Rock Hill Reader The Magazine by Rock Hill Reader

YORK COUNTY SC •

Rock Hill Reader

The Magazine

ISSUE NO O1 .

JANUARY 2018

•

from the editor

January 2018 marks a very important

Personally, I chose to waste less this

time for us. This is the first ever issue of

year. If you did the same, you ' ll be glad

Rock Hill Reader the Magazine and we

to know this issue includes my article

are beyond excited to have you as a

" Resolve

reader!

how-to guide that will walk you through

to Waste Less " with a bonus

the steps of making your own indoor Inspired by the New Year, we coined this issue

" Resolutions " .

Throughout the pages

compost bin that you can keep under your sink during the cold winter months.

you will find all sorts of information on how to fulfill your resolution by

What ' s your New Year ' s resolution?

experiencing what Rock Hill has to offer.

Join us on Facebook and share what you chose to do this year!

From local farms and foodies, to area rescues and resources, and even my own home, you are welcome to join us in fulfilling your New Year ' s Resolution! Rebecca Sutton

EDITOR IN CHIEF

ROCK HILL READER - THE MAGAZINE

RESOLUTIONS

Table of Contents 07

Eat Natural Visit Thames Farm in Fort Lawn and

learn what farm to table is all about

05 07

Southern Food Junkie

Words of WisdomÂ Find out how to keep you weight loss resolutions with Lynn Thompson

Knowledge Park Coders

Recipe: Brunswick stew - real home

Don't let learning a new skill be

cookin'

intimidating: make it social!

Shop Local Learn how online shopping can still keep your money in York County

Snow in the South? Heather Sheen shines a light on the past with old news reports of bygone winter days

Waste Less Composting doesn't have to be hard...or outside

RESOLVE TO EAT NATURAL

Thames Farm

into the meat they were eating, and the only way they would know for sure is if they raised the animals themselves.

Like the pigs, chickens on Thames Farm are free to roam and can be seen out and about around the farm enjoying the sunshine, eating grasses and insects, taking dust baths, laying eggs and socializing with each other. Their meat chickens are

Set on 82 acres just outside of Fort Lawn, SC, Thames Farm is host to monthly Farm Days where visitors interact with the animals and shop local vendors.

housed in "mobile units" to protect them from predators and still enjoy a life filled with fresh air, food, and water.

www.facebook.com/thamesfarm When not doing chores or hosting their monthly Farm

Thames Farm in Fort Lawn,

heir meats and their animals

South Carolina, raises all-

are raised on sunshine, clean

natural pastured meats

air and a natural diet

including registered Berkshire

including fresh Jersey milk and

pigs and chickens on pasture.

fresh eggs.

for those in Chester and York

Day, you can find Amy on social media letting locals know her delivery schedule and educating their many customers on the dangers of processed foods. Even better,

Counties and surrounding

The idea for this all-natural

areas.

farm came about in 2013, when Amy and Kent Thames,

“All-natural” means they don’t

spouses and co-owners,

include additional hormones

decided that they wanted to

or unnecessary antibiotics in

know exactly what was going

the mouthwatering photos of home cooked meals with produce and meat right from their farm are enough to make anyone want to switch to the real thing.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND AT

Farm Day Once a month, Thames Farm hosts a group of local farmers and artisans who sell their wares to the visiting public. Ida Claire Baking Company, Seldom Rest Farm, Thomas Family Farm, and White Blossom Coffee (fair trade) are just a few participants in addition to Thames' own products.

The most important aspect of Thames Farm is the their ethical standards. With Kent Thames being a veterinarian at nearby Fort Lawn Animal Hospital, farm customers can understand the family's values.

Pork, chicken, & beef are just a few all natural meat products you can find at Thames.

Where to find Thames products

The farm is located at 3510 Catawba River Rd Fort Lawn, SC.

In addition to home delivery locations from Rock Hill to Columbia,

Call 803-323-7789 for more information

Thames products can be found at the Yolk Restaurant, Market On

Visit www.thamesvetandarm.com

Wylie, and Provisions Waxhaw.

