Ohio Cooperative Living - August - Midwest

OHIO

AUGUST 2021

COOPERATIVE Midwest Electric, Inc.

Night moves Adventure after dark

ALSO INSIDE Stacking the generating deck Surf Ohio Iconic Airstreams

Be E Smart 3

ENERGY•EFFICIENCY•EDUCATION

LOGO WINNERS Electricity

✔ 10 years in Ohio school classrooms

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2019 Winner

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OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

INSIDE FEATURES 24 SURF’S UP Ohio shredders show you can hang ten even in a landlocked city far from the coast.

28 AFTER DARK Nighttime adds an extra spark of adventure for thrill-seekers.

30 SILVER BULLET Iconic American Airstreams — made in Ohio, treasured everywhere.

34 HARDTACKERS The miles between the Buckeye State and the high seas haven’t stopped this singing group from the lure of sea shanty lore.

Cover image on most editions: The adventure changes when the sun goes down, as nighttime brings out a new set of outdoor discoveries (GibsonPictures/via Getty Images).

This page: The aluminum skin of a classic Airstream trailer can be polished to a mirror-like finish — look closely and you can see both of Jim Muncy’s Airstreams (photo by James Proffitt).

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

All of the above Choose the correct answer: What sources do Ohio’s 24 electric cooperatives employ to generate power for 1 million Ohioans?

☐ coal ☐ natural gas ☐ solar ☐ hydropower

☐ landfill methane ☐ biodigesters ☑ all of the above

Why all of the above?

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: Reliability, affordability, and fuel diversity are paramount to the resiliency of the nation’s electric grid — period. While intermittent generation sources — like wind and solar — certainly play an increasingly larger role in electricity production, they are, for the time being, supporting performers. Issues in Texas and California have made it clear to the rest of the country that blackouts can and will happen, causing tremendous suffering and loss. It’s a gamble not worth taking, particularly when lives lie in the balance.

Those recent debacles taught us some pretty clear lessons about the value and benefit of having a diverse set of supply resources available. Check out Rebecca Seum’s story on page 4, explaining how Buckeye Power tries to play as strong a hand as possible in the power generation game in Ohio.

We do so because during extreme weather events, things don’t always work as expected.

Recent failures have been a combination of poor planning, severe weather, and the resulting impacts on plant operations (such as frozen pipes or lack of wind or sunshine). Being prepared for the unexpected is part of the job of generating and transmitting energy.

Do it right Both Texas and California were preparing for more troubles due to hot weather and plant shutdowns. As recently as mid-June, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued a plea for Texans to conserve energy in advance of the state’s traditionally sweltering summer heat. An identical scenario played out at about the same time in California, when Gov. Gavin Newsom called on residents to conserve energy use during an “extreme heat event.”

Newsom subsequently signed an emergency proclamation that allowed power plants to ramp up operations to meet the demand for electricity — all before the official start of summer.

Some government officials and environmental activists insist that we need to transition our power system away from fossil fuels even faster than we already have. California and Texas are clear reminders that we can go too far, too fast. Ohio’s electric cooperative network is committed to doing our best to prevent that from happening here.

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

Pat O’Loughlin PRESIDENT & CEO OHIO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

While intermittent generation sources — like wind and solar — certainly play an increasingly larger role in electricity production, they are, for the time being, supporting performers.

AUGUST 2021 • Volume 63, No. 11

Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 www.ohiocoopliving.com

4 DEPARTMENTS

Patrick O’Loughlin President & CEO

Patrick Higgins Director of Communications

Jeff McCallister Managing Editor

Rebecca Seum Associate Editor

Anita Cook Graphic Designer

Contributors: Colleen Romick Clark, Victoria Ellwood, Getty Images, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Catherine Murray, James Proffitt, Jamie Rhein, and Damaine Vonada.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Elec­tric Co­op­eratives, Inc. It is the official com­munication link be­tween the elec­­­­tric co­operatives in Ohio and West Virginia and their mem­bers. Subscription cost for members ranges from $5.52 to $6.96 per year, paid from equity accruing to the member.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101. Periodicals postage paid at Pontiac, IL 61764, and at additional mailing offices.

Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

The fact that a product is advertised in Ohio Cooperative Living should not be taken as an en­dorse­ment. If you find an advertisement mis­leading or a product unsatisfactory, please not­ify us or the Ohio Attorney General’s Of­fi ce, Consumer Protection Sec­tion, 30 E. Broad St., Col­um­bus, OH 43215.

Periodicals postage paid at Colum­bus, OH, and at additional mailing offices.

4 POWER LINES

Stacking the deck: Having the strongest hand of generation sources leads to reliable, affordable energy.

8

8 CO-OP PEOPLE

Feelin’ groovy: Customers experience flower power at co-op members’ unique garden center.

12 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

12

Ohio Indian history writ large: The Battle of Fallen Timbers ended the fight for control of the Northwest Territory.

15 GOOD EATS

“What can I do with eggplant?”

Looking for ways to prepare that purple thing from the garden? These dishes will have you coming back for more.

15

19 LOCAL PAGES News and information from your electric cooperative.

For all advertising inquiries, contact

37 CALENDAR

Cheryl Solomon

37

What’s happening: August/ September events and other things to do around Ohio.

American MainStreet Publications 847-749-4875 | cheryl@amp.coop

Cooperative members: Please report changes of address to your electric cooperative. Ohio Cooperative Living staff cannot process address changes.

Alliance for Audited Media Member Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Dog days: Pooches love the water when the days get hotter!

40

Visit Ohio Cooperative Living magazine online at www.ohiocoopliving.com! Read past issues and watch videos about our articles or our recipes. Our site features an expanded Member Interactive area where you can share your stories, recipes, and photos and find content submitted by other co-op members across the state.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

POWER LINES

STACKING THE DECK Having the strongest hand of generation sources leads to reliable, affordable energy.

BY REBECCA SEUM

In a game of cards, assembling the strongest hand means having the right card to play at the right time.

Depending on the situation, the value of each card changes. It might be best to play a jack, to hold a queen for later, or to pull out that ace in the hole. That strategy can be used as an analogy to describe the way Buckeye Power, the generation and transmission provider for Ohio’s electric cooperatives, compiles and uses its generation sources. Providing safe, reliable, affordable power to more than 400,000 Ohio consumer-member households, businesses, and farms means having the strongest hand possible so that Buckeye Power can use the right source at the right time. Each generation source is equally valuable when it’s the right time to play it.

Buckeye Power pursues an all-of-the-above generation strategy, taking into consideration cost, reliability, environmental impact, and more when deciding which cards to pick up and which ones to discard.

From coal to natural gas to renewable sources, each one is an important part of keeping power flowing to our members. This month, we take a look at the cards in Buckeye Power’s hand.

THE ACE: Cardinal Power Plant Cardinal Power Plant, in Brilliant, Ohio, on the Ohio River, is Buckeye Power’s main baseload source. “Baseload” refers to a plant that is built and designed to run all the time, day and night, seven days a week. That doesn’t mean it’s producing the same amount of energy all the time. Tom Alban, vice president, power generation, of Buckeye Power, says, “Baseload facilities vary their output. There’s a minimum demand and they run to meet that all the time, then ramp up during the day as needed.” This coal-fired plant consists 4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 4 OHIO LIVING • AUGUST 2021 2021

This month’s article continues a four-part series on energy generation. Coming up: September: Environmental controls at Cardinal Power Plant of three units: AEP owns Unit 1, and Buckeye Power owns Units 2 and 3 and manages all three units.

Buckeye Power’s combined capacity at Cardinal is 1,210 megawatts. Buckeye Power has heavily invested in emissions control equipment on their units, making Cardinal Plant one of the cleanest power plants of its kind in the world.

October: The next generation of community solar

PAIR OF KINGS: Clifty Creek and Kyger Creek plants Owned by the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC), these two coal-fired plants were built in the 1950s to supply power to uranium enrichment facilities for the Department of Defense during the Cold War era. When that operation ceased, the facilities began supplying consumer electricity. Buckeye Power purchased shares of OVEC in the 2000s and now owns an 18% stake. At the time of purchase, Alban says, “our load was growing beyond our capability at Cardinal.” The OVEC shares became available at a time when Buckeye Power saw a need to increase capacity for future load requirements.

The purchase also further stabilized long-term wholesale power costs.

Clift

y Cr

eek

Kyger Creek

Baseload: A generation source that is designed and built to operate 24/7. Once turned on, it typically runs for weeks or months continually. Cardinal, Clifty Creek, and Kyger Creek plants are baseload resources.

TWO QUEENS: Robert P. Mone Plant and Greenville Generating Station These two facilities, Buckeye Power’s natural gas peaking plants, are used only when needed to supply extra electricity, usually on the hottest and coldest days of the year. Each staffed by a team of only four and a shared plant manager, the plants are designed to be turned on and off with relatively short lead time. In fact, they can be up and running in only 10 minutes (as opposed to 24 to 48 hours to restart a coal plant that’s offline).

Mone

The Mone plant was added to Buckeye Power’s hand in the early 2000s and Greenville was purchased in the mid-2000s. When weather projections demand, staffing schedules are adjusted so the plant will be ready to go the moment it’s needed.

Continued on page 6

e

Greenvill

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

Continued from page 5

At Buckeye Power, someone is always watching — hour by hour, a week ahead, 10 years ahead — to make sure Ohio consumer-members’ need for electric power is met today, tomorrow, and years from now.

“Supply has to equal demand all the time. That’s a balancing act that goes on all day, every day.” – Tom Alban, Buckeye Power vice president

JACKS OF ALL SUITS: Solar, anaerobic digesters, methane generation, and hydropower OurSolar (2.1 megawatts) Community solar arrays at electric cooperatives in Ohio are an intermittent source of power, but consumer-members can support renewable energy projects by subscribing to the solar farms as an alternative source of generation.

Anaerobic digesters (4.45 megawatts) An anaerobic digester breaks down animal waste to extract methane that can be used as fuel for electricity generation. Buckeye Power purchases electricity from four co-op member farms connected to the grid through Consolidated, Midwest, North Western, and Paulding Putnam electric cooperatives.

Methane generation (9.6 megawatts) As organic garbage decomposes, it also produces methane. The Hancock County Landfill and Suburban Regional Landfill produce power from methane and flow it to the grid through Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative and South Central Power Company.

Hydropower (55 megawatts) Buckeye Power purchases hydropower from the New York Power Authority. NYPA provides power from Niagara Falls and the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project to publicly owned utilities like electric cooperatives.

What’s missing?

You may have noticed the absence of two widely known generation sources: nuclear and wind. There are many variables that are considered when making decisions about which generation sources Buckeye Power chooses to invest in. Availability, reliability, forecasted future demand for electricity, and value are just a few of those factors. Generation sources are continually evaluated, and if the variables line up with our mission of providing stable, affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible power to Ohio’s electric cooperative consumer-members, Buckeye Power may choose to add cards to its hand. Alban says, “We’re better off with renewables closer to where our load is. The price fluctuations in electricity based on supply and demand mean that generating the power in the same place you want to use it makes the most sense for cost stability.”

