Ohio Cooperative Living - June 2019 - Pioneer

OHIO

JUNE 2019

COOPERATIVE Official publication of Pioneer Electric Cooperative | www.pioneerec.com

Living

Treasure in the trees Unique lodging in Knox County

ALSO INSIDE Managing the Cardinal Plant A ride on The Wilds side Cincinnati’s Lazarus lizards

power future

Electric cooperatives the

We’ve come a long way from milking cows by hand. Now, we can use their waste to generate electricity.

What will they think of next?

Whatever new technology is on the horizon, cooperatives will be there to power the future.

ohioec.org/purpose

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

INSIDE FEATURES 24 RIVER CROSSING Ferries traversing the Ohio River are important bonds in the communities they connect.

30 BURR’S LAST STAND Hamilton’s nemesis tried to organize a final grab for power on an island in the middle of the Ohio River.

34 LAZARUS LIZARDS If you’ve been to Cincinnati, you’ve no doubt seen them — but just where did those little critters come from?

Cover image on most issues: With help from area Amish craftsmen and from Discovery Channel’s Treehouse Masters, Kevin Mooney (on the cover in front of “Little Red”) built The Mohicans, where adventurous travelers can sleep in a variety of elevated accommodations. See page 28 for the story.

This page: The mansion on Blennerhassett Island, host to Aaron Burr in his post-Hamilton days, is expertly reconstructed for the period.

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 1

UP FRONT

CARDINAL

RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE

O

wning a power plant and being responsible for the day-to-day operations of a power plant are two very different things.

Ohio’s electric cooperatives got together to form Buckeye Power in 1959, built (in partnership with American Electric Power) the Cardinal Power Plant on the banks of the Ohio River near Brilliant, Ohio, and began generating electricity there in 1968. That allowed cooperatives to hold our energy destiny in our own hands in a way we’d never been able to before. Even so, we relied on AEP to run the plant, and while we had a say in all the major decisions, responsibility for daily operations belonged to AEP. That ended a little more than a year ago, when AEP decided to scale back its role in the Ohio power generation business. All those years of observation, gathering knowledge, and acquiring experience at Cardinal were put to use as we assumed responsibility for operational control there, as well as at our other generation facilities.

Not surprisingly, as a cooperative, we do things a little differently than the way a large multistate utility like AEP does them. We seek greater involvement from our employees in decision-making and are less tied to “the way we’ve always done things” (see an example of that in our story on page 4).

As not-for-profit co-ops, we operate at cost and we have a financial responsibility to our members to be both reliable and cost-competitive. We have a responsibility to the local community to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. Most importantly, we have a responsibility to our employees to operate safely.

Meanwhile, we’re committed to an all-of-the-above energy approach, and we continue to explore and investigate economically sustainable sources of renewable power. However, we’ve also made significant investments in people, environmental controls, and technology, to help assure that our traditional power plants continue to provide value. Today, the Cardinal Power Plant simply offers the best combination of reliability and affordability for our members — ready to meet your needs each and every day, during the most blistering heat wave or any bone-chilling polar vortex that comes our way.

That’s power generation for the generations.

2 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

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

As not-forprofit co-ops, we operate at cost and we have a financial responsibility to our members to be both reliable and costcompetitive.

MORE INSIDE

June 2019 • Volume 61, No. 9

DEPARTMENTS Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives 6677 Busch Blvd.

Columbus, OH 43229 614-846-5757 memberinteract@ohioec.org www.ohioec.org 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, W.H. “Chip” Gross, Sarah Jaquay, Catherine Murray, James Proffitt, Damaine Vonada, Kris Wetherbee, Rick Wetherbee, and Kevin Williams.

OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING (USPS 134-760; ISSN 2572-049X) is published monthly by Ohio Rural Elec­tric Co­op­eratives, Inc. It is the official com­mun­ ication 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. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from Ohio Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. All rights reserved.

For all advertising inquiries, contact

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to editorial and advertising offices at: 6677 Busch Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43229-1101

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.

4 POWER LINES

Fulfilling our mission: A change in culture has accompanied a change in operators at the Cardinal Plant.

4

8 WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

On The Wilds side: Chip Gross gets a behind-the-scenes look at the reclaimed surface mine, now a wildlife sanctuary.

10 OHIO ICON

The Buckeye Trail: Ohio’s longest scenic hiking trail celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

8

12 IN THE GARDEN

Potted herbs: A good, portable container gives you instant access to all your kitchen favorites.

15 GOOD EATS

Pucker up: When life gives you lemons, there’s way more to do with them than just making lemonade.

12

18 CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

Future leaders: Children of Ohio electric cooperative members take home nearly $37K in scholarships.

19 LOCAL PAGES

15

News and important information from your electric cooperative.

28 CO-OP PEOPLE

Treehouse lodging: Want to feel like a kid again? Spend a luxurious night in a treehouse.

37 CALENDAR

28

What’s happening: June/July events and other things to do.

40 MEMBER INTERACTIVE

Creature comfort: Readers turn their cameras away from their pets and toward animals a bit less domesticated.

40

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 3

POWER LINES

FULFILLING

our mission

P

art of the process of removing sulfur dioxide (SO2) from emissions at the Cardinal Power Plant involves the use of limestone. The process is complicated and can be messy, and when heavy deposits build up in the scrubber, the entire generating unit must come offline.

An employee at the plant suggested adding a chemical to the process that not only would allow for less limestone to be used, it would reduce those deposits in the scrubber — meaning lower maintenance time and cost.

It’s just one example of the kind of employee input that’s encouraged at the plant — even more so now since Cardinal Operating Company, overseen by Buckeye Power leadership, assumed operational control there from American Electric Power just over a year ago. Buckeye Power is the wholesale power provider for all 24 Ohio electric cooperatives, as well as one co-op based in Michigan.

“The partnership between AEP and Buckeye Power has been successful for many years, but the way AEP did things isn’t necessarily the way we do things,” says Pat O’Loughlin, CEO of Buckeye Power. “Cardinal was operated as part of their system, and their plants were operated in a common fashion. Today, we are focused on the best way to run this plant, and we are counting on our employees to help us find ways to eliminate waste and be more efficient.”

Finding those efficiencies was one of the benefits Buckeye Power hoped for when it began operating the plant. In the last decade, Ohio’s electric cooperatives have invested more than $1.2 billion in environmental safeguards — such as the scrubbers — that make Cardinal one of the cleanest coal-burning plants in the world.

Those investments resulted in increased cost to produce power between 2003 and 2013. Since then, however, those rates have remained relatively flat, and O’Loughlin says he expects that trend to continue for at least another year.

Cardinal Operating Company and its employees are working hard to hold rates down.

BY JEFF McCALLISTER

4 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

“When people see those rates stay about the same for that amount of time, they may think that means there’s not much going on to affect the rates, but in fact it’s taken a lot of work by a lot of people to make it happen,” he says.

In addition to generating power at Cardinal and at other plants around the state, Buckeye Power is also responsible for delivering it to the distribution substations at the local electric cooperatives.

Because the co-ops own only a small percentage of the high-voltage transmission lines that carry electricity from the plant to the individual co-ops for distribution to their consumermembers, Buckeye Power’s wholesale rates are tied to the transmission rates charged by the investor-owned utilities that own those lines. Transmission owners are now investing heavily in line upgrades, and they’re passing a portion of the costs on to Buckeye Power and its members. Transmission costs represent a smaller portion of the power costs than generation, but still have doubled in the last six years.

“We’ve been able to offset the rising transmission costs with reductions in fuel costs and the other costs associated with running the plant,” O’Loughlin says.

Cardinal Plant Manager Bethany Schunn and Sustainability Lead Julie Jones (opposite page) say that actively seeking input from plant employees has led to more efficient operations there.

Fuel costs, generally, are fixed; with the closure of so many coal-fired plants in recent years, the price of coal has come down, at least temporarily. Some of the environmental investments at Cardinal have also allowed the company to use coal that’s mined locally, which is both less expensive to purchase and less costly to transport.

The new environmental controls have also allowed the company to turn some of the byproducts of the burning and scrubbing, which would otherwise go into a landfill, into sellable commodities, such as wallboard-quality gypsum or bottom ash that can be used to safely treat icy roads in the winter.

More savings are being found all the time, especially since company officials have begun enlisting employees for help. The chemical addition in the SO2 scrubbing process is just one example of such employee input.

“We actively solicit ideas from the employees — it’s just part of the culture here now,” says Julie Jones, sustainability lead at the plant. “We share a lot more information with them now, and in return, they’re taking an active role in finding places that we might be wasting money.

Continued on page 6

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 5

Continued from page 5

SCRUBBERS AT WORK Cardinal Plant’s $1.2 billion emission control system

Cooling Water Vapor Plume Flue Gas Water Vapor Plume

Coal-Fired Steam Generator Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) System

SO3 Mitigation System

Catalyst Layers

Electrostatic Precipitator

Low-NOx Burners

Ammonia Gas Injection

Pulverized Coal

80% of SO3 Removed

Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) SO3 Mitigation Absorber System Induced Draft Fan

Air Heater

Ammonia Production System

This illustration is conceptual.

Relationships — in size and volume — may not be accurately portrayed.

“It just makes sense because they’re on the front lines and see these things every day. They can help change it.”

Employee suggestions have led to other changes as well. Coal is handled more efficiently from the time it’s unloaded from barges until it’s loaded into the boiler. Employee input brought about the replacement of a conveyor belt that was constantly spilling coal, which was costly to clean up. That upgrade to a larger-size belt could save as much as $500,000 every year. Another suggestion led to operational changes that may allow the plant to generate less power overnight, when power is needed less and therefore, is less valuable.

“We are committed to our mission to deliver competitively priced, reliable power for the benefit of our 25 distribution cooperative members and their communities,” O’Loughlin says. “That, in turn, helps the local communities thrive in this challenging energy environment.”

Upper right, Brad Loy, Rob Webber, and Brian Richardson are part of the coal yard maintenance team at the Cardinal Plant and assisted with changing out a conveyor belt that was causing a series of costly spills. Right, Jeff Gremelspacher, chemist and plant environmental process owner, suggested adding a chemical that improved the sulfur-scrubbing process, saving time and money.

