmington, N.C., is “the” spot because it’s located at the apex of a bend in the beach, like the point of a crooked elbow, which causes it to be closer to deep water and provides greater exposure to swells. Adding to the site’s appeal is a wide swath of easy, public access, created when Hurricane Hugo ripped ashore in 1989 and took out several beachfront houses. Today, surfers can pull off East Ashley Avenue right next to a public gazebo that marks the site.

“It wasn’t originally the best break,” said local surf veteran Norman Godley, a Charleston native who has been surfing the South Carolina coast

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scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

27

for nearly all of his 47 years. He can remember hitchhiking to go surfing at Folly Beach when he was 10 years old. “But ever since Hugo—and the sand shift and the angle of the road—it has made for a unique break.”

Accessibility to big waves is the main reason that the Southern South Carolina District, a division of the Eastern Surfing Association, holds most of its contests at The Washout, including the Governor’s Cup—an annual surfing competition in August that determines the state surfing champion.

Throughout the spring and summer surf season, serious local competitors like Kyle Busey, Grace Muckenfuss, Blue Spivey and Anthony Osment compete for the chance to earn points and be invited to the Eastern Surfing Championships in the Outer Banks. There they can earn sponsorships and the opportunity to surf around the world.

But for most Folly Beach surfers, it’s not about the competition. It’s about the joy of riding every chance they can get.

“You are constantly being challenged by Mother Nature and the waves. And each wave is different,” Godley said. “It’s relaxing and refreshing after a long day of work. It’s free. It’s safe.

And it’s mind-cleansing.”

The talk around Folly Beach is almost always about forecasting waves—when they will arrive,

Kent Webb, of North Charleston, hopes for bigger waves at the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier. Webb said he tries to get down to Folly three days a week to surf.

“It’s an addiction,” he said.

Old Coast Guard Base State Hwy 1 71 / Folly Beach Road

FOLLY BEACH

st We

e Av ey l h s

A

Clouds

Folly Pier

ve yA shle

tA

Eas

The Washout Piddleys

10th Street East 6th Street East aka Six Block

CHARLESTON

MT. PLEASANT

County Park FOLLY BEACH

W ave action

| Folly Beach surf sites

Whether you’re ready to ride the waves or just want to watch some of the state’s top surfers in action, here are the most popular Folly Beach surf sites.

Sites generally get more advanced as you head to the northeast tip of the island. Local surf instructors recommend beginners start at Six Block and move up one site every summer as they gain skills and experience.

28

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

“ It’s relaxing and refreshing after a long day of work. It’s free. It’s safe. And it’s mind-cleansing.” how big they will be, and how long they will last.

Some of the true die-hard surfers choose to work as contractors, scheduling jobs when the surf is flat. But when the swell is high, you’ll see a long line of painting vans and carpentry trucks parked at The Washout, where sometimes hundreds of surfers are paddling out on their boards, waiting for the good sets to roll in.

Godley, for one, always keeps a board in his work van, just in case the waves get good and he has to drop everything to go surfing.

Yes, the thrills of surfing can be that contagious. And in many cases they can be lifedefining—the difference between working as a promoter in the music industry, as Hagood did right out of college, to managing a surf shop, as he does now.

“You either catch the bug, or you don’t,” he said.

S P R I N G & S U M M E R T R AV E L G U I D E

scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

29

S

L ocal legend Age: 16 Occupation:

| Grace Muckenfuss

High school student, aspiring pro surfer Years surfing: 11 Best advice for beginners: “Practice a lot. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right away.”

At just 16 years old, Grace Muckenfuss is well on her way to fulfilling her dreams of becoming a top professional surfer.

She’s already considered one of the best surfers on Folly Beach, having won countless local meets since she started competing in 2005. She placed first in the Junior Women’s Shortboard division of the 2011 Governor’s Cup, and at the latest SSC Awards banquet, she swept multiple categories: 1st in Junior Women’s Shortboard Overall, 1st in Women’s Longboard Overall, Wahine of the Year and the coveted Iron Woman award—which goes to the female surfer with the most points in SSC-sanctioned competitions.

Sponsored by Ocean Surf Shop, she was also named to the Eastern Surfing Association’s All-Stars, which consists of 23 of the association’s best male and female surfers, and her success in competition has already taken her to some of the best surfing destinations in the world, including California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Still, there’s nothing she enjoys more than a casual day of surfing on her home turf.

“I go out on every day that is rideable,” she said. “It’s always different. And it’s always freeing. There are no problems or worries when you’re out there.”

