LocalTouch Comal

FEBRUARY 2020

Comal County

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ONLINE

CONTENTS FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2020

• • • • • • • • • • •

4 Great Herbs for Central Texas Try Self Care for 2020 Tips for Eating Clean while traveling with the Kids Local Tastiness Michael Anthony & the Boys of Broken DuckFeet Just like Grand Dad use to Drink > Mill-King Pop Culture Geekery Events True Value of a Real Estate Agent River Conditions > Action Angler Special Section: Day Trippin in Austin

Taste of the Town

Local Touch ONLINE

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Editor's Letter Hello, First of all, Tammie and I want to say ''Thank You" for inviting us into your world. We really appreciate the fact that you are taking time out of your busy life to check out "LocalTouch Comal''. A favor if you don't mind, let us know what you think, send us an email and tell use your thoughts about our maga­zine or anything else you would like to share. Any grammarians out there this is your opportunity to have fun at my expense ... lo/... I have a tendency to write like I talk.

Luckily, I am very truthful about this issue and I have a tough skin.

Due to some changes this issue will be a merger of February and March.

This year, February is full of excitement! It is right after the start of the "Year of the Rat" and yes, this is my year... Rats are clever, likable, creative and successful, while at the same time being able to be

Relaxing on the River

LocalToJlch Comol County

ONLINE

content with a quiet and peaceful life. Still working on a couple of those attribute.

Tammie and I had quite a busy February, some of you see us regularly at the New Braunfels Farmer's Market every Saturday, friend of ours at her booth -

we help out a

Pure Pas­tures (Formerly - Eazy E Farms),

we will have a booth at the New Braunfels Beauty and Wellness Show. We are also having a big wine and cheese tasting this month email me, if you would like to learn more. To wrap up the month, I will be show­casing my Photography work at a viewing towards the end of the month at Everyday Zen. So, this is going to be a busy month because we are also getting ready to go visit family in Hawaii in March -island boy is ready for some Poi, Lau Lau and the Pacific. Also, because there are (Ive children in our blended family,

we take one of the kids on a trip to celebrate a major milestone in their life. This one is for one of our daughters, who is graduating for University of Texas. We plan on taking a lot of photo, both of food and scenery and will share then in upcoming issues. It is going to be Onolicious!

Till next month unless we see you around town...... Mahala!

Ron and Tammie Smith

Copyrights

Contributing Writers Karen McCarty Dominique Burkett Neil Schmidt Chef Ron Smith Dr.Aron Cain Joe Soliz Kara June

All rights reserved. No portion of this publications may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher

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Being born in New Orleans and having roots in southwest Louisiana (Cajun Country}, I come from a culture of good food, family traditions, and "passing a good time". With a tradition of big family gathering where cooking together, telling stories, and passing on tried and true recipes was the roux in the sauce my family's life, I wanted to show appreciation and share in the celebrate of my heritage. As a millennial and entrepreneur, it appealed to me that I could truly do both . . . cherish family and be an independent business owner. So, being able to share my own favorites such as gumbo ya-ya, shrimp etouffee, jambalaya, shrimp stew - in small batches - with friends and custom­ ers - gives me the best of both worlds . . . a viable business and ongo­ ing family experience. We are a family business located in New Braunfels; we host catering parties and serve at Farmer's Markets.

Come visit and share my family's love of the good life. �---- ··"-;itr'.;

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Benjamin Wlmberley New Braunfels Market Open 9am-1pm Check us out at: 231 Landa Street in New Braunfels Weds - Sat 11am - 8pm

MICHAEL ANTHONY & the BOYS of BROKEN DUCKFEET Music by: Michael Anthony and Broken Duckfeet Lyrics © Michael Anthony 2019

I first became aware of Michael Anthony Rodrigues and the Broken DuckFeet band back in 2012 when I was hosting the Indie Country Roadshow podcast. ICRS interviewed unsigned singer/songwriters, and I was sourcing candidates through ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com). I was particularly interested in Texas artists, and I was thrilled that Michael was from right here in New Braunfels.

I was initially attracted to two songs in particular from this group. In “I Wish She Knew” you are transported back in time to when you first saw “her” – the one. The one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. How could you stand out from the rest of her admirers? How can you tell her what you feel inside your heart? “Could she ever see herself with a guy like me?” If she only knew maybe she would feel the same. “If only I

could find a way to let her know the truth, but until then I guess I’ll only wish she knew.”

The song and the lyrics blew me away. When I talked with Michael recently, he said the song is about an experience he believes we all feel at some point in our lives. I know I have. The music was upbeat and perfectly blended with the hopefulness of the song.