Facebook: @ThamesFarm

J u n F ik S o e o o d tu h t e r h n e

RESOLVE TO

Eat More Home Cookin' The Southern Food Junkie started as a local restaurant reviewer in Rock Hill but has recently switched gears. His knowledge base is wide and he now offers recipes, discusses specific foods and beverages, blogs his travels throughout the Piedmont, and much more.

He’s knowledgeable about all things food, especially home cooking, and you can always find a fun fact or two peppered throughout his blog and YouTube channel.

Fellow Southern food junkies might appreciate Ronnie’s recipes that include breakfast, lunch, and dinner; but also side dishes, breads, and desserts that can be found on his website.

SOUTHERN FOOD JUNKIE

Low Country Boil There’s nothing more southern that a low country boil and the Southern Food Junkie explains how to do it right. Ronnie explains how this type of meal, when made at home, is a great way to bring family and friends together.

A low country boil like this is a big deal and can be a bit pricey, so we thought we would explore a recipe within the same realm which will encourage those whose New Year’s resolution is to eat at home.

We found SFJ’s Brunswick Stew to be particularly appropriate for the cold January weather.

A smoky chicken stew, Ronnie makes his with leftover smoked chicken. Delicious!

SOUTHERN FOOD JUNKIE

Brunswick Stew 6 cups water

1. Start with a large stock pot and add in all

1 tbls Worcestershire sauce

wet ingredients

1 can stewed tomatoes 2. Turn your burner on high 1 cup Barbecue Sauc: the SFJ uses Sweet Baby Rays or Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet Sauce

3. Next, add in the minced garlic, cayenne

4 oz tomato paste

pepper, salt, and pepper

1-2 Cloves garlic, minced 4. Stir well to comine all the ingredients 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

before adding the remaining ingredients

1 tbsp salt 1/2 tbsp pepper 1-2 lbs smoked chicken 1 med onion, chopped 6-7 medium potatoes, cubed

5. Add in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil

6. Once your dish has reached a boil, turn burner down to a slow simmer

16 oz bag frozen sweet corn 16 oz bag frozen lima beans

7. Cook until vegetables are soft and tender

RESOLVE TO

Shop Local Back in the fall of 2017 the Rock Hill Reader published an article about the move Blue Rose Pottery made from Fort Mill to Rock Hill Today Diane her husband Phil and store manager Jonathan are settling in just fine at the new Cherry Road location closer to their homes For those who chose to shop local for their New Year s resolution we wanted to share the news of their growth and how your support makes businesses like Blue Rose Pottery thrive

place to place and paying only in cash Local doesn t mean archaic and many businesses have up to date technology including card readers and participate in e commerce Blue Rose even has a shipping warehouse connected to the store for an all in one time saving operation Because of this locally owned brick and mortar stores and farmers markets are capable of earning and keeping more money for their communities

Shopping local doesn t mean you have to change up your routine by toting dozens of reusable bags driving from

We all want to make things easy With major online retailers it s tempting to simply click the buy now button

’

“

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”

Thanks to the new location right here in Rock Hill the folks at Blue Rose have seen a lot more foot traffic What could be better than driving only a few minutes to their showroom Visiting their website and ordering online for quick delivery Since shopping local doesn t limit shoppers to only an in person buying experience the store is seeing even more online sales than the physical location Better yet shopping through their website still keeps money in the economy ,

Locally owned businesses put a greater revenue share back into the local economy compared to chain stores When you spend 100 locally around 68 stays in your community as opposed to shopping with a large corporation where only 48 stays in your local economy Choosing to shop ,

local in 2018 can directly affect the local economy your friends and your neighbors ,

Shopping with small businesses can have a big impact that shouldn t be underestimated Shopping with independently owned businesses within Rock Hill and York County like Blue Rose Pottery is a simple way to make a difference in our community .

