Hutchinson Magazine

GROWING SPRING AT STUTZMANS GREENHOUSE

THE COFFEE’S HOT AT BROOKS’ ON MAIN

Spring 2009

HOMEY DOWNTOWN LOFT

A

Spring 2009

$3.00

THE CARING COUPLE OF SUNDANCE FARM

Hutchinson Volume 01 / Issue 04

Magazine

dear readers, Some double-dipping is inevitable when planning a magazine issue in a community like Hutchinson.

While working on our spring issue, and rounding the corner of almost a year in print, we find a lot of familiar faces popping up—again.

Maybe dusting off those we’ve come to know well in Hutchinson symbolizes a little spring cleaning. Maybe it’s an analogy for April showers and May flowers as we see new faces blooming on the following pages. Or maybe spring’s presence really is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s celebrate!”

Joining us new this season is Leonard Sinclair, a preserver of history and fine machinery. His John Deere collection spans deep and wide thanks to a nuts-and-bolts hobby that has lasted decades.

We also visit with the garden genies—Stutzmans Greenhouse—for an all-inclusive look at what’s in style this spring. Stepping inside one of the freshest restaurants in town, we get the history behind Brooks’ on Main St. with a look at today’s artistic café. We also talk with Stephanie and Keith Guthrie of Sundance Farm, where a love of horses and a passion for giving have created joyous opportunities.

And we catch up with the students of Thespian Troupe No. 2277 at Hutchinson High School.

Back for more is Mike Neuway, whose home was featured in our fall 2008 issue. Now he tells all about his cycling adventures with Harley’s Bicycles, Hutchinson’s go-to source for two-wheel freedom. We mention Brigman Studio, featured in our winter 2008/2009 issue; today it is a displayer and promoter of the local stone carver extraordinaire Don Lind. And let’s not forget granddaddy Lloyd Armstrong. He first graced the pages of Hutchinson Magazine in our summer 2008 issue but this season gives us a peek inside his exclusive loft above Main Street.

(Armstrong also is quoted in our Third Thursday story where art connoisseurs toured his loft as a gallery—but we didn’t want him to blush too much!)

Seeing these names again and introducing new ones is a testament to what we are, and hope to continue, achieving with Hutchinson Magazine: the recognition of community. We’ve always said that our magazine celebrates the people, places and style of Hutchinson, and what better way to prove it than with this spring issue.

Katy Ibsen, Editor

Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Director Leslie Shea Advertising Sales Manager Darren Werth For Advertising Rates and Information

(620) 694-5700 ext. 210 sales Executives

Tammy Colladay Shelby Dryden Mitch Hixson Mike McQueen Nicole Olmstead Anita Stuckey Sam Wilk ad designers

Jenny Burgett Josh Hernandez Phil Parrish Rebekah Starkey Photographers

Larry Caldwell Aaron East Deborah Walker Contributing Writers

Tom Arnhold Amy Conkling Janet Hallford Kathie Moore Edie Ross Faryle Scott Richard Shank Jeanette Steinert Richelle Tremaine

Production and Editorial Services for Hutchinson Magazine provided by:

Editor Katy Ibsen Designer Tamra Rolf COPY EDITOR Susie Fagan Art Director Darby Oppold GENERAL MANAGER Bert Hull Marketing assistant Faryle Scott Editorial comments 1 (866) 655-4262 Subscriptions

$25 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Hutchinson Magazine.

For subscription information, please contact:

Send your comments and suggestions to hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

The Hutchinson News Circulation Department Elizabeth Garwood 300 W. Second | Hutchinson KS 67501 (620) 694-5700 ext. 115 | (800) 766-5730 ext. 115 egarwood@hutchnews.com

Contents Spring 2009

Departments hutchinson living

8 A prairie home that performs Nostalgic

Sundance Farm One

details fill an eco-friendly home

Features

12 Hutchinson’s artsy

evening Third Thursday rejuvenates downtown and connoisseurs

hutchinson business 16 Piecing it together

BEL Mosaics takes shape as a business born of a hobby

couple pairs a passion for horses with the spirit of healing

40 The not-so-

forbidden fruit

Elderberry juice: fact, fiction and flavor

travel ideas

44 A day at the zoo

Exploring one of these regional zoos makes for a fun family weekend

20 Harley’s two-wheel venture The lasting

business rides through the years, one bike at a time

family

50 Lighting up the

stage Theater is a priority

24 Growing a green

for Hutchinson High School’s Thespian Troupe

business Stutzmans

Greenhouse remains the region’s original garden supplier

health & fitness

38 The road to

54 Mommy’s day out

local profiles

32 Towing the line

MOPS provides an outlet and break from the busy life of being mom

Nothing runs like a Deere for Leonard Sinclair

26 Perched above the city Lloyd Armstrong makes a living out of a loft

36 Romancing the

stone Don Lind finds his talent in carving stone

In Every Issue 2 dear Reader 42 Q&A 64 best Bets

56 The brewing of Brooks’ An entrepreneur brings a creative combo to downtown

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

On the Cover

A view into Lloyd Armstrong’s loft on Main Street reveals the delicate art of blending new and old furnishings in his downtown escape.

(Photography by Deborah Walker)

hutchinsonliving

A Prairie Home that Performs Nostalgic details fill an eco-friendly house Story by J ean et te Ste i n e rt Photography by De bor ah Walke r

L

isa Barker dreamed of a house that would feel inviting and homey. Stan Barker agreed with her vision, but he also wanted a house that was eco-friendly and required little work in the long run.

The couple began designing their home following the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, but knew little about his signature details. After months of studying Wright’s designs and visiting his homes in Wichita, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Scottsdale, Arizona, they decided a Prairie style would work nicely on their rolling Prairie Dunes lot.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

The eco-friendly house of Lisa and Stan Barker is fashioned on the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. The couple studied his homes and projects before starting on their two-story ranch home in Hutchinson.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonliving Clockwise from top left

The master bathroom shows attention to detail and function with a period-piece chandelier and energy efficient blinds.

The home’s exterior—front and back—incorporates architectural details and structural design with the use of ICF (insulated concrete form) walls behind the brick.

A cozy room where the family gathers boasts Mission style furniture and cabinetry. The Barkers’ pups, Addy and Lily, enjoy lounging in the cozy space.

The kitchen operates on top-of-the-line appliances with modern details such as granite countertops, a gas range and decorative lighting. The space is bathed in soothing gold tones, some of Lisa’s favorites.

“We were looking for something that would fit the neighborhood with its ’50s- and ’60s-style homes, and we loved the simple lines. We are not real flashy people,” says Lisa. The Barkers have lived in Hutchinson, where Stan is a doctor at the Hutchinson Clinic, since 1982.

“We built the house for our daughter Brooke, making it 100 percent handicapped-accessible for her,” says Lisa of their daughter, who passed away in 2007 at age 23. Their son Brett, now away at college, was a senior in high school when the house was built.

And their two other grown sons visit the spacious home with their families.

With its use of environmentally friendly materials, their resulting home can be described as Prairie style gone green.

Stan spent almost a year designing the house, which was constructed in 2005. “He had a great time every night coming home and working on it,” Lisa says. Changes were made up until the week before construction began, when a porch was added and a room extended to allow for simple rooflines.

Stan included many nostalgic details. The bungalow windows and dark brown cabinetry remind him of those in his grandma’s Winfield cottage. The almost 15-foot-long bookcase and wainscoting in the living room have their roots in the 1920s. The use of block glass in the master bath is another classic touch.

The details are also practical; a 12-inch-thick interior wall is recessed with a bookcase in one side and a china closet nook on the other.

“I wanted a fireplace in the bedroom, but it made no sense. You wouldn’t get anything out of it but the glow,” says Lisa. Instead, there’s a gas fireplace in the family room. Because the house has a tight interior due to the building material, venting the fireplace into the family room would make it too warm, so it vents into an adjoining screen porch and heats a breakfast room as a bonus.

Insulating concrete forms (ICF) make this home energy efficient. Open-ended polystyrene blocks, made of a thermoplastic material, are stacked and reinforced on the inside with rebar.

After the blocks are braced externally, concrete is poured into the blocks to set. Once the concrete hardens, the braces are removed and the foam remains as insulation. The basement’s 13-inch-thick blocks have an 8-inch solid concrete core and the main-floor’s 11-inch-thick blocks have a solid 6-inch core.

“The strength is in the solid concrete. The airtightness is in the foam and concrete, which makes for soundproofing and safety,” says Glenn Miller, the Barkers’ contractor. In case of a tornado “we’ll be the last house to go,” says Stan.

“It’s like being inside an ice chest,” says Miller. “No hot or cold pockets, and it takes very little for heating and cooling.” This, along with insulated ceilings, allows for installation of smaller furnace and air-conditioner units.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

With its use of environmentally friendly materials, their resulting home can be described as Prairie style gone green.

In turn, utility bills on the 4,000-square-foot ground floor have been about half of those for their previous, comparably sized home, according to Lisa. The full basement, which is built about three-quarters into the slope of the lot, stays a constant 60-70 degrees year-round without any heating or cooling.

The eco-friendly ICF building technique has been popular in Europe for the last 40 years; Miller has used it for about 10. “The gap between this and conventional construction has narrowed and is now about 5 percent higher to build than the standard two-by-four construction. However, the energy savings pays for [the difference] rather quickly,” he says.

The ground floor’s 23 unadorned windows—many sized at 4-by-6 feet with retro 10-inch-wide window casings and ledges—provide unrestricted views of wildflowers edging the lawn and trees, which buffer wind and traffic noise.

The Barkers love nature, and feed deer and birds during winter. “Wood and windows, that’s my theme,” says Stan.

Double-pane windows with a low-E glass coating are filled with insulating argon gas to reflect UV rays and heat. The windows also boast energy-efficient Hunter Douglas blinds, and Lisa says, “I don’t think I ever close them.”

Three-foot eaves on the roof also help block summer rays until about 5 in the afternoon.

Stan’s desire for an unobstructed view inspired him to design a spiral staircase from the basement patio to the ground-level deck. It’s made of recycled wood-plastic railing that will never need painting; as with the house’s stucco, the color is already in it.

Decorating follows Wright’s principle of blending colors with the natural surroundings, according to Lisa. Soothing shades of gold bathe the walls and flow up onto the ceilings.

Tile and carpeting in coordinating shades of gold and tan splash against the dark browns of the woodwork and Brazilian teak flooring. Various accents throughout the house are muted shades of greens, golds, reds and browns—hues in the native grassland terrain.

Lisa shaped the décor around Mission style furniture and fixtures. The simple lines complement Wright’s minimalist style, plus “having a theme made [decorating] easy.”