6 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

CEMS

Limestone Slurry

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JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 7

WOODS, WATERS, AND WILDLIFE

Wilds

BEHIND THE SCENES AT

The

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

O

ne of the three largest wildlife conservation facilities in North America — The Wilds — is located in the Buckeye State, just south of Cambridge. Now encompassing nearly 10,000 acres, The Wilds was incorporated in 1984 to reclaim surfacemined land, with a mission “to lead and inspire by connecting people and wildlife.”

More than two dozen wild species from around the world — most either endangered or threatened — live there to be studied in natural habitats. Critters vary in size from the diminutive American burying beetle, about an inch and a half long, to the southern white rhinoceros, which can grow to as much as 5,100 pounds.

A typical tour of The Wilds involves climbing aboard a canopied, open-air bus and viewing the herds of wildlife from a distance as a tour guide slowly drives the miles of gravel roads throughout the complex. But if you’re a bit more adventurous, consider taking the two-and-a-half-hour Wildside Tour. You’ll pile into the open bed of a four-wheel-drive pickup truck — yes, there are padded bench seats — and go off-roading right into the heart of the herds.

“No matter which tour you choose, no two are ever alike,” says Brock Gorrell, director of park operations.

“The animals change their behaviors from season to

season. We consider the Wildside Tour our premium tour. Your guide will be a member of our animalmanagement staff, and each of those employees has a special connection to and knowledge of the animals.”

Gorrell added that highlights of a Wildside Tour may include the chance to hand-feed a giraffe or other wildlife, and each tour makes a visit to the Carnivore Center for close-up views of cheetahs, dholes (Asian wild dogs), and a family of African painted dogs.

Limited to just eight people, the Wildside Tour is more pricey than the standard tour ($125 per person as opposed to $30), but well worth the extra money. Heck, it’s as close as most of us will ever get to experiencing the thrill of a safari.

A Wildside Tour is also the ultimate exotic wildlife photography opportunity. So whether you take pictures with a cellphone, point-and-shoot, or digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) with interchangeable lenses, don’t forget your camera.

The Wilds (www.thewilds.org) is an extension of the Columbus Zoo and a member of Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative.

W.H. “Chip” Gross (whchipgross@gmail.com) is a member of Consolidated Cooperative and is Ohio Cooperative Living’s outdoors editor.

Among the endangered animals residing at The Wilds are (from left) red-crowned cranes, scimitar-horned oryxes, and cheetahs.

8 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

The Wildside Tour may include feeding giraffes (top); the southern white rhinos are one of the more imposing animals at The Wilds (middle); a family of Sichuan takins takes a rest (bottom).

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 9

OHIO ICON

The Buckeye Trail STORY AND PHOTO BY DAMAINE VONADA

Location: Around the state of Ohio in places that encompass forests and fields; riverbanks and lakeshores; public lands and private property; old canal towpaths and new bike paths; and cities, towns, and villages.

Provenance: In a 1958 Columbus Dispatch article, Merrill Gilfillan of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources proposed a public hiking path from Cincinnati to Lake Erie. Gilfillan and other supporters of his idea formed the Buckeye Trail Association (BTA) to develop Ohio’s first long-distance hiking trail, and on Sept. 19, 1959, the Buckeye Trail’s initial 20-mile section was dedicated in Hocking County. BTA founding members who participated in the dedication hike included Gallia County’s Emma “Grandma” Gatewood, who, at age 67, was the first woman to walk the entire Appalachian Trail on her own.

The Buckeye Trail’s original termini were Cincinnati’s Eden Park and Headlands Beach State Park in Mentor, and blue streaks — called blazes — were painted on trees and posts to mark its route.

Following the blue blazes became so popular that in 1967, state legislators designated the Buckeye Trail as Ohio’s official trail, and it evolved into a circular route that now loops through 49 of the state’s 88 counties. Still managed by the nonprofit BTA, the Buckeye Trail is maintained by volunteers and financed through donations. “BTA takes no state or federal money,” says Executive Director Andrew Bashaw. “It’s a point of pride that we’re self-funded by people who worked to build and preserve a trail they want to hike.”

Significance: Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, the Buckeye Trail covers 1,452.7 miles and is Ohio’s longest scenic hiking trail. It also ranks among the nation’s largest and most diverse hiking trails and is believed to be the only trail encircling an entire state. of the American Discovery Trail and North Country National Scenic Trail, the Buckeye Trail is considered the backbone of Ohio’s ever-expanding network of trails. With more than 1,200 members, BTA partners with entities ranging from ODNR to “Trail Town” destinations to help protect and promote the Buckeye Trail, and this fall, it will open a new 15-mile-long trail section in Adams County’s Edge of Appalachia nature preserve.

It’s a little-known fact that: The color of the Buckeye Trail’s blue blazes is called “Sweeping Blue,” and Grandma Gatewood herself purchased the first can of “Sweeping Blue” paint and donated it to the BTA. The Buckeye Trail and Buckeye Trail Association, P.O. Box 5, Shawnee, OH 43782.

For additional information, call 740-394-2008 or visit www.buckeyetrail.org.

10 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

PHOTO BY ANDREW BASHAW,

Currently: Overlapping numerous local trails as well as portions

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JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 11

IN THE GARDEN

Growing HERBS in pots

BY KRIS WETHERBEE; PHOTOS BY RICK WETHERBEE

T

he late spring and summer season are great times to fill your outdoor living space with the lively colors, textures, and fragrances of herbs grown in containers. Potted herbs bring instant visual attraction to your outdoors, and their portability allows you to position plants where they grow and look their best.

Just about any herb can be grown in a container, as long as the pot is sized right for the plant. Most culinary herbs are prime picks, especially familiar favorites like chives, parsley, mint, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, and basil.

Tropical and tender herbs like lemon grass, scented geraniums, sweet bay, and lemon verbena can be grown in pots and brought in to overwinter in a sheltered area or even indoors.

Pot pointers Whether you choose a small glazed pot, large stone urn, or even a vintage washbasin or retired wheelbarrow to plant your herbs, keep these two things in mind: • Make sure that the pot or container is deep enough to accommodate growing roots. Bigger pots result in bigger plants.

• Your pot or container should have holes in the bottom for adequate drainage — poke or drill additional holes if you need more.

Soil and planting Garden soil is simply too heavy for use in containers and lacks the porosity needed to grow healthy potted herbs. Instead, use a lightweight potting mix that is friable and drains well. Look for a potting mix that includes pumice or perlite, or you can add either ingredient to help loosen and aerate the final mix.

When planting your pots, fill the container two-thirds full with potting mix, then plant herbs so that the top of the plant’s root ball sits about 1 to 2 inches below the container’s rim. Fill in with additional potting soil as needed, press plants firmly in place, then water thoroughly.

Water and maintenance Water needs vary according to the plant’s need for moisture, its location, time of year, and the pot’s size and type. Let the potting soil dry slightly between waterings for drought-tolerant and Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary, sage, and thyme; keep the mix slightly moist at all times for basil, chives, and other herbs with moderate to average moisture needs. Always water thoroughly until you see water flowing freely from the pot’s bottom drainage holes.

Feed plants during the growing season every three to four weeks with an organic liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion, kelp, or compost tea, or apply a slow-release organic fertilizer two or three times a year.

Removing faded flowers will encourage more blooms. Pinch back leggy stems for bushier, fuller, and more productive plants. Remember, you can always enjoy the trimming and flowering stems of any culinary herbs in the kitchen.

12 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

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GOOD EATS

When life gives you lemons, there’s way more to do with them than just making lemonade.

RECIPES AND PHOTOS BY CATHERINE MURRAY

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 15

ZESTY LEMON HUMMUS (page 15) Prep: 10 minutes | Servings: 8 2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas/ garbanzo beans 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil water, optional salt and pepper to taste lemon-infused olive oil, optional

Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid. Set liquid aside and rinse chickpeas. Wash lemon under water. With a knife, carefully remove the outer peel, keeping as close to the yellow rind as possible (the white pith can taste bitter.) Set peel aside and juice the lemon. Discard the pulp and remains.

Place lemon juice, lemon rind, chickpeas, garlic, and olive oil in food processor. Grind, adding small amounts of chickpea liquid a little at a time until mixture begins to loosen. Run food processor for 3 to 5 minutes, alternating fresh water and chickpea liquid until preferred texture is reached.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with lemon-infused olive oil, if desired.

Per serving: 381 calories, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 61 grams total carbs, 17 grams fiber, 19 grams protein

CHICKEN PICCATA Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 4 4 chicken breasts (approximately 1 pound) 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup flour 1 cup chicken broth 1 lemon, zest and juice 1/2 cup white wine 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons capers, drained 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, sliced thin 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Pound the chicken breasts to about 1 inch thick. Cut breasts in half if needed to fit in the skillet. Combine 1/2 cup flour, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture, shaking off excess. In a wide skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Set aside, covered. In the same pan, melt butter and add 2 tablespoons flour to create a roux. Whisk until smooth, cooking 1 to 2 minutes.

Gradually whisk in chicken broth, lemon juice, white wine, and capers. Simmer 3 minutes to thicken. Add chicken and simmer 3 more minutes to reheat chicken and infuse flavor. Top with parsley and lemon slices. Serve over pasta or with favorite vegetables.

Per serving: 351 calories, 16 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 17 grams total carbs, 1 gram fiber, 28 grams protein

LEMON BEEF AND BROCCOLI Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes | Servings: 4 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 pound boneless beef grilling steak, cut into strips 1 lemon, zest and juice 6 cups broccoli, cut in pieces 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 cup chopped red pepper 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons grated ginger 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes 2 cups cooked rice In a bowl, whisk a little milk into cornstarch to make a paste. Whisk in remaining milk, lemon zest, soy sauce, honey, and hot pepper flakes. Set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until browned. Pour milk mixture over top. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until beef is tender and sauce has thickened. Add broccoli, red pepper, and ginger to skillet. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes until broccoli has reached desired tenderness. Add lemon juice and serve over rice.

Per serving: 769 calories, 19 grams fat (9 grams saturated fat), 99 grams total carbs, 6 grams fiber, 48 grams protein

16 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

LEMONADE CAKE Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Servings: 12 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 large egg whites softened 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons thawed lemonade 1/2 teaspoon baking soda concentrate 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 11/4 cups low-fat buttermilk FROSTING: 8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese 2 tablespoons thawed lemonade concentrate 4 tablespoons grated lemon rind (about 2 lemons’ worth) 31/2 cups powdered sugar candied lemon slices, optional With a mixer, beat first 5 ingredients until well blended.