’

Commit today to buying gifts for birthdays anniversaries holidays locally Be it regionally crafted grown or raised you can incorporate locally owned businesses like Blue Rose Pottery into your New Year s resolution of shopping local

’

So make investing in your community your resolution this year !

RESOLVE TO WASTE LESS

Indoor Composting Composting is one of those things that while not time consuming helps to enrich soil suppresses plant diseases and pests and encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi What s more is that composting reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers your carbon footprint That s really in line with my resolution so I set out to learn how to make an indoor compost bin that will help me to make less waste ,

’

By REBECCA SUTTON

Living in the country has many perks one of them is that we are blessed with enough land that I can attempt grow a garden and have a compost pile Even in the cold weather I find that I have plenty of food waste that needs throwing away But why throw such things in the garbage Why not make my family s food scraps work for me Using what waste I do create to actually fuel the earth s own natural processes win win ,

(

)

’

The cold weather tends to keep many of us indoors in the winter and tends to make me lazy I hate the idea of trudging halfway across the yard in the cold sometimes wet winter weather just to throw a few vegetable peels into the compost Yet I know that in order to help fulfill my resolution of wasting less I needed to find a way to keep myself on top of composting lest I slip into the old habit of thoughtlessly throwing what could be garden gold into the trash .

HOW-TO:

Compost Bin CONTAINER

Upcycle an empty container like one that holds cat litter a storage tote or a 5 gallon bucket Be sure that you wash your container thoroughly with hot soapy water and rinse well ,

.Â

DRILL

FILTER

Drill several holes in the lid and tape or hot glue a charcoal filter to the inside of the lid aligned with the air holes These filters are the kind you can buy for a cat litter box they re very cheap can be cut to fit any size ,

;

TIPS

SOIL

SCRAPS

Add a small amount of soil to create a base layer for the bin Create a space under your sink for your bin and begin filling with scraps cut from foods like fruits and veggies and other organic material .

TRICKS

Try for more brown scraps in your bin. Brown things are rich in carbon. Green things are rich in nitrogen. A healthy bin needs more carbon-rich material to allow oxygen to penetrate and decompose. The more surface area of the scraps you add, the less time needed for composting. Cutting scraps down before adding to your bin help the bacteria to quickly break down materials into compost.Â If you have plenty of coffee grounds in your compost, acid-loving plants will do well with compost. Only add organic material. No meat, no dairy. Adding paper scraps also help soak up extra moisture.

RESOLVE TO

Lose Weight By Rebecca Sutton

One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. So, we asked Lynn Thompson, who has been involved with many weight loss programs over the years, including Weight Watchers since 1975, her thoughts on the subject. Lynn has successfully lost 196.4 pounds and is now a lifetime member of Weight Watchers as well as a meeting leader.

It’s a bumpy road to lose weight. Starting and stopping many weight loss programs, setbacks, and successes has taught Lynn more than a few things about how to tackle weight loss, especially in the new year.

Read on to discover her words of wisdom that anyone can apply to

Lynn Thompson, local Weight Watchers leader who lost 196.4 lbs

their resolution.

RESOLVE TO LOSE WEIGHT CHANGE YOUR MINDEST If a person wants to quit smoking, they need to be mentally and physically prepared for the undertaking. The same goes for weight loss. One of the most important questions for Lynn has been why do you eat? Many times we eat emotionally; When we’re happy or sad or stressed or tired or a host of other emotions. The fact that so many people eat for emotional reasons, and keep eating for those same reasons is very telling about our everyday habits that we don’t always stop to consider. Lynn says to start

SET YOUR GOALS “If you don’t set goals,” Lynn says, “you’re going to fail.” Resolutions to lose weight are more likely to succeed when the goal is very specific. Instead of vaguely saying ‘I want to lose weight’, you want to have a specific goal: How much weight do you want to lose and in what time frame. Then, what specifically are you going to do to reach your goal? Or ‘I want to run a marathon’, you want to set the marathon date and come up with a workout plan to help you reach that goal.