Her “only splurge” was the William Morris prairie arts wallpaper and floral-vined chandelier in the guest bath. She kept some Wright signature details, like open wall spaces, leaded glass and Tiffany-style lamps. And she put some beloved antique furniture pieces in this contemporary setting with pleasing results.

“We didn’t realize that things that had such sentimental value to us would fit so well into a great Frank Lloyd Wright house. It’s been fun trying to take a house back a bit,” says Lisa.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonliving

Hutchinson’s Artsy Evening

Third Thursday rejuvenates downtown and connoisseurs Story by r iChar D Shan k PhotograPhy by a aron eaSt

Glass art by Rick Garnett is on display in Lloyd Armstrong’s loft on Main Street during a Third Thursday, the popular downtown event celebrating local artists.

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hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

i

t’s safe to say the monthly Third Thursday event has aided in the revitalization and renaissance of Hutchinson’s downtown district, better known by the locals as the B and Main area.

There was a time not so long ago when few people visited the area unless they were stopping in at the famed Anchor Inn Restaurant, Smith’s Market or Westlake Hardware. But in only a few short months this all changed.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonliving Musicians perform during Third Thursday in galleries and along Main Street providing another form of entertainment.

Artist Jennifer Randall chats with onlookers at her gallery, Gallery 7, where her work is displayed. Randall is one of the masterminds behind the monthly event.

Below

Emily Fisher shops around at Amelia’s Beadelias on South Main Street during a Third Thursday gathering.

Many local shops, restaurants and bars stay open for the event.

Third Thursday was the brainchild of Jennifer Randall, who, “I have always found that music attracts a crowd and gives in 2006 along with her husband Dan Brizendine and their three people a reason to hang out, so a number of the businesses lined children, moved halfway across the country from California to up small musical combos and jazz groups who performed during Hutchinson. They purchased an aging structure once known the evening,” says Randall. as the Crystal Ballroom and Home Theatre. As 2009 began, the The crowd swelled to 2,000 in September, when no fewer than couple had successfully renovated the downstairs, which is home seven bands could be counted performing in the streets throughto two businesses and an art gallery displaying out downtown as participants feasted on treats Randall’s paintings. But soon Randall and her provided by merchants that included everything upcoming thursdays from hot dogs to cake. By the end of the evening, family will move upstairs to a refurbished loft.

Even amid the frenetic renovations, something Randall notes, hundreds of people were walking March 19 artistic was brewing. Randall and Hutchinson’s the streets with bags of merchandise in hand.

April 16 art community staged an art walk, different from “It was a success, and we made a decision to hold May 21 Third Thursday, in this section of town. Hundreds the event every month, even during the cold winter of people dressed in their Sunday best and strolled months,” she says, indicating that the evening was from business to business to enjoy the work of local artists. not only good for culture, but also equally good for commerce.

“The turnout led us to believe that people want to go downAs January’s Third Thursday unfolded and the temperature town,” says Randall. “We decided to do something more casual hovered near zero, Paul and Nancy Schmutz were serving chili that would be free, fun and open to everyone young and old.” at their bar while a jazz group performed. “It’s great to see the A local photographer, Shawn Freeman, coined the phrase rebirth of the south end of Hutchinson’s downtown area,” Nancy “Third Thursday” as the event’s name. On August 21, 30 busi- says. “This is a quaint little area for our city.” nesses kept their doors open until 9 p.m. to welcome a crowd of Nearby at Apron Strings, Deb Nikkel stayed busy in the kitchen 1,200 art connoisseurs. serving refreshments to the hardy souls who braved the weather.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

hutchinsonliving

Photo courtesy of Brian Lingle Photography

“Third Thursday has brought people to this area of town that otherwise wouldn’t be here,” she says.

At Down On The Corner, Bob Allen is surrounded by antiques including the largest collection of car tags that one can imagine, says the monthly event has been instrumental in bringing familyoriented entertainment to Hutchinson.

As the evening wound down, Carol and Doug Cook could be found touring Randall’s art gallery. They perhaps can lay claim to being the only two people who have attended all Third Thursdays held to date. “It just gives us something to do, and is our intent to attend no matter what the weather is,” says Carol of the social evening out on the town.

Randall has big plans for upcoming Third Thursdays. “We are scheduling everything from a Celtic band that will sing Irish music to a bluegrass band along with the Hutchinson Community College jazz ensemble to perform at different Third Thursdays,” she says. “And we will have benches throughout the area so that the audience can sit if they like.”

Now as winter finally turns to spring, signifying a rise in Hutchinson’s thermometer, Third Thursday attendees will continue to get the chance to see more of the community than ever before.

Photo courtesy of Brian Lingle Photography

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonbusinessses MOSAICS

Piecing It Together

BEL Mosaics takes shape as a business born of a hobby

Story by Edi e Ross Photography by De bor ah Walke r

The discovery Leslie has been piecing together mosaics since 2000 when, with some encouragement from her artistic daughter Cyndi, she stumbled onto the art.

“We remodeled our bathroom and had all of those leftover tiles,” Leslie says. “We went shopping and found a floral plate and mosaicked the top of an old table. It was just an experiment, but I just loved it.”

Eight years later, Leslie’s pieces adorn homes on both coasts and many places between. After two years of making mosaics for her home, friends and family, Leslie took the next step. She turned her hobby into a business, naming it BEL Mosaics after her full name, Brenda Ehling Leslie, and displayed some of her pieces at the 2004 Hutchinson Art Fair.

Her family and husband Bill have supported her artistic endeavors. “I was just hoping people would like my items and would buy something,” she says. “My friends and family had said some good things about my mosaics, but that is friends and family. I got some commissions at the art fair and then it really took off.”

Brenda Leslie works on a mosaic frame in her home studio. She discovered her passion for the craft after she and daughter Cyndi tried the art.

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A

visitor’s first hint of Brenda Leslie’s creativity stands in front of her brick and stucco home, illuminating the sidewalk that leads to the red brick street. It’s a prominent—and intriguing—lamppost covered with broken pieces of colorful coffee cups, even a few handles that stick out.

Set back on the Hutchinson native’s expansive screen porch sits a mosaic flowerpot bustling with mums. For Leslie, these whimsical examples of art that began as a hobby have evolved into a passion and now a business.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Art for others Leslie’s first commission came from longtime friend Claire Foy, a real estate agent with Plaza/Astle Realty. “I came to Brenda and asked her to do something with some little cups and saucers that were my mother-in-law’s,” Foy recalls. “They had meant a lot to my mother-inlaw, but they weren’t something I would use, and I was worried they’d end up stuck in a closet.

I asked Brenda to use them to frame a mirror for me, and it turned out to be an awesome, awesome piece that I really appreciate.”

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonbusinesses

Clockwise from top left

A colorful flowerpot in Leslie’s home is just one of many items she has covered with broken plates, mugs and trinkets.

Leslie challenged herself beyond mirrors and flowerpots and created this whimsical light pole in her front yard.

Leslie sells various pieces at Coming Home, 1716 E. 30th Ave., where she also works part time.

Seasonal and themed items make for excellent mosaics.

Cutting ceramics for an exact piece can be tricky.

Leslie says it’s like putting together a puzzle.

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Leslie continues to display BEL Mosaic pieces at art fairs and make mosaics for others “by whim and by commission.” She has worked on more than 20 commissions, including one with 12 pieces. Sometimes clients give Leslie a color scheme and ask her to select styles and patterns. Other times they come to her home and pick the items they’d like her to use.

Foy has purchased several other pieces from Leslie, her friend and artist. “I appreciate her creativity and originality,” says Foy. “She just jumps on board for any idea someone brings her. She is also full of her own ideas. It’s just awesome.”

One client brought her mother’s costume jewelry to Leslie and asked her to create mosaic picture frames for her and her siblings.

This opened another line of business that Leslie named Memories in Mosaic. “Those pieces might represent memories or special times for the client,” Leslie explains, adding that this line makes up about one-third of her total business.

In 2007, another venue appeared for her mosaic items. Kim Scott, owner of Coming Home, a home decorating shop where Leslie works part time, asked her to provide her with an inventory of the pieces to sell.

Piecing together Leslie creates most of her pieces in her “workshop,” a back room in her home with two walls of windows and two walls painted pink with big, cheerful flowers. There she sits at a small table, with dishes stacked neatly around her and scissorlike nippers in hand to break off pieces of plates and pottery.

“I just come in here and look around until I decide what I want to do,” she says, sitting at her table and pulling out a plastic bag

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

containing pieces of a broken plate with an intricate blue pattern. “Then I put two or three coordinating colors together.”

Leslie composes patterns using plates, half-marbles and other unique pieces and adheres them with ceramic tile adhesive.

Twenty-four hours later she fills the spaces between the pieces with grout and— voila—she has a mosaic.

“It’s like putting a puzzle together and using all different colors and several different prints,” Leslie says. “I’ve always liked that colorful patchwork look. And it’s fun to see projects come together. Even if you have a plan going into it, you don’t know really what it’s going to look like when it’s finished.”

MORE INFO

For more on Brenda Leslie and her business, BEL Mosaics, visit www.belmosaics.com.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonbusinesses

CYCLE

Harley’s Two-Wheel Venture The lasting business rides through the years, one bike at a time

Story by Tom Ar n hold Photography by A aron East

“In the early 1950s, Harley’s quit selling motorcycles and became a bicycle shop only. I started working for Harley’s in 1964 as a 14-year-old,” says Updegraff. He has worked at Harley’s ever since, except when his Army Reserve unit was called to active duty for one year in 1969. He returned to the shop and eventually purchased the business in 1995 from Harley, who had taken over for his father.

Harley’s Bicycles has become a legend in Hutchinson by outfitting all kinds of riders. The business also has been named a national top100 dealer 10 times.

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T

he ’60s were known for legendary rock music, the Vietnam War, a political battleground and long hair.

The latter part of the era also brought the bicycle boom, when the two-wheeler went from a child’s toy to an adult accessory, according to Bob Updegraff, owner of Harley’s Bicycles in Hutchinson. “That was when the road bicycle, commonly known as the 10-speed, became popular,” he says.

Harley’s Bicycles, opened in 1922 by Lee Phillips, is one of the oldest retail stores in town. Phillips also sold Harley-Davidson motorcycles at the time and named both his shop and his son, Harley, after the popular motorcycle. The shop also was known for selling guns and making keys.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Wheels Spinning The shop, which was awarded a top 100 retailer in the United States 10 times, carries a full line of cycling accessories, such as clothing and helmets. “The clothing market for cyclists has increased dramatically over the past few years,” says Updegraff, who is the 2008-2009 chairperson of the board for the National Bicycle Dealers Association.

Harley’s sells all types of bicycles— racing, mountain, road, recreational and recumbent—plus exercise equipment.