Add eggs and egg whites; beat well. Combine flour, baking

powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to egg/sugar mixture. Beat well after each addition.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Pour batter into two 9-inch round cake pans coated with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

For frosting, place cream cheese, grated lemon rind, and lemonade concentrate in a large bowl. Beat on high until fluffy.

Add powdered sugar and beat on low until just blended.

Place one cake layer on intended serving tray; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. If frosting is too runny, refrigerate for an hour and try again. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting on top, letting icing run down the sides, if desired.

Decorate with candied lemon slices, if desired. Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Per serving: 415 calories, 11 grams fat (7 grams saturated fat), 73 grams total carbs, 1 gram fiber, 7 grams protein JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 17

Children of Members

scholarship winners O

hio’s electric cooperatives are committed to investing in the youth in their communities. This spring, each cooperative held a scholarship contest for the children of members, to award promising high school seniors funds toward furthering their education. Each co-op’s winner then came to Columbus to compete for additional awards from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives, the co-ops’ statewide services organization. A panel of independent judges reviewed the applications and interviewed the finalists to determine the winners.

First place: Aleah Schrock, Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative Planned college course of study: History

Valedictorian of her class, Aleah holds leadership roles in National Honor Society, marching band, and her church, among others. In a letter of recommendation, her math teacher said, “Aleah is one of those rare students that makes it such a blessing to have the job that I do. I love seeing what she is capable of and knowing that she wants to be pushed as a learner.”

Aleah Schrock

Second place: Rachel Partington, Midwest Electric Planned college course of study: Bioengineering or biomedical engineering

In addition to being involved in her church and her community, Rachel is a scholar, an athlete, and a musician. Her math teacher said, “Rachel is one of the best in the graduating class of 2019. She has a bright future at any college she chooses to attend.”

Third place: Carson McCarthy, North Central Electric Cooperative Planned college course of study: Computer science and engineering

Carson has been class president, 4-H president, and committee chair of National Honor Society. His high school principal said of him, “Carson is a distinguished student and is committed to academic excellence.”

Rachel Partington

Other children of members who earned statewide scholarships: Josephina Fornara, The Frontier Power Company; Evan Frankfather, Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative; Benjamin Schafer, Firelands Electric Cooperative; Caroline Liggett, The Energy Cooperative; Kathryn Meier, Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative; Hunter Humphreys, Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative; Christian Nartker, Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative; Lily Arledge, Union Rural Electric Cooperative; Emma Blankenship, Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative; Jerilyn Garrett, Adams Rural Electric Cooperative; Rachel Gordon, South Central Power Company; Madelyn Harrison, Butler Rural Electric Cooperative; Harry Harman, Guernsey-Muskingum Electric Cooperative; Kloey Murphey, Darke Rural Electric Cooperative; Erin Spangenberg, Tricounty Rural Electric Cooperative; Caroline Stollar, Washington Electric Cooperative; Payton Taylor, Carroll Electric Cooperative; Grant Tiefenthaler, Pioneer Electric Cooperative; Rachel Webb, North Western Electric Cooperative; and Madeline Weisburn, Consolidated Cooperative.

Carson McCarthy

18 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

PIONEER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE LOCAL PAGES

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

CAPITAL CREDITS This year, Pioneer is returning more than $2.3 million in capital credits to its consumer-members.

Ron Salyer PRESIDENT & CEO

Capital credits reflect a member’s ownership in the cooperative. At Pioneer, any excess revenue (known as margins) remaining at year’s end is allocated back to members based on their share of electricity used, in the form of capital credits.

When the co-op’s financial position permits, the co-op retires, or pays, the capital credits to members.

Capital credits are retained within the cooperative to maintain financial flexibility and strength and to finance capital improvement and expansion projects. Using retained capital credits instead of borrowing money helps keep down the cost of electricity.

When Pioneer was established in 1935, the cooperative provided electricity in places other electric utilities did not believe they could be profitable. The formation of Pioneer enhanced the way of life for people in the rural portions of Champaign, Miami, Shelby, and the eight surrounding counties.

At that time, electric service for only a few members per mile meant taking on significant costs with limited revenues.

After nearly 20 years, in 1955, Pioneer had its first local distribution operating margin above costs. It was 46 years of operation before Pioneer’s board of trustees determined we were financially strong enough to return money to our consumermembers. Thanks to the wise decisions of Pioneer trustees and employees over nearly half a century, Pioneer has been able to return capital credits to our members in the form of checks or bill credits since 1981.

The cooperative’s promise was, and continues to be, to return the company’s margins to members when it is financially prudent to do so.

Each year, the Pioneer Board of Trustees evaluates the financial condition of the cooperative to determine if we should retire capital credits. The Pioneer Board of Trustees has embraced a general retirement plan that will allow current, active members, as well as former, inactive members, to receive a portion of the refund over time.

Continued on page 22

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 19

NOT JUST A DAIRY FARM Ayars Family Farm offers a unique agricultural experience When you drive up to Ayars Family Farm outside of Mechanicsburg on the border of Champaign and Madison counties, it probably looks like your typical, well-kept dairy farm — and it is — but it’s also so much more.

Many in the area may recall the farm, owned by Pioneer members John and Bonnie Ayars, as the host of country music star Luke Bryan’s Farm Tour concert in the fall of 2018. But even if country music is not your flavor of music, the Ayars Family Farm can offer you a flavor of something else you will likely enjoy — homemade ice cream.

“People love flavor and variety,” says Bonnie. “We have our traditional flavors as well as seasonal favorites.”

Luke Bryan’s favorite?

“That’s strawberry, but we thought it needed something a little extra, so we added more pulp and berry and called it wild strawberry,” says Bonnie, adding that the flavor was made just for Bryan.

Each ice cream flavor is named after one of the cows on the Ayarses’ farm — or maybe each cow is named after the ice cream flavor?

20 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

You can find Salty Cowamel, Peach, Snickerdoodle, Pumpkin, and Buckeye Bessie on the farm, just to name a few of the flavors (and cows).

But beyond country music and ice cream, John and Bonnie offer visitors to their farm something even more valuable — an opportunity to learn about the farm and agriculture. That’s no surprise. John and Bonnie are not only farmers, they’re educators. Bonnie is currently the dairy program specialist at The Ohio State University and has taught at various levels for nearly 48 years, while John, who is now involved in the family farming operation, was an educator for 10 years.

“We’re educators, we are communicators, and we have the desire and background to teach,” says Bonnie. “The farm has become multipurpose. It’s a way to connect to others by hearing their stories and also share our own experiences.”

The farm has an event center that allows the Ayarses to host up to 150 people. They welcome school and church tours, family reunions, football parties, Christmas and birthday parties, weddings, 4-H meetings, OSU Extension events, and breeder association get-togethers.

“We’re educators, we are communicators, we have the ability to talk and explain things. The farm has become multipurpose. It’s a way to connect to others and share our experiences.”

Bonnie Ayars, Ayars Family Farm

They offer these and other groups tours of the farm, mostly in May and June, but welcomed all year.

“Our tours are adjusted based on the age of the group,” says Bonnie. “Elementary students require a sensory experience, and that’s what we bring them.”

When the event center is not being used to educate or for tours, the Ayarses rent the building out for graduation parties, wedding showers, auctions, and other events.

Like a lot of farmers, John and Bonnie’s connection to farming runs deep, as they are fourth-generation dairy farmers. John’s parents, originally from Kansas, settled in Ohio and started the farm because of the green pastures that they believed the area offered — “the land of living things,” as the older generation referred to it, according to Bonnie.

The Ayarses know firsthand what it takes to operate a dairy farm, having once had as many as 1,200 cows. They recognize the hardships that come with owning and operating a farm.

“We have seen such a huge shift in how farms are being run, how they are being structured,” says John. “Smaller operations have become hobby farms and are no longer the primary source of income.”

Over time, the ice cream has become primarily Bonnie’s project; however, Lucas does still help with making the ice cream when he’s not busy managing the farm.

As with their cows, when it comes to the ice cream, the Ayarses pride themselves on quality over quantity, using the best ingredients and producing it in small batches, making just 30 pints per batch and offering six to 10 flavors at any given time.

Their ice cream is sold on the farm as well as locally at Yutzys Farm Market in Plain City and Heritage Country Store in Mechanicsburg. The Ayarses also take special orders and prepare individual servings for weddings, 4-H club meetings, and other events.

And like the farm itself, the Ayarses see the ice cream as yet another opportunity for education. Bonnie takes the ice cream to the classroom, using it as a real-world example of dairy marketing, analyzing the nutrition labels, and comparing it to other ice creams.

Together with their sons, Lucas and Eli, John and Bonnie now care for 250 Guernsey, Brown Swiss, and Holstein cows, heifers, and calves and 1,000 acres of cropland.

In the fall of 2018, the Ayarses began their latest venture — having cheese produced using milk from their cows.

They currently offer seven flavors of cheese, sold in 12-ounce packages.

“There’s nothing more important to us than cow care and comfort,” says Bonnie. “That’s why we keep our farm and barns well-kept and clean.”

Whatever the venture, the Ayarses continue to use the farm and what it produces for a purpose that goes well beyond the products themselves.

The ice cream venture started in 2010, when the Ayarses began using the milk from their Guernsey cows to make homemade ice cream right on the farm. A project that began as a final at Ohio State for the Ayarses’ son, Lucas, now has the family selling Ayars Family Ice Cream commercially.

“All of these things are a way to share our stories and experiences with people of all ages,” says Bonnie. “Having the ability to have one-on-one interactions and allowing each visitor to choose their own flavor of ice cream and share their own stories is what makes it special.”

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20A

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR NEWEST BOARD TRUSTEE

JOHN GOETTEMOELLER John and his wife, Diana, reside in Anna. Together they have four children, Greg, Alicia, Paul, and Andrea, and one granddaughter, Adeline.

John was elected to the Pioneer Board of Trustees in March 2019.

CURRENT OCCUPATION

DREAM VACATION

Retired electrical engineer at Honda of America in Anna

Alaska — seeing it both from land and sea

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT

Raising my four children! I am so proud of each one of them as they advance their careers, start their families, and live out their faith on a daily basis.