losing weight we have to change our actions. And not eating when we aren’t hungry is one aspect. The other aspect concerns occasions when we overindulge; like the holiday feasting that we drag ourselves away from a few pounds heavier. Many times we go into something knowing there will be food that isn’t good for us or food that we like to eat too much of. Mentally preparing to have small amounts of what

Lynn told us that when she walked into her first Weight Watcher meeting, her leader gave her a goal to lose five pounds. Knowing that she had to lose almost 200 pounds was overwhelming but 5 pounds didn't seem so bad and it was doable.

we enjoy without overdoing it is a proactive approach and one that Lynn suggests we think through ahead of time. Eating too much of our favorite foods may need to be combatted with extra hard work in the gym that week, so going in with that prepared mindset may help prevent gluttonous behavior.

Additionally, writing down what you want to achieve will help you reach that specific goal: “If you don’t write it down, it’s a dream” Lynn says. “A goal you write down is one you won’t lose track of. “

“If you don’t write it down, it’s a dream” “A goal you write down is one you won’t lose track of.”

RESOLVE TO LOSE WEIGHT

DIET VS. LIFESTYLE

Lynn says people often ask if she can eat a particular food on her diet. For Lynn, it’s not a diet, it’s a

If you don’t set goals, you’re going to fail

lifestyle. And the answer is yes, she can eat what she wants, but she knows she will have to work extra hard to combat any poor eating choices she makes.

Most importantly though, a diet is about deprivation. A weight loss program like Weight Watchers helps a person change their eating and activity habits which in turn helps them to live a healthy life.

Starting can be scary, so when the new year rolls around, don’t think about all those things you can’t have anymore. Change your mindset to choosing what you really want in smaller portions and finding activity that you enjoy. In the long run, you will give yourself the opportunity to do more than just lose weight. In order to do that,

Lynn has some sound advice: “Find a program that works for you and stick with with it.”

Lynn before her weight loss

RESOLVE TO LOSE WEIGHT

SUPPORT NETWORKS

DIET VS. LIFESTYLE

Part of being in a weight loss

Lynn says people often ask if she can

program or starting a membership at

eat a particular food on her diet. For

the gym in the new year are support

Lynn, it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle.

networks. Weight Watchers has

And the answer is yes, she can eat

meetings for example, and it’s easy

what she wants, but she knows she

to find a trusted friend or family

will

member to join you at the gym and

have to work extra hard to combat

help keep you accountable. This is

any poor eating choices she makes.

especially helpful for those who might be going it alone at home.

Most importantly though, a diet is

Lynn told us that she was lucky that

about deprivation. A weight loss

her family was on board when she

program like Weight Watchers helps

joined Weight Watchers but

a person change their eating and

acknowledges others aren’t as lucky.

activity habits which in turn helps them to live a healthy life.

At home, Lynn tells us a family can still make just one meal but watch

Starting can be scary, so when the

portions and don’t forget the

new year rolls around, don’t think

addition of healthy sides. We all

about all those things you can’t have

know that vegetables are important

anymore. Change your mindset to

in not only losing weight but adding

choosing what you really want in

nutrition.

smaller portions and finding activity that you enjoy. In the long run, you

A support network is your “magic”,

will give yourself the opportunity to

Lynn says. “It’s the community that

do more than just lose weight. In

says we understand”.

order to do that, Lynn has some sound advice: “Find a program that works for you and stick with with it.”

SUPPORT NETWORKS

Lynn says to be accountable inside

why’. She says the goal is what

and out. “Your body is going to keep

brings you in, but the why is what

a really good record of what you eat

keeps you going.

whether you own it or not. Be true to yourself the way you would be to a

For more information and to find a

friend.”

Weight Watchers meeting near you, visit

As a Weight Watchers leader, Lynn is

www.weightwatchers.com

a the primary role model for each member at her meetings. She has her own struggles but remembers her ‘

RESOLVE TO

Learn a New Skill

Have you noticed how everything is either digital or automated these days And how this type of technology brings about the need for more specialized skills at work and at home Coding is one of those skills and learning a new skill or brushing up on an old one especially if you ve been out of the loop for a while can be ?