30

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

urfing may be bliss for those who have mastered the sport, but it can be incredibly frustrating to learn. The variables in surfing are much more unpredictable than in its closest cousins—snowboarding and skateboarding. You are at the whims of the wave, and almost no one gets it on the first try.

Demeranville and I walked out past the break, into about four feet of water, floating the board between us. I wobbled on and positioned myself lying down, the board pointed at the beach. He stood behind me and looked out at the ocean seeking a good wave.

“Normally, you’d be sitting on top of your board and facing the waves,” he said, but for now he would be my eyes and tell me when to go. It didn’t take long.

“Paddle hard! Paddle hard,” he barked. “Paddle as hard as you can!”

Belly down on the board, arms windmilling for all I was worth, I felt Demeranville give the board a mighty shove to propel me into the growing swell. The board began to rise on the wave as it gained force.

“Pop up!” I heard him yell through the roar of water, and I could feel what he had described to me on shore—that moment when the wave suddenly increases in strength, reaches its maximum force and begins to curl.

I don’t remember exactly what happened next, but before I could make it to my feet, I fell headlong into the surf.

I walked the board back out, and we tried it again. And again. For the first few tries, I didn’t pop up so much as crawl up, and I fell every time.

But on my sixth try, I gained a little balance and popped up with my knees bent. The difference in the point of view—from looking down to see where I might crash, to looking out to where I might surf—changed everything.

I was catching the wave.

In that moment, a part of me was already imagining moving onto short boards and contests and surfing trips to exotic locales. It was thrilling, but short-lived.

After about a second, the board shot out from beneath my feet and I barely remembered to cover my head in case the board came crashing down on top of me.

But on my sixth try, I gained a little balance and popped up with my knees bent. I was catching the wave.

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scliving.coop | April 2012 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

31

Don’ t be a kook

Ready to catch the surfing bug at Folly Beach this summer? These shops offer lessons.

Ocean Surf Shop • 31 Center Street (843) 588-9175 • oceansurfshop.com Private lessons are $75 for approximately two hours. The rate goes down for group lessons of up to 4 people. Boards rent for $30 per day, $60 for three days, or $100 for a week.

McKevlin’s Surf Shop • 8 Center Street (843) 588-2247 • mckevlins.com Individual lessons are $40 per hour. To schedule a lesson, call (843) 442-2782 or visit follybeachsurflessons.com/index.php.

Surfboards rent for $7 an hour, $30 for 24 hours, and $75 per week.

Shaka Surf School • P.O. Box 720

(843) 607-9911 • follybeach@shakasurfschool.com One-on-one private lessons are $60 per hour. A semi-private lesson is $50 per hour, and group lessons are $45 per hour ($40/hour for 6+). In the summer, the school offers weeklong surf camps for kids ages 9–12. Price: $300 per week.

A

Instructor J. Demeranville provides encouragement to our intrepid author, Hastings Hensel, during his first surfing lesson.

F olly B each

| 2012 surf competitions

Folly Beach hosts several surf contests throughout the spring and summer, including competitions sanctioned by the Southern South Carolina (SSC) division of the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA). In SSC-sanctioned meets, riders can accumulate points and earn an invitation to the ESA’s Regional Surfing Championships held in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. And the surfer who wins the Governor’s Cup is crowned the South Carolina state surfing champion.

32

April 21–22

Earth Day Challenge* The Washout June 9–10

Folly Beach Wahine Classic The Washout June 23–24

Summer of Surf Contest* The Washout July 21

McKevlin’s Gromfest (for surfers 18 and under) The Washout July 22

For more information, visit ssc.surfesa.org.

John Kalagian Team Challenge/​​​​ Liquid Shredder Open The Washout

*SSC-sanctioned meet

August 11–12

S.C. Governor’s Cup of Surfing* The Washout

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

nd so it went for the rest of my morning lesson. During each half-­second, knee-bent, wobbling attempt, I chased the bug—that feeling of elation that only surfers can know. It was frustrating at times, but the ceaseless repetition of the waves made it easy to forget the last failed try and move onto the next attempt.

I was completely focused on the process of catching a wave—finding a good set, paddling hard, keeping my body in the center of the board, popping up, keeping my knees bent—and I recalled what Anthony Osment, a 2009 winner of the Governor’s Cup, had told me about surfing: “There’s nothing else like it. Especially when the waves are good. You can let go of everything.”

“ It’s not all about catching the biggest wave.

It’s just about being out there and having fun.”

I looked around and saw that we had drifted down the beach. We got out and trudged back to Six Block. My first lesson was officially over.

I knew the mechanics, and now what I needed was enough practice to move fluidly, without too much thought, just like the pros.