6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

Your Growth is Our Future For more than 100 years, Ohio Farm Bureau has advocated for a strong Ohio food and farm community, and we will continue to engage on issues important to you.

Protecting landowner rights Rural broadband COVID-19 economic recovery Strengthening the food supply chain

COOPERATIVE CALENDAR

PHOTO CONTEST

Farm Proud. Farm Strong.

OhioFarmBureau.org

Ohio Cooperative Living magazine is looking for photos from Ohio and West Virginia electric cooperative members to use in its 2022 cooperative calendar. We’re interested in seasonal scenes from each month of the year — images that really “pop” and convey a sense of time and place.

Photo subjects must be interesting and the shot well planned and framed.

If their images are chosen for publication, amateur co-op photographers could earn $100 or more.

Rules • One photo entry per member.

• High-resolution, color, digital images only.

• No prints, slides, or proof sheets — no snail mail! Send submissions by email attachment only to photo@ohioec.org.

• Photo format must be horizontal and capable of filling an 8 x 11-inch image area.

• Include an explanation of the photo — the where, what, when — as well as who took the shot.

• Include your name, address, phone number, and the name of your co-op.

Deadline for submission: Aug. 16 • photo@ohioec.org

• Shots featuring people who can be identified within the photo must be accompanied by a signed publication release.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 7

CO-OP PEOPLE

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

Groovy Plants Ranch offers a variety of gardening-related classes in the 1869 schoolhouse on the property grounds (above); opposite, Liz and Jared Hughes, with their daughter, Lili, at the hippie bus that inspires many a customer to stop for photos.

Customers experience flower power at co-op members’ unique garden center.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAMAINE VONADA

A

s the summer-of-love sound of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” echoes through the shady grounds of Groovy Plants Ranch, shoppers give their toddlers and dogs a leisurely wagon ride, pulling them slowly along while oohing and aahing over hanging baskets brimming with lush begonias and showy pots of scarlet geraniums, paprika-colored coral bells, and jewel-toned dianthus. The garden center’s signage displays 1960s-inspired shades of orange and lime, and a turquoise VW hippie bus does double duty as an unconventional planter and popular photo-op spot for customers. Every spring, owner and Consolidated Cooperative member Jared Hughes plants the coleus, impatiens, and other plants sprouting from the vehicle’s roof.

“It’s a ceremonial planting to mark Ohio’s first frost-free date,” says Jared, “but I also do it because people love taking pictures beside the bus and posting them all over the internet.”

Situated along a rural road about 30 miles north of Columbus, Groovy Plants Ranch is a 5-acre complex where Jared and his wife, Liz, grow and sell plants that they ship to customers around the world. It opened in 2016, but Jared began cultivating the business in his late teens while studying landscape design at Columbus State Community College and working at a Delaware County greenhouse.

“I started growing succulents in my room because they’re easy to care for and propagate,” Jared says. “It was a side hustle to earn extra money.”

Succulents such as agave, aloe vera, and cactus were the happening plants of the 1960s, and along with his green thumb, Jared acquired an ear for classic rock music. Selling his blast-from-the-past plants at farmers markets, he gave his budding business a groovy name that was a natural fit for succulents. By 2015, Jared and Liz were wholesaling succulents out of a greenhouse he constructed on his parents’ farm near Cardington.

“Liz and I are very complementary because she is great at design and adds artistic flair to whatever we do,” says Jared.

A former teacher, Liz has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Kent State. She spearheaded Groovy Plants Ranch’s online store and conducts workshops on topics ranging from terrarium planters to gardening for pollinators. “My classes are a fun activity to do with friends or on a date,” she says.

“I teach people how to care for the plants they take home.”

Besides its extraordinary array of succulents and cacti, Groovy Plants Ranch also carries annuals, herbs, vegetables, houseplants, and rare plants such as Monstera albo variegata (a philodendron relative with fenestrated green-and-white leaves) and Tillandsia tectorum (a silvercolored air plant from Ecuador). Calisia repens Bianca, a dainty houseplant with pink and green leaves, is a bestseller, but the coolest plant has to be the canary wings begonia that took Jared several years to develop.

“Canary wings were lightning in a bottle,” says Jared.

“One day I noticed a gold fleck on the leaf of a dragon wing begonia, so I did clone after clone after clone Continued on page 10

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9

Continued from page 9

until I got a stable, all-gold plant.” Shade-loving canary wings have bright red flowers that contrast beautifully with their unique yellowish leaves, and after patenting the plant, Jared partnered with a major seed company to bring it to market. Today, canary wings begonias are sold internationally, and at Groovy Plants Ranch, they practically fly off the shelves.

If its vast plant selection weren’t enough, Groovy Plants Ranch also offers a potpourri of far-out experiences.

Customers get to shop for premium seeds and arty

greeting cards in an 1869 schoolhouse or relish planting something green and gorgeous at the Potter’s Saloon.

Featuring an open bar, the self-serve saloon has two kinds of soil on tap — Jungle Boogie for house plants and True Grit for succulents and cacti. A la Simon and Garfunkel, the Hugheses have created a groovy-feelin’ oasis where people come to slow down and watch the flowers growin’. “We are very intentionally taking a different approach to the typical garden center model,” says Jared, “and we always have unique and unusual plants to sell.”

Groovy Plants Ranch, 4140 County Road 15, Marengo, OH 43334. 740-675-2681; www.groovyplantsranch.com.

Customers can pot their own plants at Groovy Plants Ranch’s Potter’s Saloon, which has different soils on tap for anything from house plants to succulents and cacti.

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

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OHIO’S AMERICAN INDIAN HISTORY

Writ large

COURTESY OF OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

The Battle of Fallen Timbers ended the fight over the Northwest Territory.

BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

O

f the many paintings hanging in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, the largest by far measures 22 feet long by 16 feet high and is titled The Signing of the Treaty of Green Ville. Completed in 1945 by artist Howard Chandler Christy, the painting depicts the historic 1795 meeting at Fort Greenville (today’s Greenville, Ohio) between Little Turtle, chief of the Miami Tribe, and General “Mad” Anthony Wayne, representing the United States.

Setting the scene At the end of the Revolutionary War, England ceded to the fledgling USA ownership of the Northwest Territory — an immense area north and west of the Ohio River that would one day become five states: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, as well as part of Minnesota.

The major problem with the agreement was that it completely ignored tens of thousands of indigenous people who were already living on that land — from dozens of major tribes — who were not about to give up their claims on the land without a fight.

The resulting decade-long conflict was known as the Northwest Indian War, and the final fight of that conflict took place on Aug. 20, 1794, near the banks of the Maumee River. The tribesmen had ensconced themselves in a large area of downed, jumbled trees that had been blown over by a tornado. Realizing that an attack on the fallen timbers would be a suicide mission, Wayne needed a ruse to draw the opposition out into the open. He ordered 500 mounted riflemen to approach the area and engage briefly, then fall back in apparent chaos and confusion.

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

Email Chip Gross at whchipgross@gmail.com with your outdoors questions. Be sure to include “Ask Chip” in the subject line. Your question may be answered on www.ohiocoopliving.com!

The enemy took the bait, pouring from the downed woods in pursuit of the retreating cavalry — only to be met head-on by the main body of the army.

In truth, both sides suffered roughly an equal number of casualties — about 100 total — but the tribes saw it as a crushing defeat, and their chiefs began entreating Wayne for peace almost immediately. He accepted their requests, encouraging them to attend a peace council scheduled for the following summer. The result of that weeks-long gathering, attended by more than 3,000 — including 91 chiefs of various tribes — was the historic Treaty of Greenville, as depicted on Christy’s painting, which opened the Ohio country to white settlements.

Historic site The actual location of the battlefield, near the intersection of U.S. 24 and U.S. 23/I-475, was not discovered until 1995, by G. Michael Pratt, an anthropologist and faculty member at Heidelberg College. Today, Fallen Timbers Battlefield consists of three sites: Fallen Timbers Battlefield, Fallen Timbers Monument, and Fort Miamis.

It’s owned, operated, and managed by Metroparks Toledo, and has been designated a National Historic Site and an Affiliated Unit of the National Park Service.

W.H. “Chip” Gross is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor.

For more, click on https://metroparkstoledo.com/ explore-your-parks.

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‘What can I do with ’ GOOD EATS

ITALIAN STUFFED EGGPLANT Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 50 minutes | Servings: 4 2 pounds eggplant 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed, broken into pieces 1 cup marinara sauce 4 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried parsley ½ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon dried oregano 4 ounces crumbled feta fresh parsley or basil for garnish, optional

eggplant?

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS

BY CATHERINE MURRAY

Cut eggplants in half, lengthwise.

Scoop out flesh, leaving a ½-inch border around the eggplant shell. Dice inside flesh and set aside. Generously sprinkle eggplant shells with salt and stand up to drain in a colander.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and diced eggplant flesh, stirring regularly for 5 minutes. Add sausage to skillet. Cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in marinara, garlic, parsley, thyme, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Wipe salt and moisture from eggplant shells, brush insides with remaining olive oil, and place cut side up on a baking sheet or a baking dish. Stuff sausage mixture into eggplant shells. Bake 30 minutes, sprinkle with cheese, then bake another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese begins to brown. Garnish with parsley and basil, if desired.

Per serving: 558 calories, 40 grams fat (15 grams saturated fat), 91 milligrams cholesterol, 1,379 milligrams sodium, 28 grams total carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber, 22 grams protein.

Looking for new ways to prepare that purple thing from the garden?

These dishes will have you coming back for more.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15

EGGPLANT PANZANELLA Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 60 minutes | Servings: 6 14-ounce loaf of ciabatta bread 1 cup olives (mix of green and Kalamata) ¼ cup olive oil 8 ounces fresh mozzarella 2 tablespoons butter, melted DRESSING ½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup olive oil ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1½ pounds cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1 tablespoon capers ½ teaspoon ground sumac ¼ teaspoon sumac 1½ pounds small eggplants, cut into 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1½-inch cubes Note: Italian, French, or focaccia bread can be substituted.

Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with some of the olive oil and all of the butter, sprinkle with some of the salt and pepper, toss, and bake at 400 F for 10 to 15 minutes, until toasted. Transfer bread to large serving bowl.

Turn oven up to 450 F. Toss tomato halves with some of the olive oil, salt, pepper, and sumac and spread out in a single layer, flesh side up, on the same baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.

