Seguin Magazine - August 2018

G u a d a l u p e C o u n t y l i v i n g

August 2018

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G u a d a l u p e C o u n t y l i v i n g

Vol. 5, No. 3 Seguin magazine is published twelve times a year by the Seguin Gazette.

GENERAL MANAGER

Elizabeth Engelhardt EDITOR

Hannah Ruiz GRAPHIC DESIGN

ADVERTISING

Becca Harrison Grace Davila

Gay Lynn Olsovsky Brooke Kucherka

WRITERS

TO ADVERTISE IN SEGUIN MAGAZINE CALL

Chris Lykins Felicia Frazar Valerie Bustamante Priscilla Aguirre Steffanie Agnew Zach Ienatsch B. Kay Richter

830-379-5402 STORY IDEAS seguinmagazine@ seguingazette.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Lizz Pumphrey

SEARCH SEGUIN GAZETTE

All material herein c. 2018 Southern Newspapers Inc., dba The Seguin Gazette, 1012 Schriewer Road, Seguin, TX, 78155.

All rights reserved

hot tip LIFE ISN’T PERFECT, BUT YOUR OUTFIT CAN BE.

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SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

Photo by Felicia Frazar

Composing the cover shot was delicious. In the spirit of the upcoming celebration of Seguin’s 180th birthday, we opted to create our own homemade ice cream and feature it on the front page. We included locally sourced pecans from Pape’s Pecan.

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DOWNTOWN SEGUIN CELINA ROSS

An inside look from our WRITERS...

“I loved sitting down with Veronica Carter and learning the ins and outs of Zumba fashion. It was interesting to see the different clothing options dancers have and learning the purpose behind them.”

— Valerie Bustamante “I enjoyed visiting the Gretchen Bee Ranch. Perhaps the best part of my job was the opportunity to sample the different types of honey which all proved to be delicious. However, being able to learn about the bees and these particular beekeepers proved an additional bonus.”

— B. Kay Richter “I learned so much from the wellness center and the classes they offer in the pool.

If you want to build muscle and endurance in a different type of way, go to their AquaZumba class. It’s a lot of fun.”

— Priscilla Aguirre “There is no better way to spend a hot Texas summer day than on a river, jumping off of a rope swing. There is no shortage of fun things to do along the San Marcos River, this is definitely one of our new favorite places to visit!”

— Elizabeth Engelhardt “Pam and Scott Hankins, of Barking Lot Treats, were a joy to speak to. I took away some very crucial information about the importance of cooking for our four-legged family members” — Valerie Bustamante

8

Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

T

his has been a long time coming. While I was named editor of Seguin Magazine almost a year ago I finally get to officially welcome our readers in to enjoy the magazine that I and the SG team work hard on every month! So welcome to the third monthly edition of Seguin Magazine. Behind the scenes, the team at the Seguin Gazette works incredibly hard to publish every edition and I am truly proud of everyone.

I am a hometown girl through and through; I was born and raised in Seguin, I graduated from Seguin High School and besides the six months I lived in Boerne, have always called Seguin home. The Seguin Gazette has been my second home for many years I interned here in high school so when people ask me how long I have been here my answer is always four times over 16 years! I absolutely love the paper and the magazine and really hope that you see that love poured into every issue.

In this issue, we have gone into the closet of Seguin’s Zumba queen, Veronica Carter, we also display the boutique clothes from Southern Good on the owners of Seguin Coffee Company and if you haven’t visited either place make it a point to stop by.

We also visited three local businesses that make Seguin great.

Who cannot love Gretchen Bee Ranch? If you haven’t tried the honey from the local bees, you are missing out and the article on page 50 will make you want to visit the shop on Hwy 90. We also continue our Bar-B-Que tour through Central Texas with Davila’s BBQ’s 3rd generation pit master Adrian Davila who gives us a tour through the Seguin staple. Did you know that Pam and Scott Hankins make dog treats? I didn’t, so when writer Valerie Bustamante came and pitched this idea, I was thrilled.

Of course, we have our regular stories as well, look into an amazing river front house with an indoor pool in Luxury Living and Guëro’s owner Craig Ognoskie shares a great recipe with us.

Since August is the month that Seguin celebrates its birthday, we decided that our cover should celebrate as well, so happy birthday Seguin and to the reader, turn the page and enjoy!

Hannah Ruiz

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There’s no better place to be during the Texas summer than on the water. Combine water skiing, waterslides and other aquatic escapades with great amenities and there’s a good chance you’re spending the weekend in Seguin.

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9

THE HOTTEST SPOT

42

14

50

38

26 Features

Around Town

In Each Issue

38 BBQ Tour

14 Closet Close-up

12 Sizzlin’ Five

42 Barking Lot Treats

18 Culinary Creations

30 10 things

46 Mid Texas Symphony

20 Be You - Be Well

32 Fashion

50 Gretchen Bee Ranch

24 Day Tripper

54 Faces of Seguin

26 Luxury Living

58 Favorite Finds

10 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

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SIZZLINFIVE

Five events you don’t want to miss

th August 10 seGUIn’s 180th BIRthDay PaRty

The city of Seguin will celebrate 180 years with barbecue, music and homemade ice cream. Each year, the Seguin Conservation Society hosts the annual celebration at Heritage Village starting at 5:30 p.m. The event is an opportunity to celebrate the town’s heritage, make new friends and sample ice cream.

August 25th

yORK cReeK VOLUnteeR FIRe DePaRtMent BaRBecUe anD FUnDRaIseR

The York Creek Volunteer Fire Department is hosting its annual barbecue fundraiser at Station 1 on FM 1101 at 5 p.m.. The event will include barbecue, live auction, live music, fellowship and more.

August 31st September 9thWILL’s WaR

William Wayne Windle is bringing to life the true story written by his grandmother, Janice Woods Windle about his great-greatgrandfather Will Bergfeld on the Seguin High School Performing Arts Stage. The play will open at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31 with showings at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1, Thursday, Sept. 6, Friday, Sept. 7 and Saturday, Sept. 8, and 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday, Sept. 2 and Sunday, Sept. 8. Tickets are available through the Seguin Chamber of Commerce and Eventbrite.com.