The other song that put Michael on my radar was “Don’t Ask Me Why I’m Leaving.” This is a slow, plaintiff story of a painful breakup. I’m a sucker for the fiddle, but the lyrics hooked me early in the song. “I don’t have the answers that you’re needing.” I knew I had found the songwriter that spoke to me, and evidently to others as well. As the music fades at the end, you hear Michael say a sincere, “I’m going to miss you.”

Unfortunately the song is no longer available on ReverbNation, but I still have a copy I downloaded, and it’s still only iTunes playlist.

Without sounding too smug, I’m going to say I was right about this group back in 2012. Now, eight years later, the band and Michael have become local favorites with a huge following. If you haven’t seen them yet, you are missing a rare treat. You can listen to the music at https://www.reverbnation.com/BrokenDuckFeet/songs. I’d recommend his Christmas song “Every Day’s Like Christmas,” for a good old Texas Christmas. It is not all sad country songs

either. “Life is Good,” and “Good Old Country Music” are lively and upbeat.

So, I wanted to know. What’s up with Broken DuckFeet? “How did you come up with that name?” I asked. Michael laughed in his easy way as he told the story. “We were looking for an original name. We didn’t want the typical names – we wanted something unique. It was somewhere up near Llano, we were playing a show, and this old duck was waddling around. He had a foot problem, so his gait was kind of messed up. Apparently he had the run of the place because he came up on stage and took a dump on my pedal board.” Michael suggested the name of the band was Broken DuckFeet. No everyone was pleased, and it actually resulted in a rift between band members, so who were just not going to play under that name. Like most local groups, band members come and go. To stay competitive people have to remember who you are. “How can you forget a duck like that,” Michael laughs.

Michael Anthony calls his music “edge country,” and I agree.

Chords and breaks are edgy, and the lyrics break on the conscious as true and real. If you haven’t seen them yet, I highly recommend this group for a fun night at the honkytonk.

Music Correspondent: Ernie Lee Check them out at on Facebook or find them playing in Gruene on the weekends and the Elks Lodge Acoustic Nights in New Braunfels

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Just Like

Grand Dad use to Drink!

Our family, the Millers, have owned and operated a dairy since 1941.

Today’s operation is owned by Billy Miller (2nd generation) and Craig Miller (3rd generation). In 1941 Arnold and Minnie Miller moved to a new farm in the Crawford area and started milking cows there. They would sell the milk and cream at the farm or at the small general store in Crawford. Their small dairy that grew over time, and they then began selling their milk to a co-op as that became a more popular model of selling milk for dairy farmers.

Their son, Billy Miller, worked with his father on the farm before and after finished college at Texas A&M. He later bought out his father out of the farm when his father retired. Billy and his wife, Shorty, operated the dairy on the family’s home place for many years. They grew the size of the dairy and also bought more land in the area. In 1993, they built a new, state of the art dairy facility about a mile from the home place dairy. While farming they raised three children who went to school in McGregor and then later off to college at Texas A & M and Tarleton State University.

In 2004 Craig, Billy and Shorty’s youngest son, came home after graduating college at Tarleton State University to work on the family farm bringing his wife, Rhianna. Although she grew up in a Texas county populated by dairies (Comanche County), she did not have a dairy background. She and Craig met at Tarleton where Rhianna earned her business degrees. In 2008, Rhianna began working on the family farm as well. For a time, Craig

and Rhianna operated a business independent of the dairy; however, it was still based around cattle. With this business they were able to travel all over the United States learning about the cattle and dairy industry.

Then the economy hit the dairy industry hard in 2010. It was apparent that continuing to dairy in a conventional manner was not a viable option for our farm. The family started to explore alternative dairy options. Spurred by Rhianna’s allergy to milk and a suggestion from a friend, the family investigated making raw milk cheese and selling raw milk.

During our research we found a need for low temperature pasteurized and non-homogenized dairy products. Our research found that this type of batch pasteurization was legal for transport off the farm for sales to retailers, restaurants, and end consumers. We learned that many people who have intolerances or side effects from drinking “conventional grocery store milk” (high or super high pasteurized milk) can actually drink this batch pasteurized milk since it is free from additives, preservatives or chemicals.

In addition, many of the nutrients in the low temp, nonhomogenized milk stays intact compared to conventional grocery store milk.

These needs began to change our family farm. In early 2012, the new structure of our business was born, and Mill-King Market and Creamery began hitting Austin farmer’s markets and store shelves. From this time on, all our practices changed to promote unadulterated dairy products. We are very strict on what our cows eat, how they are treated, and how the milk is handled in our processing facility. We are passionate about our cows and getting their natural, wholesome milk to consumers.