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intimidating You ve heard the term before but it has it eluded you Do you know the general concept and how helpful coding actually is Coding is behind every app every computer program you encounter It s with you Every Single Day In short coding is what helps a person to create the .

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I DEFINITELY BELIEVE IN BEING A LIFELONG LEARNER AND BEING A N00B IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF ,

computer software apps and websites we use all the time If you re reading this article on a personal device like a phone or tablet the program that makes our magazine can t function without code Even the Rock Hill Reader magazine is made with code Now do you see why it s a useful skill If you don t know a thing about coding Knowledge Park Coders is the place to start The group KPC for short meets in beautiful Old Town Rock Hill at 157 E Main St 501 the fifth floor of the Amelie s building at the Technology Incubator Run by Casey Da Silva and backed by ,

’

David Warner KPC is perfect for those hoping to brush up on or learn code ,

Thousands of different programming languages make it possible for us to create computer software apps and websites The KPC meetup group is the place to start learning some of those languages Mostly everyone starts with the foundation languages HTML CSS and JavaScript There are tons of really neat online tutorials in which the student can build in real time as they learn Casey who believes in being a lifelong learner and is fairly new to the world of coding herself says ,

. “

”

She goes on to explain the benefits of each coding language and how a beginner can approach learning how to code Coding has two main sides front end and back end When folks become interested in coding front end development is much easier to grasp as it uses the basic coding languages HTML CSS and JavaScript Plus when a person begins using these languages he she can actually visualize their work on a browser Building websites seems to be the initial step into coding because of this reason Once a person advances they can use these foundation languages to build upon and delve into the back end side of coding :

“

participating in the IoT Hack a thon for the upcoming spring semester Additionally the KPC is exploring the idea of building websites for nonprofits in the community which is great news This opens the doors so coders of all levels can become involved and it ll be a great way to give back to the community On content nights such as a recent evening where the group learned more about building Alexa skills topic experts meet with the group and talk about different aspects of technology

.”

Their meetup com link group is currently 40 members strong and they just hosted their launch party in the fall of 2017 at the Tech Incubator in Rock Hill Veterans and noobs got together to brainstorm over pizza and drinks on the direction they hope the group will go in Social projects education and socialization within the tech community are some of the areas the group explores )

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The group is partnered with the Knowledge Park Tech Incubator and Winthrop and will be

Now that you have a general overview of coding it s time to jump in and begin learning But where do you start Joining the Knowledge park Coders will start you on a beginner s journey on learning basic code like HTML CSS and JavaScript that can help you explore the world of coding ’

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Casey says they love having folks involved and you can join their Slack workspace KnowledgeParkCoders the Meetup page and Facebook

(

In the News of the Past Have you ever read an old newspaper You ll find the most entertaining things there Before we had TV radio and the internet newspapers were the way to discuss politics share jokes pass on gossip chatter about the latest fashions and advertise your business Oh yes and report the news ?

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

But newspapers led me to discover even more than that! I frequently find myself immersed in the old articles, poems, letters to the editor, and advertisements that paint a picture of life as it was.

I became interested in old news journals while researching patriotic cockades. Cockades were the lapel pins of the past and were often worn by people supporting causes

An old newspaper is a window into the lives of previous generations. This column will feature fascinating, fun and unforgettable tidbits from the Upstate news of the past. Though life was certainly different 100-200 years ago, you may just find that people back then werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so different than they are now!

and parties. I recreate the old cockade designs for history buffs and reenactors.

-Heather Sheen, Creative Cockades

Newspaper accounts helped me discover what they looked like and who wore them.