September 1st & 2nd

OUR LaDy OF GUaDaLUPe chURch BaZaaR

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church hosts its largest fundraiser on Labor Day weekend at the Seguin Events Complex — Coliseum. With music, food and fun with its annual Bazaar. The event includes everything from turkey legs to funnel cakes, live music by Conjunto Cats, Marcos Orozco, La Tropa F, Conjunto Aguilar, Hometown Boys, bingo, silent auction, car raffle — 2018 Buick Encore.

September 2nd

67th annUaL neW BeRLIn saUsaGe FestIVaL

The city of New Berlin will serve up German-style sausage and fixings at the city’s largest fundraising event. Festivities will take place all day including dance, bingo auction, kids games, country store, raffle and more at the New Berlin Community Center, 8815 FM 775, New Berlin.

12 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

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Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 13

W

Closet Closeup:

By VaLeRIe BUstaMante

hen guests walk into the dance studio at the Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center they will find a woman in a fluorescent top and leggings, high-top dance shoes moving her hips and pivoting her feet on the wooden floor to the beats of reggaeton, salsa and all the other Latin-infused genres that coincide with Zumba.

Veronica Carter, also dubbed “The Zumba Queen” by the community is an instructor at the Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center, where she leads Zumba, body pump, yoga and total body barre classes.

For more than 10 years, Veronica has moved her feet to the beat by teaching individuals of all ages her dedication to fitness, exercise and dance.

Veronica’s fitness career began after she was on a search for a new path in life.

“I was in the human resources field before Zumba. I worked at SMI (Structural Metals Incorporated) for many years before it was CMC,” she said. “I just learned so much there before I went to New Braunfels and worked for a company called Lighting Metal Specialties. The director that worked there went to New Braunfels Utilities and I went with her. When she retired I stayed for about a year, but I thought ‘you know I don’t think I want to do this anymore.’ I wanted to go back to Seguin, but I wasn’t too sure what I was going to do.”

So with her new free time, Veronica took up a jazzercise class.

“The girl I used to follow in Seguin for jazzercise was teaching at the wellness center so I looked her up and started taking her classes because I wasn’t working anymore so I had some free time,” Veronica said. “I was at the gym more and hanging out with her because I also went to school with her. Well, one day she just said ‘hey I’m going to this workshop in Houston and it’s called Zumba have you ever heard of it?’ And I said ‘no.’ Then she asked if I would go with her and she said it would fun because it’s a Latin-inspired program.”

Following the training in Houston, Veronica said her jazzercise instructor began mentoring her as a Zumba teacher.

Veronica is now going into her 11th year in teaching.

Veronica is known to sport different rock band t-shirts, sandals, cutoff denim shorts and her signature hoop

earrings. However, her love for fashion doesn’t just stop there, as it also shows when she is on the dance floor.

Just like fashion has developed over the years so has Zumba fashion, Veronica said.

“When I first started teaching Zumba they had these pants called cargo pants and they were like parachute pants,” she said. “That was what the style was and on the back pockets, they had these little tassels so when your booty shook the tassels went with you. One of the legs of the pants was lifted up to the knee and that was so people knew that was the lead leg.

It was colorful and bright so that is something that has always stayed with the brand.”

While the cargo pant is long gone, Zumba instructors now have the option to wear shorts, leggings, capris style leggings that come in various prints, including cheetah print and metallic.

“When they first started getting into leggings it was all black or maybe some solid green or pink then they got into print,” Veronica said. “I use the short leggings because in this area it’s so hot and they also don’t make the regular leggings in petite so I have to fold them in and they don’t look good.”

For her tops, Veronica has several options she uses by the Zumba brand throughout the year such as sleeveless shirts, crop tops, long sleeves and racerback tops.

Veronica likes adding some extra flair to some of her regular Zumba t-shirts by cutting up the back and sides of them and creating different designs, she said.

From time-to-time, Veronica likes to incorporate her flannels, which has the Zumba logo on the back.

“They’re great because they’re thin for our area, but at the same time you can use them when it’s cold and you’re sweating,” she said. “It helps to have something to throw over.

Also, because of the way the leggings and capris are very fitted sometimes it’s nice to have something wrapped around your hips. You wrap it around your hips and it moves with you when you’re dancing so it creates more

movement. It’s fun and I love using them.”

Veronica said it’s important for your clothing to stand out when you’re a Zumba instructor.

“We’re in front of people and they need to see us especially when you’re short.

I don’t have a stage at the wellness center so I try to stand out with my clothing so they can see me,” she said Aside from the bright neon pinks, greens and highlighter yellows, Veronica’s favorite part about the Zumba fashion is the footwear.

“Footwear is my love. They (the Zumba brand) have a lot of low top and high top styles,”

she said. “It’s a dance shoe and there is a big difference between one and an athletic shoe or a Nike shoe. A dance shoe is flat to allow you to move laterally, a lot smoother to pivot. When you dance to reggaeton you slide and it helps you do that. If you have a regular tennis shoe on you have to learn how to pick up your feet.”

However, since dancers develop issues with their feet over time the shoes can become an issue, she said.

“Overuse of the feet is a problem in Zumba for instructors. Because the shoes are so flat they can create plantar fasciitis, which I have right now and it breaks my heart because I can’t wear my shoes,” Veronica

said. “Right now the doctor has me in Nike Pegasus.”

Aside from being a clothing enthusiast, Veronica also enjoys experimenting with makeup while watching Youtube beauty gurus Desi Perkins, Jaclyn Hill and Lustrelux. Some of her favorite makeup brands, include NARS, Morphe, Tom Ford and Colourpop.

However, when it comes to using her makeup in her classes, Veronica said she keeps it simple.

“I use this BB and CC cream that is from a Korean brand and put it on like a moisturizer. I use a primer also and then all I do for Zumba is wear a little bit of bronzer and a lip balm,” she said. “I also use a brow tint. I have lash extensions because for years I went through many many tubes of mascara and nothing worked in Zumba. It would just run down my face. There are so many that are waterproof, but they’re not sweat proof. Some of them now say sweat proof, but I don’t know because I’ve had my lashes down for a few years now.”

Unlike for Zumba where Veronica outfits are very bold, for her yoga classes she dresses the opposite, Veronica said.

“The thing about Yoga it’s zen and more toned down. There are more earthy tones and you’re barefoot,” she said. “I don’t wear a lot of bright stuff.

The volume of my voice goes down and I try to create a more calming appearance in my class when I teach.”

Some of Veronica’s go-to brands for her work attire, include Zumba, Niyama Sol, Fabletics, Reebok and Above Barre.