We are very different from your average dairy farm. We are farmstead creamery. We make low temperature pasteurized, non-homogenized milk, cream, and cheese on the dairy farm. We are different from other dairy

farms because we process our own milk. Most dairy farms sell their milk to a co-op that then sells the milk to processors where it is processed then it is sold to distributors then sold to stores/restaurants etc. We do most of the process ourselves. We raise the calves to delivering the milk to distributors.

At one time we actually delivered every gallon we made; however, as we have grown that is one area that we have had to outsource. We needed to spend more time making good milk and not making deliveries.

Other areas that make us different from other dairy farmers are that we grass feed our herd the majority of the year, and we grow as much of our feed as possible. We only use non-gmo seeds and feed sources. We also follow organic standards on the treatment of our animals and our land. We have expanded our operation to include processing the milk from several other Waco area dairies. These family friends and fellow dairymen have converted their operations to follow our standards.

It’s important to do things as we do, because that is what makes our milk excellent. It is important to treat and feed the cows as we do because it effects our product. It is much harder. Previously we were a dairy farm.

Now, in addition to being a dairy farmers we are also a fluid processor, a cheesemaker, a milk hauler and a delivery company. Things are much more complex.

People are drawn to our product for a variety of reasons. Some people find it because they are looking for product that will not affect their milk allergies and it is the closest to completely raw that you can get for many in the large cities. Some are looking for humanely treated animals, some for a direct link

back to the farm, some are looking for a pure product without all of the artificial stuff, and finally some are looking for a great tasting product. So many coffee roasters and coffee shops minimally source their beans or take great care with the roasting of those beans so naturally they want to pair that with an excellent source of milk. When you compare a side by side taste of our milk with conventional store milk, there is a distinct difference. This difference is important, and it is imperative as a society that we are aware of what is in our foods. We have gotten away from basic, simplistic food into a world where everything is highly processed. This is not good for a body’s overall wellness. We want people to do their own research and learn what they are putting in and on their bodies.

We now have a small farm store located on the dairy that specializes in clean, farm fresh foods. In addition to our milk, cream and cheese, we have everything from grass-fed beef to harsh chemical free body products. It is open every day, all day on the honor system. We allow people to come in, take care of themselves, and leave either cash or check for their goods. We wanted to take our milk and our business practices back to a simpler time.

We are passionate about getting a REAL product out to consumers and paying our farmers equitably for their products. Every step of the process is important from birth of a calf to making sure that customers get a wonderful tasting product free of additives. Our farm and processing facility has continued to grow since 2012, and we now have several other dairies selling their milk exclusively to us. All farms are in the Central Texas area, and all farms must follow our strict guidelines regarding feeding, cattle and farm procedures. In return, we make sure that our dairymen are being paid an equitable price.

Through these changes Mill-King continues to strive to make the best milk in Texas from small family owned and run farms just like ours.

We appreciate all of our customers. We would not be here today without the customers that are passionate about our product. We started out this business with different objectives, but today I feel like that we are in it for the consumers and our farmers. The new catch phrase of “Know Your Farmer� is very important. It allows consumers to take control of their buying dollar as well as have transparency in their food chain. And for the farmers it allows them to receive equitable pay for their goods and services. Drop by our farm store anytime to see what makes us different.

Mill-King Market and Creamery, LLC. Owned by Billy & Shorty Miller Craig & Rhianna Miller Visit our website at www.mill-king.com 254-340-0003

Photography show Ron Smith

Creative Eyes of a Galaxy Friday, February 28, 2020 Time: 5pm to 8pm Where: Everyday Zen: 1305 W San Antonio St, New Braunfels, TX 78130 · (919) 475-1355 Showcasing 25 photos

March 5th 5:30 – 9:30pm Texas Guitars Under the Stars Gruene Estate

March 8th 5-7pm Dachshund R aces Krause’s Cafe

March 11th 7-9pm Broken DuckFeet Show

Elks Lodge Acoustic Night

March 21st – 22nd Gruene Market Days Gruene, Texas

March 27th 11;30 3rd Annual BBQ & Chili Cook-O ff R ockin ‘R ’ R iver R ides

In April:

April 4th & 5th Hill Country Comicon

New Braunfels Civic Center

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DEC 2019

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RIVER CONDITIONS The last trout stocking on the Guadalupe River is complete. The river is full of sizeable rainbow trout.