One of the first foreign-made bicycles Harley’s sold was the Japanese-made Takara bicycle, which is no longer in production.

Harley’s quit selling Takara in the mid-1990s, but many cyclists still take to the roads on them in Hutchinson, a tribute to the brand and Harley’s well-oiled repair shop.

For local cyclists, Harley’s is the place to go for advice, repairs and camaraderie.

“We do about 3,000 repairs every summer.

We often have customers come in and observe us so they can learn how to make their own repairs,” says Updegraff.

Thanks to this service, some local families have remained Harley’s customers for four generations.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonbusinesses

Me and My Bike

Harley’s customers share their stories.

Ron Kibbe

R

Mike Neuway

“I

n 1978, my mother Earlene Neuway bought a five-speed Ross bicycle from Harley’s,” recalls Mike Neuway, an executive with Pipeline Testing Consortium. “I played golf until my early 40s,” notes Neuway, 44.

“Golf wasn’t keeping me in shape, so I began bicycling to lose weight and get in shape.”

Neuway has come a long way from his old five-speed.

“The last two years I have done Biking Across Kansas,” says Neuway, who is training with Carmichael Training Systems, which is owned by Chris Carmichael, noted trainer of Lance Armstrong.

Neuway also purchased a Trek time trial bicycle, which, as he says, “made the folks at Harley’s smile because they are not cheap.”

“A time trial is a relatively short race in which you race against the clock, not against other riders,” explains Neuway. “The big one I am training for is the Octoginta in Lawrence.

I consider the 100-mile Tour de Whidbey on Whidbey Island, Washington, my biggest accomplishment as a rider,” he says.

MORE INFO

Harley’s Bicycles 629 N. Main St. Hutchinson (620) 663-4321 www.harleysbicycles.com

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

iding 16,000 miles on a bicycle in five years is a lot, but then again Ron Kibbe, a state unemployment insurance judge, is a devoted bicyclist.

Kibbe rode his bike to work for many years, but he recently moved into a home office. In 2008, at age 60, he traveled 3,800 miles on his bike. Every day that the weather cooperates, he wakes up and heads out for a 12-mile morning ride. Later in the day he rides to the post office to pick up his mail and then to the YMCA to exercise.

“For years I played basketball at the YMCA, and then discovered I had severe arthritis in my knees and had arthroscopic surgery,” says Kibbe. “I bought a hybrid bicycle from Harley’s in 2001. As a result of riding a bicycle, my knees are so much better than I hoped for. Even my doctor is amazed at how I have strengthened my knees.”

Kibbe also rides a road bike and purchased a trailer to pull behind his bicycle. He has participated in Biking Across Kansas several times as well as the Wicked Wind ride in Wichita and Lizard Under the Skillet in Lawrence. “My ultimate goal is to complete a transcontinental ride,” he says.

Wes and Mary Bruce

M

ary Bruce, a retired educator, and her husband, Wes, a local businessman, have made bicycling a family affair for about 25 years. However, Mary and Wes have radically different riding lifestyles. Wes, 65, is a serious racer, while Mary, also 65, is more interested in recreational riding. Yet they find plenty of time to ride together.

“I generally ride five to six times a week, and each ride is 25 to 30 miles,” explains Mary, adding that she and Wes attend several bike rallies together. “Bicycling contributes to keeping us healthy.” Which is quickly apparent, as the couple look much younger than their ages.

Wes competes in his age group for road races and criteriums. The road races are usually 40 to 60 miles, while criteriums are shorter but have more turns. Wes has competed in seven out of the last 10 national road-racing championships.

“Probably riding from Hutchinson to Canada in 1980 has been the most interesting and difficult trip I have taken on a bicycle,” adds Wes.

Marty Zink

M

arty Zink explains, “One day I was playing golf and saw all of these bicycle riders riding on a road around the golf course. My old bike had quit and Harley Phillips and Bob [Updegraff ] had talked me into replacing it with a Trek touring bike. It turned out to be more fun than playing golf.” As a result, Marty and his wife took up biking.

“After that my wife, Hazel, and I rode in Biking Across Kansas and many other rides such as the Minuteman Metric Mile in Hutchinson, Wicked Wind in Wichita and the Octoginta in Lawrence. A couple of years ago, we switched to Electra Townie bicycles because they are much more comfortable than my road bike,” notes Zink, an affable gentleman who looks much younger than his 72 years. He and Hazel often can be seen happily bicycling around Hutchinson on their two-wheel cruisers.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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hutchinsonbusinesses

GROW

Growing a Green Business

Stutzmans Greenhouse remains the region’s original garden supplier

The Stutzmans Greenhouse clan includes, from left, Justin Miller, owner Ben Miller, Easter lily grower Merl Caldwel, Marlene Miller, manager at Apple Lane store Larry Rogers, assistant manager at Apple Lane store Elyssia Hardin, Kim Stallman and retail manager for Pleasantview store Jason French.

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A

fter helping tend 60,000 poinsettias in December, Brenda Roman is now working with 38,000 Easter lilies at Stutzmans Greenhouse.

On this day Roman checks the 1-inch sprouts, centering each in its pot so it won’t grow lopsided.

Eventually about 4,000 of them will be coupled, based on size and development, and put into an 8-inch pot. It’s the only way to ensure two straight, tall lilies. “The staff tells me I will be on a first-name basis with these plants by April 1,” she laughs.

Owner Ben Miller, his wife Marlene, their son Justin and the other greenhouse staff have pretty much been on a first-name basis with plants for the past 23 years as they strive to give customers a great gardening experience.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Writ ten by J ean et te Ste i n e rt Photography by A aron East

A one-time farm boy and the youngest of 12 children, Ben and wife Marlene sold their Harper County dairy herd in 1978, returning to this area to work for his cousin Ervin and wife Emma Stutzman, who began Stutzmans Greenhouse in 1956 in Pleasantview. Within six months Ben was asked to consider going into the greenhouse business. In 1985 the Millers bought it, and “life has never been the same.”

Today Stutzmans is one of the largest greenhouses in Kansas. Its wholesale business reaches into Nebraska, Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle, and there are four retail sites: two in the Hutchinson area and one each in Salina and Pratt. The year-round greenhouse and its 20 to 25 employees will produce 15 million plants in 2,400 varieties for spring 2009 alone.

“Ever since [I was] just a child I thought I would be a farmer,” says Ben. “I look at it as farming in a pot. This is part of utilizing that passion in the manner of a controlled environment.”

His quest for premium plants begins with Kansas State University’s Prairie Star Program. Its trial gardens at four Kansas sites are used to rate plants on flower power, climate tolerance and performance on an inch of water a week.

Other resources include trial gardens in Chicago, Colorado and Ohio. Stutzmans Greenhouse tests results with seeds from suppliers, including one the company has worked with since 1958. “To us, genetics is everything,” says Ben. This spring’s perennials were planted last fall and the Easter lilies were started in December. February is time for bedding

hutchinsonbusinesses

Elyssia Hardin works with tulips long before spring arrives.

Stuzmans has four retail sites in southern Kansas and offers wholesale options to businesses in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

plants. By May it’s mums, and in July it’s poinsettias again.

“People don’t realize how far we have to plan ahead. It’s a continuous process,” says production manager Leland Headings.

Computer software breaks down the weekly timeline of growth for each variety, enabling precise calculations of when to plant and helping monitor development.

This technique is especially critical for time-sensitive bloomers like Easter lilies.

Stutzmans runs about 80 percent colorful blooms and 20 percent other plants. “Bright is always good,” says retail manager Jason French. New bright flowers include tangerine impatiens, bubblegum petunias and soft apricot or purple vinca.

Vinca, lantana and spreading petunias are also good for long-term color.

Another popular trend is container gardening. “Gone is the day when the consumer buys little packs of plants and

patiently waits for July or August for them to grow. People don’t have the time,” says Ben. “With containers, it’s instant now, instant wow.” Bigger is also better when it comes to containers, because an 18- to 24-inch pot maintains soil condition and moisture better than an 8- to 10-inch pot.

Container gardening can range from salsa gardens with tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro to intriguing color combinations with height, fi ll and flow. New breeds of ornamental grasses and even a sun-tolerant coleus add height. Popular flow items are sweet potato vines in multiple colors and styles, including a lime green variety called ‘Marguerite.’ Succulents like nonspiny cacti in oranges, blues and mauves are naturals for poolside decks.

Gardening has trends just like anything else, according to Ben. He expects the “staycation” trend to manifest itself in more family gardening as people make

their homes an oasis. “As an industry, we’re really anticipating that to strike a chord with a lot of people,” says Miller.

Stutzmans is an award-winning greenhouse. But its centerpiece is the original Pleasantview location, five miles southwest of Hutchinson, with a retail garden center, 3,500-square-foot greenhouse and garden-theme gift shop.

For fi ngertip information, Stutzmans offers an e-newsletter, online spring catalog, event listing and presentations.

As Ben notes, “The key words here at Stutzmans are ‘expect success.’” more info

StutzmanS greenhouSe 6709 W. Kansas Highway 61 Hutchinson (800) 279-4505 www.stutzmans.com

top grEEn-thumb tips from stutZmans get your soil tested.

K-State Research and Extension will do this. In areas with a lot of sand, gravel or clay, organic matter is often added.

Sometimes, fertilizer may be needed.

Plant at the right time of year and don’t hurry it.

A minimum soil temperature of 50 degrees is needed before planting in the spring.

Water well.

In this part of the state we generally have hard and alkaline water with a lot of salts and minerals. Water deeply. This helps move the salts farther down and promotes deeper root growth. Once the plant is established, let the soil dry 1 inch down before watering again.

Pick the right plant for the right location.

If a plant is labeled for full sun, it needs a minimum of six hours of full sun daily.

be sure to use fertilizer for containers.

Potting soil has no nutrient value.

Add a slow-release fertilizer to the soil or fertilize twice a week with a regular liquid fertilizer.

thinking tomatoes?

The No. 1 mainstay in the horticulture business is the Jet Star.

Spring 2009 | hutchinson Magazine

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P e r c h e d above a City

Story by e Di e roSS

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PhotograPhy by De bor ah Walke r

hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Lloyd Armstrong makes a living out of a loft

j

ust north of Main Street’s intersection with Avenue B, a black-and-white checkerboard doorstep leads to

a white door and a steep carpeted staircase. At the apex unfolds a large, open room lit by sunshine through a bank of eastern windows.

It is here that on warm afternoons Lloyd Armstrong sits in a large leather chair, opens a window and listens to the hum of Hutchinson’s Main Street or the occasional sounds of a guitar drifting up from the coffee shop below.

This is “Armstrong’s loft,” as it’s known among people in the downtown area.