While Veronica enjoys getting to experiment in the Zumba fashion, she said it’s the difference she makes in her student’s lives – That she enjoys most.

“It’s so nice to see people happy because for that one hour you’re in there you really truly can forget about just about everything,” she said. “You can forget about the grocery lists, the time you have to run the kids to school, studying for a test or whatever. You have that hour to be a dancing queen or to imagine yourself as Shakira or Beyonce.”

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Pecan Crusted Chicken By stePhanIe aGneW

S

eguin is well-known for its pecans. A must-try recipe for any Seguin resident combines the famous nut with chicken to create the delectable dish known as Pecan Crusted Chicken.

Every ingredient in the recipe, created by local Craig Ognoskie, owner of Guero’s Backyard, was carefully thought-out so that one flavor complements another.

“The recipe is a Tuscan recipe, but originally it was walnuts instead of pecans,” he said. “I changed it to pecans when I opened my restaurant in 1998, because of Seguin and pecans.

Pecans and walnuts have similar oil values in them so they’re pretty much interchangeable.”

Even the sauce that goes on-top of the golden-brown crusted, freshly baked chicken breast, was carefully designed.

“The sauce is a tablespoon of shallots, half an ounce of clarified butter, simmered until translucent, and hit with white wine,” Craig said. “When you add wine to anything that retards the cooking process because it’s got acidity in it so it slows things down. It also cools off the bottom of your pan, so you don’t want to scorch the cream when you add the cream.”

After that, you’ll add any kind of mushrooms that you like, sliced, diced, quartered, or cubed.

“You cook those until they’re tender,” he said. “A little bit of salt, the salt is hygroscopic, it’s going to expel water out. Then you want all the water to cook out of that. When it’s starting to get kind of a little bit of fond (browned), on the bottom of the pan you’ll hit it with a little bit more wine.”

You’ll pull all that solid goodness up because that’s where all the love is, it’s on the bottom, Craig said.

“After the wine, you cook the wine to what is called “sect,” that means that there’s nothing left, and then you add your heavy cream,” he said. “You add the heavy cream until you see translucent, tight bubbles.”

When the bubbles are tight and glassy, it means all the water has been cooked out of the milk.

“And at that point you lower your heat and you whisk in a handful of, say half a cup, of Parmesan cheese,” he said. “You turn the heat completely off and you are whisking during this time, every now and then occasionally, and when you add the cheese you’re going to whisk constantly until it stops bubbling, until it kind of settles down.”

Serve the sauce immediately on top of your chicken. Don’t forget the mashed potatoes, which complement the chicken and make for an amazingly delicious meal.

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Mushroom Sage Sauce ingredients: 4 chicken breast 1/2 cup flour 2 eggs pecan breading 2 Tbsp. olive oil Mushroom sage sauce 1. Butterfly chicken breast and place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.

2. pound chicken breast until thin.

3. Bread chicken in flour, then eggs and then pecan breading.

4. preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5. heat olive oil in skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

6. cook chicken until brown.

7. Turn and place in oven.

8. cook until chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes).

9. serve with mushroom sage sauce.

Pecan Breading ingredients: 1/2 cup pecans 1 cup flour 1 Tbsp. salt 1/2 cup semolina 1. chop pecans in a food processor.

2. add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Mushroom sage sauce ingredients: 2 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered 3 Tbsp. butter 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup chicken stock 1 Tbsp. flour 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated 3 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped 2 tsp. rubbed sage 1. in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Then, add mushrooms and cook until tender. (about 5 minutes) 2. add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3. sprinkle in flour, stir and cook for 2 minutes.

4. slowly add in chicken stock, stirring constantly.

5. add cream, fresh sage and rubbed sage. cook until slightly thickened.

6. add parmesan cheese and salt to taste.

7. serve over pecan chicken.

Be You Be Well

Hydrotherapy with the Seguin Wellness Center

By PRIscILLa aGUIRRe

F

rom low-intensity arthritis classes to Aqua Zumba, the Guadalupe Regional Wellness Center (GRWC) provides the Seguin community fun ways to be healthy in an indoor heated pool.

Aquatics and pulmonary specialist Jill Heard is part of the Wellness Center team and has been in the health and wellness field for more than 30 years.

“We have a state of the art facility at the GRWC,” Jill explains. “We have set the standard in the industry for the wellness center. You’re seeing a lot of wellness centers pop up, but we’ve 20 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

been here many, many years. If you want a better quietly of life, then this is where to start.”

Jill helps break down the teaching behind the water aerobic classes and why they are important.

“When the community is healthier as a whole, you got a stronger community,” she said. “The aquatic classes we offer are great. There is a lot of things people can’t do outside the water, but when they are in the pool, they can do all sorts of things. Our classes can help in all sorts of ways and I’ve seen it help many people.”

Arthritis Class At the GRWC, they offer several aquatics classes, however, the arthritis class is a unique experience specialized for anyone who has joint pain, Jill said.

“Our arthritis class is really for pain management, to help reduce pain and provide movement for people with arthritis,” she said. “We work on increasing range of motion and helping with a little muscular strength. Our main goal in that class is to help people who have joint pain.”

With the aim to help remove stiffness of the joints, the class does

onto the muscular strength session — which takes about 20-30 minutes and incorporates a lot of hand movements using the resistance of the water. The class will finish off with a cool down and stretch.

From all the components of the class, it will typically last 45 minutes, Jill said.

Jill said people have started the class on a walker and, after several sessions, were able to get off of the walker.

“The water helps with balance, they get stronger and a lot of times it’s not guaranteed they are going to get off a walker or cane, but they are able to sometimes progress off those walkers,” she said.

Jill added that many individuals are able to get a better quality of life because they are able to do things they weren’t able to do before.

“What I see is people that have had so much pain, weren’t able to garden anymore, weren’t able to shop, do grocery shopping and now they are able to do those things again,” she said.

“They kind of get their life back, we get the pain down, we get them moving more and they get a little bit stronger and they are just having more quality of life.”

not include jumping, running or the use of equipment, instead, Jill said they are doing more rehab type stuff to keep them moving without furthering their joint damage.

“With arthritis, a lot of times it hurts to move so you start losing range of motion,” she said. “So what we want to do is continue moving, because if you don’t move with arthritis usually the pain is going to get worse and you’re going to stiffen up.”