Demeranville told me not to give up, and as we parted he offered one last piece of instruction.

“It’s not all about catching the biggest wave,” he said, reminding me about rule one. “It’s just about being out there and having fun.”

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35

Calendar of Events Charleston Co. Park & Recreation Commission

Please confirm information before attending events. For entry guidelines, access SCLiving.coop.

UPSTATE APRIL

12–21 • Come-See-Me Festival, various venues, Rock Hill. (800) 681-7635.

15 • Anderson Symphony Salutes Young Artists, The Rainey Fine Arts Center, Anderson University, Anderson. (864) 231-6147.

15 • Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium Boychoir, Lawrence Chapel United Methodist Church, Central. (864) 653-4461.

20–21 • Mayberry Days, downtown, Westminster.

(864) 429-5081.

21 • Public Plant Sale, S.C. Botanical Garden, Clemson. (864) 656-3405.

28 • 20th Annual Rholetters Apple Valley Bluegrass Music Festival, Jack Rholetters Apple Valley Music Park, Long Creek. (864) 647-5768.

28 • Ghost Creek Gourdfest, Ghost Creek Gourd Farm, Laurens. (864) 682-5251.

28 • Mac Arnold Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival, The Handlebar, Greenville. (864) 517-9347.

28–29 • Living History Event V, Cross Keys Plantation, Union. (864) 429-5081.

MAY

3–6 • Piedmont Plant & Flower Festival, Greenville State Farmers Market, Greenville. (864) 244-4023.

3–6 • Black Cowboy Festival, Greenfield Farm, Rembert. (803) 499-9658.

11 • Blue Ridge Fest, 734 W. Main St., Pickens.

(800) 240-3400.

12 • Heirloom Gardening, Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site, Union. (864) 427-5966.

12–13 • Spring Garden Tour, Hiawassee and Young Harris, Ga. (800) 984-1543.

18–19 • Georgia Mountain Eggfest, Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Hiawassee, Ga. (706) 896-4191.

19 • Potters on Gaffney’s Old Field Pottery Show and Sale, Cherokee County History and Arts Museum, Gaffney. (864) 489-3988.

19–20 • Clemson Festival of ARTS, Catherine Smith Park, Clemson. (864) 633-5051.

36

ONGOING

Daily • Art Gallery at the Fran Hanson Discovery Center, South Carolina Botanical Garden, Clemson. (864) 656-3405.

Daily • Trail Riding, Croft State Natural Area, Spartanburg. (864) 585-1283.

Saturday evenings through Sept. 1 • Bluegrass on the Mountain, Hillbilly Grounds, Mountain Rest. (864) 638-9070.

Second Saturdays • Music on the Mountain Bluegrass Jams, Table Rock State Park, Pickens. (864) 878-9813.

Saturdays and Sundays • Museums open 1–5 p.m., Andrew Jackson State Park, Lancaster. (803) 285-3344.

MIDLANDS APRIL

12–15 • Southern Plant and Flower Festival, Pee Dee State Farmers Market, Florence. (803) 734-2210.

15 • Birds & Butterflies Nature Series: Bluebird Trail Monitoring, Birds & Butterflies, Aiken. (803) 649-7999.

15 • Daffodil Festival, Moore Farm Botanical Garden, Lake City. (843) 374-8611.

15 and 20–21 • Aiken Community Playhouse Presents: “Twelfth Night,” URS Center for Performing Arts, Aiken. (803) 648-1438.

20 • The Dick Goodwin Big Band, Patriot Hall Performing Arts Center, Sumter. (803) 499-4032.

21 • St. Thaddeus Home & Garden Tour, Highland Park District, Aiken. (803) 648-5497.

21 • Dancing with the Sumter Stars, Patriot Hall Performing Arts Center, Sumter. (803) 938-3851.

21 • Party for the Planet, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

24–25 • Safe Kids Fest, Sumter County Civic Center, Sumter. (803) 774-8822.

24–26 • Sumter County Senior Fitness Games, Sumter County Recreation Dept., Sumter. (803) 436-2248.

27 • Flamingo Fling Sparkle & Shine, Timberlake Country Club, Chapin. (803) 932-4071.

27 • Wine Tasting, Riverbanks Botanical Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

Whether beginner or experienced, paddlers will enjoy the East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival, April 20–22 at James Island County Park in Charleston.

27–29 • Santee Birding and Nature Festival, multiple venues, Santee. (803) 478-2217.

28 • Canoe with a Ranger, Aiken State Park, Aiken. (803) 649-2857.

28 • Earth Day Celebration, Swan Lake Iris Gardens, Sumter. (803) 436-2640.