“He’s been a big part of revitalizing that area of downtown, and with this loft he just jumped in like he usually does and got started.”

– Jim Seitnater

The loft’s entrance still resembles days past when the space was known as a rooming house for well-to-do guests.

Below Left opposite page Lloyd

Armstrong stands in his renovated loft, looking out on Main Street. Known as the proprietor of Armstrong Antiques, he also has updated the historical space to provide a second home for his family and visitors.

Below Middle Anne helped Lloyd decorate the space with Arts and Crafts, and Art Deco details.

Below Right Still in the middle of downtown revitalization, Armstrong has been recognized for his efforts in updating the area.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Armstrong’s Loft

History

The 1,400-square-foot loft is a mixture of old and new,

Armstrong calls the loft their “cabin,” as it’s not their

of history and innovation.

Sitting along Main Street, the loft has a décor that seems to easily combine the exposed brick walls, fashioned woodwork and dark yellow pinewood floors of the original 1910 building with modern-day technology like wireless internet, state-of-the-art security and “green” appliances.

Its furnishings are a mixture of modern pieces and antiques from the Arts and Crafts and Art Deco design movements, which flourished around the time the building was constructed.

In the great-room, 21st-century leather living room furniture and a flat-screen television sit beneath period lighting Armstrong salvaged from an old theater in Salina. And in the bathroom, the original 6-foot-long claw-foot bathtub sits a few feet from a modern corner shower.

But the unique combination of old and new did not happen overnight.

Armstrong, who with his wife, Anne, owns Armstrong’s Antiques next door to the loft, had to be patient and creative in order to maintain some of the historical aspects of the building before he could add the modern touches.

full-time residence. Originally the building was used as rooming house for well-to-do guests who visited Hutchinson for shopping or business.

The lower level of the building, which is now a coffee house, was built in 1910 as a restaurant, according to Armstrong. Once the 1920s rolled around, bringing with them the Model T, people weren’t confined to staying in the area where they shopped and did business, and the boarding rooms downtown started to attract a different clientele.

“This loft was a brothel at one point,” Armstrong says, laughing. “I’ve had a couple of the older gentlemen in the community tell me they remember being young boys and seeing the girls who lived up here.”

During the war years of the 1940s, the bottom floor of the building was turned into the Hide Away Tavern and liquor store, which remained until the 1970s. Midwest Feed, the building’s next owner, used the upper floor to store alfalfa bales and had a farmer’s market in the bottom floor.

By the time Armstrong bought the building from Midwest Feed in 2000, it had serious termite issues and other structural problems. “I bought it for $4,000,” Armstrong remembers. “I came in and the whole floor was sinking. The staircase was barely hanging on. It was more of a liability than an asset.”

Armstrong’s work to revitalize the building has garnered plenty of praise. “Lloyd leads by example,” says Jim Seitnater, development director for Downtown Hutchinson. “He’s been a big part of revitalizing that area of downtown, and with this loft he just jumped in like he usually does and got started.”

Above the modern kitchen is a loft area for reading and lounging. below Middle Armstrong combines items in the loft that are both new and old, but all are unique. below Right Interior walls still feature painted billboards, which Armstrong has chosen to leave as a relic to the past. below Left

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

It is here that on warm afternoons Lloyd Armstrong sits in a large leather chair, opens a window and listens to the hum of Hutchinson’s Main Street.

Views of Main Street make the space unbeatable for those visiting downtown Hutchinson.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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Armstrong removed walls in the front of the loft space to open it up, but left the rooms intact in the back of the loft.

THE LOFT HAS A DÉCOR THAT SEEMS TO EASILY COMBINE THE EXPOSED briCk WallS, faShioneD WooDWork AND Dark yelloW pineWooD floorS OF THE ORIGINAL 1910 BUILDING.

Two rooms were converted into a large bathroom, where Armstrong placed an antique claw-foot tub.

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hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

From the Beginning Armstrong gutted the building and started renovation

work on the bottom floor.

Knowing he wanted to lease the lower floor and put a personal loft upstairs, he worked with city officials to bring the building up to code. The work included installation of a FireRock ceiling on the first floor that takes at least an hour to burn.

Once the bottom floor’s renovation was complete, Armstrong started work upstairs. Originally, there were four rooms facing Main Street and five rooms running along a hallway at the back of the building. Armstrong combined the four front rooms as a greatroom that overlooks Main Street. It includes an open kitchen, dining room and living room.

The loft’s original construction provides one of its most striking features: a billboard covering one of the exposed brick walls in the great-room. Armstrong explains it’s there because the loft was built as a “hanging” building between two existing buildings.

Therefore, the loft’s northern and southern interior walls are actually the exterior walls of buildings next door. When the building was built, lath and plaster covered the brick walls. But when Armstrong gutted the building, he uncovered remnants of the billboard advertising Royal Blue Shoes, which carries the slogan, “The Sole of Honor.”

The billboard had been painted on the outside of the building to the north prior to construction of the loft. The “ghost sign,” Seitnater says, makes the loft truly unique and he praises Armstrong’s efforts to save it.

Armstrong mostly left the rooms along the hallway intact. In fact, their doors still bear the original room numbers; one of the doors has a crudely fashioned “peephole” that remains from the building’s days as a brothel.

One room serves an office, with a futon couch on one side and vintage 1920s desk from the Hill-Rom Company holding a laptop on the other.

Armstrong combined two other rooms into one large bathroom, which includes a tub, shower and vanity he created by installing a sink in an Arts and Crafts-era buffet made of creamy brown oak wood.

The bedroom is the largest room and contains a 1840s flame mahogany veneer antique bedroom set. An adjoining sitting room features a 1920s wicker couch with red cushions.

A Getaway Armstrong says he still has some finishing touches to

put on the loft. But he’s started putting the space to use, including as an art gallery during the monthly Third Thursday arts and culture celebration downtown.

In the future, the Armstrongs hope to rent the space to companies for daylong business retreats.

“I think the loft has a comfortable, homey feel to it,” Anne says.

“And that’s how we want visitors to the loft to feel, too. It’s not a big place, just small and comfortable with everything you’d need at your fingertips.”

Signs and room numbers were left along the hallway, speaking to the building’s past.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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localprofiles

Towing the Line

Nothing runs like a Deere for Leonard Sinclair story by R ichar d Shan k Photography by De bor ah Walke r

D

ecades ago John Deere’s marketing gurus adopted the slogan, “Nothing runs like a Deere.” Today, Hutchinson’s Leonard Sinclair is living proof of the motto’s durability and authenticity.

Sinclair spent 38 years as a Farm Bureau agent until retiring in 1997, all the while accumulating close to 100 vintage John Deere tractors. A walk through his sixacre spread near Hutchinson will prove to any visitor that his collection is more than just Deere tractors; it includes an assortment of other tractor makes and models, plus cars, trucks, a plow and even a bicycle.

Wrangling tractors Standing amid this sea of mechanical collectables, Sinclair sort of shakes his head when explaining what led him to this hobby, which might better be described as a passion. “I spent so much time driving a tractor as a kid that I didn’t think that I would ever want to own one as an adult,” he says.

That attitude changed in 1982 when Sinclair, also an avid golfer, decided that one more hobby might be relaxing. At the time he had a career where appointments began early in the morning and stretched late into the evening.

“I decided to try my luck restoring a John Deere 730 tractor and found it to be very therapeutic,” he says. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Sinclair was soon reading ads in farm magazines, local newspapers and historical publications in search of more tractors. One particular ad that piqued his interest offered two John Deere G tractors in pieces. Within days he was on the road to Nebraska where he closed the deal, purchasing a truckload of parts. Upon his return home, he found enough parts to reconstruct a single John Deere G—and when he hit the starter, it ran like new.

Family farming Sinclair cut his teeth in farming by driving John Deere tractors while growing up on his family’s Hodgeman County farm near Jetmore. His parents, Francis and Elma, were lifelong farmers in western Kansas and at one time farmed an additional 2,000 acres in eastern Colorado.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

33

localprofiles

left On

his property, Sinclair keeps roughly 100 vintage tractors, many of which have been restored.

If Sinclair had to pick a favorite tractor, it might be a 1944 John Deere D purchased new by his father in the waning days of World War II. “My Dad farmed for about 50 years, and the ’44 D was the only tractor that he purchased new,” says Sinclair. “I think that it is safe to say that this was his favorite tractor.”

After acquiring the tractor from his father, Sinclair hauled the aging implement to his shop in Hutchinson for restoration. With that completed, he transported the tractor back to Jetmore for his parents’ 50th anniversary party.

“It is so enjoyable to take something that looks like crap and bring it back to life,” Sinclair says. “If someone doesn’t restore these antiques, who will?”

right One

of the tiniest tractors Sinclair has restored is a John Deere Orchard tractor.

Sinclair stands next to a tractor his father used for farming.

above

right Sinclair has always had a love for John Deere tractors, but he began collecting in 1982.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

The fleet When a 1935 John Deere B arrived at the Sinclair shop, he experienced the most painstaking restoration of all; he literally took the tractor apart before reconstructing it to factory new.

“When I purchased this tractor, it was in terrible shape and the engine was stuck,” he says. “Many of the bolts were rusty. And even though I prefer to restore a tractor with all original bolts, I thought that in this case it was better to literally tear it apart and put it back together piece by piece in order to bring the tractor back to its original appearance.”

Since beginning this hobby, his intent has been to acquire a John Deere D for every year the tractor was manufactured—from 1923 to 1953—but even Sinclair is uncertain how far along he might be in achieving this goal.

A rare John Deere Orchard tractor is on site along with the smallest of tractors: a single-cylinder, 1.5-horsepower tractor once used for grinding corn and pumping water. “The little tractor has been nicknamed a ‘hit and miss’ tractor,” he says with a laugh. “It got its nickname from the fact that the tractor doesn’t fire every time the flywheel rotates.”

Beyond restoration, Sinclair has been a frequent participant in tractor pulls and can be seen on weekends driving any one of these in Hutchinson area parades.

If Sinclair tires of tweaking engines, he just needs to grab his restored John Deere bicycle and pedal his way around the property. Of course, the paraphernalia doesn’t stop there; when relaxing in the kitchen, he can sit on his chairs adorned with antique John Deere tractor seats.

At the end of the day, Sinclair suggests he’s considered the future. “I have no plans to buy any more tractors,” he says emphatically. Minutes later he points out his latest acquisition, a John Deere G, purchased 30 days ago.