Welcoming all ages, the class starts with a warm-up to get an individual’s body moving. Next, Jill said they move

Cardio Waves, Aqua Zumba and more Whether it’s dancing in the pool or using weights in the water, the GRWC offers that and more in their Cardio Waves class and Aqua Zumba class.

The Cardio Waves session is a high intensity and aerobic activity in the shallow water. The workout consists of aquatic movements that encourage cardiovascular fitness.

Jill said individuals can expect to use equipment while doing a cardio workout.

“We use equipment like the buoyancy weights or the noodles in the cardio waves class,” she said. “We’ll add that at the end of class for some resistance, but we still use the key point of cardio and so it’s more jumping and pounding in the water.”

Aqua Zumba is a safe, effective and challenging water-based workout that integrates the Zumba formula and philosophy into traditional aqua fitness discipline, Jill said.

“Aqua Zumba is awesome,” she said.

“It’s great and a fun cardio workout. It’s really just a party in the pool. If you’re afraid of being in front of a mirror and dancing, come get in the water where there are no mirrors. You just have fun. When you’re in the pool, you’re half you’re body weight, so you’re just going to move easier. So people that can’t typically do regular Zumba, can do it in the pool.”

From the three different classes the GRWC offers, Jill said each one will help someone live a better, more healthy life.

“If they want a long, lasting life, they should come join us in these classes,” she said. “No one’s ever told me they wished they wouldn’t have done water aerobics. They just feel better and have a better quality of life. They do more around the house, they are more mobile, they age better, they have less pain. If you have less pain, then you’re going to do more.”

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 21

By eLIZaBeth enGeLhaRDt

I

love to travel — near and far. We are saving the overseas trips for when we are empty nesters and the boys are off to college.

In the couple of years we’ve owned our travel trailer, we’ve ventured all over South Texas and visited many state parks and campgrounds. We’d always heard about this hidden gem called Fentress. Every time someone tried to explain to me where it was, I never could put two and two together.

We always try to stay in a campground near water or at least a swimming pool, which is essential during the infamous Texas summer. It seems like every summer, we have something every weekend — just ask my husband!

After hearing all of the wonderful stories about Fentress, we made a weekend reservation and packed up.

I think one of the most appealing things is it being less than an hour away from our house. We hit I-10 and then the tollway for a brief moment. I still couldn’t see where this hidden gem on the San Marcos River was. We drove through farmland and in the blink of an eye we were at Leisure Resort, which is situated next to a 150-year-old pecan orchard.

As we drove in, one of the first things I noticed is how meticulously clean and organized everything was — from the check-in, to set up and overall entire experience. There are a variety of options in your stay. There are campsites for both RVs and tents.

They also have cabins that you can rent or simply purchase a day pass to enjoy the river and other amenities.

One of our favorite things is that you can bring golf carts or ATVs to access the entire park. Our kids loved that, of course. Since Leisure Resort is nestled along the winding San Marcos River, there are a few trails you can only access through smaller vehicles.

After we setup and shared dinner on the first night, we went exploring. There is an abundance of shade from the sprawling tree-covered campground. Shade is also essential during Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 23

the Texas summer. The banks of the river are covered in people of all ages, with their pop-up tents and bag chairs in the water, relaxing and enjoying the beautiful scenery. There are rope swings hung high intermittently along the river. Our boys have to swing from each one and it’s always a competition to see who gets the highest! There is a constant presence by staff walking and riding the grounds, ensuring everyone’s safety and cleaning up any trash.

We spent all Saturday on the water, set up on a small bend which the kids loved because they set up their own float and spent hours just floating down together, getting up and doing it again. We did take a longer float down the majority of the campground, which is so relaxing and serene. It’s not nearly as crowded as other rivers during the summer and had a nice flow so that you didn’t just sit and bake under the sun. All of the visitors were friendly. Everyone just had an all around great time. The dogs especially loved chasing the ball and splashing around, which is a nice treat since Leisure Resort is pet friendly.

Once you’re done tubing the river, there’s lots of fun things for the family to enjoy together. There is a playground for children to play, a swimming pool to cool off in, a dog park to let your four-legged friends run around, a miniature golf course, a large banquet hall perfect for a family reunion, and on certain nights there is a hayride through the park. There is a small store at the front office stocked with many items in case you run out.

Overall, it was a great weekend getaway that is close to home. I consider myself truly blessed to live within a few hours of so many wonderful places. I love taking trips with our family and friends. We have had some great adventures together. I think it’s important for our kids to get out of the house, see the sights, meet new people and make memories that will last forever. I am looking forward to our next camping trip — which will hopefully be a little cooler.

24 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

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LUXURY LIFESTYLE

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re there two words that better define luxury living than indoor pool? Certainly not when you add the fireplace, sky lights, ceiling fans and other amenities designed to make even the indoor pool feel like an outdoor experience.

Pair that with a welcoming circular drive, flagstone walkways and a beautiful fountain, and you begin to understand just what makes this Mediterranean escape on the waterfront in the Woodlake subdivision so special.

The 3,100+ square foot designer home with its red tile roof boasts details like Mexican Saltillo, hardwood floors, arches, custom Italian trim tiles and detail lighting.

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Its access to the river includes a red boat dock with lift, a jet ski slip, boat house and both covered and open seating areas to allow you to enjoy the beauty of lakeside living.

“This is probably the prettiest waterfront I have seen,” listing agent Mike Stevens said.

“It has beautiful large trees and landscaping with red brick sidewalks winding through brilliant green carpet grass to the Mexican Hacienda with red tiled roof.

As with most waterfront homes, the view is what elevates the property.

“The open floor plan has a great view from almost every room in the house,” Stevens said. “It really does make you say wow when you take it all in.”

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10 Things about...

Brooke Kucherka Marketing Coordinator for the Seguin Gazette.

1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

6.

7.

8. 9. 10.

My family roots are very deep.

They are the center of my universe.

I love the sound of the beach, but hate the feeling of sand on me.

I’ve played volleyball for 20 years.

I have four children that I love more than life itself, and their leaderthe big guy.

I love late night cruising with the car windows down on crisp fall evenings.

I have ridiculous obsessions with Friends and The Golden Girls.

I play Fortnite with my children-and we are awesome, like a little team of ninjas.

I’m superstitious: I lift my feet up when going over railroad tracks and throw spilled salt over my shoulder.

30 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

I say a prayer for comfort when I pass a funeral procession.

Every time.