28 • Earth and Sky Night, DuPont Planetarium, Aiken. (803) 641-3654.

28 • Plant Sale, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia.

(803) 779-8717.

MAY

1 • South Carolina Wildflowers, Birds & Butterflies, Aiken. (803) 649-7999.

1–5 • South Carolina Strawberry Festival, downtown, Fort Mill. (803) 547-2116.

3 • National Day of Prayer, H. Odell Weeks Center, Aiken. (803) 640-4689.

4 • Redcliffe by Moonlight, Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, Beech Island. (803) 827-1473.

4–5 • Cooterfest, various venues, Allendale.

(803) 584-4619.

4–5 • Hog on the Hill Barbecue Cook-off, downtown, Chester. (803) 385-4803.

5 • Critters of the Night, Silver Bluff Audubon Center, Aiken. (803) 649-7999.

5 • Prescribed Burning, Hitchcock Woods, Aiken.

(803) 649-7999.

5–6 • Shaw Air Expo, Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter. (803) 895-2019.

5 and 12 • More Than Meets the Eye, DuPont Planetarium, Aiken. (803) 641-3654.

5 and 12 • Two Small Pieces of Glass, DuPont Planetarium, Aiken. (803) 641-3654.

10–12 • Chapin’s Annual Spring Open House, Greater Chapin Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, Chapin. (803) 345-1100.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

11 • Mark Trammell Quartet & The Whisnants Gospel Concert, Weldon Auditorium, Manning. (803) 433-7469.

12 • Aiken’s Nature Day, Aiken State Park, Aiken. (803) 649-2857.

15 • Indoor Garage Sale, Sumter County Civic Center, Sumter. (803) 436-2270.

ONGOING

Daily • Trail Riding, Kings Mountain State Park, Blacksburg. (803) 222-3209.

Daily • Trail Riding, Lee State Park, Bishopville. (803) 428-5307.

Daily • Trail Riding, Poinsett State Park, Wedgefield. (803) 494-8177.

Daily • SOS Planet Showing, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden’s 3-D Adventure Theater, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

Daily, except Mondays • Living History Days, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells.

(803) 684-2327.

Daily, except Mondays • Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia. (803) 799-2810.

Daily, except Mondays and major holidays • Historic Camden Revolutionary War Site, Camden. (803) 432-9841.

Daily, by appointment • Overnights and Night Howls, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717, ext. 1113.

Mondays through May • Homeschool Mondays, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

Second Tuesdays • Family Night $1 Admission, Edventure Children’s Museum, Columbia. (803) 779-3100.

Thursday evenings in May • Rhythm and Blooms, Riverbanks Botanical Garden, Columbia. (803) 779-8717.

Fourth Thursdays • Tales for Tots, Edventure Children’s Museum, Columbia. (803) 779-3100.

Saturdays • Behind-theScenes Adventure Tours, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, Columbia. (803) 978-1113.

Saturdays and Sundays • Gallery Tour, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia. (803) 799-2810.

Second Saturdays through Dec. 8 • Children’s Art Program for ages 4–10, Sumter County Gallery of Art, Sumter. (803) 775-0543.

Fourth Saturdays through September • Sumter Cruisers Cruise-ins, Kmart parking lot, Sumter. (803) 481-3003.

LOWCOUNTRY APRIL

9–15 • RBC Heritage golf tournament, Sea Pines, Hilton Head Island. (843) 671-2448.

13–15 • World Grits Festival, downtown, St. George. (843) 563-3149.

14–15 • Pet Fest 2012, Palmetto Islands County Park, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884-0832.

15 • Blues by the Sea, Freshfields Village Green, Kiawah Island. (843) 762-9125.

15 • Festival Plantation Picnic & Oyster Roast, Drayton Hall, Charleston. (843) 722-3405.

20–22 • East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival, James Island County Park, Charleston. (843) 795-7275.

21 • Kiawah Island Motoring Retreat, Night Heron Park, Kiawah Island. (843) 768-5726.

22 • Old Village Home Garden & Art Tour, Historic Old Village, Mount Pleasant. (843) 764-2323.

25 • Mac Arnold Cornbread and Collard Greens Blues Festival, The Bowery, Myrtle Beach. (864) 517-9347.

28 • Shaggin’ on the Cooper, Mount Pleasant Pier, Mount Pleasant. (843) 795-4386.

28 • Crafts and Garden Festival, Blue Heron Nature Center, Ridgeland. (843) 987-9142.

29 • Blessing of the Fleet & Seafood Festival, Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884-8517.