Toss cubed eggplant in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sumac. Spread out on a separate baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Mix dressing ingredients together with an immersion blender to break up the capers. Add roasted tomatoes and eggplant to the bowl with the bread, along with the olives and mozzarella. Generously drizzle with dressing and serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving: 557 calories, 34 grams fat (9 grams saturated fat), 31 milligrams cholesterol, 1,234 milligrams sodium, 47 grams total carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 17.5 grams protein.

SMOKY BABA GHANOUSH Prep: 60 minutes | Cook: 50 minutes | Servings: 4 2½ pounds eggplant 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika 4 large garlic cloves, unpeeled dash of cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon tahini paste paprika, red pepper flakes, and olive oil for garnish 1 tablespoon plain yogurt (optional) Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and poke the skin side with a fork a few times.

Salt the eggplant flesh generously and place standing upright in a colander for 40 to 60 minutes to remove bitterness and some of the moisture. Brush off salt and excess moisture and pat dry.

Heat oven to 450 F. Brush the eggplant flesh and garlic cloves with olive oil.

Place eggplant halves flesh side down on the baking sheet and nestle garlic cloves in between. Roast together for 20 minutes, then remove garlic cloves, setting aside to cool. Continue roasting eggplant for another 20 to 30 minutes until it’s collapsed and the flesh is very soft and tender. Remove from oven and let rest undisturbed for 20 minutes.

Scoop eggplant flesh into a mesh strainer, pressing some of the extra moisture out. Using a food processor (or mashing and mixing by hand), blend strained eggplant with the peeled garlic, tahini paste, yogurt (optional), lemon juice, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Pulse the food processor a few times, careful not to over-blend. Add salt to taste.

Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika and red pepper flakes. Enjoy with pita or raw vegetables. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Per serving: 133 calories, 6 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 15 milligrams sodium, 19 grams total carbohydrates, 10.5 grams fiber, 4 grams protein.

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

FRIED EGGPLANT FRITTERS

GOOD EATS

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 6 CREOLE RÉMOULADE SAUCE 1 cup mayonnaise ¼ cup horseradish mustard 1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon white vinegar FRITTERS 1 pound eggplant, peeled and diced 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted 1 egg ¼ cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon pepper 1 cup Panko bread crumbs vegetable oil for frying In a small bowl, thoroughly mix ingredients for the Creole rémoulade sauce and chill in the fridge until fritters are ready.

In a medium pot, bring eggplant to a boil in salted water and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly, pressing out excess moisture. In a medium bowl, combine eggplant, butter, and egg, mashing to combine. Mix in flour, baking powder, pepper, and Panko bread crumbs until well blended.

In a large skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 200 F. Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, gather balls of batter and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry a few fritters at a time until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes each, flipping halfway through. Place on paper towels to remove excess oil. Makes about 20 fritters.

Per serving: 297 calories, 23 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 43 milligrams cholesterol, 444 milligrams sodium, 22 grams total carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams protein.

See a video of some of our tasty dishes being prepared.

Have you tried one of our recipes? Do you have a recipe to share with other Ohio co-op members? Visit the Member Interactive page on www.ohiocoopliving. com to find recipes submitted by our readers and to upload yours.

www.ohiocoopliving.com AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

Make your home more comfortable than ever

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To me, it’s the best sleep chair I’ve ever had.”

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Pictured: Genuine Italian Leather chair chestnut color.

You can’t always lie down in bed and sleep.

Heartburn, cardiac problems, hip or back aches – and dozens of other ailments and worries. Those are the nights you’d give anything for a comfortable chair to sleep in: one that reclines to exactly the right degree, raises your feet and legs just where you want them, supports your head and shoulders properly, and operates at the touch of a button.

Our Perfect Sleep Chair® does all that and more. More than a chair or recliner, it’s designed to provide total comfort. Choose your preferred heat and massage settings, for hours of soothing relaxation. Reading or watching TV? Our chair’s recline technology allows you to pause the chair in an infinite number of settings. And best of all, it features a powerful lift mechanism that tilts the entire chair forward, making it easy to stand. You’ll love the other benefits, too. It helps with correct spinal alignment and promotes REMOTE-CONTROLLED EASILY SHIFTS FROM FLAT TO A STAND-ASSIST POSITION

back pressure relief, to prevent back and muscle pain. The overstuffed, oversized biscuit style back and unique seat design will cradle you in comfort.

Generously filled, wide armrests provide enhanced arm support when sitting or reclining. It even has a battery backup in case of a power outage.

White glove delivery included in shipping charge. Professionals will deliver the chair to the exact spot in your home where you want it, unpack it, inspect it, test it, position it, and even carry the packaging away! You get your choice of Genuine Italian leather, stain and water repellent custom-manufactured DuraLux™ with the classic leather look or plush MicroLux™ microfiber in a variety of colors to fit any decor. New Chestnut color only available in Genuine Italian Leather. Call now!

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MIDWEST ELECTRIC LOCAL PAGES MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Have you received a scam call, visit, or email? Don't fall for it.

U

nfortunately, in today’s world, scams are inevitable. With pandemic uncertainty still persisting, people are susceptible to being taken advantage of. Scammers can threaten you with everything from legal action involving the IRS to turning off power to your home.

you have any doubts about Matt Berry, CEO your utility bill, contact our MBERRY@MIDWESTREC.COM member payment center either in person or over the phone at 800-962-3830 or 419-394-4110, or by email at info@midwestrec.com

Utility scams often involve an individual or group posing as an employee of your electric cooperative. The scammer may use threatening language in order to frighten you into offering your credit card or bank account information.

Don’t fall victim to these types of scams. Understand the threats posed and your best course of action:

• If someone comes to your home claiming to be an employee of Midwest Electric who needs to collect money or inspect parts of your property, call us to verify they are, in fact, an employee. If they are not, call local authorities for assistance and do not let the individual into your home.

• If someone calls your home or cellphone demanding you pay your electric bill immediately, gather as much information as you can from that individual, hang up the phone, and contact Midwest Electric at 800-962-3830 or 419-394-4110. You could also consider contacting your local police. Scammers often use threats and urgency to pressure you into giving them your bank account number or loading a prepaid credit or debit card (such as a Green Dot card). While we do take credit card and checking account payments over the phone, Midwest Electric will never ask for prepaid credit or debit cards. Your safest bet is to tell the caller (even if it really is us) that you’re going to hang up and call our office.

There are other types of scams to watch out for, too:

• We do make payment reminder calls to members who are at risk of being disconnected. Please remember that we only make these calls during normal business hours. So if you receive such a call before 7:30 a.m., after 4 p.m., or on the weekend, then you could be pretty certain that it’s a scam. If

• Government agencies like the IRS will never call to inform you that you have unpaid taxes or other liens against you. You will always receive this type of information in the mail. If someone calls claiming to be the IRS, hang up immediately.

• If you receive an email from an unknown sender, an email riddled with spelling errors and typos, or an email threatening action unless a sum of money is paid, do not click any links provided within the email and do not respond to the email. Simply delete it.

• If someone calls your home claiming to have discovered a virus on your computer, hang up. This caller’s intent is to access personal information you may be keeping on your computer.

Midwest Electric wants to make sure you avoid scams. If you have questions about how to protect yourself from scammers, call 800-962-3830 or visit midwestrec.com.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 19

MIDWEST ELECTRIC RELIABILITY

UNDERSTANDING

power surges and blinks

PHOTO BY PAT GAINES

Lightning strikes can cause faults (short circuits) on power lines, which can cause your power to blink.

Have you ever noticed your lights blink during a thunderstorm? Or perhaps you’ve noticed a blinking microwave clock when you arrive home. When this happens, you’ve likely experienced a brief disruption to your electric service, which could result from a power surge or blink. While the symptoms of surges and blinks can appear similar, what’s going on behind the scenes can be different.

Any of the events noted above can cause your power to blink, but you may also experience a brief interruption when protective devices that act like circuit breakers are working to detect the fault. Believe it or not, these brief power blinks caused by protective devices are actually good because that means the equipment is working as it should to prevent a prolonged outage.

What’s a power surge?

We work to reduce the frequency of blinks. Tree trimming is the easiest, most effective method. Please help us by letting us know if any trees or limbs are close to power lines.

Power surges are brief overvoltage spikes or disturbances of a power waveform that can damage, degrade, or destroy electronic equipment within your home or business. Most electronics are designed to handle small variations in voltage; however, power surges can reach amplitudes of tens of thousands of volts — this can be extremely damaging to your electronic equipment.

Partial power

Surges can be caused by internal sources, like HVAC systems with variable frequency drives, or external sources like lightning or damage to lines or transformers.

Partial power at a home is usually caused by a problem with the neutral and/or ground connections. This could be a bad connection at the transformer, a bad connection to the pole ground, a bad connection to the primary neutral conductor, a bad connection in the meterbase, a secondary conductor that is failing, problems within the home at the breaker panel, or individual circuits within the home.

Midwest Electric encourages all members to install surge protective devices (such as surge protector power strips) to safeguard your sensitive electronics. If you’re experiencing frequent surges in your home or business and you believe the cause is internal, contact a qualified electrician to inspect your electrical system.

The symptoms include dim lights, lights or appliances that work in some parts of the home but do not work in other parts of the home, or having some lights that get really bright while other lights get really dim at times. Partial power — or “brown outs”/low voltage — could be caused by a transmission problem or a voltage regulator not working.

What’s a power blink?

If you experience partial service or low voltage, you should turn off your main breaker and call us or an electrician. If the low voltage or partial service is affecting everything in the home, then call Midwest Electric. We will advise you whether the problem is ours or if it’s on your side of the meter.

Power blinks are also brief service interruptions, but they’re typically caused by a fault (short circuit) on a power line or a protective device that’s working in reaction to the fault. Faults can occur through a variety of instances, like squirrels, birds, or other small animals contacting an energized power line; tree branches touching a line; or lightning and other similar events.

Watch our linemen’s video on power blinks Check out our YouTube page for a video on power blinks from our linemen: www.YouTube.com/MidwestElectric

20 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy savings for your business

Locally owned businesses are the backbone of our community. With summer in full swing, now is the perfect time to make sure your building is equipped for maximum energy savings.

Joel Johns

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

• LED lighting for your business allows you to maintain your preferred brightness levels while keeping energy costs low. Don’t forget about your outdoor lighting options as well as timers for automatic, overnight shutoff.

• Check any refrigeration to ensure it is running optimally and keeping items cool without setting the thermostat lower than necessary. Keep up with regular maintenance and freon refills to ensure safe and longer-lasting inventory.

• Electric motor-driven systems account for about 25% of all commercial energy use. For larger operations, variable speed drives may be necessary to optimize your energy consumption.

• Unplug all unnecessary or unused appliances and electronic equipment.

Many of these devices continue to draw power even when they’re turned off. Advanced power strips are a smart, low-cost upgrade.

• Make sure your HVAC system is sized correctly for your business space. If it isn’t, this could lead to inefficient operation or insufficient cooling. Midwest Electric’s energy advisors can help you evaluate your existing system.

