April 23 - 29, 2020
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‘Hay Y’all’ offers a walk on the light side Summerfield Farms brings heart, humor, country music and education on farm life to kids and families via morning talk show hosted by recording artist Stephanie Quayle
around her while her weekday morning talk show, “Hay Y’all,” is being broadcast live via Summerfield Farms’ Facebook page. The animals are all named after country music artists, by the way – i.e., Kenny (Chesney), Toby Keith, Minnie P (Pearl), Billy Ray (Cyrus) and Willy Nelson.
by PATTI STOKES
Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
Soon after social distancing restrictions went into effect, country music artist Stephanie Quayle began hosting a live show, “Hay Y’all,” from Summerfield Farms on weekday mornings.
SUMMERFIELD – “Here’s what I promise you – I can’t guarantee you anything!” Stephanie Quayle says with a laugh as she recently sat perched comfortably beside bales of hay in one of the barns at Summerfield Farms on Pleasant Ridge Road. It’s a fair warning, as farm animals meander all
As Quayle, a country music artist herself, talks and sings to her audience, the animals capture your heart with their playful, endearing personalities – as well as their unpredictability, as evidenced one recent morning when the goat Quayle was holding urinated on her leg. On another morning two of the animals within the camera’s view began engaging in some “amorous” activity. Three baby goats named Justin,
Keep restrictions, or loosen them? Residents, business professionals weigh in on whether the state should loosen stay-athome restrictions which are set to expire April 29 compiled by ANNETTE JOYCE Stokesdale residents Chelsea Robertson, her husband, Jake, and their young son have been making the best of their time while adhering to the
state’s stay-at-home orders, but they’re ready for restrictions to start loosening up. “I have a 4-year-old little boy, so we’ve been working hard on writing our letters/numbers and spending time outside daily – it’s the best way to escape this reality for a bit,” Robertson said. While Jake, who is a foreman at Skywalker Roofing, is still working full-time, Robertson’s onsite hair and makeup wedding service, I Do Style, has been on hold.
“As a business owner, I’m so ready for North Carolina to open back up; really hoping they follow through with the beginning of May for most,” Robertson said. “We have to get our economy going again or many more problems will arise in the coming months. ...continued on p. 6
Jake and Joe are often either loudly maaaaaaaa-ing, energetically leaping here and there, devouring the hay-based bottom of Quayle’s desk, or nibbling on her ears and hair while she’s being recorded. It’s all part of the “real-life” window into the farm experience that Quayle and her husband, David Couch, who own the 600-acre Summerfield Farms property/event center, want to bring to kids and their families. The idea for the show came about when the couple and their team were brainstorming about how they could add some humor and “light” in this unsettling time brought about by the coronavirus and social distancing.
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IN THIS ISSUE News in brief................................4 A very special 6th birthday .......7 Around Town photos ................ 10 Student Profile ........................... 11 NWO Kids’ Korner...................... 12 GSM food pantry ...................... 16 Crime/Incident Report ............. 16 Letters/Opinions ....................... 18 Grins and Gripes ...................... 19 Classifieds .................................20 Index of Advertisers .................23 NWO on the Go / Staycation ..24