Now, as spring appears, Sinclair can be found outdoors polishing and shining one of his many tractors in anticipation of parades and other events common to south-central Kansas. If you hear a put-put coming down a street during a county fair parade, don’t be surprised to spot Sinclair sitting atop his 1935 John Deere B as he maneuvers the 74-year-old tractor.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

35

localprofiles

Romancing the Stone

Don Lind finds his talent in carving stone Story by Jan et Hallfor d Photography by De bor ah Walke r

F

rom the first time Don Lind picked up a piece of wood and began whittling away with his pocketknife as a young boy, carving has remained his creative outlet.

But Lind, now 60, made the switch from wood carving to stone carving six years ago.

His introduction to stone came unexpectedly when a family friend handed him a piece of soapstone. She urged him to try working with it, and the first thing he did was drill a hole in it.

“I recall being so shocked that it was so soft. I just fell in love with it. I love the color, I love the veining, I love the texture,” he says of the natural substance. “Some people tend to think of it as a daunting task to work with stone, but I find it much easier to work with stone than wood.”

Don Lind uses a variety of stone, including this New Mexico alabaster.

Bottom Lind works on a Limestone garden post to go in his wife’s garden.

Top

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Self-taught Lind learned that alabaster was another good stone to work with after reading books and articles about stone carving. He began purchasing stones and practicing the craft by trial and error. He found his woodworking tools also worked well with the softer stones, but soon discovered some stones were beyond the scope of his skills and equipment.

He recalls a lovely piece of calcite he bought for a specific project, but it turned out to be dense and harder than alabaster. “I was blunting the edges of tools; woodworking tools would not cut or chip the stone. I did not know what to do, so I put the stone on the shelf, where it sat for a year and a half,” says Lind. He eventually bought a diamond-tipped saw blade and an angle grinder with a diamond brazed grinding wheel. “I was able to get the stone off the shelf and try again with a bit more experience and appropriate equipment.”

Over time, Lind has learned he doesn’t closely examine things until he tries to carve them. After carving several bird forms, he looked at pictures to check where the eyes were supposed to be, how big the body was in relation to the wings and so forth.

“I still have to work hard at seeing in three dimensions,” says Lind. “Most of my work is to be seen from 360 degrees, but sometimes I fall into a front and back perspective that do not work well together, and that always calls for revisions and another run at the concept.”

Clockwise from top left Lind’s creations include Bird, Colorado alabaster; Sundown Full Moon Rising, Orange alabaster with Colorado alabaster on black soapstone; Windstorm, Texas Pink soapstone on walnut base; Salsa, Orange alabaster on black soapstone base; and Hostile Takeover, Italian alabaster on granite base.

Becoming an artist With a few pieces complete, Lind entered his first art show in May 2005, about a year and a half after creating his first sculpture.

“I decided to enter the Hutchinson Art Show, and someone bought a piece. I remember feeling just shocked. Suddenly I felt like an artist rather than just someone who bangs around on stones. That was a validating kind of moment,” recalls Lind, who also received a $100 merit award at the art show that year.

Lind tries to enter five to six art shows a year. He also displays his work at regional galleries such as Courtyard Gallery in Lindsborg, Strecker-Nelson Gallery in Manhattan as well as locally at Brigman Studio and works on commissioned pieces.

Lind spends about 25-30 hours on a sculpture and likes to create a substantial one each month. This, however, can be difficult because he is a full-time English composition and reading teacher at Hutchinson Community College. “The joy of vacation is the ability to work on a piece. I find it really hard to go out and [carve] when I only have an hour or two,” he explains.

Lind’s studio, Prairie Stoneworks, sits behind his home in Hutchinson and doesn’t contain a lot of equipment. He has a hoist to move heavier stones, an air compressor and a pneumatic hammer that drives carbide-tipped chisels to create rough shapes. But mostly he works with hand tools, grinding and chiseling, and uses

various grits of sandpaper to create the form. Before mounting the piece on a wood, glass or stone base, he polishes it by hand.

“When working slowly by hand, there’s opportunity to exploit things you run into; to put a line in here, a curve in there,” says Lind. “There’s a lot of possibility of losing the character and detail when using power tools.”

Inspiration One of Lind’s goals when carving his abstract, non-representational pieces is to be able to connect with the viewer.

“What I hope is that people looking at it would be part of the creative process as well,” he says. “I know what I see in there, but I am real open to that being interpreted differently by someone else. Hopefully we can both have the same kind of enjoyable experience with it.”

Lind wants people to reach out and touch pieces as part of the experience. “Obviously, carving is a very tactile kind of thing.

Stone is extremely tactile. If you can touch it and get the feel of it, that’s half the fun,” he says.

For now, though, stone carving is just that—fun. “It’s part of being human to be creative,” Lind says. “I think it’s critical for people to have a creative outlet.”

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

37

health&fitness

The Road to Sundance Farm One couple pairs a passion for horses with the spirit of healing

Stephanie and Keith Guthrie start each day at Sundance Farm with their many horses, such as Shadow, top left, and Pete, both Welsh ponies. In the foreground are mini horses Precious and Princess.

Story by Tom Ar n hold Photography by A aron East

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

I

t only takes a few minutes with Stephanie and Keith Guthrie to sense their passion for animals and their belief that animals can help humans in a variety of ways.

In 2001 Stephanie retired from a career in aerospace engineering to begin Sundance Farm Inc. with Keith. While Keith still works as a consultant for Bombardier Aerospace, he too devotes many hours a day to their special farm northeast of Hutchinson. Together the couple set out to establish a place where abused animals can be treated, and help to improve the lives of people with disabilities and elderly individuals. “When we started Sundance Farm, it was basically an empty field. We have built the farm from the ground up, including the barn and pens,� says Stephanie.

health&fitness Shalimar Sundance is the farm’s senior Arabian stallion. left Keith’s three Clydesdales, from left, Scotty, Casey and Ben, get a yummy treat. far left

below Spirit

receives treatment for an eye injury.

MORE INFO

Sundance Farm

264 Apache Road Inman 67546 (620) 585-2874 www.sundancefarm.org Keith and Stephanie seem destined to meet and share their love of animals. The two worked for Allied Signal, an aerospace engineering firm, while based in South Carolina. After going their separate ways, their paths crossed on a few occasions. But they mostly came to know each other while living in Kansas.

Originally from Peabody, Keith moved to Buhler; Stephanie took a job with Alcoa in Hutchinson. They became reacquainted and discovered their common passion for horses. About five years ago, Stephanie, 52, and Keith 65, married.

Sundance Farm has expanded to a 200acre site near Inman boasting 82 horses, five goats, a donkey and two chickens. Many animals come to the farm in poor physical condition and are nursed back to health.

Stephanie and Keith have soft spots in their hearts and readily admit they can’t say no when someone asks them to take an injured or ill horse. After Hurricane Katrina, Keith and Stephanie provided a temporary home for 30 cats from New Orleans.

On the healing farm Sundance Farm is more than a shelter for abused horses. Keith and Stephanie use the horses to bring joy to the elderly and disabled and in turn bring joy to themselves.

Keith has trained several pairs of Welsh ponies to pull wagons that hold eight wheelchairs and 16 additional passengers. He has completed the United States Driving for the Disabled course in Louisville, Kentucky, and often trains teams of horses for other drivers and offers lessons. “The handicappedaccessible carriages allow even the severely handicapped to enjoy a carriage ride. Their faces just light up during the rides,” says Keith.

Stephanie and Keith also have several horses for people with disabilities to ride, including Funny, a tame 36-year-old white pony. Sundance also uses miniature horses that, believe it or not, are housebroken. Their smallest pony is only 28 inches tall and visits schools and nursing homes to provide some therapy. A favorite event for the couple occurs in Wichita every December when they take disabled children on their wagon to see Santa Claus, bringing him plenty of milk and cookies.

“The greatest reward in giving wagon rides to the handicapped is that we are able to allow those children to enjoy activities that other children enjoy,” says Stephanie. “You can see the relief in the parents’ faces when their children are able to have a good time.”

Every year Keith and Stephanie provide wagon rides for approximately 35 events and petting horses at retirement homes another 15-20 times.

Sundance Farm also gives terminally ill children a pony of their own that can be kept at the child’s home or at Sundance Farm. “The pony truly becomes the property of the child and brings the child a great deal of peace and joy,” says Stephanie. The project, known as Personal Ponies, began in Florida.

In the spirit of giving Sundance Farm provides all services for disabled people free. Nevertheless, 30 percent of its funding is from charitable donations and 70 percent is from their personal funds.

“Our two biggest needs are funds and volunteers,” adds Stephanie. “We have five to six volunteers but can always use more.

Soon we will have several baby mini horses and can use volunteers to hold the colts.”

The operation also provides carriage rides for weddings and other events to help with the cost of operating Sundance. Keith keeps teams of Clydesdales and Percherons and a beautiful white carriage for such events. Keith also can be seen at various events downtown, giving rides in order to raise funds.

Keith and Stephanie also breed United Kingdom Shetland ponies and Arabian horses; her Arabian stallion is in demand by breeders all over the United States for his bloodline. The Shetlands are bred for their gentleness and excellent behavior with the disabled and elderly.

The gentle way that Keith and Stephanie treat their horses and speak to them indicates just how much they enjoy their work.

“Most people view horses as livestock, but we view them as pets that help humans,” says Stephanie. “Taking a horse and using it to touch a child’s life is a miracle.”

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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health&fitness

The Not-So-Forbidden Fruit Elderberry juice: fact, fiction and flavor

story by K ath i e Moor e Photography by L ar ry Caldwe ll

A

ccording to Norse legend, a spirit known to be the spark of life responsible for infusing humanity dwelled inside the elder tree. This story came from the belief that burning the elder wood could release underworld spirits. From Ireland came the myth that by sitting under the elder tree, when its berries were ripe, one might see the Fairy King pass by. In Christianity, a small cross of elder wood was placed on a barn to protect livestock but also was considered bad luck for its association with the crucifixion.

As these stories reflect, the elder tree has long been valued for its healing properties.

While these myths and legends have become just fanciful stories from ages ago, the belief in the healing properties of elderberry juice survives. Tracing its medicinal use through a variety of cultures, including American Indians, elderberry juice has gained a reputation for its natural health benefits.

For the green thumbs James Taylor and his wife, Betty, are respected throughout Hutchinson for their knowledge of plants. Visitors to the Dillon Nature Center enjoy colorful flowerbeds provided by the Taylors, who both are Master Gardeners, and maintained with the help of volunteers they organize each year.

They work in conjunction with the Hutchinson Horticulture Club to provide the annual Gathering for Gardeners.

James offers several tips for home gardeners considering the elderberry plant, which can be found growing naturally throughout most of Kansas. “Because of its large size and a tendency to form clumps [of elderberries], it may not be a good choice for a small city lot. But

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

health&fitness RECIPE

Merry O’Callahan of Wyldewood Cellars stands near the in-store display at its Wichita location, where many customers are wooed by samples of elderberry juice.