The big guy and I own a photography business called Rob Sawyer Photography.

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32 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

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Location: Seguin Coffee Company Photographer: Lizz Pumphrey Photography Clothes: Southern Good Models: Lacey Dugi & Kristen Green Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 33

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34 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

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Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 35

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36 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

DAVILA’s FAMILY, TRADITION, & BBQ By steFFanIe aGneW

W

hen you think of Seguin and barbecue, one of the first places to come to mind is Davila’s BBQ, located on 418 W. Kingsbury Street. It’s hard not to spot them as you pull up from the road, with their name in large bold letters and an aroma of savory meats inviting those driving by to pull in for a bite.

Davila’s features 10 different kinds of meat and 10 choices of handcrafted sandwiches, as well as burgers, 11 sides, desserts and an ever-growing menu.

Adrian Davila, a third-generation pit-master at Davila’s BBQ, said there were many items on the menu that made Davila’s stand out from other barbecue places.

“From the 70s to the 90s, we were known for our sausages, and that was our most popular item,” he said.

“Barbecue houses and smoke houses were measured by the sausages that were made. That’s our namesake and I would say that’s our trademark.”

Davila’s uses the original recipe created by his grandfather and restaurant founder Raul Davila. The all-beef link has a pork casing stuffed with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Nowadays the most popular item is Davila’s brisket, and which has become the standard used to measure barbecue joints, he said.

“Our most unique item though would be our lamb ribs,” he said. “People come far and wide for them. Lamb ribs are almost never found in other traditional Texas barbecue places.”

SMOKING MEATS

To get the mouth-watering flavor that Davila’s is known for, meats are smoked with mesquite wood and cooked hotter than most other places cook their meats.

“We cook faster and hotter, where the traditional moniker is low and slow,” Adrian said. “Our style is a little different.”

Davila’s is South Texas barbecue-style, which also sets it apart.

“Central Texas uses post oak, like Luling and Lockhart,” Adrian said. “I’d like to make sure we draw that line, we’re not them and don’t cook like them. We cook like we do.”

The wood and heat aren’t the only thing that sets Davila’s BBQ apart. The restaurant also uses cayenne in their rub to create an Asado technique of cooking. Asado is a Hispanic style of cooking meat.

418 W Kingsbury St, Seguin, TX 78155

DAVILA’S BBQ HISTORY

Davila’s was started in 1959 by Raul, but to understand the inspiration for the business, you have to go back to the early 1950’s.

Raul worked as a butcher with his brother in Luling and Lockhart. In Luling, where he was from, he worked for his uncle and learned to make sausage. In Lockhart, he worked at a restaurant called Magnolia Market.

“They both were trained as butchers, they made barbecue and brisket in the traditional cuts of meat, but their specialty was the sausage,” he said.

“They made Texas Hot Gut. The ‘gut’ refers to the natural casing that the meat is stuffed into, and ‘hot’ being a little bit of spice.”

Raul and his brother sold their sausage to other barbecue places, as well as mom and pop grocery stores around the area. One of the places they also sold to, was a barbecue restaurant owned by a man named Mr. Little.

Mr. Little encouraged Raul to bring his sausage to Seguin. Raul saw how prosperous the city was and the positive growth it was seeing, so in 1959, he made the move.

“We opened actually caddy-corner across the street in an old schoolhouse,” Adrian said. “The front was a place where people could eat, and my grandfather built a barbecue pit outside. They lived in two rooms in the back, literally.”

The family worked in that building until 1973, and then moved to their current location on Kingsbury Street — previously occupied by a 24-hour diner called King Bee. During this time, they also operated a sausage business on Hidalgo Street.

“So, throughout the years, in the early 80s or late 70s, we extended to also have a full-service catering operation,” Adrian said. “In the late 90s, we opened another restaurant in Seguin on the (State) Highway 123 Bypass.”

That location served Davila’s classic recipes for 15 years until the family decided to close its doors in 2013. The Davilas decided to scale back their operations and consolidate their efforts on their Kingsbury Street location.

“We’re able to deliver a better product and design this brand to the Davila’s consumer,” Adrian said. “That means more consistent food, more consistent service, the cleanliness of the restaurant and focus on our social media.”

THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS

As part of consolidating their efforts and focusing on Davila’s BBQ, Seguin barbecue is now known nationwide.

Davila’s ships their food to the rest of the country through goldbely.com.

“We have our product going all over the United States every week,” Adrian said. “Of course, now we took on a food truck and we’re using those modern-day vehicles, the shipping of food and our social media as our extensions and our pinnacles of our business.”

Adrian operates the business with his father and Raul’s son, Edward Davila. Raul passed the barbecue torch to Edward, who is passing the torch to his son.

“We operate very much so under the family business, in a

climate of family business culture, in that the way we treat our customers,” Adrian said. “We look at our customers as somebody coming to eat at our family table. When people leave here, we want them to feel like they had an experience that they come and sit at our table with us.”

Looking to the future, Davila’s isn’t afraid to try new things beyond traditional barbecue to keep their menu fresh and customers coming back for new experiences while enjoying the old ones.

“We have done things that have recently gotten national attention on the national food shows, like our barbecue Frito pie,” Adrian said.

Another recent hit sold on the food truck is the brisket grilled cheese sandwich.

“We use our traditional things and make something really non-traditional with it,” he said. “Also, we’ve taken our original barbecue sauce, and now we offer a spicy barbecue sauce in the restaurant, as opposed to just one. Because we’re in South Texas that really means spicy.”

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ON SALE NOW imilar to Lockhart and Luling, Seguin is rich BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY! with great tasting barbecue places. Another place Seguin barbecue goers will want to try is Johnny’s Bar-B-Q, located at 6036 Texas 123 Business.

Johnny’s features 14 different selections, including barbecue meat with the choice of sliced beef, sausage, chicken or pork ribs, over eight types of burgers and sandwiches, six different sides including fries, fried okra, Presents fried zucchini, onion rings, sweet potato fries and tater tots.

While these selections might seem like a traditional barbecue joint offering, Johnny’s menu doesn’t stop there. Those that stop by could enjoy chicken fried steak, chicken strips, steak fingers, enchiladas, catfish and jumbo shrimp, shrimp gumbo and more.

After finishing up a tasty meal, you can top it off with desert such as pecan, coconut, chocolate, lemon or Presents apple pie, or grab peach cobbler or ice cream.