Snow and ice storms always bring the

Tuesday, still covers the ground to the depth

Upstate to a standstill as trees bring down

of several inches. In our Southern clime the

power lines and roads become treacherous.

winter’s snow is always a genial, welcome

Most of us enjoy the time off though, and use

visitor – bringing with it a fund of gladness for

the opportunity to indulge in snowball fights,

all. Boys and girls are themselves in earnest,

sled rides and admiring the beautiful outdoor scene. But this is nothing new – 170 years ago, the Yorkville Enquirer had the following article about a big storm on January 10, 1856. No, they didn’t have downed power lines back then – but the downed telegraph lines were just as annoying!

and men and women are boys and girls again. Our streets were lively all day Saturday; every body played the gladiator and snow-balled every body; while tingling bells, announcing a new era in things, made music to accompany the rollicking, allinspiriting sport of many a dashing, headlong sleigh-ride! The opportunity was well appreciated and well improved, and we can

We have had abundant rains, the wells are really hope for nothing better than many a full, and the streams are overflowing with the return of the welcome visitor. flood. Winter, too, has come in earnest. After two or three cold days to prepare us for it, on The snow storm did not extend Southward as Friday night we had an unusually heavy fall of far as Columbia. In reference to the season snow, which, at the time we write, on there, the Carolina Times of Monday had the following: --

The rains which have been so heavy and

damaged sustained, although the wire is

incessant for the last three weeks, with but a

down in every direction, but presume it will

brief intermission, have at length ceased. On

soon be in working order again.

Friday and Saturday last, as fast as the rain fell, it froze on whatever it came in contact,

Such as scene as the one we have above

and on Sunday morning, when the sun broke

briefly alluded to, has not occurred in South

forth, clear and unclouded, one of the most

Carolina for twenty years. We think it was in

brilliant scenes presented itself that ever was

1835, when a somewhat similar event

afforded to the human eye. Every tree, twig

happened, but then, if we remember

and spray, was coated with ice, and glittered

correctly, the ice was dissolved on the

and sparkled in the sun with all the colors of

following day. This year, the rain which fell

the rainbow.

and congealed on Friday night, was not dissolved when we went to press last

Many of the houses became crystal palaces,

evening; although the rays of the sun

and glanced back the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rays up on the

yesterday had somewhat reduced the number

passing traveler. Even the blades of grass

of icicles, around the eaves of dwellings and

and weeds in the fields, were turned to

trees, many of which were twelve and

crystal and added to the general grandeur of

eighteen inches in length by one inch in

the scene. So great was the weight of the

diameter. As an evidence of the great weight

incumbent ice, that many fruit and

of the circumambient ice on the trees, we

ornamental trees were broken down and

mention the fact, that a large oak tree, on

destroyed, while others were divested of their

Senate street, a little above the State House,

limbs, split and otherwise injured. It was even

one of the few which the woodmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s axe

dangerous to pass through the streets on

spared when he was clearing the site of

account of the falling branches and trees.

Columbia, has been split and riven of its

The noise of the falling and cracking wood

branches, leaving but one limb standing on

resounded far and near.

the knotted and knarled trunk. Some of the branches broken off were fully five feet in

The Telegraph Company has suffered

circumference. Fortunately there has been

considerable loss, and their business

but light winds; had it blown heavily, the

operations are entirely suspended. The rain

danger to life and limb, from falling trees &c.,

falling on the wires froze, and increased the

which has been considerable, would have

weight to be sustained by the posts to such a

been proportionably increased.

degree as to cause them to give way under the pressure, and bring the wires to the ground. We have not heard of the estimatedÂ

January 2018

Rock Hill Reader Thank you to the following for helping make the first issue possible!

Editor-in-chief Rebecca Sutton

Editor Contributing Writer Contributor

Catherine Sutton Heather Sheen Ronnie Williams

Interview

Lynn Thompson

Interview

Casey Da Silva

Sponsor

Amy Thames

Sponsor

Blue Rose Pottery

EDITORIAL

OFFICE

Rock Hill Reader the Magazine is published independently by Rock Hill Reader Rock Hill, South Carolina | +1-803-554-9141

www.rockhillreader.com

issue 01