Elderberry Jelly more info

wyldewood cellarS www.wyldewoodcellars.com

3½ cup elderberry juice (about 3½ pounds ripe berries) ½ cup fresh lemon juice, strained 7½ cups sugar 1 package powdered fruit pectin 1 Prepare elderberries by removing large stems. 2 Place in large kettle; crush. 3 Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. 4 Strain juice through jelly bag. 5 Measure juice. If you do not have

quite enough, add apple juice to make 3½ cups. 6 Add lemon juice and pour into kettle. 7 Heat, adding sugar, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 8 Add pectin. 9 Bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute. 10 Remove from heat, skim off foam and ladle or pour into hot jars; seal. Makes 3-4 half-pints.

(Recipe from www.justberryrecipes.com) www.justberryrecipes.com

if you have the space, it is worth considering. It will grow in sun or shade, and prefers a low area that is commonly moist,” says James.

Elderberry trees also are a good choice for bird watchers.

“If a person is a bird lover and wishes to attract a wide variety … having a bird feeder is not enough,” he says. “Many birds depend on fruits. … Three attracted [birds] are robins, orioles and cedar waxwings. A good choice for late-season fruit is the elderberry.”

Betty recalls a time they went in search of the fruit in the wild. “If you want to harvest elderberries for jellies [or juice], avoid the unripe ones that are bitter. I stood quite a while, plucking off just berries that were ripe enough.

They’re fairly small, but the jelly is good.” She warned that parts of the elderberry—including the foliage, bark and roots—are toxic, so be careful when handling the berries.

The elderberry plant may be found at many commercial nurseries. The long compound leaves have attractive, jagged edges. The elderberry’s display of airy white composite flowers in June makes it a desirable shrub in the proper setting. mother nature’S medicine cheSt Loyal users of elderberry juice have lavish praise for its purported healing properties. While the concentrate is the favored choice, elderberry tea and a children’s chewable supplement also are available in stores such as The Natural Alternative Plus, 300 N. Main St. Dividing her time between the Hutchinson and Great Bend Natural Alternative stores, salesperson Karla Espinosa attests to

the popularity of the elderberry juice concentrate produced by Kansas-based Wyldewood Cellars.

“We sell a lot of it here in Hutchinson and even more in the Great Bend store,” says Espinosa.

According to some, elderberry juice tastes similar to tomato juice. The juice concentrate may be used “straight” or combined with fruit juices, tea or soft drinks. Literature on elderberry often reminds customers that it is a food, not a medicine, though many tout its healing powers. a growing induStry Residents might be surprised to learn that prior to Prohibition, Kansas and Missouri produced 86 percent of wine consumed in the United States, according to the Kansas Department of Commerce. The industry is now enjoying a renaissance.

Kansas vintners, like Wyldewood, garner honors across the globe for their products. The cellar itself has won more than 300 national and international awards. Even as Wyldewood’s reputation for fi ne wine increases, one of its most popular products remains the elderberry juice concentrate. Sales of the elixir account for 60 percent of its business. An additional portion comes from sales of the elderberry and other jellies that make Wyldewood the largest manufacturer of jelly in the state.

Whether it’s a desire to grow an attractive plant, improve your health, try your hand at making homemade jelly or sample a tasty Kansas wine, the elderberry juice may provide just what you’re looking for this season.

Spring 2009 | hutchinson Magazine

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Q&A Photography by a aron East

Q&A with the Director of Fun Valley Sports Complex

Tammy Totland

S

ome might say Tammy Totland, director of Fun Valley Sports Complex, is an experienced and effective administrator. We think she is more like a No. 1 fan.

“I’ve always liked sports, been fairly athletic myself. I knew that I don’t have the patience to teach school. I don’t have the patience for coaching,” says Totland. “I wanted to stay in the athletic field. Recreation is where it ended up.”

Born and raised in Hutchinson, Totland spent a few years at Bethel College in North Newton and at Kansas State University, where she earned her recreation management degree.

After a short stint in Manhattan, she returned to her family and hometown in 1982 to work as youth slowpitch state director for the United States Specialty Sports Association. In 1983 she went full time at Fun Valley while continuing to work for the USSSA as slowpitch director for Kansas.

It’s been quite the road for sportsminded Totland, who even worked summers at the ballpark between school.

Why do you think Hutchinson is such a sportsminded community?

I guess it’s just the makeup of the people in the community. We’ve obviously had the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) basketball tournament here for many years. I think people love going to that. This is the first year that we will have the NJCAA track tournament in May. We’ve got Fun Valley Sports Complex that has hosted numerous national and World Series and world-type events.

Two national associations have recognized Fun Valley nationally as Complex of the Year (USSSA and Sportsplex Operators and Directors Association). It’s a complex that is nationally known, and we go after those national events because of the economic impact that it has on the city of Hutchinson. It’s huge. …You go up against Kansas City, Dallas, Denver and Phoenix. Little Hutchinson is up against those larger communities, wanting the same types of events.

What is your favorite part of the season?

I honestly like getting out of the office.

I’m an avid outdoor person. I would rather be outside anytime than inside. We love, everybody on the staff, loves putting on the World Series event.

It’s just as exciting today as it was 25 years ago. You see all those kids coming into the park and the parents and they’ve got cameras out and they are in awe of our flag display. … The kids are running around, excited, exchanging pins from every team.

What would you say is an aspect of your job that many would be jealous of?

As a spectator or a person in town I’m not really sure what they perceive, but I think that if they came out here on a weekend and see myself and my staff out mingling around on a weekend, they might be jealous.

The cool thing to do is to watch games all day. I think there’s a lot more that goes into that. I don’t think people realize the planning and scheduling and the things that go into the events prior to the events even getting here. … Hopefully we like it to be where there’s not a blade of grass out of place.

Which is your favorite movie and why: Field of Dreams, A League of Their Own, Eight Men Out, Major League or The Natural?

A League of Their Own would have to be my favorite. … Dottie was here at Fun Valley one time and came in and was part of our opening ceremonies and signed autographs and really spent a lot of time with the kids.

Lastly, are you a Kansas City Royals fan?

I am not. I’m a Cubs fan and a Bears fan! My brother lived in Chicago for about 22 years, and … I became a Cubs and Bears fan.

Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Katy Ibsen.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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travelideas Story and PhotograPhy by r iCh e lle tr e mai n e

A Day at the Zoo Exploring one of these regional zoos makes for a fun family weekend

let’s go!

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W

alk through the gates of a great zoo and you get the chance to literally walk on the wild side of things.

Zoos today are more about education and engagement, providing programs for kids and a connection with nature on a broader scope. They offer a bit of something for everyone. Even technology-addicted kids will be captivated with the timeless appeal of animals.

Four zoos, just a few hours’ drive from Reno County, offer the quintessential setting for a day of exploring with the family. So if your little monkeys—whether they’re toddlers or teenagers— need a good wholesome outing, head to the zoo.

hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

kansas city omaha oklahoma city Wichita

s y a a y a

travelideas

The Kansas City Zoo

O

ne word comes to mind with the Kansas City Zoo: kangaroos. Up close and personal, the kangaroos bound about an open field without any Kansas physical barrier between them and zoo visitors. They are strewn about City Zoo sunning themselves, grooming, napping, having a little snack and bouncing around as onlookers watch from various sides of the field.

One of America’s Best The Intrepid Traveler named the Kansas City Zoo one of America’s Zoos in 2008 Best Zoos in 2008. The zoo is known for its kangaroo, chimp and African exhibits, which are noted as some of the best in the country.

by The Intrepid Be sure to visit the popular sea lion exhibit. Often found basking under the sun, these creatures seem to be enjoying life. They’re also Traveler quite the performers and regularly shimmy up to the concrete wall that surrounds the pool, showing visitors their best side.

— —

MUST SEE

Kangaroos Chimps African exhibits Sea lions

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

travelideas

Flowing stream inside Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.

The entrance to the Big Rivers exhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

the oKlahoma city Zoo W

elcoming animal lovers for more than 100 years, the Oklahoma City Zoo is the state’s No. 1 attraction. It was recognized as the zoo among oklahoma City the top three in the nation for Zoo family-friendliness. Its warm, welcoming atmosphere is home Ranked Top 3 for to about 1,900 animals, includFamily-Friendliness ing 54 endangered or threatened species. Some to note are the Asian elephant, Puerto Rican crested toad, western lowland gorilla, Bali mynah and Andean condor.

Designed for easy navigation, the zoo spans 110 acres. The new Oklahoma Trails exhibit features 800 animals as well as plants native to the state. Wide boardwalks lead you through the Oklahoma Trails exhibit, making it easy to keep track of the kids.

A favorite on the trails is the grizzly bear exhibit, where brothers act accordingly.

On top of that, a new children’s zoo is slated to open this fall with plenty of interactive features.

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muSt See

54 endangered or threatened species Oklahoma Trails Grizzly Bear Exhibit Children’s Zoo (coming in Fall) Spring 2009 | hutchinson Magazine

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travelideas

Rope bridge in Lied Jungle.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo I

this page Photos courtesy of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

nside the gates at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, you’ll find a fabulous selection of habitats and specialized exhibits all wrapped up in one place.

Among the 25 exhibits is the Desert Dome, looming large at 13 stories tall; it’s noted as the world’s largest indoor desert. Meander through Kingdoms of the Night underneath the dry Omaha’s Henry landscape. Inside this night enviDoorly Zoo ronment visitors travel through a wet cave and can trek around the Features 25 animal world’s largest indoor swamp with a exhibits floating boardwalk.

Lied Jungle contains a massive indoor rainforest. With a rope bridge, similar to that in Swiss Family Robinson, the brave at heart can travel from point to point through the warm tropical air.

Before calling it a day, check out the Scott Aquarium, Butterfly Pavilion, Bear Canyon and Cat Complex. Many of the exhibits tempt you to linger awhile, so some families make a Kingdom of the Night exhibit. two-day visit to take in everything.

—

MUST SEE

Desert Dome Kingdoms of the Night Lied Jungle Scott Aquarium Butterfly Pavilion Bear Canyon Cat Complex

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A peek inside the Desert Dome.

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

travelideas

The popular boat ride tour.

MUST SEE

Sedgwick County Zoo

Cessna Penguin Cove Downing Gorilla Forest Koch Orangutan and Chimp Habitat Children’s Farms

G

raceful ballerinas may not be your first impression of hippos. But when you get a peek of them from the Sedgwick County Zoo’s lower viewing windows, perspectives can change easily. Getting nose to nose with these mammals is an unforgettable treat.