These tips can help you lower your energy use while keeping your operations humming.

Midwest Electric knows that your bottom line is important when making business operations decisions. If these or other energy-saving adjustments require purchases, be sure to check out our rebates section about ways to save.

As your local electric cooperative, we would be happy to come to your office, warehouse, or storefront to conduct a comprehensive energy audit to make sure you’re maximizing every dollar. Call 800-962-3830 to set up your energy audit today.

Don’t forget to check out our business rebates, including lighting: midwestrec.com/rebates-businesses

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20A

MIDWEST ELECTRIC SUPPORT LOCAL

Shopping at the 127 Yard Sales? Mark your Check out these Midwest Electric member businesses located along U.S. 127!

S&K Products Company

PBS Animal Health Store

Quality galvanized steel ware since 1898 Handmade products ranging from trash cans to decorative pails, tubs, and funnels.

4540 St. Rt. 127, Coldwater, Ohio | 419-268-2244 Website: www.skproductsco.com

80 years of animal health expertise Vaccines, vitamins, and supplies for animals ranging from cows, swine, and sheep to house pets.

2029 U.S. Route 127, St. Henry, Ohio | 419-925-8800 Website: www.pbsanimalhealth.com

Bobcat of Mercer

Moeller Door and Window

Official dealer leading in industry machinery Extensive inventory of new and used equipment as well as knowledgeable sales professionals and parts.

2015 U.S. 127, St. Henry, Ohio | 419-925-2032 Website: www.bobcatofdayton.com

Proudly serving west-central Ohio since 1987 Offering residential and commercial entry, overhead, rolling steel, fire, and storm doors, as well as windows 5970 St. Rt. 119, St. Henry, Ohio | 419-925-4748 Website: www.moellerdoorandwindow.com

20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

calendar for Aug. 5–8 Not all participate in the yard sales, but you’ll see them along the drive!

Niekamp Farm Market & Flea Market

Big Bucks Archery Shop

Your one-stop shop since 1998 Antiques, collectibles, cafe, furniture, Amish desserts, storage barns, consignment shop, and more!

6133 Olding Road, St. Henry, Ohio | 419-925-5208 Website: www.niekamp.com

The one-stop shop for all your archery needs!

Free range time (six months) when you buy a new bow.

Also offers lessons and information on tournaments.

2484 U.S. 127, St. Henry, Ohio | 419-925-5208 Ext. 2 Website: www.bigbucksarcheryshop.com

Share your photos and stories Find any cool items while shopping? Or maybe something funny happened, or someone made your day here locally.

Share your photos and stories with us by emailing eherman@ppec.coop or messaging them to us on Facebook! We'll share them on our social media channels and help promote them.

Mercer County Elks One of west-central Ohio’s premier public golf courses Started in 1960. Offers lessons, shopping, and more.

Make reservations and view their course online.

3242 U.S. 127, Celina, Ohio | 419-925-4215 Website: www.mercercountyelksgolf.com

Thanks for supporting local business during a time when many are still hurting. That's the co-op way.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20C

MIDWEST ELECTRIC ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Home charging options for electric vehicles Electric vehicle (EV) owners have multiple options for charging their vehicle at home. There are three common EV charging levels: Level One, Level Two, and DC Fast Charge.

Did you know we offer a $200 rebate for Level Two electric vehicle charging stations? Rules apply. Call us for details or visit midwestrec.com/rebates.

Level One charging

DC Fast charging

Level One is the most basic charging level. If you choose this option, your EV will typically include an adapter that plugs into a typical 120-volt outlet. This is the easiest and cheapest charging solution, but it will take much longer to charge your EV.

DC Fast Charge stations are typically seen near hightraffic public areas, like gas stations, rather than in homes. This is the fastest charging level, with the ability to charge an EV at 80% in under 30 minutes. As EVs continue to become more popular, you can expect to see more DC Fast Charge stations throughout Ohio.

Level Two charging ($200 rebate) Level Two is about three to five times faster than Level One, but this level of charging often requires separate purchases and installation. The EV is plugged into a 240-volt outlet, which is used for larger appliances, like a clothes dryer.

Most homes do not include a 240-volt outlet in garages, so the outlet must be installed by a licensed professional. You typically see Level Two charging stations at shopping malls, office buildings, and multifamily community spaces.

If you’re charging an EV at home, please contact Midwest Electric. EV charging creates additional energy demand. The time of day you charge your EV can have an impact on the grid and your monthly energy costs. By letting us know about your EV charging levels, we can help ensure your home is prepared for the additional energy consumption, and you can take advantage of the knowledge of our energy experts.

Electric Vehicle Charging Levels AC Level One

AC Level Two

DC Fast Charge

Standard household outlet

VOLTAGE: 120V 1-Phase AC

VOLTAGE: 208V or 240V 1-Phase AC

VOLTAGE: 208V or 480V 3-Phase AC

AMPS: 12-16 Amps

AMPS: 12-80 Amps (typ. 32 Amps)

AMPS: <100 Amps

CHARGING LOADS: 1.4 to 1.9 KW

CHARGING LOADS: 2.5 to 19.2 kW (typ. 6.6kW)

CHARGING LOADS: 50-350 kW

VEHICLE CHARGE TIME: 3-5 Miles per Hour

VEHICLE CHARGE TIME: 10-20 Miles per Hour

VEHICLE CHARGE TIME: 60-80 Miles in 20 Minutes

20+ for some EV models

Sources: Advanced Energy and EPA

20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

EMPLOYEE NEWS

A patriotic welcome home: Employee Paul Pfenning returns from Afghanistan

We proudly welcome home employee Paul Pfenning, who returned to work in June after being deployed in Afghanistan in Aug. 2020 with the National Guard.

Paul nominated Midwest Electric for the Patriotic Employer award (pictured at right) for the support the co-op gave him while he was on duty. Pictured above is Pfenning (left) with Ohio Vice Chair of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Committee Eddie Reed (middle) and Midwest Electric CEO Matt Berry (right).

Paul previously served eight years in the U.S. Air Force and was hired at Midwest in June 2020. We proudly thank him for his service and dedication to our country!

Do you know how YOUR power is generated? RSVP for our Cardinal Generating Tour on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

UR O T L NA

I CARD

Located on the Ohio River in Brilliant, Ohio, Cardinal Generating Station provides power to the 24 electric cooperatives serving Ohio, including Midwest Electric. The plant has invested more than $1 billion into environmental upgrades — making it one of the cleanest coal-fired power plants in the world.

This full-day trip to see your power plant up close and personal costs $35 per person. People younger than 12, those with health concerns, those who require assistance walking, or those who cannot walk more than a half-mile without resting should not take the tour.

Space is limited to the first 50 who call. Please call 800-962-3830 to RSVP.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 21

MIDWEST ELECTRIC

Community Connection Fund seeks trustees

Death in the family?

The CCF is looking for two trustees from Mercer County and one from Auglaize County to serve on the board.

You’ll be reimbursed for related expenses; no background is necessary. Current trustees say serving gives them “a tremendous satisfaction” and teaches them about local needs.

If interested, please contact Joel Johns by Sept. 10 for an application at jjohns@midwestrec.com or call 800-962-3830.

If an account holder passes away, please contact us at your earliest convenience so the patronage account can be paid out or transferred.

Energy tip: Keep your thermostat at 78 degrees Experiencing high summer bills? Contact our office for advice.

We offer home energy audits, project resources, and more!

DISCONNECTS: Electric bills are due by the 10th of each month. If your bill is unpaid by the time of the next monthly billing, then that month’s printed bill will include wording that says **Disconnect Notice.** Payments to avoid a disconnection of service must be received in our office or through our website by the date listed on the disconnect notice. In addition to the printed notice on your bill, we will make many attempts to contact members who are behind on payments.

We are flexible about making payment arrangements with members who respond to our contact attempts. However, once an employee visits your home to collect, no payment arrangement can be made. The full amount due, plus fees, must be paid at this point.

A collection fee will be added if an employee is sent to your home to collect a delinquent bill or disconnect service for nonpayment.

Accounts disconnected for nonpayment will be sent to a collections agency, with appropriate information sent to reporting agencies.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICE

06029 County Road 33A St. Marys, OH 45885 CONTACT

800-962-3830

ACCESS YOUR ACCOUNT ONLINE

www.midwestrec.com Report an outage and pay your bill through our free mobile SmartHub app.

Larry Vandemark, president James Wiechart, vice pres.

Randy Heinl, secy./treas.

Steve Bauer Bob Barnt Kathy Brake Gary R. Knapke Roger W. Rank Courtney Burton Attorney

OFFICE HOURS

Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.

22 OHIO 2021 22 OHIOCOOPERATIVE COOPERATIVELIVING • AUGUST LIVING • MARCH 2018

A copy of Midwest Electric, Inc.’s Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations is available from the co-op office and online at midwestrec.com.

Call us to receive your copy.

CEO

Matt Berry mberry@midwestrec.com

@midwestrec

facebook.com/ midwestelectric

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Surf’s up

Ohio shredders show you can hang ten even in a landlocked city far from the coast.

BY VICTORIA ELLWOOD

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

D

owntown Dayton is your typical urban Midwestern city, filled with blacktop and busy streets, high-rises, and noisy traffic.

But wait: There are also surfers, who are apt to be happily catching a wave out on the water.

That’s right. They’re hangin’ loose in the heartland, where river surfing is catching on, hooking surf-newbies and seasoned devotees alike, who find a sweet spot on the Great Miami River.

River surfing is similar to ocean surfing, but instead of catching waves caused by the wind, it’s done on standing river waves created by flowing whitewater.

“It’s a rush,” says Shannon Thomas, a Dayton native and pro river surfer and paddleboarder. “Anyone who has surfed knows that special feeling you get when you’re on a wave. It’s amazing; very spiritual, very addictive.”

Always an avid kayaker, Thomas quickly fell in love with river surfing and whitewater paddleboarding. He spent a few years traveling around the country, living out of a van with his dog, Bailey, and searching for perfect waves from Florida to Colorado.

Today, he’s back in his landlocked hometown, where he and business partner Jake Brown own Surf Dayton, a river surfing and SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) operation they launched in 2017. Jake, a former ocean lifeguard and avid surfer in California, recently returned to Ohio and is a Dayton firefighter.

“Any excuse to be out on the water, and I was there,” Thomas says. “I had been river surfing in Dayton for a while and figured if I was going to stay here, why not share the surfing culture with others? From there, it has snowballed.”

Continued on page 26

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

Would-be surfers get a lesson before catching a tasty wave on the Great Miami River in Dayton.

Continued from page 25

Now, on any given nice evening, there may be 15 or 20 people surfing on the Great Miami.