FAVORITE SONG

HOBBIES

On Eagle’s Wings by J. Michael Joncas

I have farmed on a small scale my entire life and find the time spent there to be truly therapeutic. It always brings me back to the basics of life and realigns me with what is truly important.

3 WORDS THAT BEST DESCRIBE YOU

Persevering, compassionate, attentive

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT BEING PART OF THE BOARD?

Having spent my entire career working in the electrical industry, I feel I truly have some practical knowledge to utilize in decision-making. I am also a huge proponent of the cooperative model and look forward to being a spokesperson for that model.

20B OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

Wiford to retire after 41 years at Pioneer Pioneer Serviceman Jerry Wiford will retire on June 28, following more than 41 years of service.

“When I started at Pioneer, all training was done in-house,” says Jerry. “There were no classes or outside training.”

With the exception of some of those frigid, icy winters, Jerry says he’ll miss the job, the routine, and the regular interaction between co-workers and Pioneer members.

Jerry says that after completing high school, working for an electrical company or becoming a lineman was not fully on his radar, but it wasn’t completely off his radar, either.

“What I’ll miss the most is the opportunity to meet and help the people we serve,” says Jerry.

Jerry Wiford PIONEER SERVICEMAN

After all, Jerry’s father worked as a Dayton Power and Light lineman for 46 years in Sidney.

Jerry attended auto tech school and began his career working as an auto mechanic for six years. It wasn’t too long after he turned 23 that he came across a job listing in the newspaper for a lineman apprentice position with Pioneer. Jerry decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and applied.

Following three interviews and testing, Jerry was offered and accepted the new position, and really, the rest is history.

He became a first-class lineman in 1981 and began in the serviceman position in 2007 — the position he holds at his retirement.

Throughout 40 years, he has experienced a number of changes, including procedures, equipment, technology, and safety apparatuses.

“I remember my first mutual aid experience. We had a National Guard helicopter come in and pick us up to help restore power in southern Ohio — ­ we had no trucks or equipment,” says Jerry. “That’s an experience I’ll never forget.”

Jerry’s 40 years of dedication, knowledge, and commitment to Pioneer will be greatly missed.

“Jerry is a reliable, hard-working, and dedicated employee. He has done a lot for Pioneer and has sacrificed a lot for our consumer-members,” says Pioneer Director of Operations and Safety Nick Berger.

“Pioneer has been lucky to have Jerry. We will miss his experience and job knowledge.”

During his retirement, Jerry and his wife look forward to a move to Denver, North Carolina, to be closer to their youngest daughter, spending more time with family, and enjoying the warmer climate the area provides throughout the year.

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 20C

AROUND THE COOPERATIVE

ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION Pioneer Vegetation Manager Danny Bagwell joined the city of Piqua, Arborist Eric Davis of Tree Care Inc., and students at Springcreek Elementary School in Piqua to celebrate Arbor Day on April 25.

Bagwell handed out goody bags with safety information and activities for the students. Students also received a small tree to take home, plant, and maintain.

20D OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

»» Pioneer Lineman Trainee Jeb Friend answers electrical safety questions at Sidney-Shelby County YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day on April 27.

Communications Coordinator Jodi Borger presents the energy bike to fourth grade students at Fort Loramie Elementary School on April 3. »»

CONCERN FOR COMMUNITY Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities.

One way we do this is through safety and energy efficiency education.

»» Pioneer Lineman Trainee Luke Karn demonstrates the dangers of digging underground without having utilities marked at Sidney-Shelby County YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day on April 27.

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 21

Continued from page 19

This retirement is possible due to the financial strength of your cooperative and the proper management of investments in Pioneer’s distribution system.

This year marks 38 consecutive years that Pioneer has returned capital credits to you, our members, through the general retirement process. Some of you may have already received your bill credit beginning in mid-May, while

others will receive theirs in the coming weeks, depending on your respective billing dates.

This is one of the things that sets cooperatives, like Pioneer, apart from other utilities — you, as an electric consumer, own a portion of your not-for-profit electric coop. Allocating and returning margins to members is part of what makes the cooperative business model special.

WHAT ARE CAPITAL CREDITS AND HOW DO THEY WORK? Capital credits are each member’s share of margins in proportion to the amount of electricity used by each member.

This benefit represents member equity or ownership in the cooperative. Cooperative equity is owned by the members who also receive service. Capital credits are a benefit received for being a member of the cooperative.

STEP 3 STEP 1 Pioneer determines how much a member has invested in the co-op throughout the year.

STEP 2 At the end of the year, it is determined whether there is a margin.

If there is a margin, Pioneer then allocates the margin, or capital credits, to each member based on their electric use throughout the year.

STEP 5 STEP 4 After the board assesses capital improvement and expansion projects, if financial condition permits, they retire, or pay, the capital credits as cash.

If capital credits are retired, Pioneer notifies members when they will receive their capital credit refund.

For frequently asked questions about capital credits, visit our website at www.pioneerec.com/capital-credits.

PIONEER RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Ronald P. Clark CONTACT

Chair

800-762-0997 | 937-773-2523 www.pioneerec.com

Colleen R. Eidemiller

MAIN OFFICE

344 West U.S. Route 36 Piqua, Ohio 45356 DISTRICT OFFICE

767 Three Mile Road Urbana, Ohio 43078 OFFICE HOURS

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

22 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

First Vice Chair

Mark A. Bailey Second Vice Chair

Terrence A. Householder Secretary

Ron L. Bair

Orville J. Bensman Harold T. Covault Donald D. DeWeese Dwain E. Hollingsworth Douglas A. Hurst Edward P. Sanders Paul R. Workman Donald K. Zerkle Trustees Emeritus

Treasurer

Ronald P. Salyer

Roger J. Bertke Ted R. Black Duane L. Engel John I. Goettemoeller

HAVE A STORY SUGGESTION?

Trustees

President/CEO

Email your ideas to: member@pioneerec.com

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River crossing

Ferries traversing the Ohio River are important bonds in the communities they connect.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMES PROFFITT

B

efore there were bridges across the mighty, sometimes swift and muddy Ohio River, there were dozens of ferries that carried people, cargo, and the vehicles of the day from Ohio to Kentucky and West Virginia. Today, there are nearly 50 bridges, but only three ferries remain. Each of those that still ply their trade is cherished.

The Anderson Ferry, operating a dozen miles west of Cincinnati, is the busiest. Its three vessels and their crew deliver hundreds of passengers every day but Christmas.

24 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

While the nearby Northern Kentucky International Airport and area businesses rely on the ferry, lots of folks take it just for fun. “We get plenty of people who just enjoy the ride,” says owner Paul Anderson, who may or may not be related to the George Anderson who founded the ferry in 1870.

The ferries feature towboats, all named for Daniel Boone, that are attached to flat barges on a large pole, swinging around to reverse direction at each riverbank. The original Anderson Ferry had a rope that captains used to

Opposite, the City of Sistersville II patiently awaits early May — the beginning of her season. Left, a pipe and a calm river make this Anderson Ferry captain happy.

Below, deckhand Jerry Mofferd chats it up with a passenger aboard the Jenny Ann.

hand-propelled. Today, the Augusta Ferry’s modern version still performs the same task between Augusta, Kentucky, and Higginsport, Ohio. For walk-on passengers, the trip is free.

Audrey Clos and Sheryl Cruse, who live nearby, recently enjoyed lunch with their grandchildren and decided to see the sights in the quaint river town.

“It was such a pretty day that after we had pizza, we decided we’d take a little walk down by the river.

When we came around the corner, we saw the ferry coming in. So I said, ‘C’mon, kids!’” Cruse says. “The price is a great deal, too,” she adds, laughing.

Captain Devin Claypool says the Jenny Ann runs all year long, river and weather permitting. Sometimes, though, they just don’t permit.

“I got stuck one year in about 2 or 3 inches of ice.

Got halfway across and couldn’t go anymore, so I wriggled around a little bit, got turned around, and headed right back the way I came,” he says.

The Augusta Ferry is truly full-service, according to deckhand Jerry Mofferd. “We might get stuck sitting Continued on page 26

propel themselves across the river. That soon evolved into a two-horsepower paddle wheel configuration — literally, that is: Two horses walked on a treadmill to power the paddle wheel.

More recently, one of Anderson’s towboats underwent a one-of-a-kind outfitting. “It’s the only ferry I know of with a Mack truck engine,” Anderson says.

About 60 river miles upstream is another historic ferry, in operation since 1797, when it, too, was

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 25

Continued from page 25

on the other side for a few hours,” he says, “but if we see a car back here, we’ll come get ’em.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” he continues. “There’s people who — I know who they are and I know their entire family history, and to me, they’re just like family.”

After taking Taylor Royalty’s five bucks, Mofferd chats it up with the Ohio resident, who drives to visit her boyfriend across the river regularly. When asked if Mofferd is bothering her, she laughs. “No, absolutely not,” she says. “He’s my favorite one on the ferry. I enjoy talking every time.”

About 350 river miles upstream, in the middle of what future president George Washington in 1770 called “The Long Reach” — the straightest 20-mile section in the 981-mile river — another historic ferry has in recent years struggled to remain.

The Sistersville Ferry, linking Sistersville, West Virginia, and Fly, Ohio, is a beloved one. Barb Gage, president of the ferry’s board, says times have been tough for the little ferry the last decade or so. It’s owned by the city of Sistersville and is required to be self-supporting.

“What really hurt us is when the price of diesel went way up,” she says, going on to describe a newly required maritime insurance policy as extremely expensive. “We just can’t afford to run seven days.”

“We only run Thursday through Sunday and May through October,” explains Janet Witten Conn, another board member. “If we extended its operation, we wouldn’t be able to run in the black. It’s been here for better than 200 years, so we don’t want that to go away.”

For the small sum of $1 anytime, folks can ride the ferry back and forth across the river as many times as they wish, so long as they don’t disembark.

Gage says captains and deckhands aboard the Sistersville II, like those on the Jenny Ann, have never met a stranger.

“That’s what happens — they get to know everybody and become like family. So much that we just had a request for our retired captain to return for a day, just so he can captain for a high school graduation party on the ferry for a customer’s son, who’s always loved the ferry.”

Each July, the two water-linked communities celebrate their connection with a fundraising event that spans the river. The Ferry Festival has helped keep the Sistersville II afloat, hosting more than 1,200 passengers during the festival.