Presents Johnny’s Bar-B-Q is family owned and operated since Four Concerts Four Conductors January 1991 by Bertha and Allen Kruegar.

Four Concerts Four Conductors According to Johnny’s website, “If you are not it the mood for the best BBQ around pick from our famous: Chicken Fried Steak, Catfish, Enchiladas, or Hamburgers. Whether you are in the mood for “The Best BBQ North Of The Rio Grande,” or some of the best Home Cooking “South of The Canadian Border,” you’ve come to the right place.”

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Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 41

Barking

Lot

By VaLeRIe BUstaMante

42 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

O

ld Bandera Road was not occupied by the usual passerby traffic, but instead, there were blue tents set up for the Market Place at Old Town Helotes in Helotes, Texas.

Some booths featured paintings, woodworking art and crochet goods while another had artisanal dog snacks dubbed Barking Lot Treats.

Under the Barking Lot Treats tent were two French bulldogs named Alvin and Coco, attached to their leashes, greeting anyone who walked by as their parents and owners of Barking Lot Treats, Pam and Scott Hankins, talked business.

The couple wasn’t just talking business, but they were also spreading awareness about the positivity of cooking for our fourlegged family members.

Based out of Seguin and the D6 Promos storefront, Barking Lot Treats

specializes in natural dog biscuits, jerky and freeze-dried treats, including duck feet and heads as well as other pup friendly goods.

“It’s basically a more natural approach to treating our furry pets,” Scott said.

While the business got rolling in March, Pam and Scott’s love of pets started long before.

“We always had a dog and it was part of the family. The kids were number one, but when they grew up and moved away we sort of developed empty nest syndrome so we brought in Coco, our brindle one,” Scott said.

“We had her for up to a year and we thought it would be a good idea to get another one so we brought in Alvin.”

When Alvin and Coco became part of the Hankins family, Scott said they started paying closer attention to what the two Frenchies were consuming.

“We started looking at the ingredients of the dog food and across the board, it wasn’t as healthy as we thought it should be,” he said. “So we decided that we were going to make our own food for them in an effort they can get

a healthy enough diet as we can give them.”

With Alvin and Coco’s diet change Pam said they’ve seen a significant difference in their health.

“They started having less gas because these guys have a tendency to be really gassy. The gassiness is pretty much gone,” she said. “I know it’s disgusting, but their poop is a lot firmer and smaller. They were on a pretty good dog food before, but it still had its side effects.”

After trying their hand at home cooked dog meals, the Hankins quickly jumped at the idea of making dog treats.

“When you go down to the store you see there is rawhide, jerky, those dental things and there are all sorts of products, but when you start reading the ingredients on them it’s like a book,” Scott said. “There’s a lot of ingredients in there that don’t make sense to me as far as a diet for a dog. I think it makes sense for the economics of the company, but not for the health of the dog.”

According to Pet MD, the majority of commercial pet foods and treats are made with ingredients “deemed unfit for human consumption and have higher than permissible levels of a variety of toxins” such as animal excreta.

Scott added they set out to develop a dog treat to mirror the food they were making at home.

“We did some research and we came across the grain free stuff. A little bit of the research indicated that the grain-free was the way to go. I like to cook so we started cooking,” Scott said. “We started by going down to H-E-B, buying the stuff, putting it together, rolling it out and cutting it into bone shapes.”

Barking Lot Treats’ dog biscuits are made from fresh ingredients such as honey, apples, peanut butter, goat cheese, liver, eggs and flax seed.

To steer away from selling rawhide products because of the negative effects, Scott said they discovered the use of freeze-dried products.

“It’s basically a raw product. We use duck heads, duck feet and duck necks. We’ve got the esophagus of a cow, pig ears and snouts,” he said.

“There are some other products called ‘no hides’ that we provide. We don’t make them, but we make sure they are as natural as we can get them.

The ‘no hides’ are an alternative to rawhides. I keep mentioning that because it’s just a sore subject for me.”

Rawhides are made from a cow or horse’s hides inner layer and contain added beef, chicken or liver flavorings, PetMD said.

According to the American Kennel Club, “most hides are taken directly from the kill floors at slaughterhouses and placed into high-salt brines, which helps slow their decay” and many rawhide chews come from China.

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 43

“It can take weeks to months before these brined hides actually make it to the tanneries for their final manufacture,” the AKC website said.

“Once the hide arrives at a tannery, it is soaked and treated with lime to help separate the fat from the skin, the hair is removed by chemical and physical efforts, and the hide is rinsed again.

Unfortunately, the salt brines cannot prevent decay, no matter how long they delay it. It is best to fully rinse a rawhide in water prior to giving it to your dog.”

While rawhide treats are given to dogs to help with chewing, the popular snacks aren’t always digestible, Pet MD said.

“It’s not a food group. Some of it gets stringy and doesn’t come apart so it can wrap around a dog’s intestines causing them gastro problems,” Scott said. “Sometimes it ends up killing them.”

While Barking Lot Treats doesn’t offer rawhides as a treat for dogs to chew on, it does have antlers available.

“Antlers are a long-lasting chewing product. It’s like a bone except it is not. Antlers are more of keratin like a fingernail only they grow thicker,” Scott said. “In the wild when the antlers drop every year the rodents, squirrels and raccoons get them and gnaw on them to get the minerals and whatever is in them. That’s what dogs do as well.”

The antlers, which are usually 1 to 2 years old, are from Whitetail deer, Axis deer and Elk, he said.

“We don’t want an antler that is 50 years old that’s why we use the fresher ones,” Scott said.

When searching for vendors to purchase the freeze-dried products and antlers from, the couple said it was important for everything to be based in the United States.

“Some of these animals products and dog treats they’re sourced out of the U.S. and they’ll bring them in and repackage them under different names,” Pam said. “It’s legal, but it’s just not good for the dogs. We don’t know where they come from or what chemicals they’re using. We know whom we buy the no hides and freeze dry products from to make sure they are sourced in the U.S.” All the products sold by Barking Lot Treats range from $1 to $50.

While Barking Lot Treats is based in Seguin, the crew has made it their mission to spread awareness in other places by being a part of events such as the diving competition at K9 Water World in San Marcos, Cibolo Grange Farmers and Artisans Market, Goliad Brewing Company Market Days and Rockport-Fulton Market Days.

“I enjoy cooking, but the best thing I get out of it is the interaction of the people and the animals.