Surf Dayton is one of the scarce whitewater surfing outfits in Ohio. A full-service surf shop, it offers lessons, clinics, board rentals, board repairs, Badfish boards for sale, and even some pretty cool apparel. This year, they’re tricking out a new surf shop, too. Built from a shipping container, it’s currently situated in the parking lot of the screenprinting shop that Thomas also owns.

“People see a wave, see people surfing, and take a lesson.

They pick it up, and then they want to go again and again, maybe buy their own board,” he says. “Our crew just keeps growing tremendously.”

Whitewater “parks” like the ones Surf Dayton frequents are being built around the country. The manmade whitewater rapids in the area are created when dangerous low-head dams are removed from rivers.

“Blowing out those old low-head dams is awesome. It allows fish to migrate, opens up the waterway, and creates a whitewater feature that’s a whole lot safer than the lowhead dam,” Thomas says.

When a dam is removed, it leaves a top pool and a bottom pool in the river, creating a drop where fast water meets

26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

slower water. “That’s what makes the waves stand up and that’s what you surf,” he adds. “You’re surfing ‘stationary’ with the water rushing underneath you.”

In the Dayton area, Thomas and Brown surf on some splashy class-2 and class-3 waves downtown at Riverscape Metro Park on the Great Miami. They also can be found shredding the waves on a 4-mile stretch north of town on the Mad River.

Surfers will learn the ins and outs of the extreme sport — like safety and surfing etiquette; how to catch a wave and safely swim in the current; and surfer know-how like catching an eddy, carving, and reading a wave.

For the less adventurous, Surf Dayton also offers flatwater stand-up paddleboarding on the so-much-quieter Eastwood Lake and Huffman Metropark.

Thomas still travels part of the year, following river waves and spending whole days on the water.

A few things have changed, however. His trusty sidekick, Bailey, is turning 16 and is happy being a couch dog these days. Further, Thomas is no longer living out of his van. He bought a house in anticipation of his September wedding to fellow river-surfer Kate, who took a lesson on the Great Miami a couple of years ago … and became smitten with more than just the sport. page 26

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15788 OH-58 Oberlin, OH 440-775-FARM (3276) MCCONNELLMEATSANDFARMMARKET.COM AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 27

After dark

Nighttime adds an extra spark of adventure for Ohio thrill-seekers.

BY JAMIE RHEIN

A

s twilight comes, the rugged cliffs, crevices, and outcroppings at High Rocks Adventure add a sense of mystery to what’s already an adrenaline rush.

With expert assurance, staff member Kayce Swepston guides a lanky teen down a rocky outcropping — the beam of his headlamp illuminating the scene as darkness settles in. Swepston’s husband, Jason, stands below, holding the belay rope as she calls instructions: “Straighten your legs and lean back,” she says.

Night rappels are trips into the unknown. “You can’t see the bottom of the cliff, so there’s a lot of trust needed,” says Kayce, a member of South Central Power Company.

Sometimes, the trust pays off with even more thrill — one

28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

time during a solo rappel, with her headlight turned off, a screech owl’s wings brushed silently past her face.

Typically, however, the creatures that come out at night are the small kind. Peepers and tree frogs chirp in crescendo, and with just a quick, cursory pass near the base of the rappel, Jason’s flashlight reveals cave crickets, millipedes, and a wolf spider roaming. “You can see its eyes reflect like a cat’s,” he says.

When it’s really dark, the lichen texturing the craggy boulders glows, silhouetting the sassafras and black birch trees in an eerie shadow. Sometimes, however, the nighttime sky explodes in a shower of meteors — and August is a particularly good month for them, with the

If you go: High Rock Adventures, Rockbridge. 740-385-9886; www.highrockadventures.com.

Hocking Hills Canoe Livery, Logan. 740-385-0523; www.hockingriver.com.

Touch the Earth Adventures, Athens. 740-591-9094; www.touchtheearthadventures.com.

Trailhead Canoe Livery, Massillon. 800-226-6349; www.trailheadcanoelivery.com.

ZipZone Outdoor Adventures, Columbus. 614-847-9477; www.zipzonetours.com. * Check websites for dates and times of night adventures. Each goes into the fall.

Perseid peak; Jason recalls a night when meteors came every 10 to 15 seconds for a particular stretch.

Start paddling at sunset to watch the river change with darkness and the moonlight’s reflection on the water.

For those in a little less adventurous mood, High Rocks owner Steve Roley and his staff also offer easygoing nature hikes that may be booked at night.

Frogs, crickets, and sometimes an otter or beaver are the nighttime companions. In summer, “the lightning bugs that light up the ground and the trees are awesome,” says Erin Easterling, Hocking Hills Canoe Livery’s manager.

On the water As the sun dips below the horizon in streaks of orange and red, Mimi Morrison leads kayakers across Lake Hope.

With a watchful eye, Morrison, who owns Touch the Earth Adventures and also leads kayakers on night paddles on Lake Snowden and Stroud’s Run, makes sure everyone settles comfortably into a rhythm of paddle and glide.

A loud splat and splash is an unexpected thrill as one kayaker comes close to the elaborate stick formation of a beaver lodge. Seeing a beaver is not a paddling promise, so this is a bonus. High overhead, a few bats dip and soar.

Birds periodically trill in the distance, and insects chirp.

But mostly, there is a peaceful quiet.

“You can feel people’s emotions as the twilight comes on and dusk settles in,” says Morrison. “There’s that moment when all you can see is the silhouette of the hills.”

As the kayakers turn on their small headlights before heading to the landing spot, their beams join the moon’s reflection on the rippling water for a dance performance that just doesn’t happen in daylight.

If a kayak isn’t quite your cup of tea, you might find a little night adventure in a canoe. Trailhead Canoe Livery in Massillon, for instance, offers a night adventure on the Tuscarawas River, while Hocking Hills Canoe Livery in Logan sends paddlers off on the Hocking River.

Each self-paced trip ends with a bonfire and beverages. In Logan, a live bluegrass band and s’mores are also included.

Through the trees Set high in an urban oasis of oak, sycamore, and elm trees in Columbus are the five ziplines and four skybridges of ZipZone Outdoor Adventures, where nighttime brings a stillness to the woods that belies their proximity to busy U.S. Route 23.

High in the canopy during a Night Flight Tour, the evening’s weather may shift the air from crisp to damp.

Depending on the moon, the forest can be startlingly bright or inky black.

On this night, while guides Tyler Morefield and Maddie Richardt expertly secure guests on the first platform 40 feet in the air, a deer family heads into the brush.

Soon, only red headlamp beams and fluorescent glow-stick necklaces are all that’s visible. One by one, Maddie sends each guest whirring across a metal cable toward Tyler, who waits, invisible, on another platform of a faraway tree as whoops and hollers fill the night air.

“You don’t have the frame of reference of where you are, except for the wind,” says Lori Pringle, who owns the place. “It feels faster at night.”

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29

SILVER BULLET Iconic American Airstreams — made in Ohio, treasured everywhere.

BY JAMES PROFFITT

W

ally Byam’s childhood was spent immersed in nature. He worked on a West Coast sheep farm, where he lived in a donkey-towed wagon that was outfitted with a stove, food, water, and just about everything else he could possibly need.

In reality, it was the earliest version of an American classic — just not as shiny. It wasn’t until 1929 that Byam built the first actual, official Airstream.

Byam’s love of camping and the outdoors, combined with American ingenuity, resulted in a product that lasts for decades and is instantly recognizable around the world.

Perhaps best of all, it’s made in Ohio — Byam moved the production to Jackson Center in rural Shelby County right

30 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

after World War II, and workers there build upward of 120 of the iconic silver bullets every week, all by hand.

Until the pandemic struck, anyone with a few free hours could witness the process in person — from pallets, rolls, boxes, trucks, and hoppers of myriad components to impeccably finished and tested product in just a few thousand steps.

The company has not announced a date that the tours will resume, but hopes to do so later this year.

An aura of ‘cool’ Of course, while the manufacturing process itself is amazing, the unleashed product is spectacular. Its power to inspire fierce passion and intense loyalty among owners — especially among owners of vintage Airstreams — is notably cool.

Jim Muncy owns two: a 1960 Tradewind and a 1955 Cruiser. The Port Clinton resident laughed when asked how many Airstreams a person needs.

“At least two, obviously. The vintage styling is just, you know, sexy,” he says. “They’ve got that bizarre Jules Verne look, I’d say. I have zero desire to own a new one.”

New trailer models range from about $50,000 to more than $150,000, but vintage Airstream is not cheap, either. Muncy said he paid about $41,000 for his most recent purchase, and by the time he has it serviced and polished, it will be about $50,000. Despite their age, shiny (and even dull) Airstreams have clout.

“My wife called this campground in Tennessee to make reservations and they said, sorry, they don’t allow anything older than 2005,” Muncy says. “When she told them it was an Airstream, they said, ‘Oh, okay.’”

Go anywhere, be anything Pioneer Vintage Trailers, in Oak Harbor, Ohio, specializes in Airstreams. Owner Scott Bowe has converted old Airstreams into ice skate rental booths, food kitchens, full bars, and coffee trailers, among other things, though he doesn’t polish the iconic aluminum skins. For professional shiny, they call in a crew from California, and in a couple days they turn blah, faded trailers into shiny spaceship-like eye-catchers. It’s not cheap: A fullsized trailer polish, at up to $195 per linear foot, can run upward of $6,000.

When you start talking Airstreams, start expecting smiles.

Continued on page 32

Riding the Miller Ferry with Mitten Kitten was on Lindy Brown’s bucket list, as is evident in this ferry cool selfie (photo courtesy of Lindy Brown). Left, the gleaming shell of an Airstream brightens up any campsite (photo courtesy of Airstream).

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 31

Continued from page 31

“Mine’s pretty much in original condition because it was perfectly kept in a barn up until I bought it,” says Lindy Brown, owner of a 22-foot 1965 Safari named “Mitten Kitten.” “It’s pretty much the original layout except where Pioneer helped me update it with a table and a work area and a kitchen area,” Brown says. “When people find out the age of the trailer, they ask me if it was my father’s or grandfather’s, and I just smile and say no.” She spent the waning days of May at Ohio’s Findley State Park

Campground, and before that, Hocking Hills, Chillicothe, the Ohio River, and anywhere else she and Mitten are welcome — which is just about everywhere.

“I knew right away because of the mere shine and the look of it that it would get attention,” she says. “I just didn’t realize how much.”

Brown’s two dachshunds, Gretchen and Kaiser, gladly call wherever she and Mitten stop “home.” “Kaiser has grown

Jim Muncy really fancies his vintage Airstream — with its original stove (left), cabinetry, and fixtures, as well as a peacock bedspread (photos by James Proffitt).

32 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

up in it from the time he was 3 months old,” she says. “He was house-trained in this trailer, and so he thinks the Airstream is his home.”

Built-in community Brown lives and breathes Airstream.