Great vantage points of more than 2,000 animals at the south-central Kansas zoo are just some of the perks at the No. 1 rated outdoor family attraction in the state. Sedgwick County Zoo is the 18th largest zoo in the country, allowing visitors to gain insight to 436 species of animals.

There is no shortage of signature events here—from an Easter Eggstravaganza, Earth Day Kansas and Mother’s Day, to Twilight Tuesdays, Kid’s Zoobilee, Wet-n-Wild Days and a summer concert series. Educational adventures abound with activities like Sedgwick Creature Campouts, when kids spend a fun-filled night at the zoo.

County Zoo Paths are open and wondrous, making exhibits like Cessna Penguin Cove, Downing Gorilla Forest and the Koch Orangutan and Chimp Habitat easy to 18th largest zoo find. All-time favorites at the zoo are the grizzly bears, river otters and the in the country domestic animals at the Children’s Farms.

After trekking around the 247-acre zoo, consider a tour boat ride as a great way to soak it all in and rest awhile. The covered boat floats visitors through tranquil waters while the zoo staff shares stories.

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READY TO GO?

Here are some basics to get you started. Check out the websites before you go for special programs and events. Each zoo offers a calendar full of choices.

Kansas City Zoo

6800 Zoo Drive Kansas City, MO 64132 (816) 513-5700 www.kansascityzoo.org

Oklahoma City Zoo



2101 NE 50th St. Oklahoma City, OK 73111 (405) 424-3344 www.okczoo.com

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo



3701 S. 10th St. Omaha, NE 68107 (402) 733-8401 www.omahazoo.com

Sedgwick County Zoo



5555 Zoo Blvd.

Wichita 67212 (316) 660-9453 www.scz.org

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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family

Lighting Up the Stage STory by Amy Con kli ng Photography by Deborah Walker

Theater is a priority for Hutchinson High School’s Thespian Troupe

Caitlin Doornbos is familiar with being on stage at Hutchinson High School.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

family

A

ll it took was a trip to Broadway for a young Caitlin Doornbos to catch the acting bug. Now 16 and a junior at Hutchinson High School, she remembers watching Bernadette Peters perform in Annie Get Your Gun. “That was when I knew what I wanted to do when I got older—and I was in the second grade,” Doornbos recalls.

Seventeen-year-old Rakeisha Cushinberry was introduced to the wonderful world of acting by a YouthFriend. “She was like a big sister to me, and I wanted to do what she did,” says Cushinberry, a senior at Hutchinson High. “I went to watch her in a show at the Flag Theatre when I was in fourth grade, and that really got me into theater.”

Doornbos, Cushinberry and 13 fellow students compose this year’s Thespian Troupe No. 2277 at Hutchinson High. The troupe is the high school’s elite theater program, where students are involved in all things thespian: acting, soundboard, technology, makeup and backdrops.

Students work toward accumulating the 20 points needed to become a member of the thespian troupe. Typically they achieve this status their sophomore or junior year, but students begin getting involved during freshman year, dreaming of the day they will make it into the troupe.

They receive a point for every 10 hours they put into theater work. And in order for students to stay active, theater instructor Tobie Henline says each member also must devote five hours of work to each show throughout the year.

“This is the leadership organization on campus for the theater,” says Henline, who has taught at the high school for six years.

“They put in the time. And when they’re seniors, they really know what’s going on in theater.”

Stage presence Doornbos knows all about making sacrifices for theater as she tugs on a piece of her long, blonde hair. “This,” she says, pointing to the streaks of dark and light hair, “is what’s left after dyeing my hair for Bye Bye Birdie.” She dyed her naturally blonde hair a deep black shade for her role as Rosie Alvarez in the classic musical.

“The things we do for theater,” Doornbos says with a smile.

In a typical year, the students will perform in three to four large shows in addi-

tion to smaller plays and performances that come up throughout the year. And their work seems to pay off. For the third year in a row, Hutchinson High’s students won the Gold Honor Troupe award in January at the Kansas Thespians conference in Wichita; it’s the highest level a group can achieve at the conference.

“We’re setting the bar for achievement as a group,” Doornbos says. To meet these high standards, the group performs throughout the year in the community, mainly at elementary schools and the Hutchinson Public Library.

Putting it to practice Taylor Geiman and Lexi Jost pretty much had their minds made up: They were going to perform Get Smart, and nothing would stop them—except for Henline.

Geiman and Jost are the troupe’s senior directors. As a thank you and reward for their years and hours of service, Henline allows graduating students the chance to choose and direct a play in the spring.

Typically the seniors opt for smaller oneact plays, according to Henline. This year, though, Geiman and Jost wanted to spice things up. “[The student directors are] going to see [the production] all the way through and I’m basically just advising them,” Henline says. “We’ll usually go out to dinner when it gets close to the performance and I’ll ask them, do they want more help from me? I always get a ‘no.’”

These Hutchinson High School students and their director won the Gold Honor Troupe award in January at the Kansas Thespians conference in Wichita.

“Each day when I walk into theater class, I feel like I’m walking into Cheers, where everyone knows your name.”

– Caitlin Doornbos

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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family

“We’re setting the bar for achievement as a group.”

– Caitlin Doornbos

Fortunately for Geiman and Jost, Henline approved the script. They’ll make their directorial debut during their show’s performances at the end of April and early May. Until then, the seniors will join other theater students in preparing for The Crucible playing March 26-27 and 29.

One happy family “We’re a harbor for people,” Doornbos says. “Each day when I walk into theater class, I feel like I’m walking into Cheers, where everyone knows your name.” Though her comment throws her peers into a fit of laughter, they all agree.

Theater students, they say, tend to accept everyone. According to Doornbos, drama is something you learn as you go; students don’t have to come on stage with years or months of experience. This is what drew Jost to the theater department at Hutchinson High.

“I moved here and saw that anyone could join the group, freshmen through seniors, experienced or inexperienced,” Jost says. “You spend a lot of time in this theater, and then when it’s all done … we just don’t know what to do without theater or without each other.”

Upcoming Performances Taylor Geiman, Lexey Jost and Jaden Bowman practice together on stage.

Middle Doornbos works with theater director Tobie Henline.

Bottom Cody Martin improvises with Doornbos, Isaiah Narron and Sara Patterson on stage.

Top

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Hutchinson High School auditorium. For tickets, contact the school at (620) 665-4500.

The Crucible, March 26, 27, 29 Get Smart, April 30 and May 1

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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family

Mommy’s Day Out Story by Edie Ross Photography by Deborah Walker

Becki Asberry and her daughter Megan, left, prepare for some crafts with Manda Holmes and Jesica Schrag at the monthly Mothers of Preschoolers group in Hutchinson.

MOPS provides an outlet and break from the busy life of being mom

F

riday mornings bring laughter, conversation and fellowship to the fifth-grade Sunday school classroom at the First Church of the Nazarene. In this brightly colored room with a wall full of windows, the Hutchinson MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meet during the fall, winter and spring.

The nondenominational group, which includes nearly 30 young mothers, gathers twice a month for a program that features a speaker, crafts and time for participants to share questions, problems, solutions and experiences. More than anything, it’s a time for support.

The children, all pre-kindergarten, play in the nursery or classrooms, where they have lessons in religion, play games, eat a snack and enjoy some recess time. While moms are on their own time, a former preschool teacher works with the older children and teenagers, or other volunteers, supervise the younger children.

Motherly advice “When I had a little baby in the house, I was dying to get out and around other moms,” says Elissa Unruh, MOPS coordinator and stay-at-home mother to 2-year-old Addison and 4-year-old Kaylee. “I like the range of topics our speakers discuss. We cover everything from potty training to how to have quiet time with God every day.”

The local MOPS organization is one of more than 4,000 groups meeting around the world. MOPS International got its start in 1973 in Colorado when eight women gathered for the first meeting, similar to today’s meetings. In 1981, MOPS established a board of directors and incorporated the group. In 1988, the organization went global and became MOPS International Inc. with a mission to encourage and help mothers of preschoolers realize their potential as not only a mother but also a member of society through the use of Christian values.

The Hutchinson MOPS organization has been around for some time, and has met at the First Church of the Nazarene for five years. According to family pastor Mark Hall, MOPS is beneficial because it provides

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

family Anna Woods speaks to the MOPS group about physical fitness and staying in shape.

community outreach and ministers specifically to families.

“To support moms in a kind of crazy time of life, or to give them resources and allow them to network with other moms, is one of the best things we can do for our moms, for their families and for the community,” says Hall. “You don’t have to be a member of First Church to come to MOPS. In fact, the majority of the ladies don’t attend this church, and some don’t go to church at all.”

Gatherings On a recent Friday morning, purses of all shapes, sizes and colors adorn the classroom’s cement floor. The mothers work on the day’s craft project, using stamps and stencils to create an etchedglass effect on a vase, while gabbing about life’s little surprises.

When they are not being creative, they listen to a speaker who might cover a variety of topics. Meanwhile the scent of cinnamon wafts from the snack table where mothers visit periodically and then return to small discussion groups gathered around tables. These mothers talk openly together, even as the older members make an effort to welcome newcomers.

Donael Wichert, mother to Skylir, 1, is visiting MOPS for the first time. “I’m in a playgroup and one of the other mothers comes here,” says Wichert, adding that she welcomes the opportunity for her little girl to play with other children.

Most of the women who attend MOPS are stay-at-home mothers. Jennifer Gill, a past coordinator of the group, joined MOPS six years ago when she began staying home with her then 14-month-old son, Lucas.

“It is very isolating to leave a job and, for the benefit of your children, stay at home,” she says. “It can be very difficult.”

Elissa Unruh is the MOPS coordinator who has benefited from the group as a mother.

MORE INFO

Hutchinson MOPS Gill had left her job as a school psychologist with Reno County Education Cooperative and needed to reconnect with other young mothers. “It’s nice to speak with people who are going through the same life phase that you are,” Gill says of motherhood. “MOPS is for our spiritual development, but also to provide that fellowship and companionship.”

Gill, who now has 3-year-old daughter, Teagan, is working again, part time. She is still a strong supporter of what MOPS offers to women who have made mothering their full-time job.

For Unruh, MOPS seems to be an unintentionally well-kept secret in Hutchinson—something she’d like to change. “We really want to get the word out about it,” she says. “I think our group could be bigger, and I enjoy it so much that it’s hard for me to not tell others about it.”

When 9 a.m.-11 a.m. on the first and third Friday of each month, September to May. Where First Church of the Nazarene, 4290 N. Monroe St.

—

Cost To join, members pay $23.95 to

MOPS International. In return they receive a book and a magazine subscription.

Members also pay $3 per meeting to the local organization. That money covers the cost of craft supplies and helps pay nonvolunteer teachers.

Visit www.hutchfirstnaz.com and click on the “ministries” tab. Then click on the link to MOPS for

more information and how to register.