Nowadays it’s just plain too easy to cross by bridge. Instead, try grabbing a map (or a cellphone) and find the ferries. Get right down on the water, and enjoy the modern version of the old ride. Maybe you’ll make a friend on the deck.

JAMES PROFFITT is a freelance writer from Marblehead.

Left, the Augusta Ferry’s Jenny Ann heads for Ohio, where drivers pull right off and go about their day.

Above, Audrey Clos and Sheryl Cruse enjoy the view from the deck.

26 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

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COOPERATIVE

CALENDAR

PHOTO CONTEST

AQUACIDE CO.

PO Box 10748, DEPT 615 White Bear Lake, MN 55110-0748

Ohio Cooperative Living magazine is looking for photos from Ohio and West Virginia electric cooperative members to use in its 2020 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.

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

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

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 27

CO-OP PEOPLE

TREEHOUSE

LODGING Want to feel like a kid again?

Spend a night in a treehouse — only this time with a lot more luxury.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY W.H. “CHIP” GROSS

T

he Mohicans, located near Glenmont in the remote, rugged, wooded hills of extreme northeastern Knox County, offers no Kevin and Laura Mooney less than six treehouses available for a night’s stay. Ranging from rustic to romantic, even their various names invite a visit: Moonlight, Old Pine, White Oak, Little Red, Tin Shed, and a very unique and cozy one-room honeymoon suite: The Nest.

A family business begun in 2012, The Mohicans is owned and operated by Kevin and Laura Mooney. “I got the idea of building treehouses for adults from a couple of my friends,” Kevin Mooney says. “At first, I thought they were crazy, but it’s worked out better than our wildest dreams. At the time, no one within hundreds of miles was offering that type of vacation lodging. I also have to credit the Amish builders and carpenters in our area who helped us. We literally couldn’t have done it without them.”

Mooney contacted Pete Nelson — star of the Discovery Channel’s hit TV series Treehouse Masters — to design both his White Oak and Little Red treehouses. “Little Red was even featured on the show,” Mooney says.

Each of the treehouses has electricity and a modern restroom with a sink and a flush toilet. The showers, however, are outdoors on the surrounding deck. Don’t worry — they’re enclosed, except for overhead. But hey, the birds and squirrels won’t laugh if they see you naked.

Two new treehouses are coming online during 2019. The Castle is a two-story octagon. The View will be made mostly of glass, giving visitors a 180-degee panorama of the surrounding woodlands from bed.

Never short on ideas, the Mooneys have future plans of putting a full-sized Airstream travel trailer up in a tree. “It will have a customized interior and sleep four,” Kevin says.

If you prefer that your overnight stay be on solid ground, four cabins are also available that each sleep from 8 to 10 guests. Like the treehouses, the cabins are Amish-built, but these are named for the Mohican, Walhonding, and Kokosing rivers and Killbuck Creek.

Looking for a wedding venue? The Grand Barn Event Center hosts nearly 100 weddings per year, accommodating up to 200 guests. Bridal parties come from all over the country, not just Ohio and surrounding states.

“Last year, we had five couples from California married here,” Mooney says. “One of the brides was from San Diego, and I asked her if she had ties to Ohio. She said, ‘No, I just saw a picture of the Grand Barn online, then clicked on the pictures of your treehouses. That’s when I turned off my computer and picked up the phone. I knew I wanted to be married at The Mohicans.’”

The Mohicans is a member of The Energy Cooperative.

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

A year ago, he and his wife, Jan, celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary at The Mohicans in The Nest treehouse.

28 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

The Tin Shed treehouse features a spiral staircase and swinging bridge (left and top); The Nest is a romantic getaway (middle and bottom).

JUNE 2019 2019 • OHIO • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 29 LIVING 29

TheIsland WHERE IT HAPPENED

Visitors can see the site of Aaron Burr’s weird, desperate endgame in the middle of the Ohio River.

BY SARAH JAQUAY PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREATER PARKERSBURG CVB AND THE STONEWALL GROUP

T

hanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit musical, Hamilton, most Americans know how and where Alexander Hamilton’s story ended: in a duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken, New Jersey, in July 1804 — Burr killed Hamilton and became persona non grata among the Eastern political elite.

Fewer Americans know what became of Burr after that infamous duel. Ohioans and West Virginians, however, are among the fortunate who can take a day trip to

30 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park (BISP) and explore the place where Burr made his last attempt to become king of something.

The park is in a gorgeous sylvan setting in the middle of the Ohio River between Marietta and Parkersburg, part of the West Virginia state park system. Along with a fascinating bit of history, it offers plenty of natural beauty and fun activities for the whole family.

Visitors are transported back in time the minute they step onto the Island Belle, a steam-powered sternwheeler that departs Parkersburg from May through October. Visitors may hike, bike, take wagon rides, and picnic on the island. Docents in periodappropriate clothing take visitors through the accurately rebuilt mansion, decorated according to its time in history, and tell the tale of the island’s part in a strange bit of U.S. history.

Burr and Blennerhassett A few years before the infamous duel, in 1797, an AngloIrish aristocrat named Harman Blennerhassett and his wife, Margaret, bought part of the island. They carved space out of the wilderness to build an imposing Palladian-style mansion and furnished it with the finest goods from England and Ireland: paintings, sculptures, Oriental rugs, alabaster lamps, and marble clocks.

The estate included a 2-acre flower garden and was considered the most beautiful home in the country west of the Alleghenies. The island “Eden” drew the attention of travelers plying the Ohio River, and the Blennerhassetts were known to be gracious hosts. Among their visitors was the former vice president, Burr.

Visitors get to the island aboard the Island Belle, a steam-powered sternwheeler that departs Parkersburg from May through October.

Burr visited Harman and Margaret for the first time in 1805, a year after the duel. Having lost his political influence and in search of funds, he’d undoubtedly heard about the Blennerhassetts’ opulent lifestyle. After three visits, the couple had been charmed by the witty and persuasive Burr, and by 1806, Burr was using the island, and the couple’s funds, to stockpile weapons and supplies — and militiamen.

Historians are divided on the exact intent of Burr’s scheme, but many think it was a plan to invade the Spanish-owned territory that’s now Texas and create a new, independent nation there.

When then-President Thomas Jefferson got wind of the military exercises, he dubbed it a treasonous plot to separate the American West from the Union and had Burr and Harman Blennerhassett arrested. Blennerhassett was released only after Burr was ultimately acquitted of treason in 1807. Both men’s reputations and finances were irreparably damaged by the scandal, and both finished their lives in obscurity.

Sadly, Virginia militiamen occupied and plundered the Blennerhassett Mansion shortly after the arrests, and irate locals burned it to the ground in 1811.

Reenactors (above) perform at the annual “Mansion by Candlelight” event, shown from outside the mansion (below).

Today, there are numerous special events at the Blennerhassett Island State Park throughout the summer and fall, but the pinnacle may be “Mansion by Candlelight,” when visitors can experience one of the Blennerhassetts’ legendary parties at the carefully reconstructed mansion.

During the annual event (Oct. 11 and 12), visitors time-travel to the year 1805. On this evening, Harman and Margaret greet guests at the entrance, and music and dancing fills the mansion, while elsewhere on the island, the Servants’ Party features a bonfire, cloggers, ghost stories, and fortune-tellers.

For more information, visit https://wvstateparks.com/ park/blennerhassett-island-historical-state-park.

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 31

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JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 33

LAZARUS LIZARDS I

Why, exactly, are there so many of the little reptiles in Cincinnati?

Because of one boy.

n 1951, a young boy was vacationing with his family near Milan, Italy. The boy, George Rau, was a scion of the well-known Lazarus family, which, for generations, ran one of the largest department store chains in Ohio.

Rau became enchanted with the docile lizards that sunned themselves on the rocky walls around Milan, and so he tucked 10 of them into a sock and brought them back to Cincinnati, where he released them in his family’s Torrence Court backyard.

Lazarus department stores are no more — absorbed by the Macy’s chain in 2005 — but the lizards, who apparently found Cincinnati’s climate and topography to their liking, have spread far and wide. Their connection to Ohio’s famed retailer has earned those common European wall lizards the moniker “Lazarus lizards,” and the area surrounding Torrence Court is now known locally as “Lizard Hill.”

Today, the descendants from those 10 — perhaps as few as only three actually procreated — are everywhere in greater Cincinnati; chances are, they’ll be arriving at a rock ledge near you soon.

Take a walk on a warm, sunny spring day in Ault Park or Fairview Park in Cincinnati, and you’ll see the lizards basking on the many rock ledges or foraging for food. In some areas, the density of lizards can reach over 1,000 on half a city block, or up to 1,500 an acre, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

“Their range expansion has been quite far and at high densities,” says Ken Petren, dean of the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati and an expert on invasive species, who has created a database of the Lazarus lizards’ spread throughout southwestern Ohio.

Reports have documented the lizards’ spread up through rural western Butler County to Oxford (the red bricks and stone walls of Miami University are an ideal habitat), the Kings Island area, Middletown, and even as far as Dublin, Ohio.

Ohio’s other native lizards have been having a tough time of it with urban and suburban expansion gobbling up habitat, but the Lazarus lizards do just fine in the city (and everywhere else).

34 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

BY KEVIN WILLIAMS

“The native lizards are at much lower densities and perhaps are even in decline; people don’t see them as often as they have in the past,” Petren says. “The wall lizards, though, have really adapted.”

For the most part, the Lazarus lizards occupy areas that don’t compete with Ohio’s native ones, according to Ryan Dumas, head keeper of the Cincinnati Zoo’s reptile team.

“They typically only occupy areas that haven’t historically been occupied by other lizards,” Dumas says. “In a few areas, five-lined skinks have been outcompeted, but those areas seem to be few.”

The lizards have spread their geographic range in several ways.

The rocky beds of railroad tracks prove to be natural corridors for their expansion, so you see them spreading out from Cincinnati along railroad tracks so that coverage maps look like spokes from a wheel. Lizards have been known to hitchhike on floating logs in the Ohio River, which further spreads their population downstream.

They also hitch rides in loads of mulch that are then scattered around town and, Petren says, some people have admitted to moving the lizards themselves (which is illegal).