She operates the Airstreaming Women’s Network, is the membership chair for the

Vintage Airstream Club, and is founder of Solo Streaming Sisters.

“For me and a lot of other people, I’d say the Airstreaming community is a very inclusive group of people from all sorts of backgrounds and all different ages,” she says. “I have made some of the most genuine, lifelong friends you could ever hope for, the type of people that, if you were in a bind, which I have been, you could call one person and if they couldn’t get there, they’d find someone who could help you.”

Brown, 53, said she’s doesn’t plan on letting any dust settle on her or Mitten Kitten anytime soon. “Trailerites always have something to do and someplace to go,” she says, and, quoting Wally Byam: “I’d rather wear out than rust out.”

Airstream factory tours are not currently being offered, but the company hopes to resume them later this year. Check www.airstream.com/company/ factory-tour for updates.

Left, evidence that Lindy Brown’s 1965 Safari has been around the block a few times; above, Scott Bowe checks out the frame that soon will hold a fancy new grill on an Airstream that he’s converting into a mobile kitchen (photos by James Proffitt).

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

HardTackers: A decade-long journey of seafaring lore

The miles between Ohio and the high seas haven’t stopped the HardTackers from following the lure of sea shanty lore.

STORY AND PHOTO BY JAMIE RHEIN

O

hio is the only state in the union with a burgee flag — a shape usually associated with a boating organization. The flag commemorates Ohio’s water transportation history: the miles of Lake Erie shoreline, the Ohio River, and the waterways and onceextensive network of canals in between.

of the call-and-response style of shanty songs helped the crew push and pull, hoisting sails and hauling lines in a synchronized effort. Often adapted from familiar folk tunes and ballads of the day, shanty lyrics were flavored with nautical terms and names of places the sailors had been — or hoped to see.

So a crew of sea-shanty-singing Midwesterners isn’t as out of place as it might first appear; Ohio has plenty of wet to sing about.

A HardTackers performance is a rollicking, participatory trip through seafaring time. With each member taking turns as the boisterous lead, the Tackers nimbly belt out a repertoire that includes the familiar “Fifteen Miles on the Erie Canal,” as well as songs like “The Bonny Ship The Diamond,” about the lure of quick riches to whaling crews who dream of “bonny lassies.” Then there’s “Whiskey Johnny,” a cheery-sounding cautionary tale about the dangers of drunkenness — all peppered with jokes and puns and a mini-history about their origins.

Enter the HardTackers. With their mastery of maritime know-how and their banter-filled harmonizing, the ensemble has entertained at festivals and other events in the U.S. and Canada for a decade.

Shanties date to the mid-1400s era of tall ships, when sailors’ work was grueling and labor-intensive. The rhythms

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

Named for hardtack, the staple biscuit of sailors, and tacking, the sailing maneuver, the HardTackers got their start in 2009. John Locke, a member of the Columbus Folk Music Society, helped band the group together as the official shanty-singing crew of the Santa Maria — the life-size replica of Christopher Columbus’ flagship that was then moored along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. Even after that ship was scuttled in 2014, camaraderie and love for folk music have kept the a cappella group belting out their tales of adventure, mishap, lament, and longing.

Each of the members may have taken a different path to sea shanties — from a grandma’s closet filled with musical instruments, to singalongs, garage bands, bluegrass bands, and the 1960s folk music revival — but they share a love of the style and the showmanship. Says Tacker Andy Beyer, “It’s not too much of a stretch between a folk singer and a sea shanty singer. You have to be brave enough to not hide behind a guitar.” As for the notion that sea shanties mean pirates: “We’ll pretend we’re pirates if there’s money in it,” he laughs.

victorious brig from the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. The Niagara is the star attraction of the Erie Maritime Museum, and during Tall Ships festivals all along Lake Erie, the HardTackers are a highlight.

In July 2019, the HardTackers released their fourth CD, appropriately named Rise Again. Now, after a hiatus due to COVID-19, the HardTackers are back to in-person Tuesday rehearsals like they’ve done for 11 years, getting ready for their next voyage.

The HardTackers are slated to perform at the Dublin Irish Festival in August. The next Tall Ships Festival in Erie, Pennsylvania, is in 2022.

Linda Bolla, a committee chair of the Erie Tall Ships Festival, loves the good-time feeling of a HardTackers concert. “I love their sense of humor,” she says. “Not every performer has that much fun. You can feel the good vibe of the audience response — their ability to reach out and bring the audience into the performance, whether through the songs or the stories, is unique. They bring an authenticity and tradition of 400 years of seafaring history.”

Like sailors who’ve weathered storms, the HardTackers have ridden the waves of change.

Locke retired from the group a few years ago, and of the six original members, only Beyer and Rennie Beetham remain — though Larry Drake and Joe Cook have been there almost from the start.

The HardTackers have moved on from the Santa Maria and are now the unofficial/official crew of the Flagship Niagara — a reproduction of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 35

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2021 CALENDAR

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

NORTHWEST

THROUGH OCT. 9 – The Great Sidney Farmers Market, Courthouse Square, 109 S. Ohio Ave., every Saturday, 8 a.m.–noon. Produce, baked goods, and crafts. Follow “Sidney Alive” on Facebook or call 937658-6945.

THROUGH OCT. 30 – Bluffton Farmers Market, Citizens National Bank parking lot, 102 S. Main St., downtown Bluffton (2 mins. from I-75 exits 140 and 142), every Saturday, rain or shine, 8:30 a.m.–noon. Outdoor market offering local produce, plants, and cottage foods. Storytime with the Bluffton Public Library and live music on select Saturdays. www.explorebluffton.com/ farmers-market.

AUG. 12–14 – Lincoln Highway “Buy-Way” Yard Sales, locations along and near U.S. 30, including Crawford, Wyandot, Hardin, Hancock, Allen, and Van Wert counties, starting 9 a.m. www.historicbyway.com.

AUG. 13–15 – Bremenfest, Crown Pavilion, 2 W. Plum St., New Bremen. Food, games, 5K and 1-mile Fun Run, car and motorcycle show, live music, parade, talent show, and much more. http://bremenfest.com.

AUG. 14–15 – Revolution on the Ohio Frontier, Fort Meigs, 29100 W. River Rd., Perrysburg, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. $7–$12, under 6 free. See battle reenactments and weapon demos, visit army encampments, and learn what life was like in Ohio during the Revolutionary War. 419-874-4121 or www.fortmeigs.org.

AUG. 19–21 – Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival, downtown Bucyrus. Grilled brats and many other festival foods, parades, pageants, contests, fun activities, and family-friendly entertainment. 419-562-2728 or www. bucyrusbratwurstfestival.com.

WEST VIRGINIA

COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

AUG. 19–21 – National Tractor Pulling Championships, 13800 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green.

419-354-1434 or www.pulltown.com.

AUG. 20 – The Amazing Downtown Race, Sidney, 6 p.m. Teams race around downtown to participating businesses for a chance to win great prizes. Sign up your team of 4 by visiting the Sidney Alive Facebook page. 937-658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

AUG. 20–28 – Allen County Fair, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 8 a.m.–11 p.m. 419-228-7141 or www.facebook.com/allencountyfair.

AUG. 21–22 – Ghost Town Spring Crafts and Antiques Festival, 10630 Co. Rd. 40, Findlay. A family event featuring crafts and antiques, live music and performances, food and beverages, and kids’ activities.

See Facebook page for updated schedules. 419-6737783 or www.facebook.com/Ghost-Town-FindlayOhio-1525098627787387.

AUG. 22 – Living History Day, Wood County Museum Grounds, 13660 County Home Rd., Bowling Green, 2 p.m. Free. History comes alive with stories of Wood County’s people, places, and things. 419-352-0967 or www.woodcountyhistory.org.

AUG. 27–29 – German-American Festival, Oak Shade Grove, 3624 Seaman Rd., Oregon, Fri. 4 p.m.–1 a.m., Sat. noon–1 a.m., Sun. noon–11 p.m. The Toledo area’s oldest, largest, and greatest ethnic festival, with authentic German food, beer, and entertainment. www. visittoledo.org/events/german-american-festival.

AUG. 28 – Pistons in the Park Car Show, Arcadia Community Park, 301 W. Brown Rd., Arcadia. Top 20 trophies for all makes and models of cars, trucks, and Jeeps; additional 5 trophies for Mustang Alley. $15 registration starts at 10 a.m., judging at noon, awards at 2 p.m. Food, DJ, door prizes, raffles, 50/50 drawings. www.facebook.com/Pistons-in-the-Park-Annual-CarShow-114558889911162.

AUG. 29 – Author Frank Kuron: “Clash of Cultures,” Fort Recovery State Museum, 1 Fort Site St., Fort Recovery, 3 p.m. Free. Kuron discusses the relationships of Tecumseh the Prophet and future President William Henry Harrison. He will be available to sign copies of his books Thus Fell Tecumseh and Intriguing People. 419375-4384 or www.fortrecoverymuseum.com.

SEP. 2 – Open Air Dinner on the Square, Shelby County Courthouse, Sidney, 5:30 p.m. Beautiful farm-to-

AUG. 27 – Introduction to Spinning, Pricketts Fort, 88 State Park Rd., Fairmont, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. How would you like to try your hand at spinning wool?

Participants will receive one hour of personal one-onone instruction from one of our skilled interpreters. $20 per person; must be age 16 or older. Admission to the fort is included. Register by calling 304-3633030; space is limited. www.prickettsfort.org.

SEP. 9–12 – Charleston Ribfest and Regatta, Levee at Kanawha Boulevard, Charleston. Enjoy world-class award-winning BBQ ribs and chicken and all the fixins, carnival rides, local and national favorite food vendors, artisans, family-friendly activities, and fun on the river! 304-951-3011 or www.wvribfest.com.

table dinner on the court square. Tickets are required for this elegant fundraiser for downtown Sidney. To purchase, visit the Sidney Alive Facebook page. 937658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

SEP. 3–5 – Max’s Trader Days and Water Dog Races, Allen Co. Fgds., 2750 Harding Hwy., Lima, 7 a.m.– midnight. $10 per day, $20 for three-day pass; age 12 and under free. In addition to the races, events include karaoke at the grandstands, golf cart parade, flea market, and food vendors. Schedule of events can be found at http://maxstraderdays.com.

SEP. 3–6 – S.C.R.A.P. Antique Tractor Show, White Star Park, 960 Twp. Rd. 60, Gibsonburg. $5. Featuring Ferguson tractors and equipment. Field plowing and discing planned for the weekend. Tractor square dance, tractor pulls, flea market, and much more! 574-3092963 or www.S-C-R-A-P-inc.org.

SEP. 3–6 – St. Bernard Specialty Dog Show, Lima Kennel Club, 1050 Thayer Rd., Lima, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. $5 parking. Complete show schedule can be found at www.infodog.com.