44 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

We were in a show in Helotes a few weeks back and it was hot. I noticed one man who stopped to talk to us and his dog was swishing his feet on-andoff the ground,” Scott said. “I told the guy ‘look your dog’s feet are burning up. You’ve got to get him off of the ground. I happen to sell shoes for that.’

We fitted him and he bought them. I promise you the dog and the owners were smiling at the end of the day. We saw them walking around the place with a smile. It felt good helping them.”

A lot of the people the business has met at the events have been pretty receptive, Scott said.

“A lot of them don’t always see a duck head laying around so it gets their attention and we get to talking about what the product is and the pros and cons of the treats,” he said.

One thing that is going to help Barking Lot Treats grow is the addition of a mobile truck.

“It’s going to be more of an ice cream type deal. We’ll pull up, sell ice cream and whatever fresh products we have and everything else we sell,” Scott said. “We’re going to carry items people may have left the house without or things that they don’t realize they need or exist such as the dog shoes or cooling vests. The idea of the mobile truck is to pull up to events in areas like the mobile food trucks in Seguin who park at other businesses. It will allow us to go to New Braunfels, San Antonio, Austin or Corpus.”

Regardless of where they go Barking Lot Treats’ goal is to ultimately make people aware of their pets’ needs and what they’re eating, Scott said.

“We want to provide something that any dog can have as a treat. We want to make treats that are not junk that people just put together to make money off of,” he said. “We would like to make money because we’re in business to make money, but we want to help dogs and humans first.”

Barking Lot Treats can be found in store at Thunderpaws Canine Solutions, Moni’s Mutt Hut and D6 Promos.

For more information, visit www. facebook.com/BarkingLotTreats or follow Barking Lot Treats via Instagram @barkinglottreats .

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The Season of Sound F

or fans of classical music selections performed by world-class musicians, patrons need not travel far and wide to satisfy their hankering for tantalizing tunes. The Mid-Texas Symphony provides a cultural experience for audiences right here in Seguin and New Braunfels, with a showcase of four performances scheduled for the 41st season—and tickets are now on sale.

After 22 years, longtime conductor David Mairs put his baton down at the conclusion of the symphony’s 40th season. To replace the conductor emeritus, a 10-member committee of Mid-Texas Symphony musicians was assembled to search for a new music director over the course of the 201718 season.

“David leaving leaves a void, as anyone who has served in a leadership role for 22 years would,” executive director CJ Washington said. “He

46 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

The Mid-Texas Symphony prepare for their 41st Season, search for a new music director, and help the youth of the community

By Zach Lenatsch

was kind and gentle and always said in touch with many current musicians the process is the product. He’s playing with the Mid-Texas Symphony. leaving behind that approach and Her previous credits also include collaborative environment. The conducting associate for the Virginia power is ultimately in the people and Symphony Orchestra and collegiate it’s always been about, in every single positions at William & Mary, Stanford element, being the best orchestra we and Harvard. Akiko will guest conduct can be.” concert one on Sunday, Sept. 16 at After receiving nearly 100 the Caroline Weston Performing Arts applications from conductors all Center in Seguin. over the world, the committee agreed “When I attended a Mid-Texas on the selection of four finalists to Symphony concert some years ago, succeed Mairs. Each finalist will guest I remember sensing a very warm direct one of the four performances atmosphere at the hall with a palpable of the 2018-19 season, with the ‘buzz’ among the patrons,” Akiko successor selected on the grounds of said. “To me, it seemed like the most musicianship, perspective and overall ideal environment for making and impression. sharing great symphonic music. I’ve The first finalist to guest conduct is spent the last decade serving on the Akiko Fujimoto. Akiko is currently the conducting staff of some of the assistant conductor of the Minnesota greatest orchestras around the country.

Orchestra and was previously the I would relish the opportunity to associate conductor of the San finally pull all of those experiences Antonio Symphony for more than five together to serve as the artistic leader years. Her time in San Antonio put her of an organization.”

The second guest conductor is Silas Pennsylvania, as well as the artistic Huff. Silas currently serves as the director for both the Ridgewood music director for both the Astoria Symphony in New Jersey and the Symphony Orchestra in Queens, International Cultural Exchange New York and the Boulder Concert Program for Classic Musicians with Band, as well as associate director the Sarajevo Philharmonic. With close of the Boulder Chamber Orchestra. relatives in Kerrville, San Antonio and His previous credits include the Austin, Diane is very familiar with the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra, area and says she and her husband the U.S. Army Orchestra and the “love [this] part of Texas” and that Round Rock Symphony Orchestra. “everyone in Texas is so nice.” Diane Silas was raised in San Antonio and will guest conduct concert three earned his bachelor’s degree at Texas on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Canyon State University. He will take up the Performing Arts Center. baton for the second concert on “I am very excited about working Sunday, Oct. 7 at the Performing Arts with an orchestra of this caliber,” Center at Canyon High School in New Diane said. “Everyone I have talked Braunfels. to so far as part of the search process Kicking off concert three in 2019 has been so friendly and supportive. I is finalist Diane Wittry. Formerly have been told the orchestra members the conductor of the Symphony also have a wonderful spirit and of Southeast Texas in Beaumont, attitude about them. This collegial Diane now primarily serves as the spirit is very important to me and music director and conductor of the something that I try to build, nurture Allentown Symphony Orchestra in and support in an organization.”

Rounding out the guest conducting appearances is Teresa Cheung. With thorough experience in choral and orchestra conducting, Teresa currently holds the titles of music director and conductor of the Altoona Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania. Prior to Altoona, Teresa made her debut with the New York City Ballet and served as the resident conductor for the American Symphony Orchestra and assistant conductor of the Bard Music Festival for eight seasons. Teresa’s conducting profile also extends overseas to Hong Kong. She will guest conduct the last concert of the season on Sunday, March 31 at the Caroline Weston Performing Arts Center in Seguin, concluding the showcase of new talent for Mairs’ successor.

“During the interview with the MTS search committee, I was quite moved by the conversation we had over Skype,” Teresa said. “I could clearly sense the passion of the organization

Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 47

from the people that I was conversing with, and the seriousness that they have for music making. As a music director, I have experienced the power of music when it comes to community building, and in so many ways, the founding of the Mid Texas Symphony is a true testimony of such power. It would be such a joy and honor to be able to continue the mission with the excellent musicians and staff of the Mid Texas Symphony.” The music selection of each concert is handpicked by the guest conductors. The program includes classical music staples and some fan favorites too. The intention is to put forth an artistic product the finalists feel represents what they bring to the table and how they’ll handle the repertoire of the Mid-Texas Symphony if given the helm after this season. Each concert will also include a soloist selected by the guest conductor, who will be incorporated into the evening’s performance in some way.