MAY

4–5 • A Taste of Beaufort, Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, Beaufort. (843) 525-6644.

4–12 • North Charleston Arts Festival, various venues, North Charleston. (843) 740-5854.

5 • Coastal Island Horse Show, Mullet Hall Equestrian Center, Johns Island. (843) 768-5867.

5 • Lowcountry Shrimp Festival, Robert E. Ashley Landing, McClellanville.

(843) 887-3323.

11–20 • Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally, various venues, Grand Strand area. (336) 643-1367.

12 • Bluffton Village Festival, downtown, Bluffton. (843) 815-2277.

12 • Mayfest on Main, Main Street, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

12–13 • Pawleys Pavilion Reunion, Pawleys Island Nature Park, Pawleys Island.

(843) 546-5685, ext. 6.

ONGOING

Daily • Trail Riding, Cheraw State Park, Cheraw. (843) 537-9656.

Daily • Nature Center, Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island. (843) 838-7437.

Daily, except Christmas • Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet. (843) 235-6000.

Daily, except major holidays • Parris Island Museum, Beaufort.

(843) 228-2166.

Daily, except Christmas • Self-guided Colonial tours, Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, Charleston. (843) 852-4205.

Tuesdays, through Oct. 16 • Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, Coleman Boulevard, Mount Pleasant. (843) 884-8517.

Tuesdays–Saturdays • Education Center displays and programs, Myrtle Beach State Park, Myrtle Beach. (843) 238-5325.

Saturdays–Tuesdays • Mansion Tours, Hampton Plantation State Historic Site, McClellanville. (843) 546-9361.

Saturdays through October • Lawn Mower Racing, MCK/Cyclone Speedway, Bennettsville. (910) 334-6638.

SCHumorMe

By Jan A. Igoe

Plunging for premiums Whenever I’m in the mood to strangle

someone and don’t want to waste a perfectly good hissy fit on the next doorbell-ringing Girl Scout pushing peanut butter patties, I call my health insurance company. That way, my clenched red fists can be put to use beating hundreds of number, star and pound keys unconscious before any humans get involved.

The usual reason for my call is to find out why they don’t feel like cover­ing some procedure, drug or lab test that a big-brained, boardcertified medical doctor with 17 postgraduate degrees ordered me to get.

Seasonal crud aside, I’m a pretty healthy person. My blood ­pressure is good, assuming the insurance company and I haven’t corresponded recently.

But when you’ve celebrated more than 39 birthdays, ­providers want proof you’ll be around long enough to pay them. That means occasional creative poking and prodding that insurance may not feel like covering.

For example, if a professional vampire (some call them phlebotomists) stabs you in a vein, the insurance company will need proof that it wasn’t for recreational purposes, like the blood tests people get just for fun.

The insurance companies aren’t trying to be mean, just obscenely profitable. And they are. The industry always seems to be reporting big, juicy gains, so we might try applying their 38

business model to mom and pop ventures struggling to survive in a bloodthirsty economy.

My nephew is a plumber, so his business is pretty straightforward.

When someone’s toilet is backed up,

they call, he comes, they pay and everybody’s happy. But his bottom line would be stronger if he hung up his plunger and started selling plumbing policies. I’m not talking about some wimpy service contract. I’m talking about a big, fat “pay up front and we’ll talk about your leak later” deal. Here’s how it would work: l First, he’ll conduct background checks to see if your fixtures merit coverage or if there’s any hint of preexisting drainage problems. (Actually, pre-existing conditions are good because he can charge more for the policy without actually paying for anything that backs up.)

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | April 2012 | scliving.coop

l Applicants will have to disclose whether any sinks or tubs on their mother’s side ever overflowed. l My nephew will check with all past plumbers, electricians and mold remediators, so if an elderly washing machine flooded the house in 1986, it’s best to confess that upfront.

With the new policy, you can chat with a synthesized female voice on a fancy answering system anytime. She’ll have lots of departments to transfer you to, so it will be a new adventure every time you call. You’ll also get a nifty card with 17 digits printed in 4-point type for your pre-approved plumber. Just flash the card along with your Social Security number, driver’s license, credit card and detailed info about your next of kin for prompt, courteous overbilling.

My nephew regrets that he can no longer make house calls, so you’ll have to bring your sink, toilet or tub to an approved in-network provider during regular office hours.

If you need help, just call. Those number, star and pound keys on the phone are available for punching 24/7.

Of course, the call may be recorded so my nephew can laugh at you later.

is a writer and illustrator from Horry County who would rather bring 10 bathtubs to a plumber than submit to a blood test, no matter how skilled the vampire is. Contact her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop.

JAN A. IGOE

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