SEP. 3–9 – Fulton County Fair, Fulton Co. Fgds., 8514 St. Rte. 108, Wauseon. www.fultoncountyfair.com.

SEP. 7–11 – AAUW Book Fair, Lima Mall. former Elder Beerman location, 2400 Elda Rd., Lima, Tues. 4–8 p.m., Wed.–Fri. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. $5. www. facebook.com/aauw.lima.ohio.

SEP. 7–12 – Alumapalooza, 420 W. Pike St., Jackson Center. A family-friendly festival for people who love Airstream travel trailers. Open to Airstream owners and non-owners alike. Informative seminars, fun presentations, trailer open houses, cooking demos, and more. 813-200-8877 or www.alumapalooza.com.

SEP. 11 – Lima Area Concert Band: “Back to the Future,” Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Ctr., 7 Town Square, Lima, 7:30 p.m. $15; free for students. Featuring saxophonist Blue Lou Marini. www. limaareaconcertband.org.

SEP. 11–12 – The Fantastic Tiffin Flea Market, Seneca Co. Fgds., 100 Hopewell Ave., Tiffin, Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free admission and parking; handicap accessible. 250 to 400 dealers per show.

419-447- 9613, tiffinfleamarket@gmail.com, or www. tiffinfleamarket.com.

Submit listings AT LEAST 90 DAYS prior to the event to Ohio Cooperative Living, 6677 Busch Blvd., Columbus, OH 43229 or events@ohioec.org. Ohio Cooperative Living will not publish listings that don’t include a complete address or a number/ website for more information.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2021 CALENDAR

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

NORTHEAST

open house (1:30–4 p.m.), vintage baseball game.

330-669-9455 or https://sohchs.org.

AUG. 22–29 – Lorain County Fair, 23000 Fairgrounds Rd., Wellington. 440-647-2781 or www. loraincountyfair.com.

AUG. 26–28 – Quilters Gathering, Berlin Encore Hotel and Suites, 4363 St. Rte. 39, Berlin. Classes, trunk shows, and special events. Register at www. quiltersgatheringinberlin.com.

AUG. 28–29, SEP. 4–6 – Great Trail Arts and Crafts Festival, Great Trail Festival Grounds, St. Rte. 43 between Malvern and Carrollton (GPS: 6331 Canton THROUGH OCT. 30 – “Live Birds of Prey,” Rd., Malvern), 10 a.m.–5 p.m., flag raising 11 a.m. A Mohican State Park Lodge and Conference Cr., celebration of American folk art, with distinctive arts 4700 Goon Rd., Perrysville, every Saturday at 7 and crafts, living history, and period music. 330-794p.m. Enjoy an up-close experience with a variety 9100 or www.greattrailfestival.com. of Ohio’s bird species. Presented by the Ohio Bird AUG. 29 – Railroad Memorabilia Show, Painesville Sanctuary. Free and open to the public. 419-938Railroad Museum, Painesville Depot, 475 Railroad St., 5411 or www.discovermohican.com/event.

Painesville, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5, C. (3–12) $3, Family $12 AUG. 17 – Portage County Farm Pesticide (max. 2 adults, 3 children). See artifacts from railroads’ Disposal, Deerfield Ag Services, 9041 U.S. Rte. glory days and times gone by, such as railroad lanterns, 224, Deerfield, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free, but only farm railroad signals, dining car plate settings, and more. chemicals will be accepted (no paint, antifreeze, or Some items available for purchase. Collinwood Engine household pesticides). 614-728-6398.

No. 999 is on display. 216-470-5780 (Tom Pescha), AUG. 15 – Northern Ohio Doll and Bear Show and prrm@att.net, or www.painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.

Sale, Holiday Inn, 15471 Royalton Rd., Strongsville, 10 SEP. 3–5 – Made in Ohio Arts and Crafts Festival, a.m.–3 p.m., early bird 9 a.m. $5; kids admitted free; Hale Farm and Village, 2686 Oak Hill Rd., Bath, Fri. early bird $15. Huge variety of antique, vintage, and noon–5 p.m., Sat./Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $6–$12; free modern dolls, including Barbies and teddy bears; for age 2 and under and for active military. Over 170 toys; clothing, parts/supplies, and accessories. Door artisans selling Ohio-made products. Local food and prizes, ID/valuation, restringing, minor repair. 440entertainment. Admission includes access to the living 283-5839 (Eileen Green), phdofdolls@yahoo.com, or history museum. www.madeinohiofestival.org. www.dollshowUSA.com.

SEP. 5–18 – “Celebrate the Constitution,” Historic AUG. 21 – Antiques Market, 381 E. Main St., Fort Steuben, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, Mon.–Sat Smithville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. On the grounds of 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Annual the historic Mishler Weaving Mill. Pioneer Village exhibit and activities focusing on the nation’s founding

SOUTHEAST

THROUGH AUG. 26 – Music in the Park, Muskingum Park Gazebo, Front Street, Marietta, every Thursday, 7 p.m. Free, family-friendly concert series features local entertainment. www. mariettaohio.org/events/event-calendar.

THROUGH SEP. 5 – Tecumseh!, Sugarloaf Mountain, 5968 Marietta Rd., Chillicothe, Mon.– Sat. 8 p.m. $21–$50. Witness the epic life story of the legendary Shawnee leader as he defends his sacred homelands in the 1700s. 740-775-4100 or www.tecumsehdrama.com.

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Children’s Toy and Doll Museum, 206 Gilman Ave., Marietta, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. Adults $4, children $2. Nine rooms displaying

antique and vintage doll collections, miniature doll houses and larger fairy tale homes, scale models, and antique toys and games of yesteryear. www. mariettaohio.org/event.

THROUGH OCTOBER – Rise and Shine Farmers Market, 2245 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, every Friday, 8 a.m.–noon. 740-680-1866 or find us on Facebook.

THROUGH DECEMBER – Athens Farmers Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, every Wednesday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; every Saturday, 9 a.m.–noon. Buy local and support your local economy. The market showcases farmers, orchardists, specialty food producers, bakers, horticulturalists, cheese makers, and many other food-based entrepreneurs. 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.

AUG. 7 – Museum Day, Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Free admission! Reenactors, music, storytellers, and hands-on activities will be just a few things to appeal to all ages at the museum. Guided tours of the Rufus Putnam House will be included. https:// mariettamuseums.org/events/museum-day.

AUG. 7–14 – Ross County Fair, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. $5.

Family fun with rides, games, food, exhibits, and entertainment. www.rosscountyfair.com.

38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

document and the issues and personalities of the time.

740-283-1787 or www.oldfortsteuben.com.

SEP. 11 – Model Trains Flea Market and Household Items, Painesville Railroad Museum, Painesville Depot, 475 Railroad St., Painesville, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. New items have been added. Food and drink available for small donation. 216-470-5780 (Tom Pescha), prrm@att.net, or www.painesvillerailroadmuseum.org.

SEP. 11–12 – Appalachian Ohio Antique Power Club Fall Gathering, Harrison Coal & Reclamation Historical Park, 43672 Stumptown Rd., Cadiz. Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $3. Antique tractors, engines, hit and miss, oilfield engines, cars, trucks (semi and pickup), and garden tractors are all welcome. 330-4015129, ohioantiquepowerclub@yahoo.com, or www. facebook.com/appalachianohioantiquepowershow.

SEP. 11–12 – Antiques in the Woods, Shaker Woods Grounds, 217 St. Rte. 7 (GPS: 44337 County Line Rd.), Columbiana, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $6, under 13 free. No pets. Top-quality antiques and collectibles. Antique car show on Saturday. 330-5504190 or www.antiquesinthewoods.com.

SEP. 11–16 – Wayne County Fair, Wayne Co. Fgds., 199 Vancouver St., Wooster, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. daily, gates open at 8 a.m. Charge for nightly grandstand entertainment. Sat., OSTPA truck, tractor, semi pull (7 p.m.); Sun., Parmalee; Mon., Crowder; Tues., Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; Wed., Buckeye Rodeo (7 p.m.); Thur., Demolition Derby.330-262-8001 or www. waynecountyfairohio.com.

SEP. 12 – Molto Bello Auto Show, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, 714 N. Portage Path, Akron, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. $5–$14; 5 and under free. See an incredible array of Ferraris, Bugattis, Roadsters, and other highvalue cars. Food and beverages available. www. stanhywet.org.

AUG. 20–22 – Buckeye Off Road Expo, 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe. A weekend packed full of off-road vendors, obstacle courses, mud pits, food, music, and more. Visit the website to view the schedule of events. www.buckeyeoffroadexpo.com.

AUG. 21 – Cambridge Classic Cruise-In, downtown Cambridge, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. From hot rods to Harleys, there is something for everyone at this annual event.

740-439-2238 or www.downtowncambridge.com.

SEP. 7–12 – Belmont County Fair, Belmont Co. Fgds., 45420 Roscoe Rd., St. Clairsville. www. belmontcountyfair.org.

SEP. 10–12 – Ohio River Sternwheel Festival, Front and Greene Sts., Marietta. Sternwheeler boat races, car show, pageant, 5K run, entertainment, and fireworks. Sunday sunrise service on the Levee.

800-288-2577 or https://ohio-river-sternwheel-festival. myshopify.com.

SEP. 11–12 – The Red Lamp, Midway Community Center, 37358 S.R. 800, Sardis, Sat. 7 p.m., Sun. 3 and 7 p.m. 740-934-2221.

SEP. 13–19 – Guernsey County Fair, Guernsey Co. Fgds., Old Washington. 740-489-5888 or www. guernseycountyfairgrounds.org.

CENTRAL

THROUGH SEP. 25 – Canal Winchester Farmers Market, 100 N. High St., Canal Winchester, every Saturday, 9 a.m.–noon. Locally grown produce, homebaked goods, fresh meat, and craft items. 614-270-5053 or go to www.thecwfm.com.

THROUGH SEP. 30 – Pickerington Farmers Market, 89 N. Center St., Pickerington, every Thursday, 4–7 p.m.

Fresh produce, baked goods, crafts, and more. www. pickeringtonvillage.com/events.

THROUGH OCT. 16 – Lorena Sternwheeler Public Cruises, Zanesville, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. See website for times. $12, Srs. $10, C. (2–12) $8. Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Muskingum River.

Board at Zane’s Landing Park, located on the west end of Market Street. 740-455-8282, www.facebook.com/ LorenaSternwheeler, or www.visitzanesville.com/Lorena.

THROUGH OCT. 17 – Monticello III Canal Boat Rides, Sat./Sun. 1–4 p.m. $8, Srs. $7, Stys. (6–18) $6, under 6 free. Huge draft horse teams pull the canal boat along an original section of the Ohio and Erie Canal as the boat captain entertains you with tall tales and history of 1800s life on the canal. You might even get to assist in steering the canal boat. www.visitcoshocton.com/events-list.php.