Anywhere there are southern-facing limestone rock walls, with nearby flat areas for foraging, is prime habitat for the lizards.

While the lizards forage, they also have proven to be tasty snacks for other Ohio critters.

“Birds eat them, especially jays, crows, kestrels, and shrike,” Petren says.

Ohio’s wildlife department has generally welcomed the non-natives, so much so that the lizards are now considered permanent residents.

One thing is certain: The Lazarus lizards all originated from that one boy’s sock.

“We have genetic analysis,” Petren says. “We know they are all from the same source.”

Equal measures of patience and luck are sometimes required to get an up-close look at one of the swift creatures.

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 35

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I have always taken pride in keeping my home and property in top shape. In fact, my neighbors and I are always kidding each other about who keeps their home and yard nicest. Lately, however, I have had a horrible smell in my yard, and also in one of my bathrooms, coming from the shower drain. My grass is muddy and all the drains in my home are very slow.

My wife is on my back to make the bathroom stop smelling and as you can imagine, my neighbors are having a field day, kidding me about the mud pit and sewage stench in my yard. It’s humiliating. I called a plumber buddy of mine, who recommended pumping (and maybe even replacing) my septic system. But at the potential cost of thousands of dollars, I hate to explore that option.

I tried the store bought, so called, Septic treatments out there, and they did Nothing to clear up my problem. Is there anything on the market I can pour or flush into my system that will restore it to normal, and keep it maintained?

Clogged and Smelly – Lubbock , TX 36 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

DEAR CLOGGED AND SMELLY: As a reader of my column, I am sure you are aware that I have a great deal of experience in this particular field. You will be glad to know that there IS a septic solution that will solve your back-up and effectively restore your entire system from interior piping throughout the septic system and even unclog the drain field as well. SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs deliver your system the fast active bacteria and enzymes needed to liquefy solid waste and free the clogs causing your back-up.

This fast-acting bacteria multiplies within minutes of application and is specifically designed to withstand many of today’s anti-bacterial cleaners, soaps and detergents. It comes in dissolvable plastic packs, that you just flush down your toilets. It’s so cool. Plus, they actually Guarantee that it restores ANY system, no matter how bad the problem is.

SeptiCleanse® Shock and Maintenance Programs are designed to work on any septic system regardless of design or age. From modern day systems to sand mounds, and systems installed generations ago, I have personally seen SeptiCleanse unclog and restore these systems in a matter of weeks. I highly recommend that you try it before spending any money on repairs. SeptiCleanse products are available online at www.septicleanse.com or you can order or learn more by calling toll free at 1-888-899-8345. If you use the promo code “OHS1”, you can get a free shock treatment, added to your order, which normally costs $169. So, make sure you use that code when you call or buy online.

2019

JUNE/JULY COMPILED BY COLLEEN ROMICK CLARK

CALENDAR CENTRAL

JUN. 14–16 – Coshocton Dulcimer Days Festival, Roscoe Village, 600 N. Whitewoman St., Coshocton.

Free admission and parking; workshop fee $15. Hear Appalachian and traditional music played on mountain dulcimers, hammered dulcimers, bowed psalteries, fiddles, guitars, banjos, and other instruments. 740-5456265 or www.coshoctondulcimerdays.com.

JUN. 16, 30 – Zanesville Memorial Concert Band Performances, Zane’s Landing Park, west end of Market Street (along river), Zanesville, 7 p.m. Free. www.zmcb.org.

JUN. 20–SEPT. 7 – Ohio Annual Art Exhibition, Zanesville Museum of Art, 620 Military Rd., Zanesville, Wed./Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Thur. 10 a.m.–7:30 p.m. www.zanesvilleart.org.

THROUGH AUG. 3 – “Luminous: Encaustic Works by JUN. 22 – Dublin Kiwanis Frog Jump, Coffman Park, Barbara Vogel,” Zanesville Museum of Art, 620 Military 5600 Park Rd., Dublin, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Multiple playoff Rd., Zanesville, Wed./Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Thur. 10 rounds followed by a championship. Prizes, inflatables, a.m.–7:30 p.m. www.zanesvilleart.org. food, and fun for the whole family. 800-245-8387 or www.

THROUGH AUG. 11 – CAPA Summer Movie Series, Ohio visitdublinohio.com.

Theatre, 55 E. State St., Columbus, Wed.–Sun. 7:30 p.m., Sun. matinee 2 p.m. America’s longest-running classic film JUN. 22 – Uptown Food Crawl, Marysville, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Enjoy a tasty walking tour of restaurants and series. 614-469-0939 or www.capa.com. confectionaries in uptown Marysville. Proceeds benefit THROUGH OCT. 26 – Delaware Farmers Market, N. Union County Guardianship Services. Advance ticket Sandusky St. (between William and Winter), Delaware, required; contact Linda Fisher at 937-209-2275 ext. 1 or Wed. 3–6 p.m., Sat. 9–12 p.m. Accepts SNAP, Produce ucvgp1@gmail.com.

Perks, SourcePoint, and Ohio Health Vouchers. 740JUN. 28–29 – Scott Antique Market, Fayette Co. 362-6050 or www.mainstreetdelaware.com/event/ Fgds., 213 Fairview Ave., Washington Court House, farmers-market.

9 a.m.–5 p.m. $1 admission, good all weekend. Free THROUGH OCT. 26 – Zanesville Farmers Market, parking. America’s favorite treasure hunt! 740Muskingum Co. Fgds., 1300 Pershing Rd., Zanesville, 569-4112, info@scottantiquemarket.com, or www. every Sat., 9 a.m.–12 p.m. June through September, the scottantiquemarket.com. market is also open every Wed. 4–7 p.m. at North 3rd JUL. 1–6 – Marion County Fair, 220 E. Fairground St., Street. www.zanesvillefarmersmarket.org.

Marion. Rides, livestock shows, tractor and truck pulls, THROUGH OCT. 27 – Rock Mill Weekends, Stebelton rodeos, live music, and much more. Enjoy spectacular Park at Rock Mill, 1429 Rockmill Place NW, Lancaster, fireworks at 10 p.m. on the 4th. 740-382-2558 or www. every Sat. and Sun., 12–4 p.m. Free. Tour the restored marioncountyfairgrounds.com.

1824 gristmill, walk on the iconic Rock Mill Covered JUL. 3 – Red, White & BOOM!, downtown riverfront Bridge, and enjoy Hocking River Falls. 740-681-7249 or and the Arena District, Columbus, noon–midnight. www.fairfieldcountyparks.org.

Kids’ activities, live music, parade, and much more, JUN. 13 – Pizza Challenge, Circleville, 5–9 p.m. Sample ending with Ohio’s largest fireworks display. www. pizza from across Pickaway County and enjoy a free redwhiteandboom.org. concert by McGuffey Lane. 740-474-3636 or www.

JUL. 4 – Stars and Stripes on the River, Zane’s Landing pickaway.com.

Park, west end of Market Street (along river), Zanesville.

WEST VIRGINIA

THROUGH OCT. 27 – Blennerhassett Voyage Package, North Bend State Park, 202 North Bend Park Rd., Cairo. $130 package includes one night of lodging for two at North Bend, plus two tickets for a sternwheeler ride to and from Blennerhassett Island, a wagon ride tour of the island, a tour of Blennerhassett Mansion, and passes for the Blennerhassett Regional History Museum.

304-643-2931, www.northbendsp.com, or www. blennerhassettislandstatepark.com.

JUL. 5–7 – Wild and Wonderful Craft Festival, Jackson Co. Jr. Fgds., Cottageville, Fri. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. A festival like no other, featuring an impressive range of crafts and tunes by some of the country’s most talented artisans. 304-531-2009 or www.wildandwonderfulcrafts.com.

Live music, great food, and activities for all ages. All proceeds benefit the community. www.zanesvillejaycees. org/Events/Stars-Stripes-On-The-River-Zanesville-Ohio.

JUL. 5 – First Friday Art Walk, downtown Zanesville, 5–8 p.m. Stroll through downtown as you tour over 35 participating art galleries, studios, and local businesses, many of which offer demos, make-and-take activities, and complimentary refreshments. Free shuttle service also available. www.artcoz.org.

JUL. 9–13 – Pottery Lovers Reunion Week, Holiday Inn Express, Zanesville. Join fellow pottery lovers from across the nation at the largest and oldest gathering of pottery collectors and dealers. 609-407-9997, potteryloversinfo@ gmail.com, or www.potterylovers.org.

JUL. 11 – Roundtown Blues and BBQ, Pumpkin Show Park, Circleville, 5–9 p.m. Free community event featuring barbecue food as well as blues music by Mike Milligan and Steam Shovel. 740-474-3636 or www.pickaway.com.

JUL. 11–13 – Hull Pottery Association National Show, Crooksville High School, 4075 Ceramic Way, Crooksville, Fri. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. for general public; members admitted at 9 a.m. both days. The largest Hull Pottery show in the world. Hundreds of authentic, rare, and one-of-a-kind pieces of Hull Pottery and other favorite pottery on display. Drawings and giveaways. HPA Annual Social held Jul. 11, 6–8 p.m., at the Roseville Community Center. 800-743-2303 or www.visitzanesville.com.

JUL. 11–13 – Picktown Palooza, 89 N. Center St., Pickerington. Fun and family-oriented event featuring live entertainment each night, food vendors, beer garden, and games. 614-379-2099 or www.picktownpalooza.org.

JUL. 12–13 – Coshocton Canal Quilters Quilt Show, Coshocton County Career Ctr., 23640 Airport Rd., Coshocton, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $5, under 13 free. Free parking. Handicap accessible. Theme of this year’s show is “Quilting Through the Seasons.” www.facebook.com/ CCQQuiltShow.

JUL. 13–14 – A Palace Production of The Music Man, Marion Palace Theatre, 276 W. Center St., Marion. Adults $19–$40, children $12. Meredith Willson’s six-time, Tony Award–winning musical comedy follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa. 740-383-2101 or www.marionpalace.org.

PLEASE NOTE: Ohio Cooperative Living strives for accuracy but urges readers to confirm dates and times before traveling long distances to events.

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.

Continued on page 38

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 37

2019 CALENDAR

JUNE/JULY

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p.m., Sat. noon–11 p.m., Sun. noon–6 p.m. Parade Sat. 11:30 a.m. $3 daily. www.loraininternational.com.