Many great fishing stories of trout biting on a long list of fly patterns (streamers, nymphs, worms, yarn eggs). With a river full of fish and good flows, fishing should be good into May. Make sure to book a trip soon to secure your date.

Flows on the Guadalupe below Canyon Lake are currently at 94 CFS. Lots of folks are asking if we are still able to do float trips. Absolutely! It wasn't that long ago that the flows were 50 CFS. The Canyon Lake level is a few feet low and flows could reduce more if rainfall doesn't increase. It's very important to keep a watch on the river flows. Wading can become dangerous if you are on the river when the dam suddenly increases its flow. We recommend visiting http://www.grtu.org/flow/ to stay informed of the lake level and dam release.

Please contact us if you want to experience some great Colorado or Hill Country fly fishing. Guided trips and gift certificates can be purchased online at http://actionangler.net/ by clicking the "BOOK NOW" button.

I'd like to fill you in on the most recent news in the Texas Hill Country and west/central Colorado.

NEWS AND UPDATES 1. Action Angler is a booking agent and guide for 1, 2, and 3 day float trips on the Gunnison River through the Gunnison Gorge and lower Gunnison River. This allows us to hold preferred dates for our clients. The Gunnison Gorge is thought of by many as a Top 20 Destination To See Before You Die, and also referred to as a mini-Grand Canyon. The lower Gunnison River is an easier-paced section, with day trips starting at $600. Please contact us for details.

2. If you are planning to be in the Aspen or Glenwood Springs areas in the summertime or early fall, call Aspen Fly Fishing and/or Crystal Fly Shop to book trips. Be sure to request Chris Jackson as your guide. http://www.aspenflyfishing.com/ http://www.crystalflyshop.com/index.html If you are planning to be in the Crested Butte or Gunnison areas in the summertime or early fall, call Dragonfly Anglers to book trips on the upper Gunnison River and request Chris Jackson as your guide. http://www.dragonflyanglers.com/ 3. Please let us know if you are interested in a premier Bull Trout fly fishing destination in the Northern Rockies of British Columbia.

Here are a few nice river homes to stay at while visiting the Guadalupe River. Two of them are located across the street from the fly shop and can sleep up to 8.

Sincerely, Chris Jackson, Owner/Lead Guide Go Where the Action Is! www.actionangler.net 830-708FISH (830-708-3474)

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double-hung windows

WHY

Window Replacement Will Be 2020’S Hottest Home Improvement Project

By Martin Bomba, Owner of Window World TX

According to a study conducted by the Home Improvement Research Institute, the most popular home improvement projects among homeowners includes kitchens, exterior paint, roofs, driveways and windows.

We see this trend continuing into the new year due to the many benefits that come from window replacement projects in the home. Here are just some of the reasons why window replacement is going to be all the rage in 2020.

Homeowners Want to Save Some Green Everyone has heard of energy-efficient dishwashers, ovens and other household appliances, but not many people know that windows can be a huge factor in energy efficiency. Older, inefficient windows are often to blame for an increase in air drafts and higher energy bills. According to Energy Star, older, single-pane windows are responsible for 25-30% of a home’s energy loss.

bay and bow windows Modern energy standards have made windows much more energy-efficient.

Innovations like higher-quality frame materials, Low-E glass, multiple panes, gas fills and warm edge spacers have revolutionized windows over the best couple years. These energy-efficient upgrades are great for the environment and even better for homeowners’ wallets. Regardless of their reasoning, getting new windows will have homeowners seeing green.

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Older Windows Aren’t Cutting It While windows do last a long time, they don’t last forever. The general rule of thumb is that windows last 15 to 20 years, but some windows might need replacing before or after their life expectancy.

There are a few telling signs that windows are getting too old and losing their functionality. If the frames around the windows are warped or starting to break away, they’ve probably gotten too old.

Windows that have difficulty opening are also a sign they need to be replaced. Windows that don’t open or shut properly are not only an inconvenience, they’re also a safety issue.

If windows have begun showing their age, the start of a new decade is a good time for replacement.

Homeowners Want an Updated Look While new windows are a functional addition to the home, they also add to a home’s overall aesthetic. With a wide array of styles available on the market, new windows can completely change the look of a home.

Some homeowners even go the extra mile by adding shutters or other exterior window covers. If you want to increase your property value or if you want to make your home the envy of all your neighbors, a stylish new set of windows will do the job.

2020 is just around the corner, and with it, new home improvement projects. If you’re looking for a home improvement project to improve your home’s functionality and appearance, consider starting off with a window replacement project.

picture windows

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...older, single-pane windows are responsible for 25-30% of a home’s energy loss. localtouchcomal.com

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