THROUGH OCT. 30 – Delaware Farmers Market, 20 E. Winter St., Delaware, Sat. 9–12 p.m. 740-362-6050 or www.mainstreetdelaware.com/event/farmers-market.

THROUGH OCT. 30 – Zanesville Farmers Market, Adornetto’s, 2224 Maple Ave., Zanesville, every

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH SEP. 29 – Bluegrass Wednesdays, Vinoklet Winery, 11069 Colerain Ave., Cincinnati, every Wednesday, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner, wine, and an evening of lively bluegrass entertainment by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Reservations are strongly recommended and should be made early.

Call to confirm before traveling. 513-385-9309 or vinokletwinery@fuse.net.

AUG. 10, 24 – Movies in the Park, The Park at Liberty Center, 7100 Foundry Row, Liberty, 9–11 p.m. Free. www.liberty-center.com.

AUG. 13–19 – Miami County Fair, Miami Co. Fgds., 650 N. County Rd. 25A, Troy, 8 a.m.–11 p.m. www. homegrowngreat.com/event/miami-county-fair.

AUG. 20 – Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass, Butler County Bluegrass Association, Collinsville Community Ctr., 5113 Huston Rd., Collinsville, 7–9 p.m. Free. Enjoy an evening of lively bluegrass music. Reasonably priced home-style food available on site. 937-417-8488.

Saturday, 9 a.m.–noon. June through August, the market will be open on North 3rd Street every Wednesday, 4–7 p.m. www.zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Hot Shop Studio Class: Pumpkins, Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St., Columbus, every Thursday and Friday, 6–9 p.m.

(Wed. and Sun. dates available in October). $70.

Get hands-on experience blowing glass. In the spirit of the season, create a colorful glass pumpkin. All experience levels welcome. 614-715-8000 or www. fpconservatory.org.

THROUGH OCT. 31 – Rock Mill Days, Stebelton Park at Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster, Wed. and Sat. 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m. Free. Tour the restored 1824 gristmill, walk on the iconic Rock Mill Covered Bridge, and enjoy Hocking River Falls. 740-681-7249 or www.fairfieldcountyparks.org.

AUG. 12 – Morrow County Farm Pesticide Disposal, Morrow Co. Fgds., 195 S. Main St., Mt. Gilead, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Free, but only farm chemicals will be accepted (no paint, antifreeze, or household pesticides). 614-728-6398.

AUG. 13–15 – Coshocton Sunflower Festival, Coshocton KOA, 24688 Co. Rd. 10, Coshocton, Fri. 12–8:30 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–8:30 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. $8–$20. Take a wagon ride to the 4-acre field where you’ll see over 30 varieties of sunflowers.

Enjoy live music, food truck, beer garden, arts and crafts vendors, and activities. 740-502-9245 or www. coshoctonsunflowerfestival.com.

AUG. 14 – Union County Master Gardeners Plant Sale, Union Co. Fgds., Armory Bldg., 845 N. Main St., Marysville, 8 a.m.–noon. There will be a selection of sun and shade perennials, native plants, shrubs and trees, grasses, bulbs, and day lilies, grown by Master Gardeners and sold at very reasonable prices. 937644-8117, https://union.osu.edu, or on Facebook at http://bit.ly/UCMGFB. AUG. 15–21 – Muskingum County Fair, Muskingum Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville. www. muskingumcofair.com.

AUG. 21 – Books and Crafts in the Barn, 5530 Radnor Rd., Radnor, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Books, crafts, art, and more.

For up-to-date vendor list and further information, visit www.maryrodman.com/books-in-the-barn.

AUG. 22 – Bo Paws It Forward Paint and Sip Fundraiser, Pinot’s Palette, 691 N. High St., Suite 101, Columbus, 2:30–4:30 p.m. (doors open at 2). Join us for a fun night of painting with an instructor and some wine! In studio, $39; virtual event, $35. Register at www. pinotspalette.com/shortnorth. 614-456-7307 or www. randomactsofdogness.org.

AUG. 20–22 – Fairfield County Antique Tractor and Truck Show, Fairfield Co. Fgds. AAA Bldg., 157 E. Fair Ave., Lancaster. Free. Featuring Massey Harris, Massey Ferguson, and Ferguson. All makes of tractors, hit/miss engines, steam engines, and vintage trucks welcome.

Field demonstrations, flea market, craft show, free entertainment, kiddie tractor pull, kids’ coin scramble, antique tractor pulls Saturday, garden tractor pulls Sunday. Pancake breakfast served Saturday morning.

Camping available. 740-407-2347 (Doug Shaw) or 740304-4170 (Glen Bader).

SEP. 4 – End of Summer Craft/Vendor Fair, Lancaster Campground Activity Bldg., 2151 W. Fair Ave., Lancaster, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. A variety of vendors and crafters will be attending. Food and beverages available, along with a bake sale and raffle. Proceeds benefit the Genealogical Research Library in Lancaster. 740-653-2573 or www. fairfieldgenealogy.org.

SEP. 7–12 – United Way Community Care Days, throughout Fairfield County. Volunteers will complete projects or Random Acts of Kindness during the week.

Participants will receive a free T-shirt. More information is available at www.uwayfairfieldco.org.

SEP. 10–11 – Lithopolis Honeyfest, Columbus St., Lithopolis, Fri. 3–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Honey tasting, honey bake-off, queen and princess contest, demos and bee education, mead and wine tasting, Ohio Honey Show, free kids’ crafts, and much more! 614-8297355 or www.lithopolishoneyfest.com.

AUG. 20–28 – The Great Darke County Fair, Darke Co. Fgds., 800 Sweltzer St., Greenville. $7, under 12 free. $20 for 9-day pass. 937-548-5044 or www.darkecountyfair.com.

AUG. 24 – Butler County Farm Pesticide Disposal, Butler Co. Fgds., 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Free, but only farm chemicals will be accepted (no paint, antifreeze, or household pesticides). 614-728-6398.

AUG. 27 – Bluegrass Night, Fibonacci Brewing Company, 1445 Compton Rd., Cincinnati, 7–9 p.m. Free.

Enjoy an evening of craft beers and lively bluegrass music by Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. Food truck available on site. Please verify before traveling.

513-832-1422 or http://fibbrew.com.

AUG. 28 – Queen City Beautiful Doll Club Show, EnterTRAINment Junction Expo Room, 7379 Squire Ct., West Chester, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. $5, under 12 free.

Free parking. Fashion dolls, clothes, and accessories from all eras. Door prizes, ID/valuation. 513-207-8409, askmargie@aol.com, or www.dollclubs.com.

AUG. 28 – Tipp City Trans Am Cruise In, 6 S. 3rd St., Tipp City, 5–9 p.m. Free admission. Registration 5–7 p.m. ($10); awards and door prizes at 8:30 p.m. Dash plaques to first 250 entries. Open only to Firebirds, Formulas, Firehawks, Trans Ams, and GTAs. Trophies awarded. door prizes, food, entertainment, walking tour, live DJ. www.homegrowngreat.com/event.

AUG. 28 – Tour De Donut Bicycle Race, downtown Troy. A fun, unique bicycle event, where your ability to eat donuts is just as important as your ability to ride your bicycle fast! Kick off the weekend on Aug. 27 with the Donut Jam in downtown Troy, 5–10:30 p.m. www. thetourdedonut.com.

SEP. 3–5 – Oktoberfest, Liberty Home German Society, 2361 Hamilton Cleves Rd., Hamilton, Fri. 6–11 p.m., Sat. 2–11 p.m., Sun. 1–8 p.m. $3. Car show Sun. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 513-571-6198 or www.libertyhome.net.

SEP. 11 – Appalachian Artisans Guild Showcase, Cherry Fork Community Ctr., 14825 St. Rte. 136, Winchester, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Members of the guild will sell items, do demonstrations, and conduct on-thespot “Make It and Take It” workshops. Come learn more about what we do. www.appartguild.com SEPT. 10–12 – Clinton County Corn Festival, Clinton Co. Fgds., 958 W. Main St., Wilmington. Featuring Allis Chalmers and related companies. Corn Olympics, antique tractor pulls, horse pulls, antique cars and trucks, hit and miss engines, steam engines, and much more. 937-383-5676 (Dale Mayer) or www. cornfestivalonline.com.

SEP. 11 – Bluegrass at Vinoklet Art and Wine Festival, 11069 Colerain Ave., 7 p.m. Free. Enjoy an evening of dancing, singing, shopping, and having fun in one of the most beautiful places in Cincinnati! Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass performs noon–3 p.m. See website for details and complete entertainment lineup. 513-3859309, vinokletwinery@fuse.net, or www.vinokletwines. com/art-wine-festival-2021.

SEP. 16–19 – Old Timers Days Festival, 123 N. Main St., Peebles, Thur. 6–10:30 p.m., Fri./Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Street fair with craft and vendor booths, 5K run, car show, grand parade, pet parade, Lions Club baked goods auction, local bands, contests, and other entertainment. 937-587-3749 or https://oldtimersdaysfestival.yolasite.com.

AUGUST 2021 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

Dog Days

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

1

2

1. Nice day to be gone fishin’!

Reece Uhl Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative member 2. Buster, sitting on the porch.

Nedra Hall Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative member 3. Coco likes to cool off in the creek on hot days.

James Kusmik Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member

3

4

4. Three loyal pups waiting for their dad at the Put-In-Bay marina.

Lorie Wilber Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member 5. My brother and sister-in-law’s dog, Bella, enjoying a beautiful day outside.

Tonya Bess South Central Power Company member 6. My dog, Annie, enjoying the outdoors.

Michelle Wittensoldner Frontier Power Company member Below: My dog, Lani, loves to do what I’m doing — even if that means riding along in a kayak.

Matthew Arnold Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative member

5

6

Send us your picture! For November, send “Throwback Thanksgiving” by Aug. 15. For December, send “Christmas morning” by Sept. 15.

Upload your photos at www.ohiocoopliving.com/memberinteractive.

Your photo may be featured in our magazine or on our website.

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • AUGUST 2021

ENTER TO WIN A $100 ELECTRIC BILL CREDIT!* Bring your completed entry form to the Ohio's Electric Cooperatives education center on Wheat Street at the 2021 Farm Science Review.

Name: Electric co-op name: Email address:

*Must be an Ohio electric cooperative member to enter and win. Must be original entry form — no photocopies.

FARM SCIENCE REVIEW September 21–23, 2021

This major agricultural show is sponsored by The Ohio State University.

Drawing more than 130,000 people every year, it’s a fun, educational event for everyone.

STOP BY OUR BUILDING Using energy wisely is important on the farm and at home. You’ll find exhibits and information on ways you can save energy and money in the Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives education center.

ohioec.org/energy

Specializing In Post Frame Buildings Call Toll Free (855) MQS-3334

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