JUN. 29–30 – Mad River Bike Tour, Mad River Harley Davidson, 5316 Milan Rd., Sandusky. Registration Sat. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Ride to the Kelleys Island Ferry in Marblehead, tour the island for a chance to win a vacation. $10 for the tour, $20 per bike for the round-trip ferry ride. 419-746-2360 or www.kelleysislandchamber. com.

JUL. 3–6 – Rib, White, and Blue, Lock 3, 200 S. Main St., Akron, 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Free admission. Rib vendors from all over the state and other concessions. Concerts at 7 and 8:30 p.m. 330-375-2877 or www.lock3live.com.

JUN. 13, 20, 27, JUL. 4, 11 – Fort Steuben Summer Concert Series, Berkman Amphitheater, Fort Steuben JUL. 4 – Fort Laurens Fourth of July Ceremony, 11067 Park, 120 S. 3rd St., Steubenville, 7 p.m. Bring a blanket Fort Laurens Rd. NW, Bolivar, 11 a.m.–noon. Free. Wreathand picnic basket and enjoy a free concert at this site laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Patriot overlooking the Ohio River. 740-283-1787 or www. honors the soldiers who lost their lives at Fort Laurens. oldfortsteuben.com.

Includes guest speaker, color guard, and Revolutionary War honor guard. 330-874-2059 or www.fortlaurens.org.

JUN. 15–JUL. 14 – Ohio Light Opera, Freedlander Theatre, 329 E. University St., Wooster, 2 and 7:30 p.m.

JUL. 6 – Loudonville Car Show and Fireworks, 131 W. Shows include South Pacific, Girl Crazy, Into the Woods, Main St., Loudonville, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Over 500 cars and Pirates of Penzance. 330-263-2345 or www. on display! Enjoy music, food, a raffle, and downtown ohiolightopera.org. shopping. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. or dusk. http:// JUN. 21–23 – Cy Young Days Festival, Newcomerstown. loudonvillechamber.com/events.

Food, entertainment, contests and competitions, car JUL. 6–7 – Loudonville Antique Festival, Central Park, show, old-fashioned baseball games, and parade with Loudonville. Buy, sell, and trade antiques and collectibles. former Cy Young Award winner Randy Jones. Check 419-994-4789 or www.discovermohican.com. website for updates. www.cyyoungdaysfestival.com.

JUL. 6–7 – Ashland County Yesteryear Machinery Club JUN. 22 – Ohio Scottish Games, Lorain Co. Fgds., Show, Ashland County–West Holmes Career Ctr., 1783 23000 Fairgrounds Rd., Wellington. $12–$20, under St. Rte. 60 S., Ashland. Free. Featuring Avery and B.F. 11 free. Animal shows, kids’ games, pipes and drums Avery tractors and engines, all makes garden tractors, competitions, Highland dance competitions, and other fun and Hercules and Jeager engines; car show on Sunday. activities. www.ohioscottishgames.com.

Wagon rides, threshing, and corn husking. 419-651-4109 JUN. 28–30 – Lorain International Festival and Bazaar, or www.yesteryearmachinery.org.

Black River Landing, Black River Lane, Lorain, Fri. 5–11

NORTHEAST

SOUTHWEST

THROUGH SEPT. 13 – Sculptures on the Square, Prouty Plaza, downtown Troy. Twenty life-sized Seward Johnson sculptures along with other works of art by regional artists. 937-339-5455.

THROUGH SEPT. 26 – Uptown Music Concert Series, Uptown Park, Oxford, every Thur. 7–9:30 p.m. Free. 513523-8687 or www.enjoyoxford.org.

JUN. 8 – Return of the Snakes, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free with $8/vehicle parking fee. Live reptile displays and presentations on Ohio’s native reptiles and amphibians. 937-365-1935 or http://arcofappalachia.org/return-of-the-snakes.

JUN. 14–16 – Versailles Poultry Days, 459 S. Center St., Versailles. Free admission and parking. World-famous barbecue chicken dinners and many fun events. 937-5269773 or www.versaillespoultrydays.com.

JUN. 15 – West Milton Triathlon, West Milton Municipal Park. 3.5 miles canoeing, 5 miles running, and 17 miles biking. Compete solo or in teams of two. Registration fee.

937-698-0287 or www.speedy-feet.com.

38 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

JUN. 22 – Music at the Mound with Steve Free, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, 2 p.m. Free with $8/vehicle parking fee. http://arcofappalachia.org/steve-free.

JUN. 22 – Summer Solstice Dinner and Celebration, Serpent Mound, 3850 OH-73, Peebles, 2–10 p.m.

Afternoon archaeological lecture. Guided tour of mound followed by quiet hour preceding sunset. Optional BBQ dinner is $15/plate. Preregister at 937-365-1935 or http:// arcofappalachia.org/solstice.

JUN. 22 – Spectacular Summer Cruise-In and Concert, Miami Valley Centre Mall, 987 E. Ash St., Piqua.

Free. Country music star Neal McCoy headlines. www. facebook.com/2019-Spectacular-Summer-Cruise-inConcert-292810964722576.

JUN. 22–23 – Brush and Palette Art Guild’s Annual Art Show, Southern State Community College, 100 Hobart Dr., Hillsboro, 1–5 p.m. Free admission and parking. Works from professional and nonprofessional artists are judged and offered for sale. Light refreshments. 937-393-4193.

JUN. 22–23 – Vectren Dayton Air Show, Dayton International Airport, 3800 Wright Dr., Vandalia, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. $13–$25. One of America’s leading air shows. See the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as well as performers and aircraft displays. www.daytonairshow.com.

JUL. 3–4 – Americana Festival, Franklin and Main streets, Centerville. Free. Concert and fireworks on the 3rd at Centerville High School, 500 E. Franklin St.; doors open at 6 p.m. Festival on the 4th, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., features parade, 5K run, and street fair with craft and food booths. 937-433-5898 or www.americanafestival.org.

JUL. 4 – Piqua 4th Fest, Lock Nine Park, downtown Piqua, noon–9:30 p.m., fireworks at 10 p.m. Activities for

JUL. 7–14 – Trumbull County Fair, 899 Everett Hull Rd., Cortland. An array of grandstand entertainment, daily shows, local bands, exhibits, and rides. 330-637-6010 or www.trumbullcountyfair.com.

JUL. 11–13 – Olde Canal Days Festival, 123 Tuscarawas St., Canal Fulton, Thur./Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Free admission. Rides $1 each, or $15 for all-day wristband. Saturday events include Grande Parade at 11 a.m., Trucks-N-Tykes at 12–2 p.m., and fireworks at 10 p.m. Also enjoy games and other entertainment, arts and crafts, concessions, and St. Helena III canal boat rides.

330-854-9095 or www.discovercanalfulton.com.

JUL. 12–13 – “Wine on Rails,” Lorain & West Virginia Railway, 46485 St. Rte. 18, Wellington, Fri. 7 p.m., Sat. 6 p.m. Taste wines from Matus Winery during a 90-minute train ride. Tickets available on our website. 440-647-6660 or www.lwvry.org.

JUL. 12–14 – Great Mohican Indian Pow-Wow, 23270 Wally Rd., Loudonville, Fri./Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. $8, C. (6–12) $4, under 6 free. Native American live music, dancing, drum competitions, storytelling, tomahawk throwing, and fire starting demos.

800-766-2267 or www.mohicanpowwow.com.

JUL. 13–14 – Revolution on the Tuscarawas, Fort Laurens, 11067 Fort Laurens Rd. NW, Bolivar, Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. $10; age 12 and under, $5. Revolutionary War reenactment and encampment.

Colonial history, musket drills, mock battle, early American games, and crafts. 330-874-2059 or www.fortlaurens.org.

JUL. 14 – Ohio Daylily Society Annual Show, Kingwood Center Gardens, 50 Trimble Rd., Mansfield, noon–4 p.m. See hundreds of beautiful daylilies by some of Ohio’s top cultivars; get information on growing daylilies and becoming a member of this group. www. ohiodaylilysociety.org. all ages at this hometown celebration of Independence Day. www.piquaoh.org/piqua-4th-fest.

JUL. 4 – Red, White and Blue Ash, Summit Park, Blue Ash, 4–10:30 p.m. Music, rides, games, food and drink, and family fun. Biggest and best fireworks in the tri-state area at 10 p.m. http://blueashevents.com.

JUL. 9 – Neal and Coleen Walters: Old-Time and Appalachian Tunes, Germantown Church of God, 760 Farmersville Pike, Germantown, 7–9 p.m. $12. Sponsored by the Germantown Dulcimer Society. Appalachian dulcimer, autoharp, bass, banjo, guitar. Contact Debbie Simpkins at 513-594-7855.

JUL. 11–14 – Greenville Farm Power of the Past, Darke Co. Fgds., 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville. $5. Case and Oliver tractors and equipment, oil field engines, and Michigan-built engines. 937-547-1845 or www. greenvillefarmpower.org.

JUL. 11–14 – Kathy Slack Troy Summer Skating Competition, Hobart Arena, 255 Adams St., Troy. This figure and freestyle competition is part of the 2019 National Solo Dance Series and 2020 Non-Qualifying Series, with over 300 participants from the Midwest and beyond. www.troyskatingclub.org.

JUL. 13–14 – History Alive at the Johnston Farm, 9845 N. Hardin Rd., Piqua, 12–5 p.m. Reenactors present a historical timeline of the years 1748 to 1862, bringing to life people and events that had a great impact on the course of both American and Ohio history. Visit the Johnston home, tour the Indian and Canal Museum, and ride on the canal boat General Harrison of Piqua. 800752-2619 or www.johnstonfarmohio.com.

NORTHWEST

THROUGH OCT. 12 – The Great Sidney Farmer’s Market, 109 S. Ohio Ave., 8 a.m.–noon. Farmers bring their freshest produce, and crafters offer a large variety of homemade items. Fresh baked goods, jams and jellies, plants, and flowers. 937-658-6945 or www. sidneyalive.org.

JUN. 15–16, JUL. 6–7 – 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.

JUN. 21–22 – Perrysville Homestead Festival, Bridge St., Perrysville, Fri. 5–11 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–11 p.m. Music and comedy entertainment; food vendors; arts, crafts, and hobbies; merchant tent; bingo. Parade Sat. 10 a.m.; garden tractor pull Fri. 6 p.m. 330-465-9230 or www. perrysvilleecodev.com.