Although registration typically takes place over the summer, MOPS always welcomes new members.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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The

Story by Faryle Scot t

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brewing

Photography by De bor ah Walke r

Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

of Brooks’ An entrepreneur brings a new flavor combo to downtown

R

unning a business is a bit of an a rt form.

It takes patience, creativity, passion, a touch of color and originality.

For Kim Troyer—a mother, artist and entrepreneur—running a coffee shop, café and art gallery is her personal masterpiece filled with love, family and enthusiasm.

Troyer opened Brooks’ on Main St. in April of 2008 in downtown Hutchinson. The quaint bistro has a trendy decor with details such as exposed brick and mahogany woodwork left from a bar that previously occupied the space.

“The ambiance in here is so artistic,” says Troyer of the walls featuring art that she selected in an effort to showcase undiscov-

ered artists from Kansas. Tables are readily available for customers to enjoy a gourmet meal, sip coffee, read a book or work on their latest project. Brooks’ often becomes a musical venue for singers and songwriters.

Adding to the character of Brooks’ on Main is a bustling family.

“I am so proud of them,” says Troyer. “We’ve never worked together, and we all get along so well. It’s just been really cool.”

Troyer acts as owner (and mother) while all six of her children have helped in one way or another. Christia, 27, and Kenn, 21, assisted with the opening of the café before moving on to their respective professions while Chelsea, 24, Chey, 20, Mike, 15, and Chara, 11, all currently pitch in at Brooks’.

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

57

TOP left It’s

a family affair at Brooks’. From left are oldest daughter Christia Hall, owner Kim Troyer, youngest Chara, son Mike, daughter Chelsea and daughter Chey with her daughter Eliza. MIDDLE Christia enjoys Brooks’ Signature Salad. RIGHT Chara helps out in the bustling kitchen. BOTTOM The popular café and restaurant offers tables for outdoor dining along Main Street.

A cup of joe Troyer knows there are coffee connoisseurs in

Hutchinson, which is exactly why she spent a good deal of time looking for the perfect beans. As with most of the aspects of her business, she did not want to go with a large, well-known supplier. She tasted several roasters before finding the perfect one: a Kansas roaster, which she keeps under wraps, that has been in the roasting business for 30 years.

“Espresso is an art, and people who know all about it know when they’ve had a bad cup of espresso,” says Troyer, explaining that each barista must make the perfect cup of coffee before being allowed to prepare drinks for customers.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Brooks’ offers much more than coffee and atmosphere. The full menu includes items like freshly made five-cheese quiche, Brooks’ hummus with fresh vegetables, chicken Florentine wrap and breakfast served all day while always having a vegetarian and vegan options.

“We make everything per order,” says Troyer. “We are using food as the medium to create art that you eat.” Troyer and daughter Chelsea take great pride in creating and making the food they serve at Brooks’. The duo work in the kitchen together making dishes such as Brooks’ Signature Salad of greens, chicken, veggies and fruit with homemade salad dressing and carrot cake that “people drive all the way from Wichita to eat.”

RECIPE

Brooks’ Gingersnap Cookies WET MIXTURE

DRY MIXTURE

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed ¼ cup blackstrap molasses 1 large egg ¾ cup vegetable shortening

2½ cups unbleached white flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1½ teaspoons ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon allspice

RECIPE

Brooks’ Good Morning Smoothie 2 cups ice 1 banana 6-8 medium strawberries ⁄ cup vanilla yogurt ½ cup orange juice; more as needed 1 Put ice into blender. 2 Add banana,

strawberries, yogurt and orange juice.

3 Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.

4 Add orange juice as needed, one tablespoon at a time. 5 Pour into your favorite glass. Garnish with whipped cream and a strawberry.

DIP

1 cup granulated sugar in small bowl (for dipping cookies) 1 Combine wet ingredients in mixer and beat on medium speed, just until blended.

2 Combine dry ingredients in a bowl; whisk. 3 Sift dry mixture into bowl holding wet

mixture. Blend with a mixer on low speed for about 2 minutes, until uniform in texture. The dough should be stiff but not dry and crumbly. 4 Shape dough into a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon or two of flour. If it’s too crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of shortening. The weather will affect the dough at this stage, so always test it. 5 Chill dough in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 hour. 6 Once dough is chilled, return it to the mixer bowl and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds. 7 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 8 Shape ¼ cup of dough into a ball and flatten to a ½-inch patty. 9 Spray one side of cookie lightly with water and dip into granulated sugar. 10 Place cookies sugar side up on ungreased baking sheet. Arrange at least 2 inches apart. 11 Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cookies are done when the edge is slightly crispy but the rest is still soft. The finished cookie will be about the same color as it was when it was dough. Remove cookies from baking sheet immediately and let cool. Makes a dozen 5-inch cookies.

Spring 2009 | hutchinson Magazine

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Custom-designed catering is also available from Brooks’. The meals are created with the client in mind. As Troyer notes, “We cater everything from family events to business lunches and dinners.”

ber, Troyer organized her first art show at Brooks’ for Jason Becker, a Hutchinson Brooks’ on Main St. is at 119 S. Main St. native who was selling his work to raise funds for a journey to Egypt and South Africa. “Everyone is talking about the Needle Arts Club and Poetry and show,” she says, explaining that 25 pieces Spoken Word circle 7 p.m. Mondays Paintbrushes and guitars were sold the night of the show. Her hopes From Troyer’s experience, she knows are to make such showings a regular thing Sketchers’ Night 7 p.m. Tuesdays in Brooks’ future. how hard artists work to make a name The atmosphere inside Brooks’ is that for themselves. In the late ’90s, Troyer of ease and creativity. “There is so much worked at an art school with three gallerThird Thursday once a month ies where she learned the ropes and how to talent here,” says Troyer. “There weren’t promote her paintings. any outlets, so for the past couple of years “If you’re an artist, you get a little lost when you step from your no one knew all these people existed.” Occasionally Brooks’ will own paintbrush and studio into the world of buyers, who are not have live musicians scheduled. But even when there isn’t someone artists; they’re art lovers,” she says. “I have training in my past scheduled, one can usually find a guitar-playing troubadour sitexperience working in galleries in bridging that gap between art- ting out front practicing. ist and buyer.” Thanks to her gallery experience, she knows that For Troyer and her family, the opening of Brooks’ has been a artists need a place to display their work to the public. creative journey, and the future for the coffee shop, café and galBrooks’ provides a space for artists who have proven to be lery is bright. “We are going to give it all we’ve got,” she says. “All talented as well as determined to pursue their craft. In Decem- of our personalities are in this.”

Upcoming Events

“We make everything per order. We are using food as the medium to create art that you eat.” – Kim Troyer

Chelsea prepares the Brooks’ famous carrot cake, a customer favorite. The menu also features hearty Tomato Bisque Soup, top, and the popular quiche.

CLOCKWISE from left

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Buddies, from left, Mat Janette, Joe Lask and Steve Hagley often hang out at Brooks’. middle John Dennis performs acoustic guitar at Brooks’. right Julia Welborn enjoys meeting friends for coffee at Brooks’. Below Chelsea steams some milk for one of the popular coffee drinks.

left

Spring 2009 | Hutchinson Magazine

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bestbets

|

mar-may 09

march March 2-31 | Parade of Quilts. Participating businesses will feature quilts

made by women from Yoder and other Amish and Mennonite communities across the United States. (620) 465-3613. www.yoderkansas.com

March 13-14 | The Kansas Kids Closet. Purchase clothing from newborn to boys’ size 20 and girls’ size 16, as well as maternity clothes at this consignment sale. Furniture, infant gear, shoes, bedding, books, games, sports equipment, videos, DVDs and toys also will be available for purchase. Consignment sale opens to the public at 8 a.m. March 13 in the Domestic Arts Building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. www.thekansaskidscloset.com

March 19 | THIRD THURSDAY. Get downtown to enjoy art, live music and the community. Located between Avenue B and Main Street. 5 - 9 p.m.

March 21 | The Old Mill Theater. The Old Mill Theater in Buhler features live music suitable for all ages. Performances include Shelly Cole and Diamond W. Wranglers; $35 admission includes chuckwagon-style dinner. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 111 Old Mill Lane. (620) 960-6455. www.theoldmilltheater.com

March 29 | Messiah. Hutchinson Community College Concert Chorale and the Reno Choral Society present Handel’s Messiah at the HCC Stringer Fine Arts Center. Adults $10 and children $5. Event begins at 3 p.m. (620) 665-3503.

april April 16 | Hutchinson Symphony Concert. Hutchinson Symphony’s

last concert of the 2008-2009 season, “The Big Three.” Experience the music of Brahms, Bach and Beethoven. Event begins at 7 p.m. at the Fox Theatre.

Donations accepted. www.hutchsymphony.org

April 16 | THIRD THURSDAY. Get downtown to enjoy art, live music and the community. Located between Avenue B and Main Street. 5 - 9 p.m.

April 14-16 | The Tempest. Hutchinson Community College Theatre presents

William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. B.J. Warner Recital Hall. General admission tickets $7. 7:30 p.m. (620) 665-3399.

April 18 | Fox Features. Grammy award-winning Blood, Sweat and Tears will

perform at the historic Fox Theatre and attend a reception at Memorial Hall following the show. Ticket prices range from $35 to $65. (620) 663-5861. www. hutchinsonfox.com

may May 2 | Hutchinson Annual Outdoor Art Fair. The 47th Outdoor

Art Fair will be between Avenue A and Avenue B on Washington Street, next to Avenue A Park. The art fair has booths where local and regional artist displaying their work for the public. This is a great event for art lovers of all ages. Free admission. Events begin at 9 a.m.

May 2 | Cinco de Mayo. Annual Cinco de Mayo festivities planned at various

locations in downtown. Events include Guadalupe Dancers, custom car show and children’s activities. The outdoor dance will begin at 6 p.m. with the king and queen coronation at 8 p.m. (620) 662-1280.

May 15-16 | Abbyville Frontier Days Rodeo and BBQ. Rodeo begins

at 8 p.m. each night. Saturday events begin in the morning with a parade, followed by lunch, games and entertainment. Barbecue will be served prior to the Saturday night performance. Abbyville Arena, 100 E. Ave. F. (620) 459-7359.

May 16 | Reno County Farmers. Find the freshest produce, flowers and homemade goodies. Events begin at 7:30 a.m. at Second and Washington streets. (620) 669-0033.

May 21 | THIRD THURSDAY. Get downtown to enjoy art, live music and the community. Located between Avenue B and Main Street. 5 - 9 p.m.

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Hutchinson Magazine | Spring 2009

Please submit event information to: hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com (Dates and times subject to change)