“Each music selection needed to be balanced and use the same amount of musicians, so that every candidate had a fair chance to show their bet self in the contest,” C.J. said.

“It also highlights how they select and include soloists in their work.”

Another component of the candidates’ interview process is conducting for the children’s concerts.

Mid-Texas Symphony hosts concerts following their normal performances exclusively for local fourth and fifthgraders in Seguin and New Braunfels.

The music selection is an abbreviated version of what was played at the standard concert the previous Sunday. The ultimate intention of the children’s concerts is to align with the goals and requirements of TEKS, thus teaching students about math, social studies, science and literature in addition to musical enrichment.

“It’s an enthusiastic performance for an auditorium full of children,” C.J. said. “We try to reach out to as many students as we can. It’s important they have this exposure. Many kids don’t know they have a professional orchestra playing right here in their town.”

The Symphony typically does two performances on two separate days during the season. To accommodate the guest conductors and give them a shot at conducting for a young audience, the organization will double the amount of children’s concert days to four with two performances each day. Akiko and Teresa will perform in Seguin, while Silas and Diane perform in New Braunfels.

Outside of the race for a new conductor, Mid-Texas Symphony will perform their program staple

Christmas concert, guest conducted

by Seguin High School band director Stan Mauldin. Stan’s direction comes from an increased partnership between SHS and MTS, both as patrons and performers. This year’s concert will feature a children’s choir from elementary schools in New Braunfels, following SHS’s choir’s performance at last year’s christmas concert. The music selection includes the classic “Sleigh Ride”, as well as pieces the Symphony hasn’t played before, such as “The Nutcracker Suite” and “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

“We have a really exciting Christmas program this year,” C.J. said. “It’s always a big hit and our most attended show. As for Seguin High School, we definitely want to work more with them in the future and value the opportunity we have now.”

The Mid-Texas Symphony was founded in 1978 by Professor Anita Windecker. The ensemble remains the only professional orchestra in Guadalupe and Comal counties and draws in an annual audience from all 50 states and countless countries around the world.

For season passes or tickets to a single show, visit the Mid-Texas Symphony website at www. mtsymphony.com or call 830-4635353. Tickets are on sale starting Aug. 1.

“This is one of the most important seasons since the inception of the symphony,” C.J. said. “The new director will lead us into the future.

What could be more exciting than that?”

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T

he common cure for a sore throat is a cup of tea with lemon juice and honey. Even today, some continue this tradition giving a preference over the natural option over any type of drugstore miracle cure.

This is where the Gretchen Bee Ranch steps in.

Mark and Thiên Gretchen started beekeeping as a hobby but then it blossomed into a full-time business.

This may seem an odd decision for two career librarians who met at the San Antonio Public Library, but for Mark - it was a natural transition from his interest which was 30 years in the making.

Thiên and the signs routinely guide guests to the Honey House, a 2,400 square foot harvesting and packaging facility.

This is also where the husband and wife business owners host their small store which supplies customers with deliciously sourced local honey and stores most of the professional equipment such as beekeeper protective wear.

The Honey House also doubles as a location for their Saturday morning workshops for those interested in the art of beekeeping.

“We realized that if people were

50 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

ALL THE

Buzz

By B. Kay RIchteR

willing to come that early for a workshop then there is clearly a demand for that type of information,” Mark said.

And with the percentage of honey-bees otherwise known as nature’s pollinators quickly disappearing, the Gretchen Bee Ranch not only provides a vast array of bee-related products but also valuable information on how to protect these resourceful creatures.

According to the USDA, the top stressors for hives continue to be varroa mites and colony collapse disorders.

While Mark agrees with these types of findings, he contends that there is still much to be learned regarding the health of bees and their colonies.

“Honey is a very small part of what we do,” Mark said. “Colony health is so critical and every beekeeper is challenged with keeping up with colony health.”

When it comes to keeping up with a healthy hive, Mark said that environmental factors come into play.

“Weather is a huge factor, especially when putting certain stress onto the bees,” he said. He said the 2011 drought which put a huge strain on honey production was a poor year for the health of the bees.

“A beekeeper can feed their bees but its simply not enough,” he said.

Mark and Thiên both share a passion for their business which will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year.

“We both have a passion for working with the bees. It is always different, there is always an opportunity to learn,” Thiên said.

While her husband is busy maintaining the health of the hives, Thiên can be found crafting all-natural products from almost everything the bees offer.

“The trend is to go natural and beeswax products are all natural,” she said. “We are unique because we use everything we have.”

In fact, not only does the Gretchen Bee Ranch offer honey and a vast array of products such as candles and tea lights, but they carry a multitude of body products as well.

“We have learned that honey is a wonder for the skin and for wounds since it is antibacterial and antifungal while also providing moisture that the skin needs to rebuild itself. Beeswax offers fatty acids, vitamins and offers a variety of protective properties when used in body care creations,” Thiên said.

As far as the growth of their business, both Mark and Thiên remain grateful for the support of the community.

“We did not build this business overnight. It was definitely a slow process,” Mark said.

For more information and to visit the Gretchen Bee Ranch, visit www.gretchenbeeranch.com

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favorite finds

This issue’s Favorite Finds are presented by Brenda Mrazek, circulation Manager for the Seguin Gazette.

set of 3 tiered sunflowers for outdoor patio decor! a value at from Becker’s Feed $66.00.

Loose & lightweight! This makes a great summer blouse. The colorful lace trim on the sleeves and bottom of the blouse is much more delicate than the picture shows. Bz’s Tire shop $40.00

When i first saw these chairs at kaboodle it was “Fiesta” time! They are hand painted from guatemala and reminds me of my childhood chair and just makes me happy! $89.98

unique & delicately painted glass pitcher & and glasses screams summer party, indoor or outside it is sure to liven up things. Bz’s Tires $70.00

58 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

if you know me, you know i love holstein cows & sunflowers. although this ceramic jar lacks the cows it has real eye appeal! hand painted , this large jar is priced right at Bz’s Tire shop $25.00

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