JUN. 22 – Findlay Country Fest: Tunes and Trains, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay. Gates open at 4 p.m.; show starts at 5 p.m.

Quarter-scale train rides will be offered before the show and during intermissions. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp. org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.

JUN. 29 – The Great Downtown BBQfest, downtown Sidney, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sample pork ribs, pulled pork, and BBQ chicken legs. Farmers market opens at 8 a.m. We partner with United Way agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local businesses and churches to

SOUTHEAST

THROUGH SEPT. 27 – Rise and Shine Farmers Market, 2135 Southgate Pkwy., Cambridge, Fridays, 8 a.m.–noon.

740-680-1866.

THROUGH DEC. – Athens Farmers Market, 1000 E. State St., Athens, Wed. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat., 9 a.m.–noon.

Organic and conventionally grown fresh produce, meats, eggs, cheeses, honey, maple syrup, flowers and nursery plants, baked goods, breads, herbs, teas, jarred products, and much more. 740-593-6763 or www. athensfarmersmarket.org.

JUN. 14–15 – Firefly Workshop: Field ID and Firefly Ecology, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. In addition to learning to recognize the distinct flash patterns of each species during this peak week of firefly activity, you will also learn about firefly conservation, ecology, and natural history. Space

provide a free FUN Kids Zone for ages 12 and under. 937658-6945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

JUN. 29–30 – Northwest Ohio’s Picker’s Paradise, Henry Co. Fgds., 821 S. Perry St., Napoleon, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Huge flea market, with inside and outside spaces.

Antiques, car parts, handcrafted arts and crafts, and food vendors. ksgeil@yahoo.com or 419-235-3264.

JUL. 4 – Independence Day Concert, Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum, Spiegel Grove, Fremont, 2–3:30 p.m. Free. Bring your own chair or blanket for this patriotic concert, performed by the Toledo Symphony Concert Band on the verandah of the historic Hayes Home. Civil War reenactors will punctuate the performance of the “1812 Overture” with cannon fire.

419-332-2081 or www.rbhayes.org.

JUL. 4–6 – Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Weekend, Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $18, Srs. $16, C. (6–16) $12, under 6 free. Veterans and active-duty military admitted free. Enjoy hand-cranked ice cream, old-fashioned games, and patriotic songs played on the reed organ. Witness a U.S. District Court naturalization ceremony on July 4 at 11 a.m. 800-5909755 or www.saudervillage.org.

JUL. 5 – First Fridays Downtown, Sidney.

Participating downtown shops and restaurants stay open later and offer a First Friday discount. 937-6586945 or www.sidneyalive.org.

JUL. 6 – Beach Spectacular and Fireworks, Indian Lake State Park, Old Field Beach, Russells Point. Pageants, food, swimming, games, and other fun activities.

Classic car show registration 10 a.m.–3 p.m.; fee $10, with dash plaques to first 50 participants; awards at 3 p.m. Fireworks at 10 p.m. 937-843-5392 or www. indianlakechamber.org.

JUL. 6–7 – Toledo Lighthouse Waterfront Festival, Maumee Bay State Park, 1750 State Park Rd. #2, Oregon, Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. $5 donation requested; free parking. Live music, kids’ activities, Nautical Art and Craft Village, lighthouse story telling, food, and silent auction. Concert Sat. at 7 p.m. Boat rides to lighthouse, weather permitting ($30); for reservations,

email sandylakeerie@aol.com. 419-691-3788 or www. toledolighthousefestival.com.

JUL. 7 – Presentation: “Walk in Their Shoes, Die in Their Shoes,” Fort Recovery State Museum, Community Room, 1 Fort Site St., Fort Recovery, 3 p.m. Free. Speaker Joe Beatty is a fifth-generation descendant of two officers who served in St. Clair’s army at the Battle of the Wabash in 1791. The presentation includes original letters, documents, and pictures. 419-375-4384 or www. facebook.com/FortRecoveryMuseum.

JUL. 12–14 – Flag City Daylily Tour, locations throughout Findlay and Hancock counties. Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 12–6 p.m. Free. The fourth annual tour features seven daylily gardens, each with its own special personality. Tour at your leisure and see more than 3,000 different registered daylilies. Some sites will have plants for sale. 419-889-8827, www.pplantpeddler.com, on Facebook, or email anders@findlay.edu.

JUL. 12–14 – Huron River Fest, Huron Boat Basin, 330 N. Main St., Huron. Free. Pageants and contests, parades, live entertainment, games and rides, 5K and Fun Run, Road Show, and other fun activities. Fireworks Friday at 10:15 p.m. over the river. www.huronriverfest.com.

JUL. 13 – Family Fun Day, Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Inc., 12505 Co. Rd. 99, Findlay, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m. $10 per person for all-day access. Enjoy games, quarter-scale train rides, bounce houses, and other family-friendly activities and events all day long for one price. Watch our website and Facebook page for additional information. 419-423-2995, www.nworrp. org, or www.facebook.com/nworrp.

JUL. 13 – Malinta Festival, 8931-Co. Rd. K-2, Malinta, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Flea market, car show, BBQ chicken, bounce house, wagon rides, live auction, entertainment. 419-9669909 or find us on Facebook.

JUL. 13 – Summer on the Farm, Sauder Village, 22611 St. Rte. 2, Archbold, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. $18, Srs. $16, C. (6–16) $12, under 6 free. Experience life on the farm with handson activities, games, special demonstrations, and fiddle music! 800-590-9755 or www.saudervillage.org.

is limited. Register at 937-365-1937 or http:// arcofappalachia.org/wonder_workshop.

JUN. 15 – Ice Cream Social, Little Muskingum Volunteer Fire Department, 15015 St. Rte. 26, Marietta. Serving will begin at 4 p.m., Bingo at 5 p.m., and Country Store drawing at 8 p.m. Please join us for food, fun, and entertainment for the whole family. Find us on Facebook.

JUN. 21–22 – Kicking Bear One-on-One, Deerassic Park Education Ctr., 14250 Cadiz Rd., Cambridge. Free event, but pre-registration is required. 740-435-3335 or www.deerassic.com.

JUN. 22 – Youth Bluegill Derby, Ross Lake, 501 Musselman Mill Rd., Chillicothe, 8 a.m. Free. Open to kids ages 1 to 15. Participants must provide their own fishing tackle and bait and can fish anywhere at Ross Lake.

Plaques will be awarded to three age groups for biggest and most fish. www.visitchillicotheohio.com.

JUN. 27–29 – The Butterfly Course, Highlands Nature Sanctuary, 7660 Cave Rd., Bainbridge. Learn field identification and the natural history of the captivating butterfly species that call the Eastern prairies and forests home. This course is led by John Howard, accomplished naturalist, teacher, and lepidoptera enthusiast.

Registration is required. 937-365-1935 or http:// arcofappalachia.org/butterfly-course-home.

JUN. 28–29 – National Cambridge Glass Collectors Show and Sale, Pritchard Laughlin Civic Ctr., 7033 Glenn

Hwy., Cambridge, Fri. 1–5 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m. $5 admission good for both days. 740-432-4245 or www. cambridgeglass.org.

JUL. 3–4 – Gallipolis River Recreation Festival, Gallipolis City Park, 300 block of Second Ave., Gallipolis.

Contests and races, food, musical entertainment, arts and crafts, parade, and fireworks. 740-446-0596 or www.gallipolisriverrec.com.

JUL. 5–7 – Ohio Jeep Fest, Ross Co. Fgds., 344 Fairgrounds Rd., Chillicothe, Fri. noon–8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–7 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $10–$25. Drivers test their wheeling skills and participate in trail-rated challenges. Daily kids’ zone, vendors, obstacle course, mud pits, and much more. www.ohiojeepfest.com.

JUL. 10–13 – Ohio Hills Folk Festival, Quaker City.

Celebrate the festival’s 115th year! Parades, car show, country store, entertainment, rides, and activities for kids.

740-670-2070.

JUL. 11–14 – Chillicothe Civic Theatre presents Beauty and the Beast, Chillicothe High School Auditorium, 425 Yoctangee Parkway, Chillicothe, 3 and 7 p.m. $12–$15. www.cctchillicothe.com.

JUL. 14 – Barton Polkafest, 52176 Center St., Barton.

Polish foods, crafts, CD sales, cash bar, and raffles. Music by “The Boys” from Maryland, and the reunion of “The Jolly J’s” polka band. 740-695-3029.

JUNE 2019 • OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING 39

MEMBER INTERACTIVE

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Creature comfort 3

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1. O ne of our LaMancha goat does with her newborn kids.

Elaine Beekman Lorain-Medina Rural Electric Cooperative member 2. One of five baby raccoons born in the buckeye tree in our front yard. We called this one“Monkey.”

Debra Durning Firelands Electric Cooperative member 3. A bullfrog popped up right in between the cattails in our pond in Ada, Ohio.

Rebecca Hazelton Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative member

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4. A robin feeding her young on our back porch!

Patty and Larry Quaglia South Central Power Company members

8. My nephew’s 4-H pig enjoying the grass.

Penny Rauch Midwest Electric member

5. My husband found this beautiful barred owl resting in a tree near our house.

Patricia Lambert Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative member

9. I got a camera for my 12th birthday 52 years ago and snapped this picture at the zoo.

Debra Malusky Carroll Electric Cooperative member

6. W e have 18 nest boxes, and many are home to beautiful bluebirds!

Leslie Swonguer Logan County Electric Cooperative member

10. My friendly deer in my woods.

Sharon Coleman Adams Rural Electric Cooperative member

7. Horse whisperers on an Amish farm in Knox County.

Rachel Blevins Consolidated Cooperative member

Send us your picture!

For September, send “Back to school” by June 15; for October, send “Picking pumpkins” by July 15. Upload your photos at www.ohioec.org/memberinteractive — and remember to include your co-op name and to identify everyone in the photos.

40 OHIO COOPERATIVE LIVING • JUNE 2019

A COMMUNITY’S

Success

is our success

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

GRANTS

SEVEN RIC ELECT IVES RAT years E P O CO past two in the TEN D E D AWAR ,000 for $15 grants

ment ctive p o l e v e pe site-d eir res s. h t n i use e area servic

ohioec.org/purpose